Merianna Harrelson

I am the Pastor of Garden of Grace United Church of Christ in Columbia, SC and the Director of Consulting at Harrelson.Co. I am always looking for a good cup of coffee and a great book.

Here Comes the Sun

Yesterday brought the Spring Equinox and the reminder that the light is coming. At a time and place where there is so much violence, the equinox is an invitation to find the glimmers of hope in the new life that is beginning to bloom. In our modern society, we don’t live as in tune with …

Here Comes the Sun Read More »

March Again

It’s March again. The month everything changed. When our lives, our livelihoods, were interrupted, disrupted. It’s March again I wonder if we’ll make it through see it through. It’s March again Did we learn? Did we grow? Did we see? Or will it take another pause another stop until we see.

Carrying On

I can remember the summer afternoons spent with cousins laughing and playing and sometimes fussing at each other. When the noise would get to a certain level, my grandmother would make her appearance and ask, “What are you all carrying on about?” She meant why were we fussing with each other, but I like the …

Carrying On Read More »

Still Loading

As I went to write my weekly reflection in my planner, I flipped back to the month view wondering whether I had ever filled out February. It has been a busy week and February is such a short month, I didn’t want to forget to look ahead. As I flipped back, I realized not only …

Still Loading Read More »

Packed and Ready

I thought it was silly to add a lunchbox for our two-year-old and for me when they ad popped up. It was a split second decision, one of those late night online shopping choices that I would probably question in the morning light. When they came in, we were in the middle of homeschooling during …

Packed and Ready Read More »

Empty House

Yesterday, I dropped off both kids at the same school in one drop off and came home to an empty house. It reminded me that during the pandemic and our year of homeschooling, there was nothing I wanted more than to have some time in an empty house. Some time in the space we were …

Empty House Read More »

How’s your heart?

In times of uncertainty and extreme stress, our heart rate increases. It’s a natural, biological response to the increased stess we are experiencing. Although it’s natural, it isn’t something we often notice or ask each other. Instead when we check on each other, we ask “How are you?” eliciting a response from our brains rather …

How’s your heart? Read More »