A time to mourn

I have a recurring dream that varies a bit each time but contains the essentials of shootings, gangs, and retaliation and my own personal endangerment by these things in my community. Not surprising, considering where we live, what we witness and hear about, and what we have cause to fear. When I have this dream,… Continue reading A time to mourn

Welcome

One of the things Doug and I noticed on our drive from Spokane to Los Angeles was the remarkable civility and warmth we experienced in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. Living in a big city, and maybe especially a place like L.A., there is this shell or crust (or spikes, even) that develops between people:… Continue reading Welcome

Quotation of the Week

“They send you, by yourself? Where are your lights? Where are your trucks? Your cameras?” he demanded. “You can tell your supervisor that I was displeased! Displeased with you coming out here with a little digital camera–a little digital camera–for this! Where are your trucks?” Martin, a retired school-district worker, assumed a look of disgust.… Continue reading Quotation of the Week

What are the odds?

Yesterday we went to our OB for my regular check-up, and everything seems to be going smoothly with the pregnancy. Every time we go to their office, we are inundated with questions from the entire staff: “Is everything okay?” “Are you guys staying out of trouble?” “Is there any new crisis to report?” We feel… Continue reading What are the odds?

Ghetto no more

A few things have struck me recently about the changing identity of “urban” as it is used to describe America’s inner cities. As an “urban” minister, this word holds great weight and is filled with meaning for me in terms of the kinds of communities I feel called to: things like under-resourced, underprivileged, multi-ethnic, immigrant,… Continue reading Ghetto no more

Healing

We went to see our OB this morning, and we were once again reassured that everything looks fine with our baby. I am less sore and a bit more functional today, and we received the wonderful surprise last night of Doug’s mom coming from Oregon to spend a few days with us to help out.… Continue reading Healing

“The kind people easily dismiss…”

For all of the jokes and smiles our little phone-line bullet has provided the past two days, I find myself occasionally glancing over at the little lump of metal and shuddering. I have fought back the visual memories of standing in my Chicago apartment bathroom helping one of the young men who had been one… Continue reading “The kind people easily dismiss…”

Love is in the air

Doug and I will celebrate five years of marriage in June. Five years of life in Los Angeles with one Masters degree earned and a second begun, a new church birthed, and of course, the children! How rich and full and terrifying and beautiful these five years have been. However cheesy Valentine’s Day can feel,… Continue reading Love is in the air