CEFR Level B2-C1
This is not a sponsored post.
In May 2026, I was an online student at Emmanuel Christian Seminary. For some classes, we go on campus for a week. The first week of May was an on-campus week. After evaluating my travel options, I decided that it would be cheaper for me to drive in than to fly and rent a car.
This trip came a week after finals. That week was filled with doing all the things I let slide during the semester. I just could not get my brain to turn to packing. I debated removing the Channels hike so that I would have an extra day to prepare, but I had been putting off the trip for years and going now would only be a 30-minute (one way) side trip.
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CEFR Level C1-C2
This is not a sponsored post.
If you’ve missed it, high-waisted trousers are all the rage in Spring 2026. I eagerly await the return of mid-rise pants. Why?
CEFR Level C1-C2
Background
As of April 2026, I have spent two semesters each formally studying biblical Greek and biblical Hebrew. I also have a B.A. in Spanish and have informally dabbled in at least five other languages. Additionally, I am certified to tutor ESL. All this to say, I’ve spent a lot of time both learning languages and thinking about how to teach them. I acknowledge that biblical languages are no longer spoken (like 13th-century English is no longer spoken), but I think there are crossover principles in how adults learn.
CEFR Level B2-C1
Independent Bookstore Day 2026 is Saturday, April 25.
Why do independent bookstores matter?
Depending on what you value, they may not. Here’s why I think they do.  CEFR Level C1-C2 I’ve occasionally had conversations with people who say they like movies better than books because they can actually see what happens. These same people don’t like closed-door scenes because even though they understand what is implied, they say that without seeing it, they don’t know what happens. They say it makes it more real to actually see the action rather than having to imagine it from implication.
 This is more than fear
Each responding without thought To some past violence so cruel I gag to imagine. The dog barks and pulls The lead pulling him backwards The woman cowers and hides Her veil no protection From scared growling fangs That thankfully aren’t today The attack her body fears Knowing no one is safe. I can do nothing But give a sad, rueful smile A hand half-raised in, I hope, A sign of peace conveying I see her terror And wish it flung far from her So she, too, can walk in joy, Unafraid in the sun. 
CEFR Level C1-C2
Easter has me thinking about light/The Light (AKA Jesus Christ). I wrote a piano piece designed to improvise around a short theme and called it Meditation on Light.
Then I thought about communion and how free and light I feel during the ceremony in my current church compared to my previous experiences. Then I wrote a reflection (or poem or whatever term you want to use) to coordinate with the music (sheet music available… when I have the time to format and post it). 
CEFR Level C1-C2
Our Culture Approves of Assault
St. Patrick’s Day brought back something I think about often: consent. My understanding is that assault is legally defined as touching someone without their consent when that touch is harmful or offensive (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/assault). With that definition, the US has a holiday where we teach children to cause others physical pain and call it fun, perhaps especially if the person we are trying to hurt is running away from us. Accompanying that practice, we teach children that they are wrong to be upset when someone causes them physical pain during the day when society has agreed that a specific type of hurting someone without their consent is acceptable.
Take a minute to think about how those socially acceptable practices may or may not affect how a person thinks about domestic violence or sexual assault, then come back for my thoughts on consent and spiritual practices. 
CEFR Level C1-C2
I love candles and wax melts. The wax melts from Bee Coco are my favorite (not an affiliate link). Their scents are more complex and sophisticated than I’ve found elsewhere. For candles, I like pure beeswax or the scented candles at Thistle Farms (not an affiliate link).
With wax melts, the scent eventually goes away or becomes subtle enough that I want to use new cubes. For candles, no matter what I do, there is always some amount of tunneling. What to do with the leftover wax? 
CEFR Level B1-B2
Continuing with our consideration of how the different ways people relate to money could be connected to their theology of money, let’s look at the money personality that is characterized by spending money to help others. My summary of this type is that they find security in feeling needed by others and they create this value by giving generously. If there’s something to donate to or someone in need, helper types will probably give!
CEFR Level B1-B2
As part of a seminary class on money and ministry, I filled out a [confidential] money autobiography. That set of journaling questions is from Dan R. Dick.
After completing that exercise, I was curious about what other forms of a money autobiography there were. The internet loves “what are you” quizzes. Okay, fine. I am entertained by those quizzes, even if I have my doubts about the validity of the conclusions. I searched for “money autobiography quiz” and found various options, each with their own labeling system. I won’t use anyone else’s creative titling here. I’ll just talk about broad themes.
CEFR Level B1-B2
The Background
Education is dangerous. It gives people ideas. When people have ideas, they start to think. Thinking means asking questions. Asking questions means authority cannot have unwavering obedience. That is bad for The Authority.
