My cousin Martha flew over to Pittsburgh from New York yesterday to attend the Service of the Living Tradition at General Assembly. We played together as children and later had our first babies about the same time. She came to watch and cheer as I marched across the stage along with other colleagues to celebrate … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – June 23rd, 2023
Well, I am preparing to travel to Pittsburgh on Monday for two back-to-back national Unitarian Universalist events: Ministry Days (collegial event for ministers) and General Assembly, the annual denominational gathering for strengthening connection, continuing education, and decision-making. Your other delegates, Jennifer Doyle, also attending G.A. in-person, and Joshua Moore online, will also be representing UUFEC … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – June 16th, 2023
Saturday is our local PRIDE walk and rally in Ft. Walton Beach at Liza Jackson Park beginning at 8:00am. It is a vitally important opportunity to demonstrate to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, plus folk that we support them all! It is also an important chance to show the whole community that our fellowship … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – June 9th, 2023
I am a rescuer. I stop for turtles crossing the road and will carry them to the side they are heading for. I will grab a non-venomous snake with my bare hand to move it to safety. I have taken in dogs and cats at various times. I have picked up birds knocked senseless by … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – June 2nd, 2023
My brother and I grew up on a rocky, vine-covered hillside. Consequently, neither of us ever learned how to mow grass. As an adult, I tried a push-mower a few times, and then hired a teen to do the job. Michael is also a complete mowing novice, and now that he and his lady have … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – May 26th, 2023
DRAG ME TO THE CAPITOL! This was the name of the march and protest rally my eldest attended on Tuesday in Montgomery, Alabama. Liam and friends, and Alabama UUs, among hundreds of others descended on the capitol to protest two bills coming before the state legislature that are anti-LGBTQ, anti-trans, and anti-Drag. My excellent colleague, … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – May 20th, 2023
Mother’s Day is a mixed experience for most of us. For some it is a wonderful time of family gathered around the lynchpin that is the mother. For others it serves as a painful reminder of hurt and loss. For all those who have lost a beloved mother, or mothering figure . . . For … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – May 12th, 2023
I brought Liam down with me last week, and in between fellowship obligations, we made it to the beach for a few hours. We also caught one of the Hobbit trilogy movies on the hotel TV. It made me think of how the four of us used to pile in the bed together and Bill … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – May 5th, 2023
Transitional times are tricky. Like the god Janus whose two faces turned in opposite directions, we keep trying to look back and focus on the past, and also to look ahead and get our bearings for the future. We temporal creatures only live in one direction, traveling through time at the speed of one second … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – April 28th, 2023
I’ve had Disney World on my mind lately. Every trip has been a mixture of delight and disaster. My first trip at age five, I got a stomach bug and had to stay in bed most of the trip. The next time, my little brother pulled a pot of hot coffee over on himself and ended up … Continue reading Rev. Ruth’s Reflections – April 21nd, 2023
