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This is the final in a four-part series on the overused (and often insensitively employed) phrases that plague the Christian lexicon. Though I felt like I was offering some insight into what to do instead of offering these cliches, some asked for more specificity or clarity. So in that spirit, I thought I'd offer a final list of things to do rather than pop off with these phrases that may mean little or nothing to the recipient, or worse, may cause unintended – but lasting – harm.
Read article one in the series here: Ten Cliches Christians Should Never Use
Read article two in the series here: Ten More Cliches Christians Should Avoid
Read article three in the series here: Nine (Final) Christian Cliches to Avoid
Ten Antidotes to Christian Cliches:
- Listen more; talk less. Yes, there were times in the Gospels when Jesus sermonized, but most of the time, he said much less than people expected. He listened first, and when responding to problems or questions, he often left room in his answer for the listener to wrestle with what was said and to arrive at their own understanding. We Christians don't like to give up such control, though. We want to know that the person gets what we want them to get. But if we're ever to get past the widely held perception that we're a bunch of tone-deaf talking heads, we have to be quiet and pay attention more.
- Stop trying to fix everything. Christians hate loose ends. We want to end every conversation with everyone smiling and assured that everything will be just fine. But that's not always reality, and sometimes, what people need is to grieve, wrestle or reflect rather than feel better and move on. Being a Christian is not about having all the answers at the ready, despite what some evangelism training will tell you. People may even ask for answers, but what we're all looking for, at a deeper level than our search for those answers, is peace. Sometimes that takes time.
- See yourself in the "Other." Somewhere along the way, Christian outreach became more about personal conversion than about empathy and compassion. One of the biggest turn-offs I hear about Christians is that folks see us as trying to make everyone like us. But Jesus himself was moved, affected and – yes -changed by the people he encountered. And lest we forget: the Greatest Commandment was not to convert people to Christianity. It was love others with all you have an all you are. Part of loving others is actually understanding what they want or need, not just giving them what you think they want or need.
- Pray. This one sounds self-evident, but I think it needs to be mentioned. Notice I didn't say to tell people "I'm praying for you." I hear from too many people that such a phrase is used passive-aggressively toward them to suggest they're screwed up and need help. If you really believe prayer works, then just do it. And this doesn't need to be some pietistic ritual, with knees bent, eyes closed, head bowed and hands clasped. If that helps you feel closer to God, fine, but it's not a performance. There's not a right or wrong way to "do" prayer. I think it's more about noticing, about recognizing the Divine in all of creation and in one another, in noticing the brokenness in the world and responding to that need. This is what it means to make our whole lives a prayer. The Buddhists call it mindfulness. We Christians could use more of that.
- Quality over quantity. We have a bad habit of practicing what I call "Air Drop" Christianity. Whether it's a quick in-and-out mission trip, a door-to-door evangelism or a quick handshake on Sunday morning and then we move on, we have a bad habit of sprinkling ourselves here and there as if our faith is a garnish, rather than at the heart of who we are. I've said this before and I'll say it again, I'm sure: INVEST IN PEOPLE. It's hard work, but it's the stuff of life when we have the proper perspective.
- Share generously of yourself. This doesn't mean simply sharing a pre-packaged testimonial story you've told over and over again, or dropping a few dollars in the offering plate or in a homeless person's cup. It means taking emotional risk, making ourselves vulnerable to others in ways that we hope they will feel comfortable being open and vulnerable to us. The way we approach people often times in the context of Christian evangelism assumes an inherent imbalance of power, with us on the side of that power. We know the truth, and you dont; we are saved, and you're not; we are here to rescue you from yourself. But discipleship should be a lifelong and mutual investment. and why should we expect anyone to invest in us or what we believe if we're not willing first to take a chance with them?
- Be open to the possibility that you're wrong. Anyone who tells me that their faith has not evolved over time into something different than how it started makes me really nervous. for some this may only involve a deepening (or hardening) of existing beliefs, but for others, it is a never-ending process of growth, pruning and adding on. Consider the disciples; were they ever wrong? Did they ever change their understanding of what they believed? Of course. So why do we think we should be any different? Also, being open to the possibility that the person you're with could actually teach you something honors their wisdom and experience, wherever they are coming from. Christian or not, every person has a unique story, because no one in the history of the world has ever lived that life except for them. Allow yourself to be moved and even changed by those experiences.
- Apologize. I have found that sometimes all people really want is a simple apology for the hurt inflicted by other Christians. Sure, you may not have done anything personally to that individual, but if you're a Christian, you represent the whole of Christianity to that person. It won't kill you to say "I'm sorry you were pushed away, made to feel like less of a person, judged, condescended to, denied rights in the name of the faith I claim." Name the wrongdoing, validate the hurt, and then sit back and see what happens. More often than not, in my experience, such apologies are met with tears of relief, embraces, generous forgiveness and, perhaps the best of all, fascinating stories.
- Own your love. We Christians love to say things like "God loves you" or "Jesus loves you," but for someone who isn't sure what they believe, or who has been deeply hurt by the faith, this may ring very hollow. Instead, why not say "I love you"? Yes, it's risky, and if you don't actually mean it, don't say it. But if you follow the steps above, it's not hard to find a spark of Christ-like love for the person you're with. Can't muster such a personal offering of love? At least try something like "You are loved," rather than leaving it all to God or Jesus. If we are Jesus' body in the world today, this includes the heart. If only we were as good as being Christ's heart to the world as we are at being his mouth!
- Make sure your life reflects your faith. One of the words I hear most often in describing Christians is "hypocrite." There's a reason for this. One solution to this is to stop making verbal promises your life doesn't live up to. Another is stepping up our game in daily life. St. Francis famously said, "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." The fact is, if we're really living the live we find revealed in the Gospels, there will be little need for words to explain what it is that we believe.
Read article one in the series here: Ten Cliches Christians Should Never Use
Read article two in the series here: Ten More Cliches Christians Should Avoid
Read Part Four here: Ten Antidotes to Christian Cliches
The response to this series of articles has been pretty overwhelming, and generally, very positive. For the handful of folks who label me an apostate, atheist, anti-Christian or what have you for stepping on some rhetorical toes, it's fine if you feel the need to cast stones. But do bear in mind that, when you do, you are living into a stereotype of Christians as knee-jerk reactionary, judgmental people. Something to consider.
And for the hundreds who have written with thanks for helping them feel their pain, alienation, confusion or resistance is heard and understood, thank you.
In that spirit, I have compiled a third (and most likely, final) list of Cliches to avoid because, frankly, there were still so many worth noting that have yet to be addressed. Thanks to those who have submitted suggestions for additional lists. And because I've had some emails and comments asking for more clarity on what to do or say instead of leaning on these cliches, I'll offer a closing piece for this series tomorrow about what I'd suggest Christians focus on instead of well-worn rhetorical scripts.
Enough prologue. Here are the final nine cliches to strike from the Christian lexicon if we're interested in reaching people on a deeper, more personal level.
- Christianity is the only way to God/Heaven. You may believe this with your whole heart, and I'm sure you have the scriptures at the ready to support it. But consider the possibility that either those you're speaking with think differently about this, or if they haven't put much thought into it, that what you're saying feels like an ultimatum or a threat. Yes, there are texts to support a theology of exclusive salvation, but there also are some to support a more universalist notion of salvation (John 1:9 – "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world."). And think about how such a statement might sound to someone who has lost a loved one who was not a Christian, at least by your standards of what that means. And theologically speaking, it opens up a whole Pandora's Box in answering for the fate of all those who lived before Christ, who never hear about him, and so on.
- When God closes a door, He opens a window. Like some other cliches, this implies that, when something unexpected (and usually bad) happens to you, God did it to you. I know it's well-meaning, but it's not helpful in some cases. What about someone who feels like the door has closed on them, and there is no other hope in sight? That persona may benefit more from a compassionate ear, a loving heart and a simple "what can I do to help"" much more than some phrase that may or may not have any basis in reality.
- God helps those who help themselves. Let me be clear – THIS IS NOT IN SCRIPTURE. People treat it like it is, but it's not. Benjamin Franklin penned this in the Farmers' Almanac in 1757. Be very, very careful when quoting something you think is in the Bible. And even if it is, be very careful in how and why you quote it to/at people. People don't need more reasons to resent or resist scripture; let's not add things that aren't even in there.
- Perhaps God is (causing something negative) to get your attention/It is God's way of telling you it is time for (fill in the blank). To me, this comes off as speaking on behalf of God. It seems to me that the better thing to say, if anything is "Is there any good that can come of this?" or "What wisdom can we find in this experience?" but better than this is – as I've said before – being quiet, being present and being compassionately loving. Let God speak for God.
- There, but for the grace of God, go I. This suggests that the person who is the object of whatever misfortune you're referring to is not the recipient of God's grace. The thing is (at least as I understand it) grace isn't grace if it's selectively handed out like party favors. Relating to someone, and even sharing common experiences, or how you could see yourself in their similar situation is one thing. But making it sound like you're not suffering because of God's grace while they are is just unkind.
- If you just have enough faith (fill in the blank) will happen for you. Talk about setting God up! Who are we to speak to what God will or will not do in others' lives? Sure, if you have a story of personal experience to share, ask for permission to share it. But be aware that someone in the midst of struggle may not be in a place to hear it. But fulfilling promises like this is above our human pay grade. As my dad used to say, don't write checks your butt can't cash.
- I don't put God in a box. This actually is a favorite of many progressives. This comes off as pretty arrogant, in my opinion. You're implying others put God in a box, and that your theological perspective is superior because you don't. The problem is, anyone who believes in God puts God in a box. Yes, your box may be different than others' boxes, but unless you share the "mind of God," your understanding of God is some conscripted, dimly illuminated view of what God actually is, at best.
- (Insert name) is a good, God-fearing Christian. First off, the phrase "God-fearing" is a real turn-off to many Christians and non-Christians alike. Though some understand God as a thing to be feared, a lot of folks simply do not relate to that image of God. And if you happen to be using the word "fear" as a synonym for "respect," consider the likelihood that your audience probably hears "fear" as "fear."
- God is in control. This raises a very fundamental problem of Theodicy, which most Christians I've met who say this are not necessarily prepared to address. Theodicy is the dilemma between belief in an all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful God with the existence of evil and/or suffering in the world. And the other problem is that, if you believe that human beings have free will (a central tenet of most Christian thought), it needs to be recognized that that, in itself, is a concession of control by God. And like other phrases I've mentioned about God's role in daily life, be careful in tossing this one around. Telling someone who was raped, abused, tortured, neglected, etc. that God was in control during that experience likely is enough to incent that person to turn from the concept of God forever.
After writing up my first list of Ten Cliches Christians Should Never Use, some folks wrote me with other suggestions. After simmering on it for a while, I came up with a second list of ten to supplement the first.
And as there was some confusions from a handful of fellow Christians about the intent of the articles. These are not intended to tell you to believe or not believe a certain set of things. Christians have a Public Relations problem; that much is self-evident. So in as much as I can respond to that, I want to offer these as advice on how to change the way we approach people about our faith.
On to the next ten cliches for Christians to avoid…
- Love the sinner, hate the sin. This is a backhanded way to tell someone you love them, at best. It also ignores the command by Jesus not to focus on the splinter in our neighbors' eyes while a plank remains in our own. Bottom line: we all screw up, and naming others' sin as noteworthy while remaining silent about your own is arrogant.
- The Bible clearly says…Two points on this one. First, unless you're a Biblical scholar who knows the historical and cultural contexts of the scriptures and can read them in their original languages, the Bible isn't "clear" about much. Yes, we can pick and choose verses that say one thing or another, but by whom was it originally said, and to whom? Cherry-picking scripture to make a point is called proof-texting, and it's a theological no-no. Second, the Bible can be used to make nearly any point we care to (anyone want to justify slavery?), so let's not use it as a billy club against each other.
- God needed another angel in heaven, so He called him/her home. Another well-meaning but insensitive thing to say. This assumes a lot about what the person you're speaking to believes, and it also ignores the grief they're going through. The person who died is, well, dead. Focus on the needs of the living right in front of you.
- Are you saved? I've addressed the theological understandings of hell and judgment in other pieces, but regardless of whether you believe in hell, this is a very unattractive thing to say. First, it implies a power/privilege imbalance (ie, "I'm saved, but I'm guessing you're not based on some assumptions I'm making about you), and it also leaps over the hurdle of personal investment and relationship, straight into the deep waters of personal faith. If you take the time to learn someone's story, you'll like learn plenty about what they think and believe in the process. And who knows? You might actually learn something too, rather than just telling others what they should believe.
- The Lord never gives someone more than they can handle. What about people with mental illness? What about people in war-torn countries who are tortured to death? What about the millions of Jews murdered in the Holocaust? And this also implies that, if really horrible things are happening to you, God "gave" it to you. Is this a test? Am I being punished? Is God just arbitrarily cruel? Just don't say it.
- America was founded as a Christian nation. Honestly, I find it hard to believe we are still having this conversation, but here we are. Anyone with a cursory understanding of history understands that we were founded on the principle of religious liberty – not just the liberty to be a Christian – and that many of the founding fathers explicitly were not Christian. Thomas Jefferson, anyone?
- The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it. If ever there was a top-shelf conversation killer this is it. You're not inviting any opinion, response, thought or the like. You're simply making a claim and telling others to shut up. Also, I've yet to meet someone who takes EVERY WORD of the Bible literally. Everyone qualifies something in it, like the parts about keeping kosher, wearing blended fibers, stoning adulterers, tossing your virgin daughters into the hands of an angry mob…you get the point.
- It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. This is a little "joke" some Christians use to assert the superiority of opposite-sex unions over same-sex ones. But here's the thing: if you really believe the first and only two people on the planet at one point were Adam and Eve, who did their kids marry and have babies with? This, my friends, is incest (happened again if you believe Noah's family members were the only survivors of the great flood). This just demonstrates the selective moral blindness many of us Christian have and seriously compromises our credibility about anything else.
- Jesus was a Democrat/Republican. Seems to me that, when pressed, Jesus was happy to keep church and state separate. Remember the whole thing about giving to Caesar what is Caesar's, and giving to God what is God's? And if we choose to, we can pick and choose anecdotes to support Jesus being a liberal (care for the poor, anti death penalty) or a conservative (challenge government authority, practice sexual purity). Jesus was Jesus, and if it was as simple as pegging him to one of two seriously flawed contemporary forms of government, I can promise you I would not be a Christian.
- (Insert sin here) is an abomination in the eyes of God. Almost always, when this phrase is invoked, it has something to do with sex or sexuality. Seldom do folks care to mention that divorce and remarriage is in that list of so-called abominations. Also, there are several words translated in English Bibles as 'abomination,' many of which don't imply the sort of exceptionalism that such a word makes us think of today. And while we're on the thread of things scripture says God "hates,' let's consider this from Proverbs:
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
I'm going to go out on a limb and propose that telling someone that who they are or what they are doing is an abomination to God is tantamount to sowing discord among your brothers and sisters. And this, according to the text above is itself an abomination.
For part three in this series, click here: Nine (Final) Christian Cliches to Avoid
Read Part Four here: Ten Antidotes to Christian Cliches
We Christians have a remarkable talent for sticking our feet in our mouths. When searching the words most commonly associated with "Christian," the list ain't pretty. I think part of this can be attributed to a handful of phrases that, if stricken from our vocabulary, might make us a little more tolerable. Yes, these things may mean something to you, but trust me, non-Christians don't share your love for these tried-and-true cliches.
So in no particular order, here are ten phrases Christians should lose with a quickness:
- "Everything happens for a reason." I've heard this said more times than I care to. I'm not sure where it came from either, but it's definitely not in the Bible. The closest thing I can come up with is "To everything, there is a season," but that's not exactly the same. The fact is that faith, by definition, is not reasonable. If it could be empirically verified with facts or by using the scientific method, it wouldn't be faith. It would be a theory. Also, consider how such a pithy phrase sounds to someone who was raped. Do you really mean to tell them there's a reason that happened? Better to be quiet, listen and if appropriate, mourn alongside them. But don't dismiss grief or tragedy with such a meaningless phrase.
- "If you died today, do you know where you'd spend the rest of eternity?" No, I don't, and neither do you. So stop asking such a presumptuous question as this that implies you have some insider knowledge that the rest of us don't. And seriously, if your faith is entirely founded upon the notion of eternal fire insurance, you're not sharing testimony; you're peddling propaganda.
- "He/she is in a better place." This may or may not be true. Again, we have no real way of knowing. We may believe it, but to speak with such authority about something we don't actually know is arrogant. Plus, focusing on the passing of a loved one minimizes the grief of the people they left behind.
- "Can I share a little bit about my faith with you?" Too often, Christians presume we have something everyone else needs, without even knowing them first. Ask someone about their story, but maybe not the second you meet them. Christian evangelism often is the equivalent of a randy young teenager trying to get in good with his new girlfriend. When your personal agenda is more important than the humanity of the person you're talking to, most people can sense the opportunism from a mile a way.
- "You should come to church with me on Sunday." It's not that we should never invite people to church, but too much of the time, it's the first thing we do when we encounter someone new. My wife, Amy, and I started a new church eight years ago, founded on the principle of "earning the right to invite." Invest in people first. Listen to their stories. Learn their passions, their longings, and share the same about yourself. Then, after you've actually invested in each other, try suggesting something not related to church to help you connect on a spiritual level. If the person really gets to know you and wants to know more about why you live your life the way you do, they'll make a point to find out. Then again, if you come off as just another opinionated, opportunistic Christian, why should they honor your predatory approach with a visit to the church that taught you how to act that way in the first place?
- "Have you asked Jesus into your heart?" As many times as I've heard this, I still don't really know what it means. why my heart? Why not my liver or kidneys? This also makes Christianity sound like a purely emotional experience, rather than a lifelong practice that can never entirely be realized. But yeah, asking someone if they're engaged in a lifelong discipline to orient their lives toward Christlike compassion, love and mercy doesn't exactly have the same ring to it.
- "Do you accept Jesus as your personal lord and savior?" Again, this is not in the Bible. Anywhere. And for me, it goes against the whole Christlike notion of the suffering servant. People tried to elevate Jesus to the status of Lord, but he rejected it. So why do we keep trying? Plus, the whole idea of a lord is so antiquated, it has no real relevance to our lives today. Be more mindful of your words, and really mean what you say.
- "This could be the end of days." This is one of my favorites. We Christians love to look for signs of the end of the world; we practically have an apocalyptic fetish. It's like we can't wait until everything comes to a smoldering halt so we can stand tall with that "I told you so" look on our faces, while the nonbelievers beg for mercy. Yeah, that sounds like an awesome religion you've got going there. Sign me up!
- "Jesus died for your sins." I know, this is an all-time Christian favorite. But even if you buy into the concept of substitutionary atonement (the idea that God set Jesus up as a sacrifice to make good for all the bad stuff we've done), this is a abysmal way to introduce your faith to someone. I didn't ask Jesus to die for me, and if I'm not a Christian, I really have no concept of how that could possibly be a good thing. he whole idea of being washed clean by an innocent man's blood is enough to give any person nightmares, let alone lead them into a deeper conversation about what Christianity is about.
- "Will all our visitors please stand?" If someone finally is brave enough to walk through the doors of your church, the last thing they want is to be singled out. They probably don't know the songs you're singing or the prayers or responsive readings you're reading. Depending on the translation of the Bible you use, the scripture may not make much sense, and they probably have no idea where the bathroom is. So why add to the discomfort by making them stand so everyone can stare at them? Also, calling someone a visitor already implies they are simply passing through, that they're not a part of things. Instead of "visitor" or "guest," try something less loaded like "newcomer." Better yet, walk up to them, introduce yourself and learn their name.
For more, click the link below:
For part three in this series, click here: Nine (Final) Christian Cliches to Avoid
Read Part Four here: Ten Antidotes to Christian Cliches
Following the series of four "Christian Cliche" articles, I received hundreds of responses from across the spectrum. One in particular, however, stood out to me. A man who does not consider himself to be a Christian asked me why it is that I identify as a Christian, particularly given my apparent difference on a number of key issues of the faith.
Good question.
I do not ascribe to the notion of substitutionary atonement (Jesus had to die for our sins to be forgiven). I also do not hold a literal understanding of scripture as essential to my faith. Frankly, I've never met anyone who literally believes and follows the Bible, word-for-word, so I think the only honest approach to the bible is to admit we all interpret it on some level. I also have a far different understanding of salvation, hell, the Trinity and so on from many of my fellow followers of Christ.
For one, I don't accept the idea that any individual or instituion (translated: church or denomination) has the authority to dictate what it does and doesn't mean to be a Christian. That's between me and God. Also, I think there's a basic difference between a lot of traditional understandings of what it means to be Christian when compared with some more recent – and arguably, more historically ancient – beliefs in what it is to be a Follower of the Way of Christ.
I don't believe adherence to certain doctrine, dogma, baptism, communion, a blessing from a priest or pastor, approval from organized religion, attendance at a church or giving a certain amount of money to charity make you a Christian. I understand many people do, and I am fine with that. But those don't work for me. Although I'm not a vocal advocate for an emphasis on personal salvation as the primary purpose of Christianity , I do believe that each person has to decide for themselves whether they consider themselves to be Christian or not, and what that means.
Yes, some church leaders will claim that is heresy, because it strips them of authority in the process. The case is made that this is a slippery slope into religious relativism in which it's a free-for-all, everyone picking and choosing what they like, as if their faith was a grocery store. But given that I do not believe there is such a thing as "ultimate, singular Truth" with a capital "T" and there is no such thing as un-interpreted scripture, I would suggest that EVERYONE does this already at some level.
