Cooking up Words
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70,000 Words
Earlier this month, I took a Memoirs 101 online class with the Writer’s League of Texas. The instructor emphasized structure and form, both of which feel like high ideals for the random assortment of memories that are currently cobbled together… Continue reading
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News From My Kitchen
Most people see Cooking with Elsa and assume it’s a cooking blog. I love to cook but on this blog you’ll find Ingredients for Worship and Recipes for Ministry and not so many actual recipes that you could cook up in your kitchen. It is, after… Continue reading
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Ready, Willing and Able for Peace
We were told that there would be booms. It was one of the first things that we were told about our new home. We’ll hear the booms, they said. Booms that shouldn’t frighten us or cause alarm, but are simply… Continue reading
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Character: Essays by readers
Some time ago, the Christian Century invited readers to submit first-person narratives (under 1,000 words) reflecting on the word character. They are requesting essays from readers on other words in the future, but it was to this one that I wanted to respond.… Continue reading
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Spirituality for the Resistance
I have not felt like an activist in years. In truth, I’m not sure that I ever really felt like an activist even though ministry called for it. I couldn’t faithfully preach the gospel on Sunday without taking to the… Continue reading
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Back to Writing
When my beloved and I decided that we were going to do this thing, we were going to move across country and make a life together, I knew that I wouldn’t be in full time ministry anymore. I would leave… Continue reading
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Self-Care is Not Just for Clergy
In the wake of the presidential inauguration, with the tsunami of executive orders that immediately followed, I have watched as my friends on social media have retreated. One by one, they’ve announced they are taking a break. They need to… Continue reading
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Bit By Bit
It is the First Sunday of Lent and I’m missing church. I miss good preaching. Today I could not push myself out the door to find some place to relish in the mystery of these holy forty days because I… Continue reading
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My Sexual Assault is More Than Locker Room Banter
Trigger Warning: The content of this post may be triggering for people who have experienced sexual assault. I was in college. I was drunker than I should have been—much drunker—and I was flirting with a boy. We kissed sloppily. One… Continue reading
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What is the Meaning of Life?
I’m working on my first chapter. Or I’m trying to work on this first chapter. I’m trying to stick with it. I’m trying to actually finish it rather than jumping ahead to some other chapter that is not quite so hard.… Continue reading
Cooking with Elsa 