"I see grace groweth best in winter." ~ Samuel Rutherford Grace in February: Mom's spaghetti sauce recipe Shoveling the church parking lot with a few folks A long drive home at dusk, reflection of the sunset in the frozen creek beds and ponds Psalm 30 Ashley's braids It Is Well Playing a makeshift game of … Continue reading Winter Pansies & Rose Skies
This piece was written for the February issue of our church newsletter, Grace & Peace. Each year, I get a little better at remembering to plant bulbs. I wait until the garden has fallen asleep and the late chrysanthemums have stopped blooming, those first few frosts biting at their heads and turning them gray. One … Continue reading Bear Fruit With Patience
"You have consented to time and it is winter. The country seems bigger, for you can see through the bare trees. There are times when the woods is absolutely still and quiet. The house holds warmth. A wet snow comes in the night and covers the ground and clings to the trees, making the whole … Continue reading Snow, Psalms, & Stocking the Pantry Shelves
This piece was written for the January issue of our church newsletter, Grace & Peace. It was on the bright edge of the new year a few winters ago that I set out to read through the entire Bible in 60 days. This meant two months of reading more than 15 chapters per day. I … Continue reading The Feast of Scripture
"A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven." ~ John 3:27 The hard and the good things in February: Getting up early on potluck Sunday to put tomato soup in the crockpot Jared picking out his wedding suit at Rainwater's Over the week we spent in the hospital with … Continue reading Wedding Plans, Winter Sun, & Other Points of Light
A month or so before we started dating, Jared offered to send me seeds in the mail. This surprised me, because I didn’t know many guys who planted gardens. I knew fewer who had an abundance of heirloom seeds on hand. When I thought about it, Jared was the only guy I’d ever talked to … Continue reading Seeds in the Mail
"The frosty air stings one's face, prickles in one's nose, sets all the blood to racing warmly. The snow creaks and snaps under one's feet, and the sunshine on the silvery fields is blinding to the eyes. This I know well: that the chief part of every life consists of small things. If we have … Continue reading Deep Snow, Soup, & Strawberries
The moon, it just sat there tonight,mostly eaten by the old yearand its shadows,the year to come like its bright skinshining, burning away the rest.They say it's God's fingernail,but that's only what we can see of it.In reality, the whole underbelly is bulgingwith lighton the other side of our atmosphere.Anyway, it couldn't be that only … Continue reading New Year
"Running to the window, Scrooge opened it, and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious! Glorious!" ~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol The first snow---long, quiet, and cold Tramping down the … Continue reading Feasting, Fiddling, & the First Snow
“Our post-Christian neighbors need to hear and see and taste and feel authentic Christianity, hospitality spreading from every Christian home that includes neighbors in prayer, food, friendship, childcare, dog walking, and all the daily matters upon which friendships are built.” ~ Rosaria Butterfield, The Gospel Comes with a House Key Things that made me happy … Continue reading Friendship, Prayer, Milk, & Tea
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