How many names do you have? Puanani Burgess, a young Hawaiian poet, reminds us that we all have more than one name. She does that by describing her multiple names. But hers aren’t simply metaphorical; they represent what it means to live in a richly diverse culture that is strengthened...
Mark 1:12-13
posted by DJL
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Identity comes before mission. It’s hard, that is, to do much of anything lasting or significant – and...
Mark 1:9-11
posted by DJL
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well...
Mommy Wars
posted by DJL
I read a blog post by Libby Anne recently that caught my attention and I wanted to share it with you. It’s about the “mommy wars.” You may have heard the term. It describes the plight of mothers today who, in contrast to many women of previous generations, must choose between staying at...
The Hunger Games: A Guide for Discussion
posted by DJL
I count myself among the lucky in that I stumbled upon Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games shortly after it was published and so had a chance to read it, love it, and recommend it to others way before the film buzz. (Of course, that also meant that I had to wait a full year in between each of the successive two volumes!) Since then, I’ve been wondering about the phenomenal appeal of this book. Not only is it tremendously popular but it’s been one of the stories that has most stayed with me in recent years (indeed, I’ve read it a couple of times now). I’ve also been wondering about how we might read it with our kids (both in our families...