Has anyone been wondering about seeing The Star with kids? It’s a new animated Nativity story, with lots of Hollywood voice talent, and some funny moments. It’s also stuck in the 1980s when it comes to portrayal of women, casting and content. Sigh. Ā I went today with my son and friends, so here are […]
Recently I’ve been lucky enough to start writing for The Spinoff Parents, a thoughtful, inclusive, non-click-baity conversation chaired by the marvellous Emily Writes. A few months ago I wrote these two pieces: Think Big for Kids: 5 ideas to protect kids and support families Thereās a God in our Christmas: One mother on the role […]
Today we have a special guest post from the wonderful Jody Kilpatrick. Brain swelling. Congenital heart defect. Soft markers. Open heart surgery. Palliative care team. Chromosomal abnormality. Fluid displacing heart. We have to wait and see. We have to wait. These were just some of the phrases I heard during my life-changing relationship with […]
New Zealand’s TV Guide got an enormous amount of attention this weekĀ (exactly the amount it was hoping for, presumably), when it published this letter: This hideous piece of throwback misogyny got all the condemnation and ridicule it deserved on Facebook yesterday (and more, no doubt: I’m not suggesting that social media response has […]
With friends and family scattered all over the globe, I’d love to have a huge map of the world in our house. When we move to Thailand later this year, it’ll be a priority purchase. The only reason we don’t have one already is my West Wing addiction. What a marvellous show. I rewatched all […]
The day my daughter was born was the day I began a journey I never imagined would be mine. Letās rewind a bit. When Matt and I had been married for three years, we felt āas ready as weād ever beā to have a child. We were excited and naĆÆve and ready to face this […]
A warm welcome to this yearās Advent in Art series, where we join thousands of others in contemplating artistic works while we wait, wait, wait for Christmas. For an introduction to this series, and He Qi, the artist featured in 2014, please see the first post, on the Annunciation. Week 2: The Visitation The mood […]
Happy Advent, everyone! A warm welcome to this yearās Advent in Art series, where we join thousands of others in contemplating artistic works while we wait, wait, wait for Christmas. Advent in Art 2014: Featuring artist He Qi He Qi is one of my favourite artists, so Iām particularly excited that this yearās Advent in […]
We don’t know for sure that Mary was a breastfeeding mother, but it seems a reasonable inference. In a time before formula and modern medical care, she would have had few other options, and if she or someone else hadn’t breastfed Jesus he would almost certainly have died in infancy, from malnourishment or water-borne disease, […]
Why a ‘sacrament’? The church has long taught that there are certain special moments where God is particularly present in our world. The ritual of baptism, the sharing of a communion meal. Different church traditions have argued about how many there are, but that seems to me to be a nonsensical question. God is particularly […]