Shannon Costello

“And so of the good things of this life: if God did not by a very visible liberality confer these on some of those persons who ask for them, we should say that these good things were not at His disposal; and if He gave them to all who sought them, we should suppose that [...]

Ordinarily I buy frozen chicken pot pies and do a Wendy’s run when CJ goes out of town.
But today I broke with tradition in one bold stroke and make Toad in the Hole, a British main dish consisting of sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding. (”Italian dish” and “Mexican dish” sound very normal but “British [...]

This time I struggled with fear before CJ left town. It has helped to spend the late nights reading this book until I am tired enough to fall asleep. Most conveniently, Augustine spends time putting the fear of things like loss of possessions, death, and rape into perspective. Consider the following:
On Loss [...]

When Alaric sacked Rome in 410, it was the first time in 800 years or so that an enemy had been so successful against Rome. An explanation that seemed fitting to some was that Rome fell because many citizens had abandoned their pagan gods and embraced Christianity.
Enter Aurelius Augustinus, better known as Saint Augustine. [...]

As I become a more experienced reading teacher, I find that I more deliberately employ some of the strategies that I teach. That is why I am about to inflict my predictions for the final Harry Potter book on a world that is already overcrowded with such conjectures.
1) Voldemort will be [...]

The blurb on the cover said, “Expect to grin the entire time you’re watching.” I think I really did!
I’m finding that I appreciate documentaries, and this one is a success story. New York City kids learn ballroom dancing, and the film argues that through the process they come to hope in the [...]