I See What You Meme

Here we are at Holy Week.  What a crazy Lenten Season this has been.  There is a new Pope on the block . Although I'm not Catholic, the transition seems to have implications across faiths and around the world and Pope Francis is an interesting guy, to say the least.   Sometimes, you just gotta go for the grilled cheese with fresh tomato and basil.  I gave up french fries and soda for Lent.  It was a good choice because I found myself falling into bad habits with my eating and those are two things that can be vices for me.  I only cheated once.  I really really  wanted a grilled cheese sandwich at this restaurant in Charlottesville and there were no "side substitutes".  Yes, I know I could have just not eaten the fries .  I cheated.  I will say 2 Rosaries and 3 Hail Marys.  Oh yeah. I'm not Catholic. In all seriousness, though, my view on Lenten sacrifice is that whatever habit I choose as my focus, whether it is giving up...

Dear Sweet Charlotte, Time plays tricks on us.  It does strange things.   It seems like just yesterday that you left us.  Yesterday, though, marked two years since we planted your butterfly bush.  It was Easter 2010.  When you died, we had your body cremated. We chose a special urn that functioned as a biodegradable planter. A good friend gave us a beautiful butterfly bush. We spent our Easter morning planting that tiny seedling in the ground, using your ashes as part of the fertilizer.  In the two years since you have been gone, that butterfly bush has grown.  It has attracted many butterflies each summer.  We love tending your garden. We have added purple echinacea on either side of the bush. This year, I added four more purple tinted flowering perennials.  Sometimes people leave anonymous butterfly-themed gifts near the garden.  We love them. Your dad takes time every day to look at the garden. No matter the season, we feel y...

It's Easter Sunday. For many, it is a day of rejoicing. It is, most certainly, one of the most important and Holiest of days in the Christian calendar. I cannot celebrate. Holidays are difficult enough at this point in my life but this week has hit me particularly hard.  First, there was the license plate mess .  On the surface, it seemed a trivial matter but the sentimental value of that plate made the loss more substantial in my mind.  Abbie celebrating her birthday last year at Romp n' Roll Yesterday, we felt a loss that cuts to a much deeper level. Cancer warrior Abbie Waters , a brave girl who just turned 9 this week, lost her battle with Rhabdomyosarcoma.  In our cancer journey, we have met many families. We have had the opportunity to know not only the boys and girls battling disease but their parents as well. Abbie now becomes the 5th child that I have known personally who has died way too soon.   There is no question that you feel a loss when a...

In the spirit of.... the Spirit , this week's Follow Friday is dedicated to religion.  In the Christian tradition, it is Holy Week. We just passed over Passover.  And for all those crunchy granola folks out there, today is Earth Day. My guess is there is some holiday upcoming or outgoing for just about every major religion on the planet going on.  Except for Jehovah's Witnesses . I think that's a pretty safe bet.  So this week I will share some of my favorite resources for information, news, food for thought, and all other propaganda revolving around religion. Sojourners: This magazine and website looks at how faith intermingles with politics and culture in our modern world.  Founded by activist and author Jim Wallis, I am often inspired and enlightened by the perspectives presented in their media-sphere. Follow them at @sojourners or @jimwallis I recently discovered The Poached Egg through The Internets and have found it to be another enlightening so...

Yes, my friends, it's the Holiday Season.  Hanukkah has come and gone, Advent is winding down, and Christmas is imminent.  I guess it's time to go to church.  I have become a Chreaster.  Those of you who fastidiously followed our story with Charlotte may remember my previous discussion on Chreasters .  A Chreaster is a person that shows up at church on the main holidays in the Christian calendar, principally Christmas and Easter.  Other than those holidays, you'd be surprised to see them in a church at all.  Some go out of obligation (or guilt), others go because they just don't generally feel comfortable in church on a regular basis.  Perhaps they don't have a regular church home but it feels right (or necessary) to make an appearance on the holiest of days in the Christian calendar.  For some, that's the realm of their spiritual experience.  It's not right or wrong, although I suppose some might see it as a derogator...