- The Baby Jesus (& Risen Jesus) Would Like Me to Read More This Christmas, my family was all together, my brother cooked killer steaks on the grill, and I basked in the wonder of how many incredible books I received as gifts. (I also ran 7 miles, which felt altogether wonderful.) I promised Rachel Chester–please lady, do start blogging again–that I would post a quick list of the […]
- “Christmas can [still] change the world” [youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU] I still believe in miracles. Advent Conspiracy. (HT: Heather in Madrid)
- Advent: Leave us better than you found us. My friends Jesse and Trevor learned from their grandparents that if you borrow something from someone, you should surprise the giver by returning it just a little nicer than it was received. So, when they were displaced in Pasadena by the fires in Santa Barbara, they tried washing Grandma and Grandpa Repko’s Volvo before returning […]
- Sweet Baby Jesus A couple days past Christmas, and I’m still wondering about the baby’s birth. I’m wondering how I celebrated an entire holiday devoted to Jesus being born, and thought so little about him. Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is lovely. I love being with my family. I love giving and receiving little gifts. I love all […]
- Hiding/Remembering It is so nice to be home, again. I found the old paper Advent calendar I used to open as a kid. No chocolates hiding, just paper windows with images of Christmas and home. Yesterday it was baked bread. Today it was a candle. I used to get such a kick out of opening those […]
- There’s Something About Mary – Synchroblog I didn’t grow up saying “hail Mary”s. Most little Italian girls did, but I didn’t. (I grew up hailing Twila Paris and Amy Grant, you could say.) It took me a while to understand what those beaded necklacy-things were that my Catholic relatives had, too. When I studied in Rome in 1999, my favorite place […]
- Teach Me Some Melodious Sonnet I found a little old book on the shelves of the Pasadena House of Prayer (PiHop) last night. Dear Madeleine’s A Cry Like a Bell. I sat on pillows on the floor, turning hurried pages. My eyebrows were tall all throughout that worship set. (I didn’t mean to mis-write, and then strike the “pain.” But […]
- Streams for Sunday: Advent/Misadventure It’s true. Advent is a misadventure, too much, too much. But it shouldn’t be, Charlie Brown. Can’t you smell the needly noble fir in the living room? There is a manger near.
- A Great Pregnancy; or, Christmas in July (From my all-time favourite little book, Letters to a Young Poet, letter 6) RomeDecember 23, 1903 My dear Mr. Kappus, I don’t want you to be without a greeting from me when Christmas comes and when you, in the midst of the holiday, are bearing your solitude more heavily than usual… Why don’t you think […]
- Joy to the World Technorati tags: christmas
- Put the Lights on the Tree In an ongoing effort to post (almost) every day this week. Get out the Windex, Mama. I’m on a music streak.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYQFeZFLyM4] On this 7th day of Advent, here are seven reasons why Sufjan Stevens’ brand new 5-disc Christmas album should be enjoyed by you and your yuletide loved ones. 1. (A suprisingly sweet rendition of) […]