I finished listening through the Medieval portion of (one version of) the classical repertoire this afternoon. Main takeaway (drumroll, please): Eight hundred years ago is a long time ago.

For what it’s worth, though, students of Italian will probably enjoy Johannes Ciconia, and students of German will almost certainly enjoy the music of warrior-poet Oswald von Wolkenstein.

Here’s a link to a Spotify playlist of my favorite tracks: Faves: Medieval.

Give to those who ask of you doesn’t apply merely to money. It also applies to time, and it’s a fine guiding principle to those who ask to hang out with me.

Give to those who ask of you doesn’t apply merely to money. It also applies to time, and it’s a fine guiding principle to those who ask to hang out with me.

That’s the first time I’ve gone without a meal in years. First of all, thank you, God, for Your plentiful provision. Second, whew, I’m a little light-headed.

That’s the first time I’ve gone without a meal in years. First of all, thank you, God, for Your plentiful provision. Second, whew, I’m a little light-headed.

How do you decide between living an ordinary life extraordinarily (i.e., what I’m attempting with my status quo) and making extraordinary choices that lead to living in extraordinary circumstances (e.g., moving to Fishtown). The latter calls, but very indistinctly.

John 4 also prompts me to ask: Are there people I keep distant from merely because they’re different from me?

You can’t, perhaps, get living water without letting Jesus dig deep into your soul.

A note on setting Buy It Now prices on eBay: Match the highest price among recently sold same items in similar condition. No need to discount.

“True prosperity comes when you make your business the prosperity of others.”

— David Snyder (his personal mission statement)

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

—Paul, Colossians 3

This is way better than crystal balls dropping on broadcast television.

This is way better than crystal balls dropping on broadcast television.

Éa: Daddy, Daddy, I forgot something.
Scott: Oh, what?
Éa: I forget.

My daughter was over the other day when Scott pulled into your driveway with the kids. As Sullivan was getting out, she said, “Ma! That boy has no coat on!” I said, “You’re lucky he has shoes on.” Then Éa came out of the car…

— Neighbor Janet

Don’t forget to felt your scroll saw.

— Carla, pretending to be Scott prompting her to keep up with making a Christmas present

I tried Foursquare again last week. I’ve got to stop. I’m like a dog returning to its vomit.

— Scott

“I need a carrot.”

— Sullivan, reaching into the fridge to grab the bag of baby carrots after eating a sour gumball for the first time

While reading the Cheerios box, Sullivan stops and says, “Mom, what’s cancer?” Carla replies that it’s a sickness that kills a lot of people and that Cheerios is trying to raise money to help fund research to find a cure. In turn, Sullivan says, “Yeah, because pink doesn’t really work, right?” Confused, Carla asks, “What?” Sullivan replies slyly as if telling her something that only a few select people know, “Liiiike, people wear those pink shoes and gloves…but it doesn’t really cure their cancer.”

Carla [from the other room]: OK, it’s decided.
Scott: What’s that?
Carla: I don’t know.

“When you come back to life after death, it’s sort of like God pushed you out of His tummy.”

— Sullivan, unprompted

as reported by Carla:

Just after sunset yesterday, I yelled for Scott to come see this neat swarm of tiny ants that I found in the driveway. We noticed one example of the stark difference in our kids’ personalities when Sullivan stood looking from a safe distance while Éa lay right on the blacktop inches from the mess of ants and poked at them with her fingers.

When I followed Éa in her boldness and looked up close myself, I noticed that these little ants weren’t after some food item as we had first assumed, but were actually fighting each other. I described what I had seen to the others, saying, “They’re fighting! It’s an all-out war! They’re in piles on top of each other and some are carrying away the dead.” Scott explained to the kids that this must be two distinct any colonies fighting for territory or something.

Then our kids displayed another fine example of their polar opposite personalities. Sullivan folded his hands and looked up to the sky with his happy bright blue eyes...

Scott: Carla, this is called invalidating my feelings. You’re not giving me any space to have this opinion.
Carla: Scott, you want to build a spice rack out of Legos.

editor’s note, 11/2/24: I still call this being resourceful.

Hmmm…how can I go to seminary and then put that learning into good use…

Hmmm…how can I go to seminary and then put that learning into good use?…