tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69053422024-03-23T13:22:30.380-05:00barefoot bohemianThe real monastic walks through life with a barefooted soul, alert, aware, grateful, and only partially at home. ~ Joan ChittisterKimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.comBlogger523125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-15900346834912589642013-10-01T08:50:00.000-05:002013-10-01T08:52:43.000-05:00Color, Snappy Weather & Flocks of BirdsWe interrupt this blogging hiatus for a <a href="http://yallsettledown.blogspot.com/2013/10/color-snappy-weather-flocks-of-birds.html" target="_blank">cross-post</a> on every blogger’s favorite subject: autumn. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fVAveUE-dN8/UkrFDGnhTPI/AAAAAAAAAyY/2USGv1-s8cA/s1600/pumpkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fVAveUE-dN8/UkrFDGnhTPI/AAAAAAAAAyY/2USGv1-s8cA/s1600/pumpkins.jpg" /></a></div>
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I realize that the autumnal equinox was technically on September 22nd this year, but it’s the transition to October that usually seals the deal for me.
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While every seasonal change is well and good, and brings with it something new, what I love about autumn is the feeling of shedding – of shaking off the old, letting go of what is no longer nurturing.<br />
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(Never fear – I also still love lattes, cozy blankets, anything pumpkin, and all other requisite fall activities and accoutrements.)
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I’ve posted it before, but I am drawn back every year to my favorite literary excerpt about autumn, from Kaye Gibbons’ <em>The Life All Around Me by Ellen Foster</em>:
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<em>Watch me walk, I carry my hands to the sides. I don't lurch or slope. There's not a hunchback dome on my back. I can walk rested in the shoulders and loose armed, or I can walk with dignity, like a queen. After three years here, it's only loose ends left to manage, but when the list of things you have left to do on yourself includes items such as healing from terror that comes and goes and frequently gets in your way, it looks like the large job of work it still is. The good news was I was on the brink of October.
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If you think about October's role in the calendar, you'll see it was custom-created to relieve the sensation of unsettledness and the mingling fears and needs that still edged in if I took a brief vacation, and let my mentalities go lax the way people my age who don't have to feel old as vampires have the privilege to do. October promises a difference and brings it, the changes it says are coming always come. When the air crispens, it splurges on symbols, dropping beautiful proof at your feet. It doesn't lie or leave out, saying death will be around eventually but only because life was already here, and here's some color and snappy weather and flocks of birds flying south to allow you to breathe deeply in trust that the universe knows what to do and when to do it. There won't be haywire shocks to wound the sky and shatter down another dose of jagged edges. October knows you've had enough.</em><br />
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Also (because: October.) I feel the need to pay homage to my home state, in which I always find beauty:
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/42204422" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/42204422">"You Run Deep In Me" - Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jonesfilmvideo">Jones Film Video</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.
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Here’s hoping the blustery winds blow in some much needed blog inspiration – it’s way too quite around these corners, y’all!Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-87797367073067097842013-06-02T13:39:00.000-05:002013-06-02T14:08:39.979-05:00I Am Emergent Village<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once upon a time, I didn’t have a clue
what “emergence” was, much less that I should be confused over clarifying if I
meant “Emergent,” “emerging” or “emergence” (please don’t ask me to try, I’m
out of migraine meds.)</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the summer of 2006, I attended a Sojourners
conference as a part of their young leaders program (barely made the age cut).
Brian McLaren was there, and folks were pretty excited about him, so as much as
I can recall <a href="http://barefootbohemian.blogspot.com/2007/06/show-me-way.html" target="_blank">that was my first real introduction into talk ofemergence</a>/emergent/emerging church.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since that time I have read books,
participated in conversations, attended conferences, formed friendships through
social media, nurtured relationships, critiqued, challenged, dreamed, raged,
created – and even briefly co-pastored a church associated with the emergent
conversation.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have been inspired, confused,
disgusted, hurt, healed and encouraged through participation in the emergent
conversation. I am not the same person I was in 2006, and it is because of this
conversation – for better and for worse.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emergent Village is not a safe space. It
is messy and confrontational and, in its intentional desire to be open to
diverse perspectives, completely unpredictable. I completely understand friends
who have walked away from, and even expressly condemned, Emergent Village
because of the hurt and damage they have experienced through neglect of their
concerns, oppression of their personhood, or presence of triggers that bring to
mind past, more overt, spiritual abuse.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emergent Village is also a place of
growth. It opens up space for those primarily of an evangelical background to
come together and discuss their journey from fundamentalism to where they are
now or where they are going: new experimental expressions of faith community, a
return to more rooted and liturgical expressions of church, atheism or post-theism,
and even a reclaiming of evangelicalism itself. For many, it has been a place
to walk with one another through spiritual transitions and wrestle with what
that journey does and does not look like for each of us.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have spent much of the last seven
years in defense mode: defending what was said and what wasn’t said, what was
done and what wasn’t done, who was included and who was excluded. I have spent
the last 6 months energized by what I’ve seen happening in the emergent
conversation. After yet another conference where we spent weeks discussing these
same tired frustrations, I have seen renewed interest in conversations of
privilege and oppression and inclusion and listening and learning. I have seen
this shift taking place in places like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/sogomediatv" target="_blank">SogoMedia</a> and <a href="http://www.transformnetwork.org/" target="_blank">TransForm</a> and grassroots
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3VjpDiHSso" target="_blank">Open Conversations</a>. Emergents talking to emergents about what practices we need
to be incorporating into our gatherings and conversations to make mutual
liberation a reality. No more bullshit.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It would seem the “rose” at the “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1toKfDFHGDA" target="_blank">gathering center</a>” of emergence may be a bit more of a tornado.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These last few weeks have been an
interesting time to be a part of Emergent Village. There has been a lot of
pushback from those outside (or on the fringes) of the emergent conversation.
