7 Takes to Facing the News

Last updated on: March 15, 2019 at 8:56 am by Anne Kennedy

7 Takes to Facing the News 2019-03-15T08:56:17-04:00 Anne Kennedy

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Here is a blustery Friday if ever there was one.
One
Woke up to the news of the horrific shootings in Christ Church. Read this which immediately put it in perspective. Praying for them all today.

Two
Also discovered that I was wrong about the nationality of the person I posted about on Tuesday. He was not Kenyan—he was Nigerian-Canadian and was on his way to visit Kenya. Praying for his family too, and everyone who lost someone on that flight.

Three
Spent a teensy portion of the week being shocked and interested in the college fraud scandal. As per usual, I didn’t know who any of the people were because I’ve never watched Full House, nor whatever that other program was. The part that did seem abundantly clear, though, reading a People article about the family of the Full House actor (look—names are hard, like Math), was the tragic way that sin creeps stealthily into family life. The couple were described as “very competitive” in their parenting, and “having it all together.” They pushed their daughters academically but their daughters refused to be pushed. They wanted something, desperately it turns out, that their daughters didn’t want. So now, not only are they humiliated in the eyes of the world, their own family circle is broken, lying around in ruins.

Four
That kind of thing doesn’t grow in a day. That is years and years of piling unspoken and unacknowledged expectation up, trying to form someone into a shape they don’t feel inclined to bend to, insisting that your vision takes precedence over reality.

Five
It’s what we all do to God, every single day. We expect certain things from him that we don’t admit even to ourselves. Not things that he has promised to give, but things we believe we are owed. When he doesn’t deliver, we rage and storm in bitter anger. We take matters into our own hands instead of respecting his right to be who he is.

Six
One thing I like about having six children is that I don’t really have time to funnel any of my own hopes into any one of them. They all fail me all at once and I fail them. As a parent, my job is to apply pressure in one direction and another—take a bath, do your school work, be kind, eat your vegetables—and that could, if I had more time, very easily bleed into Be This Kind of Person. I frequently lack respect for their own inclinations. I mix up their good desires with their bad ones and say no to everything and then have to backtrack and, wouldn’t you know it, apologize. Every morning when I wake up I try to remind myself that they are people too, and that it is not my will that should form and shape them, but the providential interplay between God’s gracious hand and their own desires. The Holy Spirit has to be the force that directs them where they ought to go, not me. I can only stand by and watch, and offer hot milky drinks like tea and Ovaltine when life gets difficult.

Seven
The human condition is marked by true violent evil, by small unremarkable sin that grows into full blown catastrophe, by the terrible failures of technology that we so depend on to make us happy and keep us safe, and by our own frustration and sorrow in the middle of it all. We can but fling ourselves onto the mercy of God who is able to take all that is bad and turn it, some long day off, into something that glorifies his own perfect goodness. How that happens cannot be known in this mortal life. The only way to catch glimpses of it is, when stooped over the pages of the scripture, or slumped in a church pew, or standing disconsolate looking over the ruined trajectory of your day, to pray, and pray, and then pray some more, and then just a bit more for good measure.

Go check out more takes!

In the News

Jen's 7 quick takes

Previous Post

March 14, 2019

If Only You Would Start Apologizing

Next Post

March 17, 2019 The Stranger, Christ

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Children in Conversation culture watch Daily Devotions Demotivations with Anne faith alone for the grandparents GAFCON In conversation with children In the News Kitchen Notes Lambeth Learning Notes Life Going On Men are Human Notes from Home Pictures Reading the Bible Saturday Links Sermons Signs of the Apocalypse The Bad Word Association The Prayer of Jonah Travel Notes Uncategorized Witless Wednesdays Work and the Christian

Select a Month June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What king was killed by an arrow in battle, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joash Ahab Jeroboam Ahaziah

Books by This Author Books by Anne Kennedy

See All Titles »