Rooted in Service

Finding a rhythm when life lifes

Welcome to Sunday Supper!

Set the Table

Say your grace

Prayer - Dear God, Guide those caring for people living with brain change/dementia. Amen.

Affirmation: Caregiving is a noble calling.

Gratitude - I am grateful for carers.

I am grateful to every reader, subscriber, commenter, and anyone who shares this newsletter with others.

The Main Dish

Dig in

Rooted in Service

I’ve lived in Virginia for almost eight years, but it’s been hard to find my place here. I spent the first two years flying to Arkansas almost monthly to work with clients I served through my company, Bridge Builders Group. This extensive travel and my refusal to fully integrate into my new place of residence left me tired, sometimes feeling empty, and occasionally lonely and depressed.

Then my dad died. Then I wrote a book. Then I tore my Achilles tendon in January of 2020. Then the pandemic. Then I wrote another book. Then. Then. Then…

I had a hard time finding the rhythm to a song I didn’t want to hear.

Then, Bishop James Davis of the African Methodist Episcopal Church asked my husband and me to coordinate webinars to educate the faith community about the pandemic, available resources, and ways to stay connected when people were distant. We organized several webinars, and sometimes more than 5,000 people logged on.

Through this work with faith communities, I began to rediscover a rhythm, one that reminded me of my true calling: service. Whether through Bridge Builders Group, pandemic outreach, or in my current role helping make faith communities dementia-friendly, I’ve learned that as long as I am serving, my life’s rhythm makes sense.

My work with the AME church led to an opportunity to lead the Alter program in Virginia. This international program helps make faith communities dementia-friendly. Alter allows me to lean into my gifts of community organizing and teaching and prove that, as long as I’m serving others, no matter the location, I find fulfillment.

I try my best to lean into my call to serve. Since June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, I worked with several community partners over several months to plan an event for dementia care partners and those living with brain change/dementia. We focused on holistic care and screened the film, “Mama Joe.” The filmmaker, Herb Caldwell, traveled from Illinois, and Alter’s founder, Fayron Epps, traveled from Texas. They were two of the many experts who showed up for the community, providing hope and help to the almost 200 people who joined us yesterday.

The rhythm of the event moved me, and my spirit danced.

It took years of resistance, personal loss, and a global crisis to realize my sense of place isn’t defined by a zip code, but by the people I am called to serve. This June, as communities worldwide unite for Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, I’m reminded that service is my anchor.

The rhythm of my life makes sense again, and the song continues as long as I am serving others.

Resources for care partners.

Pot Likker and Cornbread Crumbs

There’s flavor in the small things.

Brain health matters.

Table Talk

Join the Conversation

For the care partners: what is one resource, word of encouragement, or act of service that has made the heaviest days feel a little lighter? If you aren’t a care partner, what words of encouragement can you offer a care partner?

Potluck

From Our Community Kitchen: Book, Music, Art, Substack

Book

Music

Art

Jacob Lawrence. 1940–41, Casein tempera on hardboard, 12 x 18 in. The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, Acquired 1942

Substack Recommendation

The SCOTUS Project to Undo Voting Rights Protections is Nearly Complete.

Recipe Exchange

MIND Diet

The more I learn about brain health, the more I understand the importance of a well-balanced diet. One recommendation for brain health is the MIND diet. Yes, another diet. This is not a “can’t eat” diet, but it is a simple guide.

I am sharing a baked salmon recipe with you today since fish is a suggested food for the MIND diet. If you try it, let me know.

Baked Salmon

Ingredients:

• 2 wild-caught salmon fillets (about 4–6 oz each), skin removed

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• ½ lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

• 1 clove garlic, very finely minced

• 2 sprigs fresh dill or parsley

• A tiny pinch of salt and black pepper

• 2 large sheets of parchment paper

Instructions:

1. Prep the Oven & Paper: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Fold each sheet of parchment paper in half to create a crease, then open it back up flat on a baking sheet.

2. Layer the Base: In the center of one half of each parchment sheet, place 2–3 thin slices of lemon and a scatter of the minced garlic. This creates a fragrant, moist bed for the fish.

3. Season the Salmon: Place a salmon fillet directly on top of the lemon slices. Drizzle each fillet with extra-virgin olive oil and lightly rub the minced garlic over the top. Lay a sprig of fresh dill or parsley over the fish.

4. Seal the Packet: Fold the empty half of the parchment paper over the salmon. Starting at one corner, make small, overlapping folds along the open edges, crimping tightly as you go to form a sealed, half-moon-shaped pouch. This traps the steam inside.

5. Bake Gently: Bake for 12–15 minutes. The parchment packet will puff up slightly from the steam.

6. Check for Softness: Carefully cut open the packet (watch out for hot steam). The salmon should be a delicate, opaque pink and flake apart effortlessly when pressed gently with the back of a spoon.

Dessert

A Sweet Send-Off