Posts Tagged ‘love’
Does Reading Detract From My Vocation?
I loved reading Elizabeth Goudge’s My God and My All this Advent, but I must admit that I struggled with parts of Saint Francis’s life. It made me pause to think about this great saint whose life was so completely different from my own. Saint Francis is known as the saint who most closely exemplified Christ.
Read MoreThe Music of the Pearl
I finished reading John Steinbeck’s The Pearl and asked the question, why? Why couldn’t they have surrendered the pearl to the trackers when they saw them coming? They could have just tossed them the pearl, flown their white flag, and pursued a more normal life.
Read MoreWhere Did My Attention Go?
Last year, after reading Brother Lawrence’s Practice of the Presence of God, it seemed critical to put Br. Lawrence’s wisdom into practice. So, to help encourage the practice in my life, I took a stack of little Post-It notes, scribbled PPG on each one, and taped these reminders in hidden and not-so-hidden places around my house, my laptop, and in our car.
Read MoreParenthood and the Path to Holiness: Lessons from Saint Francis
As we reflect this year on the vocation of fatherhood, we see that authentic fatherhood – and by extension, motherhood – consists in the willingness to offer oneself, most especially to those souls placed within one’s authority and care. And perhaps, in light of our reflection on the life of Saint Francis, we can even further be gladdened by the vital link between parenthood and sacrificial, sanctifying love.
Read MoreSaint Francis and the Call to Radical Love
He is one of the most readily recognizable saints of all time: his likeness graces many a garden, he is beloved for his appreciation of the natural beauties and the majesty of God’s animal kingdom, and his spirit of gentleness is universally lauded by both secular and religious camps. Yet, for all his cultural notoriety and esteem, how many of us truly know the person of Saint Francis of Assisi?
Read MoreCome as You Are
Come as You Are Written by Susan Severson The dinner plates had barely been shoved into the precariously full dishwasher before I finally faced the question: should I go to Well-Read Mom tonight? It certainly wouldn’t be convenient. We were in the midst of moving from our home of nine years to one that would…
Read MoreVergil’s Aeneid as an Advent Journey
At the behest of Well-Read Mom, several faithful, tome-toting women are meeting to discuss Vergil’s Aeneid at their book club meetings this month. While some of us may be Latin scholars, most are out of our comfort zones.
Read MoreFinding Hope in Tragedy: Lessons from Virgil’s Aeneid
I was hardly surprised to find a class on Virgil’s The Aeneid as a core requirement for the degree. Yet, I must admit that I approached the epic with some level of hesitancy. In my mind, it was one thing to study Plato and Aristotle, yet Virgil and Homer? The looming question was always, what could one hope to gain by studying them? Should a Christian even read pagan classics? The answer is obvious when considered in light of their historical and, arguably, eschatological significance.
Read MoreA Story Reminiscent of Home
A Story Reminiscent of Home Written by Susan Severson Over the past several months, I completely immersed myself in the very medieval, very Norwegian world of Sigrid Undset. First, I completely devoured the new translation of Olav Audunssøn (previously titled The Master of Hestviken). I then turned to Kristin Lavransdatter for my fourth time (with…
Read MoreReading Slumps & Femininity in Support of Fatherhood
Femininity in Support of Fatherhood Written by Nicki Johnston Toward the end of the summer, I found myself in a reading slump. And as we all know from Dr. Seuss, “When you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” Over the years, I have discovered a reliable…
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