You may recite the prayers and verses as you're taught, but no one can make you believe anything. It's a choice, That's fundamental to free will.
So why, then, do I even call myself a Christian?
Rather than mine being a theology of "Jesus died for your sin," mine is one of "Thy Kingdom come." That is archaic language, and I find that a little off-putting, but given that it's from the Lord's Prayer, attributed to Jesus, I think it's worth wrestling with. Basically, I share the interpretation of this line of the prayer with many seekers of social justice, like MLK, Walter Rauschenbusch and the like, who believe that the line, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," is an expression of longing, for God's love to be fully realized, for our inequities and brokenness to be reconciled here on this earth, and not just some day after we die.
This is not likely something at which we will entirely arrive in this life, but it is something toward which we should re-orient ourselves daily, in order to seek it out, actively and vocally, in all we do. This, I believe, is Christ's call to the world.
I also hold a somewhat different understanding of God than many other Christians. Whereas some consider God to be some "other" being "out there" somewhere, I don't believe in a God that is "other." Rather, I relate to such phrases describing God as:
- I Am that I Am.
- God is love (not God has love or owns love, but God IS LOVE).
- In the beginning was the Word.
In so much as I understand God to be the pervasive presence of love in the universe, and in so much as I understand Jesus to be the most perfect embodiment and expression of that love in the world, I believe that Jesus is "love, made flesh."
I recognize much about the human condition that is broken and that, left untended, leads to more brokenness. I see Christ's life and message as the path through that brokenness (not to avoid it, but to make our way through in spite of it), and as such, his life and word is salvific. Folks talk about salvation about a one-and-done sort of fire insurance policy, but I see it as a lifelong process of healing past, present and future hurt (both individual and collective). This doesn't mean that the hurt ever stops, that we suddenly, upon becoming Christians, are always happy, smiling, bubbly folks. But it does mean we believe in a love that is greater than the sum total of that hurt, and than it is in community that we can both multiply our joys and share the burden of our tragedies.
Feel free to quote the scriptures that point to selective salvation, blood atonement and the like, but I've read and heard them all before. Many times. We all have. This is what I believe, and although I remain open to changing and growing in my faith, I will not stop speaking plainly and publicly about that belief, simply because it makes some uncomfortable or even angry (trust me, some things you do piss me off too). But we're still brothers and sisters, all part of a greater body, be that the Christian Body if you are of that faith or the whole of humanity if not.
My hope is that we can try a little harder to act as such.
I've been thinking about Christian parenting lately, and more specifically, how that looks different today than maybe in the past. When I started thinking back to scripture, my mind first wandered to several "what not to do" stories, which abound in the Bible. For example:
- Don't pass out drunk before securing your loincloth first (See: Noah)
- Don't hand over your virgin daughters to an angry mob to be gang-raped (See" Lot)
- Don't lay your son out on top of a big rock and attempt to sacrifice him to God (See: Abraham)
I could go on, but you get the idea. There's plenty of fodder for sub-par parenting in the Good Book if we want to find it. But based on the examples of Christian parenting I see in more contemporary culture, the things we'd be best to move beyond are a little subtler (sometimes anyway) than the examples above.
Consider James Dobson's (former head of Focus on the Family) writing on raising children. He advocates corporal punishment, placing the male as the "head of the household," and other advice that makes a guy like me cringe. And interestingly, a lot of the differences I have with traditional (some might say "evangelical") Christian parenting parallel my differences in how to approach Christian community all together.
In that light, here are five habits, often attributed to "Christian parenting" values, that I'd just as soon replace with something new:
Beatings will continue until morale improves. Though physical violence is a shortcut to compliance, it sends the wrong message to our kids. We say as Christians that our core values center on mercy, love, grace and compassion, so where exactly does corporal punishment fit in this? Some will contend that sparing the rod spoils the child, but the Hebrew word (shebet) often translated as "rod" can also be translated as "authority." In this sense, we can interpret that the author of Proverbs (from which this 12th century phrase seems to come from) may have meant that if we don't use our wisdom, authority and influence to guide our children's lives, they will likely be lost.
Because I said so. This style of parenting is a bit like being in the middle of a theological debate and throwing down the "The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it" trump card. True respect doesn't come from browbeating or intimidating someone into compliance or silence. It comes from living the example you preach, and in doing so, illuminating a path your children – and perhaps even others – desire to follow.
Father is King. This certainly isn't limited to Christian households (my dad was an atheist and ascribed to this ethos), but it's certainly prevalent within lots Christian families. From Promise Keepers to the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, there are many faith-based groups that base their family values on the establishment and maintenance of a clear, hierarchic order. Everyone knows their role, their place, and that the dad is ultimately in charge. Yet in Galatians, Paul says that as Christians such labels and hierarchies should fall away. If, instead, the principles of the Greatest Commandment (Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind; Love your neighbor as yourself) are placed at the head of any family, the rest falls into its proper place.
Sex is dirty; save it for marriage. We Christians have such a screwed up relationship with sex and sexuality, it's a wonder we keep finding a way to reproduce at all! From Eve to Bathsheba and Delilah, we delight in paining the woman as the sexual temptress who leads men astray, as if we have no control over ourselves. And from this, any number efforts to oppress the rights and identities of women emerge. But guess what? We're still clueless when it comes to sex. We tell our kids about how scary, dirty, dangerous and evil even thinking about sex is, but then we tell them it's precious gift to save for the one person you love and plan to live with forever. This is a setup for sexual confusion, guilt and even sexual addiction or abuse later in life.
Think like me when you grow up. Many Christians say that their faith is all about a personal relationship with Christ, trumpet the primacy of free will and love to quote scriptures about "seek and you shall find." But not when it comes to our kids. We feel the need to force-feed our notion of the faith on them far too often, rather than trusting that, given the chance, they will find God on their own terms as they come to understand it. More often than not, it seems at least within my generation, the didactic forcible approach to raising kids in the Christian faith causes them to run the other direction as soon as they're able. How many millions more will it take walking away from Christianity forever before we finally wake up and realize that maybe we're part of the problem?
"I had a weird dream last night," Amy said, "that our house in Pueblo was burning down. I called the fire department and instead of firefighters, they sent a whole bunch of clowns on unicycles.
"I told them they needed to put out the fire, but they just kept riding around in circles on their stupid unicycles."
"I had a weird dream too," I said over a cup of strong coffee. "I came into the bathroom and you were using my razor on the sides of your head."
"Really? How'd I look?"
"Kinda like Nadia Bolz Weber," I said. "It might work for her; for you, I'm not so sure."
By the time I reached the bottom of the cup, I decided the two dreams were connected. No, it's not that Amy's a clown or that I think she should sport a Mohawk for her first Sunday in Portland. We're both working through our fears of the "worst that could happen."
Amy's fears seem to focus on the past; mine focus on the future. Amy worries about what's going to happen to the folks we've left behind; I worry about her taking on a very different – and in some ways, a much larger – challenge at First Christian Church in downtown Portland.
All of it is about the vulnerability of having no control. Truth be told, we usually have less control than we think we do anyway, but when you move out of state, the lack of agency is pretty much right there, in your face.
We've invested eight years of our lives into this community called Milagro Christian Church (Spanish for "Miracle"). As we have said many times before, it has our DNA throughout it. Our story is Milagro's story. Our struggles and breakthroughs have been Milagro's struggles and breakthroughs.
And now the paths are diverging, and although it's exciting and necessary, there's a part of it that really sucks.
As for us personally, this is a radically new path, especially for Amy. We'll be a good twenty-four-hour drive from her family, and even further from mine. For the first time in our thirteen-year marriage, Amy will be the primary wage-earner, and the expectations for both of us are high. It's a new state, a new culture, a new congregation, a new reality.
Can we handle it? There's one way to find out.
Same goes for Milagro. Yes, they're going to do things differently than we would. Hell, they were already doing that before we left. What will be especially weird is Sunday morning, when they gather to worship for the first time without us. Technically, they've done it before when we've been on vacation, but there's something different about doing it when you know the folks who got you started aren't coming back.
I'm kind of glad that our travel plans have us headed from New Mexico to Las Vegas Sunday morning. We'll stop in Flagstaff to have lunch with the daughter of one of our closest friends back at Milagro. But there's a strange metaphor to be found in us taking off out west while our Milagro family gathers to figure out who they're going to be without us.
And maybe to complete the metaphor, I should let Amy drive.
It turns out that packing all the belongings you need for at least three months into the back of a Prius is a challenge. Of course, being a guy it's the kind of challenge that makes life worth living. Anyone who has ever been a Tetris junkie can appreciate the exhilaration of fitting forty-seven differently shaped items into a space made for about half the volume. Yes, I had to jump up and down on the back hatch, and several keepsakes are undoubtedly smashed beyond recognition. But by God, I got it all in there.
While I was basking in the glory of being a master packer, my family was busy feeling. Amy kept up her "four cries an hour" regimen, while three-year-old Zoe melted down whenever she realized this toy or that piece of furniture was not going with us after all. It's a strange feeling, leaving most of our valuables behind, but for me, it's kind of liberating. I love the idea of grabbing what I can carry and heading west until I reach the edge of the earth.
Apparently my family doesn't share the same romantic bug. They like stability.
"This is the longest I've ever lived anywhere," said Amy, wiping tears aside. "This is home."
"Yeah, but we're taking home with us," I said, trying in vain to employ the typically male strategy of emotional deflection.
"Taking it where?"
"Good question."
We're dropping the kids off at Grandma's in New Mexico for a few weeks while Amy and I make our way up to Portland to look for temporary housing. We'll likely land in a furnished apartment downtown (you know, cause we left all our stuff in Pueblo) until our house sells. Then we'll find a new home, I'll fly back and get everything moved once instead of twice. Practically speaking, it's way easier than dragging everything up and into a rental, then repacking and moving at all again in as few months.
Emotionally, it's a little bit more complicated. At least if you have "feelings" like the rest of my family. Lucky me to be born with Vulcan sensibilities.
"I'll miss our couch," Zoe cried, clinging to it like a binkie. "I love this couch!"
"The couch will come later, honey," I said. Of course, explaining "later" to a three-year-old is kind of like trying to explain Vegas at a monastic convention?
But there's no such thing as a monastic convention, you say. Yeah, well, mind your own business.
So instead of focusing on how everything we were doing was the last time we would do it in our home, I decided to make it into a contest.
"I'm gonna be the last one to pee in the back bathroom!" I hollered.
"I'm the last one to sit on the couch," said Mattias, spreading himself across the sectional like a big starfish.
"I'm the last one to hug this," Zoe said, squeezing a column between the living room and dining room.
"I'm the last one to cry in our house," said Amy.
"I don't doubt that," I said from the bathroom. After she was done showing the walls some love, Zoe came back to check on me, as she tends to like to do. Apparently she's unaware of the fact that I've been peeing with fairly regular success for thirty-seven years prior to her existence. But somehow, now that she's here, she's the pee police.
"Good job daddy," she said, patting me on the back. Not exactly the best idea while a guy is peeing, but as I said, I have four decades of experience; I can compensate for such minor distractions.
"Thanks baby. Why don't you give me a little bit of space?"
Zoe, being three, is low to the ground, so not much gets past her if it's below three feet. We've been in "purge" mode for a while, and Amy in particular is a machine when it comes to getting rid of stuff. I've found some of my own stuff in the trash lately, but I know better than to reach in for it; it's probably booby-trapped.
Zoe had a going-away party at her day care provider's house a couple of days ago and came home with so much new crap you'd think it was her birthday. I could feel the temperature rise in the room when Amy saw the parade of bags coming in through the front door.
The small, flat stuff stayed. Messy, bulky or noisy things found their way to other loving homes. A couple of things simply hit the round file cabinet, like the Dora Hearts. I'm not even sure exactly what they are, except that they're heart-shaped, plastic and have Dora on them. Some doink in a marketing lab figured out that's all it takes to trigger the "I want" reflex in three-year-olds, and man, does it trigger.
Especially when they see the Dora Hearts in the trash.
"Mommy," you could hear her winding up for a tsunami of three-year-old fury, "you threw my heart in the trash! How could you? I loved those hearts sooo muuuuuch!"
"Talk about a metaphor," I smirked.
"Shut up," Amy scowled.
We finally made our way to the door after a quick round-robin prayer where we each shared one thing we loved about the house. And of course, faithful to the challenge, Amy squeezed one final cry in following the heart-in-the-trashcan fit, so she was in fact the last one to cry in the house.
As I pulled the front door closed, I reached up and gave the brass lion door knocker a few solid whacks.
Nobody home.
I'm pretty sure if Dante's Inferno portrays a for-real place, one of the circles has people packing and unpacking for all eternity.
There have been lots of roller-coaster moments in the last few days. Sunday, we said goodbye to the church we started in our living room eight years ago. The first week, we thought this whole church planting thing was easy. Some friends and family showed up, and the house felt full of life. There was an anticipation of what this new thing might become. Folks hung around afterward and chatted; we were pretty sure the whole thing couldn't miss.
Then there was the week (not long afterward) when NO ONE showed up. Amy and I sat there in the living room, communion prepared, sermon written, songs ready, but no people.
"If you think you're preaching to me," I sighed, leaning the guitar against the wall, "you're sadly mistaken." We took communion, prayed it out and went to the pub for a beer.
Last Sunday, we looked around the sanctuary, every seat filled, smile mixed with tears, and each one bearing a story about how they got there and why they stayed. Stories of recovery from addiction, healing in its many unexpected, mysterious forms, lost hope resurrected by a community of faith who loved them through it. It was beautiful.
And then we said goodbye and left.
It seems like all we've been doing lately. To friends, family, and even those people who acted heartbroken that we're moving on, even though we don't exactly remember being friends with them. turns out some people feed on the drama of "goodbye" like it's some strange narcotic. Reminds me of Helena Bonham Carter's character in Fight Club who got off on other peoples' misery in an endless chain of twelve-step groups she crashed.
For me, goodbyes pretty much just suck.
Amy's taken all of this harder than I have. I worry about her dehydrating from all of the tears produced in the past two weeks. I keep expecting to wake up next to a raisin, formerly known as Reverend Amy Piatt, who has cried herself into a freeze-dried state.
She keeps asking me why I haven't cried. I remind her that I'm a guy, and therefore have no feelings. That part was just scooped out of me during gestation. I do cry, on a schedule kind of on par with the Olympics: one every four years whether I need it or not.
I did cry once during all of this, when a girl at our church came up, tears filling her eyes, and hugged me like I was ballast in the middle of a violent storm. Truth be told, she's been through her share of storms, and we've seen her though plenty of them. That did it for me. I cried into her long, dark hair, trying to imagine her ten years in the future, with the life we had imagined for her so many times.
And then I let her go.
All of this is not the worst part of moving. The worst part is going through every single thing we own, assessing its value and either packing or discarding it. I sent a message out yesterday on Twitter while sifting through the physical landmarks of my life that anyone who doesn't think their life is cluttered with much stuff should make a practice of going through and physically touching everything they own at least once a year.
This problem of too much stuff is what I like to call a "White People Problem," or WPP. Really, it's a byproduct of privilege, but it's more fun to call it what I call it. I even like to put it to music, doing my own karaoke version of the old Naughty By Nature song:
You down with WPP? Yeah, you know me…
The most interesting stuff was in the attic. That's the stuff you usually stuff in a corner and forget about for years, often until you next move. It's like doing a little archaeological dig through your own life, plowing down through the layers of papers and other artifacts to remember what you used to think was important enough to box up and move across the country.
I've done enough moves over the years that most of it actually was worth hanging on to. I've whittled my personal memory stuff down from a good dozen boxes to one file folder box. Some of that has been intentional and some was through attrition. It's funny how I can give you a line-item list of the stuff I've lost in previous moves, while I'm hard pressed to tell you what's in the boxes I do have left in storage.
What the hell is it about human nature that makes room for what we've lost, while neglecting what we have? Seems a tragic waste of emotions and gray matter to me.
I did find some interesting things in the stacks. There's the old Instamatic camera I used to carry everywhere with me, snapping pictures of mundane things like grandaddy's wood pile or the hubcaps on our custom van like I was Rain Man. I was/am a little, I guess, but at least I like to think I take a better picture now.
I found scores of notebooks with my early notes, poems, one-act plays, essays and short stories filling them from front to back. There was a time when I never went anywhere without one of these little notebooks, just in case the muse struck. It helped me realize that my obsessive tendency toward being prolific hasn't just come on recently since I started blogging. I've pretty much been a freak for decades.
I hung on to the notebooks, not because the contents are particularly brilliant. In a way, I kept them because the stories are so obviously less than perfect. The "me" today would edit the crap out of the nineties "me," but given that I kind of get now where that "me" was coming from, I'll let the imperfections linger. The narcissist in me likes to think that someone some day will be interested in my old journals for posterity. You know, for when I publish that million-copy bestseller and Terri Gross is asking me about my life over a cup of strong coffee and a ten thousand dollar microphone.
But mostly I keep them because it's so familiar. I see the same passion, the same yearning for connection and self-expression that I pour into my work now. I'd like to think I've gotten a little bit better at it over the years, but I like that guy who scribbled in all of those notebooks, and even took printed versions of my stories that no one else ever read and bound them at the office supply store, just to make it feel more like a "real book." I'm still that same kid, even if a few more people are listening.
And then I found the tapes. No, not the Watergate tapes, but sort of like that. Back when I was working on a semi-autobiographical novel called Damien's Tribe (we writers all have one of those sitting on a shelf somewhere) I sat down with each of my family members and interviewed them. I had one of those little micro-cassette recorders because every serious writer in any movie I'd seen had one. I've long since lost the recorder, but I still have the tapes.
One of them was marked "Dad Interview." Long story short, I haven't talked to my dad in about five years. He checked out one night while visiting us here in Colorado, packed up his stuff in the dark, and I haven't seen him since. If you want the longer version, buy the book (how's that for a shameless teaser?) but let's just say it wasn't the best "goodbye" I've ever done – or not done, as it were.
I sat there, flipping the tape back and forth in my hand, wondering what words and stories were trapped inside on the little thread of tape. I do remember him being kind of stiff and stilted when I interviewed him, kind of like it was for a job interview or a grand jury, but that was my dad: always guarded. Beyond that, I can't remember much of anything about the talk. Did I get him to say anything unexpected? Was there any hint of emotion? Probably not.
But maybe.
If I tracked down a micro-cassette recorder , I could solve the mystery, I guess. But there's a part of me that prefers to imagine what's on them, rather than actually knowing. Reality probably isn't that interesting, at least to anyone but me. But as long as I don't listen, they can contain the most profound reflections between a father and son, deep philosophical revelations, scandal, humor and tragedy.
It could be the greatest story never told.
I might listen to them someday. Just not today.
Following is taken from Banned Questions About Jesus.
Galatians 3:22: Is it the faith of Jesus or faith in Jesus that's the key?
Amy Reeder Worley: It is both the faith of and in Jesus that lead to salvation, which is another word for "liberation."
Jesus' faith in God was absolute. He lived in complete service to God. Jesus prayed: at Gethsemane (Matt 26:36), after healing Simon's mother-in-law (Mark 1:35), before he was baptized (Luke 3:21); when the disciples asked him how to pray (Luke 11:1); before the transfiguration (Luke 9:28); before he was arrested (John 17: 1-26); and minutes before he died (Luke 23:46). Jesus' relationship with God was so intimate he called God "abba," or daddy. He praised God's works. (Luke 10:21). And he beseeched God to forgive his executioners. (Luke 23:46).
Yet Jesus' did not tell us to just have greater faith in God. Rather, Jesus said he was "light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:22). What did he mean? Jesus explained further, "I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. You do not know him. But I know him and I keep his word." (John 8:42). In other words, come with me; I can illuminate for you a path to God.
In saying that faith in Jesus and the faith of Jesus are both "the key," we get dangerously close to a tautology (using different words to say the same thing). But in this case I don't mean that both Jesus' faith and faith in Jesus are the same. I mean that our faith in Jesus illuminates how to practice a faith that brings us closer to God.
Modern Christians focus so much on believing. We too often forget that faith requires practice, doing. Jesus embodied this practice. Our faith in Jesus as our guide to a relationship with God is a condition precedent to salvation, or a liberating faith in God.
Pablo A. Jiménez: I have always preferred to speak about the faith of Jesus than about faith in Christ. Most people find this shocking and many have tried to correct my theological statements. However, I persist in speaking about the faith of Jesus.
In English, the phrase "the faith of Jesus" is ambiguous. It can mean "the faith that Jesus had", "the faith inspired by Jesus, who is our theological center" or "the faith that belongs to Jesus." When asked about which meaning I imply in my preaching, my answer is: "Yes, I mean all of the above."
First, the Christian faith exists because Jesus was faithful to God and to the mission that God delegated on him. In this sense, the church exists because Jesus had "faith," a term better understood as faithfulness and commitment.
Second, believers must see Jesus as the model of belief, conduct and practice. We must strive to imitate Jesus' faith.
Third, believers belong to Jesus. This is what the phrase "Jesus is Lord" means, after all.
Of course, correctly understood the phrase "to have faith in Jesus" implies all the theological ideas expressed above. However, I have found that many understand it as simply acknowledging Jesus' existence, without a clear commitment of faith.
Therefore, for me sharing in the faith of Jesus is more important that having faith "in" him.
Christian Piatt: I would tend to say it depends on whom you ask, but based on my personal experience, maybe it has more to do with when you ask someone such a question about their understanding of Jesus.
I grew up understanding that the latter was the cornerstone of my faith, and ultimately, my salvation. This leaned heavily upon the idea that acceptance of Jesus as savior was the one and only way to heaven, and that Jesus died for my sins.
I have since come to understand both this passage in Galatians, as well as the notions of atonement, salvation and the place of Jesus in my faith, a little differently. Instead of Jesus dying for my sins, I now tend to embrace the concept that Jesus died because of our collective sinfulness, meaning that Jesus made himself fully vulnerable to the fearful, violent smallness that humanity brought to the cross, to the point of death.
Why? Because he believed in what God anointed/enlightened/blessed him to do, more than life itself. That is, he claimed love as paramount over all else, including his own personal wellbeing.
This brings us to the idea of the faith of Jesus raised in the question. How could someone put their humanity aside in the name of such sacrificial love? To me, it would take divine inspiration to hold so fast to one's faith. And that same divine breath is what is passed on through the generations, within the body of Christ, as well as among those who embrace the spirit of Christ.
We've all heard the phrase "God is love," but for me, the point that Jesus endeavored to make, to the foot of Calvary and beyond the open mouth of the tomb, is that LOVE IS GOD.


