Tuesday, July 31, 2012
feminism
My journey began as a child of the 70's; during the rise of feminism. It was a confusing time for a girl, but an empowering time as well. Back then I remember a story about my friend and me making the cut to be the very first girls to play on the Little League in our small New Hampshire town. We had two teams back then due to the large interest, the Little League and a a farm league. We played on the farm league. And me being left-handed I played first base. But just the fact of having girls in the league at all was progressive for our little town. I remember the jaunts and jeering well. But we were pretty good handling and hitting the ball. And we loved the game and team, and in the end that's what mattered. Boys are all about balls.
Darrow L. Miller and Stan Guthrie in the book "Nurturing the Nations: Reclaiming the Dignity of Women in Building Healthy Cultures" exposes the age old misogynistic lie that men are superior to women. A lie that has been passed down and bought by every culture, every religion, every nation since the fall of humankind in the garden.
Boys are not better than girls; and girls are not better than boys. However, in our world today there are many instances where the preference for men is so deep rooted we don't even recognize it within our family structures. Not to mention the exploitation, abuse, oppression, and murder of women is the global norm. Global gender inequality is a huge issue--what can one person do to turn the tide? What can the Church do? Where is our responsibility? Where do we even begin? The work is great for even in the Church, many have embraced this very lie.
As for me, my passion has been rekindled; empowering women to speak out while exposing the lie in the our societies, churches, and communities. Today I stand with the feminists, seeking to promote gender equality and exposing oppression in all it's forms. May God go with me.
changing channels
Therapy is an interesting and wonderful thing. Introspection, insight, and talking it out has a power, an energy that fascinates me. I have always been one who thinks deep and probing thoughts.
I entered therapy with a well-seasoned therapist whose religious background was not like my own. It was completely intentional to see someone who would not give me the pat answers often found in Christian circles. I needed to go to places most Christians dismiss as selfish, sinful, and forbidden. I needed to find me.
At one point, I was done. Full. Afraid, really. I went into our space intent on not returning to it again. When she asked me why, I answered that I wanted to change channels--I was done with this show. She laughed; I went back.
The funny thing is, my therapy was on a time constraint because I was moving overseas in August. We started it knowing it was going to stop after a few months. But I wanted to stop earlier than we planned. Quite frankly, I never wanted to start to begin with so I was always looking for an out. In fact, I had to 'prepay' in order to keep going because I was certain I would have blown her off. So therefore, it was good for me to 'finish' our time instead of cutting it short. That, in and of itself was therapeutic. But now the time to part has come.
She helped me see me as I am. She was so good to me and for me. And I can say that because of her help, I am so much more aware of who I am. I will miss her and our time together. But I must move on from this place and focus elsewhere. It was time well spent, a show worth watching, a channel to consider.
I entered therapy with a well-seasoned therapist whose religious background was not like my own. It was completely intentional to see someone who would not give me the pat answers often found in Christian circles. I needed to go to places most Christians dismiss as selfish, sinful, and forbidden. I needed to find me.
At one point, I was done. Full. Afraid, really. I went into our space intent on not returning to it again. When she asked me why, I answered that I wanted to change channels--I was done with this show. She laughed; I went back.
The funny thing is, my therapy was on a time constraint because I was moving overseas in August. We started it knowing it was going to stop after a few months. But I wanted to stop earlier than we planned. Quite frankly, I never wanted to start to begin with so I was always looking for an out. In fact, I had to 'prepay' in order to keep going because I was certain I would have blown her off. So therefore, it was good for me to 'finish' our time instead of cutting it short. That, in and of itself was therapeutic. But now the time to part has come.
She helped me see me as I am. She was so good to me and for me. And I can say that because of her help, I am so much more aware of who I am. I will miss her and our time together. But I must move on from this place and focus elsewhere. It was time well spent, a show worth watching, a channel to consider.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
silence
It's good for me to be quiet. Often times my mind becomes so full of thoughts that I need to be silent just to think them. Even if I were to speak my thoughts, I don't think I could speak them fast enough.
Perhaps silence is the language of God? Plants reach up to the sun in silence; the clouds pass, the sun sets, and the stars orbit in silence; even babies are conceived and silently grow into individual humans. Growth and change happens in silence.
Silence is where I find God. My soul craves for quietness every day. I need it in order to hear the still, small voice of God whisper deep within. For when I am quieted, God speaks. And when God speaks, I listen.
Perhaps silence is the language of God? Plants reach up to the sun in silence; the clouds pass, the sun sets, and the stars orbit in silence; even babies are conceived and silently grow into individual humans. Growth and change happens in silence.
Silence is where I find God. My soul craves for quietness every day. I need it in order to hear the still, small voice of God whisper deep within. For when I am quieted, God speaks. And when God speaks, I listen.
Psalms 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God"
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
looking ahead
I shared my story with a group of women this past weekend. It was a humbling and very exciting experience. I think God is up to something because I am sensing that feeling of preparation again. I know he is leading me and will bring to pass whatever is planned for me. I just know it will be something, perhaps something big....?
