It's a weird kind of day. The kind of day that you check the mailbox and you find a handful of birthday cards which bring joy and smiles and then (queue dramatic music) hiding behind the cards is the invitation to become a member of AARP (the American Association of Retired Persons). The gut check … Continue reading On Turning 50

Yesterday was Juneteenth. I will confess that I did not fully understand why that was on my calendar and what it signified until I researched it. And that embarrasses me to admit. It commemorates the end of slavery in the US. On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, TX and … Continue reading Juneteenth and the Parable of the Sower

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget [us] forever?    How long will you hide your face from [us]?2 How long must [we] bear pain in [our] soul,    and have sorrow in [our] heart all day long?How long shall [our] enemy be exalted over [us]?3 Consider and answer [us], O Lord [our] God!    Give light to [our] eyes, or [we] will sleep the sleep of … Continue reading How Long, Oh God – A Lament

I don't know about you but I am almost in information overload. This week has felt a bit like when we initially went into COVID-19 mode- things have started changing rapidly and information is coming at me faster than I can get it all read. But we are approaching a transition point in our new … Continue reading So What Happens Next at BUMC?

It happened.  In spite of COVID-19.  In spite of social distancing.  In spite of Shelter in Place.  In spite of closed sanctuaries.  Easter happened!  It had to be one of the most surreal and yet memorable Easters of my entire life.  I will always remember where I was and what I was doing during the … Continue reading Surreal Easter Reflections

When I think back to last week it seems like eons ago. We have faced unprecedented change in one week's time.  The amount of decisions and the speed at which they have come at me has been mind boggling.  I imagine each of you feel the same.  As a pastor, one of the things that … Continue reading Staying Connected in the Midst of Isolation

It's hard for me to believe that it is Lent already.  You know, the 40 days leading up to Easter.  I always appreciate that the Church has a rhythm to it.  The big things that happen in the church year always have a time of preparation.  Advent leads up to Christmas. Lent to Easter.  The … Continue reading It’s Lent, Again

Happy Valentine's Day!  I realize for some this is a day of great joy.  For others it brings sadness and heartbreak.  And for others, it's just another day.  For those of us who have been married 20+ years it is far too tempting to fall into that last category.  I'm thankful for my husband and … Continue reading The Many Faces of Love

Yesterday afternoon I was reflecting about Martin Luther King, Jr. on the eve of the day which honors him with a national holiday.   Simultaneously some friends and I went to see the movie Just Mercy about Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard trained lawyer who comes to Alabama to assist inmates on death row get a fair … Continue reading A Little Mercy, A Little Justice, and a Little Unmerited Grace

  I made an angel.  And I have to admit, I am a little proud.  It's out of wood and I had a lot of help.  I am indebted to Drew Sumrell for patiently teaching me about his woodworking hobby.  I learned about using a lathe and wood turning tools such as a parting tool, … Continue reading The Making of an Angel