Holy Disunity: there is something good and useful about our differences

Holy Disunity: How what separates us can save us by Layton E. Williams is a call to “let go of the idol of unity and see the holiness in disunity” as stated by Diana Butler Bass in the foreword. Ms. Layton, a bisexual ordained Presbyterian minister, who sets out to show how we are unified in Christ and holy unity is not ours to create or to destroy. She sets out to argue for holy disunity and how we can faithfully coexist without being unified with each chapter dedicated to a challenge that we all face such as fear, doubt and tension and how it divides us and how we can use it in the Church. Through Biblical text and her own personal struggles and journey, she presents how we should embrace our differences in our life experiences, our abilities, our limitations and in our failures, so we can further the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

When I picked this book, I was intrigued by the idea of holy disunity. Ms. Williams makes a very convincing case of how the goal of “peace on earth” is not our mission. Holy Disunity is a very interesting read and while I disagreed with a few of Ms. Williams’ assertions, I found myself agreeing with her main points and thinking about how to use our differences as we strive to spread the Gospel. Just as Paul states in Romans 12:3-8 and in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, we are all one part of the a greater whole and each with different gifts and different roles. At the end of the book, she presents questions for reflection and discussion. They were thought provoking and allows the reader to apply the ideas presented in each chapter. I would have liked to see the questions at the end of each chapter so that the reflections can be done after reading the designated chapters. Overall, I enjoyed this book and Ms. Williams is heartfelt and honest in her arguments and examples for holy disunity. It is a book I will read again in the future. I recommend Holy Disunity.

Holy Disunity:

How what separates us can save us

Is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Possibility of America: an examination of America and God

The Possibility of America: How the Gospel Can Mend Our God-Blessed, God-forsaken Land by David Dark is an examination of American culture, democracy and its spirituality. America had brought this great experiment in to the world and extended the argument that human beings owe one another the basics of respect and decency. Mr. Dark examines American patriotism as well as being honest about the darkness that is in American history. Any relationship cannot be at its best when its lying to itself about itself. Americans need to acknowledge its dark history as well as its flaws. Using examples from American movies, music, literature, television and its political figures, David Dark shows that America is on the right track with areas of improvement. He also uses these areas to show that God and Christian values, and even its faults, have been a part of the American fabric from the beginning. He advocates for the Beloved Community, an idea postulated by the late Martin Luther King Jr, in which a society is based on justice, equal opportunity, and love of one’s fellow man.

The Possibility of America is a difficult read as Mr. Dark goes into great depth and analysis in order to support his argument. He likes to use heavy vocabulary with sentences that seem to drag on. He often gets too bogged down in summarizing a book, movie or music before making his point. However, his points were eye-openers and I made notes in order to back and examine his examples on my own. It is a book that I will revisit again after I have made my own examination of his examples. It is a fairly short book, only 188 pages, but it is jampacked with information and insights. I recommend The Possibility of America for its honest look at America, it’s history, it’s culture and its spirituality.

The Possibility of America

is available in paperback and eBook

What is woke? Does it need to go?

Like many things in current political culture, I am behind on the latest terms. It’s not that I am not politically aware. I’m just not interested in slang. One term I have been hearing a lot lately is the term “woke.” I wasn’t curious about what it meant until recently when I read a social media comment that said that a celebrity was trying to prove how woke he was. I finally said ok, what is woke? So, I decided to research the origins of the word and what it means in today’s modern usage. I also found a few articles which state that the word needs to go.

Woke is a political term of African American origin. It refers to a perceived awareness of social and racial justice. It is derived from the African American Vernacular English, “stay woke.” According to the Oxford Dictionaries, the early political conscious usage of the term was in 1962 with William Melvin Kelley’s New York Times article “If You’re Woke You Dig It.” Erykah Badu brought the term to the modern age with her 2008 song “Master Teacher.” To “stay woke” is to stay vigilant and #staywoke was the most widely used hashtag on Twitter in 2012. By the late 2010s, the term has adopted a more generic slang and became synonymous with political correctness (Sanders, 2018). The term has also come to symbolize a pat on the back from the left affirming how sensitive one is to the issues (Hass, 2019). It denotes awareness as well as blackness and white allies can use it “if they walk the walk, they get to talk the talk” (Hass, 2019).

