tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17610809388103062282024-03-14T03:11:48.528-04:00Jeannie PrinsenFamily, faith, laughter, writing, reading ... all that good stuff.Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.comBlogger755125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-22029812993839306602023-08-06T18:30:00.012-04:002023-08-07T14:46:26.652-04:00New home for my writing - find me on Substack<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hello everyone,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've moved my writing over to <a href="https://jeannieprinsen.substack.com/" target="_blank">Substack</a>. All of the posts on this blog now appear over there as well.<br /><br />I made this change because I was subscribing to several people's Substack newsletters, and it seemed like a very user-friendly and congenial place to share my own and others' work. A personal blog can feel a bit like an island, whereas Substack has a more communal feel to it.<br /><br />I'll keep this blog active for the time being just in case something changes in future -- but for now you can find my Substack newsletter-slash-blog <a href="https://jeannieprinsen.substack.com/" target="_blank">by clicking here</a>. And please subscribe if you'd like!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jeannie </span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-50124932379689546902023-05-07T11:28:00.002-04:002023-05-07T12:29:54.707-04:00Two new poems: "Climate" and "On finding a stone..."<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have been fortunate enough to have two poems published this week. Oddly enough, they were both accepted during the same week back in February, and they appeared in publication only two days apart.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first one, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://stonecirclereview.com/climate/" target="_blank">"Climate,"</a></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> appears in<i> Stone Circle Review</i>, a lovely new journal run single-handedly by editor Lee Potts.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I started writing this poem during one of the many gloomy, rainy days we had this past winter. (Did you know this was Ontario's darkest winter in over 80 years?) It began as more of a gripe than anything else, but the process of writing it really got me thinking about the bigger picture of what is happening to our planet.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's the first bit of the poem:</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I hate winter rain, how it soaks<br />dirty snow heavy, sluices beneath ice<br />dams at the curb, how it seeps,<br />weighs....<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><b><a href="https://stonecirclereview.com/climate/" target="_blank">(read the whole poem HERE)</a></b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrMR11rrNAxeOUiLh6CJj_1cJ6X63gGDBKHY7GFj3LZr7l7lDVylbEkv0lzBXR0rC-Xm8G0hrVmcz3D193Dm2zVvB4AdVi-BlFTfqft3Vs4aIs1u49-R4oELKv9beoSlkLB0To2xmqwQCGsziPERXn8vmI9M3JeJNBbmRABw32vZCAoKkhxHQBiy7Rw/s533/Screenshot%202023-04-29%2011.19.03.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrMR11rrNAxeOUiLh6CJj_1cJ6X63gGDBKHY7GFj3LZr7l7lDVylbEkv0lzBXR0rC-Xm8G0hrVmcz3D193Dm2zVvB4AdVi-BlFTfqft3Vs4aIs1u49-R4oELKv9beoSlkLB0To2xmqwQCGsziPERXn8vmI9M3JeJNBbmRABw32vZCAoKkhxHQBiy7Rw/w304-h320/Screenshot%202023-04-29%2011.19.03.png" width="304" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">image courtesy of <i>Stone Circle Review</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The second of the two is called <a href="https://rivermouthreview.com/issue-13-portals/jeannieprinsen?fbclid=IwAR3tBYCGDYVbdjTdfHrjQQl_P8xvH3rO79UefgCw1PRmaHpDyOyT7dVnt7k" target="_blank">"On finding a stone to put in your father's casket"</a> and appears in <i>River Mouth Review</i>. It's very fitting that it was published so close to the one-year anniversary of Dad's death. My brother Errol and I were the ones tasked with the stone-finding mission the morning of Dad's funeral; it's something I will never forget.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here are the first few lines:</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">Morning of the funeral, you drive out</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">
to the farm. Best not to disturb</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">
</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">
the new owners, also the lane </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">
is muddy and rutted, so you pull in</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">
</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">
off the road..</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 107%;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span>
</span></p><p><b><a href="https://rivermouthreview.com/issue-13-portals/jeannieprinsen?fbclid=IwAR3tBYCGDYVbdjTdfHrjQQl_P8xvH3rO79UefgCw1PRmaHpDyOyT7dVnt7k" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">(read the whole poem HERE)<br /></span></span></a></b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPCBPt_AUp9ULXw8loajEmyT8T9XbnztNZGPMakaGAGQ_9FcZ7Wq1_Sjhtz7sbU1qfzTlP4bKYgrl-GuCbK8zp5WflSHllN7vfM7NzB1aKgHaW-A23OknoRVNGFQbkBiFSKF2PWMhyT8JLnllFgs9XbE4mdLnMS9pacPc3jDuFVxjyfQtugeXyFMiHA/s500/stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPCBPt_AUp9ULXw8loajEmyT8T9XbnztNZGPMakaGAGQ_9FcZ7Wq1_Sjhtz7sbU1qfzTlP4bKYgrl-GuCbK8zp5WflSHllN7vfM7NzB1aKgHaW-A23OknoRVNGFQbkBiFSKF2PWMhyT8JLnllFgs9XbE4mdLnMS9pacPc3jDuFVxjyfQtugeXyFMiHA/s320/stone.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">image courtesy of <i>River Mouth Review</i><br />(this is not the stone we picked up at the farm)</span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-62397840063198962992023-04-20T18:12:00.005-04:002023-04-21T06:27:25.350-04:00Something the darkness can't take <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I never thought I would like murder mystery TV shows, but I've discovered I do.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After enjoying seven seasons of <i>Grantchester</i>, about a vicar who helps the local police inspector solve murders in a village near Cambridge, England, I've recently been watching <b><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endeavour_(TV_series)" target="_blank"><i>Endeavour</i></a></b>. Set in Oxford, England in the 1960s, it's an excellent series that focuses on Endeavour Morse, a moody young detective working with his mentor, Inspector Thursday, to solve complex murder cases. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Hmmm... two shows about university towns with lots of murders... considering I live in a university town, should I worry? Or should I just get busy solving crimes?)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In an early episode, Morse is rattled by a psychopathic murderer whom they have just captured. Before he is taken away, the killer makes pointed comments about Morse's painful past and how the two of them are alike: brilliant but lonely.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/endeavourclips/status/1286573185983483904?s=20" target="_blank">As they stand on the roof of a college building after catching the killer</a>, Morse asks Inspector Thursday how he does it -- how he can leave his work at the front door when he goes home to his family at the end of the day.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP7VNHC4RQzugNvDuAqZZ5gfTqXmzBZLbHeZvso66PDCkizaupKwI5mO8t8O17HIfsSSzEiXEojsiy1YkcquiNR1Zpz0spc1evfBa-XvxaOkxSSzpCzGXFfxYtbzmBI9k-KEfDauTk5WdK4VUUfXWIQkfeELdvaUWvOMMRdgnk92L67NiAHVcV2KZ3w/s1030/Morse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="1030" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP7VNHC4RQzugNvDuAqZZ5gfTqXmzBZLbHeZvso66PDCkizaupKwI5mO8t8O17HIfsSSzEiXEojsiy1YkcquiNR1Zpz0spc1evfBa-XvxaOkxSSzpCzGXFfxYtbzmBI9k-KEfDauTk5WdK4VUUfXWIQkfeELdvaUWvOMMRdgnk92L67NiAHVcV2KZ3w/w640-h381/Morse.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">image from <i>Endeavour</i>, "Fugue"</span></span><br /></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"'Cause I have to," replies Thursday grimly. "A case like this'll tear the heart right out of a man."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then he says, "Find something worth defending."</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Morse says, "I thought I <i>had</i> found something." (He doesn't elaborate.)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Music?" Thursday asks, referring to Morse's love of opera and classical music. "I guess music is as good as anything. Go home, put your best record on -- loud as it'll play -- and with every note, you remember: that's something that the darkness couldn't take from you."</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjms7klfXdeiZswADGhpwgZgrX57eQQK0seXJYb0qnE71v45OoRqHdWNEYlR6DdecBA6AqUsfUhaep1E_cz4LW7ixFgPqniOL4w-68eP3lwzFv9oINtnZMwtCFe8uB5_MUWXuDvssfrGbB-mGdSgRw0RsnRuwOrp_PabrUjtniGU90122EWPNZXo-Vsg/s1080/Thursday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="1080" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjms7klfXdeiZswADGhpwgZgrX57eQQK0seXJYb0qnE71v45OoRqHdWNEYlR6DdecBA6AqUsfUhaep1E_cz4LW7ixFgPqniOL4w-68eP3lwzFv9oINtnZMwtCFe8uB5_MUWXuDvssfrGbB-mGdSgRw0RsnRuwOrp_PabrUjtniGU90122EWPNZXo-Vsg/w640-h366/Thursday.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">image from <i>Endeavour</i>, "Fugue"</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I've thought about these lines a lot since watching this episode. They remind me a bit of Sam in the movie depiction of J.R.R. Tolkien's <i>The Two Towers</i>, urging Frodo to hold onto the fact "that there's some good in this world... and it's worth fighting for."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I noted that Thursday doesn't say, "Find a cause or a project and put all your effort into it." There are definitely times when we need to throw ourselves behind a worthy cause. But not everyone is in a position to pursue a big project, become an influencer, blaze new trails, fight big battles. I think the deeper point is that anything beautiful and meaningful, anything you love (even something that's been misused, as the killer in the <i>Endeavour </i>episode had misused music by basing his crimes on scenes from various operas), can be a force that resists darkness, that can't be destroyed by the evil in this world.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I was going to continue this post with a list of things that might fit this description. Music. Poetry. Birds. Sunsets. Sun<i>rises</i>. But to be honest, it sounded a bit feeble. And anyway, Thursday says "music is as good as anything" -- as if it doesn't even matter that much what the thing is. So there doesn't seem to be any point in making a list.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then today I read this paragraph in poet Maggie Smith's fantastic new memoir, <i>You Could Make This Place Beautiful</i>:</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>What now? <i>I am out with lanterns, looking for myself.</i>* But here's the thing about carrying light with you. No matter where you go, and no matter what you find -- or <i>don't</i> find -- you change the darkness just by entering it. You clear a path through it.</b></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And it hit me: yes, we need to <i>find </i>something worth defending, something the darkness can't take away ... but we also <i>are </i>something the darkness can't take away. Just by being truthfully, genuinely ourselves we make a difference. <i>Who we are</i> can be an act of resistance to the forces that seek to destroy and divide. We can fight the darkness by being the carriers of light that we already are, and by letting our light reveal everything -- and everyone -- that is good and beautiful.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I find that well worth pondering. And I love it when the things I'm watching and reading, whether murder mystery or memoir, come together to tell me something.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqyj9D-0Xr9iKEfhRID6qO634xoUDh_sDQ8l4QXSzVL7vNdtZ5ThMubUNog3fPQ2KsRP3TeR_BJ1EE7PYBOv4AqGJiPrvd-FDLfmOssQi8vHyhNnrFzNwmCBcI6tJLxGM_XCORCGpoFjPxYmCV5HMhcnUQL7U6BQp37xN-4AVU9j_IIatC8mEcUSwSA/s225/endeavour.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqyj9D-0Xr9iKEfhRID6qO634xoUDh_sDQ8l4QXSzVL7vNdtZ5ThMubUNog3fPQ2KsRP3TeR_BJ1EE7PYBOv4AqGJiPrvd-FDLfmOssQi8vHyhNnrFzNwmCBcI6tJLxGM_XCORCGpoFjPxYmCV5HMhcnUQL7U6BQp37xN-4AVU9j_IIatC8mEcUSwSA/w200-h200/endeavour.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxQXRGELnYBGMA6D2RmrBh07ekqzob0CojRoKg_wLXtQvoBuGsnDT7tPGGtKyV9KTsgXry--hIK4dcU4fcnb2EhNyGV64O8puy8xs_tE22QjYR44dO5i8xn-VJWQydP26nv-TpyG8VTK7z-9z7T7vOmfA18V1lBonyGFRDbqeThEWgXqfjj-MlmWU6Q/s603/smith.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxQXRGELnYBGMA6D2RmrBh07ekqzob0CojRoKg_wLXtQvoBuGsnDT7tPGGtKyV9KTsgXry--hIK4dcU4fcnb2EhNyGV64O8puy8xs_tE22QjYR44dO5i8xn-VJWQydP26nv-TpyG8VTK7z-9z7T7vOmfA18V1lBonyGFRDbqeThEWgXqfjj-MlmWU6Q/w133-h200/smith.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">*"I am out with lanterns, looking for myself": line from Emily Dickinson</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p></div>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-74299107574067069732023-03-18T12:03:00.009-04:002023-03-19T08:59:09.800-04:00Five Minute Friday: STORY<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"> </span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm linking up with the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2023/03/16/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-story/" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday</a> community, writing for five minutes on a given prompt. This week's word is </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>STORY</i></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">. <br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJP1_knkzrIcCl-bqL6487AGDiJje057lPs7mUaYEuaIfbe8IBJnWwcLJQXjN04CvKO7PDRDGxWA_Oz2r4vWkm5KH14vxVqf98bABMQvbjekyzRe4kJDx5Sjb1iv_FJfOm2LZrSQfgtBbhN1entsuZgP2m_TRSdg55VOKwFj4UCKt4UpiEPmCqdXJ6Wg/s400/fmf%20story.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJP1_knkzrIcCl-bqL6487AGDiJje057lPs7mUaYEuaIfbe8IBJnWwcLJQXjN04CvKO7PDRDGxWA_Oz2r4vWkm5KH14vxVqf98bABMQvbjekyzRe4kJDx5Sjb1iv_FJfOm2LZrSQfgtBbhN1entsuZgP2m_TRSdg55VOKwFj4UCKt4UpiEPmCqdXJ6Wg/s320/fmf%20story.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I haven't been writing much in 2023 so far. The main reason is that my mother-in-law became ill with cancer in the fall and died early last week. At her funeral last Saturday, my brother-in-law and nephew got up and spoke about her devotion to her family, her deep faith, and her independent, adventurous spirit.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">They also shared stories of her funny ways -- such as the time she went to a thrift store and unwittingly bought back the same pair of white pants she had donated months earlier. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That anecdote got quite a laugh. I particularly appreciate that my mother-in-law actually <i>told </i>us about that in the first place. Some people would be too embarrassed to have anyone else know they'd done something like that. Not her. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Telling someone else's story is a big responsibility, especially when they're not there to defend themselves or raise their hand and say, "Wait, that's not right</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> -- they were black pants!" (They weren't. They were definitely white.)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I've been talked about in another person's publicly told story, and I have found it hard, painful work to separate their need to tell their own story in their own way from my desire to be depicted accurately and fairly. As Barbara Brown Taylor says in <i>An Altar in the World</i>,</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"...encountering another human being is as close to God as I may ever get -- in the eye-to-eye thing, the person-to-person thing -- which is where God's Beloved has promised to show up.... The point is to see the person standing right in front of me, who has no substitute, who can never be replaced, whose heart holds things for which there is no language, whose life is an unsolved mystery. The moment I turn that person into a character in my own story, the encounter is over. I have stopped being a human being and have become a fiction writer instead." <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ultimately we can't control what others say. We can only live our own story with as much honesty and integrity as possible and try to respect that "unsolved mystery" in everyone else we meet. My mother-in-law was not perfect, but she loved us and we loved her. She can never be replaced, but we honoured her as best we could as we commemorated the end of her earthly story.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGW9z6v3vS02tlZBfwwhmmsRogVorJbJc9lP6ITGRN4lHrWHczZRlTEcRZKCQU68JaMon7HExARH6hHlwrUlW_wqU2DToXXW9xqNchMflLJHenHoDvAbqkGPYg0pwGIbh9isslwUoYsPyVwBjQEbsrpi-qmRjMYL_QiXZ1bkaE31Dsr91mlIPTF-gFQ/s1512/Jeannie%20and%20Audrey%20March%201,%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGW9z6v3vS02tlZBfwwhmmsRogVorJbJc9lP6ITGRN4lHrWHczZRlTEcRZKCQU68JaMon7HExARH6hHlwrUlW_wqU2DToXXW9xqNchMflLJHenHoDvAbqkGPYg0pwGIbh9isslwUoYsPyVwBjQEbsrpi-qmRjMYL_QiXZ1bkaE31Dsr91mlIPTF-gFQ/s320/Jeannie%20and%20Audrey%20March%201,%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><span>me with my mother-in-law, Audrey, on March 1, 2023 (six days before she died)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p></div>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-26407414713218470022022-12-28T10:44:00.006-05:002022-12-28T13:42:53.121-05:00My year in books - 2022<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA3N7XmNydTcF7qvwyadh8ufiiqy1uMuvopIZgGpEkHRZXMiapvpVc9jifIGT8wFTxq2CCxR0lXkSoemAqQhqOpPWrSElMSCxsSXH2jaR2Ir5zcLm2iX5w0ah5ye3I5dFwdxyWpexEbp5Rl3aTaZKK_wNIwHbRV7Thg6WdP9_0N2c1-VjzClFg76GWg/s2048/books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1930" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA3N7XmNydTcF7qvwyadh8ufiiqy1uMuvopIZgGpEkHRZXMiapvpVc9jifIGT8wFTxq2CCxR0lXkSoemAqQhqOpPWrSElMSCxsSXH2jaR2Ir5zcLm2iX5w0ah5ye3I5dFwdxyWpexEbp5Rl3aTaZKK_wNIwHbRV7Thg6WdP9_0N2c1-VjzClFg76GWg/w378-h400/books.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>It's time for my annual "books I read this year" list. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>In previous years I've tried to break my list up into various genre categories, but this time I'm just going with plain old Nonfiction (20 books) and Fiction (7 books), alphabetical by author in each category.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I hope my list gives you some ideas for books to read in 2023.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b>NONFICTION </b><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Son of Elsewhere: a Memoir in Pieces</i> - Elamin Abdelmahmoud. </b><br />I absolutely loved this book by the Toronto writer/podcaster and former Queen's student. </span></span><span><span>Abdelmahmoud </span></span><span><span>writes with humour, humility, and grace about his experiences as a 12-year-old immigrant from Sudan to Kingston, Ontario and the struggle to fit into a new place where he was instantly defined as Black, an identity that was completely new to him. The author explores his youthful and adult passions such as wrestling, country music, highways, TV shows, and radio -- always making a connection to that concept of "elsewhere," that pull between the "once-home" and the "new home." A beautiful book. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>(</span></span><span><span>I
also had the opportunity to hear Abdelmahmoud speak at an event put on by
Kingston ArtsFest this past spring, just after I'd read the book; that was a real treat.) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span><span><i>No Cure For Being Human (And Other Truths I Need To Hear)</i> - Kate Bowler. </span></span></b><span><span><br />In this follow-up to <i>Everything Happens for a Reason (And Other Lies I've Loved)</i>, Bowler talks about her colon cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment and reflects on how our culture of relentless positivity tries to tell us we have unlimited choices and the best is just out there waiting for us. She reminds us that acknowledging our limitations and our fragile humanity is the most truthful way to live. I really enjoy Bowler's frank, funny style -- she can have you laughing one moment and tearing up the next. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection </i>- Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie. </b><br />I keep this book at my bedside and enjoy dipping into the short chapters about hope, disappointment, exhaustion, the in-between, and more. Each contains a brief reflection, a prayer, and a practice to help readers let go of unrealistic, guilt-producing expectations (of themselves and others) and accept the gift of being an ordinary, imperfect person.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole</i> - Susan Cain. </b><br />Cain is the author of <i>Quiet</i>, the best-selling book on introversion. In this one she talks about how some people are naturally drawn to sadness and longing and how an acknowledgement of these feelings -- rather than just relentless positivity -- is essential to personal growth and stronger relationships. She talks about the importance of grieving well, the role of sadness and longing in creativity, and the need to acknowledge impermanence, among other things. Excellent book.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness</i> - Fr. Greg Boyle.<br /></b>As in his previous books <i>Tattoos on the Heart</i> and <i>Barking to the Choir</i>, Father Boyle shares moving and humorous stories about the gang members he works with at Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, showing how learning to be tender with ourselves and others is life-changing. His books are such a gift.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><i><b>Atlas of the Heart - </b></i><b>Brene Brown. </b><br />I have read all of Brene Brown's books (most of which address vulnerability and shame in various contexts), and this is one I think I'll be returning to over and over again to study and absorb. It's essentially a map of emotions and emotion-related thoughts, clustered according to different situations or needs. For example, Ch. 1 is called "Places We Go When Things Are Uncertain or Too Much" and talks about stress, anxiety, worry, avoidance, etc. Ch. 2, "Places We Go When We Compare," addresses resentment, jealousy, schadenfreude, and other emotions. And so on. Very interesting and insightful.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>A Mind Spread Out on the Ground</i> - Alicia Elliott. </b><br />Another excellent memoir in essays. Elliott was born into a racially mixed family (white Catholic mother and Indigenous father) and this reality shapes how she explores topics like depression, poverty, racism in the legal system, representation of Indigenous people in Canadian writing, and more. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>The Sacred Pulse: Holy Rhythms for Overwhelmed Souls</i> - April Fiet. </b><br />I had the honour of being an early reader for April's book, and it's lovely. She talks about the need for "holy rhythms" to guide our days, using everyday subjects like gardening, handcrafts, cooking, raising chickens, etc. to invite us to become more present and in tune with the "kairos time" of God.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Once More We Saw Stars: A Memoir</i> - Jayson Greene. </b><br />This is a very sad, beautiful memoir by the father of a two-year-old girl who died when a brick fell from a building onto the bench where she was sitting with her grandmother. It sounds horrible and obviously it is, but it's also very life-affirming.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitts Creek</i> - Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy. </b><br />I watched all six seasons of <i>Schitts Creek</i> a year or so ago, and Richard gave me this companion book last Christmas. It was a lot of fun to read, containing interviews with the cast, descriptions of the characters and episodes, and tons of photos and fan art. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times</i> - Katherine May.</b><br />In </span></span><span>this engaging book, May weaves stories and lore about winter with her own experiences, showing the importance of stepping into what winter has to offer and embracing the natural, seasonal cycles."Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Attached to God: A Practical Guide to Deeper Spiritual Experience</i> - Krispin Mayfield. </b><br />This book by a therapist explores the different attachment styles people have -- anxious, shutdown, and shame-filled attachment -- and how each one can affect their relationships with other people as well as with God. In all three cases a lack of trust, sometimes resulting from hurtful experiences in childhood and/or Christian community, can prevent us from experiencing God in the way we long to. Then Mayfield goes beyond simply telling us about how attachment theories work to addressing how we can move from anxiety to rest, from shutdown to engaged, and from shame to delight in our relationship with God. So good.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span><span><i>An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir</i> - Elizabeth McCracken.<br /></span></span></b><span><span>This is a powerful memoir about stillbirth. McCracken, an American, was living and writing in France while she and her husband awaited the birth of their first child; at nine months they discovered the baby had died. McCracken is a brilliant writer, </span></span><span><span>interweaving details about that ill-fated delivery with those of her second pregnancy, so that she moves readers simultaneously toward the devastating events of her loss and toward the joy she and her husband have with their living child. </span></span><b><span><span><br /></span></span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned</i> - Brian McLaren.</b><br />I had only read one other book by McLaren -- <i>A New Kind of Christian</i> -- and that was a number of years ago, so I thought it was time to remedy that. Part I of this book addresses the reasons a person might want to leave the fold of Christianity; Part II addresses the reasons they might want to remain. Then in Part III he discusses some practices and principles which will help us become better people no matter which decision we make, such as becoming more in tune with the earth, committing ourselves to the pursuit of reality, etc. Lots to think about here; I'd highly recommend this.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>When We Belong: Reclaiming Christianity on the Margins </i>- Rohadi Nagassar.</b><br />Nagassar, a Calgary writer, church planter, and organizer, has written a very interesting and challenging book about deconstructing and decolonizing Christianity. He talks about various barriers to true belonging in society and the church and how racism and white supremacy must be identified and addressed for true liberation to occur. "</span></span><span><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Institutions are not designed to change; they're fundamentally designed to keep things the same, a posture that comes at the cost of further marginalizing those who have faced abuse and seek justice."</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Unprotected: A Memoir </i>- Billy Porter.</b><br />I thoroughly enjoyed this inspiring memoir by actor/dancer/singer Porter, whose writing is bigger than life, just like his public and onstage personality. (You may be familiar with <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/billy-porter-oscars-red-carpet-gown-christian-siriano" target="_blank">his iconic appearance in a black tuxedo gown at the 2019 Oscars</a>.) As a boy, Porter experienced sexual abuse and was rejected by his beloved church for being gay. He writes about how his voice and other gifts took him places he would never have imagined, yet he still had to deal with the trauma of his past in order to truly thrive and love himself.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close </i>- Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman. <i><br /></i></b>These co-authors were close friends for many years -- and even started a podcast about women's friendships -- yet they had to acknowledge they were not well prepared when conflicts about racial insensitivity, life changes, and geographical distance strained their relationship. Their belief that their friendship was "too big to fail," combined with how public that friendship was, hindered resolution at first. But the investment they made in the relationship, including seeking a counselor's help, led to a stronger, more intentional bond. This book definitely struck a nerve for me; I read it with a combination of admiration and wistfulness.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>The Journey to Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation</i> - Suzanne Stabile.</b><br />In this book, Stabile -- whose book <i>The Path Between Us</i> I've also read -- goes in-depth into two main categorizations of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneagram_of_Personality" target="_blank">Enneagram</a>, the Triads (Heart, Head, Gut) and the Stances (Withdrawing, Aggressive, and Dependent), in order to help us find balance in stressful "liminal" times. I love the clarity and practicality of Stabile's approach to the Enneagram. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Coming Home: A Spiritual Memoir</i> - Lori Vos. </b><br />The author, whom I've known for over 35 years, blends narrative, short essays, and poetry as she recounts her upbringing by abusive parents and her journey to healing and freedom from her past. This was a challenging book because of some of its subject matter and other aspects, but it was an important book for me to read this year, and I'm glad the writer has found peace.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Why Poetry?</i> - Matthew Zapruder.</b><br />Zapruder argues that people are intimidated by and resistant to poetry because they've been wrongly taught that poems are deliberately obscure, with meanings that hide behind the words on the page. He looks at poetry more as a way for both poet and reader to make imaginative associations; experiencing poetry is an attitude or state of mind rather than the cracking of a code. I loved this line about the "usefulness" of poetry: "The role of poetry in our time of crisis is the same as always: to preserve our minds and language, so we may be strong for whatever is to come."<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b>FICTION </b><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell</i> - Susanna Clarke. </b><br />This 1,000-page novel of magical realism is about two 19th-century magicians who are at times allies and rivals in their quest to bring back "practical magic" to England. I first watched a seven-part BBC miniseries based on this book and loved it – and in fact when reading the book I found it quite advantageous to have watched the show first. The book is definitely a commitment but very enjoyable.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>One Night Two Souls Went Walking </i>- Ellen Cooney.</b><br />I really liked this quiet novel about the experiences of a chaplain during one night at her job at a hospital, as she interacts with various patients and ponders questions of the soul, life, and death. I had to keep reminding myself this was not a memoir because it reads so much like one. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Wives and Daughters</i> - Elizabeth Gaskell.</b><br />"Mrs. Gaskell" was a contemporary of the Brontë sisters. This novel is one of her best known, about the remarriage of a widowed doctor and the relationships between his own daughter and his new wife and <i>her </i>daughter. I watched a BBC miniseries based on the book and thoroughly enjoyed that, so I decided to read the novel -- but what I didn't know was that the book was not finished before Gaskell's death. You get to the end where everything should be tied up and it just ... stops! It's a delightful book, but if you read it, be prepared for it to be inconclusive (and watch the TV series if you want a satisfying wrap-up).<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Firefly Lane</i> - Kristin Hannah.</b><br />A friend recommended this novel to me. It's about the 30-year friendship between two women who first meet as kids living across the street from one another: one flamboyant and from a troubled home, one more reserved and from a stable background. It's fairly predictable, and the endless references to time periods are kind of cringe ("Kate put on her tie-dyed t-shirt and bell-bottom jeans while listening to the Carpenters," that sort of thing), but it held my interest. It's quite a good story about two women whose relationship remains strong even through times of conflict and betrayal. (Apparently this novel was made into a TV series too, although my friend says it's <i>very </i>different from the book.)<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>O William!</i> - Elizabeth Strout.</b><br />Strout is one of my favourite novelists and I will eagerly read anything she writes. This book, about the title character from her earlier novel <i>My Name is Lucy Barton</i>, explores writer Lucy's relationship with her first husband, William, and her role in helping him discover secrets from his past. Strout is so good at capturing people and relationships in a few quick strokes. I loved it.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>Lucy By the Sea</i> - Elizabeth Strout.</b><br />I was thrilled to discover this fall that another Elizabeth Strout novel about Lucy Barton had come out. It's about Lucy's experience through the Covid-19 pandemic as she escapes New York with William for a seaside house in Maine. This one was not quite as satisfying to me; Strout is not a highly dramatic writer, but this felt especially flat and formless. Maybe that was her way of depicting pandemic life – but I didn't find it as compelling as I'd hoped to. I also feel at times that Strout wants to "both-sides" things: for example, to use her characters to try to understand the motives of the Jan. 6/21 White House insurrectionists. I think if you're going to do that, you have to go all in, rather than say "but there were racists and Nazis there too" and then back away, shrugging at the mystery of it all. (There's a whiff of privileged Boomer energy here, despite Lucy Barton's destitute upbringing.) All this to say, if you're a Strout fan you won't want to miss this one, but in my view it isn't one of her best.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><b><i>The Lincoln Highway </i>- Amor Towles.</b><br />I'd describe this book as a "yarn." It begins with Emmett, a teenage boy in 1950s Nebraska, returning home from a work farm after his father's death. He and his little brother decide to drive from Nebraska to California to start new lives and maybe find their long-lost mother. But two friends from the work farm have stowed away in their car and suggest a detour that leads them in the opposite direction, to New York City. It's quite entertaining, with chapters told from the point of view of multiple characters.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>(I also started Anthony Doerr's <i>Cloud Cuckoo Land</i> because I'd heard raves about it, but I abandoned it in the early going when it became obvious that a character who commits a terrible act of destruction (very early on, so no spoiler here) is likely autistic. Autistic people are far likelier to be victims of crime than perpetrators, so this inaccurate trope can be really damaging, regardless of the author's intent. Doerr strikes me as a wise author, so this was a real disappointment; I wish someone had warned him against taking this approach -- or if someone did, that he had listened.)</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>Well, that's my list! Thanks for reading it -- or skimming it, or even just glancing at it and saying "TL: DR -- I ain't reading all that." I'd love it if you'd leave a comment below and tell me if you've read any of these, or if you've read something else in 2022 that was especially meaningful to you. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-31522116021132225662022-12-22T13:28:00.005-05:002022-12-22T16:16:35.472-05:00Merry Christmas from our home to yours - 2022<div style="text-align: left;"><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ1aiYka0qzdxwYJZadUwjZrHTecNZ13-NA75qXV3eU_IvTzWTwTUqyY0h-A_Z7mL1uh-UKn2H4rgMevpmAX5kXBB5oeS9TZfBHGpLhA_GZ9OiRT4h-J2pmQhKVDBEl3mLOGr2cO1uOHleorpE0vcFoMwm3oWE1629kt7QH0DRUjdPUsMAtnya0Qbgg/s471/xmas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="471" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ1aiYka0qzdxwYJZadUwjZrHTecNZ13-NA75qXV3eU_IvTzWTwTUqyY0h-A_Z7mL1uh-UKn2H4rgMevpmAX5kXBB5oeS9TZfBHGpLhA_GZ9OiRT4h-J2pmQhKVDBEl3mLOGr2cO1uOHleorpE0vcFoMwm3oWE1629kt7QH0DRUjdPUsMAtnya0Qbgg/w640-h144/xmas.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Christmas 2022</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As 2022 winds down, I thought I'd take a few minutes to reflect on our family's year and share a little of what's been going on in the Prinsen household.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T43r2jVA2EZwqn0LmESscfHTGzyVcl-KEQclrzvW9LA7i0nmlLv3CwyyEvDsvPl5_WgIOThG8rC3tX-j4o7L01fbBsDshnD9qTKclFqZUWdJ4fO_mkV_KBt03AEosv8dw_NMKmYp2xAu8EjJfyBGio70Gamm5Erz5hk2LercabLiMIbEk_BD_N12kg/s1080/321614877_1110822772931223_4996570668060685906_n.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T43r2jVA2EZwqn0LmESscfHTGzyVcl-KEQclrzvW9LA7i0nmlLv3CwyyEvDsvPl5_WgIOThG8rC3tX-j4o7L01fbBsDshnD9qTKclFqZUWdJ4fO_mkV_KBt03AEosv8dw_NMKmYp2xAu8EjJfyBGio70Gamm5Erz5hk2LercabLiMIbEk_BD_N12kg/s320/321614877_1110822772931223_4996570668060685906_n.gif" width="320" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Richard and Jonathan - photo by Jeannie, August 2022</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> <b>Jonathan </b>turned 20 in September and is now in his last year of school. It is hard to see this phase of his life coming to an end because school has been such a happy place for him ever since he was a little kindergartener at Rideau Public School. But I'm sure he will adjust to the changes just as he always has -- and I guess we will too. Organizations like Extend-a-Family, whose camps and Saturday programs Jonathan has attended for many years, offer adult day programming, so we'll consider whether a setting like that is appropriate for him come September of 2023. There is still time to work some of these things out. Jonathan had another bout of more frequent seizures this summer and had to have some more medication dose adjustments; at the moment he is four months seizure-free. His neurologist sees him every six months, so with her direction we just stay the course when things are going well and adjust medications as needed. Jonathan continues his unwavering interest in all things related to garbage and recycling, brooms, shovels, dustpans, windmills, and seagulls -- and he shouts "Good job!" encouragingly to people when he sees them walking their dogs or shoveling their driveways.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXblVbPiKE42fE1yu8pkz7cHAwxdyVJtORfGbv6zQoUl09Ij2kZW1Z-RaAoPlXqd8i6l-XD2cdGc742yWTzZy9ZLiqdy85T5DOXbgxFlWm9_vgoR5fOI0Jp2HfvygI-0OhF6pf0YWrfbc0AkuW_PPHQDB0607ADJTNByNXAx-7UIXqNdrk5KMcYi_6Q/s1124/319862608_5746729585414705_8743606881027024301_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1124" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXblVbPiKE42fE1yu8pkz7cHAwxdyVJtORfGbv6zQoUl09Ij2kZW1Z-RaAoPlXqd8i6l-XD2cdGc742yWTzZy9ZLiqdy85T5DOXbgxFlWm9_vgoR5fOI0Jp2HfvygI-0OhF6pf0YWrfbc0AkuW_PPHQDB0607ADJTNByNXAx-7UIXqNdrk5KMcYi_6Q/s320/319862608_5746729585414705_8743606881027024301_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Allison and Jeannie - photo by Naomi De Jonge, June 2022</span><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Allison </b>is 24 and<b> </b>is continuing her studies in Linguistics at Queen's. This past semester was the first one in which she attended all of her classes in person on campus, and it went very well. She made the Dean's Honours List with Distinction (GPA 3.9 or above), so we are pretty proud of her for that achievement. She is still living at home, which is a good arrangement while she's at university.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Richard</b>'s year started off in a way he didn't intend and wouldn't have planned: in January he fell on ice while out for a run and broke his fibula (the thinner bone in the lower leg). He required surgery and spent the winter convalescing and healing. By April he was able to weight-bear and go back to work; then over the spring and summer he eventually got back to running and even a little soccer. This fall he started back as a volunteer at the Run & Read program at Molly Brant Public School; this program had not run in person since pre-Covid.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I (<b>Jeannie</b>) retired from my online course work at Queen's at the end of the winter 2022 semester, and that's been a good change. I always enjoyed connecting with the students, but I was ready for a break from the constant marking and putting-out of fires. I'm working a few hours a week as a copy editor for <i>Kingstonist News</i>, a local online news site; the people are great to work with, and I enjoy working away behind the scenes, tidying up punctuation and grammar and checking details. As for my writing, I've had three publications this year, all poems: if interested, you can read those at the top of <a href="http://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/p/my-writing.html" target="_blank">the "My Writing" page of this blog</a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">All four of us succumbed to Covid-19 in August after avoiding it for 2-1/2 years. Jonathan probably picked it up at summer camp, though we can't be sure of that. The kids recovered pretty quickly, but Richard and I were knocked out with fatigue for nearly two weeks. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> The biggest and hardest piece of news from this past year is that my dad died in April. <a href="https://macleanfh.ca/death-notices/obituaries/?obit=arnold_d_maceachern&fbclid=IwAR15Uu4BjqTY4QwzHsRUVeB-KCZELbDuGQub4m-lWD9m3CEbYOic2937SWk#" target="_blank">(See his obituary here: Arnold MacEachern. It will appear as a pop-up; just wait for it.)</a> He had lived in Whisperwood Villa, a Charlottetown nursing home, since the fall of 2019, and I had only seen him once since Covid began. In March of this year the nursing home had a Covid outbreak, and Dad got it; though he was not all that sick with it, it may simply have been too hard for him to bounce back, especially when he was already quite weak with advanced kidney failure. My brother Alan was with him when he died, and he just slipped away peacefully. We had a funeral for him in late April; I and my brothers Lincoln, Alan, and Errol were all able to be there (my brother Scott, who lives and works in China, could not make it). The four of us spoke and/or sang at the service and tried to honour Dad as best we could -- which honestly was not difficult. Dad was such a wonderful person: patient, hard-working, faithful, interested in people, true salt of the earth. The world doesn't seem the same without him, particularly with Mom also gone. At the funeral my brother Lincoln sang Rodney Crowell's song "Love Is All I Need," and this is the final verse:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I had a dream last night: I saw my mom and dad<br />They were happy now, and I was glad.<br />They had a brand new house; they'd just moved in<br />And when I awoke, they were gone again...</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I know love is all I need<br />I know love is all I need<br />I know love is all I need<br />That's all I know</span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLzs9Q2HEoddyqElxxnRrzAr9MmeSTxdZbOG1437uRExuRfd0tpLjEi5W6wn42Yre0aGhTD5DTy4Pp5e322UaMKvIlBWojOIE3Hy9SVd_Yg2lHYRyK-1ej--DdWq69UKkWhfeL4iV86gSyfGl2YtQ8etanbYfx872wreFoC09qrkIFnRlH83q3m2n7g/s547/Meredith%20drawing%20mom%20&%20dad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLzs9Q2HEoddyqElxxnRrzAr9MmeSTxdZbOG1437uRExuRfd0tpLjEi5W6wn42Yre0aGhTD5DTy4Pp5e322UaMKvIlBWojOIE3Hy9SVd_Yg2lHYRyK-1ej--DdWq69UKkWhfeL4iV86gSyfGl2YtQ8etanbYfx872wreFoC09qrkIFnRlH83q3m2n7g/s320/Meredith%20drawing%20mom%20&%20dad.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Drawing of Dad and Mom by my niece, Meredith Mac Eachern</span><br /></div><div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Those seem like fitting words with which to draw this letter to a close. As 2022 nears its end we have extended family members with health concerns, and these things have a way of distilling life down to what really matters: love, family, and friendship. The small acts of caring and kindness often turn out to be the most significant; as my favourite quote from <i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i> puts it, "Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This describes the story of Christmas as well: how the greatest event, the Incarnation, was embodied in the smallest package -- a tiny baby, weak and vulnerable, born while the eyes of the world looked elsewhere. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This Christmas, may your celebrations and observances -- religious or otherwise -- be filled with love, and may the New Year bring you peace and joy. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jeannie, Richard, Allison, and Jonathan</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p> <br /></p></div>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-47906817517076561722022-12-18T07:00:00.012-05:002022-12-20T14:55:55.489-05:00Fourth Sunday in Advent: LOVE<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82IEuYVmtzchU3h3p5RGlgAkDmSMLO7BZNs8qmDVIiEVZ9Xx5q7ZJjThS0I50hfIALwnPUN_HRHnlBbes5pjTKCdkMWHKipfgbz7CBhmqF0uPXx7nPscknQAzF1woBi2NTsl-qkm5AFDFw4sz4euPitEXV56XGWCOALHZQQ1Mm4-LYvBv0v5UxIbnTg/s1334/319869402_4296760940448305_7052866742005856172_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1334" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82IEuYVmtzchU3h3p5RGlgAkDmSMLO7BZNs8qmDVIiEVZ9Xx5q7ZJjThS0I50hfIALwnPUN_HRHnlBbes5pjTKCdkMWHKipfgbz7CBhmqF0uPXx7nPscknQAzF1woBi2NTsl-qkm5AFDFw4sz4euPitEXV56XGWCOALHZQQ1Mm4-LYvBv0v5UxIbnTg/w400-h217/319869402_4296760940448305_7052866742005856172_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Richard Prinsen, December 20/22</span><br /></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On this fourth Sunday of Advent, the theme is LOVE.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Have you ever heard someone say "God is a God of love," only to have someone else quickly reply,"But He's also a God of justice"? Or "But He's also a holy God"?<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have. This approach seems to suggest that love is just one of many characteristics God possesses. Sometimes He'll need to emphasize one characteristic more than the other (like a worker choosing one tool over another depending on the task), but we should never lose sight of the other side: "God is loving <i>but </i>just." "God is merciful <i>but </i>also righteous." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The deeper implication, I think, is that love is kind of flabby and indulgent and must always be balanced by
something more strict. If we focus too much on love,
the idea goes, we give people the idea that they can do whatever they want without consequences,
so we need a corrective of justice or righteousness to keep things under
control. Thinking about it, I can honestly say I've never heard anyone say we can swing too far in the direction of God's holiness -- but I've definitely heard that we can swing too far in the direction of His love.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pastor/teacher Brad Jersak describes love in an entirely different way: it is not one of God's many characteristics, but rather it is God's<i> essence</i>.<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">God’s nature or essence is simple, boiled down for us in the fourth chapter of John’s epistle: <i>“God is love…”</i> God is not love <i>plus </i>anything. Love is the essence of the Triune nature and <i>every</i>
attribute of God is a facet of that one Diamond or flows from that one
infinite Spring. Anything we say about God’s holiness, justice or wrath
can only be said with reference to God’s love. The “holiness” or
