Substack LIVE tomorrow
We'll talk about belonging, borders, loneliness, love - plus book award news!
Hello dear readers,
I’m popping in with a quick note to say I’m going to be doing my very first Substack LIVE tomorrow, Sunday, April 27 at 1pm Central U.S. time with author
author of Love Across Borders! We met only recently online in one of recent writing workshops - and we decided to jump in and try something new. Join us and laugh with us in our fumbling attempts at our first Substack Live and as we talk about themes like belonging, borders, loneliness, longing, and love.
Your In-person gatherings?
Oh goodness, so much is happening in the world, right? I wish we could sit down over a cup of chai or coffee and talk over it all. I think this is what I’m longing for more of these days - the time to sit one-on-one with another person and share. While the world rages on, our relationships and friendships are reminders of the good and lovely that is in the world and that exists in our lives. My resolve to myself is to prioritize this in my life: I need to be with my real-life friends to sit and laugh and cry together face-to-face.
Do you have a weekly or monthly or bimonthly gathering with friends? I’d love to hear what you do. I need some ideas on how you make it work! How often do you meet? Do you have a regular group? Do you schedule one-on-ones? Who takes the initiative? Share all the details!
Barnes & Noble Book Signing and Meeting Writing Friends
Speaking of getting together in person, I got together in person with these two lovely writing friends last weekend after many months, Kendra Broekhuis (author of Between You and Us) and Sarah White, (author of new children’s book, Our Food Grows). We had brunch and then had a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Madison. The timing worked out perfectly - because believe it or not, serendipitously, my three kids also somehow ended up in Madison on the same day I was there! Yes, it was unplanned! It all started when my son surprised us by saying he secured a cheap flight and was going to visit a few days. My daughter was off work on Saturday, and it happened to be the day I was going to be in Madison for the book signing and all three kids were going to be in Madison. WOW! It was the BEST way to celebrate the one year release of Beyond Ethnic Loneliness in the world! Here are a few photos from the day and our B&N book signing. : )
Book News - AWARD!
I am honored to share that Beyond Ethnic Loneliness was named a Finalist in the Foreword INDIES Multicultural Book of the Year award! You can read about that here.
Upcoming Events
There are two more events in the next two weeks as part of my one year book release celebration.
One is coming up this Thursday, May 1 - I’m honored to be joining a panel at the Women Developing Wisconsin Conference - if you’re in the area, join us!
In addition, I’m also honored to be joining the AAPI Gathering night at the new church plant by Dr. Esau McCaulley (author, Professor, and NYT Opinion writer) on Wednesday, May 7, at 7:30 pm. I’ll be there with fellow authors:
-Helen Lee (author of new children’s book Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World and Director of Strategic Initiatives at InterVarsity Press)
-Daniel Yang (co-author of Inalienable and National Director of Churches of Welcome)
If you’re in the area, please join us for this evening!
Poems About Spring
I’m so happy it’s spring. Here are a couple of poems to celebrate the season (and April is National Poetry Month).
Spring
by Gerard Manley Hopkins
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.
What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. – Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
The Enkindled Spring
by D.H. Lawrence
This spring as it comes bursts up in bonfires green,
Wild puffing of emerald trees, and flame-filled bushes,
Thorn-blossom lifting in wreaths of smoke between
Where the wood fumes up and the watery, flickering rushes.
I am amazed at this spring, this conflagration
Of green fires lit on the soil of the earth, this blaze
Of growing, and sparks that puff in wild gyration,
Faces of people streaming across my gaze.
And I, what fountain of fire am I among
This leaping combustion of spring? My spirit is tossed
About like a shadow buffeted in the throng
Of flames, a shadow that’s gone astray, and is lost.
I write these words on a day in late April, the half-gray sky with muted sunshine. The grass is turning bright green and the snow has long melted away, though there wasn’t much this year - not that I mind! :)
April is a season of change; a transition from one extreme to the other. Just as in our lives, we may find something new emerging, something changing, something transitioning, something growing, and something dying. There is always something to remember and something to forget, something to cry about and something to laugh about, something that is buried and something that is resurrected. Spring is hopeful and full of reminders that God is still in charge watching over us, and a constant of grace and source of hope blankets this world. Spring is a reminder that hope emerges from what is frozen and dying. I love (and need) the reminders all around me of new growth and what new possibilities exist.
What is bringing you hope right now?
Much love to you, dear readers. (And don’t forget to join us on Substack LIVE tomorrow!)
Love this!❤️