This is the season where my broth disappears faster than I can make it, and some soups end up with more water than I'd intended. But that's a good thing, a result of my baby girl leaning forward and opening her mouth wide, asking for 'more soup, mama.' I just need to make more.
I think the decay of the autumn leaves and frostbitten flowers is one of holiness, a reminder of God's renewal through natural processes, seasons of hibernation, and nutrient cycling. Just as He renews the grasses and leaves, so to will He renew me.
Help my confusion? My calendar's say Advent begins December 3rd, the four Sundays before Christmas. Is there an alternate Advent calendar?
The scents / essences that are reminiscent of thIS season for me are Frankincense, CINnamon, and Orange. It's a time of makINg jam with my Husband, with BErries that WE foraged IN the Forest with our own Humble hands. A True deLight for All of our senses. I AM remINded by the short days and the long nights, that repose and rest are productive and vital. On my daily WELLth walks as I like to call them, I see the Trees BEINg emptied, as their Leaves fall to the ground wHere they Will decompose and affirm and fertilize more Life. The Trees reflect back to me that even when I AM BEINg emptied (by God) - I AM NOT EMPTY. Thank you for thIS INvitation! God Bless 🤍
Ok. Help a girl out. If advent starts the 26th, how do I manage my candelabra that contains 7 candles!? I think I can’t start until the 3rd, right? I feel like I somehow mess it up every year.
Hmm! Not sure about the seven candles, since I'm used to Advent having four candles (one for each Sunday) plus a fifth in the middle for Christmas Day! You could start one Sunday earlier, maybe, and light a candle for Christmas Eve, too? 😂
I’ve been trying to search about how the Swedes do it, but haven’t found anything laid out clearly yet. Suppose I could also do every day the week leading up to Christmas. Options 🤪
Love this, S. E.! Like you, I find autumn a feast for the senses. There's that first chilly touch on the cheek on a late September evening, a harbinger of change to come...woodsmoke in the air...leaves changing color, often with a rainbow of hues on a single branch...evening descending earlier...the irresistible pull inward, toward the fire in the fireplace...spending the dark and rainy afternoon indoors, without excuses. The tiny grey bushtits swarm like a miniature blizzard around the recently replenished bird feeder, while far above the Canadian geese wend their stately way south -- a study in God's contrasts. Nothing happens fast. Everything seems well worth the wait.
Sarah, this is so beautiful.... I too love the PNW fall--a season of soup making!
These lines in your poem especially resonated with me:
"...consider how long it takes
for a good thing
to alchemize;"
Reader Nancy D. echoes a similar thought I've had--change in anything--a life situation, a need for growth, seasons moving from summer to autumn--each takes their time in arriving. Paying attention is indeed the best posture while we wait.
Thank you so much, Jody! The waiting is often so difficult, isn't it? But worth it, usually in hindsight, for how valuable the transformation has been.
Scents....leafmold, scent of woodsmoke from chimneys, a dot of frankincense oil on my wrist, the predawn smell of bread baking, the scentless scent of my cats fur as he snuggles to my face at 3 am.
And I love that "scentless scent" idea of our furry friends. No one ever accused our dog of smelling like roses, as he spends a lot of time traipsing around outdoors, but his head and the back of his ears always have this "warm" smell that I find so cozy and wonderful. 🌿
The change is so subtle, isn't it? We have these big, beautiful ornamental maple trees in our yard that the previous owners planted, and every year they put on such a show for us. Day by day the nature of the color changes. It's breathtaking, and such a lesson in patient observation.
This is the season where my broth disappears faster than I can make it, and some soups end up with more water than I'd intended. But that's a good thing, a result of my baby girl leaning forward and opening her mouth wide, asking for 'more soup, mama.' I just need to make more.
I think the decay of the autumn leaves and frostbitten flowers is one of holiness, a reminder of God's renewal through natural processes, seasons of hibernation, and nutrient cycling. Just as He renews the grasses and leaves, so to will He renew me.
