I wear the mask as a person of faith, not as a person of politics. I don’t wear it to make some statement or promote an agenda. I don’t wear it to tell you for whom I’m voting, how I “lean,” or whether I prefer blue or red. I don’t wear it to judge you,…
Author: Mary Reynolds Hemmer, Prayerful Kitchen
Author. Retreat and Workshop Leader. Mom. Friend. Celebrating joy at every opportunity, especially if it's in the kitchen.
The Neighbor
“Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with…
Sabbath and Meditation in the Kitchen
Three loaves of North Carolina sourdough bread sit on my counter to rise. They have a few hours of rest ahead of them, the natural yeast taking it’s time to rise and do its work on the gluten and sugars. I love the deliberateness and wildness of it all, the refusal of the yeast to…
Birdsong for Me
For years I have had the honor of improving my writing under the guidance of Katerina Whitley…and have learned a thing or two about cooking along the way! My favorite Easter Sunday was when she joined me at the church I served and shared her monologue of Mary Magdalene recalling the events of Easter morning….
The Beauty of the Pivot
In the midst of all of this mess, my sleep patterns have shifted. I come from a long line of sleepers – 10-12 hour a night folks – and have always loved my sleep. But right now I seem to be waking up at ungodly hours with more energy than I know what to do…
Moving from “I don’t want to do this” to “But I can.”
It might surprise you to know that I have panic attacks. They aren’t frequent or severe, but in the moment they take hold like a terrier with a rat, shaking my nerves and pushing my breath back into my lugs, held hostage in the moment. It is the reason I don’t like to fly. Over…
Grief and Gratitude
I packed up a student’s belongings yesterday. He was one of our gap year students, meaning he has a high school degree already from his home country and was with us simply for an American experience before heading off to college back home. I pulled his clothes off their hangers, folding them neatly to go…
Where I’ve Been
Hello, friends! Sorry for being silent for so long. My new job has kept me busy this fall and holiday season. First years are filled with first things, setting up shop, new ideas and suggestions, and new relationships, especially when it’s not only a first year for you but for the position in its current…
July Evening
The mosquitoes and gnats are Joined by countless other Winged beasts They pepper the air like a misplaced And confused Light snow Whose flakes haven’t the courage to Fall to the ground So dart, directionless, through the air We wallow in the Long hours of sunlight Lapping up every decadent minute In a mere hour…
Prayerful Kitchen 