The night after Christmas. The night after Operation Roaster Turkey Fail. The night of Operation Oven Turkey Success. The family gathers here–eight of us, including Grace and Lillee. We eat (the first family meal I’ve cooked in months) and play Scattergories (I’m a loser), and the kids wrestle in the living room like they used […]
To My Mother: A Villanelle
I held you captive in my sight while evil fingers burrowed deep, and I heard you crying in the night. While you focused on the light and pumpkin-apple deer stood watch I held you captive in my sight. You pulled strings, made magic sleight with finger-writing in the air, but I heard you crying in […]
Textures of Text: Michigan Food and Trivia
I love my new cookbook, The Best of the Best from Michigan. I can’t wait to try the Country Tomato Pie or the So-Creamy Sweet Potato Soup or Bev’s Strawberry-Pecan Salad or the Bengal Lime Curry. But I also love all the Michigan trivia that it includes. Like the ones I’m sharing over at The […]
Christmas Has Gone, and I’m Glad
The world changed overnight. This morning it hangs all wet and white. Pines bow to the weight, and the snow pillows soft on the hardwood branches, nestles in the crooks of tree arms. It still falls, silent. It’s a wonder. Christmas has come. And gone. And I’m glad. The gift-giving, it gets me every […]
Sunday Seasoned Sayings: Light for Revelation
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” […]
Flattened for a Mary Christmas (Repost)
I wish you a Mary Christmas. Stunned by His reflection. Flattened at His feet. As you wait. And worship Heady with His fragrance. “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the […]
Seed of Yahweh
I’ve been thinking about this seed of Yahweh conceived in love, planted in the cave of a woman-child, confined and nurtured in soft dark womb, nourished with her every heartbeat. How cells of cell multiplied until he fluttered light, then stretched and rose like yeast bread in her warm belly, until her body could no […]
I’m Just Not Into Christmas
I toss some change into the red kettle before I go through WalMart’s door. The tree of a ringer man smiles broad. “God bless you, and Merry Christmas!” “God bless you, too, and Merry Christmas,” I murmur. But I wonder if my piddly coins can really make a difference. I’ve come for a few groceries. […]
A Chicken for Christmas
That’s what my husband’s getting. Because he doesn’t need anything. He’ll tell you that himself. And I’m into simple and meaningful this year. And short on time. Or maybe I’ll give him a hammer and a saw. Well, not directly to him. To someone who knows what to do with them. And Grace Face? […]
Shrink Wrapped
My dad does not like wreaths. Not even at Christmas. He tells me that when he was a child, a wreath hung on a door meant death within. He and his friends would make a wide berth as they passed by, silent. He does not like cemeteries, either. And wonders at my fascination with them. […]
