Confession: I have started and deleted this post countless times. When I write for my blog, I feel dumb. I feel like I am trying to be someone I used to be. But I am someone I am now.
Hello there. My name is Shari.
I have three things to say to you today.
One is that the other day, well okay, about a month ago during all the furor, one of my teenagers asked me if I know who Mike Tyson is. Of all the nerve. My intelligence may not be what it once was, but surely it does not deserve that level of insult? Everyone knows who Mike Tyson is. Something with chicken, right?
Okay.
Second is that a deer ran into my van a week ago. I did not hit her; she hit me. She just popped out of the woods and sent it headlong. She was sorry to inform me that she does not carry collision insurance.
Another thing is that my house is being overtaken by nativity scenes, which is just how I like it. Our favorite this year is a nativity Advent calendar I ordered last year at roughly the right time or maybe five days too late, without checking the shipping estimate. It arrived in February, as I remember. So it has been living cozily under my bed until 2024, and we are treasuring it. The tiny pieces are unspeakably adorable.
But there are so many more, and I love them all.
Fifthly, I have a dream for my book, Peanut Butter and Dragon Wings. I want it to graduate out of the Mennonite culture and be placed in multidenominational hands. I have heard from multiple women in other churches who found it and felt heard and seen, just like my Mennonite friends did, and I would like to see where this goes.
So here is my request. It’s super cheap on Amazon right now, like $8, unbeatable—I don’t set the prices—and I am wondering if you would give one to that non-Mennonite friend of yours for Christmas. Or New Years. Or next Christmas, if it happens to arrive in February. I know you have one non-Mennonite friend. At least I hope you have one. At least, if you don’t, we have a bigger problem.
Consider it for me?
I will never know if you did this or not, so sin boldly.
Lastly, I am grateful 2024 is almost at an end. The courage year, for those who were reading me then, remember? When I look back, I see so much to be thankful for, just boatloads and boatloads of goodness; and also, I am exhausted and often worn thin. It’s that time of year for me in general, but in addition, we survived adoption x3 and a teen’s serious motorcycle accident and multiple significant diagnoses in our family this year (yes, it continued), and there have been hot tears mixed into the brave smiles.
I have irrational hopes that 2025 will be less disruptive.
Third, do you like Christmas as much as I do? The Incarnation is, I think, my favorite doctrine. I think of it often, how his entering humanity reworked the fabric of the universe and brought us hope. Even irrational hope.
I hope you are well. I would love to hear a Christmas message from you below:
- What delicious thing you cooked lately
- How you are faring
- A highlight of your year
- How I can pray for you
Happy Advent! He is coming. 
– Shari
Shari,
I love that you just wrote without trying to be some person you once were or something like that. Just how you are now. It keeps this space real, and makes it feel like there’s a blessedly relatable person out there now and then.
Then you said you’d like to hear personally from us on a few subjects. That made me feel like this blessedly relatable person might also be a super kind unselfish friend, not just a random blog writer. ♥️ Were you intending we answer one of those questions in the comments, or were you wanting personal messages sent by email or snail mail or some other method?
Thank you, Esther. These words were a lovely boost today.
I meant right here, in the comments. But you go right ahead and send me whatever you want. 
Dear Shari, I just want you to know how much I love reading what you write! I realize after reading every one of your posts how much I would love to read something from you every day! And, I bet, if we lived close we would be friends!
Thank you!
Hey Shari. Thanks for this. It’s so relatable.
Done! I gave your book away three years ago to a friend in a difficult season. Peanut Butter and Dragon Wings is one of a few Christianized books that I’m comfortable offering to an unbeliever.
I moved internationally this year. This bought has brought an unending list of changes. I am genuinely two different people. And often I can choose which one I’m going to be. Disconcerting in my saner moments.
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Christmas is the second best holiday ever and should be celebrated to the fullest extent
Thank you, Elise! Cultural differences can create different people on command, can’t they? I’m going to hazard a guess the best holiday is … Easter?
I like that last sentence.
Hi Shari. I like that you recognize the beauty of being genuine.
I cooked breakfast for supper. Making egg quiche with fresh hash browns, and colorful veggies like peppers and spinach is such fun.
I’m well in the ways that matter. It’s been a difficult season in some ways. I’m loving making new memories with my husband but also grieving all the memories of last Christmas. Finding out we were having twins but also losing them. And then a third baby in the spring. It’s been a journey full of lessons I wouldn’t trade, and digging deep into what Jesus has for us. And also agonizing longing that leaves me broken over and over again. I often find your blog posts so encouraging and loved your book.
Oh my. Losing twins is hard… And I too know about the grief-joy of a rainbow baby, born after intense loss. Praying peace for you this season, in the midst of longing.
One delicious thing that I have baked recently is a triple batch of sourdough chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies. They are my take on my husband’s favorite childhood Christmas cookie and I am happy to say that he approved of them! This attempt to balance health and nostalgia was an unmitigated success — something I cannot usually claim…
This made me smile. Health and nostalgia are not always friends, are they?
Good for you! Your cookies sound simply scrumptious.
Thanks for writing today Shari. As an aspiring writer, I can relate to those first few sentences.
I love the Advent calendar. Christmas holds more meaning each year.
My favourite moment this year, hands down, was being out on a calm lake in early evening with my husband and hearing an aeolian harp across the water. Eerily beautiful.
My wish for 2025 would be to cook something delicious.
As for prayer? For courage to rest in the goodness of God and His plan for my life. And I will pray for you.
Thank you! Your wish for 2025 is funny: simple and sweet and hopefully achievable.
The moment on the lake sounds like the kind that fills you with gratitude for always – a once in a lifetime, perfect gift.
