I remember the back door of Grandma's house swinging open. I can still hear the spring stretching, squeaking and pulling the door shut with a solid thunk. I can see the porcelain kitchen sink, the linoleum floor and the baker's cabinet where she stored all that she needed to make noodles or cookies...I can still see it all. In my mind, I can return to the times when I … [Read more...]
Food on Fridays: Returning Thanks
(smaller button below)Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe.If you want, you could join the book club on Mondays at TheHighCalling.org and post your responses to the essays in The Spirit of Food; because, you see, we’re pretty relaxed over here. Posts like … [Read more...]
Get Used to It
I’ve piled red apples—honey crisp and gala—into a plastic flowered bowl on the kitchen table; oranges and pears in a wooden bowl on the counter; and vegetables—carrots, kale, chard, celery, cucumber, red peppers—into the crisper drawer in the fridge.I set out a bowl of cherries, too, because I’ve heard life is like that.The reason for this wide variety of freshness? Why … [Read more...]
Old, Calloused Heart
One evening when my kids were little, I was flipping through TV stations and landed on a Christian channel. I got called away and left the TV on, thinking I'd be right back.By the time I returned, the program had switched to something new. My daughter was in the room frantically scribbling numbers onto a piece of paper, almost breaking down in tears."What are you doing?" I … [Read more...]
Thirteen
The girl in this photo has just about finished reading a 658-page book about HTML and CSS that she requested for Christmas. She has completed all of the practice assignments and seems to understand it all. I asked her at dinner this evening what was the most fun she had today. She answered, "Learning CSS. And designing a clubhouse for the back … [Read more...]
The Vase
I must have been nine years old. My parents hired a babysitter. For the first time ever, my sitter was Theresa, our teenage neighbor, instead of Grace, the plump and kindly 60-something-year-old woman who grew African Violets by her kitchen window and watched soap operas every afternoon. Theresa might even play with me! My mind was wild with possibilities, but I … [Read more...]
Wherein Ann Discovers an Easy Advent Solution
As you know from yesterday's post, I intended to drive over to Holy Family Bookstore. Unfortunately, it was closed by the time I got there.Family Christian Store, however, was still open.The Belgian Wonder and I stopped in and asked if they had Advent candles.The clerk pointed to a big display. "Yes, right over there where it says 'Advent Celebration.'"Of course that's … [Read more...]
Three Purples and a Pink
I don't know why, but right before Advent begins each year, as I'm packing up the turkey teapot for storage, I suddenly realize I don't have candles. Our traditional Advent wreath calls for taper candles, and I prefer the traditional colors: three purples and one pink. The white Christ Candle in the center is my wedding unity candle, so we reuse that year after year, … [Read more...]
The Advent of Our Advent
The church I attended as a child did some things for Advent, though I don't remember much. I think that candles were lit and the color purple was involved. Also, I recall white ornaments with Christian symbols hanging on a large Christmas tree in the foyer.All of those colors and details were associated with church. It never occurred to me that someone might observe Advent … [Read more...]
Think Twice Before Befriending a Kroeker
One of my daughters has a good friend who invited her to a fall festival last weekend.They ate fair-type food, rode carnival rides, and stayed up late listening to local bands perform. When my daughter visits this girl's house, she swims with her friend in their pool, explores the woods by their creek, plays Wii, and finishes the day eating pizza and Oreos. This weekend … [Read more...]
Food on Fridays: Show-and-Tell
(smaller button below)Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you want to talk about the blueberry seed that lodged between your teeth, that’s great. Posts like that are as welcome as menus and recipes. … [Read more...]
Tuning In and Out
Yesterday at High Calling Blogs, Michelle of Graceful posted a story about how she was caught fake-listening to her son. As the content editor for this article, I worked with Michelle on the piece and enjoyed a sneak preview. Her topic has caused me to monitor my listening skills (or lack thereof) for a few days now.I've also been particularly honest and respectful in … [Read more...]
Food on Fridays: Blueberry Mania
(smaller button below)Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you want to talk about the spinach that lodged between your teeth, that’s great. Posts like that are as welcome as menus and recipes. … [Read more...]
Food on Fridays: We Are Real (and so is the food)
(smaller button below)Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. If you want to tell us about the first person who taught you to cook, that’s great. Posts like that are as welcome as menus and recipes. … [Read more...]
End of an Era
We used to live in a town with a gorgeous library that I've used and loved since 1988. When we moved a few miles away to our new house eleven years ago, we discovered with shock and dismay that we're just over the line in another library's district. We loved and used our original library so much, we actually paid an annual fee that allowed us to continue using its … [Read more...]
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