Despite the meaning behind the term, there are many who think the term needs to go as too many are too easily using it. It has become so mainstream that it is losing its power and meaning. When MTV announced that “woke” was the new trendy teen slang, it allowed the original cultural meaning of “stay woke” to get lost (Hass, 2019). Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune stated in his article that “’woke’ can also mean “the act of being very pretentious about how much you care about a social issue’” (2019). Sam Sanders of National Public Radio simply stated, “The word is done. It is dead. It is over” (2018). The internet has sped up the lifestyle of the term, according to Nicole Holliday, a linguist at Pomona College, and the term has gone from new to played out in record time (Sanders, 2018). Even former president Barack Obama spoke against the woke/call out culture. At an Obama Foundation Summit on October 29, 2019, he told an audience of young college students, “That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change. If all you’re doing is casting stone, you’re probably not going to get that far” (Wulfson, 2019). Essentially the woke and call out culture were focused too much on casting judgment than advancing positive change.

It is unfortunate that a powerful message of staying aware to the social issues around us has become a badge of honor or proof that outsiders are sympathetic and join the fight against injustices against Blacks. One commenter on an article I read stated, “Being an ally without striking the woke pose. Help them find and amplify their voice and not to toot your own horn.” Another commenter posted, “’Woke’ should not be about being seen. But instead, should be about how you see yourself and the action you take going forward.” Exactly, letting your actions speak louder than your words. If you see a minority group being mistreated and you don’t like it, make sure you extend a hand in friendship. Make sure you do not repeat the same mistreatment as you interact with people of other groups. And that goes for all groups, even groups you don’t agree with. The adage is true, “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” And as Obama said in July 2018, “Maybe we can change their minds, but maybe they’ll change ours. And you can’t do this if you just out of hand disregard what your opponents have to say from the start” (Chiu, 2019).

In conclusion, I can understand the sentiment behind woke. However, the woke movement has become more of calling people out for their “un-wokeness” than trying to change the mentalities. I agree with Mr. Obama, casting stones doesn’t get us very far. As Jesus says in John 8:7, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone…” If you are going to throw stones at one’s social errors, then you better prepared to have yours be called out as well. None of us are perfect. Some are more aware of the injustices around us, instead of calling people out for their lack of awareness, use your knowledge to help them understand. While there will be some who will forever be closed to what you have to say, there are others who are willing to listen and, at least try, to understand. Stop being so condescending. Listen to learn instead of listening to respond. This is not just for liberals or the younger generations, this is for the conservatives and the older generations too. We aren’t going to get anywhere yelling at each other.

References

Chiu, Allyson (October 31, 2019). ‘He is right on all counts’: Obama finds rare bipartisan support by bashing ‘woke’ shaming. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/31/obama-woke-shaming-bipartisan-support-yang-coulter-gabbard/. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

Hass, Amanda (April 19, 2019). Earning the ‘Woke’ Badge. The New York Times Magazine. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/magazine/earning-the-woke-badge.html. Retrieved November 13, 2019.

Page, Clarence (November 16, 2019). Column: Barack Obama is right about giving ‘woke’ culture a rest. Will progressive Democrats listen? Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/clarence-page/ct-column-barack-obama-woke-cancel-culture-page-20191101-is2efucd55de3imffpq33mbbm4-story.html. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

Sanders, Sam (December 30, 2018). Opinion: It's Time To Put 'Woke' To Sleep. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/2018/12/30/680899262/opinion-its-time-to-put-woke-to-sleep. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

Wulfson, Joseph A. (October 31, 2019). Obama's comments blasting 'woke' cancel culture snubbed by broadcast networks, study finds. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/media/obama-woke-cancel-culture-broadcast-networks-snub. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

