Leanne Shawler, Artist

Just kidding. Today's post is a list of links to good reads, starting with: Read this one post if you don't read anything else on this list: You're already so loved by Sarah Bessey, and then hold those words in your heart. Rachel Held Evans' series: "The Women of Holy Week" (and yes, I didn't read it until after Easter Day): Why the Women Matter The Woman At Bethany Anoints Jesus Mary's Heart is Pierced (Again) The Women Wait Mary Sees the Risen Lord Here are some other Eastery links about being present that really resonated with me: Love Yourself by Maria Kane at 50 Days of Fabulous Can I Get A Witness?? by Brian Cole at 50 Days of Fabulous was just funny (and so honest for this Episcopalian) Love, Light and Life by Mary Wright Baylor at 50 Days of Fabulous (this is a blog dedicated to continuing to reflect on and celebrate the Easter season) 10 Mantras to Help You Choose Love by Liz Lamoreux Why are We Unloving? at God i...

In April, I learned: 1) I learned how to make Matzah Crack, aka chocolate caramel/toffee crackers. waiting for the chocolate to harden caramel on top of matzah in the oven - got to watch it to make sure it doesn't burn I made two batches. You should too . (Recipe is from smitten kitchen .) I'm saving the final packet of Matzah for Pentecost, although there's still a ton of Matzah in my local grocery store. 2) I learned how to read a theological book . (which I kind of already knew, but still) 3) I learned that there are many awesome Passover parodies of "Uptown Funk" but no Christian ones (so I wrote one) 4) I learned that I love the color teal. 5) I learned that if you press down on the plastic thingy right by the blade of the paper cutter you get a straight line! (how long have I been using these things?!) 6) I learned how to play Apples to Apples and had the best fun ever! The standard and Biblical sets were mixed. For the category ...

ANZAC Day is an important day, lodged deep in the Australian psyche. It was a day where I don't do much beyond making ANZAC biscuits (cookies). My brothers and the other boy cousins went off to the dawn services with fathers and our grandfather and then go drink beer at the RSL (Retired Serviceman's League) afterward. It means a lot, not just to remember those who died for their country and ideals and those who made it home. For me personally, it illustrates the utter horrific waste of life. My grandfather survived WWII, which he never talked about. We never even knew that he'd been to San Diego until he met my then-soon-to-be-husband. I couldn't get home for his funeral, but I wrote something to be read and then I turned it into an art journal page. He was handsome, eh?

After announcing I was giving up other people’s approval for Lent, you might have noticed I didn’t do much blogging. Much was going on, much processing, and I thought I would unpack all that, but today, just a little bit and a looking ahead. Yesterday started the 50 Days of Easter. Easter is not just one day, but a season of rejoicing. And it’s more than that too, I’ve come to realize. I think as a child I intuitively knew this because I was that child who hoarded her Easter eggs until May. But Easter is not about hoarding. It’s not about ekeing out the chocolate , the love and grace given to us on that day two thousand years ago and every day since. It's an abundant gift that always is renewing. I spent Lent giving up people's approval for Lent. There were some spectacular failures in that, but without them, I would not have been open to realizing what comes next. It was the Maundy Thursday service, and Monica gave a sermon inspired by the Holy Spirit. It ...

Apparently, not seeking your approval means never posting on my blog. Actually, it means that it's been a super-busy month where if I'm not working I've been playing with art, thanks to LifeBook 2015, or busy with the lead-up to Holy Week/Easter as Chair of the Worship Ministry. Here are the stories, blog posts, and otherwise, that I've read over the past month or so and are worthy of keeping track of in some form (for me) and may be of interest to you. (Sad to say, I also lost a bunch when our WiFi went haywire.) A Prayer for Poverty and Hunger  at Episcopal Relief and Development But its Not About Race, Right? by Rachel Held Evans Becoming a Soul Minimalist by Emily Freeman at chatting at the sky How to Start Deeply Savoring Your Life by Shauna Niequist, guest posting at A Holy Experience Cultivate: Choosing Love and Humility over Rightness or When Resurrection is our Story by Micha Boyett The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered and Its Not ...

I am giving up your approval for Lent. To which my husband said, when I told him, "I approve of that." "Dear, you may support me and hold me accountable, but not approve." This realization came to me Ash Wednesday night, after I was unexpectedly enlisted to impose ashes at our combined Episcopal/Catholic service. not my handiwortk I was talking to my husband how this all came about and he declared I was "overthinking" which got me really mad. (So you know he was right.) And then I asked: did I read the prayers slow enough? Was the silence too short? Too long? Who IS this crazy person?!?! And that's when I realized that just when I thought I had the "needing others' approval" thing under control, I don't. It doesn't matter why it's back but let's just call it increased uncertainty. It's insidious this seeking of approval so this is going to be a tricky one.  Your mishegas is ...

Here's a selection of blog posts and articles that struck me this past month: A complicated peace by Sarah Bessey an hour long video called Keep the Church Weird by Rachel Held Evans St Joe's Unplugged at Acts 8 Moment.  Their learnings are very interesting 11 Things about the Episcopal Church by Ben Irwin and the sequel 4 Things I want for the Episcopal Church (I may have to start following this blog) Slouching Toward Shabbat by Abigail Pogrebin at 18 Holidays: 1 Wondering Jew Why I've Been Going to an Episcopal Church at Metamorphosis. I am enjoying and learning so much about my church by these newcomer points of view. on going to (an episcopal) church by Jonathan Martin After A Deal, British chocolates won't cross the pond at the New York Times . This is so so sad because Hershey's has the name but modified the recipe so it doesn't taste right! Modesty: I don't think it means what you think it means by Rachel Held Evans at Qideas . ...