There has been discussion within the conversation on how to listen to those
voices. There have been folks with traditionally held power
(prominence/exposure) within the conversation asking us not to participate in
the critique. There have been folks refusing to be silenced by continuing to
call for accountability.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most recently, <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/emergentvillage/2013/05/either-is-homosexuality-a-sin-or-is-homophobia-a-sin/" target="_blank">a post at Emergent Village Voice Blog</a> set off a new line of critique against the emergent
conversation. First, I affirm the hurt and anger felt by many at the
assumptions in this post. However, I was greatly disappointed that Tony Jones,
who has been fighting his own battle of feeling unfairly criticized for his
dismissive public tone, automatically responded to the post with a dismissive
comment that did not further the conversation. While those offering
constructive critiques of Tony’s style have been criticized, he certainly did
not model an example of generative conversation. (While I know the <a href="http://homebrewedchristianity.com/2013/05/28/privilege-is-not-racism-sexism-or-oppression-a-proposal/" target="_blank">recent Homebrewed Christianity post</a> has received its own fair share of criticism and
critique, I feel the way the conversation is being curated is a healthy example
of how we can navigate difficult and controversial dialogues.)</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://emergentvillage.org/?page_id=42" target="_blank">According to the Emergent Village website</a>:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Above all, we became convinced that
living into the Kingdom meant doing it together, as friends. Thus, we
committed ourselves to lives of reconciliation and friendship, no matter our theological
or historical differences… By 2001, we had formed an organization around our
friendship, known as Emergent, as a means of inviting more people into the
conversation.”</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Given the above, I assert the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Being an attempt
at reconciling conversation, despite our differences, Emergent Village is
responsible for modeling a better communication model – one where we discuss
ideas rather than attacking people, one where we ask clarifying questions
rather than rattle off dismissive statements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Being a space
that welcomes theological and historical differences, Emergent Village is
responsible for admitting we are not a safe space for those who have experienced
various forms of oppression in their life and church experiences. We cannot be
both a place for folks who are still wrestling with fundamentalist
understandings of women or LGBTQ or even doubt AND a safe space for those who
are walking in the freedom of their wholeness. There should be no guilt or
shaming of people who leave the space because of this reality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are part
of the conversation – you bear part of the responsibility. I will not wash my hands
of what is happening in one part of Emergent Village simply because I do not
have a hand in it. I may rarely read the blog (and judging by comments on other
posts, neither does anyone else), but I do attend gatherings, I do participate
in the Facebook group, I do associate myself with the movement. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Therefore, I am saying: I Am Emergent
Village. And I will hold myself accountable for critique of EV, and for moving
the conversation forward. I will promote what I see as positive conversations
outside of EV (from <a href="http://www.parishcollective.org/" target="_blank">Parish Collective</a> to <a href="http://www.christenacleveland.com/" target="_blank">discussions of multi-ethnic diversity</a>
to <a href="http://www.queertheology.com/reading-queerly/" target="_blank">Queer Theology</a>). I will continue to participate in discussions of privilege
and diversity and power and humility. I will own that being in a conversation
means offending both those who feel oppressed by their personhood being up for
discussion, and those who feel unfairly criticized because their theology does
not allow them to affirm women as autonomous beings, privilege as a systemic
reality or LGBTQ persons as whole, rather than something sinful to be cured or
tolerated or allowed.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I confess that I have an agenda in the
conversation – because emergence implies emerging toward something – and because
I believe that something is a wholistic place where every voice is valued and
no one is dominated, and I believe in living into that reality even as I wait
for it to come about. For me, this reality is rooted in the love of God, the
teachings of Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am Emergent Village.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am responsible for those who have been
hurt by the conversation.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am responsible for not being honest
about the conversation.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am responsible for deflecting critique
of the conversation.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am responsible for listening.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am responsible for learning.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am responsible for growing.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Everything is not enough. Nothing is
too much to bear. Where you been is good and gone, all you keep is the getting
there. Well to live’s to fly, aw low and high – so shake the dust off of your
wings and the sleep out of your eyes.” ~ Townes Van Zandt</span></span></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-73877579398981086972013-05-07T09:32:00.000-05:002013-05-07T09:32:54.453-05:00On Abstinence, Austerity & Arrogance
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No one ever talks about it<br />
But no one can disguise<br />
The cloud of competition<br />
That's hanging behind their eyes<br />
There's more bad blood<br />
In this bar than there is beer<br />
And it's subtle but it still sucks<br />
And I want out of here<br />
We got egos like hairdos<br />
They're different every day<br />
Depending on how we slept the night before<br />
Depending on the demons that are at our door”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">~ Ani DiFranco<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two themes have intersected in my social
media world, one being the recurring conversation on the lingering effects of
the purity movement, the other being a critique of radical missional Christian
practice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first conversation is one I have been
participating in for years now, unpacking the baggage of my own experience with
the True Love Waits and associated movements.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/elizabeth-smart-purity-culture"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/elizabeth-smart-purity-culture</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/05/06/my_virginity_mistake/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.salon.com/2013/05/06/my_virginity_mistake/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second conversation got my eyes rolling: “Really?
These people have nothing better to do than critique a call to live more simply
in order to live the way of Christ? They want so badly to give into the
messages that a comfortable life will be fulfilling that they have to find
something wrong with choosing to restrain your desires for more?</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.worldmag.com/2013/05/the_new_legalism"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.worldmag.com/2013/05/the_new_legalism</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.outofur.com/archives/2013/05/a_christianity.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.outofur.com/archives/2013/05/a_christianity.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">MAYDAY! MAYDAY! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">[Insert deer-in-the-headlights look]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It didn’t take long to sink in, as much as I
resisted with every fiber of my being: there’s some truth here.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If I don’t sit, and breathe, and listen – I am
missing an opportunity to start speaking positively into lives before they
start resenting a beautiful and well-meaning movement the way I did.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the thing – as much as I loudly &
boldly critique the purity movement, I still see beauty in the practice of
abstinence.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And as much as I see beauty in the practice
of austerity, I have to be willing to listen to even the quietest critiques
that come up against it.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Asceticism of any form can be a powerfully
centering and freeing spiritual practice, and to step voluntarily into that
discipline is to be commended.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, if history teaches us anything, it’s
that the human ego is a powerful thing. When we are practicing a discipline, we
want others to be just as passionate about that same discipline – it validates
our own experience. Particularly young, zealous practitioners may be prone to
wear the practice as a badge of superiority, even if they don’t explicitly
state that. I know that my own practice of abstinence and everything I had been
indoctrinated with put me in a place to unfairly judge those who, for whatever
reason, did not follow the same discipline. As Ani said in her lyrics above, it
was “subtle” but it still “sucks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And when we are judging others by the
standards that feed our egos, we are also judging ourselves. When we are unable
to forgive others for being at a different place in their journey, we are
unable to extend grace and forgiveness to ourselves. We are unable to accept
the grace and forgiveness we have already been given. We are unable to be a
light along the way, and we end up stumbling in the dark, practicing control
when we should be practicing love.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I want to sit and listen, and hear the
hurts of these students who don’t feel they’re living up to “purity” of a
radical, missional lifestyle. And I don’t want to assume that their hurt comes
from a desire to live a McDonaldized life in a gated suburb with the picture
perfect family, but because they truly desire to walk an authentic path of
love: love of God, love of their neighbor, love of their self. I want to help
them see the variety of ways people are living out the idea of being an “ordinary
radical” and of doing “small things with great love.” I want them to know their
worth, so that they are free to open their hearts and shine into other lives,
unveiling the worth of everyone they encounter. </span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I got my kitchen stocked<br />
I got my door unlocked<br />
There're no demons here<br />
And I don't really care<br />
Whose name is printed in bigger type<br />
You know I live in a world full of hope<br />
Not a world full of hype</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I ain't no saint<br />
I help myself to what I need<br />
But I help other people too<br />
I sleep soundly”</span></span></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-55614625427875791552013-04-24T16:32:00.000-05:002013-04-24T16:32:52.375-05:00Show Your Work<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Remember that annoying little note your
math teacher use to write on your homework in red ink? The one that indicated
that she might possibly be on to the fact that you were bright enough to
discover the answer key in the back of your textbook? The one that insisted
that for some ridiculous reason she wanted to know how you actually got to your
answer, when you were perfectly content with simply the answer itself?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Show your work.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, sometimes there were legitimate
reasons for not showing your work. Perhaps, the way your brain functions, the
answer really was just that obvious, and you really did do all of the work in
your head. Perhaps the answer was really, really tough to come by. Maybe after
trying to get to the answer ten different ways on both sides of two pieces of
scratch paper, you were just really, really happy to have an answer you felt
confident in, and there was just no energy left over to neatly copy the correct
solution process over to your worksheet. Maybe you WERE one of the naïve students
who thought you were the only one who noticed the answers were printed near the
glossary of the book. Maybe you simply forgot your teacher liked to know how
you arrived at your answer, until her powerful red pen set forth to remind you.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Show your work.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why aren’t the answers enough?
