Seasons Of Wonder

A 52-week interactive devotional that helps families and friends discover God enfleshed in the world. “A devotional in the most all-encompassing sense, Seasons of Wonder sets readers on a path that leads to a year filled with more hope, more sweetness, more grace, and more love.”—Margaret Renkl, author of Late Migrations and PEN Award Winner Seasons of Wonder is designed to allow you to gather together weekly with your loved ones and expand your understanding of divinity, specifically the radical but faithful idea that everything is sacred. This devotional is designed around weekly contemplative activities as well as interactive and transformative practices that connect us to surprise, awe, and wonder, including: • uncomplicated crafts that honor creation • simple recipes to make together • conversation guides to cultivate the gifts of storytelling, deep listening, mystery, and community • accessible introductions to liturgical observations and rituals • plus four additional weeks of activities that you can incorporate whenever they’re appropriate, such as birthdays, sick days, or when you’re traveling together or blessing your home In February readers might make a hiking stick to embark on a holy pilgrimage (even if it’s just in the neighborhood) and discover the meaning of Ash Wednesday, while in the summer months they can learn how to cherish the Earth’s seasons of holy pause by making prayer cards, bath salts, or family time capsules alongside the reading of peaceful liturgies and ancient prayers. Bonnie Smith Whitehouse invites us all to consider the life-changing idea that small, intentional moments of wonder are charged manifestations of the grand presence of Christ in me, in you, and in this dazzling, vast—and imperiled—blue planet we call our beloved home. By spending a short amount of time together with Seasons of Wonder every week this year, you can transform an ordinary meeting into a sacred gathering.

The Perfect Holiday Read! It’s a long way from New York to Idaho…but could they have found a home at last? Dani Capelli has never truly belonged anywhere. And from her earliest days as a foster child in Queens, she would have been lost if it weren’t for her love of animals. Until high school, when she fell hard for the wrong boy, and found herself pregnant—and married—by graduation. Two daughters later, Dani realized her mistake and filed for divorce, and with the help of scholarships and loans—and a lot of macaroni and cheese dinners—she enrolled in vet school. Things were finally looking up…until her ex-husband became her late husband, in the most notorious way possible. Now Dani and her daughters need an out-of-town pass more than ever. So when the retiring Haven Point veterinarian offers her a chance to settle in the small Idaho town and take over his practice, she jumps at it. But adjusting to the charming mountain community isn’t easy; thirteen-year-old Silver begins acting out while six-year-old Mia is growing too attached to Haven Point and everything in it, especially their next-door-neighbor, Deputy Sheriff Ruben Morales. And Dani can’t blame her. Ruben is everything she’s secretly wanted—and everything she can’t bear to risk loving…and losing. As the holidays draw near, their shared concern for Dani’s daughters brings them closer together, giving Ruben the chance to show this big-city woman just how magical Christmas in Haven Point can be...and that the promise of a home at last is very real in the most wondrous season of the year… Don’t miss Christmas at the Shelter Inn, New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne’s latest charming story about two sisters coming together and finding hope one magical Christmas, years after tragedy and loss tore their family apart. Other heartwarming reads from RaeAnne Thayne: All is Bright Sleigh Bells Ring Christmas in Snowflake Canyon Snow Angel Cove (Hope's Crossing Series) Snowfall on Haven Point (Haven Point Series) Coming Home for Christmas (Haven Point Series) Cafe at Beach End Summer at the Cape The Sea Glass Cottage The Path to Sunshine Cove The Cliff House

Finalist for the Rogers Writers' Trust Award for Fiction A much-praised collection of short stories about old woman, from acclaimed writer Sharon Butala Writing at the top of her game, Sharon Butala returns to the short story in this astounding new collection. In Butala's world, the season of fury and wonder is the season of old age. The stories in this book are the stories of women who have had experiences; women who have seen much of life and have felt the joy of success and the sting of shortcomings; women who hold opinions and come to conclusions about the lives they've lived. But Sharon Butala gives us more -- not only is each story an observation on aging, each story in Season of Fury and Wonder pays tribute to a classic work of literature that has had an impact on Butala's writing. Among these writers are Raymond Carver, Willa Cather, Flannery O'Connor, John Cheever, James Joyce, Shirley Jackson, Anton Chekhov, Alan Sillitoe, Ernest Hemingway and Edgar Allan Poe. The result of Butala's effort is a series of deeply felt tributes to these writers, to the creativity and their power to inspire.

