The Sunday Brunch 9/18

Welcome to the latest edition of The Sunday Brunch. Each Sunday we want to bring a small devotion and discussion, some cool things to do and a fun recipe for your family to enjoy some time together. This week we have some awesome Croissant Breakfast/Brunch Sandwiches, an updated playlist and new books to check out as well as a short devotional for the family. It's time for The Sunday Brunch.

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This week we thought we would look at a few more poems from Mary Oliver. Many of you commented on how her words really spoke to some of the things you had been feeling this past year. We picked a few more poems that dealt with loss and healing since so many of us have been dealing with those very things.
When you are in the middle of a dark grief of the soul, sometimes the most comforting thing you can feel is someone’s understanding. Someone who helps you feel seen and reminds you that you’re not alone in this season. Make sure you take a few moments today to talk about the feelings and emotions that rise to the surface when you read these poems.

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PRAYING 
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

This poem spoke so profoundly our hearts. Grief can make you feel so alone and hopeless—but for many, prayer can connect you back to hope. Prayer allows you to seek comfort and solace outside of yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect to matter, it just needs to be sincere and honest. That vulnerability opens up a door for healing and processing. 

IN BLACKWATER WOODS (EXCERPT)

To live in this world 
you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it
against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

This poem is immensely profound as it reflects on the human condition and the importance of loving others—and life itself—to the very depths of our soul. Life is fleeting, and every moment matters. Oliver’s words acknowledge that painful reality while also reminding readers that love, despite the pain, is worth it. She reminds us to live right here - in the NOW.

Sunday Brunch Playlist

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What's For Brunch?

Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches

Croissants (we used mini size)
Sliced Havarti cheese
Crispy bacon
1 tbs spicy brown mustard + 2 tbs mayo, mixed
Butter

Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut each croissant open, slather with the mustard+mayo, add cheese and bacon. 

Spread butter on the tops and bake 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and croissants are toasted.

​They were a huge hit with our kiddos!!!

FAMILY TIME

• Read the poems out loud
• Be mindful in the moment: how does this poem make you feel? What does it stir up? Let each family member share their thoughts and emotions.
• What is prayer to you? 
• Was there ever a time when you felt like your prayer was answered? How about when it wasn't? How did that make you feel?
• ​In Blackwater Woods, Oliver speaks of letting go of the things you love sometimes. Have you ever had to let something or someone you love go?
• ​What can you do to help you and your family live in the NOW. To really live in the moment.
  

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Reflections is an amazing way to improve self-awareness and work through past traumas and emotions, as well as a way to get to know yourself. The goal of this journal is for us to learn to forgive ourselves and move into a much happier, more accepting mindset. It is ultimately a deep dive into our own toxic traits and helps us learn about who we REALLY are and grow to reach true self acceptance.

The Reading Brunch

Here's a great list of books to check out at your local library or maybe snag on Amazon to read on a Sunday afternoon:

Non-Fiction
An Altar In The World
- Barbara Brown Taylor
Jesus and the Lotus
- Russill Paul
A More Christlike Word
- Brad Jersak
Thunder In The Mountains (The WV Mine War 1920-1921)
- Lon Savage
Launching, Landing & Moving Forward
-Nate Allen
A Joseph Campbell Companion
- Diane Osbon

Fiction
Fahrenheit 451
- Ray Bradbury
Foundation
- Isaac Asimov
Storming Heaven
- Denise Giardina

Books To Read With Your Kids
The Princess and the Goblin
- George MacDonald
The Lightning Thief
- Rick Riordan
Redwall (anything in the series)
- Brian Jacques
We're Different, We're The Same
- Sesame Street
Hello, Neighbor! The Kind Caring Words of Mister Rogers
- Matthew Cordell
Funky Chicken Enchiladas
- Nick Fauchold