…and relying on grace. God’s, of course, and other people’s, too as preparations move into high gear. We will soon be in Malawi. Pardon me if there are a few interruptions in smooth blogging service. Meanwhile, here’s a look at our mission co-worker cards: {It’s a bit windy today here on the East Coast of the USA! Hoping for peace and safety for those in Sandy’s way…} Read more
My dad will tell you that when I was little, I penned stories that sounded exactly like whatever books I was reading, which is to say that Ann M. Martin could have totally enlisted me as a ghostwriter for her series, The Babysitter’s Club. Yes, I wrote fanfiction before I even knew it was a thing. It’s fun. Almost any writer, if asked, “how do I improve my writing?” will say two things: 1. write (almost) every day, and 2.... Read more
A few nights ago we were talking politics at dinner, much to the boredom of my children, one of whom finds it hilarious to proclaim, loudly, that he is going to vote either for John McCain or for “Bushel.” We’ve explained that neither of these people are candidates, but it seems not to matter to him. He is only four. My seven year old, on the other hand, is bored by politics (“why all this talk of PRESIDENTS?” he’ll say, sounding... Read more
I’m humbled, grateful, excited, and slightly terrified to see that my book is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com: I did not write a book on “redeeming God’s gift of food” and on “eating with joy” because eating and food is uncomplicated for me–quite the opposite. My story was never one of eating disorder such that would make a good after school special (The Best Little Girl in the World, anyone!?), but it was a story common to many American... Read more
Posting as part of the Patheos Book Club discussion. As the mother of two boys who never watch television and only rarely see movies, it seems clear to me that the urge to fight and to defend is pretty much inborn in most males. Oh, I’ve tried to encourage their nurturing nature; they’ve had baby dolls and toy strollers, but they played with these for a mere fraction of the time spent with toy vehicles and various improvised weapons. More... Read more
I have a guest post on the Slow Church blog, which is written by my friend and fellow forthcoming IVP author Chris Smith (also of Englewood Review of Books. Chris recently asked a number of friends to read, reflect, and write on Wendell Berry’s essay “Health is Membership.” Here’s my contribution. The Groaning Table My grandmother was born at home in New York City in 1925 – exactly the time when more and more women, especially city women, began to... Read more
Silicon Valley’s Mercury News recently ran a piece on faith-based support for Proposition 37, legislation that would require all GMO foods sold in California to be labeled as such. The food industry has spent a lot of money encouraging citizens to vote “no” on Prop 37, saying that the law is “misleading.” I, and many others, believe that genetic modification is potentially harmful and that, at the very least, consumers have the right to know whether or not what they’re... Read more
Are you ready? I’m going to get critical of Republicans. And Democrats. Because while everyone loves a partisan controversy, on this issue, folks on both sides of the aisle are cowed before food industry drones who have shareholder interests–not public interest–in mind. Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign (which, if anecdotal evidence is telling, is doing more to provoke anxiety in healthy-weight kids than to help kids who are actually at risk for diet-related disease) wrings hands about “the epidemic of... Read more
I was really distressed to see this in my inbox from Change.org: Barneys plans to dramatically alter Minnie Mouse’s body – making her a 5’11 size 0 in order to “look good” in a Lanvin dress in the Barneys NYC window this holiday season. But I can’t say that I’m surprised. The slimming down of toys and images is nothing new; we’ve seen it with Candy Land, GI Joe, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Polly Pocket, and more. Meanwhile, I... Read more
One of my current writing projects has me spending a lot of time in the Gospels, especially the Gospel according to Luke, which may be my favorite Gospel (are we allowed to have favorites?) not least because of its astonishing reversals: It’s the Gospel where a poor, uneducated girl–Mary–has more faith than an educated, aged, male priest–Zechariah. It’s the Gospel where a widow’s two pennies amounts to more in God’s eyes than fat donations from wealthy pockets. It’s the Gospel... Read more
Rachel Marie Stone
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