Gather 'round…
“The snow looks light and the sky dark, but in fact the sky is lighter than the snow. Obviously the thing illumined cannot be lighter than its illuminator. The classical demonstration of this point involves simply laying a mirror flat on the snow so that it reflects in its surface the sky, and comparing by... Continue Reading →
We're at the beginning of Advent, just one week in, preparing for the Birth of Christ, and today we see Mary taking her first steps towards bearing the God of heaven. As usual, a timely reminder. She was the promised one, Mary. She was the child God blessed the barren Joachim and Anna with in... Continue Reading →
As I've said, I'm scrapbooking again. As I've said. But what I set out to write a few weeks back was not a diatribe on the virtues of skimpy scrapbooking. It was not meant to be only a physical confession of a swept-away hobbyist. It was intended to reflect upon the growing need within to... Continue Reading →
The Cross. The instrument of torture made salvation. The very wood which Christ submitted to as He trampled down death by death. Today in the Church we celebrate the Exaltation of the Cross. Hail, O Cross of the Lord Through you, mankind has been delivered from the curse Shattering the enemy by your exaltation O... Continue Reading →
Huh. Just found this in my drafts folder from a couple months back. Guess I never hit Publish. Cheers... Nat Goldberg. There are few writers that I count on to bring me out of a rut every time. Why she is one of them, I don't even know, but she is indeed that buoy that brings... Continue Reading →
Today, just a week into the Church New Year, is the Nativity of the Theotokos. It's the birthday celebration of the Virgin Mary, the very Mother of God. For the first decade of my vocation as a Christian I ran in distinctly Protestant circles. Many, many circles. I ran a pretty thorough gamut, though I... Continue Reading →
Sometimes they pay off. We're packed up and ready to rock. The vehicles are all running. The trailer has lights. The concussion victim is up for adventure. And the patriarch is back in the land of the living, not a moment too soon. Boundary Waters, here we come... If you need me... never mind... KJ
The Feels Like temperature, or if you will, the Wind Chill, has broken 102. I am hot. I wouldn't be quite so hot if the air conditioner was working, but it seems that the blower motor, or the control panel, or some integral part of the furnace, has succumbed to the lightning strike back in... Continue Reading →
Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace by Anne Lamott My rating: 5 of 5 stars My first Anne Lamott. I know. But it is. I loved most of it. I love her brokenness shining forth unapologetically, unabashed vulnerability, and snarky humor. Thus, Anne Lamott is a hit. But I do have to say that... Continue Reading →
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman My rating: 5 of 5 stars This one was so good I couldn't wait until I was done. I wrote a little preview a few days ago. If you haven't read that, go here first: Book PREview: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell... Continue Reading →
I don't know if I've ever caressed a book so much. Rainy days rock 🙂 KJ
I've been slowly making my way through Sig Olson's wilderness essays, Wilderness Days. They're gorgeous. I sent the kid up to the outfitting job with a copy, because where better to work through essays on the Boundary Waters than on the edge of the Boundary Waters? I don't know if she's had the time or energy... Continue Reading →
Tales From the Nexus 