Help my confusion? My calendar's say Advent begins December 3rd, the four Sundays before Christmas. Is there an alternate Advent calendar?
You are absolutely right! I miscounted; Advent starts December 3rd this year. 😂 Oops! Gotta make some corrections...
The scents / essences that are reminiscent of thIS season for me are Frankincense, CINnamon, and Orange. It's a time of makINg jam with my Husband, with BErries that WE foraged IN the Forest with our own Humble hands. A True deLight for All of our senses. I AM remINded by the short days and the long nights, that repose and rest are productive and vital. On my daily WELLth walks as I like to call them, I see the Trees BEINg emptied, as their Leaves fall to the ground wHere they Will decompose and affirm and fertilize more Life. The Trees reflect back to me that even when I AM BEINg emptied (by God) - I AM NOT EMPTY. Thank you for thIS INvitation! God Bless 🤍
and consider how long it takes
for a good thing
to alchemize;
that Creation itself
was handcrafted
over time;
(stewed, slow-cooked)
that nothing healthful
or lovely
or good
is created
in an instant.
These Words resonated soooo deeply. Thank you, thank you. thank you.
This is so beautifully written, and I downloaded Pilgrim God on Kindle Unlimited!
Ok. Help a girl out. If advent starts the 26th, how do I manage my candelabra that contains 7 candles!? I think I can’t start until the 3rd, right? I feel like I somehow mess it up every year.
Hmm! Not sure about the seven candles, since I'm used to Advent having four candles (one for each Sunday) plus a fifth in the middle for Christmas Day! You could start one Sunday earlier, maybe, and light a candle for Christmas Eve, too? 😂
I’ve been trying to search about how the Swedes do it, but haven’t found anything laid out clearly yet. Suppose I could also do every day the week leading up to Christmas. Options 🤪
Haha, for sure! Honestly, whatever gives the season meaning for you is 100% the right call. 😁🕯️
This is so beautiful. Especially connected to these lines...
“Soup and Spirit, smoke and soul.
Our home, a tiny cathedral.”
✨🙏❤️🩹
So kind, Claire, thank you for reading!
Love this, S. E.! Like you, I find autumn a feast for the senses. There's that first chilly touch on the cheek on a late September evening, a harbinger of change to come...woodsmoke in the air...leaves changing color, often with a rainbow of hues on a single branch...evening descending earlier...the irresistible pull inward, toward the fire in the fireplace...spending the dark and rainy afternoon indoors, without excuses. The tiny grey bushtits swarm like a miniature blizzard around the recently replenished bird feeder, while far above the Canadian geese wend their stately way south -- a study in God's contrasts. Nothing happens fast. Everything seems well worth the wait.
Beautifully said! 🌿
Sarah, this is so beautiful.... I too love the PNW fall--a season of soup making!
These lines in your poem especially resonated with me:
"...consider how long it takes
for a good thing
to alchemize;"
Reader Nancy D. echoes a similar thought I've had--change in anything--a life situation, a need for growth, seasons moving from summer to autumn--each takes their time in arriving. Paying attention is indeed the best posture while we wait.
Thank you so much, Jody! The waiting is often so difficult, isn't it? But worth it, usually in hindsight, for how valuable the transformation has been.
Scents....leafmold, scent of woodsmoke from chimneys, a dot of frankincense oil on my wrist, the predawn smell of bread baking, the scentless scent of my cats fur as he snuggles to my face at 3 am.
Beautiful!
And I love that "scentless scent" idea of our furry friends. No one ever accused our dog of smelling like roses, as he spends a lot of time traipsing around outdoors, but his head and the back of his ears always have this "warm" smell that I find so cozy and wonderful. 🌿
Yes, Nancy, love this!
The change is so subtle, isn't it? We have these big, beautiful ornamental maple trees in our yard that the previous owners planted, and every year they put on such a show for us. Day by day the nature of the color changes. It's breathtaking, and such a lesson in patient observation.