You Dare Not Touch My Soul

I've been reading Ashley Judd's memoir, All That is Bitter and Sweet, and in it I have found somewhat of a kindred spirit. Having been a very sensitive child, Ashley grew up and took a real interest in the injustices of the world, especially during college when she joined various activist groups such as the NAACP and Amnesty International.  Ashley almost joined the Peace Corps before deciding to take a chance at an acting career.

Today Ashley travels all around the world as the YouthAIDS ambassador for Population Services International, raising public awareness for one of the most devastating human crises.  In her travels she has visited places like Cambodia where sex-trafficking is rampant.  She has sat, held, cried with, and listened to the stories of many women and children living in this unbelievable reality.  As I read these stories, I am overcome by the amazing grace that certain souls are given despite the most brutal and inhumane circumstances a life could possibly experience.

I wrote this in the voice of a girl whose voice has been taken away:

You can hit me
and hurt me
abuse me
and use me.


You can bend me
borrow me
break every bone.


You can kick me
and curse me
You can hate me
degrade me


But there is one thing you must leave alone.


You can strangle my neck
You can leave me a wreck
You can steal all my innocence
in your big, greedy hands


But there's one thing that you'll never own.


You can oppress me
suppress me
starve me
and chain me


But you cannot --
             you will not--
                            you dare not--
                                             touch my soul.

~A.L.G.   August 28th, 2011

Awakening Hour - Splendid Mornings

Isn't it a wonderful thing that there are mornings?  That every dark night ends with a dawn?  Much like storms, too.  The clear blue of this August sky and the still, crisp morning air make it difficult to remember that a hurricane just blew up the East Coast yesterday.  And yet, this is how life goes.

I bear witness to the dark nights and storms of those around me... a friend's painful divorce, the loss of another baby in utero, the crippling brought on by addiction, an unwanted diagnosis.  Some nights are so dark,  not even the moon or the stars can be seen; there is no light to brighten the way.  And yet... there comes the morning.

About a year ago, a friend gave me a little book called Seven Sacred Pauses.  It is written by Benedictine nun, author, and retreat guide, Macrina Wiederkehr, and with the risk of sounding cliche', it has changed my life.  Not in a huge, "a-ha!" sort of way.  But in an altering of routine sort of way.

The seven sacred hours that Macrina practices and invites me to do as well, are adopted from St. Benedict, the founder of western Monasticism, who established a patterned life of prayer and scripture-reading throughout certain hours of the day.  Many monastic communities still follow the Liturgy of the Hours, in one form or another.  But the roots of this practice go back even further in history, to the early Christian Church, and back to the Israelite Nation in the Old Testament, who prayed three times a day.

Macrina's little book is filled with poetry, prayers, Psalms, and quotes, and I have begun to adopt them into my daily routine as well.  I find when I take a few minutes, a "sacred pause," in the middle of my hurried days to mediate, I become re-centered.  I am reminded of my purpose or of the fact that I am loved or of the suffering of those walking through a dark night.

And so I wish to share my mediation on the Awakening Hour, the Morning Prayer (or Lauds),  It's themes are of praise, resurrection, and joy.  I find this very fitting, because sunrise reflects the attitude of the soul when it is coming out of a long, dark night.  It symbolizes that joy and hope can be found even after walking through the darkest, lonliest season of life.


As much as I have witnessed dark nights of the soul in my life or in another's, I have also witnessed the rising of light, of joy, of renewed energy and vision, purpose and healing.  I have laughed many times with my friend who was left by her husband with a broken heart.  I have noticed the resilience in another dear friend who is planning meals for a new mother, only days after a second miscarriage.  I have seen hope and strength resurface in a loved one fighting addiction.  And I have seen contentment engulf the one living with disease.


Ah, yes.  In the words of Anne of Green Gables, "Isn't it a splendid thing that there are mornings?"

Fair Trade Friday - Lunch Boxes

So it's back-to-school-shopping-time!  Last week, the kids and I took care of important business... hair cuts and new shoes.  While shopping at Old Navy, we came across some really cute, inexpensive backpacks with matching lunch boxes.  I hadn't yet decided if we were going to buy the kids new backpacks; after all, their Target-bought backpacks had held up pretty well last year.  Plus, I don't think it is necessary to buy a new backpack and lunch box every school year.  That wouldn't be kind to our wallets or to our earth or to the values of living simply that we are wanting to convey.  But they were so cute!  And the sale price!  Only $7 for the backpacks and $4 for the lunch box!  I caved.  Jaida quickly found the pattern she liked while Dylan declined (the boys' patterns were sort of boring).