So good to hear from you again. Thanks for writing. I really really resonate with this sentance “When I look back, I see so much to be thankful for, just boatloads and boatloads of goodness; and also, I am exhausted and often worn thin”. Christmas here is a series of mandatory programs in a 2nd language that gets super exhausting…
So I’m enjoying taking an extra 15 min in the morning (and skipping chapel) to sit with God alone and reflect on the Incarnation. It is truly amazing.
One highlight of my year was 6 days without internet access hiking in the mountains. Turns out forced absence from being online is much easier than choosing abstinence and was blessed and amazing.
And, I’ve managed to make my favorite Christmas cookies gluten free for a friend and that success has been really sweet and precious.
I’m doing an Master in Business next year – 20 years after my last education. Prayers appreciated!
Praying for success and joy for you in your Masters! And for all the mixed feelings and experiences you described. I always admire how you lean into uncomfortable situations–it has made you very strong. Merry Christmas, Michele!
I obeyed and bought the book for a friend that I haven’t decided on yet.
I love when you write. I loved you before and I love you now. Nothing dumb about any of it.
I will be cooking some delicious spinach artichoke dip on Saturday.
A highlight of this year was a trip to Thailand to visit our daughter and her husband.
Have a blessed and happy Christmas. I love all the celebrations of Christ’s birth at your house.
Tonight I get to listen to soloes by my kids at their school concert and I’m so excited.
Thank you, dear. It would be nice to sit in a farmhouse kitchen and talk again over my coffee laced with (ahem – er – moving on!). Love as always.
Shari-
This year I have had discussions with more than one person about how God plans for us; how the past has shaped us into the persons we are now; and how who I am now is because of who I was before.
I am in a season of forced frugality and how that maybe someone will think I should get your book, because even the great deal of $8 is too much for me at the moment…this may be because I haven’t finished the books I have already purchased.
I appreciate your blog. It offers a perspective I need to hear that is different than my life experience.
Thank you, Tabitha, for your kind words. Your wry note about the books you have purchased and haven’t read is too relatable.
Guilty over here as well.
I made your Grandma’s ginger cookie recipe for a cookie exchange with my church sisters. I was quite pleased with the results. I want to make the leftovers into sandwich cookies with buttercream, as you recommended… ten years ago. Lol.
How does one know how one fares? By what metric? Compared to whom? I think I’m doing well and I know I am incredibly blessed.
Highlight of my year was teaching my children. My 6 year old is now reading, and my 18 month old counts correctly to twenty!
Would you pray, instead, for healing for my brother & sister-in-law, who laid a stillborn daughter to rest, this week?
Merry Christmas, and may the Lord of 2025 be kind in His dealings with you and your loved ones.
Oh my. Smiling for the decade-ago cookie recipe, which should still be as wonderful as ever, and wincing for the note about the stillborn niece. Christmas is a hard time for grieving. I am praying for you and those you love. Bless you, Rachel.
He is always kind…
What a beautiful word of blessing.
I currently have chicken enchilada soup in my crockpot. I never made it before so I hope it’s delicious.
A highlight this year was the arrival of baby #5 in November.
Congratulations! And I would like to eat those leftovers.
Thank you for writing again. I enjoyed the pictures of all your little crèches and nativity scenes around the house. I would like someone to come help me decorate for Christmas some year, but until then, we’ll have candles and some greenery and our two little nativity scenes tucked in somewhere.
I delight in cooking delicious things – scrambled eggs with bits of ham and melty cheese this morning, along with toasted cinnamon-raisin sourdough bread. Lots of sourdough the last few weeks, rye and white, pumpkin/ chocolate chip, and jalapeño cheddar. Last night’s chili and coleslaw with fried cornbread was pretty delicious too.
That question is easier to answer than how am I faring and how can you pray for me because life is such a mixture of happy and hard, sunshine and captivating books and painful relationships and long to-do lists and baffling problems and projects that never quite get done. But Jesus came for all of this and all of us and it’s enough.
I like these words. They are wholesome and flavorful, like your cooking. There is always a mashup in our lives of the good and the hard, isn’t there? but maybe especially at Christmas: a strange combination of the extra magical and the extra earthly. Bless you and yours.
I always look forward to reading your blogs, Shari! Your wit & humor bring a smile to my face. Cookies and candy , especially buckeyes and peanut butter blossoms are a must have at our house around Christmas! Also other baked goodies…. One thing I have learned or am still trying to learn, is how to grieve healthy….. Instead of shoving things under the carpet, running to the Savior’ s arms, allow Him to bring much beauty , love & healing into my life and those I love. God has very beautifully brought closure to a chapter in my life that was difficult, in ways I would not have imagined possible! I’m seriously considering doing Advent for our family next year.. I think it would be a beautiful thing!
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Thank you, Twila! Hallelujah for that closure of a hard chapter, and the hard but necessary steps of learning to walk through grief. God be with you in 2025!
♥️
I finally have a moment of silence in which to read the latest post!
How about my favorite memory from this week?
Christmas morning I was in my room wrapping the last minute gifts, as I always do. Some of my adult children were out in the living room, talking and drinking coffee and holding babies. I was feeling a bit left out, but, as I heard their repeated laughter, I was struck with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all the gifts — in my bedroom and in my living room.
And I was reminded again that I am a rich woman indeed.
Thank you, Hope. This is a beautiful moment you described, and actually reminds me of my first holidays post-partum. I felt a lot of fear of missing out, as I rocked and nursed my baby in an upstairs room, listening to the merriment from the spaces below. But over the years those silent moments became a precious gift, alone with my babies. We are rich, aren’t we? Sometimes a removed perspective brings it into focus.
Happy New Year!