Plot Points #14 💌
Covid 2.0, more sourdough, quitting well, and forgiveness
Hello and happy Friday!
I am nearly recovered from a short but spicy bout of Covid this week. I discovered on Monday, thanks to an inability to taste my coffee, that what I had assumed was a cold or mild flu was, in fact, a second run-in with ‘rona. By that afternoon, my whole body hurt and my husband, God bless him, came home from work to care for all the things while I hid in the bedroom and downed liquid acetaminophen like water.1 After my first solid night’s sleep in a week, I felt almost well on Tuesday, only to discover on Wednesday that our son was also sick.
Thankfully, everyone else is fine. I swear our daughter, Lucy, must be immune2; she has never once tested positive for Covid, despite multiple exposures in the last three years. Theo and I have had it together both times—the natural result of us being attached at the hip—and I’ll sure be glad to see it go. I miss the library, ya know?
In other news, my sourdough efforts are really beginning to pay off. My first two loaves were tasty but much too dense and failed to rise like I’d hoped. My third, however, was really quite lovely and I’m happy to report the family devoured it in short order.
Next up, I’m going to try my hand at sourdough sandwich bread with a dusting of Everything But the Bagel. I’m still struggling to mold my loaves into proper shape, but I feel confident I’ll get the hang of it eventually.
I hope you’ll take some time this weekend to try your hand at something new. There’s so much joy in learning if you offer yourself grace for the inevitable mess-ups along the way.
Stay healthy, friends, and thank you for sharing some of your time with me. Have a lovely weekend!
Point #1: Knowing when to quit can save a good thing.
Every writer knows how the tentacles of publishing despair can wrap around and pull you under. You forget why you fell in love with the craft to begin with and start battling against the forces of influence, affluence, and notoriety. (Or the hope of them.) This sad-yet-hopeful piece about letting go of the old ways for the sake of saving our art—and our souls—is one I wish every writer would read.
Point #2: I was 32 when I learned the meaning of “mainline church.”
Christianity can be confusing at times. Over the centuries, thousands of denominations have been born out of many schisms over views on Scripture, the role of the Holy Spirit, women in leadership, divorce, end-times theology, baptism, and so much more. What’s the difference between the Church of God and the Anabaptists? Are Lutherans and Anglicans the same? How many different denominations are there, and what do they all believe? I’ve been loving this guy’s (verified) YouTube channel lately. He has a scholarly, neutral, quick-thinking approach and unpacks so.much. convoluted Church history in minutes. He helped clarify some pretty important doctrinal issues for me as I was researching the Anglican church and I’ve learned a lot more from him since.
Point #3: Beauty abounds in little spaces.
I’ve admired Erin Boyle’s lovely site Reading My Tea Leaves for a long time, and now she has a Substack. Look no further for no-fuss minimalism, honest motherhood, crafts that make sense, and gorgeous photographs to boot.
Point #4: I haven’t seen Oppenheimer, but…
Claire Swinarski’s reflection on the movie raises such thoughtful questions about who is worthy of forgiveness and to what extent. I love her words.
Reading In The Nook
Still slogging my way through Out of the Silent Planet…don’t judge me.
I wrapped up Every Woman a Theologian by Phylicia Masonheimer this week with my small group and I highly recommend it to every Christian, not just the female ones. It’s packed full of explanations on everything from Christology to soteriology, eschatology to cosmology, and provides a solid theological framework for readers no matter what their religious background. Such a great read!
I also finished In the Same Boat by Holly Green, an okay YA novel about a girl who ends up in a 265-mile canoe race with her former best friend/love interest. I’m sort of on a sports rom-com kick since Carrie Soto is Back was such a delicious book, but while the story was interesting, the characters fell flat for me.
Regardless, I’m well on my to my goal of reading 75 books this year with 48 checked off the list so far. Right on schedule!
Up next, I’m hoping to finish reading Corrie ten Boom’s Tramp for the Lord and, finally, good ol’ Lewis.
All the words that I utter,
And all the words that I write,
Must spread out their wings untiring,
And never rest in their flight,
Till they come where your sad, sad heart is,
And sing to you in the night,
Beyond where the waters are moving,
Storm-darken'd or starry bright.
—W.B. Yeats, “Where All My Books Go”—
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Hyperbole.
Also hyperbole.
Hope you’re feeling better! My husband is currently recovering from it too. Lucy might be blood type O! (less likely to become infected)