Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. – William Arthur Ward This past week, Christians around the world celebrated Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is a quiet, solemn occasion. This observance is one of my favorites, although I didn’t go to my first Ash Wednesday …
Motherhood + Miscarriage: Finding My Place at the Table
All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. – Psalm 38:9 This year has been an entirely different experience than all the years that came before. With the current state of the world, that seems like an understatement. Daily life is uncertain and unstable for many of …
A German-Style Christmas in Japan
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. – Norman Vincent Peale It’s our first Christmas in Japan and things are in full swing. Our house is decorated, including our first attempt at outside lights. All our gifts to family and friends have been wrapped and mailed. …
Why We Host Thanksgiving
We have all known the long loneliness, and we have found that the answer is community. – Dorothy Day Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take …