text:
THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN BY: Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It has been revised several times since she originally wrote it in 1858, and it is available for free online through several websites and is being mailed out by a number of evangelical projects. While this website assures me that they used "publicly available resources" to get my mailing address, it's a little creepy how they were able to use the special nickname I share with only my closest friends ("RESIDENT").
WHAT IS IN THIS BOOK: Ms. White's plea to return to the scriptures. "Men have been unwearied in their efforts to obscure the plain, simple meaning of the Scriptures, and to make them contradict their own testimony"(p.29), so she is helpfully including excerpts from the scriptures in her book to remind you how to live. Ms. White has chosen to share this message because "many ministers are teaching their people, and many professors and teachers are instructing their students, that the law of God has been changed or abrogated; and those who regard its requirements as still valid, to be literally obeyed, are thought to be deserving only of ridicule or contempt"(p.312). It's important to remember that the bible is serious business as you follow its literal instructions to throw rocks at gay people and not wear wool and linen at the same time.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO A PHOENICIAN? Not unless I wanted to start a riot. Ms. White says some pretty hurtful things about them:
"The god of many professedly wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists — the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological institutions — is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia" (p.312)
That's right, Baal-worshipers, she said journalists. Can you really just sit there passively when she's comparing you unfavorably to Wolf Blitzer?
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO FRED CLARK OF SLACKTIVIST? No way. Not only does he already know about it, but he'd probably be a million times better at mocking it. Have you seen what he did to the Left Behind series?
WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THIS BOOK? Ellen White's bleak vision of what life would be like without Adventists around to show us what it means to heed the word of the Lord:
"Property would no longer be safe. Men would obtain their neighbor's possessions by violence, and the strongest would become richest. Life itself would not be respected. The marriage vow would no longer stand as a sacred bulwark to protect the family. He who had the power, would, if he desired, take his neighbor's wife by violence. The fifth commandment would be set aside with the fourth. Children would not shrink from taking the life of their parents if by so doing they could obtain the desire of their corrupt hearts. The civilized world would become a horde of robbers and assassins; and peace, rest, and happiness would be banished from the earth." (p.313)
It's chilling to imagine what the world would be like without them leading by example.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Traffic had to be diverted after Storm Frank brought down a tree across a busy Lancashire road early today.
Commuters had to find alternative routes to work after the A49 Wigan Road was blocked in both directions at Euxton near Chorley.
The tree collapsed across the carriageway at around 6.40am between Balshaw Lane and Dawber's Lane, near to the Euxton Hall Hospital, bringing down a lamp-post. No-one was injured.
A police spokesman said: "We are now waiting for council workmen to cut the tree up and move it. They were on site quite quickly and we don't expect the road to be blocked for a long period of time.
The incident is the second blockage in Wigan Road in the past 48 hours, with a section of the highway closed due to flooding on Monday.
There were no other reports of major damage as Storm Frank hit the county overnight. But emergency services were on standby at a number of points around Lancashire - particularly in the flood-hit village of Croston - with the bad weather set to continue through the day.


