http://circleofhope.net/blog A safe place to explore and express God's love. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:00:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In 2005, Jenna Avellino and I decided to sell our art work (lanterns, handbags & home goods) at a craft show in Brooklyn. The cost; $150 for our spot plus gas, bridge tolls, and weekend stay expenses in NYC. Although we did pretty well as vendors, we talked about how ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/11/17/art-shop/ I have received a lot of inspiration from our ancestors in the faith this year. Our community in the Spirit of Jesus stretches beyond our own experience, into the past and into eternity. So I dare recommend to you Martin of Tours, today -- since Veterans Day is also the ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/11/11/today-is-martin-of-tours-day/ . . Steve Biko, in his essay White Racism and Black Consciousness wrote "In time, we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift—a more human face."  His idea was not limited to just showing South Africa-but restoring to the rest of people on the planet ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/11/09/africanized-paradigms/ I’ve been advised in the past to tend to the new life God is growing in me. To learn how to do this I’ve paid attention to instances of “tending.” The last nine months, though, my pregnancy gave me the opportunity to learn about the “new life” part. ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/10/28/tending-new-life/ Lina broke her leg, stopped eating, and died. Dr. Phil was carried off by a hawk. Finally Geena and Chizuko became midnight victims of a hungry oppossum. So much for our first flock of chickens. We were really hearbroken. Chizuko's untimely disappearance all but ruined summer vacation ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/10/20/love-makes-a-thing-beautiful/ I was sitting around the big table with the CoHOp Core Team last night. Maybe you don’t know that Jason’s dad donated a bunch of his old office furniture and we now have a big wooden table (like a board room scene from Bruce Ward’s skyscraper!) in the “mezzanine“ ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/10/14/large-and-small/ When we walked into our new worship space in the basement of Bridge of Peace Community Church in Camden, we were greeted by a rather large and quite dead mouse right in the middle of the floor. It was apparently headed somewhere, and it didn’t quite make it. Now I ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/10/06/welcome-to-circle-of-hope-camden/ The most astonishing things that I have ever seen are hands down watching my daughters being born.  Rarely am I speechless, and both times I had a system-overload of joy.  I had the privilege of being beside Martha for her labor, and was so proud of her that my face ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/10/02/tuckahoe-and-yorkship/ Recently I met a Baptist who tried to convert me. When I told him that I was already a Christian, he wanted to know the answer to certain questions like what does it mean to be saved, and what does John 3:16 say? I responded to his interrogation begrudgingly. Growing ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/09/24/two-encounters/ It is good to be back from my sabbatical, my summer of pilgrimage. Last Thursday, the “Mutts” comic in the Inquirer had the dog thinking, “Sometimes the best part of going for a walk is coming home.” I can relate to that dog. But, unlike the dog, I don’t feel like ... http://circleofhope.net/blog/2008/09/15/elisha/