The weather is picture-perfect around here, and I’m finally (mostly) over the plague that’s kept me bedridden for a solid week now. The windows are open, the birds are chirping, the leaves are gently swaying. …And alas, my book editor has just brought me approximately 5,286 footnotes from the Bible and Church Father texts I cited that I now get to verify + format into Chicago style within the next few days. Anyone want to help out? You could come over, we could put on a delightful movie in the background, and we could tackle each one of these, one at a time. Many hands make light work, right?
No complaints; I’m grateful I get to write. But holy cow, what did my past self do to my present self, citing all these sources… Good times this weekend. Good times.
5 Quick Things ☕️
1. Linking to this is rather meta, but those of you who are paying subscribers (thank you again for supporting work you value, by the way!): I’ve opened the floor and have asked you to share things you’ve enjoyed reading, listening to, watching, or whatever — things you think I would appreciate and therefore might share here in 5 Quick Things. Chime in with whatever you’ve got (including shamelessly plugging something of your own you’re proud of!). I’ll check your comments regularly for the next few weeks, so keep the ideas coming whenever you have one. I appreciate it!
2. To kick this off, here’s a story by Lauren Spohn for PloughStack, brought to my attention by subscriber Amanda: religious sisters based in Waco are granted special visitation rights to the seven women in Texas awaiting execution, and long story short—six of them have become oblates to the order. What a testimony: “But what does it mean to meet God in a six-by-fourteen-foot cell? Is that enough to turn a prison into a monastery? What secret do the sisters of Light Row share about the true nature of freedom?”
3. This is to encourage you, not to give you panic: Advent begins in 16 days. I know! That whooshed by. But don’t sweat it—just make sure you have what you need now so that you’re ready to go that first Sunday. Here’s your read, here’s some candles (or these, if you’re scrappy and want to roll them yourself—we always do), and here’s a simple wreath, or do what we do in our family and make one yourself: take a log and drill five one-inch holes in the top. Done. Bookmark this for music and art to enjoy throughout the season, and you’re ready to go. 💪
4. This is one of the better essays I’ve read in a long while. It’s long, but it’s worth your time and attention—from James Taylor Foreman: “There’s little chance that you will have meaningful influence on Instagram, and if you do, you’ll hate who you become in the process of getting it. There is, however, a strong chance that you can go to a small town and foster your ability to pay attention to people and make incremental progress there.”
5. And finally, it’s been quite a while since I shared a short story of mine, so here you go: this one’s from 2022, and I’d totally forgotten about it. Four old friends, a cabin, and a mysterious closet.
Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📻
Quotable 💬
“In a higher world it is otherwise; but here below, to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often.”
- St. John Henry Newman
Other than their color, what’s your favorite thing about autumn leaves? 🍂
You better believe that I thought of this poll question when I was going on my morning walk, enjoying the childlike delight of crunching on the crispy leaves hugging the curb. It’s the best; one of those added extras of life from God, like chocolate or baby laughs.
Their crunch: 41.1%
Watching them fall: 38.8%
Their scent: 12.8%
Jumping in piles: 4.7%
Garden mulch: 2.6%
Find the next poll question here.
Summer 2027: The Tuscan Region of Italy 🍝
One excursion from next summer’s pilgrimage itinerary: the Benedictine monastery of St. Scholastica in Subiaco—we’d love to have you join us!
Quick Links 🔗
Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔
What are three things, big or small, you’re grateful for today?
Have a good one,
- Tsh
I just listened to Redemption by Lawrence Wright, a book which lays out in explicit details the story of the nuns and the women on death row. A powerful listen.
I always enjoy your posts. Thank you!
"When you come to a place like this and start pouring yourself into it, you don’t actually take over the town. The town takes over you. You wake up from a bad dream where everything was about you." Dang. As someone who is a week away from moving back to her small(ish) hometown, this was powerful. Thanks for sharing!