Desperation has finally arrived. I got through the whole morning yesterday and then climbed back in bed after the opening of the fridge made me realize that being anywhere near it for one more second would probably lead to my death. I'm going to try again this morning, but without opening the fridge. One hopes for better things. And yes, it really is the flu and not something else, like being pregnant. Unfortunately, you don't get anything nice at the... Read more
As I tweeted yesterday, someone in the line after church, after asking me how I was, and me saying I was fine I was just on the front end of cold, said, “oh, a cold's not bad. At least it's not the throw up thing,' and I laughed and said, 'oh yeah, that would be terrible'. And then I came home and discovered that yes, indeed, it was terrible. Somehow, in some kind of weird cosmic mixup, I, and I... Read more
One Classrooms are built and almost completely painted. Actually, they probably are painted. I left church at eight last night, being assured by our Christian Ed director that she regularly stays up till ten thirty and that she “likes painting”, both of which claims I have a hard time believing. I am constantly grateful for a Christian Ed person who believes that her job not only includes things like organizing curriculum, finding teachers, running VBS, casting a vision, and writing... Read more
In an effort not to give moment by moment updates on the progress of my cold (it is so bad I was forced to lie in bed yesterday and read a novel, moaning quietly, while the kids wallowed to varying degrees in the mud outside) I happened to click on a link that is linked by MCJ about why your senior pastor not only could be a woman but should be. I'm not linking the link, I'm linking MCJ because... Read more
1. Evangelicals by and large did not waver or wither under the weight of collaborationist/accomodationist calls for “peace in our time” but continued to pour on the public and private heat. 2. Most evangelicals recognized the truth that an organization purporting to be Christian cannot pretend to be neutral on marriage and remain Christian. Neutrality is surrender. 3. Most evangelicals understood the concept that the apostle John articulates in his second letter: to accept/receive those teachers/leaders who defy scripture, is... Read more
Someone recently asked me something like, how do I turn a bad day around? An excellent question, I said. But I didn't have an answer, I think I rambled on for pages about how every day is a bad day and I try to get out of the house occasionally. I don't remember. My head has a train moving back and forth through it. Anyway, yesterday I learned the definitive and comprehensive truth that some days really are bad, terrible... Read more
Are there no memes for a Tuesday? Everyone is sick, including me. In an effort to cope, here are ten things for which I am thankful. 1. None of my children have died, had surgery, or are chronically sick. I am really pathetically grateful for this and will spend ten minutes today praying for the children of the world and their parents. 2. My husband, likewise, is alive and has not left me for a younger floozier model. Instead of... Read more
I've had this on the wall of my school room for a bunch of years. It is from John Wesley's sermon on the General Deliverance in which he makes a sensible exegetical case for the redemption and restoration of all of creation, including all those pets we love. It's been a long time since I've read the sermon so don't sue me if it turns out he doesn't actually use the word 'pets'. I've always loved this line, even stripped... Read more
I woke up during the night to the sound of rain and a child crying with a headache. The count this morning of children sick and crying is…let me see…one, two, three, four, five…is it possible that the baby has so far escaped? She is driving everyone crazy with her cheerful good health and condescension, “Say please Marigold, and I will give you the book.” Gak. Yesterday, not knowing that disease and death were almost certainly upon us, I blithely... Read more
Having made it out of the weeds of the Pentateuch, through the shock and horror of Joshua and Judges, I am now wading around in the mire of First Samuel, spliced with psalms as David writes them. I never get through to the middle of First Samuel without being troubled again and again and again about the difference between David and Saul. Saul just doesn't get the point of God. It's like he's at a football game, or something, smiling... Read more
Preventing Grace
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