The Warren & the World is Story Warren’s weekly newsletter, providing a round-up of our favorite things from around the web as well as a review of what was on our site over the past week. We’re glad you’re here!
Around the Web
When God Says No
Stephanie Shott has a piece at The Mom Initiative on how to respond when God says “No.”
- Have you ever wondered why sometimes you desperately want to do something for the Lord and you start moving in that direction, only to realize that your good idea was not really a God idea?
Yeah…me too!
And it’s very painful! Isn’t it?
At least it is for me!
Recently, I was faced with the opportunity to do something I really wanted to do. I thought it was a great idea. I thought it was even an open door. It was a good thing. A really GOOD thing!
But God said NO.
The Traditions Of Children
- Without really thinking about it, we assume that tradition is the province of adults. Traditional meals are cooked by adults. Traditional songs are written by adults. Traditional liturgies are conducted by adults, even if children are present for the worship, the singing, the supper. Children lack the intellect, the memory, and the fortune to perpetuate tradition.
However, my seven year old daughter has lately come home from school clapping and singing “Mary Mack.” As in my youth— and yours, no matter how old you are— she was not taught this song by adults, but by other girls of her own age.
In The Season Of Rain
- Earlier that afternoon as I was thinking about the upcoming launch of my Advent book, Come, Lord Jesus, an image had come to mind–a single thread being pulled from a seam of fabric.
An undoing. An opening.
This is one of the fullest Fall seasons we have experienced here. Our schedule bulges with activity and responsibility. Homeschooling requires more time and attention now than ever. There’s a Retreat, a book, and regular life. Balancing all of the things feels like two full-time jobs crammed into 24 hour days, and if I’m not careful, I will forsake the gifts, calling it all, not-enough. I saw the seam unraveling.
It was clearly a vision.
Entertaining and Wise, The Inquisitor’s Tale Is a Must-Read
Melissa Taylor recommends The Inquisitor’s Tale over at Imagination Soup.
- “There are some people in this world who have magic in them. Whose very presence makes you happier. Some of those people, it turns out, are children.”
The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly immerses us in a story rich with layers of meaning and questions of faith and prejudice that is about three children: Jeanne, a peasant girl with visions, William, a Saracen oblate with incredible strength, and Jacob, a Jewish boy whose prayers and herbs miraculously heal. Of course, all with the holy greyhound, Gwenforte, as their steadfast companion.
Around the Warren
The Beauty in the Boom: Fiction and the Art of Paradox
Guest Mark Guiney has a piece up about paradox and beauty.
- I’m a loud clapper.
It doesn’t matter what kind of event I’m attending. Whenever the punchline hits, the curtain falls, the last note fades away, there I am, smacking my lanky mitts together like a loon, usually unsettling the nice old lady on my left.
One can ponder who in humanity came up with this somewhat odd way of expressing collective approval, but I prefer to dwell more on the mechanics of the thing. Two hands rush toward each other through empty space, one right, one left, both silent except for the nigh-imperceptible rush of air. Then, finally, they crash into one another, and their energy is transferred to the infinitesimal, vibrating network of atoms surrounding them.
Bible Basics: A Baby Believer Counting Primer
Kelly Keller interviews Danielle Hitchen, author of Bible Basics. Danielle desires for our youngest “readers” to be treated to a high-quality, beautiful, first book of Bible basics.
- What role do books play in your life at home?
My family and I love books. My husband often laments that we don’t have enough room in our current place to store our full library! We love reading individually, we love reading books together (usually listening to them on car trips), we love talking with our friends about what they’re reading, and we love buying books for and reading to our kids. Our daughter has subsequently developed a love of books (for our baby son, it remains to be seen!), and we try to read to our children a couple times a day. It’s a great way to bond with our kids and enjoy quiet time with them. Books are a great way to learn, to relax, to foster conversation and become better conversationalists, to develop compassion and empathy, and to creation connection with other people.
Space
Somehow last week I missed our Story Warren Short by Ian Grove! Thanks for writing for us, Ian. Check out Ian’s story at the site.
Something to Do with Your Kids
It’s apple season in most of North America and time to introduce you to the wonder of Applesauce Day. Maybe you’ve got an orchard nearby, or maybe you can just get to the grocery store and grab a few bags of apples, but the work of Applesauce Day is fun for kids as well as mom and dad. Wash the apples thoroughly, chop them up, cook them down, mill them, and enjoy delicious. You can freeze or can the sauce for later. Here are some good tips on making homemade applesauce.
And Something to Watch
Take a moment to enjoy a toddler trying to keep up with an Irish street dancer.
Thank you for reading. We’re on your side.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
- The Warren & The World Vol 13, Issue 2 - January 18, 2025
- The Warren & The World Vol 13, Issue 1 - January 11, 2025
- The Warren & The World Vol 12, Issue 45 - December 21, 2024
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