After quiet time yesterday, Katie found me scribbling in a notebook. With thoughts of the upcoming election rattling around in my head, inspired, somewhat, by responses to my last post, and goaded by an assignment I’d recently given to my students, I was eking out a sonnet. “Mama,” she said as she wedged herself into … Continue reading "We Break Things: In Which I Make Myself a Liar. Perhaps."
Read MoreCategory: Loving God
On Poetry and Politics
This fall, I’m teaching Creative Writing to a couple of high school students. During our introductory class on poetry, one of the girls asked me to share some of my poems with them. I told her I didn’t write much poetry. She asked me why not, and my mind stuttered on the question. Why not, … Continue reading "On Poetry and Politics"
Read MoreOn Sunflowers, Gratitude, and Joy
About a month ago, I bought sunflowers. Our local CSA had them on offer for $1 a stem, five-gallon buckets full of bright beauty, cut fresh that morning. I’m no home-decorator. Flowers aren’t my love language. I don’t fawn over bouquets. But they caught my eye when I picked up our veggies for the week, … Continue reading "On Sunflowers, Gratitude, and Joy"
Read MoreWhat I Can Control
Seven years ago, I became an armchair expert in adoption law. Our attorney gave us printed copies of the relevant California Supreme Court cases, dozens of pages of small-print legalese. I pored over them, highlighter in hand, noting similarities between those cases and ours. I constructed a meticulous timeline of events. I typed up a … Continue reading "What I Can Control"
Read MoreFinding Hope in the Fog
We woke to fog yesterday. As late as Sunday, the local Facebook weather guy was forecasting spring warmth for this week. Monday, he said, we’d see partly cloudy weather, but Tuesday would be the first of several dry and sunny days. He was wrong. A rarity, for him. The first half of this week was … Continue reading "Finding Hope in the Fog"
Read MoreThe Bread of Heaven
Why Hello, Captain Obvious
There’s a persistent voice, a critical voice, that sometimes takes up residence inside my head. It shows itself most often when I’m trying to write. Count your blessings? You aren’t in control? Parenting reveals your selfishness? Really, Jenn, is that the best you can do? All a bit … obvious … isn’t it? Yep, that’s … Continue reading "Why Hello, Captain Obvious"
Read MoreAll Mama Wants is a Silent Night, Part Two
Miles, in a surprising turn of events, slept well last night. Because the sleep gods are merciless, mercurial beings, however, he was the only person in this house who did. Sleep well, that is. Sometime between 8 p.m. and midnight, both girls’ digestive systems went into full revolt and determined to empty themselves by any … Continue reading "All Mama Wants is a Silent Night, Part Two"
Read MoreAll Mama Wants is a Silent Night
A day or two after Christmas, once all the gifts had been opened and enjoyed, Jonathan remembered something. He went to the garage and returned with a mug, which he handed to me with a grin. “I hid it so well I forgot I had it.” I laughed, both at his words and at those … Continue reading "All Mama Wants is a Silent Night"
Read MoreCount Back With Me
Count back with me, numberless days to the dawn of time, when endless love spilled out of the infinite void and formed the words Let there be light. Close your eyes. Breathe. Deep gulping breaths that fill your lungs to capacity. In. Out. In. Out. Let the Word saturate your being as He hovers over the … Continue reading "Count Back With Me"
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