I wanted to share my most recent post on Feminism and Religion on staying, going, and how both are sacred. Read More
Blog
Congrats, Mom! Now, Back to Work
In light of last night's Presidential debate, which among many topics covered the issue of paid family leave, I'm sharing my recent article in Sojourners magazine on how the church can become a pro-family place by leading in this area. LAST NOVEMBER, when my daughter turned 2 weeks old, I returned to full-time work. Five days after her birth I Read More
Relaxation as a Spiritual Discipline
I have a productivity obsession. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it an addiction, though in describing to a friend how euphoric it feels to check off a bunch of to-dos, he said, “You kind of sound like a junkie.” He may be right. Up until a year ago I didn’t think I had a problem. When I heard experts talk about self-care and meditation and “me” Read More
Power, Abuse, and the Duggars: Part Three
I didn't set out with the intention of writing a third blog post about the Duggars (see posts one and two), but after the most recent news about Josh's accounts on Ashley Madison, a website for--let's just call it what it is--adultery, I feel compelled to. Just like I have no interest in shaming Bristol Palin for her second pregnancy, I needn't Read More
Why I’m Not Watching
I'm grateful to Feminism and Religion for allowing me to guest post today on the decision not to watch--and what I've gained by doing so. Read More
Tips for Advocates Who Hate the Phone
I hate talking on the phone. Specifically, I really hate the act of calling people. Will the person pick up? What if I repeat my name several times and they still don't understand me? Am I calling at a bad time? I'm not sure why something this innocuous causes me such anxiety, but I'm not alone. Sometimes I wonder if technology like texting and Read More
Is Breast Best or Beast?
August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week with a focus on supporting women who are working and breastfeeding. Learn more at worldbreastfeedingweek.org. Like many aspects of motherhood, breastfeeding is simultaneously put on a pedestal and devalued. On the one hand breastfeeding proponents, more fondly known as "lactivists," can get quite Read More
Have I Lost My Faith?
Someone asked me out of the blue if I'd lost my faith in Jesus. Context is key to making some sense of this, but the circumstances of this conversation are too bizarre and complicated for me to recount. I could choose to take this opportunity to give an after the fact, impassioned reply to the inquiry, but I would just be acting out of Read More
The Heavy Lift of Marriage
"I cannot work up here!" I cried to my husband. We were standing in what I refer to as our dumping ground: the bonus room which simultaneously serves as a workshop, a workout room, a recording studio, and a holder of rarely used household items. It was about to become my office, too. We'd just reconfigured our home to make room for the nursery, Read More
Embracing the Truth about My Pregnancy
This post originally appeared on The Good Mother Project. I am a truth teller. Secrets generally aren’t my thing. But when I got pregnant, suddenly I was keeping a lot of them. Pregnancy was hard on me. No, I didn’t have debilitating nausea most of the time or require bed rest like some endure. I did have sharp rib pain and carpal tunnel. But Read More