Some of my earliest Christmas memories include romping through our snowy backwoods to chop down the perfect tree. Although it was usually a lanky one, we decorated it with my parents’ childhood ornaments and my keepsake Barbie collectibles. (Oh, what a sight!) On Christmas Eve I strained my ear towards the bedroom door, hoping to…
The unseasonably warm temperatures this weekend fooled me into believing Advent was long off. My kitchen calendar tells me this is not so. The sun shines warmly over our apartment while the autumn leaves bake to a stale brown underneath the trees. The leaves, and the increasing darkness, remind me we’ll be lighting four special…
On Thursday we observed Michaelmas through a casual dessert night with friends. They brought delicious homemade wassail and we pulled out the ice cream to top a homemade blackberry crisp. Everything was *chef’s kiss* tasty. You might remember my plan to make maple-themed treats. Well, that took a turn when I learned about the feast…
August and September tend to be the months where I feel inspired to prepare for the second half of the year. I credit this to the multiple special anniversaries and events that fill the calendar and the anticipation of autumn, my favorite season. This year, thanks to Kendra Adachi’s book, the Lazy Genius, I’ve been…
The church year is a beautiful lens through which to view time, history, and one’s place in the story of Christ. Beginning in late November or early December, the liturgical year (also referred to as the church year or church calendar) lays a foundation centered on Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Each year as the…
“Watch and pray.” These words of Jesus stuck out to me as I read Matthew 26:36-46. I imagine tired disciples, feeling mixed emotions after a long day and an oddly ceremonious meal, but together as always. Did they realize this was a significant moment in the story? Jesus is also weary. He knows the time…