Weekend Top 10: the first day of Advent edition!
A curated list of what I've been up to lately: places, people, books, podcasts, music, links & more for your weekend downtime.
First, a photo from this week!
My parents somehow magically expand their house as the Hill family grows and grows.
I’m changing up the Weekend Daybook post a bit. Since I’m moving Daybook posts over to Patreon (and since Weekend “Daybook” was kind of a misnomer anyway), I’ll be posting a quicker list of links and publishing updates here Saturday mornings. I’m pretty pleased with myself to narrow down the number of themes I love to read and write about to TEN categories, I’ll share one link from each category each weekend.
Today’s major headline is that ADVENT BEGINS TODAY! It’s weird to write about a season marked by slowing down in all caps, but I really am that excited. I love this quotation from Fleming Rutledge in her devotional read, Advent, about this difference we’ll feel between our church and our culture this season.
“As we prepare to enter the Advent season, the Church hunkers down. The [Anglican] Church in America has been known for being really scrupulous about observing Advent; it’s one of the best things about us. We don’t decorate the church during Advent; we don’t sing carols; we don’t move to Christmas until the eve itself. Advent is a time for making a fearless inventory of the darkness. This is a call for character and courage.…At no time is there a greater contrast between what the church teaches and what is going on all around us.”
Remember that the Advent Daybook posts you normally find here are moving over to my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/sacramentallife. And, here’s the first post for the year - Advent Daybook 1: This is gonna change everything!
In the spirit of Advent’s invitation, I welcome you to walk through the days - one by one - quietly, slowly, and contemplatively. If this all sounds impractically holy, I assure you the best sort of contemplation is what happens when we carry a quiet heart through all the noisy celebration or the sorrowful absences of December.
Each Sunday in Advent I’ll share a free Daybook devotional post at the Patreon page for everyone to enjoy. To receive notifications for the free public posts, click "follow" at the bottom of the profile page. The daily devotional posts will then be available to those who subscribe at the Daybook ($5 a month) level.
p.s.,
If you enjoy the Advent Daybook series, please invite your friends to subscribe too! The Daybook devotional posts provide a beautiful experience to be able to share and talk about together. If you’re on Instagram, you and your friends can also follow me there - a_sacramental_life.
Please feel free to email me your questions.
Top 10
Art & Faith:
I loved watching from a distance the beautiful gallery our friends at Christ Church in Austin created for East Austin’s Studio Tours. Our friends at Church of the Cross participated a bit further north in Austin. So much beauty and goodness!
Family & Relationships:
Our family is grappling on a daily level with what it means to love someone suffering from mental illness. I wish I’d learned these kinds of things in a more healthy way much, much sooner in my life and am grateful for increased awareness in the world and in the church about the meaning of caregiving. | via The Perennial Gen
Justice, Reconciliation, & Social Critique:
I’ve long been grateful for the work of A Rocha International, a Christian organization engaging communities around the world in nature conservation. We had the privilege of meeting the co-founders Peter and Miranda Harris while we worked and worshiped in Austin, and have been deeply saddened to hear about the tragic accident that took Miranda’s life as well as two other key leaders with the organization. Last week, I re-listened to Peter and Miranda’s talk at a 2018 Laity Lodge retreat. I do not understand God’s economy at all, but pray that salvation will spring up from the ground because of the life and work and legacy of Miranda Harris and Chris and Susanna Naylor.
You may also want to read: A Rocha Co-Founder, CEO Killed in Crash in South Africa | via CT and this via the Telegraph
Listening & Watching:
I cried listening to this. If this interview with the new Mr. Roger’s film’s director (starring Tom Hanks) is a glimpse into the heart and soul of the movie, we’re all in for a beautiful day in the theatre. | via Fresh Air
Reading & Writing:
I’m a fan of everything Aarik Danielsen writes and this brief, beautiful review was no exception: Softness At the End of the World | via Image Journal’s Good Letters blog
Seasonal:
While I’m always sharing a plethora of playlists, I must also pass along this ten-hour treasure trove from the wonderful Victoria Emily Jones. | via Art & Theology
Spiritual Direction & Disciplines:
This is a question I care about deeply and have been observing in my own Spiritual Direction practice. | via America Magazine
Wholeness & Healing:
A rich perspective on the poverty of bodily suffering. | via Fathom Magazine
Work & Callings:
For years, our former church community in Austin has educated and encouraged their congregation with a theologically-rich perspective on work and callings. I loved listening to this recent presentation from our friend John Nehme (Allies Against Slavery) on his multiple callings as father, husband, and social entrepreneur dedicated to eradicating human trafficking.
Worship & Liturgy:
It’s the first day of the new liturgical year! This video explains in under 4 minutes how the church calendar helps us retell the great drama of God’s redemption year after year. Today’s the perfect day to watch!
May your first day of Advent include rest, light, and community. Peace, friends….