Being a parent can be scary. It is rough out there. There are the culture wars—Democrat versus Republican, conservative versus liberal, Independent versus I’m-moving-to-Canada. There are the mommy wars—breast versus bottle, carrier versus stroller, working versus stay-at-home (and thus, working harder). And then, of course, there are actual wars. Terror attacks that come near our … More The Hope of the World
If you haven’t read it, start with last Friday’s introductory post on Sabbath here. Have you ever been given a gift you didn’t really want? When I graduated high school one of my favorite teachers gave me four rolls of quarters at my graduation party. Sure, it was $40, but it seemed a really odd … More But Why? Sabbath Practice Part 2
In an essay he wrote in 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted a 15-hour workweek by 2030, when we’d all have time to enjoy “the hour and the day virtuously and well.” During the 1950s during the post-WWII boom in productivity, along with rising incomes and standards of living, led economists and politicians to predict that … More The Busyness Trap: Sabbath Practice Part 1
My husband and I had a grumpy friend in seminary who always wore a scowl. Yet on Easter morning, Daryl walked by him and the man was beaming from ear to ear. “You okay?” Daryl asked. He’d actually never seen the guy smile before. “It’s Easter!” the man exclaimed. “It is just the BEST day!” … More Easter’s YES
One of the best-kept secrets in ministry is how much pastors love their congregations. The best pastors always get a bit personally attached, no matter how good their boundaries are, because ministry is an all-in endeavor. When you’re sharing meals and life, praying at hospital bedsides, baptizing babies, officiating at weddings, crying at funerals, working alongside … More I Hold You in My Heart
There’s a line in Jhumpa Lahiri’s (quite good) newest novel, The Lowland, that resonates with me lately. “The child was beginning to overwhelm her.” Lahiri writes about Gauri, a pregnant Indian woman newly arrived in America who struggles with the bodily nature of carrying a baby. The way her unborn daughter takes ownership of her womb-space, … More When Mind Over Matter Doesn’t Matter
One winter morning back when I was in seminary, an Old Testament professor of mine came to class ten minutes late. This was out of place for him – he was always exceedingly punctual. Yet Dr. H stumbled in the door just as many of us were gathering our books to leave. (There’s kind of an unspoken rule in academia that … More For When You’ve Come Undone
While I was at the dermatologist having a mole burned off my arm last week (See? California isn’t all palm trees and Disneyland. After living here for more than a year you get inaugurated into an annual dermatologist skin-burning appointment no matter how old you are…), the doctor asked when I was due. “Six weeks or so,” I said. “Congratulations!” she … More Six Rough Weeks, Three Long Months, and It’s All Good
I have always hated Valentine’s Day. Hated it. Hated it with a burning passion. Why? Because after the grade school festival-of-sugar parties (which, honestly, were pretty great), it’s all downhill. When I was dating in high school, it always felt like running this gauntlet of pressure-filled unspoken expectations. Here’s a gift card for Pizza Hut because I know … More What We’re Doing for Valentine’s Day
Courtney Ellis 