Family & Grandchildren

Maybe it’s not some thing that’s missing, but some one. For me, it’s both. I miss the whole family crowded on the wraparound porch at “our” beach house at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Mama found it, then rented it for several summers, until she left…

Well, turns out little Claire wasn't asking to see if my white pants were "cool," like "She looks so HOT!" But wondered, if they felt hot on this simmering summer day? I said I was OK but thought her dress would be much cooler. It…

Yes, I love to win, but not at any cost. And so I was concerned about the match between TEAM USA versus BELGIUM yesterday. My concern wasn't about the USA winning or losing. We'd already lost, if sportsmanship, respect and rules matter. I was concerned…

Well, it's almost July 4th, the 250th Birthday of the United States of America. So it's appropriate to see flags fluttering from houses, yards and towns in my area. And whiIe I love my country, I don't like some of what's going on. Like, while…

Yesterday's sermon and the reading from Matthew 10:40-42 nudge me to look closer at what matters to Jesus, and to me. Small decisions, little children and the least of these, matter to Jesus And that's part of why I love sitting in the family section…

June's a busy month. It's packed with graduations, weddings, anniversaries, reunions, birthdays, plus Father's Day. Add to that, Juneteenth, a national holiday. So many opportunities to celebrate. But it's also an awkward time in some families. Sometimes, we're better at making promises, than keeping them.…

What a day! It's my 86th birthday and I'm here to enjoy it. So many visual, virtual, fragrant and unexpected reminders from friends and family. Best of all, Lily surprised me by showing up yesterday. I knew Lily was coming Thursday or Friday for Maggie's…

Yep, church today was holy hubbub! And I needed the joy that came with it! So what caused the hubbub? Two things, probably. First, today is Pentecost Sunday, so children entered, waving flags, resembling fire. (Noone's eyes got poked out !!) And many of us…

Yesterday was Mother's Day. A great day for Hallmark cards, florists, and restaurants, but not for all women, nor all mothers. But still, yesterday was a day I felt grateful to be a mother and to have been mothered, and grandmothered. It's good to celebrate…

It was a gift, a word from God. Not in the Bible, but heaven-sent nonetheless. And, the day it arrived, it made for a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Does the title of this blog or the phrase, "a beautiful day in the neighborhood" bring…

Don't worry. I still know my name and what day and year it is. I've been practicing for my annual physical. You know, when someone in the medical field asks questions, like day and year, to determine how my brain's aging, along with the rest…

Trust me. They're there. I've met many by admitting that sometimes I need to use a wheelchair. For instance, over the past month I met some airport angels when I flew to North Carolina for Thanksgiving. And three more when I flew to California for…

She sat across from me in church last Sunday with her grandmother, Audrey, and her parents. In her three year old hands, Liliana held a large Bible. She kept thumbing through it. Handling the pew Bible, like the treasure it is. Curious and calm. She…

Well, I don't know if you grew up hearing that phrase, like I did. For sure, it didn't mean my parents and I were going to chat about what size turkey to buy from the A&P grocery store. It meant I was in trouble for…

. OK, I'll start. Something good came from watching the news this week. Some Middle School and High School students from a town in Ohio lined up in front of a mic in the school hallway. They were asked to say something good that happened…

Halloween's history for another year. However, while we don't get many trick or treaters where I live, I stock up, just in case. So I always pick what I know the Grands or I like. Then the kid in me hopes nobody shows up!! And…

James is one adorable four year old. He's one reason I love sitting among families with young children at church. You know, on the side opposite the choir with the altar in between. It's where you can make a fast exit with child in hand…

Maggie's to blame. Not my granddaughter, my friend Maggie Rowe. I won't get into the specifics but in her last blog, she wrote that her brother-in-law saw purple as the color of hope. Google and read it for yourself. My friend is Maggie Wallem Rowe.(…

Today's Labor Day. Summertime's final fling. Some will shop, plan or panic, readying for school tomorrow. Others are at the beach. I watch them hauling beach paraphernalia, as I write. It's a bit chilly but nothing like it's going to be, all too soon. So…

Recently, someone in my family responded to something I said with, "You're so predictable." It wasn't a compliment. Then, I tried to argue my case, which didn't and rarely works. While, it ruffled my feathers, it also nudged me to hunt for the truth within…