text:
JANUARY 11th to 14th. — Owen's convulsions returned with increased violence, and in the course of the night he expired in terrible agony. His body was thrown overboard almost directly; it had decomposed so rapidly that the flesh had not even consistency enough for any fragments of it to be reserved for the boatswain to use to bait his lines. A plague the man had been to us in his life; in his death he was now of no service!
And now, perhaps, still more than ever, did the horror of our situation stare us in the face. There was no doubt that the poisoned barrel had at some time or other contained copperas; but what strange fatality had converted it into a water-cask, or what fatality, stranger still, had caused it to be brought on board the raft, was a problem that none could solve. Little, however, did it matter now: the fact was evident; the barrel was poisoned, and of water we had not a drop.
One and all, we fell into the gloomiest silence. We were too irritable to bear the sound of each other's voices; and it did not require a word, a mere look or gesture was enough, to provoke us to anger that was little short of madness. How it was that we did not all become raving maniacs, I cannot tell.
Throughout the 12th no drain of moisture crossed our lips, and not a cloud arose to warrant the expectation of a passing shower; in the shade, if shade it might be called, the thermometer would have registered at least 100deg., and, perhaps, considerably more.
No change next day. The salt water began to chafe my legs, but although the smarting was at times severe, it was an inconvenience to which I gave little heed; others who had suffered from the same trouble had become no worse. Oh! if this water that surrounds us could be reduced to vapour or to ice! its particles of salt extracted, it would be available for drink. But no! we have no appliances, and we must suffer on.
At the risk of being devoured by the sharks, the boatswain and two sailors took a morning bath, and as their plunge seemed to refresh them, I and three of my companions resolved to follow their example. We had never learnt to swim, and had to be fastened to the end of a rope and lowered into the water; while Curtis during the half-hour of our bath, kept a sharp look-out to give warning of any danger from approaching sharks. No recommendation, however, on our part, nor any representation of the benefit we felt we had derived, could induce Miss Herbey to allay her sufferings in the same way.
At about eleven o'clock, the captain came up to me, and whispered in my ear —
"Don't say a word, Mr. Kazallon; I do not want to raise false hopes, but I think I see a ship."
It was as well that the captain had warned me; otherwise, I should have raised an involuntary shout of joy; as it was, I had the greatest difficulty in restraining my expressions of delight.
"Look behind to larboard," he continued in an undertone.
Affecting an indifference which I was far from feeling, I cast an anxious glance to that quarter of the horizon of which he spoke, and there, although mine is not a nautical eye, I could plainly distinguish the outline of a ship under sail.
Almost at the same moment the boatswain who happened to be looking in the same direction, raised the cry, "Ship ahoy!"
Whether it was that no one believed it, or whether all energies were exhausted, certain it is that the announcement produced none of the effects that might have been expected. Not a soul exhibited the slightest emotion, and it was only when the boatswain had several times sung out his tidings that all eyes turned to the horizon. There, most undeniably, was the ship, and the question rose at once to the minds of all, and to the lips of many, "Would she see us?"
The sailors immediately began discussing the build of the vessel, and made all sorts of conjectures as to the direction she was taking. Curtis was far more deliberate in his judgment. After examining her attentively for some time, he said, "She is a brig running close upon the wind, on the starboard tack, If she keeps her course for a couple of hours, she will come right athwart our track."
A couple of hours! The words sounded to our ears like a couple of centuries. The ship might change her course at any moment; closely trimmed as she was, it was very probable that she was only tacking about to catch the wind, in which case, as soon as she felt a breeze, she would resume her larboard tack and make away again. On the other hand, if she were really sailing with the wind, she would come nearer to us, and there would be good ground for hope.
Meantime, no exertion must be spared, and no means left untried, to make our position known. The brig was about twelve miles to the east of us, so that it was out of the question to think of any cries of ours being overheard; but Curtis gave directions that every possible signal should be made. We had no fire-arms by which we could attract attention, and nothing else occurred to us beyond hoisting a flag of distress. Miss Herbey's red shawl, as being of a colour most distinguishable against the background of sea and sky, was run up to the mast-head, and was caught by the light breeze that just then was ruffling the surface of the water. As a drowning man clutches at a straw, so our hearts bounded with hope every time that our poor flag fluttered in the wind.
For an hour our feelings alternated between hope and despair. The ship was evidently making her way in the direction of the raft, but every now and then she seemed to stop, and then our hearts would almost stand still with agony lest she was going to put about. She carried all her canvas, even to her royals and stay-sails, but her hull was only partially visible above the horizon.
How slowly she advanced! The breeze was very, very feeble, and perhaps soon it would drop altogether! We felt that we would give years of our life to know the result of the coming hour!
At half-past twelve the captain and the boatswain considered that the brig was about nine miles away; she had, therefore, gained only three miles in an hour and a half, and it was doubtful whether the light breeze that had been passing over our heads had reached her at all. I fancied, too, that her sails were no longer filled, but were hanging loose against her masts. Turning to the direction of the wind I tried to make out some chance of a rising breeze; but no, the waves were calm and torpid, and the little puff of air that had aroused our hopes had died away across the sea.
I stood aft with M. Letourneur, Andre and Miss Herbey, and our glances perpetually wandered from the distant ship to our captain's face. Curtis stood leaning against the mast, with the boatswain by his side; their eyes seemed never for a moment to cease to watch the brig, but their countenances clearly expressed the varying emotions that passed through their minds. Not a word was uttered, nor was the silence broken, until the carpenter exclaimed, in accents of despair —
"She's putting about!"
All started up: some to their knees, others to their feet, The boatswain dropped a frightful oath. The ship was still nine miles away, and at such a distance it was impossible for our signal to be seen; our tiny raft, a mere speck upon the waters, would be lost in the intense irradiation of the sunbeams. If only we could be seen, no doubt all would be well; no captain would have the barbarous inhumanity to leave us to our fate; but there had been no chance; only too well we knew that we had not been within the range of sight.
"My friends," said Curtis, "we must make a fire; it is our last and only chance."
Some planks were quickly loosened and thrown into a heap upon the fore part of the raft. They were damp and troublesome to light; but the very dampness made the smoke more dense, and ere long a tall column of dusky fumes was rising straight upwards in the air. If darkness should come on before the brig was completely out of view, the flames we hoped might still be visible. But the hours passed on; the fire died out; and yet no signs of help.
The temper of resignation now deserted me entirely; faith, hope, confidence — all vanished from my mind, and like the boatswain, I swore long and loudly. A gentle hand was laid upon my arm, and turning round I saw Miss Herbey with her finger pointing to the sky. I could stand it no longer, but gliding underneath the tent I hid my face in my hands and wept aloud.
Meanwhile the brig had altered her tack, and was moving slowly to the east. Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have discerned her top-sails above the horizon.
Last updated Sunday, March 27, 2016 at 12:01


