throwback Monday :)
some oldies-but-goodies I'd love for you to read
Friends! This week has been a challenging one in the Dietz home, and while I really wanted to get a draft polished up for you, I wasn’t able to make it happen—call it a spot of hormones, sleep deprivation, or an invitation from the Lord to sit and be with Him before I try to write about the threads He’s weaving in my heart in these days. Instead, I’d love to direct you to a couple of things I wrote way back at the beginning of this newsletter, before most of you were subscribers. These are topics that have been on my heart again this week, and whether you’ve read them before or you’ve never seen them, I hope you find them fruitful.
First, a reflection on the joys and challenges of bringing children to church, building a family culture in our communal spaces, and watching our kids learn to pray.
Even the Sparrow
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!
Related, if you haven’t yet encountered the “Red Mass Book” or this excellent child-friendly introduction to the biblical roots of the Mass byEmily Stimpson Chapman, I highly recommend both. And for little-littles, we adore this cloth book from The Little Rose Shop.
Second, a reflection on the ways that knowledge of our human condition can aid us in our practice of virtue.
The Wonder Weeks and the Virtue of Patience
I struggled to write this post, as I don’t want it to come off as a big advertisement for websites and books I’ve consulted but am not deeply invested in. But I firmly believe that knowledge is capable of inspiring us to virtue, so I’ve tried to strike a balance between discussion of the knowledge itself and discussing the…
Both of our kids are going through developmental milestones (and teething! fun!) right now, so they’re sleeping poorly and are feeling extra clingy as a result. I have once again been struck by the impact knowledge has on my ability to remain patient with them—especially our two-year-old—during these challenging seasons.
I hope that you enjoy these little throwback posts, and I’m looking forward to connecting with you again on Thursday for our discussion of A Devotional Journey Into the Mass. As a note, in case you haven’t been following that series closely, Chris Carstens (the book’s author) is planning to hop on a Zoom call with us in March to discuss the book, the Mass, and the sacramental principle. Even if you’re not able to read the entire book before the call, I’d love to invite you to participate—I think it’s going to be a fabulous discussion, and I don’t want you to feel excluded just because you’ve got a busy schedule or are in season of reading difficulties. You can click here for more information about that call.
I hope things settle down for you guys soon!!
A little solidarity in the "it's been a week" department. Hang in there. The baby's back to *only* tearing the house apart happily instead of needing to be held 24/7 and I am realizing why I felt like my hair was on fire last week. Ha!