Theological Essays, Devotionals, and Spiritual Naval-Gazing
Orange has never been my color. I find something to like about nearly every color, but orange is one that makes me uncomfortable. A friend once made me a piece of art that was gorgeous and original, but it had a bright orange background. She said the orange represented energy, but it was hard for … More Orange
One really shouldn’t take up a Lenten discipline out of exasperation. But that’s what happened to us this year. Jared was out of town, and I was well and truly fed up with our little addictions and dependencies – mine as much as the kids’. I sent Jared a text, saying “We’re giving up sugar … More Sugar and Screens
When I was a kid, or maybe a teenager, my mum told me a story about growing up. She said she was thirty-five years old when she was ironing one day, and realized she was content with her life. Or that she liked it. I don’t remember her exact words, but that story has cemented … More 35
I spy a rainbow in my sledRed gas canYellow diesel canBlue tarpLittle green parkaLittle pink parka And my big indigo-purple snowpantsWith orange lining. Outside my sled Is monochromeUntil my eyes adjust to the contrastBlack rocks on white snowSage lichen on black rocksOrange fungus on sage lichenSlate ice with aqua fissuresWhite sky with a rim of … More I Spy in January
It took years to learn to dress myself. Mass-produced underwearSweatshop shirtBut then it gets interesting. My hat is a handmade gift from an parishioner Who was blessed by my predecessor. My sweater is self-made Using knowledge from booksAnd a friend in Vancouver. My boots are brand newTop of the lineA Christmas giftFrom generous in-lawsWho reach … More Dressed
Happy January!!! We made it! I know we have no promises that this year will be all sunshine and roses, but at the very least, it’s a new page. I’ve not been this happy to write a new year in my journal since first putting 2000 in my teenage diary. When it comes to planning … More Make Nine 2021
I just read my “goals” post from January 2020. My goals were practically feasible, but emotionally lofty and idealistic. If I could talk to myself a year ago, I’d just say, “Oh, hon. You are enough. Just hold on.” I don’t really know how to write this post. Jared joked to me about a month … More 2020 In Review
I think blueberries on the tundra are the most beautiful thing in the world. I’ve not been writing lately; fall is such a busy time of year. Homeschool is settling into a pattern, housework ebbs and flows, I’ve learned how to nap, and the outdoors calls to us on the beautiful days that are further … More Wild Berries
The Arctic heather and ground rhododendron turn the land purple and white. A haze of impossible beauty, breathtaking from near and far, inconceivable in scale and shockingly brief in duration. These two seem to share a favorite microbiome: those plateaus that are neither too sandy nor too damp. Fireworks and fairy bells. The rhododendrons remind … More Fireworks and Fairy Bells
What signs of spring do you see out your window? Daffodils or crocuses? Do you live in the southern hemisphere – and if so, what is your fall like right now? My signs of spring are rather different than those I grew up with. Freezing rain, blizzards, muck boots, lichen, ice fishing, skidoo and 4-wheeler … More A Sign of Spring
