Not Safe, But Good

My daughter’s first year of Vacation Bible School, she decided halfway through the week that she didn’t want to be a Christian. I learned about her decision from a teen volunteer, who came to find me, ensconced in the nursing mother’s room at the church with my...

Thursday Morning Sabbath

As the last sibling was deposited curbside with the usual barrage of I-love-you, please-tie-your-shoes, don’t-forget-to-turn-in-your-field-trip-form, see-you-soon, my little guy looked at me and asked, “Mommy, is it Fursday?” “It is Thursday,” I confirmed. “YES!” he...

Ferdinand and the Practice of Nonviolence

I first learned about nonviolence from a bull. My childhood copy of Ferdinand was beautiful—the red cover, the flowers, even the lettering. I remember very clearly the way the light and dark shading of the font played together in perfect harmony in the title on the...

Advent Waiting

Back and forth we dance: Wait. No. Wait. No. Wait. When the dishes are done or the sneaker is tied or I’ve spelled “antidisestablishmentarianism” yet again (that can’t really be one of their spelling words, right? Someone is pulling my leg?) I ask her what she wants...