I’ve found myself in the center of a squall this past week. A squall of my own making. When I wrote about my choice not to screen the baby in my womb for Down syndrome, I didn’t expect it to draw any attention other than readers of this blog. But Lisa Belkin, of the New York Times’ Motherlode, was willing to post it, and just a few more people read her blog than mine. So far, there are 180 comments and counting. And then there was the... Read more
My mother gardens. She has gorgeous flower beds. Everywhere. Zinnias and lilies and hostas and petunias and daffodils and flowers whose names I’ve never learned. When I was little, our backyard had more sunlight than it does now, so she also grew green beans and tomatoes and squash and zucchini and lettuce and herbs. I remember that garden fondly, and I wanted to recreate it for our children. I wanted to give them the experience of pulling the strings off string beans and wiping the... Read more
We’ve entered a new phase in our family life. Penny has started to ask questions. When we pick Peter up from the train, she’ll say, “How was your day, Dad?” Or when she meets someone new she’ll say, “Hi. What’s your name?” And of course there is the ever-present childhood question, “Why?” I hear that one about every other minute. Even though the “why” questions exhaust me, I know I should be encouraged by Penny’s inquisitiveness. Learning to ask questions is a part of growing up.... Read more
With the move to Beliefnet, I decided to start a weekly guest blog post called “Perfectly Human.” This weekly feature is intended to provide a picture of life with a disability in all its possibilities and limitations, gifts and struggles. The title of this feature comes from the Greek word telos, which can be translated as “perfect” but which also can be defined as, “the end for which it was created.” People with disabilities are just as human as anyone else–flawed and gifted, beloved and broken.... Read more
Paul Miller is the author of A Praying Life (click here for my thoughts on this wonderful book) and Love Walked Among Us. He is also the Executive Director of seejesus.net. The following essay includes a few paragraphs from A Praying Life, with new material at the end: For some reason our daughter Kim (who struggles with autism) has always woken up early, sometimes as early as four thirty. She knows she’s not supposed to get up so early, so she’ll go out... Read more
I am a believer, a dreamer, a traveler. I love learning, experiencing new places and cultures, and climbing to the highest point simply to check out the view. Music and singing can occupy me for hours. Reading, not so much. My faith, family and friends are the most important things in my life. I find a reason to laugh and smile every single day and I will never (ever) turn down ice cream! Does that give you a pretty good picture of who I am?... Read more
Please find Thin Places at its new home: http://blog.beliefnet.com/thinplaces/ Read more
If you are a subscriber to this blog, I’m sorry to disrupt your subscription! But you should be able to easily “renew” your subscription by clicking here and entering your email address. Please email me ([email protected]) or leave a comment if you do not begin to receive posts by email. Thanks! Read more
A few months back, I received an email from an editor at beliefnet.com asking me if I would like to move my blog to their site. After a long conversation and a lot of back and forth, both of us decided that the move would be a good thing. So, as of tomorrow, this blog has a new home. It will still be called Thin Places. You’ll see a few new features, including a weekly reflection disability called “Perfectly Human”... Read more
I have a new post on her.meneutics about the finale to LOST. It begins: I Once Was ‘LOST’ But Now Am Found Despite all its syncretistic symbols, the show’s finale depicted one aspect of Christian theology superbly. Amy Julia Becker My husband and I consciously choose to watch only one television show at a time, which we watch, well, religiously. For the past few years, our show has been Lost. Its dramatic plot and love stories and perpetual mysteries all... Read more
Thin Places-Faith, Family and Disability
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