Monthly Archives: December 2018

Nicholas the Wonder-Worker (Николай Чудотворец)

St. Nicholas? Why? That question rose, quiet and bright as the moon melting up into the sky over the black and tangled trees. It was Christmas Night. After my week of upholding and returning and conveying the sweetness and blessings … Continue reading

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12/21/18: Velvet and Chains

At a conference a whole bunch of years ago, a social work colleague invited me to her agency, to sit in on a special support program. The program was for adults in their early twenties. The young adults all had … Continue reading

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12/16/18 Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me

(As with all film reviews on this blog, full spoilers are provided throughout.) For Glen Campbell fans, and for people who don’t recognize his work at all, this is a wonderful worthwhile movie about family coming together in adversity, and … Continue reading

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12/1/2018: Ukrainian Music: Yuriy Fedynsky (Юрій Фединський)

Yuriy Fedynsky  builds, plays, and teaches traditional musical instruments. With a  background in classical piano, living in North Carolina he heard his grandmother and mother speak Ukrainian, and felt inspired to learn the language and to travel to Ukraine to … Continue reading

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11/30/18: Manger Scenes

There’s an exhibit in town of 500 or so Nativity scenes from 120 countries. Some are family heirlooms; many were brought back by missionaries the world over. I walked in out of a windswept rain for a look, and gosh … Continue reading

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