“justice” or “wrath” that is not love is not God’s. <br /></span></span></b></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">- Brad Jersak, <a href="https://bradjersak.com/does-god-punish-brad-jersak/#" target="_blank">"Does God Punish?"</a></span></span><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I like this explanation so much (though I can't pretend I completely comprehend it). Love <i>is </i>who God is. These other things are <i>expressions </i>of who God is. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So we don't need to say "Yes, He's love, but He's also..." <i>But </i>doesn't enter into it. Everything God does expresses who He is: love. Love isn't a weight placed on one side of a scale; rather, as Jersak puts it, the love that God <i>is </i>is more like a diamond with many facets or a spring from which everything else flows.<br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That means of course that Jesus -- who is </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"the exact representation of [God's] being" (Heb. 1:3) -- </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">fully embodies that love too. Jesus didn't just do loving things like healing the sick or feeding the hungry or even dying on the cross; Jesus <i>was</i> Love. Jesus <i>is </i>Love. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">If that's true, then even the tiny baby wriggling in the manger, in all his vulnerability and innocence, was -- is -- Love. The one whose birth we anticipate and celebrate at Christmas is Love. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">**************************************</p><h2 class="title" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Risk of Birth<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">- Madeleine L'Engle</span><br /></span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div><div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-entityreference field--label-hidden" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></div>
</div>
</div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden" style="text-align: center;"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is no time for a child to be born,<br />With the earth betrayed by war and hate<br />And a comet slashing the sky to warn<br />That time runs out & the sun burns late.<br /><br />That was no time for a child to be born,<br />In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;<br />Honor & truth were trampled to scorn—<br />Yet here did the Savior make His home.<br /><br />When is the time for love to be born?<br />The inn is full on the planet earth,<br />And by a comet the sky is torn—<br />Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.</span></span></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden" style="margin-left: 160px; text-align: left;"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></span></div></div></div><p style="text-align: center;">**************************************<br /></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">You can read my previous Advent posts here at these links: <a href="http://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2022/11/first-sunday-in-advent-hope.html" target="_blank">HOPE</a>, <a href="https://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2022/12/second-sunday-in-advent-peace.html" target="_blank">PEACE</a>, <a href="http://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2022/12/third-sunday-in-advent-joy.html" target="_blank">JOY</a>.</span></span><br /><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><p> </p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-45068365545167339122022-12-11T09:10:00.003-05:002022-12-11T09:10:21.623-05:00Third Sunday in Advent: JOY<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaNr3jR0EJoPIGBBeFX24G9Dk7CmBQ869TC0NTCtI_iZslJLvw-8BVv-KozGlnqhS_1iHeIl3Z0XzIBNKdF69x84bHZctMATbJYYQYt7zwQF8yiqzPhYzPQILICooqAtEgxzvNaC_sDY7MewclI63pyrTZw5ejkTNNkce86fXUht4EoHvIcoISmbMRQ/s225/joy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaNr3jR0EJoPIGBBeFX24G9Dk7CmBQ869TC0NTCtI_iZslJLvw-8BVv-KozGlnqhS_1iHeIl3Z0XzIBNKdF69x84bHZctMATbJYYQYt7zwQF8yiqzPhYzPQILICooqAtEgxzvNaC_sDY7MewclI63pyrTZw5ejkTNNkce86fXUht4EoHvIcoISmbMRQ/w320-h320/joy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On this third Sunday of Advent, the theme is JOY. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I say that pretty confidently, but actually I wasn't even sure until yesterday what the "official" theme <i>was </i>for Advent 3. I had to ask the experts ... on Twitter. Was it joy? Or was it love? Somebody tell me – I need to know how to feel!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But of course the Advent themes aren't emotions. When we light the candle of Joy, we aren't proclaiming a fluctuating feeling of pleasure or good cheer -- which is a relief for those who find Christmas a sad, lonely time or who, in their lives in general, struggle with grief, poor health, broken relationships, or despair about the future. <br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Joy symbolized by the brave, persistent flame of this third candle is a deeper sense of well-being that isn't dependent on our circumstances or personalities. It's not something <i>we </i>live <i>up </i>to. It's more like something <i>God </i>lives <i>down </i>to. Jesus' birth is the breaking-through of that joy into our world and our lives.<br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My favourite line from a Christmas carol, in fact probably my favourite line of any Christian hymn, is this one, from "Joy to the World":</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found.</span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I think this is the Gospel in a single sentence: that Jesus comes to bring life and blessing to every corner of our planet and the deepest places of our hearts. Everywhere there is death and brokenness, Jesus comes to heal and restore.<br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm so sorry if you don't feel joy today. I get it. Things are pretty rough out there right now. Let's light the Joy candle -- that's the pink one -- together. Let's allow that deep Joy, that sense of God's all-rightness and blessing that flows beneath everything, to make its way into our hearts. Even if we don't feel it, let's rest in it as we make our way toward the celebration of Jesus' birth.<br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvw1g_bUqabnQPXYZn2ez_KIzVmbsrgc80tU0_O9cYPpgOdyzyH05sIaNPpmDXVuxq6mdW2bouIthKF63jK_pSgDVXjLgm3kh4KaeF2NInqabJGH4pUC1IPYBePvqhYsL0w-xqYB5DXuLWd8Rm1P_scMaHvOdV1ROKRxuuN798CJ29kpR_TQfKEXDKQ/s980/pink%20advent%20candle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="735" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvw1g_bUqabnQPXYZn2ez_KIzVmbsrgc80tU0_O9cYPpgOdyzyH05sIaNPpmDXVuxq6mdW2bouIthKF63jK_pSgDVXjLgm3kh4KaeF2NInqabJGH4pUC1IPYBePvqhYsL0w-xqYB5DXuLWd8Rm1P_scMaHvOdV1ROKRxuuN798CJ29kpR_TQfKEXDKQ/s320/pink%20advent%20candle.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">(You can read my previous Advent posts here: <a href="https://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2022/11/first-sunday-in-advent-hope.html" target="_blank">HOPE </a>and <a href="https://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2022/12/second-sunday-in-advent-peace.html" target="_blank">PEACE</a>.)</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><p></p><br /><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p></div></div>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-89678031640615898902022-12-04T08:50:00.005-05:002022-12-11T09:04:37.988-05:00Second Sunday in Advent: PEACE<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EQp8pH-uLAX9nAZZRn020zurlGC3frN8pYRYC2c6tujhaXrtIXAPAxq49wvkiYfmtI4g5O4gcZ5A7cZEnL-quCnHDYVzpmulrrthA8repSZtnYP8DLuEJ4rS6s-MAVXHQuI5E2YmtWXFMwAm7gCzP5AiSH1dmthuBOrmEl2YYdeQ9uMRjWnrFF7isg/s266/peace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="266" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EQp8pH-uLAX9nAZZRn020zurlGC3frN8pYRYC2c6tujhaXrtIXAPAxq49wvkiYfmtI4g5O4gcZ5A7cZEnL-quCnHDYVzpmulrrthA8repSZtnYP8DLuEJ4rS6s-MAVXHQuI5E2YmtWXFMwAm7gCzP5AiSH1dmthuBOrmEl2YYdeQ9uMRjWnrFF7isg/w400-h284/peace.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />On this second Sunday in Advent, the theme is PEACE. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's been said there are three kinds of peace: peace with ourselves, peace with others, peace with God.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Peace with myself.</b> I'm not sure how that looks for you, but for me peace with myself means the assurance that I did the best I could, that I didn't grasp for control or betray my deepest values, that I accepted my limitations and just allowed myself to be an ordinary person.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Peace with others. </b>There's a Scripture verse that says, "As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:18) I find that first part of the sentence helpful because it acknowledges that when it comes to relationships, we can really only be responsible for our own stuff. Taking that responsibility may mean asking, Have I done all I can to foster peace, even if I feel betrayed or misrepresented? Does peace mean speaking up, or letting go? Can there be peace without restoration of relationship? These are tough questions. It strikes me, as I think about it, that peace with others and peace with ourselves are actually not all that separate.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Peace with God.</b> Over the past couple of years, as I've been challenged to rethink a lot of things about faith and church and Christian community, I'm realizing more and more that peace with God doesn't depend on attending church, signing off on the tenets of "historic Christianity" (whatever that is), or proving our worth to God. God has already made peace with us – with me. The Incarnation shows that this has always been God's greatest desire: to be in relationship with us, to reveal what He is like, to bring peace and harmony to every corner of the planet. Jesus comes, as the carol says, "to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As we walk through the sometimes dark days of Advent, may we know peace in all its forms, as a Presence deeper than emotions and circumstances, sustaining and upholding us on our path.<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">****************************</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">You can read my previous advent post here: <a href="http://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2022/11/first-sunday-in-advent-hope.html" target="_blank">HOPE</a>.</span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-11289789458635940262022-11-27T14:22:00.001-05:002022-11-27T14:24:15.790-05:00First Sunday in Advent: HOPE<div><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEdwRkg2ij7ykhiSgmzTbjT0PE2kLXFlKUbXzI3MMuZsGQRYqH67hii3WivT2-8SuRYbo4UDGXP8NvJb5YbEsZygUDw0zDwvmCQVH2HGKRGrer6iW_MjrzgFQ_ZRs52hUl8R6s3JlNshmRqCl3FavmQeDqyuf6C_Mpo2ufWkola9Id7zxbBsmkZfo-g/s1080/316486364_5970126656351742_2950595661308647170_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1080" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEdwRkg2ij7ykhiSgmzTbjT0PE2kLXFlKUbXzI3MMuZsGQRYqH67hii3WivT2-8SuRYbo4UDGXP8NvJb5YbEsZygUDw0zDwvmCQVH2HGKRGrer6iW_MjrzgFQ_ZRs52hUl8R6s3JlNshmRqCl3FavmQeDqyuf6C_Mpo2ufWkola9Id7zxbBsmkZfo-g/w400-h386/316486364_5970126656351742_2950595661308647170_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo Jeannie Prinsen 2020</span></span><br /></div></div><div> </div><div> <span style="font-size: large;">It's the first Sunday in Advent.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I haven't been attending church since the pandemic began, and while I don't miss everything, I do miss the tradition of Advent: the songs and the candle-lighting in particular.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Which candle <i>is </i>Advent One, anyway ... I always forget. Is it Peace? No, I'm pretty sure it's HOPE. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Since the hope candle gets lit first, it burns down first, so a few weeks into the season it might need to be replaced with a fresh one. You wouldn't want it to burn too low and start a fire, especially in the middle of the Christmas Eve service. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It seems a bit like cheating to take away that little stub and start all over again with an unused candle. But on the other hand it makes perfect sense to acknowledge that our hope can burn low and need refreshing. There's no shame in admitting that. Circumstances, personal and global, can snuff out our hope so that only a wisp of smoke remains. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If one of us finds our hope sputtering, we can hold hope for one another. Refresh one another's candle. Remind one another that Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not -- will not -- overcome it.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtknBovo-ykYeZRKxnLVYCXRtCy3PjKDvosGIZi9CuXCXX4bhRidJ6c2Mxp1-gSBFQOp6YhMuA7f4o_JsOHaNKC-L7uemBOkcGf76WP3fZVkxpCYEMOooqiRZL6YDnpa_QdM3uIxAAkwZTkxt_0yQj8ij3THwWz8HApIglQYHBjt_4Q-VkXctyo3CrzQ/s612/candle%20-%20FreeImages.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtknBovo-ykYeZRKxnLVYCXRtCy3PjKDvosGIZi9CuXCXX4bhRidJ6c2Mxp1-gSBFQOp6YhMuA7f4o_JsOHaNKC-L7uemBOkcGf76WP3fZVkxpCYEMOooqiRZL6YDnpa_QdM3uIxAAkwZTkxt_0yQj8ij3THwWz8HApIglQYHBjt_4Q-VkXctyo3CrzQ/s320/candle%20-%20FreeImages.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span> </span><p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">FreeImages.com</span></span><br /></div><br />Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-23291149826869712322022-09-08T10:42:00.002-04:002022-09-08T12:27:58.805-04:0020 years of Jonathan<p> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's Jonathan's birthday today; he is 20 years old. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgooVs6u2k9lpJ2gh6119Of0LeCkXBGhJsF2s5k0MQbLoUMFVgakGR7v6CM9as88GJKE2nIRybI3pA6NCgBxt-8KUhR0p4AysoIfIL4Hxh6Z7VyZR85z-WeUtqKJ0Nv2dsBWVetsT5nMmZT4OwkV1uYb-yo4P4yyGbEOPfXyvA_1QD7XAq6ewguqyjDw/s400/Jonathan%20age%20six%20months.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="319" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgooVs6u2k9lpJ2gh6119Of0LeCkXBGhJsF2s5k0MQbLoUMFVgakGR7v6CM9as88GJKE2nIRybI3pA6NCgBxt-8KUhR0p4AysoIfIL4Hxh6Z7VyZR85z-WeUtqKJ0Nv2dsBWVetsT5nMmZT4OwkV1uYb-yo4P4yyGbEOPfXyvA_1QD7XAq6ewguqyjDw/w319-h400/Jonathan%20age%20six%20months.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Can you believe that cheerful butterball (who actually <i>did </i>have a neck, despite appearances to the contrary) has turned into this tall young man?</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7F54Kt2a3ec3uy7A2c17LiuBqqOWLK6EM9RjpuVnvI-jr0nX-EB1mL3DSOn3tAJWS4kIzqOnSDYobfNPa5x7vrIeH7axX54qQEFxd-i6qOmKOFHueeEODFswlqlEdxJ8TytrlxRighL1heEtKw7VTGsrPPkivzrAEYeod3DjCy--Nq3zy7KYiUnNa7A/s2000/Jonathan%20September%208,%202022%20-%20age%2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7F54Kt2a3ec3uy7A2c17LiuBqqOWLK6EM9RjpuVnvI-jr0nX-EB1mL3DSOn3tAJWS4kIzqOnSDYobfNPa5x7vrIeH7axX54qQEFxd-i6qOmKOFHueeEODFswlqlEdxJ8TytrlxRighL1heEtKw7VTGsrPPkivzrAEYeod3DjCy--Nq3zy7KYiUnNa7A/w480-h640/Jonathan%20September%208,%202022%20-%20age%2020.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Jonathan Sept. 8, 2022 - photo Jeannie Prinsen</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having Jonathan in our lives has given us a different perspective on life than we might otherwise have had. Garbage trucks, geese and seagulls, brooms and shovels, lines of laundry all have greater significance because of Jonathan's interest in these things. Everyone he meets is a friend, and the simplest pleasures give his life meaning and joy.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YyRTTO2b1Zp3P5Fq5XoDs7yevbGMXx-8PIJEIEm9Gs-TDzxU4HVr-YpCuRGL413DHG193w83PQH1_MWnV6qz2wS8-amqjcUe6SCRqH4TABrA_J4tWkAfbb3wEFA9jqb1grDBB6QCwI3M64WLLj8hCgKbgHCtwdvklX8UKGQOg8ZUUDfGERK1QY7HOg/s960/Jonathan%20Lake%20Ontario%20Park%20July%208%202017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YyRTTO2b1Zp3P5Fq5XoDs7yevbGMXx-8PIJEIEm9Gs-TDzxU4HVr-YpCuRGL413DHG193w83PQH1_MWnV6qz2wS8-amqjcUe6SCRqH4TABrA_J4tWkAfbb3wEFA9jqb1grDBB6QCwI3M64WLLj8hCgKbgHCtwdvklX8UKGQOg8ZUUDfGERK1QY7HOg/w640-h360/Jonathan%20Lake%20Ontario%20Park%20July%208%202017.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Jonathan 2017 - photo Jeannie Prinsen</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wrote the following poem, "Lakeside, with Jonathan" about five years ago and was honoured to have it published in the literary journal <a href="https://www.reliefjournal.com/spring-2018" target="_blank"><i>Relief</i></a>. I think it describes Jonathan better than almost anything else could. Happy birthday, Jonathan.</span></span></p><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia", serif;">Lakeside,
with Jonathan</span></b></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", serif;"> To the waterfront at Lake Ontario Park
we go, <br />
you leading the way to your favourite place: down, <br />
<br />
down stone steps to the little cobble beach, where a shelf <br />
of flat rocks stretches into the water. Cross-legged <br />
<br />
on a rock, you gaze at the lake, its wind-ruffled surface <br />
dancing with a million bright diamonds. You call out<br />
<br />
to the gulls that wheel across the sky, and watch <br />
a half-dozen geese skim the water then swoop<br />
<br />
swiftly up and away. You look around <br />
with a smile and say <i>Happy. <br />
<br />
</i>This is as abstract as you get, you whose mind anchors<br />
firmly in the tangibles: supper, school, garbage truck. <br />
<br />
No bedtime confidences for you, no heartfelt talks <br />
of dreams or hopes, just the familiar, daily repetition. <br />
<br />
I could choose to grieve what’s not, or let you teach me <br />
that peace abides in the way water swells and breaks <br />
<br />
again and again on the shore, that the seabirds speak<br />
to you as they cry overhead, that the windmills<br />
<br />
over on the island are your friends, tall and steady<br />
in the sunlight, their long arms waving hello. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-18246702475635620662022-07-29T15:18:00.007-04:002022-08-02T06:39:43.882-04:00Five Minute Friday: BE<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today I'm linking up with the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2022/07/28/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-be/" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday community</a>, writing for five minutes on a given prompt. This week's word is <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>BE</b></i></span>.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jonathan's been attending Extend-a-Family day camp for the past few weeks, as he has every summer (except 2020) since he was about six. Every Tuesday this summer they walk to the park and spend the day at the splash pad.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This past Tuesday at the park they were very surprised and delighted to meet up with Jonathan's friend Nick, whom he's known ever since they were little campers together at EAF. Nick now lives in a different town, and they haven't seen one another in over three years.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I wasn't there, but their encounter was captured in a few photos that Nick's grandmother sent me. This one is my favourite.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OhCOp5fT6reBC_WRGdnoumEjMe5EhztLOzFqQjw_TwSVxF9RBIY-rfgtKUqCE0cv7tkI6IRXcOgo247QIIY45-rp5FxV_v9WfYZHoAQepMJjzTjdS6RNmGWGPERVWu0sY56FgeDN9yxWhokoFw_rtcQVoS7shQBO1Z1fu_LHWp1nm0VidgeXlSigyg/s4032/294793252_398272295619757_6745928428728292138_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OhCOp5fT6reBC_WRGdnoumEjMe5EhztLOzFqQjw_TwSVxF9RBIY-rfgtKUqCE0cv7tkI6IRXcOgo247QIIY45-rp5FxV_v9WfYZHoAQepMJjzTjdS6RNmGWGPERVWu0sY56FgeDN9yxWhokoFw_rtcQVoS7shQBO1Z1fu_LHWp1nm0VidgeXlSigyg/w480-h640/294793252_398272295619757_6745928428728292138_n.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jonathan (striped shirt), Nick (black shirt), <br />and camp counselor Lewis (green hoodie).</span></span><br /></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The joy of their reunion is unmistakable. They laughed, they played with each other's caps, and they laughed some more. Nick is nonverbal, but he and Jonathan did not need to use words to communicate how happy they were to see each other again. All they had to do was <b>BE</b>.</span></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVGN0ipSjvUMs7QA0wGwXJQBboPP9jCMtyM3xIhP6JspTOxQEchFjbyH9C3iCwS5ucU76Rtahw8F7tHbWNNsrfroq90xjxJ0YgIPcWk0BuXNZuspDTIxPR_CU8i6UizK1ihZjWv7T1FgxfBTzx5S2Kzx7AtnOJVOAoSbOGYhi5hFjY_mxu966QISZ2g/s960/1659436470171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVGN0ipSjvUMs7QA0wGwXJQBboPP9jCMtyM3xIhP6JspTOxQEchFjbyH9C3iCwS5ucU76Rtahw8F7tHbWNNsrfroq90xjxJ0YgIPcWk0BuXNZuspDTIxPR_CU8i6UizK1ihZjWv7T1FgxfBTzx5S2Kzx7AtnOJVOAoSbOGYhi5hFjY_mxu966QISZ2g/w400-h266/1659436470171.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jonathan and Nick in 2015</span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's rare to find friendships that are just based on the joy of </span><b style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">BEING</b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">. Often we think friendship must involve shared activities, beliefs, or life stages ... or that it requires seeing the friend a certain number of times a year ... or that we have to reciprocate invitations and pay back favours so everything is even. Some influencers even tell us -- especially in light of Covid, which has caused us to rethink a lot of our priorities -- that we should curate our friend lists to eliminate anyone who doesn't add value, who doesn't help make us The Best Version of Ourselves.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jonathan and Nick help remind me that none of that is essential to a good friendship. Just being together and delighting in one another is all that's required. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwSPkqvYbJ3HU7HoDyuhuQjN1d4Pre102mdeU5vqPY7MDuj6qMiEGMZSBKiY16bUx7vn-xJkRjApSvH79WlLEPfSMYRVJSkDYhm83-CTnVBXDkY5DMQIywieIPRG9IbIs8AIy8q5-wd8CJva7VwsSkWOlyQzO6OTdsiS3AGHU49BAZ-ZAU5Ae0-SNSQ/s400/be.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwSPkqvYbJ3HU7HoDyuhuQjN1d4Pre102mdeU5vqPY7MDuj6qMiEGMZSBKiY16bUx7vn-xJkRjApSvH79WlLEPfSMYRVJSkDYhm83-CTnVBXDkY5DMQIywieIPRG9IbIs8AIy8q5-wd8CJva7VwsSkWOlyQzO6OTdsiS3AGHU49BAZ-ZAU5Ae0-SNSQ/w400-h400/be.webp" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><br /></p></div>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-52176957350573278382022-06-06T11:18:00.000-04:002022-06-06T11:18:07.478-04:00Red Roads<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I haven't had anything published yet this year, so I was thrilled when <a href="https://www.dustpoetry.co.uk/issues/categories/issue-8" target="_blank">Dust Poetry</a> recently accepted my short poem "Red Roads." It appears in the latest issue and can be read <a href="https://www.dustpoetry.co.uk/post/red-roads-by-jeannie-prinsen" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> I suppose poetry shouldn't need additional commentary (especially commentary that's longer than the poem itself!), but I thought I'd explain the impetus for this piece.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Last summer I went to PEI with Errol. The first evening we were there, I walked from my aunt Sigga's house (where Errol was staying), back to Lincoln's apartment (where I was staying). Sigga pointed out a shortcut -- a small dirt road at the end of her street that would take me back to the main road. I think it's actually someone's private lane, though I didn't know that at the time!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY6z1RBXsmv_mGLSjO4sGi6Ym5Zdyx8w9Z7H6eL5IOH1Xa9TGOK04tb0jIB0T2XgDV4K3cmSxVgW7iOgLqDuFexHFL5azzzQjn0zJZSFMhnM1U7-182jlowvxRkdh1Lhgp0R0-H55XkHYPGNO0tk6G1fCSUtfisE6TcV_Nwp4Ii1OPh_ozRFzyGPw9A/s1080/red%20road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1080" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY6z1RBXsmv_mGLSjO4sGi6Ym5Zdyx8w9Z7H6eL5IOH1Xa9TGOK04tb0jIB0T2XgDV4K3cmSxVgW7iOgLqDuFexHFL5azzzQjn0zJZSFMhnM1U7-182jlowvxRkdh1Lhgp0R0-H55XkHYPGNO0tk6G1fCSUtfisE6TcV_Nwp4Ii1OPh_ozRFzyGPw9A/w400-h395/red%20road.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />A<span style="font-family: georgia;">s I walked along this narrow lane, seeing the trees bending overhead and the Queen Anne's lace growing along the side, I felt like I was home again. It wasn't the same as our "little road" in New Argyle but under the circumstances, it was a good substitute. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So this was what led me to write "Red Roads." <br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-64985042249495137352022-05-07T13:52:00.003-04:002022-05-29T11:26:35.499-04:00Five Minute Friday: BOTH<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ts4iqbA2S8tKrBbeJC3Z5vcpLE7lMU38GQZX6jIZTnTRPgG9__lZoN_OGYY2jf_gy95ZI2DVIJkUjSC1Qw5H-pt_-g6gxSQO-qcVFcMxmp48KMmEWB5a0DY_z5QI6Zh71cq5DllKv49bMg-8hBj5Er-2Yc2TSGxohQV3r02VyHPb0ipbctAyVh8A6A/s207/Screenshot%202022-04-26%2011.00.53.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="165" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ts4iqbA2S8tKrBbeJC3Z5vcpLE7lMU38GQZX6jIZTnTRPgG9__lZoN_OGYY2jf_gy95ZI2DVIJkUjSC1Qw5H-pt_-g6gxSQO-qcVFcMxmp48KMmEWB5a0DY_z5QI6Zh71cq5DllKv49bMg-8hBj5Er-2Yc2TSGxohQV3r02VyHPb0ipbctAyVh8A6A/s1600/Screenshot%202022-04-26%2011.00.53.png" width="165" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Two weeks ago today my dad died. Now both of my parents are gone.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Dad lived in a nursing home in Charlottetown for the past two and a half years. He had advanced kidney failure, so it was just a matter of a slow decline over the last year. I saw him in July 2021 when my brother Errol and I went to PEI for a week, and at that time he was still up in his chair every day, a little confused at times but still eager to see people. In March of this year he got Covid when an outbreak occurred at the nursing home. He wasn't terribly sick with it, but it may have added to his already weakening state. My brother Alan was with him and said Dad just slipped away quietly without distress or discomfort -- just the way he would have wanted to go. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The funeral was this past Friday. We spoke about the constancy of Dad's life -- his faith, his hard work, his humour, his devotion to his family. It seemed fitting to have both laughter and tears intermingled in the same moment. Dad had had a good life. He had loved and been loved. None of us had left anything unsaid or regretted.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">At the funeral I read aloud this poem called "The House by the Side of the Road" by Sam Walter Foss. I can't remember when I first read it, but it has always made me think of Dad and of his patient acceptance of both the good and bad of life. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span>The House
