One of the joys of following the church calendar, if that’s the tradition you follow, is that the community makes room for all kinds of seasons. There’s a time for fun, and a time for seriousness; a time for Lent and a time for Easter. One of the joys of having no pre-set calendar for […]
I don’t have much of my own to say about ANZAC Day. Like many of my generation I am deeply ambivalent about how to commemorate some of the most horrific events of the twentieth century. Rather than muddle around in my own thoughts, I thought I’d share some beautiful and brutal things from friends that […]
No one can be right or wrong about how to celebrate Lent, I realised the other day. Lent is a church tradition, not something instituted by Jesus or the apostles. So we’re all in the same boat, theologically speaking, of needing to figure out how Lenten practices might sensibly and meaningfully connect us to God […]
I wrote this a few weeks ago. It’s part of a long-running series on my experience of severe postnatal depression, which has been part of my life for over two years now. You can find the whole series here, and the first post here. One of the reasons I can’t sleep tonight is the […]
Add this to your list of empathetic things it might be appropriate to say to someone in pain (though we’re usually better to say very little, and just listen well and offer a hug): it hurts because it matters. This is from author John Green (he co-wrote the charming and brilliant Will Grayson, Will Grayson, […]
Trigger warning for discussion of rape and child marriage. The tragic, terrible death of an eight-year-old Yemeni girl made international news this week. You might have read reports that a little girl died from injuries she received during wedding-night intercourse with a 40-year-old man who had just married her. Coming from a much more fortunate […]
A warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to Stephanie, a Dunedin mother, lawyer and regular commenter here, who is generously telling some of her story of baby loss today. She is available to talk further in the comments, so do feel free to ask questions and share your experiences. I always feel uncomfortable when a stranger […]
Sadness and little children are a funny mix. Literally, I guess. You can’t spend a day with a toddler without cracking a few smiles, so even on a hard day, having a small comedian in the house means the black cloud sits alongside some sunbursts. Or maybe it’s like a two-lane road, where you can […]
Strange way to start a revolution Strange way to get a better tan Strange way to hold a power breakfast Strange way show your business plan Strange way to test if wood would splinter Strange way to do performance art Strange way to say “I’ll see you later” Strange way to leave behind your heart […]
Sadly, I’m not at the Service of the Shadows at West Baptist tonight. Sitting in a dark church, lit by seven candles sitting on a rough wooden cross, every Maundy Thursday, people at West listen to the dark story of what Jesus experienced in his last hours, in seven parts. My contribution to the ever-growing tradition at […]