November SunFun
Praises and Prayers
From nice fall walks and tea on the back porch to the first snow: November was lovely. Caid and I loved getting to stay downtown for our 12th anniversary, as well as have time to visit Illinois and have a cozy Thanksgiving at home. I will enjoy cooking Thanksgiving, when no one else decides they would like to cook Thanksgiving. Thankfully, my mom was up for all the cooking and organizing and we just showed up! Sofia is a part of student counsel again this year, and Jessica loves her new rollie chair as we moved around their room and added some furniture. Caid has figured out a new morning routine and is enjoying it, and I am falling in love with teaching English again, this time to immigrants and refugees, many of whom are learning to read and write for the first time.
I have really been mourning the dismantling and twisting of the refugee resettlement system in the USA, and lies about immigrants that mixture of gratitude and grief that comes up with American specific holidays. It is something important to face and figure out, as well as share with those you love, and I am so blessed with a great community of people to talk through things with. I also finished reading my favorite book of the year (I think…there is still some time to find more books)! I also spent a lot of November getting ready for December with a new MISSIONARY ADVENT:). Here is the podcast about it, and the blog about it.
Interweb Reads:
(My creations are all in the links above) Of note: I am enjoying the short videos (reels) by Both Sides News (on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube)
Missionary stuff: Finally, Proof that kids can thrive while growing up overseas (A Life Overseas), Am I a Missionary? (A Life Overseas), To my almost-adult kids: Don’t be afraid of these three words (Amy Medina), Keeper of Memories (Rachel Pieh Jones), an open letter to returning workers and their support networks (A Life Overseas)
Immigration stuff: There is only one right way to treat immigrants (Brandon J. O’Brien) The Will of God is a Place (Ann Voskamp for Christianity today) A betrayal of trust: 233,000 refugees back in limbo (Brittani Farrington) This shooting is tragic. Blaming Afghan refugees won’t bring justice. (Brittani Farrington)
Political stuff: The Church better start taking Nazification seriously (Russel Moore), Our first American dictator is grinding us down (Tia Levings), Feeling awful? Stop counting. Get Outside (Kate Bowler), Death and Taxes (Courtney Martin), A Thanksgiving for our better selves (Kate Bowler), Does Advent even matter when the world is on fire? (Sarah Bessey)