Does the Bible allow Christian women to have authority? Our patriarchal culture, our fathers and mothers, and our churches have often told us no. But what, in fact does the Bible say? Should we shrink back and silence ourselves, or does God allow us to break the silence? I tell a story in my Redbud post, and then I ask…
Though some might look at my life’s journey and consider it great, I am unfortunately more attuned to what I do not have than to what I have. Many times I would have traded my years of single adventures for a family, and my drivenness for a more relaxed life. Certain events I wish had never occurred, and other hoped-for…
Today I’m hosting Ann Duncan, a fabulous friend and current seminary student. She asks the question, “What is femininity?” and comes up with a non-boxy answer. Here’s her take. Every day I wake up to different voices on the tv, radio, ads online pulling me towards their style and type of woman, but what does it really mean to…
I did it again. I compared myself to her, and I lost. I lost big, and now I feel crappy. I innocently opened up a copy of the academic journal and saw that she just published another article. Rather than “Wow—I should read that,” my response was “She just had a baby, too—how did she have time to do another…
I’m standing in my yard, trying to figure out where to put a fire pit. I’ve walked the perimeter, surveyed the land, and I think I want it over by the fence, just beyond the shade of the pine tree. We probably won’t camp this summer, but if we can eat outside and cook some marshmallows over a fire, it…
“When I was a kid, I impressed the neighborhood boys with my ability to lift cinderblocks, climb trees, and run fast; I was strong. But when I played dolls, house, or school with the girls, it was never about demonstrating strength. Strength was domination, force, or power, not cooperation, design, or instruction. So I became a strong woman as defined…
On the first day of classes, I taught on memory—why it’s important and what it does to us and for us. Lately, I feel like I can’t remember anything—lack of sleep with a three-month-old and a toddler will do that to you. But I was reminded of the transformative power of my ten-year journal. It changes me, even when my…
The highlight of winter is Christmas, isn’t it? The anticipation of a beautiful holiday, great movies, Christmas lights, Christmas parties and food, Christmas music—everything helps us dream of a white Christmas and make the steadily dipping temperatures bearable. Even Thanksgiving in its turkey-laden glory makes us smile and ignore November’s shorter days, longer nights, naked trees, and frosty ground. Leaves…
When Wanda Velez, Wanda Walborn, and I met in the fall of 2010 to plan a rite of passage for spring, 2011, I didn’t even dream that Woman would grow to be a year-long process, produce a two journal articles and The Book of Womanhood, and form a strong community of 20 mentors, 83 alumnae, and 15 current participants. We started small! Women…
I don’t know about you, but I don’t much like waiting. I don’t like waiting in lines, so I shop on off-hours and avoid amusement parks. I don’t like waiting for the bread to rise, so I tend to bake it too soon—every time! I don’t like waiting for others, so I blaze ahead—often to my detriment. I especially don’t…