Simpleigh

Reading: Exodus 1 “So, do you have any kids?”  I get this question a lot. I don’t know if it’s my age, my gender, or the dark circles under my eyes, but people seem to think I could be a Mom. I don’t mind the question, really. It’s usually parents asking, and I get the sense that it’s more a question of solidary ala, "Are you in the trenches too? Have you fought in the toddler wars?” But, as of now, the answer for us is still “no.” That being said, it seems like everyone we know is having babies. Adulthood, I’ve learned, unfolds in a series of waves. First the marriages, then the jobs, then the babies… Now that close friends are having kids, I am forced to hear the nitty gritty details of what it’s like to be pregnant and give birth. No offense Moms, but it’s the stuff of nightmares. I'm convinced that the greatest thing our Mom’s do for us is pretending that having us was no big deal; pleasant even. They should give out academy award for those theatrics. But...

"What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. My life depends on engaging the most ordinary physical activities with the most exquisite attention I can give them. My life depends on ignoring all touted distinctions between the secular and the sacred, the physical and the spiritual, the body and the soul. What is saving my life now is becoming more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world. ” ― Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith On the eve of a new year I am tempted to spend my energies looking forward. But there is another voice in my head that wants me to stop and reflect on the year that has just past, to do - what the Ignatian tradition refers to as- an Examen. The Examen prayer, usually done daily or weekly, is a contemplative practices that invites  you to look at the moments of your life th...

I was tagged in the comment section of this post by a family member. I do not know the person who wrote it, but I have interacted with them on Facebook. The last time I conversed with this person, they told me that victims of sexual assault are culpable for the crimes committed against them. That if they were assaulted it is because "they were asking for it." I cannot begin to unpack the ignorance and cruelty of this comment... It's easy to say call this ignorant, hateful, Islamophobic garbage. And it is. But I think the family member who wanted me to read it did so because they are fearful. They want people (white Christian people) to be aware and do whatever it takes to eliminate what they see as a threat. Us against Them. Inside vs Outsider. Of course, if they thought through the implications of what is being said here, they might very well (and rightly) distance themselves from it. For instance, to support this person's conclusions, one must make the f...

"Clearly you are letting your politics affect your feelings." It's true, politics affects my feelings. Why? Because I am a human being. Because how you vote, what your elected representative says and does, affects REAL people. It affects their lives, their futures, their children's futures. Leaders shape culture. They can shape a culture of hate and intolerance. Or, they can create a culture of equality and acceptance. And REAL people have to live and work and raise families in the cultures they create. Policies shape opportunity. They can limit and deny access to resources. Or, they can build up, open up, and widen circles of care. And REAL people have to navigate how these policies will impact their well being. Your politics, my politics,  make a difference for REAL people in every day kinds of ways. And I just happen to know some real people. They are my friends peers mentors family patients neighbors fellow citizens. "Politics"...

I want to talk about health care. Let me just admit upfront that there is a lot I don't know or understand about the health care debate in our country. I am no expert on the subject of reform, and you would be wise to look for insights beyond this blog before forming any sort of hard and fast opinions. I do, however, know what it is like to go years without having health insurance. I know what it is like to watch friends and family members be denied work and/or health coverage because of a pre-existing condition.. And I have seen numerous people from every walk of life suffer immense emotional and physical pain because of our current system. So let's talk, shall we? I was six years old the first time I understood a) what health insurance is, and b) that our system is broken. But to understand that story, you'd first have to know that three years before I was born my Dad lost his vision due to medical malpractice. This incident, which I have neither the time nor the ener...

This sermon was delivered to Cleveland Park Congregational Church of Christ in Washington, DC on Palm Sunday (3/25/18). Listen to the audio recording  here.  Scripture Passages:  Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Mark 11:1-11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I’m excited for the opportunity to share some thoughts with you this morning, but you will have to excuse me if seem a little tired... You see, yesterday myself and a dozen-or-so members from our church took part in the March For Our Lives – a nationwide demonstration calling for an end to gun violence via comprehensive gun control measures. The march was planned by students from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, where less than two months ago a former student carried out a mass shooting, killing 17 people. Like you I was shocked and heartbroken by this tragedy. More innocent people – children- murdered in their classrooms. A...