My mother and I had a deeply moving conversation the day after I returned home to care for her as she was dying. Sitting in the sunroom, alone for the first time since I arrived, we acknowledged what lay just ahead. We shared our abundant love for one another, and our tears flowed with equal abundance. As this sacred conversation continued, she …read more »
Video Highlights from Garden Dedication
June 28, 2017 by
Video from the June 24, 2017, dedication. Remarks of Patty Wudel, Executive Director Remarks of Scott Sanders, Deputy Director Lean on Me …read more »
Beauty, Wonder & Gratitude
June 27, 2017 by
On June 24, the Joseph's House community, joined by neighbors and friends, dedicated our new healing garden. These remarks were delivered by Scott Sanders, Deputy Director. At the entrance to the garden is a plaque with the words of the activist Vito Russo from 1988, some of the darkest days of the AIDS epidemic. He said, “Someday, the AIDS …read more »
Fall on Your Knees
December 25, 2016 by
Sitting in the nave of the National Cathedral last week, I felt shivers as we sang “O come ye to Bethlehem” with those gathered at Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem itself. It was the first time I had attended the Cathedral’s annual Christmas Prayer Service that connects the two churches via simulcast. The prayers and songs ring from both …read more »
The Week the Trees Fell and a Tyrant Rose
November 14, 2016 by
Last Tuesday, as neighbors walked by on their way to the polls, four of the beloved birch trees in the Joseph’s House garden were reduced to mulch, their stumps the only reminders of the majestic trees whose leaves had captured the afternoon sun with a particular sparkle. The day before, we had started construction on our new healing garden …read more »
The Gifts of God for the People of God
February 10, 2016 by
As a child, Communion was my favorite part of going to church. Being Methodists, we only took Communion once a month and when we did, we stayed in our pews as brass trays with tiny juice glasses were passed from person to person. The infrequency of Communion and those little juice glasses themselves—fascinating miniatures much like my Matchbox …read more »
Lessons from the Shopping Mall
November 30, 2015 by
I was surprised when the Just My Size catalog of women’s undergarments arrived in my mailbox. I’d forgotten that I used my home address to ship some bras I purchased for one of our former residents and I was now clearly in their database as a good customer. Before joining the Joseph’ House staff, I couldn’t have imagined that bra shopping would …read more »
The Legacy of Ryan White
September 15, 2015 by
August 18th marked the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Ryan White CARE Act, creating a program that has saved the lives of thousands upon thousands of people living with HIV. Earlier this year, Joseph’s House received a Partnership Award from the CAEAR Coalition as they prepared to go on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of funding for the …read more »
Shoppers’ Delight
December 5, 2014 by
Yesterday we made our inaugural shopping trip to the Capital Area Food Bank and I can’t wait to go back. Who knew food shopping could be this much fun? We began the application process to become a food bank partner some months back and yesterday’s trip was confirmation of just what a good idea that was. We stocked up on food and paper goods for …read more »
Superman
September 9, 2014 by
Barreling down the 200-foot drop on Superman: Ride of Steel, I broke out into laughter that lasted a full minute as we reached speeds of over 72 mph and I flew up off my seat several times on the twists and turns. It was the freest and most exhilarated I had felt in a long, long time. So much fun. I was riding with Thomas, a former Joseph’s …read more »