5 Quick Things #229 🇺🇦

fasting, baking bread, tiny gardens, & learning from past wars

Hey there,

It’s felt like quite a long week, what with keeping up with the sobering news and praying hourly for Ukraine, the official start of Lent, and a lot to do when one has a book about said season… I’m grateful even more than usual this morning for this cup of coffee next to me, the dog curled up on the other side, and the birds chirping outside the window. I’m so very grateful for the many small wonders in my ordinary life. I’m grateful you have them, too.

Thanks to those of you who came to Fabled in Waco last night! I had a lovely time chatting with you all, and as always I love any excuse to get cozy and buy a few books at one of my favorite places. I had to nearly peel back my eyelids to stay awake on my hour-long drive back home, though — it was sweet relief to crawl into bed and pass out. As we browsed books after my signing, Haley and I chatted about how we feel like we’re becoming old ladies, what with our love of PBS specials, enjoyment of a good puzzle, and disdain of driving at night. …What wild party animals we are.

A girl draws at a table set up in the bomb shelter at the Okhmadet Children's Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine. (More beautiful portraits of courage here.)

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5 Quick Things ☕️

1. 👉 New episode of A Drink With a Friend! 👈 When big global events happen — like Russia invading Ukraine — what can we possibly do in our small, ordinary lives to make any difference? Seth and I chat about how we’ve been talking about the news with their kids, how we’ve been processing it for ourselves, and what we all might learn from the past to forge ahead soberly toward the future.

2. Why fast? Because “thoughtfulness about something as basic as food is good training for thoughtfulness about other aspects of our lives.” A good 101 reminder of good reasons to fast (as well as not-so-good ones).

3. I’m guessing you’re like me and would like a snapshot of what and how to pray for Ukraine, maybe something you can hang on your fridge. I really like this list — I especially love the idea of baking bread as a form of prayer.

4. In case you feel like you don’t have room for a garden, here’s 20 small garden ideas for tiny spaces (I want/need to do numbers 2, 11, or 12).

5. And finally, a good variant (mild language).

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Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📚

• All the Devils are Here, by Louise Penny (finally reading this installment of the Inspector Gamache series I love!)

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Quotable 💬

“Courage is found in unlikely places.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien #

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Quick Links 🔗

• Read Bitter & Sweet for Lent

• Create your own Rule of Life

• Subscribe to A Drink With a Friend

• Travel with me + Seth & Amber Haines to Tuscany, Italy: July 23-August 2

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Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔

What naturally angers you — and how can you turn that anger into something good, productive, and beneficial today?

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Have a great weekend,

Tsh

p.s. Famous writers’ sleep habits and their literary productivity, visualized. 🤯