(This is the third installment of a roving monthly synchroblog called “The Spirit of the Poor” that explore the intersections of economic justice, lifestyle change and spiritual wholeness. Check out all the posts from last month here. This month we’re talking about Affirming the Humanity. We’d love for you to join the conversation. The link-up will be open…
Category
Spirituality
The Lectionary and a Legacy; A Letter To Myself
“Maybe it’s true that we are all descended from the restless, the nervous, the criminals, the arguers and brawlers, but also the brave and independent and generous.” – Steinbeck The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany What gaping wounds have you inherited? What stories have been scabbed over? What secrets do the scars hold?…
Things Regarding the Peace – An Artistic Meditation for Advent
“Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace” What does it mean for us to anticipate the arrival of the Prince of Peace? How do we think of peace in light of our not-peaceful world? How can Christmas be just as relevant for us today as it was 2,000 years ago?
God Has A Plan, and Other Useless Advice
He interviewed for a job today. An interview we thought about turning down. Because the salary turned out to be much lower than the advertised amount. But how do you turn down what you need? So we crunched the numbers, and surprise, surprise, realized we could live on less than we thought. We could…
Subverting Memorial Day
I’ve never heard a sermon on empire. Certainly never a sermon on America as empire. Genealogy rises to mythic proportions, and phrases, slogans, and chants become air that suffocates. It’s Memorial Day. We’re supposed to remember the people who have died for us. And I know it’s considered improper to talk about death and…
Paralyzed by the Slash
I’m feeling paralyzed. There was an article the other day by Rachel Pieh Jones, asking ‘where are they? A significant challenge for nonprofits and ministries remains recruiting people who will commit to serve long-term outside the United States.” I know where they are. They’re listening to everyone else who is telling them not to have…
Finding Hope in the Drought
When it comes to suffering, I’ve heard Joel 2:25 quoted a lot. “I will restore to you the years the locusts have eaten.” Otherwise meant as, Let’s not dwell in the pain. Look for the good. Eventually this will all be rewarded. But what if it isn’t? What if you live locust-ridden…
Complaining as an Act of Faith
When my brother and I were old enough to be left home alone, we always had to clean the house. As we got older, we fell into our roles as obedient and ‘rebellious’ oldest and middle children. Which meant by high school I was cleaning the house everyday, even forsaking homework to get it…
Smaller Than A Mustard Seed
Choosing People Over Beliefs
I changed my profile picture yesterday. There was some personal backlash from conservative family members. A woman I used to go to church with, and haven’t talked to in years, posted a couple of times yesterday on my wall, explaining to me what the gospel really means, and who salvation is really for. People…