Let the record show (although I don’t have one so I’m not sure how I would show it) that I’ve been up since 6, on a Monday morning mind you, moving the last desultory pile of boxes out of the old house and jumbling them into the basement and garage over here. ‘Why,’ you ask, ‘you still have stuff over there? How long are you planning to drag this move out?’ To which I repost, ‘don’t question me. I have... Read more
One of the tricky things about the Christian life is that we’re supposed to love the things that God loves, and hate the things that God hates. It’s really easy to say that, or write it, or think it, but the moment a body goes to try and carry through, there are all kinds of problems, because who God is is not anything like who we are. Of course, it might be good to back up just a tiny moment... Read more
Podcast this morning–Anglican Update, what makes a good church versus a bad one, what are we reading, and some more chatter about my own forthcoming devotional work. Next up, something very cool that I hope desperately will end up being true. And here is something depressing but nostalgic, at least for me. We used to go on field trips to this amazing place. And here is something interesting about CS Lewis and theology. And a nice chart. And something appalling.... Read more
One So, I guess there are olympics this year? Probably not going to be watching them what with the lack of cable. Guess we could walk over to Crepe Heaven or other people’s houses. Not really interested though. So grossed out by what I’ve read so far that I don’t really want to know what terrible things are happening. That one pic of the doll’s head sticking out of the ocean has guaranteed that I will not be trying to... Read more
I halted all reasonable and normal activity yesterday to dig up one of the massive Hostas in my new garden. The garden itself is charming. The bone structure, one might say, is there, but Our Dear Lady, which is what I’ve been calling the person from whom we bought this house, which is the obvious choice given how much Bleak House I’ve been listening to, and yet have still So Far To Go…where was I? Oh yes, Our Dear Lady... Read more
So I did give in and watch the clip of Mr. Trump throwing the baby out of his rally. Tried really hard not to but it’s kind of a slow news day and it was either give in and watch it, or give in and get out of bed. I think the choice was clear. Disappointed that I couldn’t actually hear the baby on the clip. All I could hear was Mr. Trump talking about Chiinnaah devaluing her currency when... Read more
Tragically, I have been up for two hours already, reading reading reading my own book. Really ready to read something else soon–almost anything else. And to write about something else, but being this close to sending off my final draft, I have book on the brain, and it’s hard to get past it to even blink through Facebook or the weather. I have loved this project. It has been both charming and thrilling to chip away at these pages, and... Read more
Shocked and saddened to see that some people out there, in this great YUGE country, are starting school this morning. Way back in the day, like last year or something, I started my new year in July, or maybe at the very latest August, having ceased the previous year one or two weeks before. In the usual roundabout of panic I would basically “school all year” hoping to keep failure and sorrow at bay. This year…wow. Well, first I need... Read more
There’s a curious hazard about centering your life around the church and the church year. Sunday is the pinnacle, the height to which you ascend every week, crashing down on Monday only to begin again. And that being so, Saturday nights are usually always the dark night of the soul, the valley of the shadow of death, the night when everyone will have a terrible dream, and the moment when there will be a bat in the attic. I say... Read more
Did manage a podcast full of interruptions. We chat away merrily about how bad the world is and children keep coming in to ask if they can have chocolate on their bagels. This week we talk about the upcoming Primates Meeting, whether or not to use the word murder when referring to abortion, and how Christians should expect their lives to be awful. Here’s something really long and great about how to decide whether or not to vote for Trump.... Read more
Preventing Grace
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