faith – Page 4 – Seashell Nell

My garden/ my life.

My garden had a weird summer. I feel like this is code for: I had a weird summer. So, that’s where this post is going. Now you have been notified. So: back to my garden. I feel like a lot of elements were working against my garden. For one, many of my perennials never evenContinueContinue reading “My garden/ my life.”

Someone asked me what I wanted

That one friend asked me what I wanted and I said I didn’t know and he got awful fired up, “OH MY GOSH,” he said, with his exasperated-voice, “Go and figure out what you want.” So…I started. I want time for prayer. I want time in nature. I want slow days and beautiful, unwinding adventure.ContinueContinue reading “Someone asked me what I wanted”

Hope and other things

Saturday was my birfday. My mom (and dad) gave me a ring that I saw earlier in the year. I mentioned to my mother that I liked it, that I wanted to buy it, and she was like, “Or, you can just wait for it…” So, I did. And then it was mine, on Saturday.ContinueContinue reading “Hope and other things”

Holy Week Things

So. It’s Holy Week. On Sunday I leaned Against the dark-stained pew, Eyes closed, Reciting the sacred story With the faithful. There was a gold-gilt cross in the sanctuary, My favorite Lenten hymn, And moms standing with cameras When I walked in, Photographing their children altar-servers. Holy Week is so many things, So many experiences.ContinueContinue reading “Holy Week Things”

Canticle of two youths and the OPPOSITE of a fiery furnace

I believe in being honest with God because, really, if you’re not honest with Him, who can you be honest with? And on Monday or Tuesday I honestly said, “God, how about some snail mail?” And God and Juli-YEAH and the United States Postal Service delivered. Snail mail from Juli-YEAH AW YISS. So, to provideContinueContinue reading “Canticle of two youths and the OPPOSITE of a fiery furnace”

Marks in all shades

I’ve been reading a few things online about those multiple shades of grey (but not many things, because as a child I learned about “be careful, little eyes, what you see,” and, even though I wasn’t aware of the internet then, I’m aware of it now, and the truth of the phrase still remains.) IContinueContinue reading “Marks in all shades”

Poetry prompt: COMPLETED

So. I had ten words to include in a poem. Ta da. Background: I read a thought-provoking article last week about a man forced, at a very young age, to face the mental breakdown/ illness of his young and beautiful wife. That prompted a conversation with my SIL (and we’ve had similar ones before) aboutContinueContinue reading “Poetry prompt: COMPLETED”

Things that are beautiful.

I had a phenomenal literature teacher in high school, the kind whose words stick with me, daily popping into my thought-pattern. This is grace. He was a pastor in Detroit, “pastor” but not “priest,” FYI; but sometimes he would remind me, (sometimes), that his oldest sister was a nun, and one of his earliest memoriesContinueContinue reading “Things that are beautiful.”

The struggle-bus I ride, for good measure

Last Sunday the twins were going to give a presentation to the church young adult group and I was like, “Why don’t you say these things and in this order?” and Christine was like, “Do you just want to give the presentation?” so, I did. The month of November is set aside for Papist-folk toContinueContinue reading “The struggle-bus I ride, for good measure”

4 quick, unrelated reflections on Mary

Oh, hai. Even if you don’t understand Marian devotion, I have a Marian devotion, and we can talk more about it later if you want, but, for now, I’m just going to jump in with some short things, all disconnected, about Mary. I’ve been loving them. Let’s jump in! These don’t connect, but here theyContinueContinue reading “4 quick, unrelated reflections on Mary”