Winter's Secret: a romance and mystery story

Winter’s Secret by Lyn Cote is the first book in the Northern Intrigue series. A small town in Wisconsin is experience a series of burglaries. The newly appointed sheriff, Rodd Durand, is determined to find the thief, he has nicknamed “The Weasel.” He notices that the victims have a connection to a local nurse, Wendy Carey. As the two team up to help catch this thief, the small town rumor mill starts turning about their relationship. The old stories of bad families and feuds between families start to turn their ugly heads. When the town bullies start to spread rumors about his incompetence, Rod is now in a race against time. Can Rodd ignore the small-town chatter to find the thief? Will he catch him in time before someone gets hurts?

Winter’s Secret is a very interesting romance/mystery novel. I loved every minute from the first page to the final gasp as the identity of the thief is revealed. It is a mystery that keeps you guessing. I loved all the characters from the ones you love to the ones you hate and love to see their reign of terror come to an end. I also enjoyed that the mystery for the next book begins near the end and pulls you in to continue the series. I will definitely be reading the series. The books are currently on my Amazon wish list for future purchase. I highly recommend Winter’s Secret.

Winter’s Secret

is available in eBook and audiobook

Fake news: what it is and what to do with it

Fake news. The term has been shouted at us for the last few years. From presidential candidates to newscasters to people on Facebook and other social media. Recently I found myself rolling my eyes as if to say “good grief” when someone tried to explain away a news story as fake news. And the more partisan the new source, the more “fake” people believe the news is. Conservatives often see CNN as fake news while liberals view Fox News as fake. It seems if people do not believe the story could possibly be true, then its fake news. Why do people engage in fake news? The answer is simple: power. Fake news has power. Even when proven false and redacted that information still has the potential to influence decisions, opinions and impressions. What exactly is fake news? How is it defined? What are the types of fake news? And what can we do in order to avoid falling for fake news?

Fake news is a type of yellow journalism or propaganda. It is deliberate misinformation or flat out hoaxes. It has been spread in traditional ways like via newspapers, broadcast media and word of mouth. Fake news in newspapers is nothing new. In 1835, the New York Sun ran a series about scientists finding life on the moon. Many people believed, at first, soon many people saw through the outrageous story. Edgar Allan Poe would eventually write a critical essay about the story’s unbelievability and the public’s gullibility for believing the story in the first place (Uberti, 2016). Today, we have online social media added to the mix. Fake news is written and published with the intent to mislead the public’s perception about an agency, business or a person. It is used to damage the reputation of the subject and gain either financially, when a business goes under, or politically by winning an office or causing an individual to lose theirs. As stated above, fake news is about power. Many stories are shared because they confirm the worldview of the sharer not as the world truly is (Borel, 2017). Fake new plants seeds of doubt to distract and flood everyone with conflicting and confusing information that people stop listening (Borel, 2017). Fake news is often used to cast doubt on legitimate news stories or to take attention away from more serious and important events. Considering how fast many of us get our news, many people sometimes just reading the headlines without reading the article, it is no wonder that fake news can flourish.

Claire Wardle of First Draft News identified seven types of fake news and their motivations. First, satire or parody has no intention to cause harm but has the potential to fool. Sites like The Onion and The Babylon Bee are clearly satire sites and yet many people read their articles as if they were real news stories. Understanding satire is not a trait that many people have. In 1729, Jonathan Swift wrote an article titled A Modest Proposal, in which he suggested that impoverished people sell their children as food to the rich, was met with outrage. While some understood the joke and took offense while others just didn’t understand its intentions. Second, false connection when headlines, visuals or captions do not support an article’s content. Clickbait articles are notorious for this type. Their aim is for you to click on the article in order to gain money. Third, misleading content used to frame an issue or individual in an unfavorable light. Fourth, false content is when false information is used in conjunction with real information and the reader is unable to distinguish between the two. Fifth, imposter content is when genuine sources are impersonated with false make up sources. Sixth, manipulated content is genuine information or imagery is manipulated to deceive. This form is commonly used when photos or photoshopped or videos are doctored. Lastly, fabricated content is an article that is 100% false and written to deceive or do harm. The motivations behind these types of fake news ranges from poor journalism (someone just didn’t take the time to fact check) to parody to influence political support and elections.

