There was a time in the 1900s -- beginning by at least the Great Depression and ending sometime in the late 1980s -- when brown paper bags filled with fruit, nuts and candy were a thing in the low-church world. On the last service before Christmas Day, each person in attendance (including babies) received a… Continue reading The Power of Oranges
Author: JOY journal
After a long career writing for local newspapers — and, on rare occasions, for publications such as The Washington Post — Nora is enjoying a second-wind season of employment that includes blogging and writing projects of special interest. She lives in Appalachia with her husband and a dog named Finn.
The Kitchen Stack
An odd thing has happened to the kitchen table in our first few months of empty nesting. One end -- the place where our firstborn sits when she is home -- has become a place for books. There's always a volume or two that is devotional in nature -- tidily tucked under a beeswax candle… Continue reading The Kitchen Stack
My coat vs. God’s plan
It was a nice coat that Joseph had. Full of color and such luxury as was possible for a family living in the wilderness. But, it wasn't enough to keep him. In a single day, his brothers stripped him of his coat, dipped it in animal blood and convinced their father -- who had given… Continue reading My coat vs. God’s plan
What a year of innkeeping has taught me about readiness
There's the TED Talk stuff, of course. Work as a team. Communicate. Monitor your supplies -- first in, first out. But, the thing that has really stood out in this sea-change year -- a year sparked by the convergance of a sudden step back from a career in journalism and an emptied nest -- is… Continue reading What a year of innkeeping has taught me about readiness
Serendipity & Sorrel
A whopper container on our deck has somehow become a buffet for wild things. It started out innocently enough as a pot full of violas and pansies. They were the first deck flowers of the growing season, strategically placed where I could see them from the kitchen window. As the garden marched into summer, however,… Continue reading Serendipity & Sorrel
Nora Edinger -- JOY Journal 