Well, my Daddy used to say about my Mama, "She never spoils a good story with the truth." Which is why I'm feeling caught between some good stories and the truth. Trying to sift through what I've read, heard or experienced about who our family…

Heather and Luke cooking up something good in our place in Farsund, Norway. Another spectacular setting in a country too beautiful for words. The kitchen was stunning, too. Photo below: Four generations of women from the line of Amelia Lund (great, great grandmother), Bertilda Lund…

So here they come: The Grands and I are on the steps of Husan, which is the Lund family home in Farsund, Norway. But it is now the Town Hall. My great, great grandmother, Amelia married into the Lund family. However, the photo is missing…

Just a few glimpses of our time in Norway. Too much happening to write, so photos will have to tell some stories until another day. Basil Carlberg Willis(age 15) and his Momo(age 85) in Saebo, Norway And since my tech savvy grandson, Basil, is surfing,…

Yes, good morning. While it's afternoon in Norway, it's morning for most of you. What a country! Nature struts her stuff here and the Norwegian government and people cooperate to protect nature. Norwegians love being outdoors. They remind us: "There's no bad weather in Norway,…

That's what AAA posed in a recent email. I assume they meant my old Prius. But then, I took it as a question worth considering when it comes to running this race called life. L' chaim! To life! Well, our family leaves tonight for Norway,…

I do, for starters. And last night's Maundy Thursday service pressed that truth soul deep. Humility and Holiness merged as Father Patrick knelt to wash our feet. And I couldn't stop crying, thinking about Jesus, washing the feet of his disciples. Then walking to the…

It's a story in our family, which I thought about as I looked at the Peace Lily plant in my house this morning. It's drooping, losing leaves and a shot of water didn't make a difference. And yet I couldn't pitch it. Why? Perhaps my…

Come. I love the welcoming sound and feel of, "Come for lunch." Or come for any excuse to get together. The more the news frightens, pummels, confuses or makes me want to throw up, the more I sense the need to come to Jesus. Then,…

It's hard to know where to start with that two word question. But I'll start with a famous quote from G.K.Chesterton, noted British writer. And even though, this was his answer in 1910, it serves to remind us that the world's been in trouble for…

Where's a hymn when I needed one? Suddenly, instead of a hymn, I found myself signing,"We've got trouble right here in River City" from The Music Man. Partly because I love music, and played the trumpet and French Horn, I really like The Music Man.…

It worked ! My computer was giving me fits, so I asked my grandson, Basil, to help me. He calmly came to my aide and asked, " Have you tried shutting it down, Momo?" "Nope," said I. And sure enough, once "we" did that, it…

We're well into January, as I write. Yesterday's prediction of "a chance for a few snow flurries" is now about two inches of "chance." Like the weather, life's unpredictable. Which makes it both hopeful and worrisome, at times. As for worrisome, an ad popped-up in…

After all the decorating, shopping, wrapping, mailing, baking, cooking and gatherings, what remains? Well, I still feel some sand from the beach on the floor. Laundry lurks. Some candles need replacing, stubs saved for emergencies. A few peppermints look tempting in a dish nearby. Oh,…

Poco turned fourteen on Tuesday. I remember when I was fourteen. It was a hard, yet a growing within and up kind of year. Our family was adjusting to a small rented house in Decatur, Georgia. But even more from Daddy being a pastor to…

Contrary to what you may be thinking, this isn't about football. Though the Patriot's did win yesterday. So what's this about? Well, yesterday, we celebrated Kick-Off Sunday at Christ Church. It was a spectacular day in New England. Perfect weather to gather outside on the…

Back in the late eighties,Bobby McFerrin wrote a song that won more than Grammy awards. It won me and others needing pep in our steps from some positive possibilities. It tucked hope inside a melody and lyrics. The song said to me, stop worrying about…

Gotta love the timing of the 2024 Olympics! Wars, tensions, divisions and even small snits sap joy and hope around the world. So, it's good to see nations at play for a couple of weeks. And to watch Stephen, "Pommel Horse Guy," win fans, as…

What to do with our hands in times like these? Wring or fold them in prayer? I choose to pray, not because I'm so saintly, but because I'm scared. And I can either cower in a corner or come to Jesus, and have a little…

Well, it's another hot, humid and holy day. Like many of you, we're in the middle of a heat wave where I live. It's been pushing one hundred, even in places like Caribou, Maine. Now, don't tell me there's no such thing as Global Warming.…

