{"id":26822,"date":"2026-06-03T23:55:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T03:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/steelmagnificat\/?p=26822"},"modified":"2026-06-03T23:55:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T03:55:55","slug":"on-orange-juice-neighbors-and-vocation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/steelmagnificat\/2026\/06\/on-orange-juice-neighbors-and-vocation\/","title":{"rendered":"On Orange Juice, Neighbors, and Vocation"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><head><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><\/head><body><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-26825\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/664\/2026\/06\/bru-no-orange-4066509_640-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"><\/p>\n<h3>I was just sitting down to write when there was a knock at the door.<\/h3>\n<p>It was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/steelmagnificat\/2026\/05\/on-sacraments-lemonade-and-the-ascension-of-the-lord\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">The Princess<\/a>, in yet another ballet tutu and mismatched Crocs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll bet you\u2019d like a Popsicle again,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo,\u201d she said, grinning. \u201cI want orange juice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We did happen to have some orange juice. I fetched her a cup, and got back to work for approximately five minutes. Then, of course, the shrieking started, and I had to go back out.<\/p>\n<p>Jimmy\u2019s boy and The Princess don\u2019t get along. Yet, they always insist on playing together on my front lawn, even though I don\u2019t think it\u2019s that much more fun than any other lawn in the neighborhood. Worse still, they have decided that I\u2019m their arbitrator and need to settle every quarrel myself. I love children, yet I\u2019m starting to cringe whenever I hear a commotion outside.<\/p>\n<p>I opened the door.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you can\u2019t play nicely,\u201d I said in my sweetest voice, \u201cYou can\u2019t be in the yard. I\u2019m very busy today. If you fight, the Princess has to go back to her house and you have to go back to your house.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe poured bubble soap on the flowers!\u201d Jimmy\u2019s boy protested. \u201cShe\u2019s killing the flowers! I was going to pick those flowers for my MOM!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I gravely explained to the Princess that nothing goes in the flowerbed except water, and not even that without my supervision. I closed the door, and went back to my writing.<\/p>\n<p>The commotion began again before I\u2019d typed a word. I came out to find Charlie the cat running for her life because the Princess had tried to pet her again. The Princess always pets animals in a sharp slapping motion, as some little children do, so Charlie despises her. Jimmy\u2019s boy was having a fit because the Princess wouldn\u2019t leave the cat alone. I explained that I was trying to write and they needed to stop squabbling.<\/p>\n<p>Undaunted, Jimmy\u2019s boy climbed up on the railing of the porch to show me how he could walk across it like a balance beam. I watched, as patiently as I could. Then the princess showed me how she could dance around on the sidewalk with a plastic toy microphone and sing a song from <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m done hidin\u2019, now I\u2019m shinin\u2019 like I\u2019m born to be!\u201d sang the princess. \u201cWe dreamin\u2019 hard, we came so far, now I BELIEEEEEEEEVE!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I applauded for the Princess while Jimmy\u2019s boy rolled his eyes, and I excused myself to go write.<\/p>\n<p>The next outburst came after about thirty seconds.<\/p>\n<p>I went out to the lawn, not even pretending to be sweet this time. \u201cGO HOME!\u201d I bellowed. \u201cI am WORKING! I have DEADLINES! I CAN\u2019T WATCH YOU RIGHT NOW!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut she poked me with a BUBBLE WAND!\u201d cried Jimmy\u2019s Boy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGO HOME!\u201d I shut the door.<\/p>\n<p>I actually did manage to get a few paragraphs written before Adrienne came down, and asked to go to the grocery store. When I came out to get in the car, the Princess\u2019s bubble soap bottle and her plastic microphone were still on the lawn. A half full glass of orange juice was sitting on the porch step, attracting flies.<\/p>\n<h3>Suppose the human beings you meet in your neighborhood aren\u2019t a distraction from the important things in your life. Suppose they actually are the important things in your life.