We talk about the things that are important to us, or we talk about the things that are completely unimportant…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 17: My Good People
“How it was possible that I was both a ‘good person’ and utterly clueless.” It’s possible because being “good” does…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 16: Logos and Stereotypes
“The monumental cognitive task of processing the millions of pieces of information that flood us daily requires that we sort…
A Reminder: Welcome to Our Muslim Neighbors
Note: I first wrote this when I was asked to give the community welcome to the Muslim community in our…
The Whisper of the Wind Without Words
My goodness, how deeply this spoke to me this morning: “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am…
Enough
If you don’t know by know I’m a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, then I’ve done a damned poor…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 15: The Whole Story
“One of the most powerful tools of racism is stories.” More broadly, all history is stories, sometimes told in a…
When the Past Tries to Reclaim the Present
Last night the hemlock tried to nail the house again. This time it failed. We live in an area that…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 14: ZAP!
The fact that the playing field is not level means that life experiences are not merely different, but unequal and…
Lenten Lament 4 #Lent2019
A reminder that toxicity and destruction are directed against many of the beloved. A reminder that we all must continue…
Housekeeping and Security
Something new has happened… I know I’m late to the game, but the site is now protected by SSL—you can…
#Waking Up White Chapter 13: Invisibility
“We were pushed hard to be cognizant of what we did and did not notice. And most importantly, why?” This…
Hope
“Hope always breaks my heart. And yet hope always restores my soul.” One of the difficulties of any endeavor is…
Lenten Lamentations
I don’t usually participate in Lent, the season marking the weeks before Jesus’ last days. It’s kinda “churchy” and I…
Getting From A to B
It was a hard day today. I spent much of it reflecting upon the journey and upon my words and…
Words and Deeds
This is short today, and a freebie: it matters that we use words. It matters that we listen to what…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 12: Icebergs
“One of the breakthroughs I had … was understanding the degree to which I tend to align what I see…
Guest link – #SeminaryWhileBlack
This is a link to a blog I follow—The Won Percent—and I want to note, upfront, that I am not…
Green Books, Black Lives, and White History
I’m reading some interesting responses to “The Green Book,” which, if you have been in a cave in Thailand for…
When Home Is Gone
I’m seeing something recently that is new to my vision, and that is the homeless. Yes, of course I mean…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 11: Headwinds and Tailwinds
“Skin color itself is not the barrier; it’s the beliefs attached to it. And beliefs, compared to birth dates or…
To Wrestle with the Angel
Today I participated in a hands-on seminar led by James Whitfield, CEO of the Leadership Eastside organization. We went through…
Entertainment Matters
We usher at the local theatre about once a month for live productions. It’s our “date night,” and we generally…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 10: The Melting Pot
“The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to being a melting-pot society adhering to Anglo-Saxon standards, as opposed to a…
To Study Portuguese
When I was younger (well, any day in the past is when I was younger, but stay with me here),…
#WakingUpWhite Chapter 9: White Superiority
[Edited 2/23/2019 A point of clarification on this post: the indented portions are quotes from the book by Debby Irving,…
Prayer to Persephone
Today’s post is just poetry, this time from the sublime Edna St. Vincent Millay: Prayer to Persephone by Edna St.…