Dad's Day is Sunday. And I'm pretty sure none of the men I know, whether uncles, brothers, dads, nephews, cousins, friends, grandfathers or sons, are hoping they'll get another tie. For one thing, they wear them less than they used to. And for another some…

Apparently, according to my children and Grands, I have one of the "gifts" of aging. I repeat myself. And, even as I write, I know I shared this with you before. But God seems to agree that once is not enough. Since God, also, repeats…

God uses some four letter words. Really. Words like: Come, Seek, Heal and Walk. What started me thinking about this was a recent invitation to teach adult Sunday School at Essex Congregational Church. I needed a title and something to lure folks to wake up…

Fill in the blank. It's about time to.... Or it's about time you... Maybe it's about time they... Or I don't have time for... But, in the end, it's about how we choose to use or waste the time of our lives. As much as…

Today's Friday. Good Friday. But it didn't look good back when Jesus hung on a cross, his disciples scattered and evil appeared triumphant. And, for sure, it doesn't look all that good today for hungry, terrified, beat-down folks in Haiti, Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, Sudan and…

The first Bible verse I learned in Sunday School was, "Be ye kind one to another..." It took a few more years to learn there was more to the verse, "...tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32,…

The Christmas tree and seasonal decorations spread light and color over this rainy day in San Anselmo, California. No more presents under the tree. Still, gifts keep coming, ongoing reminders that the HEART of Christmas remains. Like yesterday, when Lily took me for Christmas Tea…

What a mess! I texted Lillian, "So sorry. I'm going to be late." We were meeting to go to IKEA. Simple. Not so simple, since I decided to do Advent readings, light candles at breakfast instead of dinnertime. All good until I knocked over my…

Just got home from a vestry meeting at church. Time purposefully spent with folks I like spending time with. And both matter. Time and people. We only have so many days on this earth. And time, not money, is our most valuable asset. Oh, and…

Ayla did it again. She preached a sermonette without words. So once again, Sunday at Christ Church delivered some sacred surprises. It was All Saints' Day, Children's Sunday and Naomi Gray, our Rector's wife did the sermon. Win. Win. And win! But if that wasn't…

Yesterday I spent almost four hours with my mouth open for oral surgery. Saints above and below prayed for me, since I was antsy, at best. Alas, it didn't help that I saw a cartoon with a pumpkin in a dentist's chair. The dentist said,…

The ads pop up like annoying gnats in my email. Some suggest "we picked this just for you." But the worst came yesterday, an ad showed a pair of skinny jeans and a mini-skirt with "this is SO you. "Well, lets just say, it's been…

On our last night at the beach house, we gathered for a shrimp-a-roo. Since this was to celebrate my birthday, Chris brought tablecloths. Fresh flowers showed up, along with some twinkling lights hung from rafters. Matt's specialty. Soon the feast appeared: boiled shrimp, fresh corn…

Can't remember when I did so little for so long. But then, age comes with more than social security benefits. Add to that the slow pulse of beach time. No need for clocks, since nothing runs on time. Time shifts from minutes to moments. It's…

Just in case you've been wondering if I'm still around, I thought I should write something. In short, I've been on vacation. I guess I should've let you know so you weren't thinking I'd gone to join Jud. Well, back to my explanation. This wasn't…

That's all it took. I ran out of gas. Once! It happened when we lived in Michigan, before children or cell phones. So walking to get gas was an unforgettable experience. Life's in the details and I prefer panoramic views. As I've aged, I'm better…

Fear's catchy. It lurks, then slips in when we're tired or feeling out of sorts in body, mind or spirit. And that's part of why I need reminders to fight fear with faith. Sunday's sermon by Father Dean fed faith. The text came from Matthew…

Another catalog showed up in my mailbox. Odd, since I don't do much shopping on-line and I have never heard of RAILS. One quick glance and I knew it wasn't for me. The models needed some "meat on their bones" as those from my sturdy…

Never had a birthday biscuit before today and my birthday's not until tomorrow. But that only added to the surprise when our Breakfast Club gathered around Martha and Dick Stout's table this morning to feast on food and friendship. We talked of books, church, science…

The title for this blog showed up in today's Grace Notes by Philip Yancey. He wrote, "Rather than rushing from one task to the next, pause for a moment and recognize the time between times. " Time to consider the possibilities within a pause. For…

