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When the White House Acts like Skeksis

I saw The Dark Crystal as a little kid. It was epic, wonder-full, and so timeless I gladly shared it with my own kids some years back. Now Netflix created a stunning Series version: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Season 1 is a thrilling prequel to all that unfolded in the original movie.
[Warning: Spoilers]

The Weak Will Defeat the Strong?

I remember two lone Gelflings and the seemingly uber mighty, lumbering, vicious Skeksis. These rash and rude, self-proclaimed rulers of Thra were stealing power from the Crystal to live forever. And the little, almost hopeless Gelflings had the impossible task of defeating them…

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10 Life & Sex Lessons Mom Never Told Me: #2- More to Life than Sex & Filters

This is Day 2 from the #UnashamedList Series. Written especially for youth and young adults navigating issues like sexual integrity, porn addiction, identity .. Series intro here.

Who doesn’t want to be loved? Who never wanted to be desired? I’ve been married 15 years and still want to be wanted by my husband.

In Middle/High School crushing and flirting can consume much free time (even long after).

Is he looking at me..?  What did she say..?

You can be so self conscious. I got picked on for my hair, being new (we moved a lot), not having the right shoes–people can make fun of anything. I didn’t wear tanks until I was almost done with High School. Continue reading “10 Life & Sex Lessons Mom Never Told Me: #2- More to Life than Sex & Filters”

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WWVD? 9 Beautiful Life Hacks from Voltron, Legendary Defender

The new Voltron (Netflix) blows my mind. I never saw the original (ahem, Thunder Cats), but 30 years later with my own kids, I’ve been longing for cartoons with solid stories and, uh, steady volume. We even blocked a few “kids” channels since so much was like junk food.

But Voltron-Legendary Defender has been a revelation. Rich story lines, deep and diverse characters, 23 glorious minutes of adventure and self-reflection.

One day my little had a meltdown about biking to school. We were running late so my eldest had to bike ahead. I hated separating and spontaneously called out, “What would Voltron do?!”

That got me thinking, so here’s my top 9 Voltron – Legendary Defender Life Hacks for a little fun and encouragement.

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The One Thing Voldermort Maybe Got Right, and Snape Wrong: A Love Note

It’s ok if you’re late to the Harry Potter party. It’s been 20+ years since the debut (omg, we’re that old) and as a high school junior I had little time or interest in the hype and hysteria that came with it. Not to mention many Christian circles (still) actively opposing the magic and “witchcraft.”

It wasn’t until this year when my kids’ school sent a letter urging parents to be alert for trends and hypes, particularly where magic or superpowers were involved, that something in me started to rumble.

Continue reading “The One Thing Voldermort Maybe Got Right, and Snape Wrong: A Love Note”

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Busting Religion: Why I Let My Kids Play with Ninjago, Elsa, Anna, Batman…

In February I got an email from my kids’ school to be alert for “trends and hypes.” All parents were encouraged to give extra thought to the cartoon figures we let our children wear or bring to school, via bags and lunch boxes. My kids attend a school that identifies as Christian, so we knew, in addition to extra singing/music, bible stories and praying, there would be attention to avoiding really frightening stories, or stories of witchcraft, zombies, etc. But this email called out Elsa, Anna, and even Superman. Uh, What??

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If God Was a Bear: “Brave” & Rebelling from Love

Disney’s Brave touched my heart like Frozen, but deeper. In Frozen we glimpse sacrificial love and our divine identity, but Brave touches something deeper: the reality of our love-hate relationship with God.

Merida, a fiery and fun-loving princess who wants to live on her own terms (who doens’t?) runs up against traditions that oppress her spirit. Her mother tries to prepare her for all the ways and responsibilities of a princess, including arranged marriage, but the pair are losing their minds and each other.

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If People are like Trees, Here’s to All the Weeping Willows…

The world puts people in boxes: you’re female so you feel like this, you’re Christian so you think like this, you’re American so you act like that…

God likes to mix things up to help break the social/tradition walls we build between people. Just consider the movie Hidden Figures (based on a true story) where we see brilliant, computer-like brains placed in– not just black, but black, female bodies– in 1960s America. LOL, God is such a rebel…

Hidden_Figures_movie still
Still from “Hidden Figures,” based on the untold true story of the women nobody knew behind the NASA mission everyone knew..  “Genius has no race.. Strength has no gender…”

Continue reading “If People are like Trees, Here’s to All the Weeping Willows…”

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Superman: The Day We Realize Our Identity

When did Clark Kent realize he was different? In Man of Steel (2013) little Clark is overwhelmed by his super hearing and X-Ray vision in class. He hides in a closet and later asks his mom, “What’s wrong with me?”

How many times have you asked yourself the same thing?

We don’t always ‘fit’ in this world. We can feel like rejects, outcasts, misfits, and some of us have been so badly hurt— sorrows and pressure can drain us like a black hole. Is the world supposed to be like this..?

Am I made for something more..?

Man-of-Steel-Clark-Kent-Journey

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5 Lessons from “Frozen” I didn’t See Coming…

I’d been avoiding Frozen like the plague. A few bad frozenDisney experiences, including watching my son hyperventilate when Nemo got taken, and well, “kids” movies aren’t always for kids.

But that’s not the only reason. The “Pharisee” (keep-out -all-things-not-blatantly-“God”) in me still creeps up. Thankfully God is bigger than any wall I’ll ever build around myself…

So after a long refusal, I finally accepted a nudging invitation to watch the film. AND I’M SO GLAD I DID!

Continue reading “5 Lessons from “Frozen” I didn’t See Coming…”