Early snows have the biggest flakes.  The wind whips them high and low, creating a scene that is full of motion against the backdrop sky of gray.Fluffy flakes of snow swirling all around, the kind that tempt you to stick out your tongue and catch one, and then instantly, that cold fluff melts.Now the flakes fall on my eyelashes, with a weight, a snow-heaviness that makes me blink twice and wonder ...  Read More

“Be joyful always. Pray continually. Give thanks no matter what.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) I drove to Purgatory Park for a hike in the autumn sunshine. It had been rainy and cold for several days and I had spent too many hours working inside that week. I yearned to hear my feet crunch the leaves, to feel the sunshine on my face and to feast my eyes on the splendor of the fall colors.I was combini...  Read More

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let everyone know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)The Bible passage selections...  Read More

Daddy was not a man of the cloth….as they say...the word “cloth” acquired its meaning in 1634 when it began denoting one’s preference for the profession of clergymen.  Daddy was a keeper of the soil and seeds...God’s crops.  In other words he was a farmer (a sower of the seeds).  God’s crops….a farmer...as I said, “a sower of the seeds”. But one year prior to Advent, my mom asked him to design and...  Read More

Magnus ran his hand over the sling again. His fingers bounced against the pebbled outside of the cast. He cautiously flexed his muscles. Though his wrist did not move, a string of ache wound its way up from deep within and along the inside of his arm.He scowled at the injury. He should be working. Instead, his stupid wrist was holding him back. He cursed his luck again and imagined what he could b...  Read More

Our Thanksgiving plans have changed, once again, due to COVID. We usually travel to Iowa to see my mother-in-law. My husband’s sister and her family drive from Indianapolis. His brother’s family also drives south from the Twin Cities to join the festivities. Obviously, we did not gather at all in 2020. We did congregate last summer once everyone was vaccinated. It was a blast to finally raise our ...  Read More

[This memoir is by a student in Susan Ault’s English Language Learner course for Hopkins schools.]In my native city of Poncitlan, Mexico, the biggest celebration of the year is the Virgin of the Rosary.  This celebration starts on November 23rd and lasts for eight days.At five o-clock in the morning the people are inside the church and the mariachi band plays the Happy Birthday song.  When they si...  Read More

When the base of the tree would begin to fill with presents over the course of December, my brother and I always kept an eye out for one from our great aunt Judy.  She lived in the mythical land of Seattle which we had heard of in stories of our much older brother Jeff’s legendary trip to the World’s Fair.  We just knew that Aunt Judy sent the coolest gifts.  In her wisdom our mother never loaded ...  Read More

Celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends is the on-ramp into Advent and the Christmas season. The Christmas decorations come out in the final week of November (at many stores, they are displayed as early as October which drives my husband nuts). Part of my annual ritual is making hot cocoa and listening to Christmas songs as I decorate. I have my Christmas hit list. Much to my family’s dis...  Read More

“Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?  For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap, he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”...  Read More

This Advent memoir is from Carol Olson, Rolf Olson’s mother, a resident of Madison, Minnesota, and member of Faith Lutheran Church.There was church every Wednesday during Advent, and I know that if mother and father went, we kids went, too.  And there was all of the baking preparations then, baking cookies and making traditional Norwegian sweets and breads.  It was an exciting time.  I can remembe...  Read More

Magnus Stonhart shuffled through the chill, dark night while the knapsack slung over his shoulder glowed and thrummed and emanated sweet smells of all varieties. He preferred to work at night, when the world stilled and the crowds dispersed. Alone, he roamed the empty streets to gather sensations wherever he could. On summer nights it was pleasant, but the warmth of summer had waned. Christmas was...  Read More