Skip to main content

Placemaker by Christie Purifoy



When I first saw the title, Placemaker, I had to look up what the word means. I was pleased to discover that it means exactly what it says, one who makes places for others and themselves.

In Placemaker, Purifoy goes through her homes throughout the years and connects them with not only the trees that grew there but how those trees relate to what God taught her in the midst of that placemaking. She covers a wide range of theological issues with ease through the overarching symbol of trees. But maybe the best part is something she discovers and brings home in the midst of her sadness.

In the chapter "Rainbow Eucalyptus and Roses," she talks about Hawaii and their amazing rainbow eucalyptus trees. She also talks about the loss of her brother in law. Within that trip to Hawaii, she shares a conversation that she has with an old surfer and how she sees that he encounters the world through waves the same as she does through trees and gardens. She shares how each of us has that thing that we understand with the deepest part of our heart and how God talks to us with that love.

Overall, it is a great read for the spring and that time in between your preparations for the garden in the fall and the hard work that will be summer. That in-between place filled with longing and hope. If you are intrigued or invested in the creating of places for others to be, this is a good book to add to your collection.


I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review from Handlebar Publishing. I'm never required to share a positive review but I'm always thankful when I can.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hospitality for the Rest of Us: Long Distance

People are moving more and more. When I was a youngster, it was a rare instance for a friend to move away. Now it's me that moves away. We've moved a lot, especially when we first got married. It was something like five addresses and three states in the first four years of our marriage. We've slowed down a bit. In the midst of all that moving, we've made some friends along the way. I try to keep an open line in case of times of grief and celebration. One of the best tools I've found for keeping in touch with loved ones far away is Facebook. As much time as I could spend doing other things instead of checking it, it's the best thing I've found. It allows me to communicate with others, without having to call. I know calling is amazing, hearing people's voices, but for introverts, there are no body language clues for us to pick up on that help make our conversations easier. It's also why we prefer to video chat :-) Back to Facebook, some etiquette.

Stories from the Kitchen: Taste and See

I celebrated my birthday last weekend. It was wonderful and the leftovers left me with a question or two. Find out what they are and how I'm currently answering them in this week's podcast. Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 2: Taste and See Notes from the episode: Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg Dad’s New York Cheesecake (from the back of a Philidelphia Cream Cheese package) 1 ⅞ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ to ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar, divided 2 lbs cream cheese (4 packs) 2 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 450F Mix well graham crackers, 2 tbsp sugar, and enough butter that the mixture holds together. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the freezer while preparing the filling. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just blended. S

Threadbare Knees

I feel sure that you've heard the saying "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  Well, recently I picked up a pair of wool cashmere blend slacks from Salvation Army and upon further inspection at home, the knees were threadbare, practically holes.  Easy enough to miss, when your knees don't fall in the same spot as the previous owner.  They were inexpensive, so it wasn't a big monetary loss, but I felt like it would be a shame to toss such nice fabric and so I searched the internet to see what I could do.  I found this cute little purse pattern, for free!   You can go check it out by clicking here . It is a great little pattern and I was able to make the entire purse in one rainy day!  Here are some pictures of my threadbare knees purse. Don't you just love those little pleats? And there's even a little pocket inside.  I'm so impressed with myself! Time to fill it up with my keys and such non-sense! And remember, when life gives you th