the sixty-fifth formica friday

Taking part in "Who needs feminism?" week on campus, this was my sign.

On my mind ...

Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.

--- Mary Oliver

Moments:

• saying yes to the wind in the door
• the rhythm of Thursdays, of showing up, of dinner, laughter, grace
• getting to drink coffee and eat chocolate again (a Lenten fail and explanation of change is coming soon)
• applying to schools where I could teach books like the Commedia and The Handmaid's Tale and could assign Job and the Gospel of St. John as literature
• opening the eCourse I have wanted to teach for so long, my heart bursts
• having new direction with books, with a wonderful agent and a clear way forward
• good friends, on and offline, and the endless circle of days which they fill to bursting with love

The best I read this week:

• "Here’s the deal. I don’t think that Jesus has a whole lot to do with it. Mostly, we just don’t like that the person or the ideology that we associate with is under attack. Or sometimes even just questioned. It feels a lot like WE are being scrutinized." from Don’t upset Jesus! by Alise

• "And with those words, my life and my marriage were dramatically changed. Only God has the authority to tell you who you are. I stopped giving my husband authority over who I am." from How Not Giving My Husband Authority Over Me Makes Our Marriage Better by Sarah Mae

• "False authority misappropriates power for itself, but healthy authority empowers the voices of its people to seek justice, use discernment, find truth, embrace justice, bring healing." from I Am Done with Being Quiet. by Bethany

• "I’m just a proud biracial chick tryin’ to figure out how to the Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind & strength doing justice, loving mercy & walk humbly with my God. That’s the only label I’ll allow you to assign me. This is what I can wrap my head around: justice. Mercy. Humility. Love. Advocacy." from Why I Respectfully Decline Feminism by Grace

• "I stopped telling the stories of my most resilient kids, because I realized that people were getting the impression that because some of the kids were rising above their circumstances, it was okay to blame the rest for not being able to do the same." from Why I Stopped Telling by Abby Norman

• "I’m pretty sure that part of the reason why I write in my weird made-up genre of narrative theology is because I’m wanting to tell a bigger and greater story of our Father’s love for us. I am so tired of colour-coded charts and three-point arguments, marriage manuals and narrow boxes of parenting rules. I want a bit more fresh air than that, and the story of Jesus is my very favourite." from In which my Mum told me stories by Sarah Bessey (full name)

• "Because like I said, these things matter, and with the humility, tenderness, care, and whole-hearted truth-seeking I have witnessed in my blogroll, I think these things can matter and manifest in a holy and faithful way, to lead us to the good work that needs to be done." from this online thing [or why i am still here, with you]. by Antonia

• "I’m a Christian.  And until the day when the world automatically understands that to mean that I believe in the full humanity and personhood of both men and women, you can also call me a feminist." from The F-Word: Why Feminism Is Not the Enemy by Amy Lepine Peterson

Share with me: what was your best post this week, or whom did you read that I didn't?