So much I could say with Mother's Day at hand. One thing I choose to say to those with or without children, for whatever reason, is this: It is YOU God loves. Your worth is not connected to giving birth. YOU were born and are…

Returned home from North Carolina last evening. I love and need time with my brother, Ralph and sister-in-love Chris. A couple of mornings, Ralph made pecan waffles along with country ham and warm maple syrup. We had Carolina BBQ and just enough sweet tea to…

To be sure, a nursery rhyme never opened a sermon or talk I've given. But, Father Patrick did so last Sunday. And that illustration continues to set me up for daily eye exams, which leads me to another blog on The Church. So, stop reading…

Comfort's not classy. It's cozy. In food, for me, it shows up like a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup. Or like this morning, a bowl of oatmeal to take the chill off a winter morning. Sometimes it's a warm chocolate chip…

Mama repeated five words to me, often. Why? When I was a teenager, I argued. She countered with parental wisdom. I resisted. Until finally, she gave me that look and ceased the debate with five dreaded words, "Not another word, Janice Dawn!" Sometimes I feel…

Good morning. It feels good to be feeling better. And, thanks to my good neighbors, to catch the sun's rays and seascape through clean windows. Our three units combine to hire pros to wash away the blurs and blotches that come from living near the…

For more than twenty years, Queen for a Day , captured many women's hopes. The show applauded Cinderella tales of woe, first on radio in 1945 and then on television until 1964. As a child, I remember hearing the audience yell, " Yes! ", to…

Well, I'm back from North Carolina. We love each other, so the weekend with family came and went too fast. And yet I'm full of soul food, and I'm not talking BBQ, sweet tea and fresh coconut cake. Laughter, sharing and caring fed my soul.…

School started in our area this week. It's been awhile since I attended school. Officially, decades. As for learning, I'm still curious and teachable. I hope. Although, sometimes strength masks as a know-it-all-stubbornness in me. Like one of my collection of coasters reads: "Sorry!!! I…

Once upon a time, time took its time. Now, some days I feel the sand rushing through the hour glass of life. Fewer grains on top, the bottom almost full. I fight fear, until I take a deep breath and recall, "My times are in…

Poco said more than I confessed last week. Propriety won that round. But then I thought, why not tell the rest of the story. So, here goes. Poco, at the base of the stairs, added, "And some day if you piddle, or make a mess,…

Guess what? I don't always feel beloved. While what I wrote a week ago was true, it's also true that sometimes I'm be fuddled, be leaguered, be holden, be draggled and running be hind, for starters. Today's July 4th. It's a beautiful day in the…

Did the title nudge you to hit "unsubscribe"? Well, even if I write only to figure out what I'm thinking, I'll keep at it. For starters, the idea originated in a May 22, 2022 Boston Globe article entitled, Radical Menders Vs. Disposable Everything by Veronique…

Ralph texted, "Dan's home." Just a few days ago, Dan and I talked on the phone, laughed about crazy stuff from our growing up days. Life long ago. Good, but not perfect. Never is. Until a few days ago, Dan called North Carolina home. Now,…

Well, it's been a long time since I made Jello. And, I didn't make any this time, though Jello was my choice for the New Year's Eve party. I'll get to the why later, so bear with me a little longer. Oh, and it's a…

Well, I heard or said it more than once, "That's the last straw!" You know, just another version of "I can't take any more!" As in, anymore of you, it, them or myself. Life has a way of piling on sometimes and for some this…

The child cupped his hands under the outdoor faucet. Water trickled down, filling quickly the small container formed by his palms. I watched the scene unfold, a curious onlooker from a land faraway. Cautiously, he brought hands to mouth, drinking, then licking his fingers dry.…

It happens. Wordless sermons like Dean Robert moving his garden chair this morning to accommodate Clemmie, the pig. She'd plopped down for a tummy scratch, but just out of reach. So the Dean of the Canterbury Cathedral put down his readings and notes for Morning…

Most folks my age have an afghan, probably knit or crocheted by someone in the family long gone. I have two, both made by my Norwegian grandmother. One's beautiful. The other's nothing to put on display but it's my favorite, the last she crocheted. Grandma…

Sunday night, the torch passed from Tokyo to Paris. These games presented an unusual mix of solemnity and celebration. Athletes shattered world records inside empty stands. Meanwhile, our world set records for fires, floods, and losses from a pernicious pandemic. Which is why most mornings…

