Thanksgiving has come and gone and it's now socially appropriate to blast Christmas music during all hours of the day (yay!). The holidays are here, which can elicit wildly different emotions for each of us. Maybe the hope of this Christmas season feels incredibly tangible to you; maybe you know in your head that there is hope, but you're struggling to feel it in your spirit. That's okay. I am so delighted to welcome Elisabeth Klein to the blog today. She's sharing out of her newest . . .
The Aluminum Foil Story: A Reflection
So my husband has told you all about the aluminum foil debacle. Lovely, right? I’ve had finer moments, I can tell you that much. Actually, it was pretty hard to read the piece my husband wrote. I wish I could go back and let him buy the big, expensive aluminum foil. Buy two, honey—it’s really not a big deal. In the moment, however, I wasn’t connecting the experiences of his past to how he was feeling in the grocery store. And, at the same time, I was carrying my own past experiences as I . . .
The Aluminum Foil Story
By my husband, Darren For us, it was aluminum foil. We all have either participated in or have heard stories of ridiculous fights between couples. They can range from how to eat pizza, the arrangement of remote controls, or Jello preparation (my parents, God bless them). A little annoyance, grown over time, can trigger legendary explosions for a couple. Mal and I had been dating for less than a year when we knew that we were in it for the long haul. We both came out of tough relationships . . .
Guest Post: The Unfiltered World
My latest post at Red Tent Living is up! You can find it here. The Unfiltered World The morning after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, I went downstairs to find the kitchen table strangely empty. I’d grown used to seeing the Chicago Tribune scattered by section across the table, my parents taking turns picking through each segment. On this day in April, however, the typically bulky newspaper was quite lean. Curious, I asked my Mom what had happened to the rest of the newspaper. Though she . . .
Sunlight, Lamps, & Candles
I had a highly anticipated (by me) post set to go out to you this week but, in light of the recent events, the timing doesn’t feel appropriate. That piece can wait because today and this week my mind is on Las Vegas. You may have seen my initial response to the shooting posted on social media. I’m trying to be really intentional about living into my words, leaving the house with a real awareness of who is around me and how I am helping them to feel seen and respected. I met a new neighbor . . .
Guest Post: Questions Worth Asking
I'm so excited to share that I'm now a regular monthly contributor over at Red Tent Living! This month, their theme is, "What If?" Here's where that prompt took me: Questions Worth Asking Growing up, my siblings and I had a narrow summertime wardrobe: pajamas and bathing suits. Our days were spent playing in our backyard pool—Marco Polo, DIY whirlpools, and cannonball contests.These were fun and relaxing days, but life wasn’t all carefree for me. I learned how to worry at a young age. I still . . .