Child (frustrated with my insistence that they not kick the walls): Do you OWN this church or something???
Me: this week, I do.
Child (bewildered): Who owns it next week?

I spent the week shuffling 75-some-odd children and 30-some-odd adults around our church building during Vacation Bible Club.  It was awesome. It was exciting. It was exhausting.

I’ll be picking the bits of whipped cream out of my hair for the next six months at least.

Throughout it all I was reminded that you really can kill them with kindness:

J (a 4th grader, upon seeing me walk around the corner):
OH NO! It’s Megan again!

Me: Nice to see you J, I’m so glad you’re here tonight.

J: (gives me a look) Naw…I don’t think you underSTOOD me right, I said “Oh no! It’s Megan!” Like, that Megan who rides your back when you tryin to do stuff.

Me: And I said, nice to see you, I’m glad you’re here.

J: (shakes head and walks away)

And that promises of being able to smash pies in pastor’s faces are better behavior motivators than the threat of being sent home.

In the midst of it all…these small bits of beauty and depth and conviction.

I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

grace and peace,
Megan

The Great Wall of Texas: How The U.S. is Repeating One of History’s Greatest Blunders
“The real dilemma for American growth is not ignorance about good economics, but the quagmire of bad politics. Simple-minded protectionism in terms of trade or migration is being exploited by populists in both major parties. What our leaders need to understand is that the only existential threat facing America is not embodied by barbarians at the gates, but by American isolationism.”

Beyond George Zimmerman: We Need to Be Talking About Black-on-Black Crime
“As I’ve said many times during this case, Americans, especially black Americans, have come to accept blacks killing other blacks as normal.”

Momastory: Tara 
“I sat up straight with my hands clasped in my lap, nervous sweat dripping down my back, as the three men explained things to me behind the closed office door. ‘If we choose to offer you admittance, and should you in turn choose to come to our Christian college, you won’t be allowed to date any of the boys on campus.’  I looked around and wished I had not come alone. I said nothing and stared down at my silver cross ring, sitting on my wedding ring finger. ‘We will have a big problem on our hands if one of these Christian boys goes home to tell his parents that he is dating a divorced, single mother. That is not going to be okay.’ Their words burned.”

(and through the Momastory, I found Tara and the wealth of explosive, uncomfortable, beautiful things she writes about here, but this one was my favorite)

Working for Justice in Adoption
“As followers of Jesus, if we are to pronounce just judgment, we’re going to have to be willing to examine some uncomfortable things and be less fearful of things we don’t understand. As followers of Jesus if we are to be guardians of the poor and afflicted, we’re going to have to ask harder questions and do more research.  As followers of Jesus we should all want to complete adoptions where at the end we can say that the rights of the poor were maintained.”

Everyone’s a Biblical Literalist Until You Bring Up Gluttony
“After all, when God became flesh and lived among us, the religious accused him of hanging out with ‘sinners’ (even gluttons!) never realizing that this was the whole point, that there were only ‘sinners’ to hang out with.”

Child Miners Face Death for Tech
“Minerals extracted by children in the DRC include coltan, cobalt, and copper, among others. Coltan, a mineral of which the DRC has 64% of the world’s reserves, is a fundamental material in the fabrication of modern electronics because of its ability to hold high electric charges. And cobalt is used to produce rechargeable batteries for hybrid electric vehicles, laptops and cell phones.

Many children that I interviewed did not know the final purpose and destination of the minerals they extract.”

What Would Happen if the Church Tithed?
“…what would happen if believers were to increase their giving to a minimum of, let’s say, 10 percent. There would be an additional $165 billion for churches to use and distribute. The global impact would be phenomenal.”

Carolyn’s Reflections: Standing Up to Spiritual Abusers
“I fear that much of what women are absorbing in women’s ministries and Bible studies contributes to these vulnerabilities and is insufficient to fuel the kind of courage and strength we need at the first flicker of abuse.”

Also of note, my daughter’s hair is now long enough for the cutest little stub-tails you’ll ever see.

Happy weekending!