A few friends in my circle have remained what I will term tier-two friends. Although we are more than acquaintances, they’ve never made it to the third level because–quite honestly–they barely share any of their heart. Despite my attempts, there’s no vulnerability or soul connection. As a person who hates small talk–talk about exhausting–I used […]
Sold
Fourteen-year-old Aria had a fight with her mother. Frustrated and angry, she packed a backpack and walked to the nearest train station under the cover of darkness. While there, she encountered a couple of men who tricked her and took her to the red-light district–predator over prey. Once her phone and ID were taken and […]
Close Calls: The Fragile Life
A few days ago I was tending to our family garden, weeding and watering, and I noticed two things. The new shoots of plant life–the kind that actually produce fruit for the body–were easily destroyed. And yet,
Yes, Fathers Matter
I grew up during the era of dumb-father shows: Step by Step, Home Improvement, and later, Everybody Loves Raymond. Although other shows like Full House featured a motherless home, it took three quirky men to take the place of raising the daughters. Most of the time, the dads were seen as ignorant and lost–hopeless cavemen. […]
Hi, I’m Kimberly and I’m black
Kathleen Kelly mocks: “Hi, my name’s Joe. As if you were one of the stupid 22-year-old girls with no last name. ‘Hi, I’m Kimberly.’ ‘Hi, I’m Janice.’ Don’t they know you’re supposed to have a last name. It’s like they’re an entire generation of cocktail waitresses.”Joe Fox: Look. I am not a 22-year-old cocktail waitress.Kathleen: […]
Useless or Useful
Back in the 90’s, when my dad was pastoring, our church often did dramas to illustrate a message. One script we acted out involved Matthew 5:13-16 where Jesus talks about His followers being the salt and light of the world. Each “character” had a light (a lantern of some type) that they carried with them. […]
The Path of my Scars: Disappointment to Hope
Twenty-six years ago, I found myself in the ER with a ruptured appendix, which is scary in and of itself. But what was more alarming was that the ER doctor didn’t know that my appendix had ruptured. He wanted to send me home. He didn’t know why I was screaming in pain (even speculated that […]
Stepping into the Fog
Thirteen years ago this month, I woke up in a hotel room alone, unemployed, unsure, and frustrated. The toilet didn’t flush properly (yes, it overflowed) and the hot water had been shut off (no shower for you). My husband had gotten up before the sun so that he could plow roads of ice and snow […]
Finding the Oasis
Everyone knows what an oasis is (we picture lush palms and fruit and aqua waters), but do you know what makes it especially restorative and beautiful is that it’s found in arid places. In other words, the oasis is defined as such because it’s surrounded by the contrasting dry desert. We too, like sojourners in […]
Unraveling Depression’s Patterns
In a recent Hallmark movie, carefree and confident Annie asked the main character Harold to look in the mirror and state 5 things that he liked about himself. Awkwardly and with some embarrassment, he couldn’t come up with one. His response scared his “life coach” so that she started addressing his lack of self-confidence. Now, […]