“What will you do if there is a fire in your house?” Miss Brady asked her class of third graders. We learned that hiding under the bed was the wrong answer. She taught us all about fire safety and assigned the homework of drawing a map of our house with a family plan about how […]
St. Anne’s church was packed with people on Wednesday evening. The funeral home invited them; all the families who had suffered a death this year. There was a priest and an AME Zion church pastor and me, all leading worship together. I told the story about Emma’s gift. There is a part of the story […]
I preached at Hadwen Park Congregational Church on the first Sunday in April at Rev. Sarah Sund-Lussier’s ordination. She requested her favorite scripture, Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd loses 1 out of 100, but searches until he finds the single lost lamb and rejoices when it is back in his arms, just […]
Among all the bugs dancing, the very best one was the centipede. Whenever the music started up, he began to boogie. Until one day, the ant asked him, “Charlie, you have over 100 legs, how do you know which one to lift first?” Just then, the music started up, but Charlie hesitated. He looked to […]
The funeral home was packed with mourners and the funeral service was well underway. There were a lot of words, a lot of tears, just enough scripture. But I wondered how long it would be before the 5 year-old sitting in the second row became restless and fidgety. Just then, as it turned out, the previously […]
It was a long flight and I dozed. The crackling of an announcement woke me with a start. “If any doctor is on board, please come forward.” We were over the Atlantic ocean, returning from vacation. Passengers wore comfy stretchy pants while watching tiny tv screens on the reclined seat backs of their neighbors. No […]
Earlier this spring, while running I passed through a wooded area and I remembered mountain laurel. When we lived in Cherry Valley the woods behind the house were full of mountain laurel. Every morning, I walked Gert the dog and marveled at the white and pink blossoms. How long had it been since I had […]
Mister Rogers invited a young boy to play piano. Mr. Rogers sat beside the piano, fully present to the child and to the music. He watched the child’s face and never once looked at his hands, his fingers dashing over the keys, his technique of lifting his wrists just so. He was not interested in […]
“So, what do you love about Baltimore?” Tracy asked. We were seated outdoors by a fountain at Gertrude’s café in the Art Museum with a flight of mimosas between us – what’s not to love? “The people in your city are so gracious, so kind, so nice.” “That’s surprising to you?” “Yes. I’m from New England. It’s cold there.” […]
I wanted birthday cake, well at least a birthday cupcake, which was not on the menu at the Sushi place where Elaine and I celebrated my birthday dinner. So, we checked google maps for local bakeries which might be open on a snowy Wednesday evening and we found ourselves at Birch Tree Bread Company. An […]