I planted potatoes for the first time this year: purple, red, white, and gold. I’ve always felt sort of intimidated by growing potatoes, but this year I decided to give it a try because people kept telling me it was really very easy. Here’s where they were – a 5×5 plot in a raised bed. […]
My Hair Stylist Asks to Make Her Confession 
October 12, 2013 by
The woman who was doing my hair the other day is a Roman Catholic, but she enjoys going to evangelical churches. “They’re more spiritual,” she said to me. I should have asked her to explain what she meant by that, although she did say she loves the music. When I told this stylist I was […]
12 Reasons Why A Pastor Quit Attending Sports Events
October 10, 2013 by
12 Reasons Why A Pastor Quit Attending Sports Events 1. The coach never came to visit me. 2. Every time I went, they asked me for money. 3. The people sitting in my row didn’t seem very friendly. 4. The seats were very hard. 5. The referees made a decision I didn’t agree with. 6. […]
Our Annual Pet Blessing 
October 5, 2013 by
A Pet Blessing is a great way for a church to meet its neighborhood. Today, St. Benedict hosted its annual Pet Blessing. Two of my wonderful leaders set up plates of dog and people cookies, a water bowl, lemonade and coffee. I put on a stole and we gathered under our driveway portico to welcome […]
Atchison Blue
September 28, 2013 by
I reviewed this new book for The Engelwood Review of Books online edition. Judy Valente is a TV producer and poet whose life is changed when she begins visiting a Benedictine women’s monastery in Atchison, Kansas. I’ve found a lot of nurture with Benedictines myself, and it was fun to read and review this book. […]
Ten on Tuesday 
September 17, 2013 by
Some stuff that’s been going on around here lately… 1. Adam and I went white water rafting with his dad and brother last month. I was nervous that it would be terrifying, but it was actually easy and kind of lovely. You kind of bounce along, have fun, get wet and see lots of beautiful […]
How I May Not Be the Vicar of Bolingbrook
September 12, 2013 by
I don’t post many of my sermons here. They’re better live. And who wants to read sermons? But I’m going to break my rule because I got a lot of comments on this one and it connects to the theme of this blog – spiritual geography and being the Vicar or Priest or Church to […]
Yoga by the Freeway
August 21, 2013 by
On Tuesdays in the summer, I go to an outdoor yoga class at our gym. We lay our mats down by the gigantic pool, under the water slide, and do yoga as the sun goes down and the stars come out. It’s an interesting study in contrasts, and somehow encompasses how I see my suburban […]
Funerals at Home
August 18, 2013 by
Episcopal Cafe’ ran this piece I wrote as “The Daily Episcopalian” last Friday. Funerals at Home Recently, I presided at a tiny home funeral. Twenty people gathered in the living room of a mother and son, approximately aged 90 and 60, who had died on the same day. I’ll call them Leona and Joe. They had […]
