Two Little Lessons
I rush out the door without the keys to my office. My husband agrees to drive home, find my keys, and return them to me. So I pass the time at the coffee shop and then wander aimlessly in the library until he arrives. (This is a good husband who doesn’t really have time for […]
In Process Is Also Beautiful
I pause to look closely at the turning leaves. I’ve never seen a splotchy kind of autumn transition. Normally, I wake up and simply notice that the leaves have changed; I never truly notice the in-between of not-quite either season. (Plus, I dislike transitional states. I’d rather stay settled, arrived, and orderly.) But today I […]
Sabbath Rest
I love the idea of not cooking on Sunday as part of resting since so much of the week involves meal preparation and clean up. I consider the ease of the rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. I consider frozen pizza. I consider how a special Sunday dinner doesn’t always mean rolling out buttermilk biscuits and […]
Magnificent! Marvelous!
I love the description of God in Isaiah 28:29. It reads that He is the “LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.” In the original language, these words mean that God is marvelous and magnificent. I feel like worshipping Him more and more when I think about these descriptions. Such […]
Early Message
The Weeping Cherry offers an early indicator: Autumn! I marvel over the canary yellow leaf. I love it as I love the stark brown-black tangle of branches in winter and the white-pink blossoms of spring that strangely arrive before the slick dark green leaves of summer. Each season, a wonder.
The Afternoon with the Harvest
So You Might Bless
Last night, I pulled some of those oven-dried tomatoes from the freezer, placed them to defrost in a bowl with fresh basil and olive oil, and then paired them with some hearty bread and mozzarella for an appetizer for some friends. It made me so happy to share the harvest from the garden. It was the kind of living-with-flair […]
The Difference a Little Plant Makes
For the first time ever, I purchase a little plant to decorate my office. It’s symbolizes that I’m here; I’m staying; I’m settled in and nurturing things. More time in my office with students means I’m decorating. I find myself eager to arrive to campus to check on this plant, to water him, and to […]
It Works! Autumn Craft #2: Yarn Orbs and the Simple Pleasure of Waiting
We find this tutorial from gurl.com (but we don’t suspend our balloons; we just let them dry on a towel).You basically combine glue, water, and some cornstarch, dip your yarn into the mixture, and cover a balloon with gluey yarn. Then, let it dry for a good day or two. Pop your balloon (but first poke […]
Telling Our Story of 9-11 Each Year
This year was no different: We told our daughters the story of that morning. We remember with sharp detail where we were, how we felt, and the passage of time. We were in Ann Arbor, Michigan, we begin. The phone rang. . . They listen. And they’ll listen again next year, too.