<\/h3>\n<p>The grandmother of the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/steelmagnificat\/2024\/08\/a-neighbor-a-family-and-christianity\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\"> Baker Street Irregulars<\/a> had given me her pickings from the food pantry that she wasn\u2019t going to eat herself, two or three months in a row. She always does this because she thinks I\u2019m a good cook and can use the odds and ends she can\u2019t. I had used the food I could manage to use, but there was a big bag of unexpired cans I wasn\u2019t going to eat in the hall. We drove that bag down to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/steelmagnificat\/2020\/04\/12577\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\"> the Friendship Room<\/a> with the last of my unplanted tomato seedlings for their garden. We drove the long way to the grocery store and then walked up and down every aisle, joking with each other while we shopped. I was glad for the comparative quiet of a crowded Walmart, compared to the racket at home.<\/p>\n<p>When we drove back up to the house, the Princess was already sitting on my doorstep waiting for me. Jimmy\u2019s boy saw the car pull up and came running from his own yard. I poured some more orange juice. I explained that I really needed to get some work done. The Princess wandered off to her grandfather\u2019s house, and Jimmy\u2019s boy came inside with us. For awhile, he just played quietly with Adrienne\u2019s old Legos while I wrote a few more paragraphs. Then it was time to do the cooking for the day, and I decided to also make some banana bread muffins. Jimmy\u2019s boy had an excellent time squashing three bananas with a potato masher. We chatted while he worked. While the muffins were in the oven, he went to roughhouse with Adrienne, whom he treats like an older sibling.<\/p>\n<h3>Suppose the family and friends you always wanted were all around you. Suppose that God was trying to give them to you, in your neighbors, and all you had to do was welcome them in.<\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019d just begun to wash the baking dishes, when there was another scream\u2013 Adrienne\u2019s scream this time, not a funny part of the game but a real scream of pain. Jimmy\u2019s boy began to scream after Adrienne did\u2013 again, not in play. Jimmy\u2019s boy was screaming in fear.<\/p>\n<p>I dropped the half-washed mixing bowl and ran into the living room, where Adrienne was crying with a hand to one eye.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened?\u201d I cried.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI DIDN\u2019T DO IT ON PURPOSE!\u201d screamed Jimmy\u2019s boy.<\/p>\n<p>Through gasps of pain and shock, Adrienne explained that Jimmy\u2019s boy had gotten a little carried away and accidentally kicked the phone she was holding up into her eye.\u00a0 As I examined the eye, Jimmy\u2019s boy started shaking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry!\u201d he cried. \u201cI\u2019m sorry! I didn\u2019t do it on purpose!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust a minute,\u201d I said impatiently, trying to concentrate on Adrienne.<\/p>\n<p>Adrienne was fine, just shocked. The phone had hurt, but hadn\u2019t left a bruise. I turned to Jimmy\u2019 boy, who was crying in real terror.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlease,\u201d said Jimmy\u2019s boy, tears streaming down his face. \u201cPlease, I don\u2019t want to get into trouble!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d never heard him this frightened before.<\/p>\n<p>His parents are the kindest people imaginable, but sometimes Jimmy\u2019s boy stays with another, older relative for a day or two, and of course he goes to school. Jimmy\u2019s boy tends to be hyperactive, and get into scrapes. Appalachian discipline for a little boy who gets into scrapes at school or at somebody\u2019s house can tend to be harsh or humiliating. I don\u2019t know what he thought I would do, but he looked as if he expected a whupping.<\/p>\n<p>Still with one arm around Adrienne, I put the other arm around Jimmy\u2019s boy. \u201cNo harm done. Everything\u2019s fine. Just remember to be more careful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It took several minutes for Jimmy\u2019s boy to calm down.\u00a0 After awhile, he and Adrienne were playing together again. He ate a banana muffin before helping me water the garden, and went home.<\/p>\n<p>I sat down to write.<\/p>\n<p>The only thing I can think of to write is this: the distractions of your day-to-day life are not a distraction. They are your vocation.<\/p>\n<p>God is not far from you. He is trying to get through to you, in the distractions of your day-to-day life.