Welcome to The Seasons of Wonder Collection: Winter Charm, a captivating journey through the enchanting beauty of winter! This book is part of a four-part series that celebrates the changing seasons with tales of joy, warmth, and togetherness. Immerse yourself in the frosty allure of winter as you traverse snowy landscapes and festive celebrations across the globe. From the mesmerizing hues of the Northern Lights in Norway to the bustling Christmas markets of Austria, and from the whimsical Snow Village of Finland to the dazzling Winter Lights Festival of Iceland, each story transports you to a unique winter experience. Discover the charm of winter as you embrace the spirit of holiday cheer, family gatherings, and the twinkling lights that adorn the season. Whether it's the cozy ambiance of a quaint village nestled among icy mountains or the lively atmosphere of a seasonal festival, every tale captures the essence of winter in its most delightful form. As the snowflakes dance and the fire crackles, embark on an adventure filled with enjoyment and delight.

The technology boom of recent years has given kids numerous reasons to stay inside and play, while parents' increasing safety concerns make it tempting to keep children close to home. But what is being lost as fewer kids spend their free time outdoors? Deprived of meaningful contact with nature, children often fail to develop a significant relationship with the natural world, much less a sense of reverence and respect for the world outside their doors. A Natural Sense of Wonder is one father's attempt to seek alternatives to the "flickering waves of TV and the electrifying boing of video games" and get kids outside and into nature. In the spirit of Rachel Carson's The Sense of Wonder, Rick Van Noy journeys out of his suburban home with his children and describes the pleasures of walking in a creek, digging for salamanders, and learning to appreciate vultures. Through these and other "walks to school," the Van Noys discover what lives nearby, what nature has to teach, and why this matters. From the backyard to the hiking trail, in a tide pool and a tree house, in the wild and in town, these narrative essays explore the terrain of childhood threatened by the lure of computers and television, by fear and the loss of play habitat, showing how kids thrive in their special places. In chronicling one parent's determination (and at times frustration) to get his kids outside, A Natural Sense of Wonder suggests ways kids both young and old can experience the wonder found only in the natural world.

New England is a land of evocative grandeur, defined by its remarkably varied terrain, history, culture, and renowned weather. This book binds these diverse elements together, highlighting the region's spectacular four season climate. As seen in over 380 gorgeous color photos – from the lofty summit of New Hampshire's Mount Washington to the legendary Green Monster of Boston's Fenway Park and from the dreamy shores of Maine's Acadia National Park to the leafy Litchfield Hills of Connecticut – the four seasons of New England are explored from both well known and out of the way locales within this famed six state corner of the northeastern United States. Whether it is reveling in the glory of a setting summer sun over a Cape Cod beach or stepping out of the moment with a lighted Christmas celebration in Quincy Market, New England and its distinctive seasonal changes captured here will stir the imagination. By the time you are done, you will understand why this is known as one of the world's most beautiful regions.

After tackling her first mission and coming to terms with her power of empathy, Andriana discovers her first battles were only a taste of what is to come. She and her knight, Ronan, have admitted their feelings for each other, but their bonds are tested when Dri is captured by their mortal and spiritual enemy—Sethos—and his master, Keallach, emperor of Pacifica. Andriana is certain Keallach can be convinced to follow the Maker's plan and join the other Remnants … but in time, she must decide whether she really can pull him back to the Way, or if Sethos's web of darkness has slowly and thoroughly trapped them both … forever.

Recent research has drawn the link between children's brain development and time spent in the natural environment. In Seasons of Play, Rusty Keeler takes readers on a photographic journey through real child care centers that have embraced his philosophy that natural play space create new opportunities for children to learn and develop. By saying "no" to cookie-cutter care environments, caregivers say "yes" to children's natural tendencies to explore and adapt their play space to suit their imaginations. Looking into natural play environments at actual child care centers, readers will be inspired to create their own outdoor play areas, regardless of location, Keeler's own drawings help readers see just how doable an interactive and engaging natural play space can be - and it can change with the seasons!