I had a conversation with a couple of key people from our mission and the prospects of what my role could be when we leave in August to serve overseas. Our church partners are requesting from our mission education, empowerment, and encouragement for their women. They want to address menstruation taboos that are impeding the education of girls and other pertinent issues that are impacting their women from moving ahead. I will be there in a position to serve them. But I have to wonder, could it be for me to speak out on women's issues on a broader, potentially national scale? Perhaps all this interest and exposure to gender issues is for such a time as this.
I had a conversation with a couple of key people from our mission and the prospects of what my role could be when we leave in August to serve overseas. Our church partners are requesting from our mission education, empowerment, and encouragement for their women. They want to address menstruation taboos that are impeding the education of girls and other pertinent issues that are impacting their women from moving ahead. I will be there in a position to serve them. But I have to wonder, could it be for me to speak out on women's issues on a broader, potentially national scale? Perhaps all this interest and exposure to gender issues is for such a time as this.
"Aslan is on the move."
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
earth, wind, fire, water
There's just something about the elements. Without them we wouldn't live. And yet, they have the power to destroy life.
Just pondering...
Just pondering...
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
open minds
So, how often do we pass judgment before we have all the facts? Like, all the time. I just had a conversation regarding someone's opinion about the Vagina Monologues who didn't have all the facts because they didn't see the show, only read the critical reviews. I was even put out and offended when I read the reviews...and not to say they were not correct, they were. However, they missed the point. The whole premise of the message of the Vagina Monologues was about women being sexually abused and assaulted. A couple of monologues were for comic relief. Were they vulgar? Perhaps, that is if you consider talking about orgasms as vulgar. Religious of any sort? Definitely not. Pure female human sexuality, as it is in today's western culture. For adult audiences only.
Frankly, I think expressing our sexuality openly is a sign of maturity. But some would like to keep it sacred. Surely, our intimacy is sacred, created by God for our pure pleasure and oneness. It is indeed the most spiritual human interaction of our existence. I can not wait to meet the Creator of this wonderment face to face and thank him for such a beautiful act of love and oneness. What an amazing God to give us such an amazing gift!! It is sacred, for sure. However, when it's stolen, used against women and girls, hated, and made more than dirty then we have a real problem. Women have been abused and assaulted sexually and then are told such things are not to be talked about, therefore we suffer in silence. Breaking the silence is what the Vagina Monologues are all about.
Breaking the silence, however it's done, is always good.
Frankly, I think expressing our sexuality openly is a sign of maturity. But some would like to keep it sacred. Surely, our intimacy is sacred, created by God for our pure pleasure and oneness. It is indeed the most spiritual human interaction of our existence. I can not wait to meet the Creator of this wonderment face to face and thank him for such a beautiful act of love and oneness. What an amazing God to give us such an amazing gift!! It is sacred, for sure. However, when it's stolen, used against women and girls, hated, and made more than dirty then we have a real problem. Women have been abused and assaulted sexually and then are told such things are not to be talked about, therefore we suffer in silence. Breaking the silence is what the Vagina Monologues are all about.
Breaking the silence, however it's done, is always good.
Monday, May 7, 2012
the things that matter
"In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty, and in all things, love."
Recently, I was at a church where the preacher was talking about missions (imagine that). He mentioned the Moravian church movement and their commitment to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. There's a great painting entitled "First Fruits" which portrays all the first converts from different tribes and clans. It's a marvelous picture of unity in diversity.
I've been wandering around with thoughts of the things that separate us and unify us. There's been a rift in our church that has exposed the sin of men in leadership. Not just our church, but the capital 'C' Church. But interestingly, these very rifts are allowing for new thoughts and ways of doing church to emerge. I think it's pretty exciting, if you ask me! However, there's much division rising up over views and interpretations that essentially are non-essential. It's a hard life when we focus on the non-essentials and allow them to divide us. So I wonder, what exactly is 'essential?'
It's the story of God. Creation by GOD the Father, the fall of humanity, redemption by GOD the Son, and reconciliation by GOD the Holy Spirit.
Creation, Fall, Redemption, Reconciliation.
How that all plays out in individual lives or collective cultures is as diverse as the anyone can imagine. And quite possibly non-essential for that matter.
Recently, I was at a church where the preacher was talking about missions (imagine that). He mentioned the Moravian church movement and their commitment to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. There's a great painting entitled "First Fruits" which portrays all the first converts from different tribes and clans. It's a marvelous picture of unity in diversity.
I've been wandering around with thoughts of the things that separate us and unify us. There's been a rift in our church that has exposed the sin of men in leadership. Not just our church, but the capital 'C' Church. But interestingly, these very rifts are allowing for new thoughts and ways of doing church to emerge. I think it's pretty exciting, if you ask me! However, there's much division rising up over views and interpretations that essentially are non-essential. It's a hard life when we focus on the non-essentials and allow them to divide us. So I wonder, what exactly is 'essential?'
It's the story of God. Creation by GOD the Father, the fall of humanity, redemption by GOD the Son, and reconciliation by GOD the Holy Spirit.
Creation, Fall, Redemption, Reconciliation.
How that all plays out in individual lives or collective cultures is as diverse as the anyone can imagine. And quite possibly non-essential for that matter.
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