Shelly has long been one of my favorite teachers on Sabbath. Her insight and teaching is not only beautiful, but powerful. Have you ever witnessed a mother take a rambunctious child firmly by the shoulders, locking eyes with gentle instruction to slow down? That’s what...
“I’m terminally optimistic! When I wake up in the morning I expect something good to happen. I don’t know exactly what it will be, and sometimes it’s postponed until the next day or the day after, but inevitably something wonderful will happen!”Hearing her words I...
It’s a rare Saturday morning I don’t meander downstairs to the aroma of fresh ground coffee and pancakes in the skillet. It’s my husband’s weekend ritual with the kids, rich with joy. At no point did he actually declare this a thing. It simply came...
The way he approaches the Bread and Cup drew me in. Not that I am unfamiliar, I grew up in church. Communion is a practice with which I am well acquainted. Rather the way, the manner, the reverence he brings to the experience is so...
In most of the country, by definition fall gardening is a second chance. After the anticipation and ease in early spring, and the crops that overload your fridge drawers with abundance at the peak of season, there’s also the inevitable reality of plants that wilt...
Long before essential oils made triumphant popularity in the United States, I found myself struggling with intense allergies. Loads of research led me to a company in Europe, and a tiny bottle of potent oregano oil. I jumped through hoops to get it shipped across...
Years ago during one of our first trips to the UK, my husband and I stumbled into a Christmas Market in Manchester, England. Despite the blustering cold, we were mesmerized. The historic square was lined with rows of countless wooden stalls draped with twinkling lights....
For as long as I can remember I have loved God, or at least the idea of Him. Growing up in church I absorbed enough to know He loved me, and was magnetically drawn to His mystery. I loved God even without knowing many of...
Greenhouses are making a marked comeback in recent years, and for more than simply growing. While tending and nurturing vulnerable seedlings is certainly part of the purpose, it’s fascinating how much more they have come to represent. I chatted with two women recently, both of...
Have you ever wondered the difference between a spice and an herb? Some sources define the leafy parts of a plant an herb, whereas the roots, stems, bulbs, and seeds are considered a spice. But according to the American Spice Trade Association, spices are defined...