A few weeks ago there was a shooting around the corner from our apartment, and in the chaos of the aftermath, one of our youth was nabbed by the police as he ran down Kenwood to go and check on some friends. The officers grabbed him, threw him to the ground, twisted his arm badly… Continue reading What family means on the street
Category: Culture
History
I was caught off guard today by my own emotions as I signed my name beneath my voter number in a dingy classroom behind a storefront church. The women who stood outside; the women staffing the table where I signed in; the women whose backs I could see already positioned in their voting booths in… Continue reading History
My drink was free
Aaron and I celebrating voting together (thanks, Starbucks!).
Who cares?
One of the things I have appreciated about my job of late is the opportunity to work with Mission Increase Foundation and evaluate patterns and practices in how Christian organizations think about fundraising, and what assumptions undergird what we do. I have so appreciated their consistent emphasis on helping individuals grow and deepen in their… Continue reading Who cares?
Deal or no deal
Before Doug and I were married, I worked as a coffee roaster for very dear friends and one way we used to amuse ourselves was to discuss what our “deal-breakers” would be in romantic relationships. It was always fascinating to have deeply held values or expectations revealed through the silly game. I had an interesting… Continue reading Deal or no deal
To join or attend?
I appreciated this post from my friend Grace this past week. She writes: If you are looking for a church to join, then you look for a vision or purpose that matters to you, a leader you respect, and people that you enjoy being around. If you are looking for a service to attend, the… Continue reading To join or attend?
Happy Day
In the span of just over a week, our family will celebrate my birthday, Elijah will turn one, my sister’s new baby’s will be born, and Mercy will turn four. It is a bit of a marathon, really, but what a reminder of how very much I have to be thankful for. I am heading… Continue reading Happy Day
What a life is worth
A young man was killed in our neighborhood last week. He was a USC film student who had some sort of altercation on the street while walking with friends late at night near campus. There was a fight, he was stabbed, and he died. Everything about the situation is tragic, and while USC can feel… Continue reading What a life is worth
Our little Ophelias
A few weeks back, my friend Christine posted an excerpt from an L.A. Times article that included a bunch of statistics released by the YWCA concerning women and girls and issues of image, beauty and societal pressure. I remember reading it and being sobered by the pervasive acceptance of plastic surgery as well as by… Continue reading Our little Ophelias
You know you are in the Pacific Northwest when…
-having a Thule top on your minivan is NOT helpful in finding your vehicle in a crowded parking lot -you overhear your friends swapping composting tips they learned in the composting class they recently attended -you are not disappointed, EVER, when you ask what is on tap -every third car is a Subaru -every fourth… Continue reading You know you are in the Pacific Northwest when…