I started a family blog when we discovered we were pregnant, to keep family and friends who are far away abreast of the developments (and satisfy everyone's need for belly photos!).
That blog is here: www.WestCoastOjures.blogspot.com.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Who's the History Major?
AS AUSTRALIA'S defence minister during the Vietnam War and its prime minister when a flood of boat people arrived, Malcolm Fraser has a much different historical view of that conflict than US President George Bush...
"George Bush's analogies are so historically wrong that it just makes you wonder: how can such a man ever get into that position? It does make him a very dangerous man for all of us," the former PM says.
"The links he's making are historically inaccurate. It ought not to be within the capacity of a political leader, and certainly not the American President, to be so grossly misleading."
Read the rest of the story here:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/history-by-george/2007/08/23/1187462435439.html
"George Bush's analogies are so historically wrong that it just makes you wonder: how can such a man ever get into that position? It does make him a very dangerous man for all of us," the former PM says.
"The links he's making are historically inaccurate. It ought not to be within the capacity of a political leader, and certainly not the American President, to be so grossly misleading."
Read the rest of the story here:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/history-by-george/2007/08/23/1187462435439.html
Monday, August 20, 2007
Pregnancy Education & Etiquette
1. Don't touch my tummy without asking! It's weird! One of the best books I've read on pregnancy suggested rubbing the offending person's tummy back and saying, "Oh, I just wanted to see what a flat tummy feels like."
2. No more "you're so big" comments! You might want to think twice about the "any day now" comments as well. Case in point: "Oh, (long tummy glance) you must be due any day!" Response: "Actually, not for another 3 months." A for awkward.
3. My life is NOT reduced to discussing pregnancy and baby stuff only! I can still entertain discussions about politics, work, and life without self-destructing.
4. Don't assume I want extra pickles. Come on! I consider it a public education effort on the part of all pregnant women to let you know that we don't all crave pickles. Or anything, for that matter.
5. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. Pregnancy is a big part of my life right now, and I don't mind talking about it. (If you think this conflicts with item 3, you're wrong.)
6. Don't feel free to give unsolicited advice. (A general truism of social etiquette no matter what, but especially applicable during pregnancy).
7. Pregnant women can do alot. We can bike, run, swim, hike, etc. (providing our doctors okay it and everything's normal). Don't assume we can't. And, don't assume we will want to do any of that. Things feel different when you have a watermelon attached to your front.
8. I don't have to love being pregnant to love my baby.
9. Giving advice about food (you should eat more X and less X) is uncool, unless you are a medical expert.
10. Read this list again with a wink and a smile! After many years as a single adult, I can tell you that you don't have to have kids to have a complete life. But, pregnancy is pretty cool, for those of us who are experiencing it.
2. No more "you're so big" comments! You might want to think twice about the "any day now" comments as well. Case in point: "Oh, (long tummy glance) you must be due any day!" Response: "Actually, not for another 3 months." A for awkward.
3. My life is NOT reduced to discussing pregnancy and baby stuff only! I can still entertain discussions about politics, work, and life without self-destructing.
4. Don't assume I want extra pickles. Come on! I consider it a public education effort on the part of all pregnant women to let you know that we don't all crave pickles. Or anything, for that matter.
5. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. Pregnancy is a big part of my life right now, and I don't mind talking about it. (If you think this conflicts with item 3, you're wrong.)
6. Don't feel free to give unsolicited advice. (A general truism of social etiquette no matter what, but especially applicable during pregnancy).
7. Pregnant women can do alot. We can bike, run, swim, hike, etc. (providing our doctors okay it and everything's normal). Don't assume we can't. And, don't assume we will want to do any of that. Things feel different when you have a watermelon attached to your front.
8. I don't have to love being pregnant to love my baby.
9. Giving advice about food (you should eat more X and less X) is uncool, unless you are a medical expert.
10. Read this list again with a wink and a smile! After many years as a single adult, I can tell you that you don't have to have kids to have a complete life. But, pregnancy is pretty cool, for those of us who are experiencing it.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Red Letter Christian
The funny thing about this article is that my Dad has been an advocate for only following the words in red for many years. So, Dad, this is for you.
