nellskac

Holy Oops

I was thinking about going dancing this evening. Vintage dancing, the classy kind, where the guys softly lead from their fingers touching my shoulder-blade, and we kick and slide to bygone tunes. I packed my vintage-style dance shoes in the front seat this morning, in case I didn’t have time to go home. I wasContinueContinue reading “Holy Oops”

On falling

I spent Holy Week in a mad rush of waiting and then bustling and then back again, for early mornings and long nights in a cavernous church that was now full of flowers and palms and then later stripped of all such frivolity and then later filled with flowers upon flowers again. The sacred prayers.ContinueContinue reading “On falling”

So this is 30

Tuesday was both the farewell to my twenties and the eve of my thirties. I spent it thinking about any regrets I had and I thought of three: 1. The times I didn’t follow God courageously. Because always always, when I did, He always provided. 2. The times I didn’t love as deeply as IContinueContinue reading “So this is 30”

And, just like that, the well was different

When I went to visit my spiritual director a few weeks ago, he prodded me a little bit, like he often does, about ministry and taking time for myself. Ministry of any kind makes one very prone to burnout. “How are you filling the well?” he asked me, and I didn’t know the answer, butContinueContinue reading “And, just like that, the well was different”

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON LENT

I have a friend named Chris. We had been talking about what we were going to do for Lent, how we wanted to do a good job and get mad holy and stuff. There was this program you could join through this organization, but it was kind of pricey plus kind of bossy plus wentContinueContinue reading “I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON LENT”

Small winter poem 14 | Fleeting

I have this one friend, A close friend, One of the people I treasure the absolute, absolute most. This morning, bright and early, I saw that he had texted me. (This is not uncommon, and, Often being in different time zones means we Often miss the other’s texts). The text this time, though, took aContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 14 | Fleeting”

Small winter poem 13 | On Valentine’s Day

I was in line at an inner-city CVS to buy chocolates for a work event when I heard them. “Come ON,” a voice was saying to his friend, “just take one with one of the roses! You’re taking FOREVER! We’re never going to get out of here.” And I glanced over. Two teenage guys, inContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 13 | On Valentine’s Day”

Small winter poem 12 | Oh that you would bless me indeed

On Friday, after a long day and a long week, I called my tiny friend to talk to her and I asked her about her life and her day and her week. She told me that it was crazy (“MINE. TOO.” I said), and that she had an experience with another human, an encounter, whereContinueContinue reading “Small winter poem 12 | Oh that you would bless me indeed”

Small winter story 11 | Travelin’ belt

So, I had this one belt, my favorite belt, and favorite because it was exactly my size and leather and kind of on the thick side for a lady-belt, but still small enough to fit around my waist and sneak through the belt loops. I think I bought it secondhand one day, at a churchContinueContinue reading “Small winter story 11 | Travelin’ belt”

Small Winter Poem 10 | Dance parties

“How are your babies?” I asked, to him with the little girls. “Nell,” he sighed and looked at me, “I swear that every night she looks at me and asks, ‘Can we have a dance party?’…So we do…every night’.” I laughed too. Because I don’t ask anymore. I’m too old. I just decide. Dance party.ContinueContinue reading “Small Winter Poem 10 | Dance parties”