Hey there,

I’m sitting at a neighborhood coffee shop on a Thursday night because the power at our house has been off for almost 24 hours. Frozen tree branches have fallen all over our neighborhood the past few days, randomly cutting off certain houses from the power grid, and we were chosen as tributes. The kids have had great attitudes about it, gratefully — we’ve been home from school all week, and because we’re technically a homeschool co-op, they can just continue their work at home (when there’s electricity, that is). Thankfully, books made with old-school paper and ink still work.

Even though I’m bracing for a cold night of sleep, I’m grateful for this unexpected week of laying low at home. I’ve been praying for those without steady, stable roofs over their heads and for those enduring food insecurity… God, be with people in the cold. You are good, always, and you are our sustainer.

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. I learned from this piece that “focus” is a Latin word that means hearth — the fireplace that was both literally and metaphorically the center of the Roman household. The hearth was the place where everyone gathered in the home, and thus, the focalpoint. What are the hearths in your life? I’m ruminating on that thought.

2. I find the Louvre Museum in Paris pretty overwhelming, preferring the Musée d’Orsay as my favorite museum in that city. But the Louvre is still fascinating! I’ve spent hours there and still feel like I’ve barely scratched its surface. Here are ten facts about the Louvre Museum, over half of which were new information to me.

3. This week I shared with Commonplace subscribers this timeless essay from C.S. Lewis on why we should read old books. Here’s a good companion essay if you’d like to dig a bit more into this idea: “people are usually much more intelligent and prepared for the greats than they give themselves credit for.” As an English teacher, I’ve found this to be entirely true.

4. I’d put myself firmly in the I-like-to-daydream-about-homesteading-on-self-sustaining-acreage-but-only-the-easy-stuff-not-the-hard-stuff category. Nonetheless, I do enjoy living as scrappily as possible in our forever-fixer-upper 1935 cottage in our historic small town. Here’s a handy list of 18 homesteading skills to develop over the winter. Between the five of us in our clan we do about eight of those skills with any regularity, so I suppose we’re doing alright… I’d love to try more, though.

5. And finally, ever wonder why certain Christian traditions baptize babies? I certainly did when I was growing up evangelical. Here’s a great short answer from the Catholic perspective.

Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📚

• Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt

Quotable 💬

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

— Edith Sitwell #

You can only choose one. Which is it? ☕️🍵

I know, I know… May this never be. But yes, the majority of you are indeed correct.

Find this week’s poll here.

Quick Links 🔗

• Create your own Rule of Life

• Subscribe to A Drink With a Friend

• Become a paying subscriber of The Commonplace (and thank you!)

• Come with me to Ireland: July 15-25, 2023! 🇮🇪

Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔

What’s one thing you can do this weekend you’ll be glad you did one month from now?

Have a good weekend,

- Tsh

p.s. How beautiful is this?