Especially if they’re the right answers?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aren’t there more pressing issues in
life then how I solved for X? Especially after I’ve already found X?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But good educators want us to know how
we got to a solution, so they know we know how we got to that solution, so we
can get to future solutions, and so we can show others how to get to solutions,
too.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">--------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been mulling over something <a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/" target="_blank">RachelHeld Evans</a> shared this weekend. Some girlfriends and I went up to hear her talk
about her experience writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Year of
Biblical Womanhood</i>. We drove up on Saturday, stopped to stuff ourselves on
Central American food for lunch, rested, went to hear Rachel speak, took Rachel
out to eat pie, went to bed, woke up, walked the prayer labyrinth at the local Benedictine
monastery, and went to hear Rachel again before driving home. Whew.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Sunday morning session was much less
presentation and much more Q&A. Rachel received lots of interesting
questions and did a good job of sounding confident and casual in her responses.
One made me giggle because it’s one I get all the time – basically “Now that
you know you’re allowed to preach and pastor and lead, are you going to go to
seminary?” But that’s a post for another day. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The topic that really stuck with my soul
was her response to a question about… well, to be quite honest, I can’t
remember what the question actually was. Maybe it was about how she views
mainline churches as an evangelical… or what she’s learned from speaking in so
many mainline churches around the country… or what advice she has for
mainliners. Luckily, the question is beside the point. What held weight for me
was not the question, but rather Rachel’s response. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You see, over the past year, I have seen
generic “invitations” from several well-meaning friends inviting all the
wandering evangelicals to join their mainline congregations where they’ve
already settled the issue of open communion, or women in ministry, or marriage
equality, or divergent theologies coexisting at a common table. These were not
poorly written, or badly reasoned, or even written in an off-putting tone. They
were legitimate, sincere, compassionate invitations.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many of us former (or questioning, or
conflicted) evangelicals appreciate the parish model of many mainline churches.
We appreciate the practices observed behind your red doors and under your bell
towers and steeples. We appreciate the rooted history permeating the aged
wooden pews. (Those of us in the Bible Belt have also experienced mainline
churches that differ from the evangelical churches in history and polity only,
but operate with much of the same expectations.)</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We appreciate the slow work that has
been done in community to come to many of the conclusions of the mainline
churches. But we need more. We don’t just need your invitations to come under
your umbrella – we need you to show your work. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Rachel pointed out, many young people
in mainline denominations are invited by friends to evangelical events, where
they are inundated with the “biblical” reasons against such-and-such belief or
practice. I’ll let you in on a little secret: those of us raised in the
evangelical church were raised to believe you came to your positions because
you don’t care about the Bible and you just wanted to justify your sins.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">True story.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s not enough for us to know you hold
those truths to be self-evident. We need to know you struggled as we are now.
We need to work out our answers on our own scratch-paper, but we need your legacy
– we need to see your work. We need to know how you solved for X, so we know
our process is part of a larger story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What kind of conversations did you have?
What kind of questions did you ask? How did the story of scripture inform your
positions?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I believe that scripture informs our
decisions in the church through slow reading, in concert with the Holy Spirit,
discerned and applied in community. I do not believe that mainline churches
have reached their theological positions out of contempt for scripture or
malice toward God. I believe their positions have been reached by being in
local community with other believers, rooted in a history of engagement with
scripture, listening to the stories of the people they are in relationship
with, opening their hearts to the holy spirit, and discerning how best to apply
the teachings of Jesus in our context. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the thing: I believe the same
thing about evangelicals. Though I do believe some newer communities pop up
because they do not want to be confronted with the listening aspect (“We are
going to break off & do our own thing, because we don’t want to listen to
your story & have our beliefs challenged…”).</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Instead of simply inviting us to join
you, because you’ve already answered our questions, point us toward resources.
What books are out there telling the story of how you solved for X? Invite us
to coffee – encourage us on our own journey, and tell us the story of your own.
Listen to us – there may be things we’ve learned by going through our own
process that may have fallen by the wayside of your path. Be careful not to
come across as having already figured it all out – because, quite frankly,
we’ve had enough of that.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And don’t just do it for us, do it for
your children and your youth and your wandering (or questioning, or conflicted)
mainline prodigies. Share the stories of work that has gone into a communal
understanding of the innate value of each and every member of the body of
Christ… and, for that matter, the innate value of each and every creation of
God.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s a lot of hard work that has been
done in the history of the Church.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t take that legacy for granted.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Share your stories.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Show your work.</span></span></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-67689181548782679002013-02-14T06:57:00.002-06:002013-02-14T08:34:46.102-06:00Love Never Fails.Oh, who are we kidding?<br /><br />Love fails all the time.<br />
<br />
Little experiments in love are dropping like flies around us every day.<br />
<br />
But here's the thing about love:<br /><br />Despite our missteps, love never loses its energy & possibility.<br />
<br />
So - go for it. Take a chance. Get messy. Fall down. Good gracious, get back up! Dust yourself off and try, try again.<br />
<br />
Practice love every day in extraordinarily ordinary ways. Try to love the folks you get along with, and the folks you'd rather not be around. Love the folks who get you and the folks who make your blood boil. Practice love toward the girl in the checkout line, and the man directing you through a construction zone, and the jerk who just cut you off in traffic, and the person who interrupted your me-time, and neighbor you often see but seldom speak with.<br />
<br />
Give it a try. It doesn't have to be fancy. It may not be returned (part of loving someone is allowing them their autonomy to not love you back). It may look like a failure. But take heart!<br />
<br />
The practice of love is never a failure, no matter the outcome.<br />
<br />
Happy Valentine's Day, y'all. Go forth in love.<br />
<br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-15847307136168027292013-02-13T22:32:00.000-06:002013-02-13T22:43:27.800-06:00Love Always Perseveres...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“People
always fall in love with the most perfect aspects of each other’s
personalities. Who wouldn’t? Anybody can love the most wonderful parts of
another person. But that’s not the clever trick. The really clever trick is
this: Can you accept the flaws? Can you look at your partner’s faults honestly
and say, ‘I can work around that. I can make something out of it.’? Because the
good stuff is always going to be there, and it’s always going to pretty and
sparkly, but the crap underneath can ruin you.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Commited: A Skeptic Makes Peace with
Marriage<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Relationships
are treated like Dixie cups. They are the same. They are disposable. If it does
not work, drop it, throw it away, get another. Committed bonds (including
marriage) cannot last when this is the prevailing logic. Most of us are unclear
about what to do to protect and strengthen caring bonds when our self-centered
needs are not being met.” ~ bell hooks, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All
About Love: New Visions</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-62488809049433396522013-02-12T18:36:00.002-06:002013-02-12T18:36:46.096-06:00Love Always Hopes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“To
love another is like prayer and can't be planned, you just fall into its arms
because your belief undoes your disbelief.” ~ Anne Sexton</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Know
your own happiness. Want for nothing but patience - or give it a more
fascinating name: Call it hope.” ~ Jane Austen, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sense and Sensibility</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em></em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-44597680477426012952013-02-11T21:47:00.000-06:002013-02-11T21:47:22.234-06:00Love Always Trusts...<blockquote>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">“We cultivate love when we allow our
most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we
honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust,
respect, kindness and affection.” ~ Brene Brown</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“While my heart is a shield and I won't let
it down, while I am so afraid to fail so I won't even try, well how can I say