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10mm Compact Fisheye Lens
Catch something fun! Pack the compact and quiet 10mm fisheye lens to add playful wide-angle distortion effects to your stills and video. The 10mm fisheye lens lets you capture unique and fun images, as well as exhilarating scenery wider than the eye can see. Shoot inspiring sunsets and night shots, and create special memories of magical moments. Because this 10mm fisheye lens is so amazingly compact and light, you'll always have the power of ultra-wide-angle photography at your fingertips
10mm Fisheye Lens
With its versatile 10mm focal length, 180-degree wide view angle, the 10mm fisheye lens changes how you see things. Don't just shoot people, landscapes and crowd scenes; re-create moments that last a lifetime. Bring photos alive with unique distortion and funny wide-angle effects?and experience all the excitement wherever you go.
Pocket-sized Lens
Let your imagination run free. The super light and compact 10mm fisheye lens goes where the others can't. Enjoy the power of a far bigger lens in a package that's just a hair over 26mm deep. It's got all the performance you want, with a lot less weight to lug around.
Silent Operation
Say goodbye to the noisy whir of conventional motor-driven autofocus. The super-quiet 10mm fisheye lens uses a high-per- formance micro-stepping motor to ensure near-silent operation and precise control. Its silky movement means smoother, more natural-feeling picture-taking. Now you'll hear only what you want to hear, and not the noise from your lens.


