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All We Have is Death and Hope
Read more: All We Have is Death and HopeThis past week has been tough. Orlando, Paris, Tel Aviv, and many others have been a constant source of tears, heartache and mourning for the global community I know for me, death has hit home in a different way. Last week, my Grandma passed away at 89 years old. She was an amazing woman who was…
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At the Back of the North Wind: What a Children’s Book Taught Me about the Providence of God
Read more: At the Back of the North Wind: What a Children’s Book Taught Me about the Providence of GodEvery year, millions of families flock to the Happiest Place on Earth for its infamously well-rounded, old-fashioned entertainment and rides. So many of these individuals will visit Disneyland a mere handful of times in their lives, some even only once. I have the unique privilege of visiting the park at least 3 times a week……
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My Article on Harry Potter is Now in Print in “Ravenclaw Reader”!
Read more: My Article on Harry Potter is Now in Print in “Ravenclaw Reader”!At long last the edited volume from the Harry Potter conference held at the University of St Andrews in 2012 is now in print and you can get your copy of Ravenclaw Reader here! The conference was a complete success, being one of the most enjoyable and stimulating academic settings I’ve ever been in. It…
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It’s All in the Funeral Details
Read more: It’s All in the Funeral DetailsI recently admitted to my coworkers that unlike many girls who seem to have many of their wedding details planned since childhood, I actually have more details of my funeral planned than my wedding. This is probably strangely morbid to most people, but I guess for me, it has become quite normalized to think about…
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Carrie & Lowell: A Reflection
Read more: Carrie & Lowell: A ReflectionSufjan Stevens’ new album, Carrie & Lowell, has been out for over a month now, but I’ve only had the chance to listen to it for the past week. I had pre-ordered it a while back and mistakenly assumed that it would automatically download to my account and so I spent a few weeks wondering when…
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Sting
Read more: StingI write this blog tonight next to two cell phones – one is mine, and one belongs to the hospital I work for. I am the social worker on-call tonight. You might be wondering what we could get called in for late at night, or you may have guessed it already… death. As a hospital…
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Brittany Maynard: A Holy Response?
Read more: Brittany Maynard: A Holy Response?A few weeks ago my wife alerted me to the plight of Brittany Maynard. As a millennial who has a fairly strong disdain for technology and news media, I was proud that it took so long to discover the cultural flashpoint that this woman’s life had become. My wife further pointed me to a blog…
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The Call
Read more: The CallJust a few weeks ago I was running up Bancroft and Telegraph in my cap and gown to claim my masters degree in social work from UC Berkeley’s school of social welfare. I stood in awe of the journey I had been on to find myself in that place. This is a bit of that…
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The Fault in Our Stars: A Review
Read more: The Fault in Our Stars: A ReviewSometimes I like to read a popular book, a book that everyone is reading—so that I can know what everybody is talking about and, maybe, join in the conversation. So a couple weeks ago I read The Fault in Our Stars—the latest young adult novel from author John Green. The book—about two teenagers who meet…
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He is Risen Indeed!
Read more: He is Risen Indeed!It was Easter Sunday in 1972. My grandfather was preparing to sing an Easter cantata with his church choir when he suffered a stroke and collapsed. On the following Sunday, he went to be with the Lord. I never met my grandfather, but I’ve heard countless stories from my mother about what a wonderful man…