So, what do we do about fake news? First, be critical of all information. Double check and verify before sharing, posting and even reacting to it. I’ve gotten into the habit of checking a story that seems too outrageous to be true. If only one news site is carrying the story, then I am skeptical at the story’s veracity. There are also a variety of face checking website to verify a story. For example, Factcheck,org and FactCheckEd,org are nonpartisan, nonprofit sites to check stories. False information is deeply ingrained in politics and always has been. So why are we surprised when a politician lies or stretches the truth? Every politician will say whatever is needed to order to gain a vote. Whether it is trashing the opponent or making promises that are too good to be true. Second, stop and think. While a guest on “On the Media” radio show, Craig Silverman stated that we need to use emotional skepticism, to second guess their instinctual reactions (Wardle, 2017). Emotional skepticism is essentially to stop and think, “why am I having this reaction?” What about the article incites anger or other emotions? We need to stop and take a second look before hitting the share button. A second look may show you whether you truly need to share it or not. Third, Brooke Borel states in her article that news media needs to “stop trying so hard to entertain” and just state the facts or story (2017). News has become a source of entertainment. Newscaster tell story or make silly comments about the stories that its hard to take the story, or the newscasters themselves, seriously.

In conclusion, fake news is essentially propaganda. It is designed to distract, cast doubt and destroy. Fake news is nothing new. It just as been given a new name and, in this age of fast news, very few news organizations are fact checking news stories in order to beat their competitors when reporting, leading to false information and misinformation public. Fact checking takes effort and time which is probably why so many people don’t bother to do it. They see a headline immediately have an emotional response, usually anger, and comment, share and spread the story without stopping first to check to see what is even true. As we approach the 2020 presidential election, a year I am personally dreading, we need to stop and check the facts before we form opinions, comment and share on social media and debate with others. Don’t take the newscasters’ word for it. Don’t take the candidates or any politicians’ word for it. Don't take a family member or a friend's word for it, Stop and check.

References

Borel, Brooke (January 4, 2017). Fact-Checking Won’t Save Us From Fake News. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/fact-checking-wont-save-us-from-fake-news/. Retrieved October 30, 2019.

Uberti, David (December 15, 2016). The real history of fake news. https://www.cjr.org/special_report/fake_news_history.php?link. Retrieved October 29, 2019.

Wardle, Claire (February 16, 2017). Fake news. It's complicated. https://firstdraftnews.org/fake-news-complicated/. Retrieved October 29, 2019.

The Light in the Hallway: how do you move on when your spouse dies?

The Light in the Hallway by Amanda Prowse is a story of life after the death of a spouse and how does one move on? The story opens in 1992 with 10-year-old Nick Bairstow, along with his best friends, Eric and Alex, has begged his father for a bike only to be horribly disappointed. Fast forward 25 years, Nick is begging his 18-year-old son, Oliver “Olly” to come with him but her refuses. So, Nick goes alone. Where is he going? The hospital where his wife, Kerry, is dying of cancer. He arrives in time to say goodbye. Soon the doors of grief close in on Nick and he is not sure what do to. But life must go one as Olly heads to university and Nick finds a way to come home to an empty house. At every turn, he is criticized by his sister-in-law, Diane, for various missteps and bad behavior on his and Olly’s part. At one point, Nick confesses, “It seems I can’t do right for doing wrong, where they are all concerned.” What is the protocol for moving on? What are the steps to get on with one’s life when their loved one dies? Throughout the book, the story flashbacks to the summer of 1992 when Nick begins to learn important life lessons and connects to the new life lessons he learns in the present.