by the Side of the Road</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>by Sam Walter Foss
(1858-1911)</span><span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>There are hermit souls that live withdrawn<br />
In the place of their self-content;<br />
There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart,<br />
In a fellowless firmament;<br />
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths<br />
Where highways never ran;<br />
But let me live by the side of the road<br />
And be a friend to man.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Let me live in a house by the side of the road,<br />
Where the race of men go by – <br />
The men who are good and the men who are bad,<br />
As good and as bad as I.<br />
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat,<br />
Or hurl the cynic’s ban;<br />
Let me live in a house by the side of the road<br />
And be a friend to man.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>I see from my house by the side of the road,<br />
By the side of the highway of life,<br />
The men who press with the ardor of hope,<br />
The men who are faint with the strife.<br />
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears – <br />
Both parts of an infinite plan;<br />
Let me live in my house by the side of the road<br />
And be a friend to man.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead<br />
And mountains of wearisome height;<br />
That the road passes on through the long afternoon<br />
And stretches away to the night.<br />
But still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice,<br />
And weep with the strangers that moan,<br />
Nor live in my house by the side of the road<br />
Like a man who dwells alone.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Let me live in my house by the side of the road<br />
Where the race of men go by – <br />
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,<br />
Wise, foolish – so am I.<br />
Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat<br />
Or hurl the cynic’s ban?<br />
Let me live in my house by the side of the road<br />
And be a friend to man.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> _____________________________________ </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 42.24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Linking up today with the <b>Five Minute Friday</b> writing community, writing about the word <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2022/05/05/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-both/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-both" target="_blank"><i><b>BOTH</b></i></a>. <br /></span></span></span></p>
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Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<![endif]--> <br /></span></span></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-55012572708277371902022-02-22T12:23:00.011-05:002022-05-29T06:57:34.498-04:00Family Day update<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZqXLcD3LvNCH83vFkTj-kvoix-NY1RjgSAhsqkg9ewqiMW5vCI4hiHqQqR__eHgxFjRjzI6HnFKafh4XBGcQaD9uiN1433fIQNgy34WcqAE-UW64HVhXEVIsW4VRsyPn8RDS5PxnTXe_oi1OCDzkiL9LwTpYgdaz_fm73AYaulS7C4k7L8u8tYSDk2g=s244" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="244" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZqXLcD3LvNCH83vFkTj-kvoix-NY1RjgSAhsqkg9ewqiMW5vCI4hiHqQqR__eHgxFjRjzI6HnFKafh4XBGcQaD9uiN1433fIQNgy34WcqAE-UW64HVhXEVIsW4VRsyPn8RDS5PxnTXe_oi1OCDzkiL9LwTpYgdaz_fm73AYaulS7C4k7L8u8tYSDk2g=w400-h338" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Family Day is the first holiday so far this year (after New Year's Day, of course), and I thought this might be a good time for a family update.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On January 10 Richard was out running down by the Kingston waterfront, slipped on a patch of ice that was hidden by a newly-fallen dusting of snow, and fell. His left foot/ankle was extremely swollen and sore and he couldn't walk, so he had to text me to pick him up in the car. At first he thought/hoped it was just a bad sprain, but X-rays the next day revealed he had a broken fibula: that's the thinner of the two bones in the lower leg. He was fortunate enough to get an orthopedic clinic appointment a couple of days later, and at that appointment, further X-rays showed he'd need surgery on the leg. He had surgery on January 16 and has to avoid weight-bearing on the affected leg for six weeks (so of course no work). His next appointment is Monday, which is seven weeks after the injury and six weeks after surgery; he's hopeful that he'll be able to start putting weight on his leg soon and can gradually segue back into work and other activities.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the meantime he's been hobbling around on crutches. For the first two weeks after surgery he couldn't go outside <i>at all </i>because of all the snow and ice -- and for an active, athletic person that is not easy. We bought some crutch spikes (they attach to the bottom of the crutch and flip down and up as needed), which have enabled him to get outside for walks. Rich is trying to look at this as a temporary setback and be grateful that it wasn't any worse.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our household routine has had to change somewhat of course because of Rich's injury. He can't help a lot with Jonathan's stuff, so I've taken over that, and he can't drive because our car is a standard, so driving, groceries, etc. have become my responsibility. But we're managing OK. Neighbours and friends have helped with some snow-blowing and shoveling and have dropped off some meals, which have been very welcome. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's Reading Week right now, so Allison has a break from her Queen's classes. They've been all online so far this term, but next week students return to (mostly) in-person learning, so she'll be heading off to campus for two of her three courses. Oddly, two of them occur back-to-back on the same day, which was fine when both were online -- but now one's on campus and the one immediately following is remaining online, so she'll have to dash home to join her Zoom class or figure out some other arrangement. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jonathan is doing great. After all the struggles with his seizures this past summer and fall, he is now three months seizure-free. He has a new neurologist; the pediatric neurologist he'd been seeing retired, and Jonathan has outgrown pediatric services anyway -- so it was good timing to get settled with a new doctor. She seems extremely nice so we're happy to have that transition completed. Jonathan has been enjoying school and also some extra respite times on Saturdays and Sundays with his former EA, Dylan, who has helped us out a bit more since Richard's injury.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I've been working away on my online course and doing a bit of freelance copyediting as well. This is my last semester instructing the course, so every time I mark an assignment or compose a course announcement I find myself thinking, "This is the last time I'll do this." But it feels right, and I'm ready for the change and whatever it brings.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbn05kta2ZAjhxKLHZoy_QHCdDhW7nsPVv0fJrnTC0QXIdkBGRRcCeVJBAAmFKmOij_Ye_GvJMDoMlbOX-Jv6ZaQpaBPwRPQWsR0mWkUxbbShhgkwx0aOyH-9sEetA12od65kdPi2SEA-Knu67L32R7XybF_HqGH4V5GgP1WhYpQDjgli51kC7A4pVAQ=s1600" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbn05kta2ZAjhxKLHZoy_QHCdDhW7nsPVv0fJrnTC0QXIdkBGRRcCeVJBAAmFKmOij_Ye_GvJMDoMlbOX-Jv6ZaQpaBPwRPQWsR0mWkUxbbShhgkwx0aOyH-9sEetA12od65kdPi2SEA-Knu67L32R7XybF_HqGH4V5GgP1WhYpQDjgli51kC7A4pVAQ=w200-h150" width="200" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With all our free evenings we've been watching a lot of TV series, and thoroughly enjoyed <i>The Durrells in Corfu</i>. This 4-season series is based on a real-life family who moved from London to the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s. It's perfect winter viewing: lovely warm scenery, interesting characters, and the right mix of hilarious and touching. If you're looking for something to watch, give it a try!</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> I've also been reading some good books, mostly memoir/nonfiction: </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Unprotected-Memoir-Billy-Porter/dp/1419746197" target="_blank"><i>Unprotected</i></a> by Billy Porter </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/No-Cure-Being-Human-Truths/dp/0593230779/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NQTJ07LTGDB5&keywords=no+cure+for+being+human&qid=1645549843&s=books&sprefix=no+cure+for%2Cstripbooks%2C254&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i>No Cure for Being Human</i></a> by Kate Bowler <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Once-More-We-Saw-Stars/dp/1524733539/ref=sr_1_1?crid=17X0WM59BPB8N&keywords=once+more+we+saw+stars&qid=1645549869&sprefix=once+more+we+saw%2Caps%2C288&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>Once More We Saw Stars</i></a> by Jayson Greene</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Sacred-Pulse-Rhythms-Overwhelmed-Souls/dp/1506469086/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RF73NV4VB7VQ&keywords=sacred+pulse&qid=1645549913&sprefix=sacred+puls%2Caps%2C259&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>The Sacred Pulse</i></a> by April Fiet (I was an early reader for this lovely book and even appear in the acknowledgements!)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Events in Ottawa with the trucker convoy have occupied a lot of our attention over the past month. We're coming to see how this protest (which might have <i>some</i> legitimate origins like concern over people's livelihoods in the face of vaccine mandates) morphed into a full-scale occupation that terrorized neighbourhoods, forced businesses to close out of concern for safety (how ironic), and drew racist and insurrectionist elements out of the woodwork. We really need to stay focused on our priorities as a country (ensuring the well-being of citizens and helping those who are truly disadvantaged, whether because of necessary Covid rules or for some other reason) and not let right-wing agitators take any deeper root than they already have.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This Family Day holiday is a good reminder to be grateful for our smaller circles of loved ones but also to realize how much we owe the broader community of which we're a part.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-8137064968396825122021-12-21T11:00:00.009-05:002021-12-29T07:22:29.568-05:00Merry Christmas 2021 - from our house to yours<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxVk2KCDb4M04XdCPTx61GsZOp_9JxV1-Oy0BFWbyljXRVzXV4Ep4HpWWBTfJyCakz0NCO5WYJ9UDaibmk-X6V5k-Q65NvIvmm4L3VR4IVjYxzt94z0btEfR02qEzbK1zoi_0NV4tBB8qFGxVloXJntdSfFpC_NJaz87SO0YO0SzkiN3iljmv9ptDKEQ=s2016" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxVk2KCDb4M04XdCPTx61GsZOp_9JxV1-Oy0BFWbyljXRVzXV4Ep4HpWWBTfJyCakz0NCO5WYJ9UDaibmk-X6V5k-Q65NvIvmm4L3VR4IVjYxzt94z0btEfR02qEzbK1zoi_0NV4tBB8qFGxVloXJntdSfFpC_NJaz87SO0YO0SzkiN3iljmv9ptDKEQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Dear friends and family:</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This time last year most of us thought that by now we'd be <i>reminiscing </i>about Covid-19 ("Wow, wasn't that an incredible time?"), not talking about it as a real and present threat. But here we are. It's affected and dictated so much of our lives these past two years. We can take comfort, I suppose, in the fact that (despite experiencing it differently depending on our circumstances) we really are all in it together.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I wanted to share a little bit about what's been going on in our lives this past year. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjen3Yq6_SGil_K4hsZePZZFRZ-AALRNPNRDBkQRci3xa5_xiF4r6lE5lElufjbZl-dUbb6f-lCyg-6D9uNLbpksU2bWYnnf4_8GTuAWUsb4DkM5abLU9-Uutv2XprOs8fsFaBgc1opxYbz5JqeYs2flBdzPYGhMXp6-KNjz61a-ZhqTKVtMJMs-cNpA=s953" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="782" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjen3Yq6_SGil_K4hsZePZZFRZ-AALRNPNRDBkQRci3xa5_xiF4r6lE5lElufjbZl-dUbb6f-lCyg-6D9uNLbpksU2bWYnnf4_8GTuAWUsb4DkM5abLU9-Uutv2XprOs8fsFaBgc1opxYbz5JqeYs2flBdzPYGhMXp6-KNjz61a-ZhqTKVtMJMs-cNpA=w164-h200" width="164" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Jonathan </b>turned 19 in September. He has coped amazingly well with the changes and disruptions Covid has caused. He's actually been fortunate because when schools closed in January and April, he was able to keep attending because the province made provision for special needs students to go in-person. His School-to-Community class was the only class in the brand-new Kingston Secondary School for a lot of the time this past winter. Jonathan loved going to school and being with his crew of friends. He was also able to attend Extend-a-Family day camp for six weeks this summer, giving some normalcy to his summer break. Jonathan is a tall, busy guy who loves watching garbage truck videos on his iPad, sorting the recycling, and adjusting neighbours' shovels and brooms on their porches.</span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The last six months have been a time of concern for us with Jonathan's seizures. They've been fairly well contained with meds for the past few years; normally he'd have maybe 2 or 3 seizures a year. But since June he has had about 17. One involved a trip to the Emergency Department after he fell during a seizure at school and hit his head hard on the floor. He was fine, but it's meant a lot of time working with his doctor to adjust his medications and try to get the right combination. He's now been seizure-free for four weeks, so we're hopeful. In January he will transition from pediatric neurology to adult neurology; this means meeting a new doctor who will take over his care. The pediatric neurologist has been very helpful, but he really needs adult services now and we've been waiting quite a while for this transfer to take place.<br /></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhewDvwAdnhgq6-y4nCvWdYlj17CtWvxXysdrORWScdeNqa_y9p72BYT5k7YzmhSo196fY1cGOuA44fqIJpVEOjZWoixE0oPK37xISn5-CSaTHV2Fn0mMgjOHE3-DOj9jaICiDu2D91A5BlzK8Qi0bhz9HSkBv9UC1erf3tBNkFGeWPI9thQfOotY4d-w=s876" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhewDvwAdnhgq6-y4nCvWdYlj17CtWvxXysdrORWScdeNqa_y9p72BYT5k7YzmhSo196fY1cGOuA44fqIJpVEOjZWoixE0oPK37xISn5-CSaTHV2Fn0mMgjOHE3-DOj9jaICiDu2D91A5BlzK8Qi0bhz9HSkBv9UC1erf3tBNkFGeWPI9thQfOotY4d-w=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Allison </b>is 23 now and well into her Queen's degree work in Linguistics. She has really found her niche with this area of study. Last winter she took three online linguistics courses; this fall she took two online language courses and an on-campus course. Queen's is going online for at least the first half of the Winter 2022 term because of Covid, so she'll be back to all-online again. Allison has adjusted well to all the disruptions and has worked diligently on her courses. In her free time she's enjoyed outings with her social club, reading, playing games, and going for walks.</span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh04S7u3xIpsii6ZLlFcjAiX96R12yJcTKx1Xj8lqBubsnQ2CYgXlbAhvW9XBDZZeKXyWvD7i_HBBTCI5GMsCbWPu1noytlH2a6AYEZOu6vz7UavsaxndVdx4Hu1l-3aT-U7G2i9onTnDYSMYMAVpsAm-dkLJ4li0cdz3w2HDsVHo1x7DKv6vinavxpZw=s1256" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1031" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh04S7u3xIpsii6ZLlFcjAiX96R12yJcTKx1Xj8lqBubsnQ2CYgXlbAhvW9XBDZZeKXyWvD7i_HBBTCI5GMsCbWPu1noytlH2a6AYEZOu6vz7UavsaxndVdx4Hu1l-3aT-U7G2i9onTnDYSMYMAVpsAm-dkLJ4li0cdz3w2HDsVHo1x7DKv6vinavxpZw=w164-h200" width="164" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>Richard </b>continues to work as a nurse at Kingston General Hospital, although for two months this spring he was redeployed to Hotel Dieu Hospital while KGH was making changes to accommodate Covid patients from out-of-area. He enjoyed this temporary change but is now back to his regular position in Orthopedics. Most of Rich's sports and volunteer opportunities have been put on hold due to Covid, but this fall he enjoyed running and volunteering on Saturday mornings with Parkrun, an organization that holds non-competitive 5k runs on Saturdays all over the world. He's also made a point of getting together regularly with a fellow from church for a little informal baseball. (Jonathan enjoys these outings as well, especially picking up all the balls that have been hit into the outfield.)</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOVuJEIJhm_hAwd6MdtcVrjol8Zy72OFGcgmeJQUtssg3CaPr-okeK51xhP3WvzyJaJsa1hxAetSxBz9_LwDNCYJPlIXoZjHPaUFx-VBuICZ6YnHGhaezmidNUgoGgBYx9paskc2Nb4szichQfoibwLDztyrAXZg-lZKmtt4_ZqVKNzFN6hnSaQ9CCMA=s2048" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1475" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOVuJEIJhm_hAwd6MdtcVrjol8Zy72OFGcgmeJQUtssg3CaPr-okeK51xhP3WvzyJaJsa1hxAetSxBz9_LwDNCYJPlIXoZjHPaUFx-VBuICZ6YnHGhaezmidNUgoGgBYx9paskc2Nb4szichQfoibwLDztyrAXZg-lZKmtt4_ZqVKNzFN6hnSaQ9CCMA=w144-h200" width="144" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I (<b>Jeannie</b>) have continued working as an online instructor at Queen's, although I'll be phasing that out next spring; I'm feeling it's time to dial back my university work and do something different. I recently started working as a copyeditor for a local news organization and while that's been sporadic so far, I really enjoy it.</span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I was glad to be able to go to PEI this summer and see Dad. I had not seen him since August 2019 (at which time he was in the hospital and hadn't even moved yet to the nursing home where he lives now). Though we didn't go to the Island as a family, my brother Errol and I went down in July for a week; I was grateful for this opportunity to see Dad and my brother Lincoln and other relatives. Dad is not <i>well</i>, but he is holding his own, always calm and stoic and accepting of what life brings. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Other big news for me was that I had a second eye surgery earlier this month to improve my double vision. I'd had one surgery (on my inner eye muscles) in Sept. 2019, and there was some improvement but it didn't last. This time the surgeon tightened my outer eye muscles (I know: ewww, right?). It's only been a couple of weeks but it seems to have made a really significant improvement so far. So I'm grateful to have been able to get that done.<br /></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I had three publications this year: </span></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My short story <a href="http://reckonreview.com/end-of-october/" target="_blank">"End of October"</a> was published at <i>Reckon Review</i></span></span></li><li><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My poem <a href="https://voidspacezine.com/mary-jeannie-prinsen/" target="_blank">"Mary"</a> was published at <i>Voidspace</i> (it's based on Mary's Magnificat and was a response to the journal's challenge to write a poem using only the letters in "Merry Christmas")</span></span></li><li><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My poem <a href="https://www.kfpl.ca/programs-and-events/the-poetry-blackboard/2021/08/03/gazing-upward-at-night-with-chesterton" target="_blank">"Gazing upward at night, with Chesterton"</a> was posted on the local library's <i>Poetry Blackboard</i> as part of our Poet Laureate's "Joy Journal" series. </span></span></li></ul><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It has not been the most creatively productive time for me during Covid, but I have done some good reading (<a href="http://prinsenhouse.blogspot.com/2021/12/my-year-of-reading-2021-edition.html" target="_blank">see my end-of-year book post HERE</a>) and have watched some excellent TV series including <i>Poldark</i>, <i>Victoria, Sanditon,</i> <i>Cranford</i>, <i>Wives & Daughters</i>, <i>Schitts' Creek</i>, and <i>Belgravia</i>. I've found it so relaxing just to just sit down in the evening, enter into the lives of fictional characters, and forget about Covid for an hour. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> As it stands now, Kingston is not doing great with Covid. After having an amazingly low case count for a year and a half, our city's seen a big rise in numbers in the last few weeks as a result of the Omicron variant. Richard and I have already had our booster shots; the kids will get theirs on Boxing Day. We just continue trying to live as wisely and safely as possible, staying home when we can, and following the protocols. But I can't deny that there's kind of an ominous pall over everything right now that makes it hard to get into "the Christmas spirit."<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Still, I was thinking about these lines from </span></span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>How The Grinch Stole Christma</i></span></span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>s</i>:</span></span></span></p><p><i><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He couldn't stop Christmas from coming: it came!<br />Somehow or other, it came just the same.</span></span></i></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Despite the uncertainty and tragedy in our world right now -- and really, when has there ever been a time in history that there was <i>no </i>uncertainty and tragedy? -- Christmas comes. Christmas comes because Jesus comes. As the carol says, <i>"He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found." </i></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">No matter what your religious celebrations and observances may be -- or if you have none at all -- may we experience peace, friendship, and hope this season and in 2022, and may we do all in our power to ensure that others experience them too. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Thank you for being a part of our lives.