A relentless pursuit
she has never known
to the arms of another
she runs
Here,
he comes
breathless
fingers lifting his skirt from the dust
his arms,
an embrace
a welcome home
for her cheatin’ heart.
With morsels and sweet words
he woos her to his side
draws her to the baptismal waters
though her sins are as scarlet
they will be white as snow.
His delight in her will be unending
his love for her will never fail
and on that fateful wedded day,
consummation
will unite bride and groom forever.
She will never leave his side
he has purchased her with his life
and as she descends from heaven
all he sees
is gleaming white dress
and radiant face
reflecting his.
“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
Monday, December 5, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sex and money: worth talkin' about
Lauren Winner, Real Sex
Too often the church, rather than giving unmarried Christians useful tools and t hick theologies to help us live chastely, instead tosses off a few bromides—“True love waits” is not that compelling when you’re twenty-nine and have been waiting, and wonder what, really, you’re waiting for.
Indeed, the instruction to just zip perhaps fails to recognize that one resists strong bodily urges like sexual desire not primarily through willpower, but through grace.
But if we see scripture not merely as a code of behavior but as a map of God’s reality, and if we take seriously the pastoral task of helping unmarried Christians live chastely, the church needs not merely to recite decontextualized Bible verses, but to ground our ethics in the faithful living of the fullness of the gospel.
Perhaps the revelatory thing for me about money is that I have the power. I could, work a couple hours and baby sit on Friday’s and use that money to donate to providing after-care for young women rescued from trafficking in Cebu.
What am I willing to go without so I can have more to give, to save, to spend if necessary?
Can I understand money? For most of my life—frankly, until now—I thought it was some esoteric entity comprehensible only by an elite few. Certainly not lower-middle-class moi. Money is mysterious in some ways, but still understandable.
I could buy x, or I could not buy x. Having the option to buy something was revelatory to me, almost as much as the option of not having to buy x.
Too often the church, rather than giving unmarried Christians useful tools and t hick theologies to help us live chastely, instead tosses off a few bromides—“True love waits” is not that compelling when you’re twenty-nine and have been waiting, and wonder what, really, you’re waiting for.
Indeed, the instruction to just zip perhaps fails to recognize that one resists strong bodily urges like sexual desire not primarily through willpower, but through grace.
But if we see scripture not merely as a code of behavior but as a map of God’s reality, and if we take seriously the pastoral task of helping unmarried Christians live chastely, the church needs not merely to recite decontextualized Bible verses, but to ground our ethics in the faithful living of the fullness of the gospel.
Perhaps the revelatory thing for me about money is that I have the power. I could, work a couple hours and baby sit on Friday’s and use that money to donate to providing after-care for young women rescued from trafficking in Cebu.
What am I willing to go without so I can have more to give, to save, to spend if necessary?
Can I understand money? For most of my life—frankly, until now—I thought it was some esoteric entity comprehensible only by an elite few. Certainly not lower-middle-class moi. Money is mysterious in some ways, but still understandable.
I could buy x, or I could not buy x. Having the option to buy something was revelatory to me, almost as much as the option of not having to buy x.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Goliaths
So, in conjunction with my roommate Linell yesterday at the fortuitous location of our neighborhood Panera, I pretty much finished my 2010 taxes. E-filed California, and just need to paper-file fed taxes. It wasn't so bad, all things considered. Maybe taxes aren't the Leviathan I thought.
Now, on to my 2009 Canadian taxes!
Now, on to my 2009 Canadian taxes!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Danice
Yesterday, at my neighborhood Stater Bros. store, I bought a 15 oz. box of Life Cereal. Which, of course, made me think of Danice. Danice was one of my four housemates in Vancouver, BC. Her mousy brown hair is short, with an amazing ability to array itself in a variety of styles. Danice loves Life cereal; her near-addiction to it rivaled only by my near-addiction to Nature Path’s Mesa Sunrise cereal, most often purchased for $5.99 at Dollar Grocers.
We lived on 1234 E. 7th Ave. in East Vancouver, in the Grandview-Woodlands neighborhood more commonly referred to as “The Drive,” referring to Commercial Drive, which runs north-south and is characterized by natural food shops, local coffee shops on every corner and a lot of hippie-or-hipster-types. Seventh Avenue was two streets south of the main street of Broadway Ave, and quiet; the street was home to the most perfect arching trees and to a Hungarian church just 3 doors east of our house. These arcing trees provided the visual aid and backdrop for a lovely evening walk with my friend Danielle one fall before I moved into this house, when we ended up talking about romance, unrequited love and how romance/relationships/marriage is but one arc under the grand arc of God’s redemptive narrative. These same trees met my gaze every morning from my triangular top floor window; it seemed a gift too extravagant that I could be living in a house on this street, of all streets.
