Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school…
Relationships
I do not think C. S. Lewis ever directly said anything about gay and lesbian unions. But he did write about whether or not the federal government might be involved in defining what exactly is marriage and what exactly is not. In his timeless book, Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis penned something which directly links with the topic in our courts and places of worship at this time about defining marriage. Lewis was discussing marriage between divorced couples, but the approach can equally be relevant to marriage between two gay people. Here’s what he wrote: Before leaving the question of...
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. [Psalm 34:8, The Message] A few weeks ago, the pastor of the church we’ve been attending came to our house for a visit. She wanted to get to know us and talk a little about the church. One thing that she said stood out to me above everything else: Worship is such a sensory experience. She elaborated, describing the taste and smell of the Communion elements, the candles, the stained glass, the sound of the songs of praise. Even...
I have a bird called Apollo. He is yellow like the sun and just as obnoxious at 5 in the morning. He used to have a sister named Artemis. She was white, and the instigator of all shouting matches at bed time and pre-dawn. She died several months ago. She had a quiet burial. By that I mean I walked to the park by myself and threw her into the lake to be devoured by the gar. (I said nice things, and it really wasn’t so much a throw as a gentle toss.) I have, since that time, been looking...
I once was a tough guy. I was the loud guy who never got his feelings hurt. I would never cry. At one time, I questioned whether I even could cry. In the 10 months from April 2000 to March 2001, I lost my grandmother, my elder brother and my grandfather. During that time I “stayed strong”, because I thought that’s what I needed to do. I didn’t cry. I didn’t show emotion. I was in 7th grade. For the rest of my middle school and high school years, I remained so calloused. I called myself a Christian but my...
I grew up in a very conservative Christian home. During my teenage years, my family fell into what my parents now refer to as “the denim skirt cult.” You know. The one where all the girls where long sleeves, denim skirts, and (if they are extra chaste) head coverings. Growing up, I was taught that as a woman, modesty was my priority. Not only in how I dressed, but also in how I acted. It was important to show as little skin as possible. It was vital to keep men at an arms length (no dating!) It was wrong to...
I’ve been hearing about a book making the rounds, Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James. Naturally, being a writer and voracious reader, I check out books that people are talking about. I hit up Google and typed in a search and up pops this description: Fifty Shades of Grey is a New York Times bestselling erotic fiction paperback and e-book by E. L. James. Set largely in Seattle, the trilogy traces the deepening relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steel and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of BDSM.1...
It is widely known that Lion is the King of all within the forest. Yet what is less widely known is that Lion once prowled the grounds alongside several quieter and more impoverished-looking animals. Following his every step across the leaf-riddled forest floor were Hare, Turtle, Crow, and nine other animals. The others within Lion’s family saw this group make their way through the trees and laughed to themselves, feeling like Lion had given up his strength and wisdom in spending his quieter times with these creatures instead of going out and hunting. But Lion was not the King because...
Dear Scott, Used to be that when I heard the phrase “equally yoked,” I didn’t hear any patience undertones. I do now, and I’m not just thinking of all the time you spend waiting for me to finish in the bathroom. We’re approaching 14 years of marriage, and we’ve both discovered just how much work it takes to remain side by side, headed in the same direction, pulling together. We’ve already written about many of the ways we’re well matched. It is a good thing to celebrate those things and bask in that harmony we have. We need that when...
“Oh and Rihanna just put out a single today with him on it.” “Who? Chris Brown?” “Yep.” “Are you serious?” “Yes.” “I… I don’t understand people like that. Why would you want to help a guy like that after he put you in the hospital? This song is showing girls that it’s okay to go back to someone like that. I don’t get it.” This is the conversation I had with my husband two nights ago. This story keeps getting worse. News broke last week that Rihanna was releasing a single with Chris Brown on it. Kevin Mazur, a writer for...
When I was growing up, I thought romance was about the chick-flick worthy moments in a relationship. I thought the guy who could produce the most moments like these would be marriage worthy. I remember the lists of date ideas for my future husband that I wrote in my diary: Drink coffee with me on the roof while watching a sunrise (Does this actually happen to people other than insomniacs and people in Levi Jean commercials?) Driving to nowhere with me Get out crayons and color in coloring books Drive around town pretending to be tourists taking pictures Recite poetry to each...
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Why I Oppose Gay MarriageRecent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school… -
Gender Roles As God IntendedBefore I was married, my hairdresser—a divorced man—told me about a woman in her sixties who explained to him the meaning of marriage, the breakdown… -
Fifty Shades of TruthI’ve been hearing about a book making the rounds, Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James. Naturally, being a writer and voracious reader, I… -
Online ParentingThis week, a dad disciplined his daughter. And at the time of me writing this piece, that discipline has been viewed over 14 million times.… -
“How Are You?” “Depressed. How Are You?”I know I was supposed to be paying attention to the sermon in church yesterday, but I wasn’t. I was busy paying attention to the… -
For better or for worse?The first year of marriage is like wet cement — the impressions made in it are much harder to change once it has set. -Robert…
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While recently visiting a (Won) Buddhist temple, I heard one practitioner refer to Jesus as a Buddha. I was struck by the generosity of calling…
Before I was married, my hairdresser—a divorced man—told me about a woman in her sixties who explained to him the meaning of marriage, the breakdown…
I sat in the minister’s office on a Wednesday night, nervous with my parents seated on either side of me. “Why now?” he asked. “I’m…
A little while ago, I had a very deep conversation with some friends about women in the church. One of my friends strongly holds to…
As I look out into the faces of the people in the congregation I’m speaking to on any particular Sunday, I think to myself once…
Feminism to me is the crazy belief that women and men are both created in God’s image and that each of us deserves a life…
I’ve been hearing about a book making the rounds, Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James. Naturally, being a writer and voracious reader, I…
The parable of the talents, we have been told, is a parable about personal responsibility, a warning of the terrible consequences of squandering our God-given…
This week, a dad disciplined his daughter. And at the time of me writing this piece, that discipline has been viewed over 14 million times….
