Hello friends! This is just a quick reminder for those of you that are subscribed to this blog that 99% of my new writing is now housed on Substack. If you head over here, you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter called The Just Beautiful Newsletter. Each month I share an essay (similar to theContinue reading “The Just Beautiful Newsletter is on Substack”
Category Archives: Stories
On being all there
I can smell the woodpile outside our house burning. The accumulation of dried brush, old leaves, and a tree felled a few months ago. The bonfire crackles in the smoky, damp evening, and suddenly, my stomach lurches, and I’m flung back across the ocean, across time, to Indiana cornfields. To pumpkins and to leaves soContinue reading “On being all there”
Eastertide: The way is made by walking
It was on Maundy Thursday that my husband and I began our pilgrimage in the south of France. Our walk on El Camino –the way. It was night, we were in an old stone church, hearing the readings about the children of Israel walking out of Egypt, and slavery, and starting their long walk toContinue reading “Eastertide: The way is made by walking”
Making Space
Perhaps the strangest thing about motherhood, the part no one really told you, is how it takes up your space. How it hems you in. How you used to start a day with endless choices and opportunities, and suddenly your options are limited by a tiny human who wants to eat at certain times, orContinue reading “Making Space”
Moving On & Finding Home
I’ve written before about this tension I always feel as a TCK between trying to be content where I am, and at the same time missing the place or the culture that I am without. I read books about the spiritual discipline of rootedness, of staying in one place and getting connected even though itContinue reading “Moving On & Finding Home”
A few parables
I’ve been reading the book of Luke lately. In Luke Jesus does lots of cool things, and he tells these things called parables to the crowds who follow him. It made me want to write some of my own. These stories are made up. Don’t take them too seriously. *** Part 1 Jesus went with his disciples toContinue reading “A few parables”
Reading Fiction as a form of Freedom Fighting
Author Julia Alvarez, who escaped the dictatorship in the Dominican Republic and came to America when she was ten years old, has said: “I would go as far as to say that by reading books, entering other realities, and then taking those adventures back into our own lives, we are freedom fighters. One of theContinue reading “Reading Fiction as a form of Freedom Fighting”
Easter Sunday (or,Ta-Nehisi Coates, Miroslav Volf & NT Wright have a conversation about bodies)
We are back again. This time it’s very early, and the sun is rising. And the kindly looking bishop takes the pulpit. “Our scripture reading for today comes from the gospel according to John: “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voiceContinue reading “Easter Sunday (or,Ta-Nehisi Coates, Miroslav Volf & NT Wright have a conversation about bodies)”
Holy Saturday, the day of waiting (or, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Miroslav Volf & NT Wright have a conversation about bodies)
Christ is dead in the tomb. Everything is suspended.The congregation is silent, sitting and mourning the death of Prince, a black youth murdered by a police officer (or all of us), and the death of Christ, murdered by jealous rivals (or all of us). Miroslav Volf steps to the front and speaks in a slightlyContinue reading “Holy Saturday, the day of waiting (or, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Miroslav Volf & NT Wright have a conversation about bodies)”
Good Friday: The Day God Dies (or Ta-Nahesi Coates, Miroslav Volf & N.T. Wright have a conversation about bodies)
We are all gathered in a small chapel for our normal good Friday service, the candles are lit, the incense is ready, but then Ta-Nahesi Coates stands up in the middle of the service, faces the congregation, and begins to speak: “When a black man dies, everyone wants to talk about forgiving the killer.They want to weave hisContinue reading “Good Friday: The Day God Dies (or Ta-Nahesi Coates, Miroslav Volf & N.T. Wright have a conversation about bodies)”
Stephanie Ebert 