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
Pause to Breathe
Sarah Wolfe wrote a post recently at her blog that reminds us to take time to breathe and be thankful.
- I am thankful for Friday morning in the coffee shop with the oldest boy. Thankful for laughter and watching goofy videos. Thankful for good books to read and for warm fireplaces.
Last night we had an Arts Night at the homeschool tutorial. Such talented kids, and so much joy.
Sometimes it is easy, and I know this is stating the obvious, it is easy to think that everything is falling apart and the world is ending. It is easy to be overwhelmed. There is much to occupy our thoughts in a somber and heavy manner, and we need to take the time to think through heavy issues.
9 Things Your Kids Need (But Won’t Tell You)
At For Every Mom, Frank Powell has a piece that helps us think through what our children really need from us.
- Not long after my first son was born, someone came up to me and said something that changed my perspective on parenting. “Enjoy every moment. The days are long but the years are short.”
At the time, I was low on sleep and high on stress, and this wasn’t the time for one-liners. Why couldn’t he offer to babysit for a few hours instead?
But it’s been nearly four years since I held my son for the first time, and I’ve thought about his comment hundreds of times.
Parenting is a beautiful storm. Few endeavors are more life-giving and joy-filled. But it’s far from easy. Some days all you can do is hold on. The torrent of poop diapers and irresponsible decisions threaten your sanity. Other days, you see it. You see the hard work, late nights, and discipline finally paying off.
Image Bearers and Creators of Worlds
Adam Andrews reminds us at Center for Lit that we human beings are both image bearers and creators of worlds.
- A human being is a creator of worlds. I didn’t realize how great this power is (or how true the statement) until one day last spring when my wife Missy and I were late for a plane in the Atlanta airport.
As we approached the TSA security checkpoint, we fought the stress and anxiety you would expect in this situation. I noticed that traffic was being directed down a narrow hallway before spilling out into the familiar back and forth, Disneyland-style queue that leads to the metal detectors. On the left side of this passage stood a stern, scowling TSA agent. Her job was to remind us to empty our pockets, remove laptop computers from their cases, and dispose of liquids totaling more than three ounces. And to hurry up – always hurry up.
How Art Moved Me Beyond the Cliché
Andrew Collins writes at The Gospel Coalition about the ways art has deepened his experience with scripture.
- Have you ever felt stuck between reading Scripture as either too clichéd or too academic? Our Bibles seem clichéd when we’re reading familiar texts like John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11, and Philippians 4:13, as the verses we memorized in Awana or see on billboards begin to wear thin.
Approaching Scripture in an overly academic manner runs to the opposite extreme, where we obsess over meaning but reach the same net effect: dullness of heart. We see this among pastors who treat the Bible like a job manual, or seminarians who treat it like a textbook.
The best antidotes to these problems are regularly sitting under faithful preaching and regularly studying God’s Word. But we often overlook another important supplement: the power of artists to bring Scripture’s truths from the head to the heart.
Around the Warren
The Candles at Turl Street Kitchen
Kelly Keller reflects on the light of the candles at Turl Street Kitchen in Oxford and the light we ingrain on our children’s hearts.
- Evening comes on quickly in Oxford in November. The dark creeps in around 4 in the afternoon.
When David and I closed out our afternoons there, we sought out a little respite in a place pointed out to us by our friend Sarah: Turl Street Kitchen. Turl Street is one of the cross streets that runs between Broad Street and the High Street. It is rather narrow and always full of bicycle riders.
The restaurant was tucked in on the right side of the road as we left Broad Street and Blackwells’ bookstore. It was the kind of place you’d imagine in Oxford: small-paned windows, rough wooden pub tables, and a staircase that marched up the middle of the building. In the back was the coffee bar: a lighter space with a few high-top tables scattered about.
The Boys in the Boat – a Story of Risk, Rigor, and Renown
Liz Cottrill recommends one of my favorite narrative non-fiction books.
- A lot of important things went by the wayside the day I read this book.
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, by Daniel James Brown, is a gripping account that reads like suspense fiction. Maybe it is because I have two teenaged boys at home, or because it is such a frequent plea from parents to suggest books for their boys, I have to recommend this true-life story. Of the ten dozen books I read in 2016, this is in the top five. Really, you’ve got to read this book!
Something to Do with Your Kids
Next week is Valentine’s Day, and while some may have time for a romantic date, the reality is most of us need to include the whole family. Here’s a list of family Valentine’s activities that you might want to try out.
And Something to Watch
Slo-mo is one of my favorite things. Super hi-res crazy slo-mo of popcorn popping? Totally up my alley.
Thank you for reading. We’re on your side.
Carolyn Clare Givens is a displaced Northerner exploring the foreign ways of the South. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her literary cat, Lord Peter Wimsey. She's the author of The King's Messenger and Rosefire and in her free time helps run Bandersnatch Books.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
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