Danice is not a fan of mornings. I learned this soon after I moved in and I sat down to breakfast. Danice emerged from her bedroom, adjacent to the kitchen, and prepared her edibles. I attempted to make some conversation with her, but didn’t quite succeed. Later, her longtime roommate Beth graciously informed me that it takes Danice some time to warm up to talking with people in the mornings, which I quickly noted.
One thing I always associate with Danice is her impassioned enthusiasm for almost anything. When Danice is excited about something, you know. Michael Jackson? Definitely. Dancing? For sure. Youth? No doubt about it.
We lived on 1234 E. 7th Ave. in East Vancouver, in the Grandview-Woodlands neighborhood more commonly referred to as “The Drive,” referring to Commercial Drive, which runs north-south and is characterized by natural food shops, local coffee shops on every corner and a lot of hippie-or-hipster-types. Seventh Avenue was two streets south of the main street of Broadway Ave, and quiet; the street was home to the most perfect arching trees and to a Hungarian church just 3 doors east of our house. These arcing trees provided the visual aid and backdrop for a lovely evening walk with my friend Danielle one fall before I moved into this house, when we ended up talking about romance, unrequited love and how romance/relationships/marriage is but one arc under the grand arc of God’s redemptive narrative. These same trees met my gaze every morning from my triangular top floor window; it seemed a gift too extravagant that I could be living in a house on this street, of all streets.
Danice is not a fan of mornings. I learned this soon after I moved in and I sat down to breakfast. Danice emerged from her bedroom, adjacent to the kitchen, and prepared her edibles. I attempted to make some conversation with her, but didn’t quite succeed. Later, her longtime roommate Beth graciously informed me that it takes Danice some time to warm up to talking with people in the mornings, which I quickly noted.
One thing I always associate with Danice is her impassioned enthusiasm for almost anything. When Danice is excited about something, you know. Michael Jackson? Definitely. Dancing? For sure. Youth? No doubt about it.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Economy of Grace
In the economy of grace—
where roses form beds
she brought forth two children
the first, perfect
the second, less
when the Lord God breathed into their nostrils
they were created
her husband stopped breathing
she kept on living
smelled a rose
took a breath,
held out her hand
and walked with God
in the city.
where roses form beds
she brought forth two children
the first, perfect
the second, less
when the Lord God breathed into their nostrils
they were created
her husband stopped breathing
she kept on living
smelled a rose
took a breath,
held out her hand
and walked with God
in the city.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Sexual Harassment in Egypt: Disregard for Human Rights
"Why is sexual harassment in Egypt so rampant? There could be any number of reasons, but many point to disregard for human rights."
Sadly, makes sense...the former is a logical conclusion of the latter.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/16/rogers.egypt.sexual.harrassment/index.html?hpt=C1
Sadly, makes sense...the former is a logical conclusion of the latter.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/16/rogers.egypt.sexual.harrassment/index.html?hpt=C1
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Perhaps, perhaps
In frenzied grace, she carried this fragile hope that perhaps, perhaps...there just might be--another chance, another breath--
Thursday, January 6, 2011
New year, Chronological Bible Reading Time!
I've been wanting to read the Bible in chronological order, so why not correlate with the new year?
Observations on reading Genesis 1-6 so far:
*increasing enmity between humans and earth/soil:
(a) Fall/Curse
(b) Cain: can't reap from ground, fugitive
(c) Lamech's naming of Noah: hope, prayer for rescue from ground's curse
(d) wickedness of man great on the earth
(e) God decides to kill all flesh with the earth
*"walked with God" can either mean:
(a) God takes you from earth, as with Enoch, or
(b) God preserves you, as with Noah, and destroys everyone else
I'd love to hear any thoughts you have!
Now in Job!
Observations on reading Genesis 1-6 so far:
*increasing enmity between humans and earth/soil:
(a) Fall/Curse
(b) Cain: can't reap from ground, fugitive
(c) Lamech's naming of Noah: hope, prayer for rescue from ground's curse
(d) wickedness of man great on the earth
(e) God decides to kill all flesh with the earth
*"walked with God" can either mean:
(a) God takes you from earth, as with Enoch, or
(b) God preserves you, as with Noah, and destroys everyone else
I'd love to hear any thoughts you have!
Now in Job!
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