The Mrs. & the Minister

Right now, talking to You seems like a chore. It's more of an oughta than a wanna. "Pray for me!," she asks. And I do. I pray to a God she doesn't believe in...on her behalf. It feels heavy, as if I have to have enough belief for the both of us. I suspect she thinks of prayer in the same way that people bury saints upside in their yards to sell houses, or kiss a blarney stone for luck, and blow out birthday candles to make a wish. A superstition. A good luck charm. A magic word. And what does she really want me to pray? That the elderly man will be healed of the cancer that riddles his body? Probably. However, he's lived a full life and he's likely tired of pitting the good cells against the bad ones. Maybe he wants to be done. Should I pray that she gets to say good-bye? Or perhaps that she can grieve openly and well,,, surrounded by loved ones. Or maybe, just maybe, this will be the first time she encounters You.  In her grief. In the prayer that didn't

We're the proud parents of three "kids" -- our three cats, Ricky, Henley and Pippa.  They prance, mosey, and prowl all through the house.  They create messes and play with one another.  They're in our hearts too.   These cats have graced our lives, and in so many ways have changed those lives for the better.  We're ruled by purrs and paws -- and the occasional hiss and claw.   In short, we're cat people.  And A Letter to Our Cat:  Notes to Our Best Friend  is a beautiful book for folks like us.  It's a collection of letters written by other cat "parents" (also known as "ape servants" to cats), many of whom are famous (like Dr. Oz or Joe Perry). I loved reading this book!  I laughed, I cried, I loved -- but more than anything, I found my life with our own three revitalized in these words.  And that's not even to mention the beautiful pictures.  This is an ideal book for any cat-lover.   I already plan to get a copy for my aunt.  Beca

It's often a conversation killer.  I'm at some social gathering of acquaintances or thrust into a social situation of some sort in which I know few people, if any.  A new workplace, especially.  We are making small talk.  It's the usual:  Do you have children?  Where are you from?  Are you married?  What does you spouse do? When I utter the words, "My husband is a pastor," there is a moment of silence, then a quick "oh really?" as a comment.  Often I see the person scanning back through everything he or she said.  I know what they are doing.  They are trying to decide if they said something offensive, told an off-color joke, or uttered some sort of profanity.  It happens about eight times out of ten, that someone begins to apologize to me for something that he/she said before it was known that my husband is a pastor.  As if it should really make a difference.  When the apologies start, my standard line is usually, "You do know, I'm not the Holy

Karen Mordechai's Sunday Suppers:  Recipes + Gatherings  is a beautiful book that  celebrates the magic of gathering, bringing together family and friends to connect over the art of cooking and sharing meals.   Sunday Suppers is full of easy, creative recipes along with beautiful photographs.  This collection of gatherings is guaranteed to inspire a sense of adventure for both the novice and experienced cook.  All of the recipes bring together in one useable hardback a collection that would enrich larger family and extended community gatherings.  It's particularly a good book for our kitchen, since my husband is a pastor and we will  often find ourselves in a position to entertain.  Sunday Suppers  is divided into recipes for  Morning, Noon, Afternoon and Evening with 18 subtopics.   I recommend this book particular for those experienced cooks.  I received this book free, from the  Blogging for Books  program, in exchange for my honest review.  

All of life is filled with journeys, with adventures.  No one knows this better than Chris Guillebeau, whose own life adventure has included visiting every country in the world.  And in The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest that Will Bring Purpose to Your Life , Guillebeau writes about what that journey in our lives can be like.  In so many ways, he's a modern-day Don Quixote and he's teaching us to dream our own impossible dreams.  And then turning those dreams into real life.  This book is all about picking, planning and achieving your own individual life's journey.  And because our lives are all so different, Guillebeau packs The Happiness of Pursuit  with lots and lots of examples.  He draws from so many categories -- like academic or creative, self-discovery or activist -- and provides very practical advice for how we can get there on our own journey.  The book itself has the most inviting writing.  It's easy to read.  I read it in just over a day.  And there