Writing, Parenting, and Working in the Mess: Authentic Spirituality and Social Justice

Joshua 5:9-12 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32 It’s loud and smoky. Earlier, there was a beef stew dinner, but being a vegetarian, I skipped that part and came out later, at 10:30, for the green beer. Pitchers are $3.50. There’s a group a 20-somethings at the pool table who work at the local grocery. Some tried to go to college here but didn’t finish; others went away and came back home but couldn’t find another job. I am not sure how I know these things about them exactly, but I do, or at least I think I do. Who knows what people know or think they know about me. One of the women is wearing green makeup and green ribbons in her hair. Another has on a giant green wig and a shirt that says, “I was trained by lesbians.” (I’m not even commenting on that one). There are some college students who have come back early from spring break at the other end of the bar, dressed up as if going they were going out dancing. They lean in to talk to each other, seemingly unaware of what is h...

March 11, 2007 Readings: Isaiah 55:1-9 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13 Luke 13: 1-9 I couldn’t stop at verse 9 when reading today’s verses in Isaiah. The whole chapter was so beautiful, but perhaps I am most drawn the verses that follow verse 9 because there are some signs that spring is coming, subtle but sure. The temperature has risen. The snow drifts are slowly pooling into the streets and sidewalks. The sun is bright on the snow. I’ve lived here long enough to know that anything could happen in the next hour—there could be another blizzard, or the puddles in the streets could freeze over, or the river could flood. I’ve learned to make snow angels in the middle of a blizzard, to stop what I’m doing and take a walk on the one warm day in the month because I know it may be the only warm day. But I’ve also lived here long enough to feel the greater truth of every subtle weather change. “As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it...

To all you naysayers (you know who you are--well, one in particular!) who said I couldn't keep up the blog-every-Sunday routine, I wanted to let you know that the reason I didn't post today is because my computer at home seems to have met its end. Well, hopefully not forever, but yesterday it would not turn on no matter what I did! I don't plan to log on at work, or to go to work on Sunday mornings just to post, which means that I won't be posting for at least a little while...but let's hope my computer will be back on its feet soon...

Genesis 15 Philippians 3:17-4:1 Luke 13:31-35 I can remember very clearly my first spiritual experience. I don’t remember when it happened, but I was in a car, and my mother was driving. My sister was beside me, and one of my aunts, I can’t remember which one, was sitting beside my mother. It was an ordinary, gray Ohio day, probably in late fall or early spring, judging from the landscape as I remember it. We were on the highway, and I have no idea where we were going. I was staring out the window, half-listening to the adult talk in the front seat, when this feeling of longing and love came over me. I thought to myself, I don’t know any of the people in any of the houses we’re passing, but somehow, we’re all connected. Somehow I love them anyway.” It wasn’t exactly a peaceful feeling. I wanted to jump out of the car and put my arms around the entire city of Akron, state of Ohio, nation, world. I felt a sadness because I could not do this, but also a sense of deep wonder and belonging....