Porch #140 👒 Bits & Pieces
my sister & I don't agree + Phil Yancey, Karen Swallow Prior, the irritation of therapy speak, God as Mother, & our friend hits Newsweek.
I love reading out loud to you. Click that little blue arrow & I’ll keep you company as you fold a load of laundry or make a cup of coffee. If you can get past my Jersey Girl/New York-ish accent & a glitch or two along the way, maybe you’ll enjoy.
Welcome back to PORCH
A Christ-Centered Weekend Newsletter
gentle conversation Â
calming snapshots
uplifting linkage
occasional surprises
Happy weekend to you, dear friends ~
The sun is shining, the pollen is falling from the trees like rain, and all is right with the world. We’re flipping the calendar this weekend and a quick glance tells us we better get our act together because each day ahead has something scrawled (in pencil) that’ll require our attention or attendance or remembrance.
If you thought May was crazy-packed, here comes June!
My sister and I are as different as night and day and one thing we don’t agree on are the logistics in readying ourselves for family get-togethers. I think you’ll enjoy our good-natured conversation as she responds to my eight essential sanity-savers in My Sister & I Don’t See Eye-to-Eye on Family Gatherings.
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Widely acclaimed, respected writer Philip Yancey talks about the decline in church attendance and articulates three viable approaches to reversing this disturbing trend in The Future of the Church.
BTW, if you haven’t read his memoir, When the Light Fell: A Memoir, put this title right at the top of your summer TBR list. This unsettling powerhouse of a saga will enlarge and enrich everything you've gleaned from his work over the decades (or introduce you to a thought-provoking observer of Christian culture). There are no words to fully describe this heart-wrenching memoir which the author says took many years to write. As you read, you'll understand why. Â
It’s one of my favorite bios of all time. And the Kindle edition is only $4.99 even as we speak. Really.
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If you’re a writer and long to publish your work, revered author and professor Karen Swallow Prior shares some sobering news in Part 3: Platform, Publishing and Perspective. This is yet one more reason why so many talented writers are stampeding to Substack where they can cultivate a following of like-minded readers and potential paying subscribers.
* Side note to avoid any confusion - No, I don’t view myself as a talented writer and everything I have to offer here at Grace & Space will always come to you at no charge.
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Be Quick to Listen, Slow to ‘Therapy Speak’ is a needed caution that addresses our propensity to casually toss around loaded words in ways that are inaccurate, disrespectful, and potentially harmful to relationships.
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There is some (often strident and edgy) debate out there about viewing God as Mother. Barbara Lee Harper lends her gentle, biblical wisdom to this intriguing subject as she reminds us that God is uniquely holy as Spirit and does not fit into our easy-to-file human categories. Read her thoughtful God’s Love Compared to a Mother’s.
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Long time readers and fans of the comment section will be delighted to see our resident poet Andrew Budek-Schmeisser and his service dogs Peanut and Belle featured in this Newsweek post - Man Adopts Great Dane From Shelter, Day Later the Dog Saves His Life.
I leave you with this winsome weekend benediction from the pen of Sarah Bessey -
’Protect the part of you that still believes in faithfulness and your grandmother’s recipes and the art of listening and the songs you still hum when you’re sleepy. Become disabused of any illusions of your own perfection, it will help you deal more gently with, well, all of us … Double the cookie recipe. Learn how to bless that which has been disgraced: your desire, your hunger, your shame, your sickness, your stubborn belief, your absence of answers. Decide that God so loves this tragedy of a world and that’s enough incentive for you to keep trying.’
Amen and amen.
Linda
I appreciate all of you who support my work! Simply click on an Amazon link on any post & then shop 'til you drop & that's it. A few cents go into my pocket at no extra cost to you ever.
Hey Linda, stopping by for a virtual cuppa with you on your porch. I listened to you today. You have such a soothing voice. I read the article about Andrew. Thanks' for the link to do so.
Thanks' bunches for sharing Porch #140 with Sweet Tea & Friend's June link-up sweet friend.
I can relate to the differences with your sister when it comes to family gatherings. My sister and I are polar opposites in planning these events.
And how exciting to see Andrew and his service dogs featured in Newsweek! His poetry has always been a highlight in your comment section, and this story about Peanut and Belle is heartwarming.
Hugs and blessings, Linda