Week 40 (2021)
porches & cities through the generations, learning from Puddleglum, chronos & kairos time, farms after prison & the painful stretch of bridges
(Open in your browser — emails cut off at the end!)
to read: essays, articles
My Family's Kansas City Story — Sarah Davis, Strong Towns — “All of their friends and extracurricular activities were happening in and around the town they were bused to school for. Because of this, they didn’t keep in touch and maintain friendships in their neighborhood, making the ties that might have kept them attached to that place much, much weaker.”
A Case For The Porch — Charlie Hailey, Orion — “I like how a porch is the jumping off point for both. It makes room for reverie and action, just as it tells stories of joy and urgency…”
Build A Bridge — Grace Olmstead, Granola — “I quoted Sarah Smarsh, who writes in her memoir Heartland that her life “has been a bridge between two places: the working poor and ‘higher’ economic classes. The city and the country. College-educated coworkers and disenfranchised loved ones Stretching your arms that far can be painful.”
Planting A Life - And A Future - After Prison At Benevolence Farm — Stephanie Parker, Civil Eats — “At Benevolence, the work is organized so that each woman gets experience working in different areas, such as the greenhouse, the pack house, a particular field, or the body-care area… The women work three days a week cutting herbs, clearing fields, and planting flowers, among other activities.”
The Partnership Of Chronos And Kairos — Siv Ricketts, Fathom — “When I slow down and look at my life I begin to wonder how I might live my chronological times with greater care if I take time to recognize and appreciate my kairos seasons.”
(This reminded me of Leah Libresco’s questions about time & interruptions in her newsletter a while back.)
A New Refrain, My Weapon — Zoe S. Erler, Ekstasis — “In a heroic moment, Puddleglum rouses himself and spouts out all the truth that he can call to mind: ‘I’ve seen the sky full of stars. I’ve seen the sun coming up out of the sea of a morning and sinking behind the mountains at night. And I’ve seen him up in the midday sky when I couldn’t look at him for brightness.’”
to read: books
Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel — audio — I’ll just echo this and this. Do yourself a favor and read The Road instead.
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Peter Scazzero — hardcover/audio — A helpful overview of what unhealthy emotional lives look like, and practices to work toward health. The idea of examining not only your own self, but also your family of origin is very helpful. Tons more could be said (whole books have been written!) about everything touched on here, but a great primer nonetheless.
to watch
Point Break — Jakob and I watched this dumb and wild movie, apparently one of the movies that inspired Sufjan Stevens’ new album.
First Things with Jackie Hill Perry — On her new book, spiritual practices, and other random things.
to listen: music
If Beale Street Could Talk — Nicholas Britell — A classic we return to in this family. This guy creates magic.
to listen: audio
The Rise And Fall Of Mars Hill: Mike Cosper — Preston Sprinkle, Theology In The Raw — Mike answers a lot of concerns, pushback, and questions, and talks about what he’s hoping for the series. (Article mentioned: The Unintended Consequences Of Failure Porn, with clarifications.)
American Cities Through European Eyes (And Vice Versa) — City planning & development is quite fascinating if you look for it.
to cook
Determined to dive into my first and only cookbook, Sababa, now that we’re a bit more settled.
to remember, reflect
A Year Ago...
Second trimester & a baby on the go.
This Week...
Trekking to Milwaukee for a helmet appointment. Taking advantage of the solo baby outing by shopping for much-needed mom jeans. Jakob and I enjoying a date night, and being the youngest people at the bar. Toddler wonder ablaze at the zoo, dragging a plush animal on a leash. Playing cars with the neighbor. The toddler putting his tools to work, and the baby as an underage driver. Jakob defining “a glass” of wine very generously. Visiting one more church, and spreading baby noises with cheer.
Finding all the good playgrounds around town. Seeing the curious, kind playfulness of children with one another. Meeting dads and grandmothers. Learning bits of their lives, with careful eyes on our kids. Hearing more heartbreak than we know what to do with, in a single conversation. Being grateful for the gift of common space, and public places. Pushed outside of comfort zones, and finding ourselves welcomed, told about the zoo, let in on local happenings, and their family situations. Hoping to see them all again.
“for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord…
But as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you — see that you excel in this act of grace also.”
2 Corinthians 8:2-3,7