Week 46 (2021)
front porches & relational grief, the crossroads of life choices, habits of attention for the sake of our neighbor, productivity & burnout
(Open in your browser — emails cut off at the end!)
to read: essays, articles
Burnout, According To Solomon — Christine Norvell, Mere Orthodoxy — “In “What Are We Doing?” Malesic proposes meaningful work that promotes relationship. He refers to this as “legible” work… In contrast, work revolving around automation is “illegible” because it disconnects us from the camaraderie, loyalty, or significance of what we do.”
The Problem With Productivity And The Good Work Of Love — Alan Jacobs, The Hedgehog Review — “That means, first, that I have to love my neighbor—my colleague—above my own productivity; and that means, further, that my colleague and I need together to love something that is bigger than either of us.”
(Somehow I came across two essays that quote multiple different pieces by the same author, Jonathan Malesic.)
Out On The Porch: The Life And Death Of An American Architectural Icon — Lara Forsythe, Hillsdale Forum — “As it is, the front porch serves as the bridge between one’s private home and the public street.”
A Particular Grief — John Graeber, Fathom — “It is a cruel twist of our humanity that we are relational beings in a world where relationships are almost universally broken.”
Reading And The Habit Of Attention — Jen Pollok Michel — “If Weil is right, the habit of attention might be called a spiritual discipline. It’s a worthy reason for making New Year’s resolutions regarding book reading.”
Omens Or Not — Emily Sargent, Ekstasis — “The simplicity of that final phrase almost takes my breath away. It’s a clear directive that would strip away the chaos of journals, pro-con lists, and the so-often contradictory advice of friends. It promises rest.”
to read: books
Uprooted, Grace Olmstead — hardback — Reviews at places like Front Porch Republic, Englewood Review of Books, and an interview with Mere Orthodoxy about the book. (Her monthly newsletter is Granola, and I’ve loved it for the past few years she’s sent it out.)
Your Blue Flame, Jennifer Fulwiler — audio — I absolutely enjoyed her previous book, One Beautiful Dream, recently. That would be a good one to start with, as it gives more storied, personal context to some of the concepts here. (Bonus: Jen regarding babies on planes.)
to watch
Mystery And Manners — Jessica Hooten Wilson — A brief overview of a book I absolutely love, own, and need to re-read.
Joe Pera Sits With You — Joe Pera Talks With You — First episode of Season 3! We love Joe in this house.
to listen: music
What Makes It Through — Sara Groves — What can I say, been listening to her since I was a child.
Red (Taylor's Version) — Taylor Swift — For fun, Esau live-tweets his first experience with any version of Red. Hilarious.
An Evening With Silk Sonic — Silk Sonic — There’s reasons I kinda hate it, but it also helped us clean the house & kitchen explosion after the boys’ bedtime
You Climbed Down (single) — January Lanterns — Wonderful music-makers who performed Sufjan covers at our wedding. This is their newest release.
to listen: audio
The Tempest — The Rise & Fall Of Mars Hill, Mike Cosper — My husband and I listened together over the weekend, as we’ve been following series. Words fail to describe the anger, sadness, and grief of sin’s consequences contained in this episode.
The Practice Of Creative Listening — Ink & Soul, feat. Stephanie Duncan Smith — A lovely chat. (Stephanie’s newsletter is SLANT LETTER.)
to cook
Walnuts in Brownies!
to remember, reflect
A Year Ago...
Back on Long Island, we went with Jakob to one of the few disc golf courses, Lukas was growing, and Ezra was on the cusp of 11 months….. and gettin’ around.
This Week...
An attempt at the middle part with postpartum baby hairs, lookin like a Zoomer Mom. A thrifted basketball hoop. Messes, perpetually. Cheers with eggnog. The local library, and the friends toddlers make. Dinner out with new friends. A family visit to the YMCA. The dad doing risky dad stuff (with padding). A church lunch, and the joy of getting to know and be known — even if slowly. The couple we met on our first visit there, now freshly engaged. Ezra running circles with kids in a place of worship, which seems fitting. Thrifted storage baskets. Abundant giggling & laughs for all the clever jokes, dumb jokes, and kid stuff. Glad to be married to a funny guy.
“Merriment must be between people who take each other seriously”, says C.S. Lewis.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
John 15:4