Backseat Parenting

Two cases in the news in our region:

1. A Wisconsin mom, Leilani Neumann, convicted of murder because she did not seek medical attention for her ill 11 year old daughter and her daughter died. She tried to heal the girl with prayer.

2. A Minnesota mom, Colleen Hauser, is on the run to prevent court-ordered chemotherapy for her 13 year old son. She claims she wishes to treat his cancer with natural therapies for religious reasons.

It sure is easy to quarterback from the armchair. Or drive from the backseat.

I wonder what Mrs. Neumann would say to Mrs. Hauser? Probably keep running...

Update (5/26): Mrs. Hauser has had a change of heart: Parents agree to chem for boy who fled

Means of Grace

A nice post on communion at Pr. McCracken's website Kyrie Eleison: "What we take for granted - what is granted without merit"

The Methodist church I grew up in was "old school" liturgical. When I left the nest I discovered it was probably one of the last such Methodist churches on earth. Too bad.

The Shack - a very brief book review

I liked it.

The theology isn't Lutheran but if you think of the shack (the building in the book) as a metaphor for the cross, it is sort of Lutheran.

Theology issues aside (since it is fiction) I found the story thought-provoking. The writing isn't exceptional and the dialogue is often painfully awkward, but the story is overall inspirational.

Lessons Learned

I've been thinking about what is different in my life now that I am a Working Outside the Home Mom (WOHM). Stuff I've learned, observations I've made etc etc.

1. The only difference in housework: no lunch dishes. Otherwise, I have just as much housework to do in waaaaaay less time.
2. Daycare is not as bad as I thought, nor is it as good as the centers advertise.
3. Teenagers sometimes feel neglected too!
4. As a SAHM I usually had my weekends free. As a WOHM I work 7 days a week.

More thoughts to come...

Is there a context clause?

Before President Obama's speech last week, his staff requested Georgetown University to cover Jesus' name (the christogram IHS) & the cross because "it seemed most respectful to have them covered so as not to be seen out of context."

What does "out of context" mean? Perhaps they meant to say "out of church"...??

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

It was worth all the while

Word reached me this week that an old friend died. Technically he was an old boyfriend. Even more precisely, my ex-fiance.

It was a long time ago. It ended badly. My fault.

Do I regret breaking up with him?....No. I was miserable. I loved him but not the way a wife should love a husband. I didn't love him the way he loved me. I didn't love him the way he deserved to be loved -- Unconditionally.

We exchanged a few emails about 7 years ago. The last time we talked was over 25 years. Yet this has really hit me hard.

He was relatively young (mid-forties). Wife & kids. Grandbabies too.

I have an easier time accepting that I will die someday than I do accepting that my loved ones, friends, family, etc. have to go too.

Yes there are lots of comforting Bible passages for times like these. Some terrific hymns too.

But I think he'd like Green Day:

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you had the time of your life

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right
I hope you had the time of your life

What's For Dinner?

Let's go to Long John Silver's!