Gretchen Ronnevik

Today I feel compelled—burdened even, to write a poem about the healing power of homemade broth.

It’ll be horrible, so I won’t share it. But even so, it must be written or I’ll get nothing else done.

Is the cat supposed to be on the counter? No.

Does she care what I think?
Also no.

They said the immigrants who they were deporting were violent criminals too, and yet they were not. They were not accused, convicted, or tried of violent crimes.

Submission is a posture of humility that every Christian is called to.

It’s about not just looking after your own interests, but the interests of others. It’s about living in peace with one another.

Tween friend: do you know what Fortnite is?

My tween: um, 2 weeks, right?

If a Christian acts like God's grace is wimpy and soft, and think talking about it too much encourages weakness and sin, and their gritted obedience to God is actually where the power is...

I'm not saying they're not Christians, I'm saying I'm bracing myself for whatever humbling is coming to them.

All my boys are home now.

They like to randomly say in conversation “blush and bashful” in a southern accent.

I’m incredibly proud of this.

It’s when pastors give all law, and no gospel. It destroys.

That actually sounds amazing.

And to be fair, many Christians are mean. Heck, I am sometimes, though I try to apologize if I see it. But maybe you’re not my intended audience. That’s ok too. I can block you if it would benefit you to not see me anymore.

I wouldn’t respond, as I typically go to a profile before I block. But your profile seems like you’re a pretty nice person, and one who listens to the pain of others well. So it just seemed out of character for you to lash out at a stranger. So I didn’t.

I don’t mind you commenting. Your thoughts have so much pain behind them, and I wanted to be present to that.

You just said you didn’t want your time wasted, and that somehow I was the one wasting it. So I felt bad.

Sorry to interrupt your life with my thoughts. Feel free to scroll past.

I tried my hand at homemade potstickers (dumplings?) in some recipe I found for a coconut curry soup. 1/2 way through, I promise myself I’m never doing this to myself again.

All the kids loved it. Shoot.

It’s a big day around here. We’ve identified a new bird at the birdfeeder!!

We spotted a Red-bellied woodpecker!

We’ve had a hairy woodpecker before, and a pileated woodpecker (who I have named “Fred.” He’s a good guy, but a giant.)

New birds are so thrilling.

Biblical manhood is being a man, who loves God and loves his neighbor with the gifts the Spirit gives him.

Biblical womanhood is being a woman, who loves God and loves her neighbor with the gifts the Spirit gives her.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

This I-hate-reading-every-day-of-homeschooling kid talked about history, and the books he's reading right now, and the books that impacted him most as a kid. Like, what is happening right now? (He always loved history. That was just a fun part of the conversations.)

Our 19 yo son washed all our windows, and when I offered to pay him, he said he's rather I take him clothes shopping because he needs some things. We just spent the day shopping together and I had the most fun ever.

He and I butted heads a lot over the years. It's so fun now.

I have a very tender newsletter going out, as always, on the last day of the month. I always write some devotional, usually about something God is showing me behind the scenes. This month is one of my favorites. If you don't already get it, you can sign up here:
polished-snow-3735.kit.com/c81d3c728b

All the Things We Say to God Podcast Episode · Freely Given · 03/27/2025 · 26m

Our most recent podcast, we interviewed our friend, (Tanner Olson) @writtentospeak
who is one of my favorite poets out there. His poems are pure grace.

He has a new children's book coming out "All the Things I Pray to God" that is absolutely beautiful.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...

Ingrid: say the word, Dad, and I’ll wake up everyone with my tuba.

Knut: I say the word. Do it.

Not to brag, but I worked out this morning AND took my vitamins. I'm going to clean my room next.

One of these days, I WILL be a grown up.

When our adult son is home, we get card tricks.

(Sorry for the random tuba entering the chat in the background. Our tuba player snuck up on her younger brother with it.)

Yesterday, a seminarian preached, and did a phenomenal job. I especially appreciated him quoting the "Greek Philosopher Toula Portokalos" and referred to her examples of family dynamics as he compared them to what Colossians says about family.

This quote was from later on in Ephesians. Paul was really on a roll there.

When your editor says to "trim down" a quote you're trying to use, but the quote is from Apostle Paul. And it's like...one sentence.

For real.

There are likely many reasons that Snow White is not doing well. Distortion of a classic story, etc.

I can't help but think that people--not just women--are growing weary of stories where they have to be their own hero. We're longing for a Samwise who carries Frodo, because, dang. Life is hard.

I just got a piece of popcorn stuck in my teeth, and I tried getting it out and now my gums are bleeding.

I’m not sure how much is TMI, like ever.

This is my husband when we go out to eat. He wants to hold all the babies but doesn't know how to ask without looking like a creep. So he just makes faces at them nonstop.