It’s a new year. And goodness gracious, do I know so many people who are happy to leave 2017 behind! It’s been a rough one for so many–politically, spiritually, practically, and on a host of different levels. It was a pretty tricky one for me, too. 2017 was filled with transition, hard work at The […]
Read Moreoutsiders re-dux.
In these last few days before Christmas, I’ve been reflecting on this crazy year. On the political bizarreness we are all in the midst of, the stripping of benefits and protections for children while those on the top line their pockets, the reality of our systems being tilted toward undistributed power, the ongoing division within […]
Read Moreits all one big fat paradox.
We’re smack in the middle of Advent and I haven’t written anything since Thanksgiving week. That’s because the day after Thanksgiving we found out that my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Since then, we were able to move him to Colorado to spend this last season of life with us in our home surrounded […]
Read Moreunderneath guns.
Yet another mass shooting has rocked us this weekend. Our hearts are still reeling from Las Vegas and another one slams us, this time at a church in TX. Our Facebook feeds will be filled with different perspectives on guns and we’ll go through the cycle of grief yet again. Horror, shock, anger, and “We […]
Read Morewhen words elude us.
“But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviors of the world! We are simply human beings, enfolded in weakness and in hope, called together to change our world one heart at a time. ” ~ Jean Vanier ***** I had other posts to go up this week, both […]
Read Moredescent church.
“…The society in which we live suggests in countless ways that the way to go is up. Making it to the top, entering the limelight, breaking the record – that’s what draws attention, gets us on the front page of the newspaper, and offers us the rewards of money and fame. The way of Jesus […]
Read Morethere are lots of ways to mother (and the world sure needs it right now)
It’s Mother’s Day in the USA today, the time where a bunch of women feel special and extra-loved, and another group of women often don’t. Like so many other holidays, many who feel great about it sometimes forget that there are others who are aching. Church is extra sucky if they make all the mothers stand […]
Read Morea better story.
It’s bad out here, people! The political division, the way Christianity is all tied up in it, the fear, hatred, ugly, and unknown. Everyone who reads here doesn’t agree with my faith and politics but most everyone these days is feeling the pressure, disorientation, anger, the sometimes-hopelessness that we will ever come back to some […]
Read Morewe need mothers & fathers & daughters & sons & sisters & brothers.
I’m on a bit of a power-of-community roll right now, revisiting some old posts that have been rattling around in my head. To me, the purpose of community, “the church”, is to have a place, whatever that looks like, to learn to love God & others and to be loved by God & others. Like so many […]
Read Morethe difference between cultivating communities and building churches.
Yesterday at The Refuge’s Sunday night gathering we had some cupcakes and sang happy 11th birthday to The Refuge. It’s hard for me to believe it’s been 11 years. When it started I was just wrapping up my 30’s and now, in 3 weeks, I will be turning 50 years old (more on that soon, […]
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