As I age, I'm aware there's less of it. Time. Reminders lurk in odd places, like at the grocery store. The guy's T-shirt read,"In dog years I'd be dead!" I laughed, then calculated my age. Fast. Dr. Seuss reflected," How did it get so late…

Mama and Daddy wed in 1938 on the last day in June. That's eighty-three years ago. It shouldn't have worked but they hung on to God and each other for more than fifty years, honoring their vows by guts and grace,"until death do us part."…

Maggie and I watched the white-haired couple seated near us at a table for two. They exuded interest in each other, not cellphones. Maggie caught my wistful look. She knew I missed Jud. Especially, since it was May 31st, our wedding anniversary. Which was why…

Stepped outside, unmasked, and inhaled the scent of lilacs, fresh cut grass and mulched earth this morning. I love this time of year, the season when earth sends surprises, hidden but not lost in long, dark winters. During these days of leafing, blossoming, and singing…

April turned to May, since I last wrote. I've missed you but missed my family in California more. So after two shots(not what you're thinking) and a dose of hope, I flew west for a month to hug and be hugged. I jumped into the…

For most folks today is just one more Monday. But to some Christians January 25 marks the feast of Saint Paul, aka Saul. The chief hater and destroyer of followers of the Way, as those who followed Jesus were called. That was long before designations…

Today many will pause for a few moments of silence to remember September 11, 2001. The world changed on that day, not just the USA. And now, a global pandemic, raging fires in the western part of our country, social, political, environmental and economic fragility…

It's Saturday night and nowhere to go, so I might as well tell a story, then finish the blog or the dishes. Well, the story took place in Colorado when Devon, my niece, was about three or four. She was into praying. The family prayed…

It all came back as I warmed syrup and mixed the batter to make Norwegian pancakes for my grandson, Basil. It seemed as good a time as any to tell him the story that happened almost fifty years ago. With so much bad news, why…

We need stories. The least interested child or adult, whether in class or church snaps to when they hear, "Let me tell you a story." History's a story. We need it taught, but even more to remember so we don't repeat the worst of our…

This is a season of unplanned deprivation. Yet, sometimes I find myself hunting for treasure. Take my freezer, for example. Sometimes, I feel like an archaeologist, digging for buried treasure or something edible. I've taken to praying for the gift of interpretation. As for my…

Every day the pleas go out, the bidding begins for more PPE gear, masks, ventilators and beds. Each day the numbers climb of the sick, the dead, the unemployed. The news reveals faces, slumped shoulders of battle-fatigued nurses and doctors. But, thankfully, stories also tell…

Church, as a building, won't be open for business Palm Sunday or Easter. This reality leaves me feeling like Lent's been extended or as one church posted outside their door, " Hadn't planned on giving up quite this much for Lent." Who had? Another friend…

Last week in Sunday School we talked about Lent as a Season to Listen. Surrounded by clamoring voices, social media, streaming music, pinging cell phones, it's challenging to hear, a physical function, and even harder to listen, which engages the mind and heart to pay…

The Christmas tree star's back where it came from, boxed up until it's time to shine again. No more signs of Christmas other than some wee lights wrapped around a potted cactus in the living room. Not a bad visual. Life's prickly here and there…

Hairnets. Style smashers and smile bringers. Jud and I met in the college kitchen. He wore a white cap, the kind you see in old fashioned photos of soda jerks. He was no jerk and hauled heavy pans and metal containers of milk, no soda…

Someone once said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a stop in the bathroom." After almost 3000 miles of driving to and from the Carolinas, visiting family and friends, it's good to be back at the Perch, where the air comes salted and…

Not all of us wake, stretch, leap from our beds and shout, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24 KJV) Memorized it years ago, back when it was easier to learn and leap.…

There's a shop in Maine that sells tiles. Not the usual kind for kitchen and bathrooms, though the salesperson said someone bought enough to make a serious statement in their bathroom. The tiles have quotes, most worth repeating. I suppose, reading the handwriting on the…

Our book group met last night to discuss PLAINSONG by Kent Haruf. It's not for all with its raw and seedy parts. But, like life, the story reveals grace from the unlikely, as well as graphic reminders of what it means to be human, both…

Just outside the bathroom in a small alcove hangs the family bulletin board, displaying art, photos, schedules and various postings. My eyes were drawn to an assignment sheet from Basil's third grade class. "GENEROSITY: Make a list of some things you can give or do…

