Before the piled-up crumbs on this second-hand table, And the not insignificant clumps of dog hair collecting around the bottom of this chair, Work up their nerve and finally attack, Let me admit, I am overwhelmed. The hurts of the world, The pains of my dear ones, The cries of your beloveds, I am overwhelmed.… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
My heart continues to sting from losing my dad, peaceful God. My soul is not quite as vivacious, and the innocence I felt before his death has drifted away. Grief robs us of possibilities of the future. Grief fogs up the lens we use to see the world. Our universe is smaller and sadder. Pour… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Lost and Found
Years before I was out to my congregation, Friend A approached Friend B, and said, “I think Pat R. is gay.” Friend B, who knew full well that I was indeed in a relationship with another woman said, “Well, what makes you think that?” Friend A replied, “I saw her at the Pride worship service!”… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
Boundless God, On these days when my energy is low And rest seems to be my closest ally, Surround me with your energy. May I find my second wind Before the pit of exhaustion swallows me And I cannot reemerge from its trap before nightfall. As I breathe in your reinvigorating air And feel the… Read More
Friday Festival: Storms
When I was a child, at the first sign of the deep blue midday sky, my anxiety-ridden stomach would begin to churn. I knew what was coming but didn’t know the severity. Sometimes tornado sirens would wail in the background. Other times, we would just experience a run-of-the-mill summer storm. After I moved to Florida… Read More
Friday Festival: Relationships Reconsidered
With honesty and tenderness, our bloggers are considering relationships this week – with God, with Jesus, with our stuff and with a lamented mother, who has just died. The hard work of stopping the rush of her life has Sally Coleman thinking about where God is inviting her to sing a new song. “I have… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
God of the Many Doors, Open Hallways, Closed Windows- As we face choices both large and small, Grant us your wisdom. May the clarity that arrives when we focus on you Strengthen our minds and our vision. Our stomachs churn and our head aches From hours upon hours of worry and wonder. Dissolve our anxiety-driven… Read More
The Pastoral Is Political: Whiteness, Immigration, and Who Gets to Be Considered Made in God’s Image
A number of months ago, I did some Googling. Maybe it was because of some actions or tweets by Kim Kardashian regarding her Armenian advocacy or appropriating another culture. Or maybe I was just curious to figure out where the word Caucasian originated. Either way, I found this article: “How Armenian Americans Became ‘White’: A… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
Expressive God- You must make faces at us as we wrestle with this life. Do you give us a side eye glare as we make biased comments? Do you shake your head when we walk away from a call? Do you facepalm us as you facepalmed the disciples when they ran away from Jesus and… Read More
Friday Festival: Hot and Cold Running Wisdom
Sitting in front of fans and air conditioning units, our bloggers are digging deep within for wisdom. While many of us want to flop on the couch with beach books, or are now finding ourselves in mid-winter, depending on where we live, our bloggers are mining the depths for unexpected gems of wisdom. The body… Read More
