I recently came upon a piece by Richard Rohr about the season of Advent that made me think. I especially like this part: Remember, when we speak of Advent or preparing for Christmas, we’re not just talking about waiting for the little baby Jesus to be born. That already happened 2,000 years ago. In fact, we’re welcoming the Universal Christ, […]
Christmas Greetings from Our Home to Yours Read More »
A little while ago, I received a rare treat — a four-page handwritten letter. It came from Ruth, an elementary school pal. We first attended the same school when we were third graders, the first year an Amish school was built near us. She came from one local public school and I came from another. Her second-grade teacher had taught
Reflections on Times Past and Present Read More »
David and I had not left the state of Virginia since March when the pandemic became a stark reality for all of us. So a few months ago, we planned a trip to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. We stayed in an Airbnb lodge on “Blackberry Hill” in West Glover, with two gracious hosts, Anne and Brian. This was
Soul-Restoring Trip to the Northeast Kingdom and an Update on the Amish in Vermont Read More »
We’re having a rainy day here in the Shenandoah Valley. It’s an all-day soaker. A month ago we needed a rain like this when our lawns were turning brown in the drought we were having. We were praying for rain. Today things were already green, so we are not in need of it as much. A day like this makes
Preface of the Memoir If You Promise You Won’t Tell There are frequently irreconcilable conflicts between loyalty to our parents and being true to ourselves. —Alice Miller If You Promise You Won’t Tell replaces my first memoir, Why I Left the Amish. This revision contains mostly new material of my childhood years, although the ending chapters about my exodus from
Preface of “If You Promise You Won’t Tell” Read More »
At long last, I am back writing for this blog. As I start out, I don’t yet know where this post is going, except to catch up on the last four months since I posted here. Like everyone, the pandemic has changed my world. So many things I held dear, such as getting together with friends over meals, attending a
Creativity During the Pandemic Read More »