Mary, I've been wondering. Before word reached you about Jesus being alive, your Jesus, but never just yours, had you stopped weeping and started expecting good to happen, again? Did shards of words, dug up from ancient prophecies and psalms, dapple your sleep with hope?…

Saturday, while preparing for Easter dinner and arranging Forsythia in a vase, I found myself wondering what Saturday was like for Mary. Mary, did friends and neighbors come with casseroles, like happens here when someone dies? Where were you staying, since Nazareth was home? Did…

Winding my way up the hill towards home, I noticed the graveyard to my left. Not new to me, but familiarity sometimes blinds me to life, even in a cemetery. I slowed, noticing fresh flowers and other signs someone was remembered. Recently, a speaker at…

Fell asleep last night thinking about love, not because today is Valentine's Day but due to the chapter I'd just finished reading on Dr. Paul Brand. The chapter's one of thirteen "unlikely mentors" in Philip Yancey's book, Soul Survivor. ( All quotes are from this…

Never was a big fan of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. It's too dark and scary for me, even though it's not a bad idea to explore the consequences of our wishes through familiar fairy tales. I'm with C. S. Lewis who said, " Some…

Her smile's grown slightly shy because of her teeth, the only thing not real about my Norwegian grandmother. I love the picture so much, it's tucked inside my small New Testament, a reminder of what love and faithfulness look like. The angle's odd, as if…

The days following Christmas, for too many of us, spiral down to overflowing trash bins and treks to stores to return goods or hunt bargains. What was it like in the days after Christ's birth? Who's still hanging around The Miracle, still swaddled and sensing…

There's JOY in Boston today. The Duck Boat Parade rolled through town overflowing with Red Sox players, coaches and behind the scenes folks who helped make it all happen this year. Since I'm in California, I watched it live streaming on my computer. Swallowed some…

Katharan Poco Blossom Harter Carlberg is eight today. Soon I'll head to their house for a family and friends pizza party. Today's news showed long lines of people, waiting to buy lottery tickets, hoping to be the next billionaire. Reminded me of this week's verse…

Today would've been Jud's 78th birthday. Life, achingly slow in my early teens, today, like finely ground sand races through the hour glass towards my finish line. Didn't I just have my annual physical? Is it time again to put out the trash? Where did…

For the better part of my growing up years I heard, "hurry up!" Hurry up to... pick up toys set the table help with the dishes practice the piano get to school on time finish my homework get to bed and so on. It doesn't…

Several friends celebrated 50th wedding anniversaries this summer, which goes to show I hang with younger people. We marked ours 5 years ago in Hawaii. Aloha! Over the years of our marriage, Jud and I found joy in sharing what God entrusted to us. We…

Sunshine summoned sunscreen, umbrellas, and hats for family and friends seated outdoors or milling about, awaiting strains of Pomp and Circumstance and sightings of the face they'd come to celebrate. Graduation time in Kalefornia for Luke, from White Hill Middle school and Lily, Drake High…

One of the earliest snippets of Scripture I learned was, "Be ye kind one to another." It doesn't come naturally for most of us. In a culture, too prone to bullying, kindness gets mistaken for weakness. Since knee surgery in March and my birthday last…

National news reported a televangelist asking his followers to buy a jet for "my ministry" ($50,000,000 plus), claiming God endorsed the idea, validating his plea with, "If Jesus were coming here today, he wouldn't be riding on a donkey, he'd come on one of these…

Teenagers scare some folks. They interest and challenge me, speaking up or standing out, some through hair and body piercings, most normal as the rest of us. (There's a scare.) Teenagers, like us, sometimes misunderstood, housing insecurities, pressures within/without, changing bodies, also carriers of hopes…

A bee buzzes nearby reminding me it probably wasn't a good idea to spritz orange blossom perfume on my neck this morning. Maybe I should move inside, be safe. Not this beautiful morning. Not on the Big Island of Hawaii where I write this twenty-second…

"O Little town of Bethlehem..." And it was. Small. Then. Today, it bustles with tourists, gawkers and hawkers of trinkets, challenging one to picture Bethlehem as the humble birthplace of Jesus. And yet , God, picked Bethlehem, saw it then and now, as He does…

