Six Answers to Six Questions

Good morning. A couple days ago, I held our monthly “Ask me anything” (sometimes called Q & O - questions and opinions) with paid members of The Corners. It was held in the “Chat” and my answers all somehow ended up at the bottom and not below the corresponding questions, so I thought I’d share a few here.

Local hero.

1. … It's really easy to get into a negative, downward spiral with all the bullshit swirling around us. … So, here's my question....where are some places YOU see signs of hope and some things you have heard or experienced that help restore your faith in humanity so the current reality doesn't consume you?

   Renee, this morning in the park, I saw a neighbor's Labrador strain at the leash to get to an elderly man who slowly makes his way around the lake each day - the man always keeps a pouch of dog treats attached to his walker, so the neighborhood dogs make haste to greet him, and the dog owners can't help but smile. He's basically a celebrity of the highest order around here. Then we learned today that a friend of Eric's is in the hospital and I saw a whole thread of text messages from folks in his community making offers to help. And on the phone this morning my best friend recalled the joy of a quilt auction benefiting the Lutheran Summer camp her kids grew up attending and how even though she for sure did not need any more quilts, she got caught up in the joy of it all and came home with 2 more quilts and $900 less dollars than she had when she left. And it's not even noon. Also...NONE of that is shit that will show up on TokTok or CNN and there are countless beauties and wonders around us each day. We'd do well to notice as much as we can, so I thank you for the question because it made me NOTICE.

2. What are your thoughts on divorce and how God and Christianity view it?

Hi Katie. When Jesus spoke about divorce he was trying to protect women. Back then a certificate of divorce could be just handed to a woman for any reason - leaving her to fend for survival as a beggar or sex worker. Women couldn't exactly just "go back to teaching" back then. So it was radical for him to call men out on this. And it was an effort to protect women, then what does the church do with these verses? Hurt women by insisting they stay in abusive marriages. Amazing.

3. I feel like our politics have become so harsh. There's no redemption and it is so antithetical to the way we live and love as Christians. How do we share the truly good news about the love and redemption and forgiveness we know exists with people who have turned away from faith or have none at all. I feel like speak Mandarin and they are so far removed from the language I know and love. I feel a sense of urgency and sorrow around this. How do you approach this conundrum on a daily basis?

I hear the angst in this question and I guess I want to say that it is not all up to you, sweet friend. Our faith animates the world around us, it is in every cell, it is the eyes we use and the ears we use and the heart we use, unseparate from everything else. It exists without regard for what anyone else "believes", which means that when you ask me "How do we share the truly good news about the love and redemption and forgiveness we know exists with people who have turned away from faith or have none at all" all I can think to say is that I bet you are already doing it. Because it's not a sales pitch, or a pyramid scheme, or a fitness tracker. It's the air and water and food and warmth we get to live on. And it MATTERS. Even if there is only you believing, it matters - not in a "you're responsible for it" way but in a "you can't help but be it" kind of way.

4. What do you personally do when your brain is so full of responsibilities and things you need to do for others that you loose yourself?

Hey Ann, I wonder if you meant "lose" yourself, but instead wrote "loose" yourself (now, as my reader you know full well that I am the typo queen...so no shade here) - but I mention it because I think we do "loose" ourselves when we overextend to others. Like the ropes become slack and we wobble, we too easily sway and stumble away from our center. Anyhow, I am an introvert and need a great deal of time alone. Walking, reading, zoning out etc. If that is you too, I hope you find some soon.

5. Did you almost lose faith and what brought you back?

I almost lose faith every day. And what brings me back is the same thing each time: the Gospel (just dressed up differently to trick me into falling in love with it again.) The unrelenting drum beat of grace and forgiveness. The Gospel is just the most true thing I have ever heard in my entire life and it keeps showing up making me pay attention to it even when I would rather fret and doubt and stare at my own navel.

6. What was your first tattoo and why. Any “Regerts?”

Hey Jeff. My first tattoo was a long stemmed rose on my hip. I "blossomed" up to 236 lbs when pregnant with Harper so now it's a big stretch mark...a Rorschach test of sorts...like, "what do YOU see it is?" Very helpful.

(as my friend RHE would say): Strong backs, soft hearts, everyone.

In it with you,

Love, Nadia