Wisdom in the Waiting: Spring's Sacred Days

by Phyllis Tickle

In her three-book series that spans the liturgical year, renowned author Phyllis Tickle recalls simple stories from life on her family's farm in Lucy, Tennessee. In these spiritually uplifting and nostalgic memoirs, Tickle records the richness of faith in everyday life. What the Land Already Knows celebrates Advent, Christmas, and the Epiphany. Wisdom in the Waiting reflects on Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. The Graces We Remember provides tales from the end of Pentecost to the beginning of Advent.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Memoir, Religion, Theology, Christian Living

130 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2004

About the author

Phyllis Natalie Tickle was an American author and lecturer whose work focuses on spirituality and religion issues. After serving as a teacher, professor, and academic dean, Tickle entered the publishing industry, serving as the founding editor of the religion department at Publishers Weekly, before then becoming a popular writer. She is well known as a leading voice in the emergence church movement. She is perhaps best known for The Divine Hours series of books, published by Doubleday Press, and her book The Great Emergence- How Christianity Is Changing and Why. Tickle was a member of the Episcopal Church, where she was licensed as both a lector and a lay eucharistic minister. She has been widely quoted by many media outlets, including Newsweek, Time, Life, The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, C-SPAN, PBS, The History Channel, the BBC and VOA. It has been said that "Over the past generation, no one has written more deeply and spoken more widely about the contours of American faith and spirituality than Phyllis Tickle." A biography of Tickle, written by Jon M. Sweeney, was published in February 2018. Phyllis Tickle: A Life (Church Publishing, Inc), has been widely reviewed.

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short-story, memoir-type, little book held much promise. After beginning Tickle's "The Great Emergence" and eating it up, I was really eager to read some of her other stuff. I am thoroughly on board for the idea of this series, but this fell a little flat for me. Each chapter tells a real tale, ending with a promising couple of lines that tie the tale to the spanning season of Lent to Ascension Day. Many times, these ending lines felt disjointed from the tale; it was as if Tickle took her stories and smashed them together with her reflections on Eastertide.

I liked this book for a couple reasons, however. One, I imagine these on-the-family-farm tales are treasures for Tickle's family, and I like to imagine generations of her kin reading and cherishing this publication of them. Two, Tickle's epilogue chapter of her direct thoughts on the Easter season is gold. Three, Tickle is an impeccable writer and, for this, most of her stuff is worth reading.

I generally don't walk away from this book feeling greatly enriched or sad to leave, but it holds a handful of treasures that make it not-too-bad of a read.

[Audrey Marcusen McMacken · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Then there is the final mystery, the one greater for me even than death itself. There is the mystery that this is God . . . that this Jew roaming the streets cursing fig trees and raging at money changers, healing children and feeding hundreds, calming winds and stopping storms, casting out devils and speaking to evil spirits is God . . . that this is what we claim to worship. That opening my mouth to receive the elements, bowing my head to pray, and lifting my children up for baptism, I claim all of this as God, as that of which I am, as process and cause and purpose, as mystery and master. To the extent that what I am can translate itself into words that my mind can render to my fellows, this is what I am by virtue of grace and those very elements. This is Christianity, and it brooks little argument.”

Little book of stories and reflections of spring—- from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost. That I read before Ash Wednesday even happened.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely book filled with memories and reflections about the season and Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide. I really loved this book. I loved the small moments that play a role into the larger ones. The vignettes of her family. Overall, I just really enjoyed this book. I wasn't intending on reading a book that reflected on the season of Lent and Easter but I'm really glad it worked out that way.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phyllis Tickle used true stories about herself, her husband, & their children to draw analogies between each story and a significant day in the Spring/Easter season. I enjoyed reading the book and it was very enjoyable; much like chatting with a good friend over a cup of coffee or tea.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little set of stories with an Eastertide theme. I enjoy Phyllis Tickle's writing. She really captures the place that she loves so well. She seasons with a bit of humor and ends with a thought to carry with you. I liked this collection a lot.

