Fumbling Toward Grace
Today’s QT’s are devoted to sharing: links, books, things that I have found recently and think are worth knowing about!
Check out Jen at Conversion Diary for more awesome quick takes!
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The worst place on earth to be a woman. That’d be the Democratic Republic of Congo, where thousands of women have been raped (some repeatedly) during the “civil war” that’s going on there. To quote one article I recently read about it: “Soldiers use women’s bodies as a battlefield where the goal is to destroy the stability of a village by destroying the bodies and spirits of its women.” It’s disgusting and heartbreaking. And it’s got to stop. But what can we do here in the USA? Well, not much physically. But we can learn more about it (as hard as that is to read about), and maybe try to get connected with groups who are in Congo trying to help.
Lynn Hybels, co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, is supporting an effort called “Ten for Congo“, where you can give a donation of ten dollars to World Relief to continue a program supporting rape victims in DRC to heal and carry on with their lives.
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Again, I have to share something from Lynn Hybels; this woman is on fire for God! On her blog she has a prayer called, “Dangerous Women Creed“. I’m seriously going to print this out and tape it to my bathroom mirror so I can see it everyday when I am brushing my teeth.
Dangerous Women Creed
Dear God, please make us dangerous women.
May we be women who acknowledge our power to change, and grow, and be radically alive for God.
May we be healers of wounds and righters of wrongs.
May we weep with those who weep and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
May we cherish children, embrace the elderly, and empower the poor.
May we pray deeply and teach wisely.
May we be strong and gentle leaders.
May we sing songs of joy and talk down fear.
May we never hesitate to let passion push us, conviction compel us, and righteous anger energize us.
May we strike fear into all that is unjust and evil in the world.
May we dismantle abusive systems and silence lies with truth.
May we shine like stars in a darkened generation.
May we overflow with goodness in the name of God and by the power of Jesus.
And in that name and by that power, may we change the world.
Dear God, please make us dangerous women. Amen.
Love it!
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First Things has a great article today about the (from the sound of it anyway) movie about artificial insemination starring Jennifer Aniston which came out this week. It would seem that most Americans, not just us “religious crazies” find something sad and hollow about a single 40-something woman going to “any means necessary” to have a child when she hears that clock ticking, given the very, very low turnout for this film.
In part she says, “Yet, although artificial reproduction is a life-and-death issue, it is often painted in rosy hues, as a service to women helping make their dreams come true—whether in embryo-donation ads, or in infertility-center ads, or in Celine Dion’s public statements, or in movies like The Switch and The Back-up Plan. The health risks are overlooked, partly out of desire to find a quick solution to infertility, and partly in the name of a philosophy that says a woman should be able to have a family however and whenever she wants.
In reality, artificial reproductive technology is no service to women; it’s not the quick and easy way to get pregnant that it’s promised to be, and it brings more hardships to infertile women along the way. Moreover, it doesn’t heal a woman’s infertility at all. As Dr. Anne Meilnik at the Gianna Center, a Catholic health-care center in New York, has said, it’s covering up the health problems that may be causing her infertility—which can and should be treated—by instead making a child with artificial technology.”
It’s very well worth reading. You can do so here.
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OK, so maybe I’m out of links for right now. Oops.
Our Fuzzi Bunz, which I mentioned in an earlier post this week, arrived last night! I’m in love with these sweet little diapers. They are soft as anything inside and the colors are super cute!
Now we just need a little body to put in them. 😉
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Tomorrow we are going to paint the one wall and one dresser in the baby’s room slated for painting. We’re also going to Babies R Us to finish putting together our registry. It would seem at this point that the registry is going to be more along the lines of “a list we have on hand as we gradually buy what we need”, but it’s all good. With the state of my brain these days, a reminder list is a good thing!
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Tonight we’re going with another couple to see a one-woman show that our friend Julie wrote! It’s apparently a satire piece about social media and the end of the world. I’m pretty pumped!
Then we’re having date night at this little Italian bistro that seems to actually have its menu structured the way that they do in Italy!
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That’s all folks! Have a great weekend!
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