Then we came home, and I showed the purchases to Jarred.  We discussed the back pack dilemma and decided our kids could use last year's backpacks another year.  Plus, I admitted, these Old Navy bags seemed cheaply made.  One backpack's strap was hanging on by three threads on the rack at Old Navy.  And above that, like most of the clothes we wear, how in the world could the makers of these bags in Vietnam be making a livable wage?  If Old Navy can afford to sell the bags so cheaply after paying all of their overhead and the cost of transporting them across the globe, they must have bought these bags for next-to-nothing from the Vietnamese manufacturer.


So I am planning to return the backpack and lunch box, much to my daughter's dismay.  However, the kids are still in need of lunch boxes.  (You can only spill milk and yogurt into a lunch box so many times, before its stench turns the stomach of its user.)  I decided to jump online to see if there aren't any eco-friendly or fair-traded lunch boxes out there.  Turns out there are many to choose from!  This was one of my favorites...

Photo Credit: Bazura.Biz

Aren't they cute?  They are called Bazura bags, and they are made by a women's co-op in the Philippines, using juice bags which otherwise would have been thrown by the wayside.  This is a brilliant concept as literally thousands of these juice bags are consumed daily in the Philippines.  But now this waste is being converted into a profitable business for women entrepreneurs.

Photo Credit: Bazura.Biz

Unlike many women living in developing countries who often work long hours in the fields or in sweat shops, these women work for themselves in fair conditions, contribute to their communities, and are part of a solution to reduce the trash in their country.

You must check out their other items, too--handbags, grocery bags, coin purses, and lots more!  Go to www.bazurabags.com 

Photo Credit: Bazura.Biz

Gag Me with a GPS

Do you ever feel suffocated by technology?  I do.  I remember when DVDs came out.  We were newlyweds and were invited over to another newly-wed couple's home to watch a movie on their new DVD player.  The guys were in ecstasy.  They couldn't get over the quality!  (I could barely notice a difference.)  Almost overnight, VHS videos and players became history.  I hated how there was this sudden pressure to "convert to DVDs".  It meant buying a DVD-player, exchanging a VHS collection for a DVD collection, and increases in movie rentals.  I resisted it with every fiber of my being, until I finally decided that the conversion was inevitable.  So for Christmas I bought my husband a DVD player, using my 20% employee discount at Sears.


I also resisted getting a cell phone.  You mean pay how many dollars a month so that you can be interrupted at any moment, even when you're enjoying a long, quiet drive?  But after having two young children and watching pay phones fade into oblivion and almost getting lost one night on back country roads, it seemed like a wise investment.  So in 2005, Jarred bought me a cell phone for Christmas. 

Then it was laptops.  Then the GPS.  Then iPods.  Then Nintendo Wii.  Now iPhones.  Does anyone feel like screaming?!  Don't get me wrong.  There is plenty I absolutely love about technology.  The internet is the most amazing resource, and I love keeping up with family and friends on Facebook.  I'm enjoying the blogging world.  It's great to have a cell phone to call AAA when I have car trouble, to let a friend know I'm sitting in traffic, to catch up with my mom while on that long, quiet drive.  (Did I just admit that?  ...I don't text while driving!)  And texting is a very efficient means of communication when you don't have time for a long conversation.  The verdict on the GPS is still out for me.  That little box has led me astray more than a few times.

But with most wonderful things in life, there are also downsides.  (And here is where the ranting begins...)  I begin with the iPhone.  All I can say is that the thing is lucky to still be "alive."  It's so darn disruptive with its beeps and buzzing, alerting its user whenever a text comes through or a reminder alarm goes off.  And it's a constant temptation to "get connected," as if you are a poor lonely soul on a deserted island without internet connection.  And have you seen the couples out on a "date" at a nice restaurant, sitting across from each other, staring lovingly into.... the screen of their iPhones?!  Gag me!

Then there is the money thing.  Why is it that everyone has to upgrade every year?  These electronic industries are pretty smart and a whole lot greedy.  Every new gadget quickly becomes passe', and every gadget that replaces it comes with new accessories... chargers, ear buds, remotes, payment plans.  Can you hear the "cha-ching! cha-ching! cha-ching!"?

