Dogs & Doxology:
Stories of Nature, Hope, & Beauty
Thanksgiving Playbook, Episode 4: Closing Time
As we close this Thanksgiving Playbook series, we would be remiss if we failed to talk about endings. The hard truth of life is that everything comes to an end and learning to end well—to consider the close—is part of what makes an intentional gathering, well, intentional.
Thanksgiving Playbook, Episode 3: “Are You Not Entertained?!”
Creating meaningful gatherings is not to be confused with entertainment, as though it were a kind of show the host is putting on for the guests.
In fact, this Thanksgiving we invite you to turn the whole notion of host and guest upside down.
Thanksgiving Playbook, Episode 2: The Hobbits Got it Right
The hobbits are distinct among all the inhabitants of Middle-earth, namely for their deep and sometimes troublesome preoccupation with food and drink.
Thanksgiving Playbook, Episode 1: Wait, Is This a Costume Party!?
You know that scene from Stranger Things: Season 2, when the boys show up to school fully decked out as Ghostbusters and are completely mortified when they realize no one else is wearing a costume?
“Guys. Guys! GUYS! Why is no one else wearing costumes?”
Welcome to Our Thanksgiving Playbook
While the call to war is obviously figurative, it is intended to be no less arresting than hearing the tocsin bells start up in a medieval town. It’s a call to radically shift our outlook, to move from a day of just food, family, and football—though good pursuits in and of themselves—to a heightened sense of purpose, a gathering unique in time and space, never to be repeated, whose impact will ripple across the cosmos.
Today I Walked to the Ballot Box
How can I be like the small poppy who is not anxious about what the day may hold?
Surprised by Scripture
"In our studies, we explore everything from fun linguistic elements to the great mysteries of life. Each moment of study is an invitation to walk with people through the questions and revelations; to sit beside them as they wrestle and discover the timeless abundance hidden in the text." —Holly Ullman
Stay and Be Rooted
I’ve run past naked people (not nearly as many as you might think), unhoused and drug addicts, through parades (accidentally), protests (again, accidentally)—up, over, and around the many hills of San Francisco.
I’ve stood in the pre-dawn dark on Twin Peaks....
What We’re Reading: Unreasonable Hospitality
So much of what is considered unreasonable in "unreasonable hospitality" is because it doesn't scale or because it's not an efficient use of capital, human or otherwise.
But I think that's kind of the point.
Get Dirty, Be Healthy
A while ago I listened to a podcast featuring a conversation between singer, song-writer, poet, and author Andrew Peterson and Hebrew scholar and founder of Bible Project Tim Mackie. They were talking about trees. Trees in real life. Trees in literature. Trees in the past. Trees in the future.
Somewhere around minute 31, Andrew made a remark about dirt.
Forest Walks
A healthy grove of old growth redwoods creates a canopy, a roof of soft filtered light, like walking into a high-vaulted cathedral with glass windows all around. The dampened sound arrests me, making me pause, speak quietly, and listen. The woody perfume fills the air with a heavenly earthy incense.
Stability Is Not Immobility
Stillness is not simply the lack of movement. It is an active force. Progress doesn’t always progress. Stability is costly. Rootedness to a place requires intentional effort over a long time.
Compassionate Creating through Kintsugi
As we fit the pieces back together with care and attention, we graciously hold these parts of our story. As we rebuild the pottery, we recognize that our story is still unfolding and that we are invited to actively participate in the creative process. And as we notice the beauty that emerges from the repair, we look for the beauty that is emerging from our own stories.
The Soul is Like a Wild Animal
The soul behaves like those wild brush rabbits, knowing its vulnerability in the presence of others, hiding instinctively in its homely bramble. Patience and gentleness can begin to call it out, teaching it through experience that it can safely reveal itself.
The Ignatian Journey
We all hit seasons of life when we question what we were made for. How did I get here? What am I doing and why? Like Ignatius, we are forced to let go of childhood dreams and walk a new, undefined path.
Reflections on the Crosstown Trail
People come across our paths and walk with us for a time. Some stay til the end and others diverge onto other paths. But every accompaniment of another carries significance, propelling us onward, bringing us hope and delight in the present moment.
Nurse Logs—A Lesson on Death and New Life
It’s our dreams that most often die. The new and exciting job that we worked so hard for turns out to be hugely disappointing. The marriage we entered into with such hopeful expectation dies slowly or suddenly. The dream of having children. Finding a partner. Good health. Mobility. Financial security. Like a tree falling over, we feel the painful thud as it hits the forest floor.
We Aren’t Designed to “Lone Ranger” Life
“I’m done. I’m giving up.”
No “Hello.” No “Thanks for asking.” Just raw, honest emotion. The journey had beat her up and she had nothing left to give.
Do You Want to Camino with Me?
Stop and go. Rest and work. Inhale and exhale. Celebrate and lament. These were the natural rhythms that led to flourishing on this pilgrimage.