I'm alive?”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Oh, I'll settle down with some old story about
a boy who's just like me, thought there was love in everything & everyone -
you're so naive! They always reach a sorry ending, they always get it in the
end. Still it was worth it as I turned the pages solemnly and then, with a
winning smile, the boy with naivety succeeds!” ~ Belle and Sebastian
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;">I never
loved nobody fully, always one foot on the ground. And by protecting my heart
truly, I got lost in the sounds I hear in my mind.”</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;">
</span>
</span></span></div>
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<blockquote>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“In the last few days, I've been learning how
to not trust people and I'm glad I failed. Sometimes we depend on other people
as a mirror to define us and tell us who we are, and each reflection makes me
like myself a little more.” ~ Lizzie, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My
Blueberry Nights</i></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“And I do not want to be a rose, I do not wish to be pale pink, but
flower scarlet, flower gold, and have no thorns to distance me.”</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</span><br />Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-35216984515951543302013-02-10T23:12:00.001-06:002013-02-10T23:12:23.384-06:00Love Always Protects...<blockquote>
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“We’re caught up in a culture where we have
to do, where we have to run, where we have projects and more projects. Discover
what it means to be human, to listen to each other, to love each other.” ~ Jean
Vanier<o:p></o:p></span></span></blockquote>
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Time and expectation and
shoulda-coulda-woulda invades our soul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love lets us know, it’s ok to slow down.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love lets us be, right where we are, in <a href="http://youtu.be/6NEKzLiXfuc" target="_blank">our time</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love calls us back from the brink of
anxiousness<br />
<br />
and the depths of regret.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love wraps an arm around our shoulders and
sits with us in the present<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love
looks us in the eyes, says I AM here, and that is enough.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-48252257639633661702013-02-09T20:55:00.000-06:002013-02-09T20:55:56.810-06:00Love Does Not Delight in Evil but Rejoices With the Truth...<blockquote>
<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“We have much to be
judged on when he comes, slums and battlefields and insane asylums, but these
are symptoms of our illness, and the result of our failures in love. In the
evening of life we shall be judged on love, and not one of us is going to come
off very well, and were it not for my absolute faith in the loving forgiveness
of my Lord I could not call on him to come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But his love is greater
than all our hate, and he will not rest until Judas has turned to him, until
Satan has turned to him, until the dark has turned to him; until all, all of us
without exception, freely return his look of love with love in our own eyes and
hearts. And then, healed, whole, complete but not finished, we will know the
joy of being co-creators with the one to whom we call.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amen. Even so, come
Lord Jesus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>~ Madeleine L’Engle, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Irrational Season</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br /></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Invisible light in your lover’s heart,
will show the way through the fiery furnace. And what burns up is torn away,
and what remains is a beautiful promise.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>~ Jolie Holland, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You Painted
Yourself In</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>The Fire<o:p></o:p></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">by Franz Wright<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Listen, I’ve light<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">in my eyes<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and on my skin<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">the warmth of a star, so strange<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">is this<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">that I<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">can barely comprehend it:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll lift my face to it, and then<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I lift my face,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and don’t even know how<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">this is done. And<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">everything alive<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(and everything’s<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">alive) is turning<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">into something else<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">as at the heart<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">of some annihilating<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">or is it creating<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">fire<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">that’s burning, unseeably, always<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">burning at such speeds<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">as eyes cannot<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">detect, just try<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">to observe your own face<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">growing old<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">in the mirror, or<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">is it beginning<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">to be born?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-72615836141794532322013-02-08T17:39:00.001-06:002013-02-08T17:39:35.141-06:00Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs...Remember that thing this morning, where I forgot to post yesterday and had to do it today? Can we just forget that happened and move on with this series? Sorry, y'all. Won't happen again.
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-39045279133917447302013-02-08T07:08:00.001-06:002013-02-08T17:39:46.016-06:00Love is Not Easily Angered...<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dang
it, y’all! This is why I don’t do series. Can we all just pretend it’s
yesterday, and then I’ll just post today’s post later? Thanks. Not that I’m
angry with myself…</span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Listen.
Consider. Don’t presume. Pause. Deep breath. Step back. Walk away. Return.
Wrestle. Question. Seek understanding. Be gracious. Forgive. Seek forgiveness.
Explain. Communicate. Laugh.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“She
taught me how to wage a cold war with quiet charm, but I just want to walk
through my life unarmed…”</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It is
difficult to bless and not to curse when one’s control of a situation is taken
away. I witness daily the cursing which is the result of impotence. My
threshold of anger is much lower than it used to be. Small annoyances provoke
much too strong a reaction of irritation. I may not curse, but blessings do not
come to my lips as often as I would like…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">So it is
with all of life. If our usual response to an annoying situation is a curse,
we’re likely to meet emergencies with a curse. In the little events of daily
living we have the opportunity to condition our reflexes, which are built up
out of ordinary things. And we learn to bless first of all by being blessed. My
reflexes of blessing have been conditioned by my parents, my husband, my
children, my friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blessing is
an attitude toward all of life, transcending and moving beyond words. When
family and friends gather around the table to break bread together, this is a
blessing. When we harden our hearts against anyone, this is a cursing.
Sometimes a person, or a group of people, do or say something so terrible that
we can neither bless nor curse. They are anathema. We put them outside the city
walls, not out of revenge, not out of hate, but because they have gone beyond
anything we fragile human beings can cope with. So we say, Here, God, I’m
sorry. This is more than I can handle. Please take care of it. Your ways are
not our ways. You know what to do. Please.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">~ Madeleine
L’Engle, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Circle of Quiet</i></span></span></span>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-2415159597397400682013-02-06T17:57:00.000-06:002013-02-06T17:57:16.960-06:00Love is Not Self-Seeking...<blockquote>
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“You can't navigate me. I may do mean things,
and I may hurt you, and I may run away without your permission, and you may
hate me forever, and I know that scares the living shit outta you 'cause you
know I'm the only real thing you got.” <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">~ Troy Dyer, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reality Bites<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></blockquote>
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love is hard, because love means giving up
your desire to control another person. </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We can choose the safety of
self-preservation, or we take our chances & risk it all.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love takes a chance on another person – on
their dreams, their baggage, their beauty and their mess. </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Choosing takes both wisdom and whimsy –
enough wisdom to give you confidence, enough whimsy to throw caution to the
wind.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-32357722826910028492013-02-05T23:22:00.001-06:002013-02-05T23:22:42.913-06:00Love Does Not Dishonor Others…<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“The rules of the track work well for life.