What's a 'Red-Letter Christian'?
by Tony Campolo
Beliefnet 2-27-2006
Recently, I met with a group of religious leaders who have become increasingly disturbed by the alliance between evangelical Christians and the Republican Party. Karl Rove, President Bush’s political strategist, has brilliantly and successfully served as the matchmaker to arrange this union, which was consummated in the last presidential election when 83 percent of evangelicals voted Republican.
The meeting was joined by the Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine; Father Richard Rohr, a well-known Catholic writer and speaker; Brian McLaren, a leader of the emergent church movement; the Rev. Dr. Cheryl J. Sanders, a prominent African-American pastor; the Rev. Noel Castellanos, a strong voice in the Hispanic community; and several other outstanding Christian communicators.
The purpose of this gathering was not to create a religious left movement to challenge the religious right, but to jump-start a religious movement that will transcend partisan politics. Believing that Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, we want to unite Christians who are concerned about what is happening in America. We are evangelicals who are troubled by what is happening to poor people in America; who are disturbed over environmental policies that are contributing to global warming; who are dismayed over the increasing arrogance of power shown in our country’s militarism; who are outraged because government funding is being reduced for schools where students, often from impoverished and dysfunctional homes, are testing poorly; who are upset with the fact that of the 22 industrialized nations America is next to last in the proportion of its national budget (less than two-tenths of 1 percent) that is designated to help the poor of third-world countries; and who are broken-hearted over discrimination against women, people of color, and those who suffer because of their sexual orientation.
Because being evangelical is usually synonymous with being Republican in the popular mind, and calling ourselves “progressive” might be taken as a value judgment by those who do share our views, we decided not to call ourselves “progressive evangelicals.” We came up with a new name: Red-Letter Christians.
Who first suggested the label? A secular Jewish Country-and-Western disc jockey in Nashville, Tennessee. During a radio interview he was conducting with Jim Wallis, he happened to say, “So, you’re one of those Red-Letter Christians - you know - who’s really into those verses in the New Testament that are in red letters!”
Jim answered, “That’s right!” And with that answer, he spoke for all of us. By calling ourselves Red-Letter Christians, we are alluding to the fact that in several versions of the New Testament, the words of Jesus are printed in red. In adopting this name, we are saying that we are committed to living out the things that He said. Of course, the message in those red-lettered verses is radical, to say the least. If you don’t believe me, read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
In those red letters, He calls us away from the consumerist values that dominate contemporary American consciousness. He calls us to be merciful, which has strong implications for how we think about capital punishment. When Jesus tells us to love our enemies, he probably means we shouldn’t kill them. Most important, if we take Jesus seriously, we will realize that meeting the needs of the poor is a primary responsibility for His followers.
Figuring out just how to relate those radical red letters in the Bible to the complex issues in the modern world will be difficult, but that’s what we’ll try to do.
Gandhi once said that everybody in the world knows what Jesus was teaching in those verses - except Christians! We will try to prove him wrong.
What's a 'Red-Letter Christian'?
by Tony Campolo
Beliefnet 2-27-2006
Recently, I met with a group of religious leaders who have become increasingly disturbed by the alliance between evangelical Christians and the Republican Party. Karl Rove, President Bush’s political strategist, has brilliantly and successfully served as the matchmaker to arrange this union, which was consummated in the last presidential election when 83 percent of evangelicals voted Republican.
The meeting was joined by the Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine; Father Richard Rohr, a well-known Catholic writer and speaker; Brian McLaren, a leader of the emergent church movement; the Rev. Dr. Cheryl J. Sanders, a prominent African-American pastor; the Rev. Noel Castellanos, a strong voice in the Hispanic community; and several other outstanding Christian communicators.
The purpose of this gathering was not to create a religious left movement to challenge the religious right, but to jump-start a religious movement that will transcend partisan politics. Believing that Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, we want to unite Christians who are concerned about what is happening in America. We are evangelicals who are troubled by what is happening to poor people in America; who are disturbed over environmental policies that are contributing to global warming; who are dismayed over the increasing arrogance of power shown in our country’s militarism; who are outraged because government funding is being reduced for schools where students, often from impoverished and dysfunctional homes, are testing poorly; who are upset with the fact that of the 22 industrialized nations America is next to last in the proportion of its national budget (less than two-tenths of 1 percent) that is designated to help the poor of third-world countries; and who are broken-hearted over discrimination against women, people of color, and those who suffer because of their sexual orientation.
