Earlier in December my mother-in-law suddenly passed away. It was totally unexpected. You might say she was the picture of health and energy for a woman in her mid sixties. It took us all by surprise and initiated a season of grieving in the life of our large family. Since my mother-in-law died, many people have reached out to us. They’ve reached out to show their support, to offer their condolences and to help us feel that we were not alone in... Read more
What is the relentless love of God like? The gospel of Luke says it is a laser-focused love that knows and perceives each person for who they are. It is like a shepherd with 100 curly-wooled sheep who say, “baa” and chomp grass. All is well until one goes missing. That guardian of those sheep focuses the laser of their love on that missing one. You know what comes next. They go and look, until they find that one and... Read more
Disclaimer: I tend not to comment on politics, and I haven’t been following the Republican race very closely, but I came across something this week that was really startling (excluding anything Trump). It is a clear reminder that we need to be aware of who is informing our candidates and potential future leaders. A Slate article by Ruth Graham unveiled that Marco Rubio has installed Wayne Grudem as part of his religious liberty advisory board. You may not recognize... Read more
I’m sitting in the police station compulsively chewing my finger nails. This is the moment that I have been dreading for weeks. The officer walks around the corner while I am mid finger nail. “Are you here for your police ride-along?” I want to say no, and then just go home, but I know that I can’t. I stand up and gather my courage. “Yes, thank you,” I manage to choke out. I follow him through the bowels of the... Read more
Revisiting Christ in missions and service in the age of selfies Bec Cranford serves as the Director of Community Relations and Volunteer Services at the Gateway Center, and supervises a contextual education course at Candler School of Theology. Poverty pornography, charity charlatans, and self-serving service versus relational missions honoring Christ in the least of these As we mature in Christ, many of us will become dissatisfied with churches that have a mentality of country clubs, and market places. We will... Read more
As the Christmas season drew to a close a couple of days ago and I reflected on all the lovely photos on Facebook of gifts of collectibles like teapots and nativity scenes, I wondered, “What happens to our collections when we die?” In light of the refugee crises all over the world right now, clearly this particular wondering is a first world issue. I’ve already written in other posts about how my own refugee-immigrant family has no keepsakes, heirlooms, or... Read more
Are you aware of the peaceful revolution underway– a new Pentecost is taking place in our yoga studios! But others mocking said, ‘They are filled with new wine!” Acts 2:13 Ordinary humans, not just renunciates, are recognizing an alcohol buzz is a distant second to the natural high that comes with sparking internal connectivity– the ‘new wine’ is a benefit of connection to our breath! The desire for old ways merely disintegrates as the ‘breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job... Read more
Over the past two months, my faith community has been exploring how the story of Jesus’ birth reveals the possibility that all of life is holy. Early in November we spoke about sacred time and a week later — one day after the Paris attacks – someone from the community boldly proclaimed the sanctity of every person, regardless of their wrong doings. Recently, they asked me to tackle “sacred space,” and as I thought about the topic this week, I began... Read more
The Nativity scene is one of my favorite parts of the Advent/Christmas season. Remembering the stories of childhood, the mystery of the biblical narrative, and the beautiful images that are almost other-worldly. Angels worshipping from the skies above, stars shooting across the Milky Way, and wise men travelling from thousands of miles with great gifts. While it’s easy to put all this in context and question the way it all really went, it’s still a beautiful picture. One that captures... Read more
Chelsea Jay is a 24-year old model in the United Kingdom. She is the Director of Disability for Models of Diversity, a campaign to include a wide variety of bodies in the media people see every day. Jay had been in conversation with The Clothes Show, a live fashion and beauty event, for a year, pressing the issue of lack of diversity in the event. The Clothes Show invited Jay to speak at a panel, so she took a four-hour... Read more
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