Roller derby is life in a tiny circle. You can only go forward, even if you
find yourself turned around, facing the wrong way. There's speed,
unpredictability, and danger. You can't be sure what's going to happen, you
don't always know when you'll stop, and it appears most people are out to get
you. You will fall. You will get hurt. But you will get up again.” ~ Pamela
Ribon, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Going in Circles</i><o:p></o:p></span></blockquote>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I almost forgot about today’s post,
but I’m getting it in just under the wire. You get extra videos tonight
(tomorrow?) to make up for it.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the truth: Love leaves us
vulnerable to being hurt, to being left, to being dishonored.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<blockquote>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“When we were children, we used to think that
when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to
accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.” ~ Madeleine L'Engle</span></div>
<br /></blockquote>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Life will knock us down. Love pulls us back up,
if we’re brave enough to let it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the meantime, we own our own part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We honor one another enough to be honest, to be
faithful, and (sometimes) even to be angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We honor one another when we remember there’s a
real person on the other side of our relationship, feelings and flaws and vulnerabilities
wrapped in flesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We honor one another when we commit to making
it work, rather than simply walking away (or worse).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We honor one another when, if necessary, we DO
walk away. We honor one another when we don’t allow ourselves to be dishonored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Namaste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-17646824106651598742013-02-04T22:18:00.000-06:002013-02-04T22:18:22.809-06:00Love Does Not Boast, It is Not Proud...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Love never promises to be easy.<br />
<br />
We all have to do our fair share of the work, and we all have to own up to our fair share of the mess.<br />
<br />
Love isn't afraid to get dirt under nails, to roll up sleeves, to put hand to the plow.<br />
<br />
Love kneels down to dirty feet and washes them clean with tears and hair, or basin and towel.<br />
<br />
Love hurts.<br />
<br />
Love heals.<br />
<br />
Love owns her shit. Love shows his ass. Love forgives.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"With no regrets or grudges against the tin and timber of real life around you, let it be time to bring every memory inside like wood you place in the fireplace piece by piece, wish by wish. The old need that wasn't met, the wants misunderstood, what you absolutely knew and guessed, what you dreamed or half invented, saw and heard outright or saw and heard in words you read and adored, what was done to you and calls for revenge you let burn away. Each thing is of the same good use, and burning together, continually, the light the bundle makes belongs to you, your love and work, what you see by, how you're seen... the deeper the dreams and beliefs, the brighter and warmer you and the rooms you walk through are, and you're safe now passing through old places, not dark now, more than sufficiently kept lit by you." ~ Kaye Gibbons <em>the life all around me by Ellen Foster</blockquote></em><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-17835297273334818092013-02-03T18:49:00.001-06:002013-02-03T18:51:38.968-06:00Love Does Not Envy…<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…or, “<a href="http://youtu.be/hz8ul-gmLyA" target="_blank">Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful</a>.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s easy to
get around folks who inspire you & start with the “what ifs.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if this
had happened?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if that
hadn’t happened?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if I
were more? What if I were less?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if I
had chosen this-or-that?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact is, we
are who we are. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our choices
have been made.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our pasts
are… well, past.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Envy changes
nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If something
catches our eye, pulls at our heart strings, sounds a siren call – we do
nothing to pursue it by looking behind. We do nothing to pursue it by asking “what
ifs.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We can only
move toward a better version of ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We can’t
change who we’ve been.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We can’t
become a clone of someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://youtu.be/Re53vgaVFvI" target="_blank">So much of life, from our genetic makeup to our biographical events, is out of our control</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love chooses
to love ourselves, <a href="http://youtu.be/oZu2JfM2Aq8" target="_blank">just as we are</a>, and to extend that same courtesy to others.
All the while, love also listens to who it is we long to become, within our own
skin, and encourages us to press forward.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love doesn’t
live in wish dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love awakens
us to the beauty of reality and tangible possibility.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love
awakens.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-56792884505504642642013-02-02T16:15:00.001-06:002013-02-02T16:15:42.813-06:00Love is patient, love is kind…
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">February 1<sup>st</sup>
kinda snuck up on me. I had wanted to come up with some gimmick for Valentines
this year, some creative way of posting through the days leading up to the
holiday (yes, I celebrate the day many loathe as if it were a full season).
Yesterday I started thinking about 1 Corinthians 13, and last night I tried to
scramble to get it started.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love is patient…<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started
digging for what I wanted to share. A quote. A song. An image. I had already
grabbed several books of the shelves and was combing through them for the
perfect pretty turn of phrase, when it hit me.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Slow down!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love is patient…<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love will
still be love tomorrow. Love doesn’t need to be whipped up & served on
whim.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love is patient, love is kind…<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And it’s ok
to be patient with myself, to be kind to myself, to step away from silly
manufactured emergencies in which it is monumentally imperative I POST
SOMETHING RIGHT NOW!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We don’t
have to write down the days.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We don’t
have to capture every thought in a jar so we can stare at it when we want.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We just have
to live them.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To love in
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To be in
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To be
patient enough to see the wonder and the magic and the joy in extraordinarily
ordinary days, and to savor those moments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Documentation
be damned.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This morning
I woke up and headed to a Centering Prayer workshop with a friend. Centering
prayer is all about being present – not doing, not even listening or
discerning, simply being. It’s a patience that believes you don’t have to figure
everything out right now, you don’t have to be in control. It’s a kindness that
believes it’s ok for you to rest, to abide, to do absolutely nothing but BE.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love is
patient.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love is
kind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Go and do
likewise.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-51245402552411266292013-01-21T18:47:00.000-06:002013-01-21T18:47:21.875-06:00EC13 Reflections: Keeping the Faith - Feminism, Sincerity & Domesticity<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WMuj1bORn4" target="_blank">“The good ol’ days weren’t always good, and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.”</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's what I know to be true for me:
<br />
<br />
1. <em>I found the way some of Mrs. Tickle's remarks came across very off-putting.</em> (To quote Gilmore Girls' Sookie St. James: "Oh, that makes me so mad. And so sad. I'm smad!") In fact, I was almost numb as the words were coming out of her mouth, because I've heard them from her before - and I had truly hoped she would've found a new way of communicating correlation without implying causality. You see, I have a deep affection for Phyllis Tickle and her words, and I know how much wisdom she has to offer. I know that she is far from antiquated. I don’t think less of her, I just wished the information had been shared differently.
<br />
<br />
2. <em>I understand the need for, and champion the cause of, domestic transmission of faith.</em> On top of being "smad" I was also very, very glad. I was sitting with a dear friend who has been balancing working full time, personal ministry, and raising a family with <a href="http://www.jollygoodegal.com/2013/01/i-couldnt-wait-here-it-is-at-last-book.html" target="_blank">writing a book about how to bring the celebration of the liturgical calendar into the home</a>. Her book was cited as an example of a resource for how to redeem the role of the family in discipleship. Her family, her faith, her courage & her creativity have been such an inspiration to me, I was overwhelmed with joy for her. And I am excited for other busy households & communities to get their hands on her hard work, her stories, her fun ideas.
<br />
<br />
3. <em>I don't think these things are mutually exclusive.</em> In the backlash against the implication that women-leaving-the-home-killed-christianity, I observed domesticity taking a hit. I think as much as we have to be mindful of how our language can blame women for taking ownership of their bodies and lives, we also have to be mindful of how we can pit feminism and domestic arts against one another.
<br />
<br />
<br />
Hearing anything close to the insinuation that women taking ownership over their bodies (birth control) and their lives (employment outside the home) is a negative thing kicks in my PTSD. As a single woman, it echoes hearing Al Mohler tell a crowd that after a certain age singleness can be a sign of the sin of selfishness. Luckily, in this case, I knew it was coming from a woman of wisdom who encourages the leadership of women. I didn’t like the way it came out, I didn’t like that others had to be affected by it – but I also knew there was no malice or ignorance behind it.
<br />
<br />
In the church I co-pastored, both Peter Rollins and Pinterest had loyal followings – and both served our community well.
<br />
<br />
In this generation of <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/11/sincerity-not-irony-is-our-ages-ethos/265466/" target="_blank">“new sincerity”</a> there is a reclaimed interest in domesticity – deep parenting, gardening, canning, creating from scratch, adding beauty to neglected things. And it is a mutual interest, not restricted to traditional gender roles (or marital status). It’s a recognition that we lost something with our rush to our automation, and it is worthy to be redeemed.