Faith. Like spiritual mortar, faith fills in the cracks, sometimes providing the ledge where fingernails clutch, hanging on until. Good to be back in the land of grits and country ham with my Carolina family. To be here is to connect with roots of righteousness,…

Unless you frequent Hallmark stores, you might've missed Sunday was National Grandparents Day. My awareness came, served on a tray by Maggie: egg, toast, tea and a card. "Did you notice, Momo, I wrote on the envelope 'sealed with a kiss'?" "You betcha, Maggie. I'm…

Grace Chapel's eleven o'clock service couldn't be less Episcopal, from aesthetics, use of multi-media to lyrics requiring standing, clapping and swaying, if coordinated. Amps, guitars, percussion and energetic younger folks lead the music where robed choirs once stood and sang, accompanied by organ. I still…

Berthed in Bergen. Good to have two days to explore this place from which thousands of Norwegians sailed to America. Can't imagine how bad things must've been or lofty the dreams to have left fjords, family and friends. Tried to hear the recorded commentary as…

Yesterday we anchored in Alesund, picturesque city, veiled in drizzle. I felt a connection with this fishy place, famous for salted dried cod. Later, I learned another linkage between Gloucester and Norway. "Those who visited the Alesund Museum heard the unbelievable story of four Norwegians…

Debated about going. Then got the incentive I needed when I realized we'd set our clocks back sailing from Holland to Scotland, so got up early the next morning and made my way to Deck 9 and the Crow's Nest. So far, the Crow's Nest's…

We sail away today at 4:00. Tomorrow's itinerary reads At Sea. I've felt that way more than once, haven't you? Reminds me of an old Sven and Ole joke. (If you're like my children, at this point you start rolling your eyes or finding an…

Buechner's words, " God who speaks into the nonsense of our days", tempered me as I threaded around cars turning into the parking lot of Gloucester's Holy Family Parish. It was the annual Strawberry plant sale. Gloucester's not only home to many Catholics but apparently,…

Our church bulletin boldly states,"We thank God for every child at Christ Church. Children are welcome in our worship services." I like hearing babies cry, children giggle, sounds of real life. The exception, for most of us, would be our children or grands breaking into…

After removing socks and shoes, I settled into the chair for a pedicure. Humbling to let others tend my feet. While feet soaked in warm water, I reflected on the strangeness of this luxury on Maundy Thursday. What was I doing? While Alexi trimmed nails…

Palm Sunday's fronds fan out from the Forsythia standing in a vase at the perch I call home. A few hours ago, we waved them, marching around the church singing, "All glory laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King! To whom the lips of children…

It's been a week. What a Super Bowl! Sorta sorry I'm not a betting woman. You'll have to check with my grandson for verification but I predicted Patriots 34 and Atlanta 28 BEFORE the game started. I thought each side would get 4 touchdowns and…

My friend, Judy, forwarded some humorous quotes to our book group this morning, reminding me of a fun book I hung on to after Jud and I trimmed our library in 2011. Refreshing to read the honest prayers of children in their letters to God.…

A few hours after my last post, our family and another gathered in the living room of a home in the Berkshires to celebrate New Year's Eve. After a day outdoors, it was good for the youngest and heartiest to stay home. I'd spent the…

Words. Some come, like weapons, hurled with intent to wound, divide, confuse; others, pacify, instruct, encourage. Whatever the intent, words matter. Nothing matters more than what we choose to do with The Word that " became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." (…

November 1st. All Saints' Day. Our daughter, Heather's birthday and good friend, Stan's. Growing up Baptist, we left the saint days to the Catholics who lived in our town. I've learned better, especially since Jud became one... a saint, not a Catholic. Tomorrow night our…

Happily in California to celebrate Luke's 13th birthday. Seemed like he'd been stretched, limbs elongated, pulling him from boy towards young man. Luke's party included: a sleepover, Norwegian pancakes and a trek to the beach to surf and picnic. Weather nixed surfing, so mini-golfing. No…

Broke a tooth. Prone to happen when you're old , unless you're a hockey player. Cracks come, leaving us vulnerable to more than broken teeth. While pedaling at the BMW center, I watched President Obama's final speech to the United Nations General Assembly. After reading…

'Twas a double sermon Sunday. First, Dean Borgman's soul-tending reminder to keep seeking first God's kingdom, while learning to live free from worry and fear. (Luke 12) There's plenty to fear and worry about in this country, our world. Sometimes, I want to put my…

