My friend Melissa posted this interesting, disturbing piece on Facebook. It compares what wives want from their husbands to what husbands want from their wives based on what they Google. I thought I’d try the same things with children. What’s the difference between what we Google for our daughters versus what we Google for our sons and what we Google for our children in general? First, daughters: Then, sons: Finally, children: Are that many parents interested in getting their kids... Read more

I have a new post up at her.meneutics on the tasteless Newsweek cover. Here’s a taste: The Old Testament book Song of Songs is pretty racy. And not infrequently, its sexual imagery is expressed through food metaphors: As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. Similarly, a Sumerian poem “The song of the lettuce”... Read more

So by whining about my root canal and vaccinations yesterday, I forgot to celebrate what would have been Julia Child’s 100th birthday! I love watching Julia Child. My kids even love watching Julia Child. She cooks with such passion and joy, and she’s so comfortable with herself. If you aren’t familiar with The French Chef or her later cooking shows, you should be. She can teach you to cook. And she’s an inspiring woman. (I loved this book.) And just... Read more

So the thing about getting a new job with great dental insurance that happens to require traveling to tropical regions is that you end up spending a lot of time under the medical gaze. In the last week, I’ve had: a dental checkup/cleaning/x-rays a physical blood drawn pediatric appointments (4 total) root canal* 2 immunizations But, hey! I have insurance, so it’s all good. Except my mouth hurts. And so does my arm. Only some time on the beach will... Read more

I’m so excited to share the cover image of my (forthcoming) book! (designed by the very talented, award-winning Cindy Kiple) And to share these kind words from an advance reader: “This book is manna in the wilderness to any Christian who has ever had a conflicted relationship with food, thereby missing the unadulterated joy of eating. In a fresh and engaging voice, Rachel Marie Stone reminds us that when we savor delicious, nourishing food, we are actually tasting God.” —Jana... Read more

Oh, this always makes me way too happy: favorite search terms from the last month. Their search terms in bold. My remarks in plain type. “what happens if a child does not have a medicare card and he falls on an excursion and cuts his hand and the cut requires stitches?” you are going to have to pay roughly $500 per stitch. Unless you’re in Canada. Or France. Or Cuba, for that matter. “see under morton salt skirt” perv! “do... Read more

When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel... Read more

Okay, so maybe summer is not really pudding weather, but I’ve discovered that nursing homes know no seasons. Well, at least the nursing home where Mrs. S. still lives: it seems to be roughly the same temperature in there year-round. Last week, Mrs. S. was doing poorly, really poorly, so poorly that we thought it might almost be time to say goodbye. I brought a hymnal and a King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 version of the... Read more

…except if you choose to Eat With Joy. Your diet will always disappoint someone. The Paleo people say “don’t eat grains or legumes; meat made you who you are.” The vegans say “grains and legumes are way better than meat.” The low-carb people say “eat more meat.” The low-fat people say “eat more carbs. The biodynamic farm enthusiasts say “eat better meat.” The locavores say “eat what grows nearby.” The general health enthusiasts say “eat what’s good for you.” The... Read more