Betty Romero-Fischer

Reading stories of Germans standing with and supporting Ukrainians. This is the hope I needed today.

Anyone who wants to know— in a nutshell— what America is like today just needs to check out The White House’s X account. Even 4 weeks ago this would have been unbelievable.

Wait, how is Bridget Jones a spinoff on Pride and Preju— oh.

Serena Williams— is there anything this legend can’t do? What a queen.

A lot of people who call themselves Christians have done more damage to the idea of Christianity than any atheist I'm aware of 🫠

Anyone else feel something maybe akin to grief upon finishing the last novel in a beloved series? Just got through the latest Jackson Brodie. Kate Atkinson, what a writer.

I just started a new list: "LGBTQIA+ Affirming Clergy," for those willing to provide faith-based solidarity, support, and services. I make no assumptions, so please share widely and drop your handle if you want to be added. #FollowFriday #christian #jewish #muslim #buddhist bsky.app/profile/did:...

I got on the bird app for some minutes tonight and, well, deeply regretted it.

And so here we are at Christmas

Hot flashes in winter mean the top half of you sweating like crazy and you need to take your sweater off while keeping thermal leggings and flannel pants on because your legs and feet are still so cold. Welcome to my life, folks.

Advent, week 2: Lit the Peace candle tonight. Breathing in trust, breathing out worry. Will 2025 be a a more peace-filled year? I know that’s what so many are praying for. 🙏🏾

Thanks to all the atheists out there just doing the right thing without me threatening you with fire and brimstone.

So today is St Nicholas Day (der Nikolaus-Tag) and I wake up to chocolate in my boots, which will end up with R, because kidney problems. Um, thank you? Maybe next year I ask for Audible credits.

In his preaching, BZ called John Advent and Jesus, Christmas. I get that. Still sitting with it.

“If you want to have the best Christmas you’ve ever had, lean into Advent.” Peri Zahnd. My ambitions for this year aren’t quite so lofty, but I appreciate the sentiment. What I do want is meaning. What I want is Emmanuel.

Reminding myself today that Advent is a time of waiting, and faithfulness is trusting that what we hope for, no, Who we put our hope in, will not disappoint us.

But I realized recently that a portion of my theology came from Christmas carols, because when I was growing up we sang “O Holy Night” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and not “Last Christmas” — which has never been, isn’t, and will never be a Christmas song.

“Hope is trust extended to the future.”

We lit the hope candle tonight amid uncertainty and questions about what next year might bring.

Advent wreath with white candles marked 1,2,3 & 4

Ready for tomorrow. More for Advent—for meaning, waiting, quietness, truth… and yes, beauty, too— rather than the noise and glitz of Christmas, which seems to intensify each year. (Crediting R for the wreath because he’s the decorator in chief at home).

As an adult who moved to another country and who's feeling somewhat unmoored, I need new meaningful holiday traditions. Especially at this time of year, when the faith-centeredness of Christmas that I grew up with is completely absent.

The meme I didn't know I needed

the weary world rejoices Playlist · Everything Happens · 72 items · 1.6K saves

I think, with all the hard & ugly that's been going on, we need the hope that Advent brings more than ever. My heart, which has been battered and broken, needs respite.

So let's start with this: Kate Bowler's 2024 Advent Playlist from the Everything Happens Project

open.spotify.com/playlist/7cF...

It's from "Learning to Walk in the Dark." I heard Jonathan Merritt quote her on a recent podcast, so that's where my inspiration came from.

Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, The Age of Innocence, The Hotel New Hampshire, and A Wrinkle in Time.

Ok, now Barbara Brown Taylor. "It is sometimes hard to tell whether you are being killed or saved by the hands that turn your life upside down.” You can always tell when people have gone through things.

"The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better." Why has nobody said this before and how did Richard Rohr get so wise?

Live shot of refugees from X arriving here:

Thank you!