<br />
<br />
Valuing the sort of nurturing & discipleship that has the potential to take place within familial bonds does not require returning to antiquated ideas about the family. We can come up with new practices that support a mutuality in the home (as well as the wider church), where the gifts and perspectives of not only parents (female or male), but also the children, are brought to the table, honored & allowed to edify the whole.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.jesusradicals.com/say-what-you-mean/" target="_blank">Years ago I wrote</a> about John Howard Yoder's perspective on "equality" in the church. Yoder has much to teach us (through his writing, at least, though he may have mucked it up in practice) about what empowering one another can look like:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The transformation that Paul's vision calls for would not be to let a few more especially gifted women share with a few men in the rare roles of domination; it would be to reorient the notion of ministry so that there would be no one ungifted, no one not called, no one not empowered, and no one dominated."</blockquote>
<br />
It's about being the body of Christ, with all our diverse, messy, beautiful parts. <br />
<br />
It's about getting to know one another in our unique giftings and interests, and allowing all of those to be brought to the table in honor. It's about creating space for us to be who we are, and naming each other - not with shame, but with purpose.Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-87372253431487106892013-01-21T13:32:00.000-06:002013-01-21T13:43:31.821-06:00EC13 Reflections: Selah...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I said in my <a href="http://www.barefootbohemian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">prologue post</a>, I have lots of processing to do from <em><a href="http://ptaf.thejopagroup.com/" target="_blank">Emergence Christianity: A National Gathering</a></em>. I'm an intuitive. I feel deeply immediately - I may not be able to communicate those feelings right away. So, while I've cautiously participated in some of the conversations surrounding EC13, for the most part I've just sat back and listened.<br /><br />As I started writing my own posts, I realized I was getting quite wordy. Because of this, before I post anything else, I want
to invite us all to listen to some of the hearts that have been affected by the ongoing conversation surrounding the role of women in the emergent conversation:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julie Clawson – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://julieclawson.com/2013/01/14/emergence-christianity-women-and-the-fall-of-christendom/" target="_blank">Emergence Christianity, Women & the Fall of Christendom</a></i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Krista Dalton – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://kristadalton.com/2013/01/18/white-male-privilege-why-im-scared-of-the-witch-hunt/" target="_blank">White Male Privilege: Why I’m Scared of the Witch Hunt</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stephanie Drury – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.stuffchristianculturelikes.com/2012/12/232-covert-misogyny.html" target="_blank">Covert Misogyny</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rachel Held Evans – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/grace-privileged" target="_blank">Grace for the Privileged too?</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marci Glass – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://marciglass.com/2013/01/15/dear-phyllis/" target="_blank">Dear Phyllis…</a></i>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amy Mitchell – </span><a href="http://unchainedfaith.com/2013/01/17/deeper-problems-in-emergence-christianity/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deeper Problems in “Emergence” Christianity</i><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Suzannah Paul – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.somuchshoutingsomuchlaughter.com/2013/01/privilege-emerging-church.html" target="_blank">Tragically Hip: Privilege & The Emerging Church</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bo Sanders – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://homebrewedchristianity.com/2013/01/18/preferring-the-past-phyllis-tickle-radical-orthodoxy-and-the-tea-party/" target="_blank">Preferring the Past</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amaryah Shaye – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://amaryahshaye.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/privilege-why-perhaps-its-time-to-retire-the-p-word/" target="_blank">Privilege: Why Perhaps It’s Time to Retire the “P” Word</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Selah.<br /></strong></span><br />
<div>
</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9NhWBKz4wuI/UP2Wqtm1bsI/AAAAAAAAAvc/Gb2__BjOcOU/s1600/green%2Bchairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9NhWBKz4wuI/UP2Wqtm1bsI/AAAAAAAAAvc/Gb2__BjOcOU/s200/green%2Bchairs.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
In <i><a href="http://www.yallsettledown.blogspot.com/2011/03/slow-to-speak-quick-to-listen.html" target="_blank">Life Together</a></i>, Dietrich Bonhoeffer tells us "The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them." If we can't start there, we have no where left to go. At the gathering, we all sat and listened. In a public, scattered conversation, our feedback loops are primarily public, online forums (facebook groups, blogs, and even the dreaded twitter).
In this process, we have to heed the call to be slow to speak & quick to listen - to allow each other the space to process our reactions and our interactions.
I find a lot of resonance (and even some dissonance) with the voices above. I would rather each of you listen to them and work out your own perspectives, rather than telling you how I think you should feel about them. Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-87481137166691756392013-01-18T10:28:00.000-06:002013-01-18T10:28:24.811-06:00EC13 Reflections: Prologue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6HEvW630WYE/UPlsVt2_hOI/AAAAAAAAAvE/DgHgduD6eyE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6HEvW630WYE/UPlsVt2_hOI/AAAAAAAAAvE/DgHgduD6eyE/s200/photo.JPG" width="144" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just over four years ago, I sat with friends on a hard wooden pew in
the front right corner of St. Mary’s Cathedral and listened to Phyllis Tickle
verbally and visually unfold the pages of her new book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.phyllistickle.com/books/the-great-emergence/" target="_blank">The Great Emergence</a></i>, through story and storyboards. I was drawn
into her ability to seamlessly weave dates and events together in a lengthy
timeline that painted a broad picture of the movements of Christianity.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A week ago, I sat with friends on that same hard wooden pew in the same
corner of the cathedral listening to the same woman share her experiences and
highlight her newest book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://ptaf.thejopagroup.com/about-the-book/" target="_blank">EmergenceChristianity</a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are several things I want to reflect on in regards to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emergence Christianity: A National Gathering</i>,
which took place a week ago in Memphis, TN. I can be slow to process my
thoughts, and want to be careful that I communicate my experience in a way that
adds life (or at least perspective) to the wider emergent conversation, so
these posts may unfold over a lengthy period. That’s ok, <a href="http://barefootbohemian.blogspot.com/2009/09/go-your-own-way.html" target="_blank">I’m committed to notwalking (or writing) in anxiousness</a>. I am hoping to complete & post the one
that is heaviest on my heart this weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the meantime, I have enjoyed fruitful conversations wrestling with
folks from different perspectives, as we work to get to the heart of our hopes
and our frustrations. I have enjoyed reading the words of others, what they
took away, what they’re wrestling with. I have enjoyed looking back on my
reflections from previous gatherings. I have enjoyed looking ahead at what possibilities
exist on a more local level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All that to say, I hope y’all stick around. I hope you add your voice.