<\/p>\n<p>Your vocation is not a thousand miles away, in the jungle or the desert or a monastery on top of a cliff. It\u2019s where you are right now, and it involves your neighbors.<\/p>\n<p>I guess I did a good day\u2019s work after all.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<p><em>Mary Pezzulo is the author of\u00a0<a class=\"decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Meditations-Way-Cross-Mary-Pezzulo\/dp\/1949643433\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Meditations on the Way of the Cross,\u00a0<\/a><a class=\" decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sorrows-Joys-Mary-Pezzulo\/dp\/1955821828\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">The Sorrows an<\/a><a class=\"decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sorrows-Joys-Mary-Pezzulo\/dp\/1955821828\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">d Joys of Mary<\/a>, and\u00a0<a class=\"decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avemariapress.com\/products\/stumbling-into-grace?gclid=CjwKCAiA6aSABhApEiwA6Cbm_64-bP59YWJmFni-iGXq4KgITq1EU8hMvt9cV0qJvskRRmsTLYavURoC4SoQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Stumbling into Grace: How We Meet God in Tiny Works of Mercy.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"vwARt,GThGG,Wg6JZ,z8tZb,lLhMT,qUiAB,oc9v2,Jz8Jx,Qc8Pz,QxaLK,p8iiP,HKUhs,8l6Ux,hpFS7,5Fmr9,CvQdv,hBbfC,rIEEB,XwFDh,kM3PB,TzuWb,83oAW,6ueUH,N8wxc,tqr7Q,H2cG6,Xoekp,8u2Qc,lP5F0,AGx81,dzeGK,QtvXy,Zgs8D,E16Cj,PKXCv,fGkOS,GHPWL,jYysf,9eJVi,GKkQl,Z91kZ,yXSRp,7jzG5,oCpop,SnfSD,Dk8u2,rJFaX,7BRKa,Bf082,DY8dw,2KB3N,JJs3z,nXNAP,JT6mY,jPRaU,vde777,nz0uh2,yvy88t,gvu994,hyhw75,dnyxs0,66l5q6,0qkj8b,oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"LT0fO,xaGCg,pDjmp,xb0QT,vwARt,GThGG,Wg6JZ,z8tZb,lLhMT,qUiAB,oc9v2,Jz8Jx,Qc8Pz,QxaLK,p8iiP,HKUhs,8l6Ux,hpFS7,5Fmr9,CvQdv,hBbfC,rIEEB,XwFDh,kM3PB,TzuWb,83oAW,6ueUH,N8wxc,tqr7Q,H2cG6,Xoekp,8u2Qc,lP5F0,AGx81,dzeGK,QtvXy,Zgs8D,E16Cj,PKXCv,fGkOS,GHPWL,jYysf,9eJVi,GKkQl,Z91kZ,yXSRp,7jzG5,oCpop,SnfSD,Dk8u2,rJFaX,7BRKa,Bf082,DY8dw,2KB3N,JJs3z,nXNAP,JT6mY,jPRaU,vde777,nz0uh2,yvy88t,gvu994,hyhw75,dnyxs0,66l5q6,0qkj8b,oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<div class=\"main-post\">\n<div class=\"story-block\">\n<div id=\"main-content\" class=\"entry-content clearfix\" data-instance=\"EelCs,tcdp5,3LLRT,3Za4y,zW5Ro,kmFEj,WdWcS,tDDMD,AhxjP,LT0fO,xaGCg,pDjmp,xb0QT,vwARt,GThGG,Wg6JZ,z8tZb,lLhMT,qUiAB,oc9v2,Jz8Jx,Qc8Pz,QxaLK,p8iiP,HKUhs,8l6Ux,hpFS7,5Fmr9,CvQdv,hBbfC,rIEEB,XwFDh,kM3PB,TzuWb,83oAW,6ueUH,N8wxc,tqr7Q,H2cG6,Xoekp,8u2Qc,lP5F0,AGx81,dzeGK,QtvXy,Zgs8D,E16Cj,PKXCv,fGkOS,GHPWL,jYysf,9eJVi,GKkQl,Z91kZ,yXSRp,7jzG5,oCpop,SnfSD,Dk8u2,rJFaX,7BRKa,Bf082,DY8dw,2KB3N,JJs3z,nXNAP,JT6mY,jPRaU,vde777,nz0uh2,yvy88t,gvu994,hyhw75,dnyxs0,66l5q6,0qkj8b,oU7xiCdICU\" data-cmd=\"true\">\n<p><em>Steel Magnificat operates almost entirely on tips. To tip the author, donate to \u201cThe Little Portion\u201d on\u00a0<a class=\"decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=9AJMKR8W7AWS2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">paypal<\/a>\u00a0or Mary Pezzulo on\u00a0<a class=\"decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/account.venmo.com\/u\/Mary-Pezzulo-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">venmo<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-meta\"><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I was just sitting down to write when there was a knock at the door. It was The Princess, in yet another ballet tutu and mismatched Crocs. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you\u2019d like a Popsicle again,\u201d I said. \u201cNo,\u201d she said, grinning. \u201cI want orange juice.\u201d We did happen to have some orange juice. I fetched her [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2694,"featured_media":26825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[13,120,16106,587],"class_list":["post-26822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-children","tag-neighbors","tag-orange-juice","tag-vocation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>On Orange Juice, Neighbors, and Vocation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The only thing I can think of to write is this: the distractions of your day-to-day life are not a distraction. They are your vocation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/steelmagnificat\/2026\/06\/on-orange-juice-neighbors-and-vocation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"On Orange Juice, Neighbors, and Vocation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The only thing I can think of to write is this: the distractions of your day-to-day life are not a distraction. 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