Because being evangelical is usually synonymous with being Republican in the popular mind, and calling ourselves “progressive” might be taken as a value judgment by those who do share our views, we decided not to call ourselves “progressive evangelicals.” We came up with a new name: Red-Letter Christians.
Who first suggested the label? A secular Jewish Country-and-Western disc jockey in Nashville, Tennessee. During a radio interview he was conducting with Jim Wallis, he happened to say, “So, you’re one of those Red-Letter Christians - you know - who’s really into those verses in the New Testament that are in red letters!”
Jim answered, “That’s right!” And with that answer, he spoke for all of us. By calling ourselves Red-Letter Christians, we are alluding to the fact that in several versions of the New Testament, the words of Jesus are printed in red. In adopting this name, we are saying that we are committed to living out the things that He said. Of course, the message in those red-lettered verses is radical, to say the least. If you don’t believe me, read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
In those red letters, He calls us away from the consumerist values that dominate contemporary American consciousness. He calls us to be merciful, which has strong implications for how we think about capital punishment. When Jesus tells us to love our enemies, he probably means we shouldn’t kill them. Most important, if we take Jesus seriously, we will realize that meeting the needs of the poor is a primary responsibility for His followers.
Figuring out just how to relate those radical red letters in the Bible to the complex issues in the modern world will be difficult, but that’s what we’ll try to do.
Gandhi once said that everybody in the world knows what Jesus was teaching in those verses - except Christians! We will try to prove him wrong.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Not Your Children
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom
said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so he loves
also the bow that is stable.
--from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet
said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so he loves
also the bow that is stable.
--from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet
Race isn't a factor?
I heard about this story through my friend Anne's blog just today, and I decided to check it out. Here's the link to the story I found:
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Racial_demons_resurface_with_nooses_05242007.html
The part that made me most angry?
"Race is not a major local issue," said Mayor Murphy McMillan. "It's not a factor in the local people's lives."
It depends on who you ask, I bet. When you are a part of the norm where you live, you have the privilege of ignoring what may, in fact, be a daily reality for others there who don't share your skin color.
I don't know what happened in Jena, but I know there's enough ignorance and nasty ill-will around to believe that something smells foul.
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Racial_demons_resurface_with_nooses_05242007.html
The part that made me most angry?
"Race is not a major local issue," said Mayor Murphy McMillan. "It's not a factor in the local people's lives."
It depends on who you ask, I bet. When you are a part of the norm where you live, you have the privilege of ignoring what may, in fact, be a daily reality for others there who don't share your skin color.
I don't know what happened in Jena, but I know there's enough ignorance and nasty ill-will around to believe that something smells foul.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Open Letter to Baby
Dear Baby Ojure,
What a surprise you are! I remember very well the day we discovered you were coming into the family. I'd been having strange dreams about being pregnant, and your dad was away on business. He traveled a lot at that time. I even told him on the phone about my feelings, and he'd been having them, too! We agreed to check the situation out when he got home that weekend.
I remember EVERYTHING about that Sunday. I remember getting ready to go pick him up at SFO...our car was being shipped cross country and had not yet arrived, so the rental car I was driving was a huge monstrosity of a truck with an extended cab and a V8 engine--I towered above everyone on the freeway to SF and almost didn't clear the ceiling in the parking garage, the thing was so huge! I even remember what I was wearing---Rogue jeans, a white paisley shirt, and flip flops. Your dad and I had a really great day. We drove down Highway 1 and stopped in Half Moon Bay for burritos. I remember feeling so happy he was home. Looking back, the trip down the coast seems like it was endless and beautiful…the fog and the sun were just right on the water, the breeze felt refreshing, and we were in love. All that in a Sunday afternoon drive, and we had no idea what was in store for us in a little First Response package on the Safeway shelf. Actually, we still have no idea.
