Author Archives: Rev. Claire Matheny

This week we are learning about our family tree. My daughter has begun to fill in both sides of hers. We’ve enjoyed conversations with grandparents learning about their parents and their parents’ parents. Trees were on my daughters’ mind as we visited our mandala spot and she came up with this design. She brought overContinue reading “4.14.20 Family Tree”

After hearing about the tornado activity down South, I reached out to my brother. They are okay, but I was sorry to hear that Easter Sunday brought such devastation to many in rural communities there–especially in the midst of the deep challenges of pandemic. Here in Maryland, Monday brought a tornado warning that had usContinue reading “4.13.20 Squall”

It’s easy to get lost in Holy Week. Like for others, the days in this stretch have been blurring a bit. Some moments feel like puddles of preschool tears. Others, dance along with new energy and imagination. We’ve had a wide flurry of learning themes to color our days. And, some unexpected visitors have shownContinue reading “4.10.20 Wildlife”

My kids have long loved The Princess in Black series for kids. The Princess in Black fights monsters who come up from a hole in the earth and cause chaos. Now more than ever,  this plotline resonates with me. Especially the fourth book with the invasive bunnies who take over everything. Bunnies and other unfortunateContinue reading “4.6.20 Monster Land”

I don’t have adequate words to capture this day that was simultaneously wonderful, discouraging, and exhausting. Live worship. Palms waving remotely. Two tired kiddos desperate for people and fresh air. Stretching into creativity to live into the mundane and beautiful. Somehow entering Holy Week with hope and dread. Here are the bright spots, friends. WorthContinue reading “4.5.20 Palm Sunday”

Milestone: “stone or pillar set up on a highway or other line of travel to mark the distance in miles.” Our mandela has become our daily marker on our walking path. We’re always adding to it–today our purple balloon popped and it seems like a fitting addition to our stone pile after a tough morningContinue reading “4.5.20 Mile Markers”

My son wanted to learn about locomotives today again. We watched a couple of videos about steam, diesels, and electric trains. I then had this idea that we should take our crawl through train outside on the short walk right behind our house on the golf course. We’d get inside and chug down the path.Continue reading “4.2.20 All Aboard for April”

In the first year of living in our house, I was living out the grief of leaving behind our old house, neighborhood, friends and church. While we sought to make this new nest comfortable, it felt at times like wearing a starchy shirt when you long for the folds and softness of the familiar. Isn’tContinue reading “3.31.30 This Place Called Home”

The groundhog ….with the golf course nearby it always makes us feel very Caddyshack when we complain about this cute creature. Issue is, he can be doing some real unfortunate damage underground with our foundation. So the critter crew (they’ve been deemed essential they tell me), came and set a trap out for him today.Continue reading “3.30.20 Trapped”

It was a full weekend with worship at church going live for the first time. What a gift to see so many faces! The kids put on their Pete the Cat Cupcake production for our family online complete with baking (And also complete with my son clocking my daughter with a bean bag chair!). WeContinue reading “3.29.20 Weekend Artistry”