I was raised to obey The Authority without question. I was told The Authority always has my best interest in mind. Whether or not I was explicitly taught this, I came to believe that it was disobedience to even want something different from what the person in authority wanted. Any of my own ideas got shut up in a filing cabinet called “They Must Know Something I’ll Learn Later.” 
CEFR Level B1-B2
This essay is for the people who, like me, became adults believing that if they hadn’t prepared for every eventuality, if they didn’t see every possible solution before anyone else did, then they were deficient, irresponsible humans.
Prefer to read the version that connects to ministry? Read on my Substack!
The Story St. Valentine by Jacques Callot CEFR Level B2-C1 At least, if you believe in obeying laws that violate your religious beliefs.
CEFR Level B1-B2
I recently finished reading Warrior Girl, a novel by Carmen Tafolla. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by current events in the US, I think you would benefit from reading this book. It isn’t long, it’s a story, and the writing is easy to read.
Instead of doing a formal review, I want to share what I wrote the morning after staying up too late to finish the book. What I’ll read has quotes from page 52 of the book. I'll indicate those sections with an asterisk after them. You can also hear me read this.  CEFR Level B2-C1 For the Love of Women by Dorothy Littell Greco (2025) is an accessible presentation on how misogyny is alive and well throughout US culture. The book’s focus is on healthcare, employment, government, media, relationships, and church. With 39 pages of end-note citations, this book is not unsubstantiated opinion. The evidence presented is backed by other evidence that readers can examine to see if they come to similar conclusions.
 Can you see the fern and the mushroom behind me to the left? Winter is full of life! I pulled down my neck gaiter so you could see more than my eyes. :) CEFR Level B1-B2 The state parks here often host a First Day Hike on January 1. Even if there isn’t an organized event, you can usually get a free First Day Hike sticker if you go to a state park on the first day of the year. A Master Naturalist friend and I wanted to go to an organized event, but it didn’t work for both of us. We decided to do a Last Day Hike on December 31 instead.
CEFR Level B2-C1
This is Part 1 of a 2-Part Road Trip. Part 2 will be January's Subscriber Exclusive in The Variety Page Circular.
August 11-14, 2025: Solo camping trip to Breaks Interstate Park (VA/KY) and Mammoth Cave National Park
 CEFR Level B2-C1 I prefer my clothes to be comfortable. Some people seem okay with wearing things for their looks. I try, but prefer comfort. That doesn’t mean I only wear elastic waistbands, though! It does mean that I use my sewing skills to make what I want. A stretchy sequin belt is one example.
 CEFR Level B2-C1 This is not a sponsored review. I completely read any book I write a review on. The Justice of Jesus by Joash Thomas (2025) is a thoughtful consideration of what it means to live like Jesus Christ. This is no academic treatise, though! Nor is it a restatement of ideas commonly found in books shelved under “Christianity” in a bookstore. In accessible language, with plenty of section headers and a clear table of contents, The Justice of Jesus would make a good companion to personal devotions, a book for high school or college discussion, or to use in a group Bible study. I think it would be especially useful in a seminary class focused on the theology of the church or as assigned reading during a church-based internship.
 CEFR Level B2-C1 My second Christmas carol is ready! “A Gift to Us Was Given” tells the Christmas story in four verses and a refrain. I love that it is mostly in a minor key, giving the carol peaceful joy. The refrain, a celebratory response to the meaning of the verses, is in F major. This arrangement is in hymn style. The primary melody is created for the average congregant to be able to sing, but sopranos have the option of going up to a high A (A5). I love how versatile this hymn is. It could be sung like a lullaby or with gleeful anticipation. My one suggestion is for verse one, in measure four, get softer as you move to the end of the musical line. You may want to do this on other verses as well. Enjoy this new Christmas carol and let me know how you used it! Listen to my Composer Comments.
CEFR Level B2-C1
I’m so excited to finally publish this Advent/Christmas song! This arrangement of "That's Why You Were Born" is in hymn style and has a refrain that is easy to learn.
Performance Suggestions
CEFR Level B2-C1
At the moment, my life feels like constant triage. Do I memorize Hebrew verb paradigms or read for my other class? Can I push off prep for that paper a day or two more? Do I do boring paid work or the work that I enjoy and hope will one day pay? Have I practiced for my piano lesson? I suppose I need to eat more than cheese and crackers, but that means cooking. Exercise would make me feel better, but the tub needs cleaning or I’ll regret it next time I clean.
 CEFR Level C1-C2 The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone is an intense read at the beginning, especially if a reader has been taught to avoid saying anything that will make others uncomfortable or to use euphemisms or vague references if it is necessary to talk about such things.
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