February SunFun
Praises and Prayers
February was full of snow and ice, and also snuggles and laughter. Sofia overcame some friend challenges, and continues to do well at student counsel. She just joined “Girls on the Run” club after school, and will run her 3rd 5k in May. Jessica is working on overcoming the difficult new chords she is learning on the Ukulele, and is drawing more and more. They both are reading through the “Keeper of the Lost Cities” books. We celebrated two weekends of Valentine’s Day: one as a family, and one just Caid and I: both were lovely. Lent has begun, and I hope you will check out our World Renewal “Lift for Lent” that I worked really hard on, and am proud of.
Caid has been doing great teaching, and we are super excited that our friend (and home Bible study leader) Isaac is engaged! Caid also figured out why his tooth has given him such trouble: a weird small crack killed the root and now he is waiting for his tooth extraction appointment, after two rounds of antibiotics for the infection and a lot of pain. Amazing how something so small can cause so much trouble! I have enjoyed a full month of creativity (loved getting to share about Black History Month!) and reading and watching the snow out the window, but staying warm under the covers.
Interweb Reads
Me stuff: Fergie and Living Stones finances (As well as 2025 updates of each of the Living Stones locations), Quotes from A Just Mission, Don’t Let Nobody Turn you Around, The Liturgy of Politics, and The LifeGiving Home. For Black History Month, I wrote Why Celebrate? And from my devotions, I put together Calling for Justice. Lastly, I really worked/struggled through ideas about culture in my 5 part culture study (that I am not sure exactly how I will be using, but for now, it is blog posts): What Is Culture?, Geography in Culture, History of American Culture, Religion in Culture, and Is being Anti-multicultural Racist?
Missionary Stuff: You were never meant to break alone and Did I waste my life in Missions? and Sparking an Interest in Missions in MKs and How do I help a missionary kid who is hurting herself? and the Sacred Keeping of Places we will Leave (A Life Overseas), Eating my own words (Rachel Peih Jones)
Immigration stuff: The government that invited them could now imprison them , and What are we doing to these children? and Ten things Democrats want from ICE (and why you should read them yourself) and Defund ICE? Let’s talk about what’s actually happening and Warehouses are not for people to live in (Brittani Farrington Neighbor Notes)
Political things: How do I talk with my kids about Trump? (Meredith Miller) Jeffrey Epstein and the myth of Culture Wars (Christianity Today), I was radicalized by the abortion issue. It’s made me stand up for anyone who is dehumanized (Religion News Service)
Other things: Soggy Bottoms and Sagging Middles (Rachel Pieh Jones), Living with the Ache (Kate Bowler), the 10 Commandments of Talking about the Bible with kids (Meredith Miller)