Advent begins on Sunday, November 30. If you aren’t feeling ready, don’t stress. God meets us in the midst of everything else swirling about. Light a candle. Take a breath. Christ will come again.

Please be advised that all the house numbers in Kevin McAllister’s neighborhood start with 67, and the criminals read them out about 20 minutes into the movie.

Only monopolized the Thanksgiving table conversation for a few minutes about the eight species of hummingbirds we see here in SoCal. ✅

When Daryl says, “Want to do a quick birding stop on the way home?” you say yes, even if you aren’t wearing proper footwear.

What’s your post-Thanksgiving read?

What bird are you most thankful for? Besides turkey, that is.

I keep every recipe I love in an open tab on my phone so that I can find it again, and apparently… there are better ways to do this?

Ordering books for Christmas? Consider buying them from an independent bookstore. Might I suggest Nooks? It’s owned by two writers in Lancaster, PA (Shawn and Maile) and they're WONDERFUL. Free shipping over $35 and they can order any book you want if they don’t have it. bookshop.org/shop/Nooks

There are loud bumps and jolts coming from the roof above the church office and I have been informed that it’s the Heating Repair service and not, in fact, Santa.

Our three Thanksgiving table questions: 1) who is someone outside our family you’re thankful for? 2) what is one experience from this year you’re thankful for? 3) what is one thing you are grateful to have learned this year?

Drove through a friend’s neighborhood past a man in a turkey costume—tights and everything—walking alone. My kids: *staring* Turkey: *slowly holds up a peace sign with two feathered fingers* My kids: *hysterical laughter* Peace Turkey has entered the family lore.

And we make it earlyyyyyyy

What’s your most unhinged Thanksgiving food tradition? We make carrots. In jello.

We’re making salmon for Thanksgiving. There are no actual food rules. You can do what you want.

I love the little logical inconsistencies of bird names. Egyptian Goose Canada Goose Canadian Goose? Nope. Egypt Goose? Nope. Why?

One of my favorite compliments I’ve ever gotten as a birder was at the rental car counter in Harlingen, TX during the Rio Grande Valley Bird Fest. “We LOVE this week,” said the lady handing me the keys. “Y’all are just the NICEST.” Birders are such gentle souls.

Writers: what’s your one unhinged quality that makes others wonder if you’re okay? When I’m near the end of a project I listen to the song Africa by Toto on repeat. Sometimes for days.

I need to follow more birders. Who are your favorites?

I’m convinced that whoever writes the Holiday Gifts for Guys guides has never met an actual guy.

There are few feelings better than driving home from the library with a big ol’ stack of books and rain in the forecast.

My kid: I AM FREEZING Me: How about a sweatshirt? Kid: Hahahahaha. No.

The fact that I won’t have time in my life to read all the beautiful books or see all the beautiful birds makes me sad. And happy. Because what would life be if we could get to the end of all the beauty?

Me: What’s your strings teacher’s name? 9yo: I don’t know. Me: Don’t you have music class twice a week at school? 9yo: Yes. Me: 9yo: Me: 9yo: Names are not really my thing.

The book I wrote has been sitting in our Little Free Library longer than all the others.

Waiting to meet a new primary care doc, since my last one just moved to concierge medicine. (I could still see him if I wanted, for an annual fee of $5k(!) - sick visits extra (!!). Our health care system is so broken.) Anyway, pray that she’s great!

My 13yo just finished the young reader’s edition of Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime and LOVED it. Couldn’t put it down. Any suggestions for similar books? Comedy, biography, appropriate for a 13yo?

First kid wants to stop a sport mid-season: No, honey, we have to stick to our commitments. Third kid wants to stop: YES. GREAT. PRAISE GOD.

13yo: So anyway, there were less of them than– Me: Fewer. 13yo: You know, sometimes you could just let me be 13. Me: No.

Never would have predicted that I—a Protestant pastor—would be a bigger fan of the pope than my Catholic relatives are.

You know that scene in The Santa Claus movie when Tim Allen’s character is turning into Santa? He steps on the scale one morning and the number keeps going up, even as he stands there? That’s perimenopause. Also, the beard.

November showers bring

Setting up a little book tour for southern CA the last half of February and early March. I have room for one or two more stops. Let me know if your church/library/bookstore/community center is interested in talking about change, faith, and how nature can help us through. 🦉💗

Sometimes teenagers are very teenagery, which means grumpy or sullen or always hungry. Other times teenagers are very teenagery, which means they come into the room and ask if they can play Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire for you on guitar.

If you are into sourdough and can’t eat gluten, this is by far the best gf sourdough recipe I’ve tried. And I’ve tried a bunch. www.natashashome.com/buckwheat-so...

What’s a Christmas album I probably haven’t heard of that’s a MUST listen?

Also, if you’ve been sleeping on Looking Up, it’s half off right now:

Reasons to preorder my book as a holiday gift: 1 Your gift won’t be lost in the Christmas rush 2 One click and you’re done 3 No wrapping needed! If you preorder Weathering Change, I’d be happy to record a little Merry Christmas vid you could give the recipient while they wait.

About half the emails and texts I get from congregants these days are “what is this bird?" Birding is such a delightful way to connect.

I know, I know. It’s not even halfway through November. But it’s never too early to light a candle against the darkness.

THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT POSSIBLE. —my daughter, putting on tights for the first time

THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT POSSIBLE. —my daughter, putting on tights for the first time

Me: *writes books* Me, when someone asks for my bio: Um

New SubStack up today. courtneyellis.substack.com/p/finding-ch...

Them: Ooh, I’m so excited to go birding with you! It sounds like such a magical nature practice! Me: *takes them to the sewage pond behind the Walmart* Them: Hm, wow, ok

I got to see my first Gray Hawk in South Texas and I’ll be riding that high for the next month at least. Bird I most wanted to see. It flew over and landed nearby the last minute of the last day before I had to head home.

Reminder that the TSA folks are currently not getting paid and if you tell them thank you for being there and working anyway, it’s one of those small big things that can make a difference.

Remembering the time my parents took us kids out for a nice dinner and I wouldn’t eat my steak because it had pine needles (rosemary) on it.

I wish you all a pastime that makes you as happy as birding makes me. (And if you don’t have one, I sincerely recommend birds.)

At what battery percentage on your phone do you start getting nervous? I think this is a fascinating personality indicator. Mine is around 63%. My husband doesn’t bat an eye until his is at like 8%.

Got to see my first Great Kiskadee today. What a delight she was!