[Andrew]

"But now, years later, it is Lent once again, and for one more snow I can luxuriate in the isolation of the cold, attend laconically to who I am, what I value, and why I'm here. Religion has always kept earth time. Liturgy only gives sanction to what the heart already knows."

[Annburnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is memories of the author of living on a farm in Tennessee. It has nostalgia, religion and everyday living.

[Lisa Lewton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just so nice. A good Lent companion, brief chapters and steady wisdom.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phyllis Tickle is a major name in religious writing. She was the editor of the religion department until 2004 when she retired. Back when I purchased religion books for my library, I looked to Tickle's reviews to make sure our collection had good books. Her word and her writings are well respected.

All of which did not matter when I tried to read some of her books. For whatever reason, I could not get into her writing style. I love her Divine Hours series, but she did not write the material in them. So when I saw this book on the library shelves, I was not sure what I would think.

However, this is the kind of writing I like. Tickle is telling her story as it ties up with the bigger story of life and Christianity. She relates the seasons of the church, their farm and life all together. I now feel like I know Tickle herself and that may help me approach her other writing.

I recommend this book to those Christians who love story and the intersections of the liturgical year with nature's seasons; to readers who like to learn about families in any setting and to those looking for devotional readings.

[Douglas Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great American character book. Phyllis Tickle, along with her family, returns to the country and raises her children on the farm. A high-church Episcopalian, she is very gifted in relating the significance of the liturgical year to lessons learned on the farm. Mother and I are reading all three books in this series, and we both have been moved and enlightened. I truly love reads that make me want to burst into songs of praise--loud upon the hills, singing "All Creatures of My God and King." These books take me from my old age depressions and set me firmly upon that bluff, overlooking my fellow citizens. Alleluia!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet little (very short) book. Sort of a devotional, but more focused on simple stories about life on the farm with her husband and children (I think they had 7 kids). It didn't knock my socks off or anything, but it had some good moments. It was interesting for me reading this, due to my Christian "nondenominational" background. The author comes from an Episcopal background, so the book focuses a lot on the church calendar of holy days and the specific liturgical aspects of the Christian faith. As I didn't grow up in a liturgical church, this was a very different perspective for me, but I appreciated her insights from that perspective.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book made me want to (1) live in the country and (2) get in touch with my liturgical, Anglican side of religious life that finds meaning in seasons, holy days and ritual.

I took my time reading this book, mostly because I was reading while nursing my newborn son and also because I didn't want it to end.

On the other hand, some of the stories had a lack of flow that tired me. Perhaps, the writing could have been better edited.

That said, I would still want to read more works by the author.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. If you have zero rural living it may not be the book for you though. The author shares life events from her families life on their farm weaving in Holy Week.

It is really a book of short essays so you can grab the book and read just one short chapter. Each one took me at least a day to really digest and think about it. One chapter is about grief with her descriptions putting words to a difficult bunch of feelings.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is wonderful little cup of warm, fragrant tea. I loved ending my day with a quick chapter to enjoy sipping in the beautiful setting of Phyllis Tickle's family farm in western TN.
Phyllis paints a pastoral picture through the lens of the liturgical calendar from Lent to Pentecost. She allows you to sit on the stump with her, just inside the fence line, on the first night the fireflies come to mate their lights aglow dancing in the trees. You can sit and "forget the what and how of me."

[tonia peckover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tickle wrote three books that chronicle the church year from her farm in Lucy, Tennessee. This is the Lent through Ascension version. These are simple stories, told about children and the migration of birds, lost blankets, a secret self in the closet that holds mysteries. Tickle weaves her faith and the lessons of the Holy Days into these every day stories. I used it as a kind of devotion through the Lent season and enjoyed it very much.

[Mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with simple stories of her family, I enjoyed reading Tickles's words before going to bed. I was expecting more obvious themes of the Lenten season in these short stories, which I didn't find. Sweet and simple, but nothing that took my breath away.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!!