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Anthropology Faculty
Jonathan Andelson was born in Chicago, attended college at Grinnell, and earned his doctorate in anthropology at the University of Michigan in 1974. His main interests are intentional... See full profile
Douglas Caulkins was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota, and earned a B.A. with Honors and Distinction in Anthropology and Sociology at Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota,... See full profile
Xavier Escandell's research explores immigration, transnationalism, and race/ethnic relations in the context of Western, Eastern Europe and Latin America. His work has been published in... See full profile
Brigittine French earned a PhD from the University of Iowa in 2001 and joined the Anthropology Department at Grinnell College in 2003. French is a linguistic anthropologist whose primary... See full profile
Katya Gibel Mevorach holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University. She... See full profile
On Leave Fall 2017
Cynthia Hansen began teaching in the Linguistics Concentration at Grinnell in January 2012. Her research focuses on the documentation and linguistic... See full profile
Kathryn Kamp teaches anthropology and archaeology at Grinnell College. While she has worked in Syria and Belize, her major research focus is the study of the Puebloan populations who... See full profile
Tess M. Kulstad Gonzalez is a sociocultural anthropologist with a longstanding interest in the social construction of relatedness, childrearing, and the human rights of children. Her... See full profile
Maria Tapias earned her PhD in Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and has been teaching at Grinnell since 2001. Her research interests include women's and... See full profile
John Whittaker (BA Cornell U. 1975, PHD U. of Arizona 1984) has been teaching at Grinnell since 1984. He considers himself an anthropological archaeologist, which means that while he... See full profile