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jeannie, Richard, Allison, and Jonathan</span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-74739545017037642592021-12-21T10:59:00.009-05:002022-12-18T14:49:50.245-05:00My year of reading - 2021 edition <p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi38RoC8a3KWVDFQd6B4Om5D2GH4dU0hRm9ifThmrhFkoUQhRjM2oKEhoDQ259L5nfprFPw7tjmYatgDbLQi28DzAWJPHS_KMhUfD-c3yfkNXvoJLBQ_--FBA8oG_q821LgRqZRywL2ZXBEumbX7P9BT0JhPSZfKbUo4NBuQyZVQYgrQHzgBn4sW2A6Yw=s274" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="274" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi38RoC8a3KWVDFQd6B4Om5D2GH4dU0hRm9ifThmrhFkoUQhRjM2oKEhoDQ259L5nfprFPw7tjmYatgDbLQi28DzAWJPHS_KMhUfD-c3yfkNXvoJLBQ_--FBA8oG_q821LgRqZRywL2ZXBEumbX7P9BT0JhPSZfKbUo4NBuQyZVQYgrQHzgBn4sW2A6Yw=w400-h269" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's time for my end-of-year list of all the books I've read in the past year, with mini-reviews. I'm not going to star them this time; sometimes I have a hard time deciding between a 4 and a 5, and I'm pretty sure you'll be able to tell from my descriptions what I thought of the book. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Note that I've broken up the nonfiction section thematically since so many of the books I read were clustered by theme.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">NONFICTION </span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">RACE AND JUSTICE:</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents</b> by Isabel Wilkerson. <br />I think this was the first book I read in 2021, and I honestly have not stopped thinking about it. Wilkerson talks about how the concept of <i>caste </i>puts people in a hierarchy so that every aspect of their lives is judged to legitimize where they've been placed. She describes caste with this memorable image: <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">"As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance." Wilkerson applies the concept of caste to three major groups -- Black people in America, the Untouchables in India, and Jews in Nazi Germany -- to explain how it functions. An incredible, thought-provoking, beautifully written book.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>How to Be an Antiracist</b> by Ibram X Kendi. <br />This has been one of the "everyone's talking about it" books for the past two years, and it is so interesting. It's part memoir, part theory: Kendi describes experiences and stages in his own life to illustrate his changing views of racism and the development of his antiracist model. For Kendi, racism is a system composed of racist inequities, racist policies (which create and entrench the inequities), and racist ideas (which justify the inequities). I learned a lot from this book and am eager to read his previous one, <b>Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice </b>by Jemar Tisby. <br />Tisby is a history professor and author of <b>The Color of Compromise</b> (which I read last year and which details the tendency of the American Christian church to compromise with racism at so many points in its history). In this second book he gives practical suggestions for readers to combat racism in their own spheres, using a model called ARC: <b>A</b>wareness, <b>R</b>elationships, and <b>C</b>ommitment.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism</b> by Amber Ruffin. <br />In this book, Ruffin (who writes and presents on Seth Meyers' late-night show) talks about the experiences her sister Lacey Lamar has had living as a Black woman in Nebraska: weird comments, microaggressions, bizarre assumptions about Black people, etc. It's not exactly a <i>well-written</i> book -- it's really more like a standup routine and might have benefited from a few more rounds with an editor's pencil -- but it's funny and shocking. It definitely lives up to its title: many of the things that happen to Lacey are likely unbelievable to a white person but all too familiar to Black Americans.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption</b> by Bryan Stephenson.<br />This memoir (which was also made into a movie, though I haven't seen it) is about Stephenson's work as a lawyer in the South seeking justice for (primarily Black) clients who have been wrongly accused or convicted, who are sentenced to life imprisonment as children, or who are languishing in the system without proper representation. The book lays bare the injustice and inequity in the American legal system, but Stephenson's compassionate efforts and the supportive communities that rallied behind many of his clients are inspiring. Excellent book.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States</b> by Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead. <br />This book by two sociologists focuses on Christian nationalism: the belief that the US is a Christian nation and that the entire social order must be structured around that reality. It goes into a lot of detail about how Americans' opinions on issues like immigration and refugees, gun control, etc. are shaped by a Christian nationalist mindset. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">GENDER AND FAITH:</span></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation </b>by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. <br />Wow. This one was a lot to take in. Du Mez is a historian, and she presents in convincing detail a history of the role "militant masculinity" has played in white American evangelical Christianity. Adopting masculine heroes that are more cultural than Biblical, evangelicals have fashioned a view of masculinity based on violence, authoritarianism, conservative values, and resistance to women's and LGBTQIA rights. A very eye-opening book.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth</b> by Beth Allison Barr.<br />Another really good historical analysis. Here Barr discusses how </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">in every stage of Christian history (early church, middle ages, Reformation, Bible translation, etc.), women's voices have been edged out or the focus shifted to marriage, motherhood, and homemaking as women's proper (only) sphere. </span></span> Yet parallel to that she also reveals</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"> an amazing, influential history of Christian women leading, teaching, and preaching in the face of constant efforts (by church, broader culture, or both) to thwart them. Really a worthwhile read.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians </b>by Austen Hartke.<br />This is a very interesting, accessible and much-needed book. Hartke, a trans man, addresses many Scripture passages and real-life stories in order to help readers understand transgender issues in relation to faith and inclusive Christian community.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHRISTIAN LIFE:</span></span></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Love Matters More: How Fighting To Be Right Keeps Us From Loving Like Jesus</b> by Jared Byas.<br />This is a book about love and truth. Byas talks about how our well-intended efforts to "speak the truth in love" often fail because we forget that we don't have the absolute truth, or we mix shame and judgment in with the truth and end up failing to love. He reminds us that wisdom is a higher form of truth than certainty and that humility is essential to all of our efforts to convey truth. I really enjoyed this one.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Wholehearted Faith</b> by Rachel Held Evans (with Jeff Chu).<br />When Evans died in 2019 at the age of 38, she was in the middle of writing this book. Her husband asked close friend Jeff Chu to finish it; the result is this warm, encouraging book of essays. Evans reflects on women in Scripture and in her own life who said yes to God; she shares her own doubts and encourages readers to embrace questioning rather than certainty; she talks about letting ourselves be vulnerable; she (very poignantly, now) meditates on death and resurrection; and she constantly reminds us of the compelling beauty of the story of Jesus. There's such a sense of settled peace in this book; it's a real gift. But it's also so sad to think that this is the last book of hers we'll read. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">AUTISM AND DISABILITY:</span></span></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>On the Spectrum: Autism, Faith & the Gifts of Neurodiversity</b> by Daniel Bowman, Jr.<br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span>In
this memoir-in-essays, Bowman first talks about receiving an autism
diagnosis in 2015 after experiencing serious depressive episodes and
meltdowns that drove him and his wife to separate. This diagnosis
explained his lifelong sense of not fitting in and gave him a new
narrative for his life. Then in short, evocative essays, he
discusses many different issues and themes, all through the lens of
being an autistic person: reading and writing poetry, teaching,
volunteering at an arts community, choosing NOT to volunteer for church
service, riding his motorcycle, being a husband and parent, crying,
autistic representation, and more. Of great interest, as well, are three
interviews Bowman has done with people who reached out to know more
about his life and about autism. There is so much packed into
this book: it's one man's life, but it's also a meditation on art,
community, faith, and neurodiversity. Beautiful and moving.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation</b> by Eric Garcia.<br />In this book, autistic journalist Garcia gives an overview of the current landscape of autism in America. There's a chapter on education and academic accommodations, one on housing, one on love and relationships, one on work and employment, etc. In each chapter he explains some details of his own life as an autistic person navigating this particular area, introduces us to the experiences and insights of other autistics, and explores some of the historical background and policies that affect how autistic people function in and contribute to society. The structure is really interesting, and Garcia conveys a lot of information while also debunking myths and stereotypes about autism.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>Blind Man's Bluff </b>by James Tate Hill.<br />Very engrossing memoir about Hill's loss of vision (due to a hereditary eye disease) at age 16 and how he essentially tried to hide his blindness from the world for 15 years, with results that are both funny and sad. Really liked this.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>Diary of a Young Naturalist</b> by Dara McAnulty. <br />This unique, delightful book covers a year in the life of 15-year-old McAnulty, an autistic Irish teenager. In his diary entries he describes his passion for and knowledge about the natural world, his conservationist efforts, and his everyday life with his family and at school. He is an incredible writer whose joy in nature is infectious. "</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The night crackles as the storm of flitting [moths] moves off. We jump up and
down and hug each other, tension leaking out. We chat and look at the
sky, sparkling with Orion, Seven Sisters and the Plough. This is us,
standing here. All the best part of us, and another moment etched in our
memories, to be invited back and relived in conversations for years to
come. Remember that night, when fluttering stars calmed a storm in all
of us."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> MEMOIR, AUTOBIOGRAPHY, ESSAYS:</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>We Are All Perfectly Fine: A Memoir of Love, Medicine and Healing</b> by Jillian Horton. <br />This is an excellent memoir that centers on a retreat Horton attended for burned-out doctors. She was skeptical at first about what a weekend retreat could do to alleviate her sense of exhaustion and despair. But as she and the other doctors opened up to one another they were able to help each other let go of guilt, practice compassion for themselves and others, and acknowledge that the medical profession itself is set up in a way that fosters stress and burnout. Very moving book; I loved it.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Big Reader: Essays</b> by Susan Olding.<br />In this beautiful book of essays, Olding shows how beloved books can help us make sense of life experiences and memories. She writes of her mother's vision loss (and accompanying inability to read), the breakup of her marriage, her attempts to connect with the daughter of her new husband, and more -- revealing how the books and stories we read can also, in a sense, end up reading <i>our </i>lives. Olding is such a wonderful writer.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life </b>by Alex Trebek.<br />This book by the late <i>Jeopardy </i>host is not really a sustained autobiography so much as a series of snapshots of different stages of his life, from childhood right through to his work on <i>Jeopardy</i>. It answers many questions fans might have about his life and work and is quite entertaining and upbeat.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">POETRY</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I read a few very good collections of poetry this year: </span></span></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Ways We Vanish</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> by Todd Dillard </span></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Last Bridge is Home</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> by Rodd Whelpley </span></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And Drought Will Follow</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> by Lee Potts</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>Late</i> <i>Summer</i> <i>Flowers</i> by Julian Day</span></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The Tradition</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> by Jericho Brown </span></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Good Bones</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> and </span><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Goldenrod </i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">by Maggie Smith</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I tend to discover a lot of individual poems on Twitter, but I really need to read more collections.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>FICTION</b><br /> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><br /><b>The Midnight Library</b> by Matt Haig.<br />In this fantasy novel, a young woman named Nora, brought to despair by personal failures and regrets, is considering ending her own life. Then she finds herself in the Midnight Library, which is full of books telling the stories of other lives she might have lived if she had made different choices. Nora is given the opportunity to try some of these lives and see if she can find one that would make her happier than her real life has. This novel is kind of a cross between <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i> and <i>Choose Your Own Adventure</i>. I loved it.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>The Hate U Give</b> by Angie Thomas.<br />This book (also an excellent movie) is about Starr, a Black teenager feeling pulled between the relatively poor neighbourhood where her family lives and the mostly-white prep school she attends. When her childhood friend is killed by police in a traffic stop as she looks on, Starr's life becomes even more complicated; she has to testify before a grand jury and decide how to use her voice to contribute to change. I think this book (and movie) should be required reading/viewing for anyone wanting to understand the complexities of the Black experience in America.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>Ross Poldark </b>by Winston Graham.<br />This is the first in Graham's 12-novel<i> Poldark </i>series about a man who returns to Cornwall, England after fighting in the Revolutionary War, only to find his father dead, his estate in shambles, and his childhood sweetheart engaged to his cousin. I read it because I watched the entire <i>Poldark </i>TV series this year and absolutely loved it. The book was good, and I enjoyed it, but I haven't yet made a point of reading any of the other novels in the series. If you haven't watched <i>Poldark</i>, you should -- it's so good.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>Jayber Crow</b> by Wendell Berry.<br />This is a beautiful novel, similar in tone and style to Berry's <i>Hannah Coulter</i>, which I read a couple of years ago. Like that book, <i>Jayber Crow</i> reads more like a memoir than a novel. After losing his parents and then the surrogate parents who raised him, Jayber leaves home for the big city but then returns to become the barber in his small hometown of Port William (a fictional Kentucky town). He reflects on his work there, his interactions with the townspeople, and especially his love for a young woman who marries an undeserving man. This novel is poignant and lovely.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><b>Jack</b> by Marilynne Robinson. <br />This is the fourth novel in Robinson's <i>Gilead </i>sequence, after<i> Gilead </i>(Rev. John Ames' letter to his young son), <i>Home</i> (about Ames' friend Rev. Robert Boughton, his daughter Glory, and his ne'er-do-well son Jack), and <i>Lila</i> (about Ames' wife). <i>Jack </i>is essentially about Jack Boughton's relationship with his Black lover, Della. Frankly, I found this book really, really tiresome. It begins with <i>75 pages of dialogue</i> between Jack and Della. I pushed through because Robinson is a gifted writer and I hoped for an ultimate payoff -- but Jack's arch, pathetic tone, his self-recriminations and self-justifications, were just too much. There were moments where I sympathized with his pitiful attempts to become a respectable man, and I'm certain there's some deep spiritual message in this prodigal son narrative -- but overall the reading experience for me was tedious. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span> </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><i>Well! </i>Sorry to end on a bit of a downer note with that last one. But overall this was another good year of reading for me. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span>I hope my list gives you some good ideas for your own reading in 2022. </span></span></span></span>I'd love to hear your thoughts below in the comments: whether you've read any of these books, agreed or disagreed with my assessment of them, have other books to recommend, or whatever. <br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="cr-widget-FocalReviews" data-hook="cr-widget-FocalReviews"><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><span><br /> </span></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-9244542866233374692021-12-04T13:17:00.005-05:002021-12-04T13:48:54.842-05:00Five Minute Friday: EXPECTATION<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Today I'm linking up with the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2021/12/02/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-expectation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-expectation" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday </a>community, writing for five minutes on a given prompt.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This week's word is</span> <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>EXPECTATION</b></i></span>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fnjK8Jpyf-Q/Yaup82X_GLI/AAAAAAAAFOg/qAAQnjaKnf0xXVPk951WMnhMLMfpEWpLACNcBGAsYHQ/s828/expectation.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="244" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fnjK8Jpyf-Q/Yaup82X_GLI/AAAAAAAAFOg/qAAQnjaKnf0xXVPk951WMnhMLMfpEWpLACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h244/expectation.webp" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">One thing the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us is to hold our expectations lightly. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Something hopeful in us urges us to make plans, so we do -- but there's always some kind of caveat, spoken or unspoken, in the background, like </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">"Assuming we don't have new pandemic guidelines." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">"If things don't change in the meantime." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">"As long as we're still allowed to do that kind of thing." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">"We might feel differently when it gets closer to the time." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The certainty we used to have about how things will work out is a lot more tenuous now. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We're approaching a second Covid Christmas. (Who would have expected <i>that</i>, a year ago?) Christmas comes with its own special set of expectations around socializing, gift-giving, travel, church ... it can feel overwhelming at the best of times.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This year I think one of the best gifts we
can give each other, and ourselves, is the gift of lightly-held
expectations. After all, any sense of control we had was an illusion --
surely Covid's taught us that too. <br /><br />It's hard to accept changed traditions and scaled-back or abandoned plans. But in a way, I think we honour those who have suffered from or lost loved ones to this awful virus, and those working tirelessly to protect us from it, if we stop assuming our plans have to be perfectly executed and just acknowledge that we can't do it all, have it all, be all things to all people. It's OK to release our grip on expectations. And the truth is, other people may not be at all disappointed in us when we do -- they're often relieved and grateful. Sometimes the expectations are really all in our own minds.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Today I was reading this Bible passage:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><i><span class="text Gal-4-4" id="en-ESV-29119">"When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, </span><span class="text Gal-4-4" id="en-ESV-29119"><br />born of woman, born under the law, </span></i></b><span class="text Gal-4-5" id="en-ESV-29120"><b><i><br />to redeem those who were under the law,<br /> so that we might receive adoption as his children."</i></b> <br />Galatians 4:4-5</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span class="text Gal-4-5" id="en-ESV-29120">Isn't "the fullness of time" a beautiful phrase? God's plan unfolding just as it should, when it should. Expectations fulfilled at just the right juncture in history.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span class="text Gal-4-5" id="en-ESV-29120">In this Advent season, let's hold our expectations lightly ... and our hope tightly.<br /></span></span></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-4921026231452161772021-11-21T08:44:00.003-05:002021-11-21T09:05:32.645-05:00Five Minute Friday: HIDE<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today I'm linking up with the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2021/11/18/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-hide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-hide" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday community</a>, writing for five minutes on a given prompt. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This week's word is <span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>HIDE</i></b></span>.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fYcLYiMpoZI/YZpMlWmln6I/AAAAAAAAFN8/nQAitcYKrZQxPTi8GJ6fgKkHNTbXPLWOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s273/masks%2Bcrowd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="273" height="271" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fYcLYiMpoZI/YZpMlWmln6I/AAAAAAAAFN8/nQAitcYKrZQxPTi8GJ6fgKkHNTbXPLWOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h271/masks%2Bcrowd.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">image CBC.ca</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The other day I went for a walk, and on my way home I met a woman walking a dog. I didn't realize until we got closer that it was a woman I knew from church: not a close friend, but someone I'd always found very easy to talk to and have had good conversations with. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She said with a big smile, "How are you?" and I said, "Well, to be honest..." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We stood there for about ten minutes, talking. I told her how tough it's been these past few months with Jonathan's seizures -- how he has gone from having 2 or 3 a year to having 15 in the past five months, and how he fell during a seizure at school this week and was taken to the emergency department by ambulance. He is fine, with no serious aftereffects of his fall, and his doctor is working with us trying to get the right combination of medication to control the seizures. But it's been very stressful.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So I told her all this. Then we segued into talking about what our kids were up to in general, church stuff, how we were handling Covid, etc.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When we parted ways, she said, "It's good to actually TALK to people, to tell them our s**t when they ask us how we're doing."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She's right. It's a real temptation to just hide our stress and anxiety behind a casual "I'm fine." To be honest, sometimes that's what the other person expects anyway; they meant "How are you" as a pleasantry and weren't expecting a full report. But in this case I took the chance because I knew this woman would be interested, and we had a really life-giving conversation. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Covid-19 has been isolating; following distancing protocols is appropriate, of course, but on a deeper level we can easily get in the habit of hiding in our homes and behind our masks. Taking the time to ask someone how they're really doing, and answering honestly when we're asked, takes some of that isolation away.</span></span></p><p><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-844877202955714152021-06-02T14:08:00.008-04:002021-06-03T06:40:35.833-04:00The opposite of love <p> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The other day <a href="https://twitter.com/JeanniePrinsen/status/1399782763742601228?s=20" target="_blank">I tweeted the following</a>:</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqXFpZbVdwU/YLe1jLo-5yI/AAAAAAAAFKE/EA4GXOSDWhcxNOwe60rCqF0ILN32x-10ACLcBGAsYHQ/s456/Screenshot%2B2021-06-02%2B12.43.40.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="456" height="186" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqXFpZbVdwU/YLe1jLo-5yI/AAAAAAAAFKE/EA4GXOSDWhcxNOwe60rCqF0ILN32x-10ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h186/Screenshot%2B2021-06-02%2B12.43.40.png" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Finish the sentence: ONE word only. 'The opposite of love is _________.'" </span></span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Before posting it, I debated whether it was even correct to use the word <i>opposite </i>in relation to love -- should I have said "incompatible with love" or something else instead? But I decided just to keep it simple.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The tweet got close to 100 replies, and BY FAR the most common response was <b><i>indifference</i></b>, followed closely by its near-synonym, <b><i>apathy</i></b>. This makes a lot of sense. It's impossible to truly love something or someone if you really don't care about them. Love implies a warmth and a sense of personal investment that are lacking in cool, distant indifference. And on a broader scale, apathy and indifference have contributed to many atrocities: assuming someone else will deal with it, not seeing how it affects me, not bothering to learn more ... as one tweeter, <a href="https://twitter.com/GabePosey/status/1399888736960270336?s=19" target="_blank">Gabe Posey</a>, put it, "</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); color: #0f1419; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Apathy, on judgment day, will probably carry the highest tally for total deaths." That's sobering. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Another very common answer was <i><b>fear</b></i>. Some responders who used this word mentioned the well-known Bible passage: "</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear
has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in
love." (1 John 4:18) It's true that the Bible tells us to fear God -- but I think that kind of fear is more a sense of reverence and awe, not the terror of punishment that John is talking about. If we know we are truly loved no matter what, then we can live freely without fear of that love being suddenly yanked away. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">Another response that appeared several times was <i><b>control</b></i>. That one really struck me: is it ever possible to control another person in a loving way? Parents of young children <i>do </i>have to exert a fair amount of control over their children's coming and going, activities, etc. But that kind of control is meant to be temporary and have a specific purpose -- the child's growth and independence. It's not a wielding of power for its own sake or for self-protection.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">There were many other words that appeared less frequently but were very striking:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>malice</b></i>: It's impossible to take pleasure in hurting someone you love.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>pride</b></i>: I think there can be a good side to pride (there's nothing wrong with taking satisfaction in your achievements), but having an excessively high view of yourself inevitably puts others below you, which isn't consistent with love.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>selfishness</b></i>: Always putting yourself first makes it awfully difficult to love. (Though I'd distinguish selfishness from self-care, which Parker Palmer calls stewardship of the gift we were put on earth to give: our unique selves.)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"><i><b>- jealousy: </b></i>Resenting others for what they have and you don't can hinder love.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>neglect</b></i>: This is in the apathy/indifference camp, I think, and suggests that there's something specific you need to do or pay attention to -- and you just don't do it.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>tolerance</b></i>: This is an interesting one. It <i>sounds </i>good, but it's </span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">actually kind of passive-aggressive</span></span></span>: I'm a good person because I let you (or your ideas) exist! That doesn't sound like love.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>dishonesty</b></i>: Love and truth are so closely linked; how can one exist without the other?<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">And there were some fun responses, too:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>evol </b></i>and <i><b>vole</b></i>: Thanks for coming out, guys.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">- <i><b>kale</b></i>. Sigh. There's always one, isn't there.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">I'm sorry I haven't listed every single reply; there were a lot! You can read them all <a href="https://twitter.com/JeanniePrinsen/status/1399782763742601228?s=20" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">Thinking about all these opposites of love gave me a renewed appreciation for what love <i>is</i>. Love is invested. It cares. It is courageous, and it makes others courageous. It frees. It wants only the best. It sees dignity in the other and acts for the good of the other. It enjoys others' joy. It takes responsibility. It accepts. It is truthful.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p">That sounds like a tall order. It's truly a life's work to love well and to recognize that we ourselves are worthy of love and <i>are loved</i>.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"><i>You </i>are loved. You are a person of dignity and worth and you embody, in a unique way, the love that created the world and holds it together. I'm grateful for you.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w8Tw55dsNC0/YLfIPGmDT5I/AAAAAAAAFKM/EXzgK4hn1fwEL7XHrMT1mqYq1Zfm8miawCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/opposite.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w8Tw55dsNC0/YLfIPGmDT5I/AAAAAAAAFKM/EXzgK4hn1fwEL7XHrMT1mqYq1Zfm8miawCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/opposite.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"> Image: Unsplash</span></span></span><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="p"><br /></span></span></span></p><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-55094440172126314162021-04-23T10:53:00.008-04:002021-04-23T18:03:31.055-04:00Five Minute Friday: BROKEN<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today I'm linking up
with the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2021/04/22/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-broken/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-broken" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday</a> community, writing for five minutes on a
given prompt. This week's word is <i><b>BROKEN</b></i>.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyONAn9VWSw/YILdH-ctchI/AAAAAAAAFIk/9saGuWfvQZ49T1UK-iEptTfGq4_7GdG_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s397/Screenshot%2B2021-04-23%2B10.42.35.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="397" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyONAn9VWSw/YILdH-ctchI/AAAAAAAAFIk/9saGuWfvQZ49T1UK-iEptTfGq4_7GdG_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h255/Screenshot%2B2021-04-23%2B10.42.35.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I got my first Covid-19 vaccine (Covishield by AstraZeneca) on Tuesday afternoon. The vaccine rollout in Ontario has been quite confusing, so I felt fortunate to receive it. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I went to bed that night feeling fine, but for the rest of the night my sleep was broken. I woke at midnight feeling cold: not exactly shivering, but as if I were lying in an envelope of cold. I slept fitfully, then woke feeling warm -- not burning up, just too warm.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About 4 a.m. I went to the bathroom and could feel my heart racing. I went back to bed and tried to relax and breathe deeply to slow it down, but it kept hammering.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">At 6 a.m. I got up; Richard and Jonathan were already upstairs. I did a couple of readings on my home blood pressure monitor, and my heart rate was 119 beats per minute. When I told Richard that, his eyes widened and he said, "<i>What? </i>You need to call the doctor." I said, "I think I need to go to Emerg."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I took a taxi to the Emergency Department; we were having a freak April snowfall and the lights along the waterfront looked beautiful in the falling snow. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The man at Emerg reception asked me the usual Covid-19-related questions and I kept saying "I am feverish, but I think it's the vaccine. I do have a headache, but I think it's the vaccine." The triage nurse took my blood pressure again; my heart rate was 137.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Soon I was called in and directed to a bed. A technician came in and hooked me up for an ECG. A nurse introduced herself and a doctor came in, checked me out, and ordered blood work. He said he suspected the fast heartbeat might be a reaction to the vaccine, especially since I had also experienced chills and fever.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The ward was crowded but quiet. Because no visitors are allowed in Emerg due to Covid-19, the only voices were of staff talking to patients and each other. At 7 a.m. it was time for shift change, and I listened as a departing nurse updated an incoming one on the patients in the various cubicles, including me: "Tachycardia, patient says no chest pain or shortness of breath." I kept looking up at the monitor showing my heartbeat; at last it was starting to slow to around 100.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hours passed. I just lay there messaging back and forth with Rich and my sister-in-law about what was happening. Suddenly I was overcome with nausea and rang the call bell. The nurse rushed to get me a bag to throw up in, and the doctor looked in sympathetically and said they'd start IV fluids with something to ease the nausea. The nurse said, "When you were vomiting, your heart rate shot up to about 140, but it's back down under 100 now." Yikes.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Another team -- med student, cardiology tech, and nurse -- came in and did a second ECG. They were all very friendly and commended me for getting the vaccine.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After a while the doctor came back and said there was nothing abnormal in my ECGs or blood work -- nothing to indicate a clot or heart attack. He said since my blood pressure was good and my heart rate was stabilizing, I should go home and relax for 24 hours, and if it worsened I should come back in. Fortunately I didn't have to -- but I was wiped-out from lack of sleep, the stress of being in hospital, and the toll of having my heart racing at 2x normal speed for several hours. I was in bed before 8:00 Wednesday night. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I guess it's not 100% certain that the shot caused the accelerated heartbeat, but it does seem like the most likely explanation. There's a saying that "The cure is worse than the disease," but not in this case. In spite of what I went through I'm still grateful I got vaccinated. As I lay there for what ended up being about five hours, I thought about the more than 40 patients in the hospital's Covid-19 unit -- all but one or two of them having been transferred from other parts of the province where case numbers are much more overwhelming than they are here in Kingston. I wondered what it would be like to be fighting for your life, on a ventilator, being taken to a hospital three or four hours from home, wondering when you might get home or if you ever would, helplessly worrying about other family members who were also sick in hospital somewhere else. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The heart thing was worrying, and I'll be apprehensive when August rolls around and I'm due for my second dose -- but I don't want to <i>get </i>Covid-19, and I don't want to <i>give</i> it to someone else. If the vaccination can cause the chain of spread to be broken, it's worth it.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-2806859354972953872021-02-23T12:50:00.008-05:002021-02-24T07:22:32.453-05:00What I need to hear from Christian leaders<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-zhWoihJPM/YDU6qjTYP7I/AAAAAAAAFG8/KXI8TtnqmVQbcakOFgHn7Wkvvcu7eCchACLcBGAsYHQ/s356/reeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="356" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-zhWoihJPM/YDU6qjTYP7I/AAAAAAAAFG8/KXI8TtnqmVQbcakOFgHn7Wkvvcu7eCchACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h270/reeds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Recently an investigative <a href="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/rzimmedia.rzim.org/assets/downloads/Report-of-Investigation.pdf">report</a>
was released detailing Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias’s years-long history
of sexually abusing massage therapists, soliciting and collecting photos of
women, grooming women and exchanging sexually explicit messages with them, and
deceiving ministry colleagues about his actions. These revelations have rocked
the evangelical Christian world.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">One of our church’s leaders shared on Facebook a post by Greg
Koukl, head of Stand to Reason, a Christian apologetics organization, in which
he addresses the Zacharias scandal: the post is called <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.str.org/w/when-spiritual-heroes-fall?fbclid=IwAR0GaXTjf_Ms-RNPpfgdzwjBTHL-YovVsmEoinBUctebr3nAs_0L3BTDh2c">“When
Spiritual Heroes Fall.”</a></span> His purpose seems to be to comfort and
encourage those who admired Zacharias and who are now shaken by the news of his
double life and abusive behaviour.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Many people do feel shaken and upset by the news, so Koukl’s
post will likely be of some help to them. But I can’t help feeling that his post
falls short of what a Christian leader should offer. Maybe he’ll have more
to say later; I don’t know. And I want to stress that I have absolutely <i>no</i> axe to grind with Koukl himself: I
haven’t read or listened to his material before now, nor have I ever interacted
with him in any way. I am really responding more to his arguments than to him
as a person – because those arguments are so generically similar to
others I’ve seen expressed online, mostly by men in Christian leadership, and
to me they seem inadequate to the situation. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">So I’m going to address all five of the pieces of advice he
gives in his post and then respond to each of them with my own. <b>Please, read </b><a href="https://www.str.org/w/when-spiritual-heroes-fall?fbclid=IwAR0GaXTjf_Ms-RNPpfgdzwjBTHL-YovVsmEoinBUctebr3nAs_0L3BTDh2c">Koukl’s
article</a> <b>first.</b></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">_________________</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">“First,
guard your own soul.”</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Koukl advises that we not look into the salacious
details of cases like Zacharias’s: he says, “Steer clear of the details unless
you have a genuine need to know … stay out of the skirmish … Let the proper
people right the wrongs.” Besides the fact that this was criminal predatory
behaviour, not a “skirmish,” I don’t think most people who want to know what
actually happened are hoping to charge in and fix it; they simply want to know
the facts and find out how this could have been allowed to go on for so
long. But as for “the proper people right[ing] the wrongs,” in fact Zacharias’s
own board members and friends in ministry appear to have done a very poor job
of righting or preventing his wrongs. His board heard reports of misdeeds years
ago – but Zacharias denied it, they didn’t believe it, and they didn’t
investigate it. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">I’m concerned that for anyone in Christian leadership, Koukl’s
advice may come as a relief (“Whew, I didn’t want to know anyway, so I won’t
bother to delve any further”), whereas what leaders <i>should</i> be doing is becoming aware of the patterns of deception that Zacharias engaged in so they can spot them if they occur. The
suggestion that we shouldn’t worry because someone out there is taking care of
this “skirmish” isn’t adequate for either the person in the pew or the
Christian leader – and it doesn’t even fit well with the apologist mindset, which is to dig deeply and think clearly and knowledgeably on
issues.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">So <i>my</i> advice here is
<b>“For the average person, if hearing the
details seems like it might harm you or trigger your own memories of abuse,
take care; perhaps seek a counselor or therapist to help you process. But if
you are in a position of spiritual leadership, <i>don’t look away</i>. You need to be informed. Don’t avoid the details
out of a squeamish hope that someone else will take action if similar
wrongdoing happens on your watch.”</b></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">_______________</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">“Second,
do not be surprised that sinners sin.”</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> This kind of admonition has
appeared frequently since the report was released. Koukl says it is easy for a
“major figure” to suffer a “major fall” if he is not vigilant and that “we’re
all deeply, radically fallen, even our heroes.” I find terms like “fall” and (elsewhere
in his post) “defeat” to describe what Zacharias did strange and inappropriate
– but more than that, this point seems to imply that really, all sins are the
same and we and Zacharias are all on the same level in the end. And that is
simply not true. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">I have lied. I have said mean things to my kids and thought
mean things about acquaintances and strangers. I have nursed grudges, gossiped,
and portrayed myself as a more faithful Bible-reader and pray-er than I am. I
have avoided people God probably wanted me to give attention to. I am definitely
a sinner. <i>But</i> I have not used power,
money and global influence to purchase spas in which I could assault those
hired to give me massages. I have not rented apartments overseas so that I could
spend more time with the women I was grooming. I have not solicited photos from
women, hired women to travel alone with me so that they could give me massages,
or made threats when told I’d be exposed. I have not railed against my
accusers, saying I was innocent when in fact I was guilty. I have not allowed
the entire world to see me as a morally upright person when in fact I am a liar
and abuser. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">We <i>should</i> be surprised
when we hear that a Christian leader has done these things, because they are
not just evidence of the sin we all share in as human beings; they are heinous criminal
acts. Mind you, it would also be a mistake to swing too far in the other direction and
say “Zacharias’s deeds are so beyond the pale that we need not worry about anything
so unimaginable ever occurring among the people we know.” But it's wrong
to imply that the things he did are just the kinds of things all sinners (even
saved ones) do on a regular basis.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">My advice here is <b>“Don’t
engage in sin-leveling. There is the sin and weakness that all of us are prone
to, and then there is predatory abuse. Don’t equalize them, and don’t let anyone
guilt you into thinking you shouldn’t be angry and outraged because after all, you’re
really just as bad.”</b></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">_______________</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span> </span></span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">“Third,
remember truth is still true.”</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> This comment has appeared a lot
too since the scandal broke, and it bothers me. It seems to suggest “Don’t
worry, the fact that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again from
the dead on the third day remains factually true despite the terrible actions
of Ravi Zacharias who preached about those things.” And fair enough! But who
was disputing that in the first place? Who was suggesting that since Ravi
Zacharias was an abuser, Jesus might not have risen from the dead and therefore
I might not really be saved? It’s a straw man which, in my view, evades the
real question of what we mean by “truth.” Truth is not just statements of fact
or doctrine that we assent to. Truth is also personal integrity, a coherence
between our words and our actions. Not perfection, of course – but wholeness.
Ravi Zacharias was not living a life of wholeness, and he was manifestly not a
truthful person. In fact, he used the gospel message (“the truth”) to
manipulate some of his victims, telling them that if they exposed him, people
would go to hell because they would not be able to hear the gospel from him. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">So
when Koukl says, “If you benefited from a hero who later fell, take heart. God
uses even the worst of men to help the rest of us,” he fails to account for the way
Zacharias weaponized the gospel for self-serving, abusive ends. The Lord Jesus,
in sharp contrast, said it would be better for a man to have a millstone tied
around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea than to draw others
into sin (Matt.18:6). He didn’t tell us to be glad that at least His Father could use
the millstone-wearer's message for good.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">My advice here is <b>“Remember
that truth can’t be boiled down to factual statements and points of doctrine –
however much our faith rests on such proclamations. If love is not present,
truth is not present. Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s inappropriate to
question the teachings of a deceitful teacher, or that the message -- however vital we consider it -- is more important than persons made in the image of God.” </b></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">_______________</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span> </span></span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">“Fourth,
do not become cynical.”</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Hmmm … I don’t know. While it’s not healthy
to become so hard-hearted that we can’t see any good anywhere, perhaps a little
cynicism might not go amiss right now. Koukl says, “Trust everyone you have no
reason to mistrust, which is most people you know.” But for many years
