Receiving Photography

Several years ago when I was traveling in Turkey, my new digital  camera was stolen. A sister pilgrim had brought a back up film camera that she leant me. Rather than taking endless photos, I had to be very intentional about which moment to photograph. I found myself being a much more careful observer without a camera to “capture” the places I went.   
As I walked to the beach this morning for the sunrise on Tybee Island beach, I remembered the words of Christine Valters Paintner who invites us not to take photographs but to receive them. 
Here I was with my brand new iPhone in hand, bought particularly for my upcoming trip to Iceland with it’s reportedly improved camera.  Swirling in my head were other words from my friend, Meredith+, a gifted Episcopal priest, who invites those in her parish to refrain from taking photographs during worship because it’s difficult to worship through a camera. 

As the sun rose in the sky, a handful of early risers gathered on the beach, all of us with our phones raised. 


And then God stepped in. Our phones were lowered, and we began to chat. In the shared receiving of the spectacular rising sun, we began to share our lives. 


Three young women from China, attending college in North Carolina, studying to be teachers. A couple from Virginia on a road trip.  So many smiles. Photos exchanged and given. So much joy. So very much received. 

A Sabbath’s Day Walk

It’s my Sabbath. The day for the monkey brain to rest. For email checking to cease. To give to God the many, many things left undone.  

To take a Sabbath’s day walk. 
On my list of things I’ve wanted to do is walk to my neighborhood Starbucks. It’s only a mile away, but being a Texan, I always drive there.  
Still.  It’s my practice not to drive on my Sabbath.  And I had a reward for free food that expires today. So I decided today was my day to walk for my breakfast. 
I downloaded the new Kate Campbell cd. A perfect choice since she recorded it on the road, and the songs have a traveling theme. 
Walking in Houston can be a challenge. No sidewalks. Cars whizzing by. Direct routes blocked by security gates.  

Once safely arrived, I enjoyed my free breakfast sandwich and was quiet amidst the morning rush. 

I read my morning devotional and decided to respond to the 40acts challenge immediately. I bought a Starbucks’ card and loaded it with cash.  On my way home, I stopped in the bank next door to the Starbucks and gave the tellers the card, inviting them to enjoy coffee on me today. I left with them sending me God’s blessings. 
On the way home, I listened to a podcast I never have “time” for. I also received the gift of a butterfly sighting and the first bluebonnet of the year. 
In the Orthodox tradition, a Sabbath walk is about half a mile. I’m grateful that mine could be longer today. 

Loving Generously


Today’s word from 40acts, our parish-wide Lenten invitation, is love. 


As God would have it, today is my mother’s 90th birthday. To celebrate, my brothers and I are going to spend the day with her. One brother and I, both of us living some distance away, drove up yesterday. My other brother, who lives nearby, will be here this morning. 

On this day that we are invited to love as Jesus loved us, Jesus who meets us wherever we are, Jesus who gives us whatever we need most, I am struck by the ways that others are sharing love with my mother. Truly, in response to God’s love for us, but also in response to how that love has been expressed through my mother’s ninety years of living very well.  

A favorite niece and her family came last week with lunch and the gift of a good and joyful visit. 

A parishioner, knowing that a cookie recipe was one of my my mom’s favorites, brought me a batch of  “Grandma cookies” Saturday, baked especially for Mother. Mother ate one as soon as I arrived in Chambersville, enjoying it with a big smile. 

Another parishioner, who has never met my mother, gave me a card to bring to her. Turns out this parishioner had been the recipient of one of my mother’s prayer blankets at a challenging time in her life. 

My daughter has already sent a homemade card and her own famous biscuits (also a favorite of my mother’s), baked in her NYC kitchen and delivered by US mail. My mother has been a huge inspiration for my daughter’s James Beard award winning blog and her two very well-received cookbooks. 


From her greatgrandsons who live far, far away (who wished her happy birthday last night via FaceTime), I’ve baked one of their favorite treats, sunflower butter bran muffins, for breakfast. My brother will be bringing his own cranberry pecan bran muffin recipe. The love keeps growing. 

And my mother hasn’t even gotten up yet!

Thank you, Mother,  for teaching so many, many people about God’s love by your quiet, faithful acts of generosity. We love you.   You make it easy to accept today’s 40acts challenge of sharing love with generosity.