Which is more important: knowing Jesus loves you, or knowing how to live-out the reality of that love?

Of course even as I write that I know the answer is both/and.

The reason I am thinking about this sort of thing is because of VBS. For those of you who grew up outside the fundamentalist or evangelical bubble, that means Vacation Bible School.

Now, my little post-modern, post- evangelical, post-mainline kiddos don’t go to Sunday school. They know their Bible stories, a fistful of songs, St. Pat’s Breastplate and how to do centering, encircling, and Sabbath prayers – but they do not go to Sunday school. So far Paul and I and our monkfishy friends have managed to be their … {read more…}

The mini monk at work in the children’s room at Mecca.

I had a good night tonight. I taught, which I rarely do. I used to be a good teacher, back in the day. But now I stumble and bumble and say things like, “If that’s okay with you, I mean.” …and…”Of course, not everyone has to agree with me or anything.” …and…”So, we’re going to try it that way for awhile, but you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. Only do it if it works for you.” (Hmm, that last sentence sounded sort of naughty. I didn’t mean it to be.) I think all this hemming and hawing has to do with trying to find a new way to lead. Lindell and I were talking about … {read more…}

Cate would like me to show you her Jesus tryptich, which we made to remember Jesus during Lent.

Eden is reading this over my shoulder and would like you to know that, although her tyrptich isn’t done yet, she remembered to make Jesus’s skin “not- white” too.

(Who’s the most devout child in the Densmore house? “Me!” “No, ME!!!”)

:-)

While reading a picture book about the “First Lord’s Supper” (a.k.a. Passover/The Last Supper — leave it to the conservative protestants to insist that the kid’s book has the “proper” name and a note on the back about not allowing the children to actually eat the bread and wine, but only to recieve a blessing from the pastor. But I digress…)

Cate (interrupting the story): Mommy! Why are there never any pictures of girls in these stories?!

Mommy: You’re right, Cate. This is a picture of Passover and there would have been lots of women and children in this picture…. Also, their skin would not be white.

Cate: Why aren’t they in there then?

Mommy: Because the artist was foolish and wrong.

Cate (after … {read more…}

This morning the girls and I did centering prayer. I told the girls to close thier eyes and imagine the God who Created us, the Son, and the Holy Spirit sitting around the table, with a space for each of us. (Based on Rublev’s icon of the Trinity.) Then we took a deep breath in and a deep breath out and asked them to show us what they were doing today. Eden said:

“I see a yellow path with green grass all around it and red flowers. … I really did see it, Mommy!”

I don’t know what she’s made of that today. But it was an encouragement to me. Dorothy and her travel companions have made … {read more…}

Q. What did the bird say to baby Jesus?
[conspiratorially] It’s from God; it’s a talking bird.
A. Are you going to heaven? Hahaha [in a cackle]

Q. This is a funny one. What did the slippers say to the bathrobe.
A. He said Can you please put me in the right spot?

Q. What did the let me think. What did the can say to the bottlecap?
It said Can you please close your. No I mean what did the drink say to the bottlecap?
A. Can you please spin your lid on. ‘Cause on my box I spin the lid on? Get it? Hahaha!

Q. This is a funny one. what did the baby Jesus say to his mom,
A. He said, [in a faux baby voice] … {read more…}

(While Vertigo is playing in the van…)

“Mommy can you put on something not so….rowdy?”

“Sure Eden. How about Polyphonic Spree?”

“Yeah.”

(listening to Together We’re Heavy)

“Mommy, PSpree has a lot of energy in their songs…a lot of soul….Well, everybody has a soul, but you know.”

(more listening)

“Mommy? Are Pspree Christians?”

“Well, that’s a good question Eden. I think they definitely get God, don’t you? You can hear it in their music. But I don’t know if they know Jesus or not.”

“Jeez, Mommy. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. So if they know God, they know Jesus!”

“Um. Good point, Eden.”

(P.s. Wanna see PSpree’s soul that’s connected to the big G? Check out the animated version of Light and Day.)

But you Bethlehem, David’s country, the runt of the litter—from you will come the leader who will Shepherd –rule Israel. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, and the scattered brothers come back home to the family of Israel. He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God’s strength, centered in majesty of GOD-revealed. And the people will have a good and safe home, for the whole world will hold him in respect –peacemaker of the world. Micah 5:2

On the first day of Advent, and I sat on our window seat in my flannel pajamas. My flannel pajamas … {read more…}

“I think Jesus has white skin like yours Mommy, only with out all those polka dots. I think he has long long hair like mine (pulling her hair out to the sides and letting it fall over and over again.) He wears a blue outfit. Okay, so that’s Jesus. Now, I think God looks like Lord Digory, with brown curly hair and a brown curly beard.”

What do you think the Holy Spirit looks like Eden?

(very animated w/eyes a’sparkle.) “She has beautiful long golden curly hair that goes all the way down to her feet. She wears long white robes that swish around, and she is very tall and she has beautiful purple eyes.”