I like to imagine myself in a Jane Austen novel--engaging in witty banter with a handsome member of the landed gentry, whirling around a ballroom into the wee hours of the morning and taking trips to Bath. But if I’m honest, I find myself identifying less with an Austen heroine and more with one of her other characters: Mr. Woodhouse. In the first chapter of Emma, Austen describes Mr. Woodhouse as “everywhere beloved for his friendliness and ... Read More about when fear and anxiety produce tunnel vision
Jane Austen and Friendships in Literature (an interview with Katherine Reay)
Female friendships can be difficult to navigate as much as they are beneficial to the soul. Grace and patience are required in abundance. (But that’s true for any type of relationship, right?!) Reading about friendships provides a unique opportunity to mold and reform your own behavior using a perspective a little further removed from your own circumstances. If that book were to include a dream vacation to Bath, England at a centuries old estate ... Read More about Jane Austen and Friendships in Literature (an interview with Katherine Reay)
Beyond Narnia: Our Favorite Works of C.S. Lewis
Thoughts of talking mice brandishing swords, boys turned into dragons, and the sticky sweet taste of Turkish Delight have filled the imaginative landscape of young and old for decades. I know I’m not the only one who wondered if the magical land of Narnia might exist through one of my closets. Selling over 100 million copies, The Chronicles of Narnia may be C.S. Lewis’ most recognizable work, but by no means do the adventures of four children ... Read More about Beyond Narnia: Our Favorite Works of C.S. Lewis
The Lens of Freedom
She was basically invisible. And, when people did notice, she was looked at with disdain. Society shunned her. They only saw her mistakes and it was their own constructs that kept her ostracized and unwanted. She was imprisoned by shame and guilt and fear and old habits that followed her around like a five o'clock shadow. She was the woman at the well. By the time she encounters Jesus, she is used to being slighted and cast off. She has ... Read More about The Lens of Freedom
Fan Fiction and the Classics
I am no stranger to Fan Fiction. My Jane Austen shelf is populated with the likes of Lost in Austen, Death Comes to Pemberley, and Mr. Darcy's Diary. While enjoyable, spin offs and add ons don't always have the same meat, the same chewy substance that leaves you thinking and wanting more, that the original does. It's a real literary treat when you find a book that maintains the same meaty integrity of a classic while maintaining a fresh ... Read More about Fan Fiction and the Classics
The power of complicated.
Since I didn't date much before I met my husband (and by much, I mean barely at all), that particular season in our relationship has always been a favorite. Dating was fun. The thrill of getting to know someone can be intoxicating. I'm not a naturally talkative person, but I loved staying up late discussing our families, our college experiences, and our faith. I also loved the doing of dating. We had season passes to Disneyland, so if we ... Read More about The power of complicated.
When you’re jealous of the Bride
When I heard we were focusing on the church this month, my mind immediately started compiling a list of all the ways the church wasn't meeting my needs. I thought those might make an interesting post, coming from a pastor's wife, in an "everyone has issues with the church" kind of way. With a little one around, I'm not able to write precisely when ideas start forming in my mind, and that turned out to be a really good thing. Before I had an ... Read More about When you’re jealous of the Bride
What Makes a Father
My four-month-old son has fallen fast asleep on the floor next to me. Both arms are spread-eagled, one tiny hand clutched around his cow blanket. He is peaceful and seems oh-so-small compared to the room he occupies. Sometimes it's hard for me to imagine my little man will one day be a grown man with facial hair and responsibilities other than being cute. I catch myself wondering if, in twenty-some years, there will be a wonderful gal gazing ... Read More about What Makes a Father
Eating Mud Pies – a Love Idol book review
I've never considered eating mud. Even as a tot, the thought of slurping up some murky sludge didn't cross my mind. Some children are much more adept at creating something desirable out of nothing, but no amount of pretending could make me believe dirt and water was actually a chocolate silk pie with clouds of whipped cream. While my neighborhood friends had tea parties with mud pies in the backyard, I stuck to reading and real snacks. So why, as ... Read More about Eating Mud Pies – a Love Idol book review
From Fact to Fiction: the best retellings of biblical narratives
My introduction to the Bible began with flannel graphs in Sunday school and bedtime stories read by my mom out of an illustrated children's Bible. I began to memorize individual verses while in the AWANA program and learned about different Bible characters at church and at home. I got my own Bible with papery thin pages and small print -- one that I could read and highlight like a grown-up -- when I was in junior high. Those little pieces of the ... Read More about From Fact to Fiction: the best retellings of biblical narratives
weaving travel into our family history
Four jars sit on my windowsill -- a little scoop of sand from a special place held in a timeless embrace of memory in each one. The jars have traveled with me from apartment to apartment, house to house. The clear glass on one jar in particular is a bit smudged and cloudy, wearing its age like a badge. Though the glass is murky, the memories from that particular jar are clear and bright. The dirt in that jar was scooped into a plastic baggie ... Read More about weaving travel into our family history
Holidays in Transition
When I was younger, traditions were the most sacred part of any holiday. Mess with one of the things we did every year and the whole holiday felt off kilter. If the evening didn't culminate with full bellies and jammies in front of Gramma's roaring fireplace, it just wasn't Thanksgiving. If we didn't drive around in the car with blankets and mugs of hot chocolate to look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood, it just wasn't Christmas. If the ... Read More about Holidays in Transition
