Charlotte’s Blog
When Pope Leo met Attila the Hun
The meeting between St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome, and Attila the Hun was brief. The story of what led up to that meeting takes somewhat longer to tell. It started in the year 450. Honoria, the older sister of Valentinian III, emperor of the western Roman Empire,...
A dangerous story: The prodigal son
I once heard a homily for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, in which the priest explained that the parable is dangerous. We might be tempted to see in the father the example of a loving parent. But any parent that, in real life, acted as the father of the prodigal son...
Joy: A story of disability and depression
Joy is a new picture book by Corrinne Averiss, with illustrations by Isabelle Follath. I found it on a list of books that feature characters with disabilities. I was so excited to get a copy. I thought I’d review it right away. But it’s taken me a while to write the...
Cranberry thumbprint cookies
This recipe started as a way to use up leftover cranberry sauce after Christmas. Now, I make a batch of cranberry sauce just so I can make these wonderful cranberry thumbprint cookies! If you need to avoid gluten, dairy, or sugar, you'll need to make some adjustments...
A mercy of meds, a sacrifice of sleep
Guest post by Nic Hartmann "Whenever I see a brother who has fallen asleep during the services, I put his head in my lap and let him rest there.” Pambo, 4th century monk Every day, for most of the last two years, I have had the same ritual in the middle of the night....
“A Friend for Henry” is entirely wonderful
I have fallen in love with A Friend for Henry, an entirely wonderful picture book by Jenn Bailey about Henry, a little boy with autism. The three most wonderful things about A Friend for Henry The first most wonderful thing about A Friend for Henry is that it is from...
When names matter more than money
Bill is a huge fan of Steven King and Dean Koontz and Sue Grafton. He was reading Grafton’s J is for Justice, and at some point in the story, one of the characters makes vanilla and chocolate brownies. So, he told me, he decided to check and see if Grafton was on...
Book activities with The Saint Nicholas Day Snow
Even though I no longer have little ones in the house, I bring out my Christmas picture book collection on the first day of Advent. The books are a visible reminder that God is coming in the form of a little child. They help me prepare my heart for Christmas in ways...
Being Orthodox — with asthma
Guest post by Jeanie Murphy When I developed asthma, thanks to a mold exposure, I suddenly found that liturgy was often unbearable. The incense was thick, the windows tightly shut, and the priest, apologetically, said he could not change this. I said that I...
Book activity: Hot chocolate mug project
In The Saint Nicholas Day Snow, Catherine and Elizabeth play outside in the snow until they’re so cold they have to go in. And Catherine’s mom makes them hot chocolate. You can extend the story by having your children make these hot chocolate mugs from popsicle sticks...
Looking for the real St. Nicholas
The stores are already filled with ornaments and decorations that feature a man with a big white beard, dressed all in red. He might have children with him, or a bag of toys. There might be Christmas trees in the background. There might be elves. Who is this man? How...
Sissy Goes Tiny: Living large in a small house
You’ve had days where you’ve contemplated giving away nearly everything you own and moving into a tiny house. Of course you have. We all have. But most of us don’t do it. You might love the idea of owning a few things, rather than having many things owning you. You...
THE MAGIC OF BOOKS
Share the wonder of St. Nicholas through the magic of a book: The Saint Nicholas Day Snow.
AN INVITATION
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