These bookshelves contain something that: singsarguestells a storyseducesexplains howwon't shut upkeeps you awakewon't be put downrecalls the pastcan see the futuremay not be seen againsays just what you've been thinkingtransforms your bus ridewon't disturb the neighborsnever gets tiredis wonderful This is an adaptation of a list I found in a bookshop that now hangs in... Continue Reading →
If all good things must come to an end, I'm so glad this ending comes after Christmas. The trees have been hauled out, all signs of taped-up paper and bits of ribbon bagged and dumped. Carols have faded from the airwaves as we get back to "life as usual." We put a big fat period... Continue Reading →
"Kassie Warren." Silence filled the gymnasium as his voice died slowly, a hundred breathless students behind me. I approached the microphone and prayed for Jesus to come back before I got there. He didn't. "Upheave," the man pronounced. Oh! I totally knew this! "Upheave," I repeated in my fifth-grade voice. "U. P. H. E. A.... Continue Reading →
Buddy the elf embarked on an adventure because he wanted a relationship with his dad. Rudolph longed for the approval of his papa. Ralphie was terrified of his dad's temper. Clark gave his family a man who daydreamed about abandoning them for an underwear model. Howard spent the entirety of his movie trying to make... Continue Reading →
Mamas have been singing about their little ones for many, many years, but only Mary gets to sing simultaneously of her baby and her God. Let's eavesdrop for a moment at how she begins this beautiful Christmas anthem. And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for... Continue Reading →
I'm a serial dater. Technically, I've been dating the same man for 12 years now, but that qualifies, right? I think I'll always be a fan of date nights. There's just something about a hard stop in the middle of the week that is both comforting and exciting. No matter what, come Thursday, Riley and... Continue Reading →
Have you noticed that there's a soundtrack for each season? This particular moment in the calendar year sways to the happy pops of a fireplace, scissors gliding across wrapping paper, and familiar melodies wearing themselves out over the grocery store loudspeakers. If you turn down this buzz and attune your ears to the crisp pages... Continue Reading →
This is the season of the Hallelujah Chorus, and those jubilant notes of hope wiggle their way into every crevice of December: under the covers with a bedtime story, into your mittens, through the spicy scent of cinnamon, permeating the air with a buzz of victory. May your happiest moments swell with the heavens, and... Continue Reading →
What are your favorite sounds in the world? Your husband's warm chuckle? Soft snores from the kids' room? Coffee bubbling into your mug? Book pages turning? The crackle of a bonfire? Which noises make you come alive, settling a deep contentment in your soul? I personally thrill to the sound of a redemption bell. Never... Continue Reading →
Church music has been a battleground for ages. I'm guessing that around 900 AD, the pipe organ was a new-fangled, risqué addition to services that caused every medieval curmudgeon to scowl at how the young people were trying to change things up. More recently, Cory Asbury's 'Reckless Love' has sparked a bit of debate among... Continue Reading →
The Dwelling Place 