We got back to Santa Cruz and picked up a few things at the grocery store, including the cheapest home pregnancy test they had. At home, I went into the bathroom, took out the test, and the thing was positive before I could even get my jeans up and zipped. I actually stood there for a second, looking at the results, not sure what to say to Abe. Which words were right? I was trying to compose myself in some sort of way, but I couldn’t figure out which composure was right! The “proper-reaction-to-I’m-pregnant” card wasn’t catalogued in my brain.
As an aside, I have to say, it was a tricky moment. The “oh no I’m pregnant and we’re in trouble with the parents” reaction wasn’t right, although after 2 years of working in teen pregnancy prevention, I’ll admit it was the first reaction that popped into my head, despite the fact that my teen years (and very tame ones where pregnancy wasn’t a consideration) are 10 years in the past. The “hurray-we’re-pregnant-finally” reaction didn’t quite fit either; although we ARE excited and celebrating, we weren’t planning you quite yet and we were a little worried about being prepared for parenthood so soon…we didn’t even have furniture in our apartment!
I don’t actually remember what I said to your dad when I came out of the bathroom, but I DO remember his eyes were big, his mouth fell open, and he put his hand on his head and sort-of paced in a circle for a second…which, if you are old enough to read this, I’m sure you’ve seen him do hundreds of times. He likes to pace. Oh god, you probably do, too!
I do remember we both smiled. Really smiled. And then we went to the nearest drug store for a back-up test, this time the most expensive brand they had. This test actually said the word “pregnant” in the screen. No doubt. You were announcing your arrival.
That night we felt so peaceful and happy and in love. All the things I’ve always thought I’d feel about being pregnant—doubt, elation, worry, joy, fear—just didn’t happen. I felt peace. And so did your dad.
We did feel worried about telling our parents. Somewhere your dad and I must exist in a perpetual state of youth. We live our lives that way a lot—with lots of energy and adventure—and I think we felt like naughty teenagers caught in the ultimate act! We called our friends The Blairs first, because we knew they’d be excited. Ben was happy, and his mom, Lark, who will be attending your birth as our Birth Coach, said your little soul had been orbiting around us for a while. She wasn’t surprised by the news of your coming at all.
It was too late that night to call anyone on the east coast, so we told your grandparents the next day. Both sets of them were so excited. We weren’t even grounded! Ha ha. When we told your Grandma Lenna we weren’t sure if we were ready to be parents, she replied, “Well, I’m ready to be a grandparent!”
Your Nana Koger had already made your first baby blanket and sent it before you were even in utero 4 months! Meanwhile, you were letting me know you were there. I felt so great for the first few weeks, but it wasn’t long before I was sick. I mean, really sick. I threw up three or four times a day. I threw up in bathrooms at restaurants, in bathrooms at gas stations. On the side of the road. In a little clearing near the beach on the way to work. At work. In the car. At the airport. Nothing helped.
Finally, one day, I felt better. It so happened that I drank chai that morning, and so every morning thereafter, I drank chai religiously. We were even a little late to breakfast with your family the morning of your Aunt Sunya’s college graduation because I had to find a place to grab a chai! I don’t know if the chai actually helped, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
Now, it is about 3 ½ months before your scheduled arrival. We have furniture in the apartment, including some baby-specific additions. We have doctors and midwives and a labor coach. I feel great, look pregnant, and everyone is predicting a boy. I’m not sure about your sex, but I AM predicting a beautiful soul with lots of things to discover and learn about the world, and lots of things to teach. Your dad and I are excited to meet you face to face, to watch you as you grow, and to grow with you.
Waiting,
Mom
What a surprise you are! I remember very well the day we discovered you were coming into the family. I'd been having strange dreams about being pregnant, and your dad was away on business. He traveled a lot at that time. I even told him on the phone about my feelings, and he'd been having them, too! We agreed to check the situation out when he got home that weekend.
