Elsa Anders Cook
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Ingredients for Worship
Way back when I left my last full time call, nearly five years ago, I established this little home on the internet. I had read a bunch of books about blogging then. The trouble was that my internet home wasn’t… Continue reading
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Embracing Wonder with Children
There are specific things with instructions that parenting requires. Potty training, I am learning, is one of them. There are steps that your child must understand for success. First, she’s got to pull down her pants and then sit on… Continue reading
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Thirty Three Years Later
Last night, my baby girl couldn’t sleep. It has been many months since she was up every two hours but last night she returned to this familiar routine. She wasn’t always hungry. It seemed that she just wanted to know… Continue reading
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An Expert In My Own Grief
Expert was the word that made me laugh in her email. I do not feel like an expert in anything. I’ve rather owned that pastors are the last generalists. We dabble in this and that. We have a lot of… Continue reading
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Christmas Comes
Christmas comes in the ordinary. It comes into a guest room where strangers are welcomed as friends. A place is made for another night of rest. Two expectant parents wonder if this will be the night. No matter what may… Continue reading
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Insistent Hope
It is the first Sunday of Advent and I sat in church. I sat in that pew with my baby bouncing on my lap to hear hope insisted upon. Maybe hope needs to come that way. Maybe it will only… Continue reading
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Grief and Parenting, Part 5678
I didn’t take my daughters to my mother’s grave. I meant to. It was something that I intended to do while we were in the area for my sister’s wedding. My brother had even asked if we could go together.… Continue reading
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Bless This Mess
In the days before my second child was born, I watched my toddler play while I flipped through the pages of Bless this Mess: A Modern Guide to Faith and Parenting in a Chaotic World. I read every word offered… Continue reading
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Ingredients for Ascension Sunday Communion
As I was trying to fall asleep last night and the baby growing inside of me was kicking my insides with every bit of strength she’s got, I realized that I had agreed to preside over communion on Sunday. I… Continue reading
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Making Things Beautiful Or What Might Otherwise Be Called Nesting
I used to paint watercolors. I was an art major in college. I thought that making things beautiful would be my life’s ambition until the overwhelming fear that I couldn’t hack it as a full time artist set in. I… Continue reading