The Light in the Hallway is the fourth book I have read by Ms. Prowse. While it’s not my favorite (I still love The Food of Love (2016)), I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I found myself very protective of Nick as he tries to navigate life after Kerry’s death. I wanted to give Diane a piece of my mind when she criticized Nick for “moving on too fast” after Kerry’s death. But was he really? How long is he supposed to stay in mourning? I cheered when he finally gets the courage to stand up to her and tell her off. There was one moment when I cried my eyes out. I can’t discuss it further, but it is very significant to the story and it was very touching. I highly recommend The Light in the Hallway. It is a moving story of how one moves on after a death. Life truly does go on.

The Light in the Hallway

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Perfect for You: a sexy fun romance novel

Perfect for You by Kate Perry is the first book in her Laurel Heights novel series. It is the story of Freya Godwin, a web designer who has lost her mojo. When her job is threatened, she places a personal ad for a man, hoping the right guy will come along and give her a spark of inspiration. Enter her hot, upstairs neighbor, Greg Cavanagh, unfortunately, he is a lawyer and therefore unacceptable. After a few replies which turns out to be duds and another ultimatum from her boss, Freya reluctantly strikes a deal with Greg. She proposes that he help her come up with a sexy new web design for an adult website and she agrees to let him woo her in attempts to win her heart. Will Greg give her the spark of inspiration she’s looking for? Will she be able to push aside her preconceived notions and allow herself to fall in love?

Perfect for You is a fun, sexy romance novel. It is beach book, a weekend read but it was fun to read. There were moments I groan at Freya’s stubbornness and there were moments I laughed at the antics the characters engaged in. And there were moments I caught my breath with the flirting, anticipation and, of course, the love scenes. If you enjoy romance novels, Perfect for You is a great choice. I bought the book when it was a free to buy as the description pulled me in. And despite some of the reviews I read, after I purchased it, I may continue the series as they are currently six books in total, because I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I recommend Perfect for You.

Perfect for You

is available in eBook and audiobook

In the Cradle Lies: continuation of the Tree of Life series

In the Cradle Lies by Olivia Newport is the second book in her The Tree of Life series. The story opens with the introduction of a new stranger in town. Tucker Kintzler is throwing money around and looking to ski a very dangerous slope, Hidden Run. Jillian Parisi-Duffy and her father, Nolan, along with their friends, befriend Tucker hoping to urge him from skiing the dangerous slope. Interwoven with the present is the story of Matthew “Matt” Ryder, from a child in the 1930 to an adult in the 1950s. Matt learns a dark family secret which destroys his mother’s fragile mental state and tears apart his relationship with his father, Judd. What is the connection to Tucker? Can Jillian and the others discover what he is running from before he seriously injures himself? Can he find peace with the burden he seems to be carrying?

From the opening page, In the Cradle Lies grabs you and sucks you in until you are determined to finish and discover the great secret that connects Tucker and Matt Ryder. There is so much about the book that I loved but due to possible spoiler issues, I won’t discuss them. However, I loved each character. I laughed at their banter. I gasped as the secret is revealed and I smiled as all the dots are connected. In the Cradle Lies is a great story about family, the past and coming to terms with it in the present. I am looking forward to the next book in the series which is set to be released next year. I highly recommend In the Cradle Lies as well as the first book in the series, The Inn at Hidden Run.

In the Cradle Lies

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Wideness of the Sea: the search for home and forgiveness

The Wideness of the Sea by Katie Curtis is a story of family, following your dreams and returning home. Anna Goodrich is a 28-year-old art gallery worker in New York City with friends and a handsome boyfriend. She rarely thinks about her family in her hometown of New Harbor, Maine. She left it all behind after the death of her beloved mother. One day she gets terrible news. Her uncle had passed away suddenly and Anna finds herself on the road back home for his funeral. While she is there, she must deal with her widowed father who she has butted heads with about her career path. She discovers that her uncle has left her his house and she must stay to clean it out. Anna finds herself being pulled back into life of the seaside town. Her boyfriend, boss, and friends are urging her to return to her life in New York. Anna must decide does she stay in Maine or does she return in New York? Will she be able to find healing from the past and find the life she has been searching for?

