Separate rooms, separate TV’s. For the first time in our married life, we will not watch TV together. It’s been one of our things: if we are going to watch TV, we need to do it together. We’ve done this from the beginning and will continue to do so. But not tonight. We talked about it yesterday. Both of us have as the baseline consideration that we want to stay in love with each other. We do not want to argue... Read more
This is a series of the ongoing saga of a newly married couple with radically different political views. Part one is here. Part two is here. Part three is here. Part four is here. Part five is here. Part six is here. I honestly do keep trying to convince myself that all will somehow be OK even if Donald’s bid to be king of the world and have everyone bow down to him does prevail. All of us who have opposed him... Read more
I was invited to review STORKS last night. It opens in wide release this weekend. After settling in the seats reserved for the press, I noticed that there were a lot of young children present for the preview. Lots of restlessness in the theater and I picked up on curt corrections of some harried parents. I thought, “This is going to be an uncomfortable movie experience.” Boy, was I ever wrong! From the first moments, the children (and these two... Read more
I stopped trying to make the Bible do something that it most definitely is not: a science textbook or a handbook on “family values.” I simply let it be what it is and the beauty of those ancient writings emerged yet once more for me. Read more
So is birth control selfish and evil or just a matter of practicality? Well, you can decide, but my vote is on practicality. If you live on a farm without labor saving devices, don’t plan to educate your kids, don’t have access to modern medical care and expect most of your offspring to die before age five, pop ‘em out as fast as you can. Read more
The Guilt Factor I’ve been retired from formal ministry for nearly three years now. Frankly, Christianity looks a lot different from the pew–and away from the church bubble. I just wrote a resignation letter to a non-profit agency where I have sat on the Board of Directors. I believe strongly in the mission and appreciate the excellent work they do. But I moved from the immediate area, making it nearly impossible for me to be the kind of Board member they... Read more
Countless times I have touched someone and they ended up dead just a few days or even hours later. Some were dear friends, others I had just met. Then there is my mother, my father, my father’s brother, a close neighbor and friend–all four of these I was with either the day they died or saw shortly before. There are the people I know who have become sick after meeting me. Strokes and heart attacks, cancers and kidney problems, colds... Read more
“We already know the ending–not sure why they made the movie.” I made that comment to my husband as we drove to the press preview for the movie, “Sully.” It goes into wide release this Friday, September 9, 2016. And yes, we all know the ending. Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, flying US Airways Flight 1549, landed his plane only a few minutes after take-off in the icy-cold Hudson River after a bird hit destroyed both engines. Everyone, 150 passengers, 5 crew... Read more
Dear Thoughtful Pastor: What ARE traditional family values and who decided? Why is it such a buzz word and why is it a red flag to some of us? Who says my values are untraditional? And if they are whose business is it? What is the obsession with uniformity and control? How do these values improve all families lives? Who is really being controlled here and why. How do people who preach these value really live? How about their followers?... Read more
So, Donald, yes that great Republican and ever-so Christian man, is getting ready to be interviewed by the pastor, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International, in Detroit, MI, as part of his appeal to get more than 0% of the black vote. Now, the church community wanted Donald to actually speak in the church. However, Donald’s staff, understandably not wanting their candidate to be his usual bombastic, racist self, insisted that on a private interview with all questions submitted... Read more
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