Mary Reynolds Hemmer, Prayerful Kitchen

Not Liking the Same Things

Something strange occurred early on in one of my adult friendships, resulting in a considerable shift in my perspective and understanding of relationships. I learned that you do not have to like the same things as those closest to you. That may sound obvious, but hearing it for the first time lifted a veil from…

A Frog, A Full Room, and Learning to Speak

The first slide showed the logo for the camp. The second showed a giant green front with a juicy pink earthworm hanging out of its mouth. The kids giggled as they shouted, “Ew! Gross!” I laughed, too, as my face turned red, and I attempted to explain the picture. Unlike the rest of my classmates,…

The Seriousness of the Youngest Disciples

Many years ago, in my first position as a priest. I served a very small congregation in South Georgia. Long-time members welcomed transient ones from the Air Force base down the road. We loved it when these families arrived, even if we knew we would have them for less than five years. Their children especially…

Fighting Potential

I hate the word “potential.” Teachers, adults, mentors, and peers have told me, “You have such potential!” for as long as I can remember. As a child, I proudly wore it as if it were another gold metallic sticker the teachers pasted to our chests on days when we were “really good.” Exceptional. That’s another…

Changing a Family Language

The other day, I called the insurance company, which one never does due to delightful reasons. The customer service representative on the phone gave me all of her patience and went to great lengths to help me. I felt my anger and frustration rising disproportionately. Sure, I placed the call because I had issues with…

I Know Who You Are

She sees the woman slowly make her way towards her. As one of the organizers of the event, my friend stands as a makeshift receiving line forms in front of her. People comment on how well she did helping to plan the evening or mention their desire to become more active in the organization. One…

Fire Fast

This week, a reel appeared on my For You Page (FYP) on Instagram. In it, Gary Vynerchuk answered an audience member’s question about how to know if the person you’re hiring is actually good versus how they appear on an application. His response: “I’ve got really good hiring advice: learn to fire fast.” Vynerchyck explains…

Winter Retreat

Friends,The Bleak Midwinter is upon us and many find themselves in the post-holiday melancholy. The holidays call forth memories of those we have loved and who have died, flooding us with joy at having had them and sadness for having lost them. I invite you to come spend a day with me sharing time in…

Better Than Happiness

This morning I needed to tackle dirty dishes and cluttered kitchen countertops. After an overindulgence in Christmas music, I chose to return to a favorite podcast instead to fill the silence. In less busy times, I love making podcasts the soundtrack to my work, as long as that work does not demand much mental capacity…

Celebrations, Not Resolutions

Happy New Year, My Friends! I confess that I’m not much of a New Year’s Eve person. I tend not to make resolutions – at least, not publicly – and have to force myself to stay awake for the countdown, and then only because my kids insist on it. I attribute part of my NYE…