Valerie Freseman

Yard sale, thrift sale, clean out

I have been thinking lately about the meaning of used things. When we acquire them, when we love and use them, when we get rid of them, and what happens to them after we are gone. Here is my take on the spiritual, social, and psychological differences between the various forms of stuff exchange: StoopContinue reading “Yard sale, thrift sale, clean out”

Lughnassah/Lammas 2020

Happy Lughnassah/Lammas Folks. Today we celebrate the harvest, and, by association, the Irish leader and “many skilled one”, Lugh Lamfada. Lugh asked everyone in the community to come together to use their skills to defeat their enemies in the 2nd Battle of Moytura. In the end, he used a spear to pierce the hideous, scorchingContinue reading “Lughnassah/Lammas 2020”

Watering your Voice

There is nothing pretty about isolation; I feel that even more so these last 5 months. I was already pretty isolated- I have few friends out here aside from colleagues,and ministry in a time of national convulsion and fear (and I believe, hope, if white people in particular can seize it) is not a cakeContinue reading “Watering your Voice”

Self-affirming and self-reliant

“A healthy six is self-affirming and self-reliant” These are the words that greeted me this morning in my inbox. I subscribe to Enneagram thought of the day- at the recommendation of a facebook group for ministers. The stressors of the pandemic and other shifts and transformations and my life have made this a challenge, indeed.Continue reading “Self-affirming and self-reliant”

Green Light Bill

The Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act currently before the NY state legislature is about safety and dignity. It offers those who are already a part of our community the ability to abide by our laws, not to evade them. Not only will this bill make our roads safer by licensing and ensuring drivers, itContinue reading “Green Light Bill”

The Sun Stands Still

I missed the eclipse this year. I didn’t travel to the “belt”, I didn’t get the sunglasses, I didn’t do anything but notice an odder shade of shadow accompanying the day-time clouds as I walked from my physical therapy appointment to home. But now the winter solstice is here. And it reminds me ofContinue reading “The Sun Stands Still”

Front End Premium

It seems that for a long time now, about 80% of snail mail that arrives at my household are direct mail appeals. And the escalating war of the front-end premium has now reached epic proportions. A front-end premium the classic and most familiar example being return address label stickers – is anything a charityContinue reading “Front End Premium”

A Penny a Pound…

I grew up eating a lot of tomatoes, learning at one point how to can tomatoes, and appreciating the bounty and deliciousness of summer delivered to you from just a few yards away from your doorstep. But earlier this week, I participated in a march led by the The Coalition of Immokalee Workers with members of myContinue reading “A Penny a Pound…”

Ode to the Mets, losing again

When the daffodils return to Queens We will be back, To listen once more for the “twack” of home runs thrilling the night, And our mighty heroes: Thor, and DeGrom, Cespedes and Wright And Mr. Met will stoke the cheers as everyone buys beer from vendors with buttons displaying calorie counts (thanks, Bloomberg) WaitContinue reading “Ode to the Mets, losing again”

Turning the Wheel

The Year Turns, and the night draws its cloak closer and wider around us. Harvest is still possible and it is within Life’s capacity to give us sustenance as we honor those labor to bring from Her. The Wheel turns, and though the dead are mourned, healing is still possible, and with it Life’s capacityContinue reading “Turning the Wheel”