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Letter Fridge Blue Cheese level 15 answers
Welcome to Letter Fridge Blue Cheese level 15 answers page. Here you will find all the answers for this addictive game.
Letter Fridge is a very good word game and one that you should try whenever you can.
This game was created by "Candywriter LLC" which also created "Letter Soup" and other challenging word games.
All you have to do is that make words in the fridge using given letters. At each level, you must find the required number of words by arranging the given letters of the English language. After completing each level, you get points.
Letter Fridge is a simple game with simple rules but if you have troubles finding the answers to "Letter Fridge Blue Cheese level 15", below we will present all the solutions.
Letter Fridge Blue Cheese level 15
Answers: Bin, Bop, Eon, Ink, Ion, Ken, Kin, Koi, Nib, Nip, One, Pen, Pie, Pin, Poi, Bike, Bone, Keno, Knob, Oink, Open, Pike, Pine, Pink, Poke, Opine
Go to Letter Fridge Blue Cheese answer, to get the answers to the other levels of this category.
In this game you also can use hints when you get stuck at some level. Hints are limited so you must use them with care but if you don't have hints you can the homepage of Letter Fridge to find the answers for other categories.
Hope you enjoyed our solutions, and our website in general. Please take the time to share this page on Facebook or you favorite social network.


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DS2815 Ink
per item
Designed on the Gold Coast. In brave patterns and vibrant colours. These wearable artistic creations are made in pure Egyptian cotton and cut in a slim fit. The shirt features a contrast fabric inside the cuff that can be turned back to show your flair. David Smith, "A participation in Art".
- Measurements on the size chart are actual measurements of the shirt.
- Sleeve lengths are sleeve down and sleeve turned back to expose contrast trim. The measurement is taken on the back of the shirt from the centre of the base of the collar to the sleeve end.
- Length of shirt is taken from the back shirt from the base of the collar to the bottom of the shirt.
- If your unsure of your size, measure an existing shirt you have and use the size chart to find the closest fit.
1 available


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Back to School Prize Pack from HarperCollins | Giveaway
The Children's Book Review
Published: July 30, 2013
Enter to win a "Back to School" prize pack (19 books!) from HarperCollins.
HarperCollins Children's Books has an array of books to add to your backpack this Fall.
Giveaway begins July 30, 2013, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends August 27, 2013, at 11:59 P.M. PST.


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We Service:
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We sell textiles milled in the USA. We primarily deal in organic cotton grown in the USA and recycled fibers.
Custom colors can be created with a minimum of four rolls per color. Up to two styles may be mixed within the four roll minimum. Ex. two rolls raspberry heavy terry and two rolls raspberry medium weight 1 x 1 rib
"I'm looking for factories to help me create my product"
"I'm a manufacturer or supplier and want to connect with brands"
Not sure what type of user you are?
Click here to learn more.


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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Equity market still paralyzed by fear
6 comments:
- Mark Gerber said...
I noticed that you label the current economic crisis "subprime." I may be making too much out of a label, but I still wonder if the suprime mortgage defaults aren't just the canary in the coalmine. The total loss of housing market cap well exceeds the subprime defaults. Even the wealth effect (loss) from that total housing decline doesn't fully explain the rapid decline in consumer spending. Perhaps it is all just a fear based overreaction to the above and balance will soon return.
However, I have to wonder if this isn't all the result of the peak of the baby boomer demographic crossing over the age of 47, which is the age people in aggregate start reducing consumption level because their for houshold formation phase of life is coming to an end.
Also, the number of older baby boomers is rising rapidly, and even though they have only started to retire, their healthcare needs start to rise exponentially as they approach those years. We can also see the consequences of this from the strain our healtcare system has begun to experience. For example, the average waiting time in our emergency rooms recently crossed over one hour. Although this prduce a rise in healtchare spending in our economy, it takes away from other spending. This shift towards healtchare consumption will only accelerate in coming years.
- November 18, 2008 at 2:57 PM
- j said...
Mark Interesting comment, I have seen more than one pundit opine that the clampdown on illegal immigration has also been an aggravating factor in the decline of home values.
Perhaps a loosening on the immigration front might be a small piece of the solution.
- November 18, 2008 at 4:54 PM
- Scott Grannis said...
Mark: I don't see how the demographics can change fast enough to account for even a part of this crisis. I think subprime loans get the blame for starting the crisis, but it has now obviously spread. With this market collapse and recession I bet a lot of people postpone their retirement and end up working longer.
As for healthcare, I can't see things getting better until we have market-based reforms.
- November 18, 2008 at 5:04 PM
- Scott Grannis said...
j: loosening immigration would be an excellent idea that would go a long way toward fixing all sorts of problems. The demographic challenge for all industrialized countries will be to attract immigrants, and lots of them, otherwise they face a shrinking economy.
- November 18, 2008 at 5:05 PM
- LetUsHavePeace said...
Scott: Can you share your experiences during other market panics? My first "bear" market as an active investor was 2000-2002, and I found that easy to tolerate because it was so clearly based on a kind of pyramid party in tech stocks (remember Webvan?). What is troubling about this experience is that companies that have earnings and solid balance sheets seem to be without support. We now own companies selling for their net cash, and they are still going South. When have you seen this before?
- November 19, 2008 at 9:08 AM
- Scott Grannis said...
peace: I tried to answer your question in this morning's post. Short answer: fear is still the dominant factor, and that is irrational, and this is a market with a lot of novices who are panicking.
- November 19, 2008 at 1:44 PM


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USER EDITORlaurameyer
Don may find his past casesscrutinized as Abby and Lina investigate his former partner Paul, for the attempted murder of his wife. Meanwhile, Lina is worried about the working relationship she and Abby have but is wondering if the relationship will change due to the upcoming birth of her baby. Abby's relationship with Danny and Brody begins to heat up as both continue to compete for her.moreless
Don is worried about his wife's decision to hire local convicts to work in her bakery and what consequences they could possibly pose for the family. Abby and Lina have to figure out what went wrong with a hazing at a recruitment academy in Chicago.
Lina andAbby look into why a Chicago police officer killed himself. They also look into see ifa department Chaplin's troubles are connected to the death of the police officer. Abby is having A surprise birthday party but the people behind the party don't know whether to invite one or both of her dates.moreless
Lina & Abby wonder why a girl was trampled during a happy occasion that took place at an annual convention. Also just as they begin to investigate that case of another investigation has Abby and Lina wondering why a detective is falling from a balcony.
Don gets uncomfortable when he sees Mackie in a relationship with someone who may have a questionable pastmoreless
Abby and Lina have the unfortunate task of investigating a member of IA whom it and they believe is about to get herself into more trouble then she anticipated.
Brody has fallen in love with Abby and goes to abbey's mom to see what motherly advise she can give on an how Brody can win Abbeys heart.moreless
A crime scene photographer's unusual behavior causes Abby and Lina to investigate the unusual way the model died, while investigating the case unpleasant memories haunt Abby and causes her to remember some stories aher father told about the unpleasant and things he saw.
When attempts are made to save the man who collapses in front of Abby fail due to CPR and the 911 system not working causes both Abby and Lina to look into Y why 911 responses are being delayed. The Kowalski family gets a surprise win their son Donnie tells them he wants to try out for the swat team causing secrets to be revealed that may cause more tension within the family.moreless
The investigation into why a female psychiatrist is being stalked by a police officer takes an interesting turn after the case shifts direction causing Abby and Lina to look for a different suspect.
Ritchie may have made a bad decision in choosing a new partner, what he doesn't realize is that the new partner doesn't care about the law. Abby's relationship with Danny just got more exciting.
A stripper is murdered, but IAD is called in when it's discovered that the dancer was working at a club that caters to cops.
The coroner's office is missing a body, but it turns up in a popular online video.
Abby is upset that she can't play on the heroes bowl against the fire department because the police department feels that because of opposition in the police department it wouldn't be appropriate to play on the side of the police department.moreless
An ex-con accuses the Chicago Police Department of harassment, and Abby and Lina are on the case. Meanwhile, Detective Carl Scott tries to get more details on the Kowalski case by propositioning Abby.
Abby Kowalski is a new detective in the Chicago Police Internal Affairs Department. This job is extremely difficult for her, not only because her father and 3 brothers, who are all cops, are not speaking to her because they see her new position as a betrayal to them, but because her favourite brother Richie has just recently shot and killed a teenager on the job and is now being investigated by her department. She's not allowed any involvement with her brother's case, so she takes on another one where she has to help Chief Judee Carmen in Organized Crime find a mole in her unit. Finding this mole at this point is crucial because Judee Carmen is about to take down the extremely dangerous Nigerian Crime boss Dunsimi.moreless
Abby Kowalski recently joined internal affairs but there is one problem with that, her family has no idea that she joined internal affairs. Now she has to try and convince her family that she made a good decision.


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There's no need to spend money on elaborate centerpieces when you can find beautiful décor in your own backyard. Pinecones and fall leaves, or even evergreen branches can be used to add holiday color and fragrance. Here are my top 4 favorite tips:
1. Gather things to make a wreath that can be placed around a candle or vase, then reuse it by hanging it on your door for the holiday season. If you have never created a wreath HERE is an easy tutorial.
2. While shopping for holiday meals at a local farmer's market, keep an eye out for edible items such as colorful squash and gourds, apples, pears, berries and much more. These can be used as centerpieces, or if you cut out the center and place a candle inside, can be used as candleholders.
3. A clear vase is great for centerpieces! Since you can change its contents to fit any holiday, you can find many items around your home to add to it. This Thanksgiving, try adding fall leaves or some citrus. Simply cut up and set in water with a floating candle. Add cranberries for a bit of that holiday red!
4. Round discs cut from large tree logs can make unique pie or cake plates, candleholders, or even chargers. When cutting firewood, my husband slices ½-1" thick discs off the end of a log for me. And if they get spilled on at dinner, I just toss them back in with the firewood.
Make your holiday as eco-centered as possible this year by using what nature provides. Have a colorful and conscious holiday!


