I have a new post on the Park Forum: Are Christians Wimps? talking about the relationship between power and corruption. Is it possible to be powerful without feeling entitled to power and without becoming corrupt? I hope so. Seems to me the only way it can happen is through an accurate sense of oneself as both broken and beloved. Read more

Some of you will remember this article from two years back, when I was pregnant from William and had an editorial published first for First Things and then the Philadelphia Inquirer. But in case you haven’t read it before, here it is again: “All of Life is Fragile and Uncertain“, published this time on a blog called “Bloom,” for families with children with disabilities. And even if you have read the article before, go there to get a cute photo... Read more

I dropped Penny off at school this morning, and a mom of another little girl in her class pulled me aside. “Alli insisted on wearing sunglasses this morning because she wanted to be like Penny.” I turn around and there’s Alli (not her real name), in her raincoat and hat and boots, on this gray and dreary day, pulling out her sunglasses because she wants to be like her friend Penny, whose pink spectacles are perched on her nose. I... Read more

I have a new post on Christianity Today’s Women’s Blog: Iris Robinson Jesus Loves You More Than You Will Know. Read more

And now a few more thoughts… The important thing about memoir in general is that it not be simply a chronicle of events, but rather a story telling a larger truth. So, for instance, on the surface, Penelope Ayers is the story of my mother-in-law dying of cancer. Which is a rather mundane experience, and a rather depressing one at that. But more importantly, and the reason it seemed to me to be worth writing down for a wider audience,... Read more

I’m hoping to write more about this later today, but the grocery store calls. So for the moment, I’ll just quote myself from a recent post on 843 Acres. Check back in this afternoon for further reflections. If, that is, my kids nap simultaneously this afternoon: Embedded in Daniel Mendelsohn’s new article, “But Enough About Me” (The New Yorker) are connections between Christianity and memoir as a literary genre. The genre’s history traces back to St. Augustine’s Confessions (and, one... Read more

I have a new post on The Park Forum: “Pat Robertson Said What?” Read more

Years ago, I was on a weekend retreat with a group of high school students. The speaker was trying to explain the concept of original sin. He used his toddler daughter as an example, saying something along the lines of, “We’re selfish from the moment we emerge from the womb!” William has taken to having tantrums lately. He has a number of demands: “Tar! Tar” (guitar) “wacum!” (vacuum) “a-ting!” (painting) and “ay-do” (play doh), are the most prevalent. When I... Read more

And if so, what did you think? I’m particularly curious for two reasons. One, Peter and I make it to a movie in the theater on average once a year. Literally. Last movie we saw in a theater was Slumdog Millionaire. We saw Avatar last week. Now, again, I never go to the movies. So the fact that I recommend it is not that surprising. But there it is. Okay, the other reason I’m curious whether you saw Avatar is... Read more

For good reason, the devastation in Haiti is all over the news, and in our hearts and minds and prayers as well. I’m hoping to write more about it, but for now, here is a piece I posted to the Park Forum yesterday: “There is no explanation for why my daughter is going to die...” Read more