Author Archives: Rev. Claire Matheny

It feels like lifetimes pass with each day. We had a chance to be away last week. My kids buried my husband in the sand. We ate more birthday cake, we laughed, we took a week away from our home. This was the first week off together since Thanksgiving. Coming back was hard. Landing backContinue reading “7.2.20 Spills”

We are smack dab in the midst of birthday week over here. My husband and I have a week between our birthdays and so we find that the celebrations blend together. We got some time away at a remote cabin this past weekend. What a gift to explore waterfalls with our children. A gift toContinue reading “6.17.20 Birthday Week”

We aren’t quite three months there, but it more than feels it. Three months of safer at home. Three months of chalk drawings. Always looking for new ways to etch into the sidewalk the love we also yearn to feel ourselves. In these days, perhaps as my children also feel my stress and strain, IContinue reading “6.10.20 Jump”

Howard County Clergy Alliance | June 2020 STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY, RESOLVE, AND LOVE The Howard County Clergy Alliance, founded in 2018, is a monthly gathering to build relationships and interfaith understanding. We do not claim to speak for all faith leaders in our county. However, we hold key values in common for thecollective welfare ofContinue reading “6.7.20 Statement of Solidarity, Resolve, and Love”

Today is my parents’ forty-ninth wedding anniversary. We gave them a quick call tonight in the chaotic moments before the pizza had finished baking. They moved to Memphis in 1971 just after they were married. My parents have both been leading churches, building community, and showing up even now into retirement. I was heartened toContinue reading “6.5.20 Resistance”

A long week. Zoom meetings each night mean less time to reflect and to post. Fewer moments to take in the day’s wisdom. This has been a hard stretch to find joy in. Between the death of George Floyd and the ongoing realities of pandemic, I’m grateful for a few moments at the last ofContinue reading “5.31.20 May’s Last Days”

Throughout the course of the last many months, I give thanks for the kindly family and friends that have logged an hour here and there with our kids via Zoom. It has been a gift for the kids to see other folks (not just us!) and to learn about all manner of things from petContinue reading “5.21.20 The Skipper”

Can you see them? We knew it was coming. Last week marked the return of the golfers to the course…and thus ending our “free roam” status around on the greens. It means we won’t be able to be as attentive to our mandala. It felt like an end to our initial little era of covidContinue reading “5.18.20 New Patterns”

A friend, remembering the balloon waving I have done on the corner, shared this image on Facebook originally posted by Kara Andrews Shall. The invitation to Silly Walk Sign reads: “You have now entered the jurisdiction of the ministry of silly walks. Commence Silly Walking Immediately. ” And in smaller print: “We’re all in thisContinue reading “5.13.20 Silly Walk”

This is the date of Mother’s Day last year. My mom reminded me that this was the day that she took my grandmother to the hospital before she died on May 14th, 2019. This past Sunday, I wore my grape pin in her honor–remembering her fierce determination and wondering what she would make of thisContinue reading “5.12.20 Mothering”