Zacharias’s fans and colleagues thought <i>they</i>
had no reason to mistrust <i>him</i>. His
board members didn’t investigate the accusations against him because those
accusations did not fit with the man they thought they knew – which we now know
simply means Zacharias was extremely successful in deceiving people. He was
allowed to continue his abuses because people in leadership trusted him <i>too</i> much and didn’t ask the questions
they should have. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Also, under point two above (don’t be surprised when sinners sin)
Koukl quotes from Scripture, “Jesus did not entrust himself to those who
believed in him since he knew what was in man”; it seems a little strange for
him now to tell us that our default should be to trust everyone unless we have
specific reasons not to.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">My advice here is <b>“It’s
OK to be wary, especially if you’ve been hurt before. Don’t let anyone in
leadership – anyone at all, really – make you feel that you owe them your
trust. And don’t let anyone guilt you into thinking that anger and lament over injustice
are signs of cynicism.”</b></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">_______________</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span> </span></span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">“Fifth,
firmly resolve to finish well.”</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Koukl says it should be our goal
to hear God’s “Well done” of approval at our death. He says it is the Holy
Spirit’s job to make us holy, but our part “is to be vigilant and to fight sin
to [our] last breath.” And he mentions letting trusted friends know about our
struggles so they can support and correct us. That’s all good advice on the
individual level. But I think it’s dangerous to imply that a scandal like this could
be prevented with personal vigilance and an accountability partner. It sounds
as if Ravi Zacharias not only did not reveal his secret life to those closest
to him, but also used those people as cover for his actions. As Tanya Marlow
says in her excellent article <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://tanyamarlow.com/5-stupid-things-christians-say-sexual-abusers/">“But
his books are still good, right? – 5 things Christians must stop saying about
sexual abusers”</a></span>, Zacharias groomed both his victims and his
environment, creating a system in which sexual abuse could thrive undetected
and uninvestigated. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">So I think we need to focus more on the kind of culture we
are creating and not just on personal piety and accountability. Our task is not
only to be vigilant so that we as individuals don’t do something as bad as Ravi
Zacharias did, but also to participate in making our world (and that includes
our Christian environment) safe for women and other vulnerable people. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">My advice here is <b>“Remember
that the Christian life is not just about me getting God’s seal of approval at
the end; it’s also about what I will do now to cooperate with God in seeking
justice for the oppressed and victimized.”</b></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">_______________</span></b></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">I am not a spiritual leader. I’m an ordinary person who heard
about the Zacharias revelations like everyone else. And frankly, as an ordinary
person, I need more from people who <i>are</i>
Christian leaders, especially men. I need more than just platitudes that put my mind at ease. I need to
hear things like </span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">“This is what our church/organization is doing, or commits to
do, to ensure that such a scandal will not happen in our midst.” </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">“This is what we are doing, or commit to do, to ensure that
women are valued, respected, and listened to.” </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">“This is what we are doing, or commit to do, to ensure that
accusations of wrongdoing, even against people we hold in high esteem, are not hushed up or swept under the carpet, but are
investigated and dealt with.” </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">“This is what we are doing, or commit to do, to show every
person we work with, interact with, and preach to that they are a valued person
in the eyes of God and that there are no special, entitled people who are beyond correction or questioning.”</span></span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">This is what Christian leaders need to be saying.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">And they need to say what I as an ordinary person also feel
confident saying: </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Jesus is a friend to the hurt and abused. His heart is broken
when their hearts are broken. As the words of a well-known carol put it, “He comes to make his
blessings flow far as the curse is found” – not to establish a movement in which
the strong are given free rein to prey on the weak. He cares for the oppressed,
and He is always, <i>always</i> on their
side. So if we want to follow Him, we must also be on their side. </span></span></span></b></p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></b><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">“<span class="text">A bruised reed he will not break, </span></span></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span class="text">and a smoldering wick he will not
snuff out.</span></span></span></span></b></p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></b><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="text"><span style="line-height: 107%;">In
faithfulness he will bring forth justice.”</span></span></span></span></b></p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span></b><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="text"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Isaiah
42:3</span></span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p> </p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-5810993245097043672021-02-19T10:08:00.002-05:002021-02-19T10:09:10.231-05:00Five Minute Friday: OBSERVANT<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today I'm linking up with the <a href="https://fiveminutefriday.com/2021/02/18/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-observant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-observant" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday</a> community, writing for five minutes on a given prompt. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This week's word is <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>OBSERVANT</b></i></span>. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wcjdyNDifJA/YC_NKsMeDlI/AAAAAAAAFGg/K2FXrtuROIwmBpYstUqVGFc6RtLuH5fHACLcBGAsYHQ/s408/Screenshot%2B2021-02-19%2B09.32.09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="408" height="368" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wcjdyNDifJA/YC_NKsMeDlI/AAAAAAAAFGg/K2FXrtuROIwmBpYstUqVGFc6RtLuH5fHACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h368/Screenshot%2B2021-02-19%2B09.32.09.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I watched a movie not long ago about an observant person.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The movie's called <i>Paterson</i>, and it's about a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey who is also named Paterson (why is never explained) and who has a "secret life" as a poet.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">He carries a notebook with him everywhere and writes his poems in it -- we see the drafts appearing across the screen as he walks to work or drives his bus around the city. He stares at a matchbox while eating breakfast, and that inspires a poem that ends with his love for his wife. He eavesdrops on the conversations of passengers on his bus, stops to listen to a rapper composing in a laundromat, chats with a young girl who has a notebook of her own.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">His daily routines are mundane and rarely change, but his inner life is rich. There isn't always a direct connection between what he observes and what he writes; the things he sees and hears are more like compost enriching his creative life.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our lives are richer when we are observant, when we take notice of the things around us. It's so easy to walk around in a fog, stuck in our heads, preoccupied with ideas and worries and plans. At least it is for me. Simple objects, sounds, and conversations can inspire our creativity. They can also connect us with other people and remind us that we're just a small part of something greater. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-67738825620565465082021-01-02T12:39:00.008-05:002021-01-02T20:49:21.998-05:0017 syllables say so much: my end-of-year haiku offer<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mTk5ygspaDc/X_CuG1LvXlI/AAAAAAAAFFE/oaM1cY-V94AWb3I0oVU_4f6FnJ5Ym-Y6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/blossom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mTk5ygspaDc/X_CuG1LvXlI/AAAAAAAAFFE/oaM1cY-V94AWb3I0oVU_4f6FnJ5Ym-Y6QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h428/blossom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On December 30 at around 1:00 p.m. I was on Twitter and impulsively posted the following tweet:<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">A year-end offer:<br />Give me ONE WORD, and I'll write<br />a haiku for you.</span></span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What happened in the next nine hours (and probably longer if I hadn't eventually had to time-limit my offer) was amazing. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">First I got a few words from people I was already connected with on Twitter. I composed and posted a haiku for each of them as quickly as I could, knowing I wouldn't really have time for planning or rewriting. (I used the standard 5-7-5 syllable pattern, but I didn't adhere closely to other common rules of haiku like seasonal references or the hinge word at the end of one of the lines; I just kept it simple.)<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then I started getting words from people I didn't know -- <i>dozens </i>of responses.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By the time I gave up and muted the thread at around 10:00 p.m., I 'd written about 140 haikus.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some of the people who gave me a word were familiar to me from Twitter or I could tell a little bit about them from their Twitter bio; this made it slightly easier to know what direction to take with the haiku I'd write for them (for instance, I would not say something about God or faith unless I knew they would be open to that). Other responders I knew nothing about, including why they gave me the words they did, so I just went with whatever their word brought to my mind.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some words appeared multiple times, such as <i><b>grief </b></i>and <i><b>hope </b></i>-- and I wrote a new haiku each time a word was repeated. Some words seemed to be niche things of interest to a particular person (like <i><b>badminton </b></i>or <i><b>drummer</b></i>); others were fun or silly like <b><i>supercalifragilisticexpialodocious </i></b>and <i><b>moist</b></i>. Someone offered <i><b>cannabis </b></i>but then deleted it -- I'm not sure what I would have done with that one.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I definitely made a couple of mistakes as I was writing; I saw afterward that two or three of the haikus had mis-numbered lines. That was bound to happen when I was putting out so many in such a short time. You know what they say: "Haiku in haste, repent at leisure." I also fear that I may have missed one or two words people gave me; it got quite difficult to keep track of the thread after a while. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Many people expressed gratitude for the haikus I wrote for them, some telling me that what I'd written was just what they needed. After the year we've had, I think people are looking for things that make them smile, that bring delight and encouragement. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">An unexpected byproduct was that I also got about 100 new Twitter followers (and lots of new follow-ees too) out of this exercise. For me Twitter is primarily about connecting with people and sharing ideas and interests, so this was a bonus.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What follows is the list of haikus I wrote that day, in alphabetical order. First I considered grouping them thematically, but I think part of the fun is having odd juxtapositions like <i><b>compassion </b></i>appearing between <i><b>coffee </b></i>and <i><b>cookie</b></i>. That's what life is, after all: one moment you're pondering the importance of <i><b>resilience </b></i>and the next you're looking for <i><b>pickles </b></i>in the <i><b>refrigerator</b></i>. 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</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Affogato</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Though
I've never had<br />
affogato, coffee and <br />
ice cream sure sound good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Always</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Sometimes
our feet take <br />
the same paths we always take; <br />
other times ... we stray!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Anime</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Anime:
art form <br />
with many faces. It brings <br />
whole new worlds alive.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Baby</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">God
as a baby? <br />
There's enough mystery there <br />
to fill the cosmos.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Badminton</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Badminton
was once <br />
a game for rich folks' leisure – <br />
now so fast and fierce!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Bagpipes</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">When
I hear bagpipes, <br />
I'm transported to a place <br />
of lochs and green braes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Balm</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Some
voices are like <br />
a balm to the spirit – they <br />
bring rest, calm, and peace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Beauty</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">To
seek for beauty <br />
is a worthy quest. It's there, <br />
waiting to be found.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Beloved</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">To
walk through the world <br />
as one beloved by God <br />
is to carry light.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Bilgepump</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Ah,
lowly bilgepump, <br />
friend to those who go to sea, <br />
we wave our respect!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Boundaries</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Like
a fence line marks <br />
what's yours and mine, boundaries <br />
demarcate our selves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Bowling</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Spare
a moment, yes,<br />
strike up the big brass band for <br />
bowling – what a ball!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Calvinist</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">What's
a Calvinist's <br />
favourite flower? The TULIP. <br />
Hey, it's just a joke...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Candle</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Candle
flame flickers <br />
So small, yet darkest corners <br />
Are suffused with light</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Change</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">"The only fixed thing <br />is change": there is so much truth <br />in paradoxes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Clarity</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We seek clarity <br />but must often be content <br />with a bit more light</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Coffee</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">How
do I love thee? <br />
Black? With cream? With some sugar? <br />
Coffee, you're the best.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Compassion</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Without
compassion <br />
we don't truly live; hearts were <br />
made to care deeply.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Let
me lose all things <br />
but compassion. Others' pain <br />
must matter to me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Confused</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Such
a confused year: <br />
we hesitate to ask what <br />
the next one might bring.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Connection</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">To
forge connection <br />
when life pushes us apart <br />
is hard but worth it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Consistency</span></b><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> (or
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Commitment</b> – she told me to choose)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">A
strong commitment <br />
to consistency can lead <br />
others to trust us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Cookie</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Our neighbours brought us <br />cookies. So much kindness in <br />a sweet, small morsel.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Courage</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">It
takes courage just <br />
to face the future, to take <br />
steps toward the light.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Dauntless</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">This
past year, the most <br />
dauntless spirits were tested. <br />
We're strong together.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Deeper</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
quiet water <br />
looks serene, but go deeper: <br />
there's so much beneath.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Defenestration</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Defenestration
<br />
should be a last resort. Try <br />
talking things out first.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Dejected</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">How
often this year <br />
we've felt dejected -- such loss! <br />
O God, make things new.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Delight</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">In a year like this<br />
it's hard to find delight, <br />
but it waits to be found</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Delphinium</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Bees
flit among the <br />
delphinium, drawn by <br />
their purple beauty.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Determination</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Determination
<br />
takes us just so far; we fall, <br />
but friends help us rise.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Diamond</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Stars
shine like diamonds <br />
in the velvet nighttime sky: <br />
so close, yet so far</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Disestablishmentarianism</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Disestablishment-<br />
arianism fills up<br />
a haiku quickly.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Distant</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Our
love's distant, but <br />
just geographically. <br />
Our hearts are still close.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Distant
from loved ones, <br />
we zoom the miles between us; <br />
it's the next-best thing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Drummer</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Little
Drummer Boy <br />
gets a bad rap, but admit: <br />
his timing's perfect.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Embrace</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">This
year we found out <br />
how much we need to embrace <br />
the people we love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Empty</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">After
such a year <br />
we can feel empty -- so spent! <br />
God, fill us again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Energy</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">This
year has taken <br />
such energy just to live. <br />
Next year -- let us dance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Envy </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Envy:
deadly sin <br />
or seed of holy desire? <br />
Purify it, Lord.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Ephemeral</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Life's
ephemeral: <br />
we pass away, yet leave our mark, <br />
our stamp on this world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Epiphany</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Men
bow to toddler: <br />
Epiphany! Another <br />
of God's reversals.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Exuberance </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Life's
exuberance <br />
can't be contained -- like water <br />
it flows and rushes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Faithfulness</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">There
is faithfulness <br />
in choosing to do the next, <br />
nearest, needed thing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Family</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We
are family. <br />
What hurts you hurts me; your joy <br />
can make my heart sing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Fear</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Sometimes
what we fear <br />
becomes a friend, showing us <br />
a new place to grow.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Flourishing</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Under
the snow, plants <br />
lie dormant: waiting for spring <br />
and new flourishing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Focus</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Sometimes
our focus <br />
is drawn to our faults – but we're <br />
all so beautiful!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Forward</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">As
you go forward <br />
into this new year, may you <br />
always walk in hope.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Goodness</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Surely
Your goodness <br />
will follow me. May I not <br />
be lost from Your sight.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Grace</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We
encounter grace <br />
in some unlikely places <br />
as well as faces.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Grief</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Don't
deny your grief: <br />
it means you are alive, with <br />
a heart that still beats.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">I
hold grief awhile: <br />
Don't tell me to cast it off. <br />
It can be a friend.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hallelujah</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Leonard,
I love you, <br />
but "Hallelujah"'s wrong: SHE <br />
wasn't on the roof.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Healing</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">God,
bring your healing <br />
to our bodies, our hearts, and <br />
this brutiful world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">I
asked for healing; <br />
God sent laughter, deep and rich <br />
and restorative.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hedgehog</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
hedgehog looks like <br />
a boot-cleaning brush, but he <br />
thinks he's quite handsome.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Help</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
smallest kind act,<br />
helping<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hand: these have power<br />
to change the whole world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hippopotamus</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hippopotamus,
