For purists, you’ll never actually find the statement, “Elementary, my dear Watson!” in any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s sixty Sherlock Holmes stories. As I read on multiple sites today, Holmes uses both phrases separately in the stories, but never together in this way. An interesting fact, but what has that to do with aContinue reading “Elementary Matters: Not so Simple, My Dear Watson!”
Author Archives: thedeepened
Filling the Void: The Power of Speech
In the beginning…there was a blank page. Sitting down to prepare Friday’s devotion for the speech and debate league our family has been involved with for nearly a decade, my first thoughts drifted back to those beautiful words in Genesis 1:1 – “בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים” (In the beginning, God created). In verse two, we read,Continue reading “Filling the Void: The Power of Speech”
Advice from Sir Walter Scott: It’s Time to Stop Pretending
Last night I came into The Observatory (what we fondly call the great room of our addition) to find Aidan and Ethney watching Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, starring Ciarán Hinds. I have fond memories of the older boys watching this classic film years ago, but last night, it struck me as especially timely. I hadContinue reading “Advice from Sir Walter Scott: It’s Time to Stop Pretending”
We Few, We Happy Few…
“In that day the remnant left in Israel,the survivors in the house of Jacob,will no longer depend on allieswho seek to destroy them.But they will faithfully trust the LORD,the Holy One of Israel.A remnant will return;yes, the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God.” Isaiah 10:20-21, New Living Translation Working our way throughContinue reading “We Few, We Happy Few…”
Appreciating the Simple Things
Today, as I was sharing about my week while sitting in the Observatory with good friends, one of them leaned over to her husband and whispered something to him while looking out the windows behind me. I figured one of the squirrels caught her attention, hanging upside down (as they often do) on the sideContinue reading “Appreciating the Simple Things”
Snowflake Supplications
Usually, I put a hard stop on the day around lunchtime to just read or pray. It’s become a regular part of my deepening. This Thursday, I shut the door to my room and turned to face the windows overlooking the courtyard. The snow lazily fell from the sky until stirred to life again byContinue reading “Snowflake Supplications”
Practiced Faith
If I recall correctly, this poem sprouted from five word-seeds, including immutably, ineluctable, and ostensibly. I love the sound and weight of these words. On one hand, we’re told by writing “experts” to avoid overusing adverbs, but used fittingly (cough, cough), they add flavor, like any good seasoning, to the main course of the poemContinue reading “Practiced Faith”
The Powerful Play Goes On
“What will your verse be?” Mr. Keating, Dead Poets Society When I officially introduced my students to free verse last week, I knew that Walt Whitman would be on the menu. In my search for a shorter example, I came across the poem I first heard under the wise tutelage of Mr. Keating from DeadContinue reading “The Powerful Play Goes On”
An Ending and a Beginning
January 1st has historically been a time for reevaluating one’s life and planning for the future with greater purpose and resolution. It’s that bridge suspended between years (although it begins the new year), linking the past and the future in a fleeting present. For me, it has become a reminder of loss and the fragilityContinue reading “An Ending and a Beginning”
Don’t Miss the Divine Intrusions
Last week I willingly missed a moment. I neglected the divine intrusion for a bowl of gruel (not literally – just a bowl of Panda Puffs cereal) before heading up to my bedroom to teach English all day. I slept in, forgetting that I would have to dig out from the snow – most importantly,Continue reading “Don’t Miss the Divine Intrusions”