The Wideness of the Sea is a beautiful story of family, tragedy and finding healing by the sea. Ms. Curtis’ descriptions of Maine are so vivid, I could almost smell the saltiness of the ocean. I would love to visit Maine now after reading her story. The ending was predictable, and you can see it coming a mile away; however, it is still a beautiful story of forgiveness and discovering where you truly belong. I loved the scene where Anna realizes that our loved ones never truly leave us. We are always connected through our memories and love. I recommend The Wideness of the Sea.

The Wideness of the Sea

Is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Toy Story 4: a good family film that tells a similar story

When Toy Story was released in 1995, it was an instant hit and launched the Disney Pixar studio into stardom. Their future films have been major hits with a few misses, overall Pixar could be counted on for a great movie. However, when Disney Pixar announced that they were releasing a fourth Toy Story film, I was skeptical. Was a fourth film necessary? Toy Story 4 was released in theaters on June 21, 2019 to rave reviews and went on to earn $1.071 billion worldwide. It was released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital streaming in October 2019. I recently got the opportunity to watch the movie and while it was a good film, it told the same tired story.

The film opens 9 years ago, before the events of Toy Story 3 (2010) with Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts), her sheep and the lamp she stands on are donated to another family. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is determined to save her but Bo is refuses to return to the house, telling Woody she is not Andy’s toy and “it’s time for the next kid.” Woody reluctantly lets her go. Fast forward to the present day and life with Bonnie. Woody is not Bonnie’s favorite as she prefers to play with Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) and the others. That day is special as Bonnie is starting kindergarten and it is orientation. Woody thinks a toy should go with her despite hearing from Bonnie’s dad that toys are not allowed at school. Woody sneaks into her backpack and watches as she struggles in school. While at school, Bonnie creates Forky (voiced by Tony Hale) and instantly attached. For the final week before school officially starts, Bonnie and her parents go on vacation and while on vacation, Forky gets lost, Woody leaves to rescue him and the other toys must find a way to get Forky and Woody back before Bonnie realizes they are gone.

There are three things I liked about the film. First, it was a great story despite the familiar plot (I’ll get into that last). It had touching moments and great humor. It had the nostalgia about childhood toys and dreams while presenting a lesson about letting go and moving on with just memories to keep. Second, Woody’s place in the ending. I won’t discuss it, but it was a fitting ending. My husband and I both got misty eyed as it was a great moment. The ending of this film makes it clear that this is the final film. Even Tom Hanks in interview has hinted that this is the final film. Third, the Easter Eggs. You can always count on Pixar putting great Easter Eggs into their films. Whether it is a shout out to other Pixar films like Finding Nemo (2003) and Up (2009) or connections to the other Toy Story films.

There is one main thing I didn’t like about this film. The plot was too familiar. A toy needs to be recused. Toy Story (1995) has Woody trying to get himself and Buzz back to Andy when his jealous got them separated from him. Toy Story 2 (1999) had Buzz on a mission to rescue Woody after he was taken, and they must return before Andy returns home from camp. Toy Story 3 (2010) has Woody on a mission to rescue the others when they are mistakenly donated to a day care and he must do so before Andy leaves for college. Familiar? Very. Any story needs a villain. Something to fight against. The Toy Story films have evil toys. While the first film, technically didn’t have an evil toy, Woody was essentially the villain as his jealousy got him and Buzz into their desperate situation. The second film had The Prospector who was trying to keep Woody with the collection to the Japanese museum. The third film had Lotso who was like a mafia crime boss who used terror to control the weaker toys. The fourth film has Gabby Gabby (voiced by Christian Hendricks) who had henchmen to do her bidding.

Overall, it was a good film that kids will enjoy. However, it was just a rehash of previous plots and characters with just enough to make it look different. Children will enjoy this film as they have enjoyed the other Toy Story films. However, Pixar, if you are listening, Toy Story 4 needs to be the finale. All good things must come to an end and let Toy Story 4 be it. At some point, it stops being innovative and starts being lazy. Keep being innovative with new stories and characters and stop rehashing old ones.