<br />
do you ever wish to be <br />
graceful like a swan?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">History</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Will
history show <br />
that we cared for each other? <br />
What's our legacy?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Homeless</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">This
night, spare a thought <br />
for the homeless, who just want <br />
the same things you do.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hope</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
year slips away;<br />
we face the new with a hope<br />
softened by sorrow.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Like
a small candle<br />
sputtering in wind, hope shines <br />
through the darkest night.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hope
is like a light <br />
we carry, casting a glow <br />
'round our walking feet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Emily
D said <br />
hope has feathers, and it sings. <br />
Sing over us, hope!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hope,
stay by our side <br />
as we enter this new year. <br />
We have such need of you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hope
takes one more step, <br />
carrying just enough strength <br />
for this day's walking</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Humpback</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Majestic
humpback: <br />
you sing your haunting song as <br />
you swim deep and far.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Impatience</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Impatience
to hug, <br />
hold those we love, grasp their hand – <br />
it's holy longing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Infinite</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
Great Conjunction: <br />
infinite space draws our gaze <br />
up to planets' dance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Integrity</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Inside
meets outside <br />
in a sweet integrity: <br />
a life of wholeness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Introspection</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Year-end
calls us to <br />
introspection: what to leave, <br />
what to take forward.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Jeannie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Jeannie
did wonder, <br />
"Will I regret doing this?" <br />
She hasn't so far!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Journey</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
journey of life: <br />
a thousand miles made up of <br />
many single steps.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Joy</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Step
outside your door; <br />
hear birds sing, watch them flit, swoop. <br />
Birds are joy with wings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Justice</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Justice
is a stream <br />
that flows down with power from <br />
the place our God dwells.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Kindness</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We
all need kindness. <br />
A stranger's smile – even masked! – <br />
can lighten our step.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Knitting</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Knitting
is an art: <br />
stitch by stitch, something is made, <br />
unique and special.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Lackadaisical</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Lackadaisical
<br />
lockdown days: we learn to move <br />
at a slower pace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Lament</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">This
year has been hard. <br />
We can lament that, yet be <br />
thankful for what's good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Library</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
library's closed <br />
for lockdown. Can't wait till we <br />
can go back and browse.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Liminal</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Narnia's
wardrobe <br />
exists - that liminal place <br />
between the two worlds.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Love </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">When
the way is hard, <br />
love can give strength, remind us <br />
our small life matters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Love's
never wasted, <br />
never falls futile to earth. <br />
It always gives life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Malamute</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Malamutes
frolic <br />
in snow, await instructions <br />
to run, pull, race -- GO!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Manwich</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Hunt's
Manwich: <br />
the lunch of kings! Well worthy<br />
of its own haiku.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Moist</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">There’s
always one guy<br />
who asks for a word like “moist” – <br />
I know he loves haiku!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Oak</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Lean
against the oak. <br />
Listen: its pulse is sure, strong -- <br />
And so is your own.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Passing</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">As
we are passing <br />
through life, we hope to be loved <br />
and love in return.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Patience</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">"Patience,
but not yet," <br />
we laugh -- for its lessons take<br />
a lifetime to learn.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Patient</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">A
patient person <br />
has learned their place in the world: <br />
no better, no worse.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Peace</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Peace
falls like dark <br />
at the end of a hard day. <br />
Soft sleep restores us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">There's
peace in sunrise, <br />
sunset, the rhythm of days – <br />
just let it happen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Peace
dances with play <br />
Water splashes over rocks <br />
They need each other</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Perseverance</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
road can be long. <br />
Perseverance takes one step <br />
and then another.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Perspicacity</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Perspicacity
<br />
is a rare gift. We marvel <br />
at its wise insight.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Pickle</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">A
pickle haiku<br />
can be sweet or sour, briny <br />
or sharp; try a taste!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Pie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Let
us shake the hand <br />
of whoever first put fruit <br />
in pastry. Mmm, pie!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Possibility</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Every
new day has <br />
its possibility, its <br />
chance for grasping joy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Presence</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Practicing
presence <br />
calms, connects us to God, <br />
others, earth, and self.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Prism</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Prism,
bend the light. <br />
Break it. Send colours flowing <br />
in all directions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Radiant</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
full moon last night <br />
was radiant; its soft face <br />
smiled reassurance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Reese’s</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Peanut
Butter Cups: <br />
food of the gods. Dear Reese's, <br />
we give you our thanks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Refrigerator</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">"Your
next word is not <br />
in the refrigerator" – <br />
sounds fake but ok....</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Release</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Release
the old year <br />
but carry the gifts it gave <br />
into the new one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Renaissance</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Let
the old year go; <br />
it won't be missed. Let the new <br />
bring renaissance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Resilience</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We
fall, get back up, <br />
praying our resilience <br />
keeps our hearts soft still.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Resilient</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We're
resilient <br />
yet weak. None of us can do <br />
this life thing alone.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Restore</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Time
cannot restore <br />
what this year took from us, yet <br />
we go forth in hope.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Serendipitous</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Serendipitous?
<br />
Or just planets lining up? <br />
Either way: lovely!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Salami</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">So
much depends on <br />
whether you slice salami <br />
thinly or thickly.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Shelter</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">When
winter winds blow, <br />
we seek shelter, a warm place <br />
to rest and find peace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Silence</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">In
silence, we meet <br />
ourselves – and learn to befriend <br />
the person we are.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Sparkle</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
stars sparkle <br />
in the evening sky – the world <br />
is full of magic!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Stand</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Like
trees, we stand tall: <br />
deeply rooted in the earth, <br />
reaching for the sky.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Sublime</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Life
can be sublime <br />
yet ridiculous: we laugh <br />
and we bow in awe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Supercalifragilisticexpialodocious </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Supercalifrag
<br />
ilisticexpialo <br />
docious -- I did it!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Surrender</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Surrender
is trust: <br />
not white flags to enemies <br />
but a Friend's embrace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Survivor</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">You
mustn't say, <br />
"Oh, I was just a survivor"-- <br />
that is no small thing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Teach</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Essential
workers – <br />
what would we do without those <br />
who teach our children?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Tendril</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">A
tendril of hair <br />
pushed behind the ear – a touch <br />
that speaks gentleness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Thanks</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">We
pause to give thanks <br />
for love, joy, even mistakes <br />
that caused us to grow.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Threshold</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">I
cross the threshold <br />
between two years, leave the door <br />
ajar behind me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Toddler</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Toddler
takes first steps: <br />
so much laughter, such delight <br />
on their face and ours.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Tomorrow</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Tomorrow,
draw us <br />
forward in hope, even when <br />
yesterday's been hard.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Trust</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Lean
in -- trust, don't fear! <br />
Strong arms hold you -- and your arms <br />
hold someone else fast.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Ubiquitous</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Ubiquitous
words <br />
like mask, distance, lockdown – but <br />
we just want to live!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Uncertain</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Uncertain
future, <br />
I won't grasp or control you <br />
but let you unfold.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Unlearn</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Life
is unlearning <br />
old, unhelpful ways, turning <br />
to embrace new ones.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unprecedented</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">God,
nothing can be <br />
unprecedented for You: <br />
You dwell beyond time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Courage,
dear pilgrim: <br />
these unprecedented times <br />
can still hold deep joy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Wait</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">It's
so hard to wait <br />
for news, for change, for that word <br />
that brings the heart peace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Wholehearted</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
wholehearted life <br />
lets inside and outside meet <br />
in sweet harmony.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Winter</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Winter
days lengthen <br />
after solstice: a few more <br />
minutes' worth of light.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Yearning</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">God,
my yearning heart <br />
meets Your own in this still place <br />
where we both kneel, known.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Yet</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
year has held joy <br />
yet has been hard. We need words <br />
like "yet"; they speak truth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Yoda</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Yoda,
Jedi Master: <br />
your wisdom's great, belying <br />
your very small size.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">And finally, to the guy who complimented me on the
speed and quality of my responses:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">The
secret is not<br />
to overthink – let instinct<br />
take the reins and run!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> *********</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you've enjoyed reading these little poems. Maybe you've found a haiku in this list that speaks directly to you
at this moment and gives you something to carry into 2021. Happy New Year, everyone.</span><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4Wuj_TNA68/X_CuWsCRSwI/AAAAAAAAFFM/twuhf8HRUdkmdmZ9HszAM5_qIt-U-ZKtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/twi.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4Wuj_TNA68/X_CuWsCRSwI/AAAAAAAAFFM/twuhf8HRUdkmdmZ9HszAM5_qIt-U-ZKtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/twi.png" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1761080938810306228.post-40979495311934333532020-12-15T12:31:00.008-05:002020-12-26T15:07:21.155-05:002020 Christmas Greetings from our home to yours<p><span style="font-size: large;">2020 is drawing to a close, and I think most of us will be glad to see the end of it. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives and routines in ... what's the word I'm looking for ... <i><b>unprecedented </b></i>ways, and we hope for good things in 2021 with a vaccine and eventually a return to some semblance of normal life again. I say "some semblance" because of course for so many of us there is no real return to normal: many have lost loved ones and been ill themselves. And for those who have not been personally touched by Covid-19 I think there is a general realization (though this should not have been news to us) that life is not something we can control and capture.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps Advent and Christmas are also good reminders of this truth, as we ponder God's faithfulness, his Emmanuel-God-With-Us presence, no matter what the circumstances of life bring.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When school shut down in March, our family had to adapt to new routines and rhythms. This was perhaps hardest for Jonathan, who suddenly lost all his favourite activities: school, camp, church, Circle of Friends, sports events with Dad, and the library. We found enjoyment in many, many, MANY family walks: on the K&P Trail, at Lake Ontario Park and Fort Henry and Lemoine Point.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2ufRqty724/X9jPwLLw4ZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/nGjQnBrNDGUdYcVlFB_BTqqv26UvGCIyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/Jonathan%2Band%2BAllison%2BKP%2BTrail%2BApril%2B18%2B2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1200" height="396" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2ufRqty724/X9jPwLLw4ZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/nGjQnBrNDGUdYcVlFB_BTqqv26UvGCIyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h396/Jonathan%2Band%2BAllison%2BKP%2BTrail%2BApril%2B18%2B2020.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-size: large;">Jonathan sprouted up in height, past me and then past Allison, lost about 15 pounds, and wore his sneaker soles smooth with all the walking. He did amazingly well all those months at home, but was glad when school started again. Now in mid-December the newly built Kingston Secondary School has just opened up, so he and everyone else at KCVI has moved over there. It will be an adjustment for him in the new space, but we know that if he has his familiar people around him, he will adapt.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzaYZAU59G0/X9jRMVHV5sI/AAAAAAAAFDg/bflKfu1YnYMTA6FHpd1iHgyzoniw3BLQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s680/Jonathan%2Band%2BAllison%2BSept.%2B5%252C%2B2020%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="567" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzaYZAU59G0/X9jRMVHV5sI/AAAAAAAAFDg/bflKfu1YnYMTA6FHpd1iHgyzoniw3BLQgCLcBGAsYHQ/w334-h400/Jonathan%2Band%2BAllison%2BSept.%2B5%252C%2B2020%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" width="334" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">After taking her first on-campus course in Linguistics last year, Allison moved back to remote study along with most other students. This fall she took three third-year Linguistics courses (attending around 9 hours of Zoom lectures most weeks) and has worked very hard. She'll continue this area of study in January; she really seems interested in this subject, perhaps because it combines her interest in language with a sense of structure and order.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Not going to PEI this year was perhaps the biggest disruption to our normal life. When we said goodbye to Dad in his hospital room in August 2019 we never thought we would not be seeing him for well over a year. But he is doing well at the Whisperwood Villa nursing home, staying healthy, and coping patiently with the restrictions Covid has brought. We are hopeful that sometime in 2021 we'll be able to make the trip there and see him and my brother Lincoln and other relatives again.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W38SzzgkHsY/X9jUHpysQPI/AAAAAAAAFDs/iEp0YaYnYYIns-4KXY3IrspExB3rmnucgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Jeannie%2Band%2BRichard%2BJune%2B8%2B2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="916" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W38SzzgkHsY/X9jUHpysQPI/AAAAAAAAFDs/iEp0YaYnYYIns-4KXY3IrspExB3rmnucgCLcBGAsYHQ/w381-h400/Jeannie%2Band%2BRichard%2BJune%2B8%2B2020.jpg" width="381" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Richard's work has not changed too much this year besides the need for Covid safety protocols at the hospital. He is missing his volunteer and sports activities: no road races, church softball, or summer soccer. He's done a lot of running on his own, coped with a sciatic nerve flare-up this fall that lasted about a month, and provided regular support to a church friend who has some life challenges.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">As an online instructor I have not experienced much day-to-day change in my work. I know our students are stressed and struggling, though, so I need to remind myself that marks and due dates are less important than students' well-being. One student told me in his year-end reflection that he found doing the work in our course "oddly comforting." In 2020, I take that as the highest compliment.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzEhmwR7AXg/X9kHxydQoyI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/Pl50URd9E3sLd4slTU1RK9CWa3wopaWqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201215_071509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzEhmwR7AXg/X9kHxydQoyI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/Pl50URd9E3sLd4slTU1RK9CWa3wopaWqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/20201215_071509.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I haven't done a huge amount of creative writing this year (the fact that my writers' group isn't meeting is definitely a factor in that), but I did have three publications:</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">My poem <a href="https://www.dustpoetry.co.uk/post/these-days-by-jeannie-prinsen" target="_blank">"These days"</a> appeared in <i>Dust Poetry</i> in January. (It's interesting to look back at the very real global concerns that preoccupied us in those pre-pandemic days.)<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">My poem <a href="https://juniperpoetry.com/leaving-home-for-the-last-time-by-jeannie-prinsen/?fbclid=IwAR0_hVo2z-hFSkGuT3MSP5vib3E14t2gsdXL_remhjpKeh6WNfp3m0OCMls" target="_blank">"Leaving home for the last time"</a> appeared in <i>Juniper Poetry</i> this fall.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">My article <a href="https://www.kingstonist.com/culture/opinion/prison-farms-in-a-time-of-global-crisis-thinking-big-starting-small/" target="_blank">"Prison farms in a time of global crisis: thinking big, starting small"</a> appeared in <i>Kingstonist</i>. <br /></span></li></ul><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> ***</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Ten days from now we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We won't be having an in-person Christmas Eve service or any big family gatherings. But nothing stopped the coming of Jesus into this world as a baby, and nothing can prevent our celebrating that gift, even if it is in new, quieter, simpler ways than in the past.</span> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Gal-4-4" id="en-ESV-29119">But when the fullness of time had come, <br />God sent forth his Son.<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">(Galatians 4:4a)</span></span></span></i></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Gal-4-4" id="en-ESV-29119">Whatever way you celebrate Christmas this year -- or even if you have different religious observances or none at all -- may you experience peace, contentment, and hope for the future.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BON8rvnMhk/X9jYcW3SKHI/AAAAAAAAFD4/gsh2CrjYSBErNrjGWwUvyg0WjqvQmLDewCLcBGAsYHQ/s376/mc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="376" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BON8rvnMhk/X9jYcW3SKHI/AAAAAAAAFD4/gsh2CrjYSBErNrjGWwUvyg0WjqvQmLDewCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h228/mc.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span class="text Gal-4-4" id="en-ESV-29119"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15590153368194137758noreply@blogger.com4