words of affirmation, acts of service

Today it was about 60°F and intermittently sunny. Tomorrow it’s supposed to get into the 20s, yay central Texas weather. But today turned out to be a solid day for tackling some of the yardwork that’s been lurking. There’s plenty of cold-season work to do, now that it’s more-frequently cold. Several of our plantings need […]

where’s the trade in the tradeoff?

This is just to say that since I’ve given up all but one cup of coffee, I am super-tired by 6:30pm each night. Or, wait… was I also tired by 6:30pm two weeks ago? <raises one eyebrow> Anyway, when one gives up caffeine, isn’t one supposed to gain some positive thing in return? Which would […]

Pulled together

December 24th was a Sunday this year. My congregation celebrated morning worship, despite also having three evening — Christmas Eve — services on offer. Christmas Eve worship, though, isn’t the same kind of thing, the same sort of liturgy, as Sunday worship. I like that through three separate pastors we continue to hold Sunday worship […]

Watch the created get big ideas

Output this time of year tends to be spotty. I want to claim the writing time, but it’s also important to me that I complete the Key Holiday Items that I identified back when I was setting up Winter Holiday Chez Soques. And holiday items are slightly more time-sensitive, so they win. Today (Saturday), in […]

Quackery?

It feels later than it really is. It felt as late as now right after supper, when My Sweetie asked me whether I would drive him (and his dilated pupils) around our corner of Austin for some holiday errands he needed to finish. As I leaned against the kitchen counter, and thought wearily of the […]

Still, victories

I’m listening to Todd Henry’s podcast episode, “Private Victories.” He’s talking about his book-writing, but he’s not talking about the book-parts. He’s taking about how he writes 500 words a day… his step-goals or private victories that get him to the big places he wants to go. I’m listening to him as I walk around […]

geek tastes

Why did I not write something interesting today for you? Or amusing? Despite having a pocketful of nascent ideas? Because THIS came a week sooner than I’d expected: When I saw the box on my stoop, I squealed so delightedly the FedEx person said, “Early Christmas, huh?” Not really. Its predecessor is about to lose […]

the look of mid-December

This year, I focused almost exclusively on my finals, then my SHPC class, and then I turned toward Christmas. Today? Dreambars. And the short doughs that have to be chilled: thumbprints, gingerbread cutouts. Gingerbread? We haven’t made those in a few years-! True, but A will be here for Christmas Day… and she asked. B […]

Naturally, today you did not sink so low

Other than hanging out with my church-study friends for our usual Christmas brunch and white elephant round-robin (score: 1 egg timer, 1 cat-shaped egg mold), my task for today was to finish my Theology reading for tomorrow. What I did instead: Well, technically, I did that in-addition-to. I did manage to read through II.16 & […]

of course you know

Of course you know what I think of you! Wait. Do you? *** I was gathering up steps… it’s way late, but I decided I’d trade the extra, unneeded hour of sleep I collected this morning for closing the day to my satisfaction: three more chapters of Migliore, the aforementioned steps, and now writing with […]