I remember EVERYTHING about that Sunday. I remember getting ready to go pick him up at SFO...our car was being shipped cross country and had not yet arrived, so the rental car I was driving was a huge monstrosity of a truck with an extended cab and a V8 engine--I towered above everyone on the freeway to SF and almost didn't clear the ceiling in the parking garage, the thing was so huge! I even remember what I was wearing---Rogue jeans, a white paisley shirt, and flip flops. Your dad and I had a really great day. We drove down Highway 1 and stopped in Half Moon Bay for burritos. I remember feeling so happy he was home. Looking back, the trip down the coast seems like it was endless and beautiful…the fog and the sun were just right on the water, the breeze felt refreshing, and we were in love. All that in a Sunday afternoon drive, and we had no idea what was in store for us in a little First Response package on the Safeway shelf. Actually, we still have no idea.
We got back to Santa Cruz and picked up a few things at the grocery store, including the cheapest home pregnancy test they had. At home, I went into the bathroom, took out the test, and the thing was positive before I could even get my jeans up and zipped. I actually stood there for a second, looking at the results, not sure what to say to Abe. Which words were right? I was trying to compose myself in some sort of way, but I couldn’t figure out which composure was right! The “proper-reaction-to-I’m-pregnant” card wasn’t catalogued in my brain.
As an aside, I have to say, it was a tricky moment. The “oh no I’m pregnant and we’re in trouble with the parents” reaction wasn’t right, although after 2 years of working in teen pregnancy prevention, I’ll admit it was the first reaction that popped into my head, despite the fact that my teen years (and very tame ones where pregnancy wasn’t a consideration) are 10 years in the past. The “hurray-we’re-pregnant-finally” reaction didn’t quite fit either; although we ARE excited and celebrating, we weren’t planning you quite yet and we were a little worried about being prepared for parenthood so soon…we didn’t even have furniture in our apartment!
I don’t actually remember what I said to your dad when I came out of the bathroom, but I DO remember his eyes were big, his mouth fell open, and he put his hand on his head and sort-of paced in a circle for a second…which, if you are old enough to read this, I’m sure you’ve seen him do hundreds of times. He likes to pace. Oh god, you probably do, too!
I do remember we both smiled. Really smiled. And then we went to the nearest drug store for a back-up test, this time the most expensive brand they had. This test actually said the word “pregnant” in the screen. No doubt. You were announcing your arrival.
That night we felt so peaceful and happy and in love. All the things I’ve always thought I’d feel about being pregnant—doubt, elation, worry, joy, fear—just didn’t happen. I felt peace. And so did your dad.
We did feel worried about telling our parents. Somewhere your dad and I must exist in a perpetual state of youth. We live our lives that way a lot—with lots of energy and adventure—and I think we felt like naughty teenagers caught in the ultimate act! We called our friends The Blairs first, because we knew they’d be excited. Ben was happy, and his mom, Lark, who will be attending your birth as our Birth Coach, said your little soul had been orbiting around us for a while. She wasn’t surprised by the news of your coming at all.
It was too late that night to call anyone on the east coast, so we told your grandparents the next day. Both sets of them were so excited. We weren’t even grounded! Ha ha. When we told your Grandma Lenna we weren’t sure if we were ready to be parents, she replied, “Well, I’m ready to be a grandparent!”
Your Nana Koger had already made your first baby blanket and sent it before you were even in utero 4 months! Meanwhile, you were letting me know you were there. I felt so great for the first few weeks, but it wasn’t long before I was sick. I mean, really sick. I threw up three or four times a day. I threw up in bathrooms at restaurants, in bathrooms at gas stations. On the side of the road. In a little clearing near the beach on the way to work. At work. In the car. At the airport. Nothing helped.
Finally, one day, I felt better. It so happened that I drank chai that morning, and so every morning thereafter, I drank chai religiously. We were even a little late to breakfast with your family the morning of your Aunt Sunya’s college graduation because I had to find a place to grab a chai! I don’t know if the chai actually helped, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
Now, it is about 3 ½ months before your scheduled arrival. We have furniture in the apartment, including some baby-specific additions. We have doctors and midwives and a labor coach. I feel great, look pregnant, and everyone is predicting a boy. I’m not sure about your sex, but I AM predicting a beautiful soul with lots of things to discover and learn about the world, and lots of things to teach. Your dad and I are excited to meet you face to face, to watch you as you grow, and to grow with you.
Waiting,
Mom
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