Probably my greatest complaint has to do with the time and attention theft that electronics bring along with their packages.  How many nights have I stayed up way past my bedtime being sucked into facebook alerts, only to experience the consequences the next day of being tired and grumpy?  And how often have we argued with our son over how much time he can spend in front of a screen or what he's allowed to watch in front of that screen?  And how many conversations have been interrupted by a cell phone ring?  And how many important moments have we missed with our children because Jarred and I are "just finishing up an email"? 

I certainly don't have the answers on what is a balanced use of the wonderful world of electronics.  I do know that I have sometimes longed to unplug it all and move to an intentional community which is intentional about avoiding an overuse of technology.  But I think intentionality is what is important when discussing electronic use.  My husband and I have sat down on many occasion to discuss what boundaries we will put on our children's use.  We've had discussions with one another about our expectations of the other's use. But I think we could do even better.  It's easy to look around and say, "Well, everyone else has this gadget or that cable plan; I guess we need it, too."  We can't forget to count the cost of constant connection, constant stimulation, constant conversion to the latest and the greatest.  I believe all this comes with a really high cost, and one that needs evaluated from time to time.

Celebrate Stories, Celebrate Women

Who doesn't love a good story?  Stories cut to the heart.  Stories bring tears and laughter.  Stories are powerful, much more powerful than facts and figures.  I love stories!  Especially true, real-life ones.  I came across these stories this morning and wanted to sing them from the rooftops.  

(Photo by Amy Conner, World Vision)

Two very good bloggers and story-tellers recently visited Bolivia to see what World Vision is up to in that country.  In "Eshet Chayil!" -Six Bolivian Women of Valor Rachel Held Evans celebrates the lives of six Bolivian women.  And in Chauvinism is Alive and Well, and Not Just in Bolivia, Joy shares about the empowerment women are experiencing through World Vision's programs.  You've got to hear these stories!  (And by all means, please feel free to sing from your rooftops, too!)

Slow Down

Slow down, O Wearied Soul.
Slow down and rest awhile.
Breathe deep.  Breathe slow.
And don't forget to listen.

For though your ears hear many sounds,
your soul longs to listen to
the sounds of Silence.

And when you listen to the silence...
listen long, listen deeply...
for it is then when you will hear
the melodies of truth,
softly sung,
perhaps only whispered,
into your depths.

Slow down, O Wearied Soul.
Slow down long enough to listen
to the Silence.

Suburban Church "Explores!" Asia

Sometimes I get a little squirmy when I see VBS (Vacation Bible School) signs outside the front of a church.  And in our area, there are plenty of churches and plenty that offer VBS to their local communities.  I get a little squirmy because I've helped with a few of these in the past, and I've come to feel a little skeptical about them.  My experience with VBS programs is that they tend to be a little cheesy while trying to cram a ton of excitement into kids with the hope that they will see how fun God is and how awful hell is and will be able to make some theological claims that will ensure them life-in-heaven-with-God-forever (or at least will memorize a few Bible verses).  I'm just not convinced that a one-week cram course about Jesus is the best way for kids to make thoughtful decisions about how to relate to their Creator or what to make of the afterlife.  Of course, I am generalizing here and speaking from my own prejudice.  There are surely some rocking, cool VBS programs out there doing some wonderful good.  Let's hope so!


Anyway... enough of my deconstructing of Vacation Bible Schools.  What I really wanted to share about was a VBS (we call it Explore!) which happened last week with my community of faith, Koinos.  This one I really was excited about!  And quite proud to invite friends to. I'm privileged to know some very talented and creative people who put tons of energy into making Explore! an exciting, and hopefully meaningful, experience for kids last week.

So what made this VBS unique?  Well... for starters... we didn't put an emphasis on kids having to make any decisions at the end of the week.  Yes, there were stories about Jesus and God's love for the world, but the stories were told in a way to invite wonder and curiosity and inspiration, not in a let-me-tell-you-how-this-all-works sort of way.

  Moreover, the theme was anything but cheesy.  We explored Asia!  Each night the kids learned about a different country's culture... from Thailand to Nepal to China. They tasted cultural snacks--naan bread from India and rice pudding from Bangladesh--and drank a different kind of tea each night.  They played a marble game from Japan and raced on coconut shells like kids in Bangladesh like to do. They made head rings and carried baskets on their heads like Nepali children.

They learned about kids who work in sweatshops and the importance of education.  They learned about the problem of waste and the importance of caring for the earth.  They learned about the earthquake in Japan and had the opportunity to raise money and stencil messages on a quilt that will be given to victims of the earthquake through MCC.  And most importantly, I would like to believe that they went away with a taste of God's love for the wonderfully diverse and beautiful people in this great big world in which we live.


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