Sometimes the highest education comes from the shortest folks. Children. No wonder Jesus said, "Let them come!" Maggie, Kate and I arrived early at the North Shore Music Theatre, eager to see Mary Poppins live and on stage, all having watched the film more than…

Yesterday was family fun time in Basil's kindergarten class. It fell to me to represent the family. Basil seemed thrilled. I, less than. Not that I minded being with him. That I love, always. All five Grands have grown up hearing me sing, "I get…

Two weeks ago on Sunday May 22, we docked in Gdynia, boarded our designated buses, then headed towards Gdansk, Poland. On the way into the city, we stopped at the Oliwa Cathedral, built in the late 14th century, just for a look and photo op.…

Landed in San Francisco yesterday to love and tend three Grands while their parents took off for parts unknown to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Our joy at seeing each other shot me with enough adrenalin to see me through Luke's band concert last night. Which,…

There's a good amount of excitement and anticipation for most of us, when packing for a trip. Two weeks ago, as I readied myself for this cruise on the Baltic Sea, I brought along some apprehension and a balky knee. Not my usual traveling companions…

May's a month of graduations, weddings and Mother's Day. Sent a Mother's Day card to my Aunt Joyce, Mama's next to youngest sister. Her Norwegian name's Solveig. Uncle Howie sometimes called her, "Joy bells." To me she was Auntie Joyce, super cook, best baker, quickest…

It's April! Preparation for and participation in Holy Week, emptied March and me. The weeks of Lent created a longing for Easter Joy. Preparing for and participating in three Holy Week services left me feeling spent and in need of a small resurrection. Mine. Because…

We call it Palm Sunday. Most, back then, probably saw the day as a parade to celebrate this miracle worker out of Nazareth. Word traveled that Jesus, the Celebrity , was heading their way. Believers and non, curious and critical followed behind or raced ahead,…

It's good to get away from routines, especially when we're older. Too easy to get stuck in our ways. Granted, I'd take my own pillow with me wherever I went, if I could fit it into my carry-on. But I'm talking about more than a…

A little over a week ago, folks braved the freezing cold to attend the memorial service of Mary Garfield Johnson, my friend, Meredith Joss's mother. The service felt more like a retreat or attending a class with a life coaches. Mary lived life full and…

I dreaded it. Not enough to cancel, but enough to elevate my prayer life. Arrived early to fill our forms, show an ID and confirm my name and date of birth to anyone who asked, which seemed like most folks in the town of Danvers.…

Love's complicated. We don't all speak the same love language. By the end of this day some will be convinced that he or she isn't loved because of words said or left unspoken, gifts given or not. We've all got notions of what love should…

The Christmas tree stopped drinking days ago, bowing towards the floor, as if begging for mercy. Each day it appears stiffer, needles more brittle, while ornaments cling precariously, heading for a fall unless rescued and packed away in tissue until next Christmas. The day's damp…

It's been a week since I sat and reflected on much of anything. Got to back off the sweet tea. A week ago I slid into a booth in Durham, NC with Donna and Barry Loy to savor friendship and Carolina pulled pork BBQ with…

The photo , forwarded today by Chad and Kristina, spoke of more than the obvious. It was taken a little over a year ago, late July, at The Lobster Pool in Rockport. We'd gathered for a final fling before the California kids flew home and…

We were on our way to church. I eavesdropped as Maggie and Kate carried on a conversation like two old friends. Suddenly Maggie let forth a piercing whistle, followed by a scream from Kate, "Maggie, you're hurting my ears!" I said, "Yikes! That really hurts…

Dragged myself to my annual physical and the great weigh-in this week. I'd showered, scrubbed, trimmed, clipped and sprayed. Rawhide comes to mind. Scoured the closet for the thinnest of clothes. Wouldn't you know outside temperatures dropped. Some might think I'm too old for a…

The article in the Boston Globe warned, “Don't set your watch by Big Ben.” Never crossed my mind. London’s famous clock, Big Ben, has recently been slow “by as much as six seconds.” I assure you I’ve never lost a beat of sleep over any…

While sipping my coffee this morning, a headline in the Boston Globe caught my attention. It read, ”Before a Massive Crowd, Pontiff Hails the Small Gestures of Holiness.” I read on, curious about “small gestures of holiness.” What are they? “A warm meal waiting at…