What is saving my life today…
What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. My life depends on engaging the most ordinary physical activities with the most exquisite attention I can give them. My life depends on ignoring all touted distinctions between the secular and the sacred, the physical and the spiritual, the body and the soul. What is saving my life now is becoming more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world.”
Barbara Brown Taylor from An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith
February light- This time of year as winter wearies the soul, it is hard to remember that summer will eventually return. I think it’s hard for me to align my childhood memories of spring birthdays with the reality of a very slow spring. Every year at this time, I am certain it will never warm up, and this will be it forever. Fortunately, for me, there is literal light at the end of the tunnel. We gain so much daylight between December and end of February, that although the landscape remains frozen and bleak, the unfiltered light of spring shines through. True spring may still be a couple months away, but it is coming!
Knitting- Winter pushes me inside, nearer the woodstove, my books, and beautiful yarn. I am a foul weather knitter, unlike my dear friend who can be counted on to knit year-round. For me, the smell of the woodstove, the quiet calm of my home on a winter’s evening, and the early evening all draw me to quiet handwork. There is something satisfying about building something stitch by stitch, and the warmth of yarn and familiar heft of the needles keep me busy through the long winter nights.
Baby clothes- Anticipation is in the air around here. We are nearing our grandson’s due date and we are all so excited to meet him. I spent a lovely Saturday organizing and sorting baby clothes, booties, and bibs with the mom-to-be recently. It was so much fun to fold the cutest outfits, in impossibly small sizes, as we imagined welcoming him home was precious. These moments of possibility and wonder are precious.
Vacation– Keith and I are heading on vacation. I couldn’t be more excited! For the next week, we’ll be exploring Texas. I haven’t been there since I was a kid. Keith’s never been. We are visiting several cities, have a list of restaurants to try, and plan to spend our days wandering around outside in the parks, gardens, and shopping districts. I’ve been scouring Pinterest and Google for months now, and can’t wait to see it all in person. There is a lot I hope to see, it is definitely time for some mandatory fun!
What is saving your life right now?
This month on the bookshelf:
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (A)
- The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani (A)
- Building the Intentional University edited by Stephen Kosslyn and Ben Nelson
- The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennen Manning
- Invitation to Retreat by Ruth Haley Barton
- Four Gifts: Seeking Self-care for Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength by April Yamasaki