I hope you ask me some tough questions and challenge me to think beyond my own launching
point. And if you get tired of these discussions, wander on over to <em><a href="http://www.yallsettledown.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Y’all Settle Down</a></em> & browse around some of the spiritual practices posts (Who
knows? Maybe I’ll get around to tidying up over there, as well.).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be sure to give a listen to these other voices:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.wallsforthewind.net/2013/01/reactions-to-ec13.html" target="_blank">Hillary B<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Julie Clawson – <a href="http://julieclawson.com/2013/01/14/emergence-christianity-women-and-the-fall-of-christendom/" target="_blank">here</a> & <a href="http://julieclawson.com/2013/01/16/on-disability-and-sola-scriptura/" target="_blank">here<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
C. Eric Funston – <a href="http://thefunstons.com/?p=4270" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://thefunstons.com/?p=4251" target="_blank">here</a> & <a href="http://thefunstons.com/?p=4245" target="_blank">here</a> (and possibly others I missed)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://marciglass.com/2013/01/15/dear-phyllis/" target="_blank">Marci Glass<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://networkedblogs.com/H2E6p" target="_blank">Jerusalem Greer<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.onpoptheology.com/2013/01/jay-bakker-knows-why-we-need-batman.html" target="_blank">Ben Howard<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://mydeaconlife.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/everything-old-has-passed-away-see-everything-has-become-new-all-this-is-from-god/" target="_blank">Kelley Hudlow<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://ht.ly/gTPrS" target="_blank">Aaron Klinefelter<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.toddlittleton.net/traversing-boundaries-story-and-the-way-of-jesus" target="_blank">Todd Littleton<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/thoughts-on-emergence-christiani.html" target="_blank">Brian McLaren<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://opengathering.org/stretch-out/" target="_blank">JC Mitchell<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/geekdorkhack/2013-emergence-christianity-pecha-kucha-slides-on-race" target="_blank">Bruce Reyes-Chow<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/emergentvillage/2013/01/by-invitation-only-private-summit-actually-threatens-to-undermine-emergence-christianity/" target="_blank">Holly Roach<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://robbryerse.com/some-reflections-on-the-emergence-christianity-national-gathering-with-phyllis-tickle/" target="_blank">Robb Ryerse<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://danielleshroyer.com/2013/01/15/emergence-christianity-conference-wrap-up/" target="_blank">Danielle Shroyer<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShRZMfGpXRM&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Anthony Smith<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slowchurch/2013/01/12/a-question-for-phyllis-tickle/" target="_blank">Chris Smith<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithforward/2013/01/emergence-christianity-13-day-two/" target="_blank">Terry Ramone Smith<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.drewsumrall.com/2013/01/the-liberal-parallax.html" target="_blank">Drew Sumrall<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/soulwod/2013/01/church-as-counter-public-emergent-reactions/" target="_blank">Ragan Sutterfield<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Adam Walker Cleaveland – <a href="http://pomomusings.com/tag/emergence-christianity/" target="_blank">here</a> & <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/adamwc/theology-pub-pechakucha" target="_blank">here<o:p></o:p></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
(I’m quite certain I’ve missed some posts, so please feel free to add
to my list via the comments section below.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br /></div>
Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-24749193083677300002012-08-28T09:32:00.001-05:002012-08-28T09:32:25.242-05:00Honestly, y'all...
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once upon a time, I attended a church that had very specific, yet
unspoken, views on a number of subjects. Since we were united in our desire to
follow the way of Christ rather than a unanimous agreement on various points of
theological concern, I was able to be a very active member of the congregation
while not necessarily holding to all of the views wrestled with at the pulpit
on any given Sunday. They didn’t have female pastors or elders, but there was a
sort of advisory council which included representatives from across the
spectrum of gender and race and socioeconomic status of our congregation. We
opened our arms, our lives, our homes to people from every tribe, tongue and
nation. Coming from a very traditional and conservative church experience, this
was a progressive and exciting place.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eventually, however, the curtain was pulled back and I was forced to
see some of the negative mechanics that kept the organization running. I had to
take a hard look at people, including elders, who had made the decision to
leave the congregation, and at those, including staff, still struggling to stay
committed to the community. On the surface, there was unity in diversity. But
as you moved further in and further up, you quickly learned that you don’t
challenge the ideas of leadership, even if they were constantly changing at the
whims of one individual. There was manipulation and power and even sparks of
anger lurking in the deep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was already in the midst of difficult conversations with leadership
when the statements began to appear. Gradually, issues that arose were
addressed in sermons, and the sermons were posted to the website as Statements
of Belief, representing the whole body to the public. One statement, on the nature
of church itself, had direct references to conversations I had participated in.
Others didn’t affect me, but I knew they had created a barrier to others
remaining in community there. And a few, particularly those on the role of
women in the church and homosexuality, caused quite a stir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now that stir, mind you, was not within the congregation itself. In
fact, it seemed that few within the church were even aware that the statements
existed. For me, they were part of the catalyst of leaving the church – it was
difficult for me to justify worshipping under the banner of “God made Adam and
Eve, not Adam and Steve” (which was explicitly stated in the Statement of
Belief, and which when I questioned the pastor about the inclusion of the
statement, was defended as being “catchy”). There were other reasons, of
course, but these statements did help to make my decision clearer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What offended me more than the presence of the statements was their disappearance.
You see, it didn’t matter that people were leaving the community, hurt at
feeling pushed away, because they could not concede agreement with the
Statements of Belief. However, when professors from the local university, a
community partner of the church, began questioning the association of the
university with a congregation that made such public statements limiting the participation,
and even the humanity, of women and lgbtq individuals – when the professors
began calling for an end to the community partnership – the statements were
quietly removed from the church’s webpage. Again, many congregants never knew
they were there, so they certainly did not notice when they disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did the views change?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was reconciliation pursued?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">No. The offending views were just quietly tucked away so as to improve
the public image of the congregation for the purpose of community partnerships.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is how I feel about the Republican response to Rep. Todd Akin’s
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/us/politics/todd-akin-provokes-ire-with-legitimate-rape-comment.html?_r=3">comments</a> about rape and reproduction. His comments caused an uproar, so they
want to hide him away. The problem is, he is not the only person making such
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-slansky-/paul-ryan-said-something-_b_1832377.html">comments</a>, and he is not the only person pushing related legislation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What offends me more than Akin’s comments is the <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79914.html">attempt</a> by his party
to pretend those views are not part of their platform, that they somehow do not
represent the legislative plans of the Republican Party. Disassociating
yourself from one person because he said what he was thinking does not make the
problem disappear – it only serves to make you look hypocritical. I have to at
least give props to Huckabee for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/mike-huckabee-defends-todd-akin-missouri-baptist_n_1833485.html?ref=topbar&utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1137919,b=facebook">publicly</a> validating Akin as a prophet of the
party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is also how I feel about the Democratic (lack of) <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/20/us-drones-strikes-target-rescuers-pakistan">response</a> to continued
abuse of war powers under their administration. The vocal <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/27/washington/27mukasey.html">opposition</a> to
decisions made by President George W. Bush, to war crimes committed under Republican
leadership, was loud and proud. And yet, while atrocities continue to be
committed at taxpayer expense, those same voices remain silent.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What offends me more than the atrocities of war being justified
overseas, is the denial that they are happening, or at the very least, that
they are wrong. We cannot vehemently decry waterboarding under one
administration, and sit idly by while the next allows the murder of field
rescuers. It is hypocritical, and it is evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I want to learn to be more honest. I want be clear about what I
believe, what I support, and even what I am unsure about. I want my yes to be
yes, and my no to be no… or at least my “I don’t know” to be “I don’t know.”
And I want to expect more of this from others, particularly those in
leadership. I don’t want to follow blindly, and I don’t want to ignore things
that are wrong for the sake of public reputation. I want to wrestle with ideas,
openly and honestly… and I want listening to be a BIG part of that process.
