I often find the first page of a new watercolor sketchbook to be very intimidating. Finally broke this one in (back in October) with a favorite place — St. Michael’s Abbey, in Silverado Canyon.
The Abbey has brought so much peace and comfort this past year…looking forward to spending a lot of time here in the years ahead.
No. 05 of the Fortnightly Dispatch has been “dispatched.” Highlights from this edition include video footage of a murmuration of starlings that (for a split second) look like a huge bird; some commentary and highlights re: a WWI notebook; Thoughts and reporting on the topic of stepping away from social media; an inspiring quote from Mary Oliver; and the usual “Journal” round-up of family fodder (including Disney World!).
I hope you consider subscribing and following along HERE.
So grateful for evening walks along the coast, and these views.
Images captured via my iPhone.
No. 04 of the Fortnightly Dispatch has been “dispatched.” Highlights from this edition include video footage of a mesmerizing tadpole migration, a bit of prose from a French philosopher and journalist you may be familiar with, an inspiring 540-mile bike trek along the Colorado Trail, a compelling piece of writing about the history of sweatpants (yup, your read that correctly, sweatpants!)…and a few other bits of fodder.
I hope you consider subscribing and following along HERE.
“The real test on the path of love is ~ are you willing to give up everything for your love?”
This quote pulled me into the work of G.K. Chesterton. I’m now looking forward to diving deeper into the rabbit hole…and very likely adding to the growing pile of books on my nightstand:
“People are more themselves when joy is the fundamental thing in them, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and figurative frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labor by which all things live.”
The latest edition (no. 02) of the Fortnightly Dispatch is out in the wild.
You can subscribe (HERE).
The “Fortnightly Dispatch” is where I share about what’s catching my attention and highlight a few personal notes and photos from the past two weeks. The newsletter is meant to replace social media (for me), as I wean off those channels and instead share with people in a more thoughtful way.
“Recent Thoughts” is one of my favorite posts that Rebecca Toh publishes on her blog. Her most recent includes a thought that really resonates with me.
Constraints create the conditions for freedom.
Rebecca’s blog is among a small, but growing, list of sites that I regularly read and recommend to others. You can find her full list of ten recent thoughts here.
I can confidently say that “Get Your Life Back” by John Eldredge was the most nourishing and impactful book I’ve read this year. There are far too many reasons to get into why…so I’ll let the sketchnotes that follow take care of that (with credit to our daughter Ella for her artistic prowess in creating these sketchnotes, pulling from the many highlights and notes I’ve marked in the book).
I discovered John Eldredge, and the wide range of his (and his team’s) work over at Wild at Heart, at a critical time when I needed it most. My soul was frayed around the edges, I was captive to the false self which was keeping me from the joy and freedom that God had always intended for me.
John’s “Pause” app, and the many podcasts and content on the Wild at Heart app, are now in heavy rotation as part of my daily soul awakening and restoration. I highly recommend “Get Your Life Back” — I know my copy will continue to be a constant companion, especially when I need a reminder of how to live freely and lightly.
Here are a few links to connect with John and his work:
About the Author: John Eldredge is a bestselling author, a counselor, and a teacher. He is also president of Wild at Heart, a ministry devoted to helping people discover the heart of God, recover their own hearts in God’s love, and learn to live in God’s kingdom. John and his wife, Stasi, live near Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Find a heart that will love you at your worst, and arms that will hold you at your weakest.