boston commoner.

welcome home

“Why were you reading a book on sex and marriage?” my friend asked me.

Three of us single IBCB ladies were sitting around after a rousing game of Boggle, discussing things like modesty, men, and Martin Luther. I’d brought up a tidbit of info on Luther’s view of marriage that I’d gleaned from a book I’d been smuggled online: Sex and the Supremacy of Christ. I answered my friend’s question with a description of a “free book” offer I’d stumbled upon in the blogosphere: read an advance digital copy of this Piper Ministries book, post a review of it on your blog, and in return get a free, old-fashioned paper copy of the published work. Not a bad deal. But I don’t think it really got to the heart of my friend’s question; after all, it didn’t explain why I, a single, Christian girl with no immediate or even long-term prospects for marriage, would want a free copy of a book about sex and marriage in the first place. (more…)

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Well, August has pretty much gone up in dust, so I guess I can post my final blog for the summer summaries. I started off the beginning of this series talking about how I had no desire to return to routine, responsibility, and other forms of reality; I officially negate that paragraph. I’m suddenly more than ready to get up and go. I’m ready for cool, crisp days, vivid fall sunsets, and other seasonal joys like pumkins, first frosts, and caramel apple ciders. But more than that, I am itching to get moving, to straighten out the affairs I’ve let curl and smolder in a pile in the dimmest corner of my brain, clear out the clutter in mind and body, and do some things. As in, accomplish something. And not just anything; I’ve got a few specifics in mind. Lord willing in the months to come I’ll have more to write about our annual IBCB fall student furniture and household goods giveaway, new Bible studies and church family or friends, happenings I anticipate surrounding our blossoming church youth group, and, on a more personal note, my continued pursuit of biblical counseling training and certification with the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors. (more…)

The following is a continuation of my previous post, Dishrag Summer Part I, in which I summarize what happened in June. This post is about July. Sorry about the length, but just mind you, I have a lot more I COULD have said about these happenings ;o) So, enjoy!

A couple of days following the second midnight beach run of the season, we pulled off a smashing 4th of July celebration down along the Charles River. (Most photos/links courtesy Malita Matzko.) Allie and I camped out early that morning with blankets and food and frisbees and waited for various friends and church members to arrive later in the afternoon. We ended up with a decent group of people and even made some new friends. One couple was particularly nice and said they’d like to see us back there, same time, same place next year. Another man said he’d sat in that very spot along the river for the past five ears after years and years of looking for the perfect spot. So we may see him again next time, too. Our spot was on the Cambridge side of the river, right along a sloping grassy bank along the water. We had an amazing view of the Boston skyline, and ended up with more elbow room than we’d bargained for. No obst vws, and the Lord on top of all of these blessings provided us with one of the clearest, pleasantly warm (as opposed to sweltering-hot, humid, or hazy) Independence Days I can recall. We hung out, shared food, played in the road, and awaited the fireworks. Boston’s show is famous for its length and complexity; the Boston Pops put on a concert all day and then, when the fireworks start, they are coordinated with the music. We were too far away from the Hatch Shell to hear the music ourselves, but thanks to modern inventions like the radio, we didn’t miss out. I think my favorite parts of the evening were friends in general, Mandy’s finger-lickin’ good “black rice” (you have to try this stuff; the rice itself is actually an inky bluish-black color, and Mandy cooks it in a traditional Chinese way with chicken and vegetables…it’s just good; I don’t know how else to describe it!) and that time of evening when the sun is setting and casts a copper glow over the water and ignites the cityscape so that everything looks like it could be on fire. My favorite time of day, hands down. It was a memorable Fourth. (more…)

“Jen, your blog just called. It was looking for you and heard that you came over Fridays, but I explained that was just in the evenings for Bible study. Anyways, I might have mentioned some of the camping trips, beach visits, game nights, baptisms, and upcoming trips to Vermont and NYC. For some reason that seemed to make it a little upset. Just thought I’d let you know.”

So I was informed in a recent e-mail by a well-meaning friend: the Blog is mad at me. It feels ignored, excluded, abandoned, shunned. I understand. Because I have ignored, excluded, abandoned, and – in practice, though not in spirit – shunned the Blog. Strange, too, that I should do so right when, for a change, I have some blog-worthy memories to record and share with the general public, along with praises, prayer requests, and maybe even pics. It’s been a mad summer, and I’m tired. But I’m loving it, and I don’t want it to end. The weather can change and business can slow, but I’d just as soon the days stay long and friends not go back to or leave for school, not get serious about work, not settle into autumnal routines, and not get generally responsible about time. Because time is what we seem to have an abundance of; or maybe it’s something we’ve created. I, for one, have managed to train my body to survive without sleep. I’ve seen more sunrises this summer than I have in the rest of my life put together. Some I’ve seen alone, some with others by my side. The author of the above e-mail, who may wish to remain anonymous, has accused me on more than one occasion of going through an early mid-life crisis. I can’t wholly deny it, though in assenting I suppose I open myself up to the idea that I really might be dead by 48. At this rate, wearing out by then seems just about right… (more…)

I wish I knew what the power law is.