This is the legacy I want to leave – that pretending, concealing, “being sweet”
isn’t healthy or helpful; that conversations can be hard, and they can still
practice peace, and patience, and kindness and gentleness – but they have to,
above all, be honest.</span>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-32654467878075190552012-05-16T15:51:00.000-05:002012-05-16T15:51:26.769-05:00Sexy & I Know ItThe world’s economies are all in a tizzy.<br />
<br />
Apparently, our nations’ eyes are bigger than their stomachs.<br />
<br />
I know this not because I’ve been examining the specks in said eyes, but because I’ve been chipping away at the log in my own.<br />
<br />
I gave into the lies.<br />
<br />
I actually believed that taking out student loans had only positive consequences. That taking out a credit card as a college student would be supplemented by the income I would receive post-graduation, and that I would be able to stop relying on credit. I believed that a job helping people would actually provide me with enough income to afford housing in the low-rent district, a reliable vehicle and food on the table (and, obviously, student loan repayment). Beyond those beliefs, I had wants. And I believed I deserved to have those wants – because I was a college graduate, and I should be able to afford things like the occasional new outfit, new CD, and small vacation. <br />
<br />
I allowed myself to live into this deception, and I still felt like I was living way below the means of most of my cohorts.<br />
<br />
Fast forward, and I’m living in community with others, sharing rent and a few other resources. The economy is tanking. Credit companies are panicking. The owners of my two credit cards issue official letters letting me know that, due to the turn in economic circumstances, they will be raising my interest rate to an astronomical level. I have two choices, they inform me: 1. Accept our new terms, or 2. Cancel your card and continue paying off your balance at your current interest rate.<br />
<br />
I called both companies to inform them I would be choosing the second option. They spent a lot of time sending me up the chain of command, each person counseling me as to how much I needed their service, how lost my life would be without them, how I really had no choice but to accept their terms and pay the price required to remain a slave to credit.<br />
<br />
I stood my ground. Protest #1.<br />
<br />
Not too long after making this decision, our little community fell apart and I was faced with a choose-your-own-adventure moment:<br />
<br />
1. Cover myself in sackcloth and ashes and camp out in front of the credit issuers home office.<br />
<br />
2. Find some new roommates and continue a lifestyle where my life choices are dependent on the choices of others, and where relationships become a burden rather than a blessing.<br />
<br />
3. Move out on my own and continue a lifestyle of credit dependency.<br />
<br />
4. Move out on my own, get a second job to slowly pay down debt, thus effectively plunging myself into anxiety and retreating from the world for an unknown period of years.<br />
<br />
5. Swallow my pride, move back with my parents as a 30-something, and aggressively pay down my debt.<br />
<br />
I chose the completely unsexy option of moving home. Protest #2.<br />
<br />
While I am immensely grateful to my parents for giving me this option, there have been innumerable moments when I questioned if it was worth it. Having all of my possessions in a bedroom and an awkwardly accessible storage unit is not the ideal. I have certain goals for my lifestyle that are difficult to achieve in someone else’s home. But I am learning to practice a deep patience.<br />
<br />
I can’t tell you right off what my balances were on my two cards and a bank line of credit when I said “no” to the economic powers. I can tell you that at the beginning of 2011 I had over $17,500 left to pay off from those three credit sources, and today I am down to one creditor (other than my student loans, which are a whole other giant to slay) and less than $3,000 to go.<br />
<br />
I very much feel like Sarah in Labyrinth, standing up to the Goblin King: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmgmXgoBZFo">YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME</a>!<br />
<br />
No, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGWUZQ5xCyw">I did not make signs</a>, or walk sidewalks, or camp out in a tent to protest the economic powers. Not that I oppose those measure – <a href="http://ethicsdaily.com/why-i-got-arrested-this-advent-season-cms-6716">I fully support creative protest and civil disobedience</a>.<br />
<br />
I chose a less sexy option.<br />
<br />
But I stood nonetheless. And in the process I have learned to live within my realistic means. And I have new expectations for my life that are much more in line with the DIY, homesteading ethos I claim to espouse. It’s a small, slow impact, but I follow a teacher who taught that a new and better way can take over as yeast affects dough, subtle yet sure.<br />
<br />
Today, Little Rock’s Occupy Wall Street group was <a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/may/16/occupiers-await-arrests-after-permit-expires/">forced to break camp</a>. <br />
<br />
A week or so ago, Raleigh’s OWS camp <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/06/2047885/occupy-raleigh-breaks-camp-and.html">voluntarily packed up</a>, after deciding this portion of their protest had run its course: “As many people as are going to drive by and see us have driven by and it is time to look for other ways to protest.”<br />
<br />
I prefer the second option – the group that can look at themselves, and say “We’re not done speaking truth to power, but we recognize that there may be a better way to do it.”<br />
<br />
I think <a href="http://jonathanwilsonhartgrove.com/bio/">Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove</a> did a good job, early on in the OWS movement, of laying out <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-wilsonhartgrove/ending-the-occupation_b_1002868.html">what that better way may look like</a>:<br />
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“But for many of us who believe that another world is already interrupting the status quo, the most important thing isn't to occupy the centers of power and insist on economic reform. The crucial thing is to carve out spaces where we can begin to create a new society within the shell of the old. These spaces are being crafted and cultivated by people in co-op movements, in local currency experiments, in cost-sharing health care ministries, and in slow food collectives. In small ways that are admittedly incomplete, some people who are discontent with the world that is are stepping out to begin shaping another world with their daily economic decisions. Not all of them are 'people of faith,' but there is a radical faith behind their actions. They are trusting a system other than what they have known and seen. They are believing and living toward a new reality.”<br />
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Protest is not wrong. Speaking truth to power is necessary. But at some point, we have to start living into the daily practice of what an alternate economy will look like.<br />
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Sexy or not…Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-48750564664504825972012-02-14T07:12:00.002-06:002013-02-01T22:32:51.129-06:00Vday Song #14: all matters humanI've traditionally celebrated Valentines here at Barefoot Bohemian, and I am not one to toy with tradition. This year I thought I would go low maintenance and post 14 classic country songs about love (not necessarily love songs, mind you).<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!</strong></span><br /><br /><em>I can move oceans, when I get the notion...</em><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/otsct3Ky428" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-71655338436187189592012-02-13T07:02:00.001-06:002013-02-01T22:32:51.131-06:00Vday Song #13: cold & hotI've traditionally celebrated Valentines here at Barefoot Bohemian, and I am not one to toy with tradition. This year I thought I would go low maintenance and post 14 classic country songs about love (not necessarily love songs, mind you).<br /><br /><em>Look what I'm going through - it must be love...</em><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XfAJp4SwnrM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905342.post-87866402575611269732012-02-11T08:49:00.003-06:002013-02-01T22:32:51.137-06:00Vday Songs #10, 11 & 12: try, try againI've traditionally celebrated Valentines here at Barefoot Bohemian, and I am not one to toy with tradition. This year I thought I would go low maintenance and post 14 classic country songs about love (not necessarily love songs, mind you).<br /><br />(Dang weekend, throwing me for a loop! Y'all get yesterday's, today's & tomorrow's thrown in as a bonus - again, a common theme.)<br /><br /><em>Big, little, or short, or tall - wish I coulda kept 'em all...</em><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vQpapoKALic" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><em>I've been made blue, I've been lied to, when will I be loved...</em><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2x-DAdYXHt8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><em>Searching their eyes, looking for traces of what I'm dreaming of...</em><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RBQ2kQpuec8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Kimberlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11775023211592319658noreply@blogger.com0