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Google+ is the new Twitter, the new Facebook... or not.
But, anyway,is the new social network everybody talks about.
If you are one of those early adopters already enjoying it, here you are a list with some people related with infographics you can find in Google+ to create your Infographics circle
(Yellow ribbon for those who use to share some things, if not all, in english)
+Alberto Cairo
Information graphics and visualization teacher and director.
+Anne Liao
Interactive graphics artist at The Florida Times-Union


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***Thanksgiving weekend was a whirlwind of activity. There was, of course, the typical Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's house where way too much food was consumed by me and the kids. Charlotte devoured THREE fudgy chocolate brownies before I happened to take a bite of one. And what mysterious ingredient did I taste? COFFEE.
We happen to be Mormon and therefore eschew the consumption of coffee, alcohol and tobacco. Religion notwithstanding, I think if I had my preference of which of those three substances someone were to give my kid, it definitely would not be coffee. No, I would prefer alcohol, because if they are anything like their mom, it would put them right to sleep. Coffee, on the other hand, especially coffee combined with intense chocolate and loads of sugar? Yeah, you can just imagine the results.
***Yesterday was Charlotte's birthday and we had a little party in Chicago at my mom's house on Saturday. Well, I say "little" but there were actually 25 people there, including 8 kids, all under the age of 8. My mom's house is on the small size and the kids were rambunctious, so it got rather noisy at times.
At one point, Danny started yelling, "Everyone, be quiet! Please! Stop yelling!" But it was so noisy, no on actually heard him. Then, he turned to me and demanded that I make everyone stop talking. My heart sank as I prepared myself for a sensory meltdown.
What happened instead was nothing short of miraculous. I explained to Danny that people were just having fun, but that if the noise got to be too much for him, he could go upstairs where it was quieter. And that is exactly what he did. Periodically, he would join in the fun in the basement and play with the kids, but he would return to the upstairs bedroom whenever it got to be too much for him. And the result was that at the end of the night, Danny was relatively calm and had not pushed, jumped on, or kicked anyone. I really think this was a major breakthrough.
***After the big birthday bash, I took Danny and Charlotte for a walk in my mom's neighborhood. It was after 8:00, but I had promised the kids, and I am so glad I kept my word. My mom's neighbors do an excellent job with the decorating, sparing no expense or twinkling light. There were all kinds of giant blow-up figures, including Santa riding a bear (which perplexed Danny. "Santa doesn't ride a polar bear! He has a sleigh!"), a snowman that pops out of a train car, and--the kids' personal favorite--a snowman roasting marshmallows over a fire (I really had to restrain myself from pointing out that Frosty was way too close to that fire if he wanted to survive until Christmas, but I managed to bite my tongue.)
That walk was my favorite part of the entire weekend. The kids were full of delight at each new wonderfully decorated house. They exclaimed over every light, tree and Nativity set. They even talked excitedly about the beautiful shining moon. Danny kept saying, "We are on a Christmas hunt, mommy!"
It was a quiet, peaceful respite after the party and we enjoyed ourselves completely. After our walk, Bil had hot chocolate waiting for each of us, and the kids slurped it up while detailing our adventures to dad and grandma.
***Last night, we celebrated Charlotte's fourth birthday. She has been excited about her birthday for months and hasn't stopped talking about the butterfly cake that she wanted. I decided to let the kids help me decorate the butterfly and this was the result:
Would you like some cake with your sprinkles and frosting?


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Edna May Janzen
Edna May Janzen, 83, formerly of Scott City, passed away Oct. 20, 2012, at her residence. She was born July 14, 1929, near Marion, the daughter of Henry and Margaret Friesen Winter.
She was a graduate of Marion High School. On July 8, 1951, she was united in marriage to Norman L. Janzen. They were longtime residents of Scott City, where she served as Scott County Treasurer, being appointed by the governor in 1976 and elected in 1977.
She was a lifetime member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha. In 1971 and 1974, she was chosen Outstanding Girl in her chapter. In 1971, she was chosen as Outstanding Girl for her district. She was active in the Order of the Eastern Star for 36 years. She had an eye for detail and was a talented seamstress.
In 1980, the couple relocated to Andover. She worked for Koch Industries in accounts payable until retirement, completing 17.5 years of service to them.
Her husband Norman passed away Aug. 10, 1999. They shared 48 years together. She was also preceded by her parents and her siblings, Virgil Winter and Anna Belle Koons.
She is survived by her son, Terry Janzen of Andover; her daughter, Norma Hovater of Andover; a sister, Betty Reiswig of Grand Junction, Colo.; and two grandchildren, Jasen Hovater and Jeff Hovater, both of Andover.
Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, at Zeiner Funeral Home, Marion. Visitation will be held from 12:30 p.m. until service time. Interment will be in the Marion Cemetery.
A memorial fund has been established for St. Jude's Children's Research in care of Zeiner Funeral Home, 205 Elm, Marion, KS 66861.
Last modified Oct. 24, 2012


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Some 130 scluptures and masks from the African country Gabon are on view at this exceptional French museum.
For example, incredibly similar to Japanese nô masks, mukuyi masks (image at left) have been highly regarded by Western collectors since the beginning of the century. They are used in funeral ceremonies by dancers on stilts. The use of white kaolin pigment is associated with death.
"Mukuyi" Mask at the left


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In this handout image provided by Destination New South Wales, television personality Ellen DeGeneres (R) and partner Portia de Rossi* appear on stage during filming of her television show on a floating stage above Sydney Harbour on March 23, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. DeGeneres is in Australia to film segments for her TV show, 'Ellen' (Photo by James Morgan/Destination New South Wales via Getty Images)
*Yes, we spotlighted their surprisingly un-nauseating coupledom yesterday. But THIS. Especially Portia's dress! The Peter Pan collar! I can't.


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Last week was my birthday. As birthdays goes, it was fine. As they say, it's much better than the alternative.
It's interesting that when I talk about age with people from 30 to 70 years old, the standard refrain is, "I really don't FEEL any older than I did at XX", with XX being a number several years younger than they presently are. I know that I'm not the babe I used to be, but I still work lots of hours every week, take wonderful vacations when I can and overall enjoy life. Generally, if you asked me, I'd say that neither age nor RA have taken away much, if any, of my quality of life.
But birthdays have a way of making you stop and reflect.
It's true that I, like many newly diagnosed patients with RA, read everything and believe that we have a good chance of being disabled within five years — or at least being sidelined from many of the things we enjoy. That was obviously an incorrect prediction on my part, but when I stop to reflect on the things RA has brought to my life, it does make me reassess the impact RA has had.
I have a new hip, a new shoulder, screws in both arms, and a rod and screws in my spine. I'm expecting a new knee any day now. (When I die, they're not going to bury me, they're just going to turn me into a hardware store.) In addition I've had multiple rotator cuff and other shoulder surgeries, countless hours of physical therapy, and more prescription pills and injections than you can count. I have a wonderful litany of doctors and surgeons I didn't even know existed five years ago.
But I have to be thankful that in spite of (or more accurately, because of) all this medical hoopla, I'm still active, productive, and reasonably happy. If it weren't for caring doctors, medical science, and good insurance, the prediction of my health and well-being I made when I was first diagnosed would probably be true.
So when I blow out the candles and make a wish, I wish for good health and give thanks for the complex medical machine that has allowed me to keep as much health and lifestyle as I have.
I also wish that today brings you health and happiness as well. Thanks for checking in.


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Mori Girl11:30
Ive just fallen in love with blog Mori Girl after discovering it via Three Buttons . Its full of pretty fashion and inspiration based aroun...
Ive just fallen in love with blog Mori Girl after discovering it via Three Buttons. Its full of pretty fashion and inspiration based around the subculture of the Mori Girl.
The mori girls (森ガール) belong to a Japanese subculture. 'Mori' means forest in Japanese, and mori girls look like fairytale forest wanderers in their loose dresses, vintage prints and quaint accessories. Mori girls choose to live their lives on their own terms, stopping to appreciate the little things that others overlook amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.
27 comments
ooh, wow, this is so gorgeous! i love the description of the blog. i have to check it out!ReplyDelete
This is awesome.ReplyDelete
It reminds me of what I wanted to be when I was a little girl.
Peace Love && Lipstick
I admire their choice of life. it is too easy to get cought up in everythingReplyDelete
Mori girls sound absolutely adorable and lovely.ReplyDelete
Great blog, thanks for sharing. I've now added it to my reading list :)ReplyDelete
I'm stunned...this is totally perfect style! Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
These girls look so gorgeous!! And the clothes are stunning!ReplyDelete
Interesting, I've never head of this before.ReplyDelete
They look like fairies in city. amazing!ReplyDelete
Sounds really interesting.ReplyDelete
And I love the images, so delicate...
me fall in love too with the mori girls!ReplyDelete
it´s so cute!! I love it!! i mean... look at the butterfly in the first image!! i love such details!!ReplyDelete
Love the vintage look!ReplyDelete
I really like it too, I wish I could be a mori girl!ReplyDelete
Oh this blog is beautiful!! Thankyou for the introduction! I want to be a mori girl now xxReplyDelete
The best thing about a mori girl is her hair.ReplyDelete
Attractive picture of the girl.ReplyDelete
Make website india
Mori girls is a new subculture for me. Interesting indeed!ReplyDelete
Alsom the bunny sweater is absolutely gorgeous! The hair is delicious and the philosophy behind is ace.
Ohh, that´s some beautiful photos. So much inspiration!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous pics...I need to have those curls!! Yet again thanks for sharing your awesome finds! I often post new French labels and photographer sif you ever need some European inspiration :)ReplyDelete
when i was in japan i found the most amazing girls shops and they were filled with blue + cream + florals + beautiful brown leather bags and boots! they were my fave shops there and they were TOTALLY MORI GIRL shops!!! i never knew they had a name. how funny! love itReplyDelete
Look at her hair! It's so beautiful. :DReplyDelete
I wanna be a mori girl! XD
omg I LOVE this.ReplyDelete
This is so amazing! <3ReplyDelete
I had never heard of the Mori girl before, but i love them already! :)
That sweater with the bunny... PURE love.
- AnonymousSunday, May 09, 2010
I love this look...but I heard you'd have to have a pale complexion...and I do not have a pale complexion -_- more like a brown complexion...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousTuesday, April 05, 2011
That's not Mori, not at all, Mori is mostly about laying lace, and being more, foresty and down to earth. This is too preppy.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSaturday, November 19, 2011
mori girl forum :ReplyDelete


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Ta! Da! It's Done!!addams wrote:Yes.Sableagle wrote:Using a device which, while professionally designed and made and very sturdy and so on, is pretty much a jack on a skateboard.
That will very likely be the answer.
When it happens, I will let you know.
So very much easier than expected.
Her brake was Not locked up.
The smell came (i hope) from the MethHeads over there >>.
It was simply a matter of giving her battery a Jump.
Very E.R.ish. And; Fixing the nail hole in her tire.
Lucille! my noble little friend, Rides Again!