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one of the paradoxes of parenting, eh? you want to spend time with the kids, but it's so nice to get your own time back too.

Prayers that Shelby (and the rest of your family) will have a good year!

Do you think that perhaps she may suffer from the same depression that you do? I mean granted, middle school is hell on earth, but isn't there still a possibility that the depression got passed down genetically? Just a thought....I try not to have those too often. Gotta go lay down now.

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Come check me out at http://littlegreenfriend.blogspot.com or my movie reviews at http://littlegreenreviews.blogspot.com

1 John 4:19-21

Have a good weekend Gordon. Prayers for you and the family.

Hey RLP,

I wouldn't worry too much about private school. I went to one myself, and found the love of teachers who care to be a terrific asset, whether I agreed with them theologically or not. Best of luck to your daughter!

Ben

Well, I am very much looking forward to reading what you write with
your newfound time. I hope it provides you with at least as much joy as
it does your readers.  David Mahfood
dmahfood@ufl.edu
  http://spiffthespaceman.blogspot.com

We're not all bad, Gordon.  We nasty conservatives have grown more tolerant of pomo's over the years... ;o)  Looking forward to your essays and site development.
Brad

Tha's great that Shelby will be going to a different school. I can identify with a LOT of what she's been going through. Middle school is a rough, rough time for kids, especially girls. Here's to a successful school year - for everyone.

Have a great weekend!

Stop dreaming of the quiet life because it's the one we'll never know -- Paul Weller

It's no consolation, but middle school's hard on the adults who work there, too.

Enjoy the last two days of freedom with the Three Sisters.
______________________
SWS
Ecclesiastes 7:13

 I've got a creative and wonderful, but not exactly mainstream 13 year old with a tendency toward depression.  In the godless NW where we live, he gets grief for being an acolyte at church; at a camp this summer in the NE, he got called anti-God and a satanist because he wears too much black and "faggot pants" (sic).  Go figure. The thing is, it never happens within in his tiny private school.  They don't tolerate it there and it's small enough that they don't miss it.  As for the theology, I'm in awe of his ability to sort through it.  Blessings on her; it's a tough age, but I'm betting things will be better.

Is there NO ONE OUT THERE besides Gordon who is teaching his/her DAUGHTERS to be GOOD PEOPLE???????  Good GRIEF, what do we have to do to teach our children to be kind to one another?  How many more Shelbys have to live through this before parents of the attacking children are willing to say, Gee, my daughter's a real creep and I should do something about that...and yes, I do have a child, a 5 year old boy, and I have friends with daughters, and I was a daughter...and I'm telling you, my friends all know, at least through 5th or 6th grade, what kind of daughters they're raising and how to stop them from being the kind of creeps Shelby has run into.  I know how to keep my son from being the kind of creep the commenter below has had his son run into.  GOOD LORD, HELP US RAISE OUR CHILDREN.  And thank You for Shelby and all the Shelbys, and give them the grace to have parents who will listen and at least one good friend in school. And please let my son NOT be one of them, and guide me to keep him on that path.  And guide those others, the enemies I must pray for - though that one, Lord, I must leave to you, I don't know how to pray for them at this time of night.

RLP, I never know when your posts are going to bring tears to my eyes. But often it's when you write about the beauty and innocence of your daughters. I have a wondrous daughter of my own who see-sawed through her childhood and adolescence with being accepted/not accepted. At 24, she's beautiful, brilliant, soaring -- and not just to my eyes. She told me not long ago she appreciates what being an outsider taught her. What I thank God for is that she is not bitter about anything. Happy to be here with all the other fools, as I am.

It made me smile to read about Shelby and the leather jacket again. I hope she holds onto her unique qualities, and finds friends who appreciate her gifts. Sending love. N.

RLP - you need to watch an excellent little parody movie called Saved!. I know it stars Mandy Moore, but it will hopefully allow you to laugh a little.

I'm looking forward to seeing this season of time devoted to RLP (keep it up)

I know what you're saying about the school. For the same reason, we've been holding back about going to church since we moved. Having two very impressionable pre-schoolers I worry about what they're going to be told about God. Okay, I'm biased, but I think they can handle a more subtle understanding of the mysteries of God and Christ than I generally see offered by Christian educators (or the pulpit for that matter), and I know I'll end up being barraged by questions that come from traditional theological tales just not making sense to my children.

I've learned to filter through the traditional code language the Church has inherited, and to see metaphor for what it is, so I can usually get something out of most churches. But I didn't even start developing that ability until I was a teenager.

By the way, for progressives with young children, check out the book Old Turtle (ISBN: 0439309085). It's a beautiful story, with beautiful illustrations (paintings, really) and ends with a message of hope that I struggle to believe because I want to believe it.

I love that post about the three sisters. I've read it a few times and each time it brings tears to my eyes. The love you have for those girls helps me better understand the love God has for me. Thank you.

"Anyway, I plan to write pretty hard Monday and Tuesday. I'm hoping to have something for you and for Christian Century."

Oh lordy I wish I had the capacity to work on command. On my own demand. Oh what is this life?

JSol

Well, this is my first time writing a comment- I usually just sit on my lunch break and drink in all of the wonderful, heart-soaring, heart-breaking thoughts that go on here. But this was a really good one for me to read; see, I'm a new teacher who is about to head into the school year with butterflies in my stomach (probably similar to the ones that Shelby has). Last year I went up to Northern Canada (yellowknife) to begin my teaching career as a High School Science teacher. I had hugely high hopes, and ended up burnt-out, discouraged and leaving half-way through the year on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I came back to my hometown and got a job running a program for people with developmental disabilities but somehow felt pushed to return to teaching. Now here I am, one week away from beginning a position teaching grade 2 (ack!) and I am terrified yet ecstatic. The reason why I wanted to respond to this blog entry is that I will be teaching at a private Christian school, something that I said I would NEVER do- due to the exact same reservations as you have, preacher. I question everything, can't stand conservatives, and seem to find more evidence of God's presence in the secular world than in the Christian sub-culture. But this school was willing to give me a chance at something I am untrained to do (teach the little wee ones) and seems to really believe I have something to offer. They seem life-giving, and they don't want their teachers to teach doctrine, only to be life-giving as well. I pray that it's not kooky or conservative, and I pray that I give life, but as I head into the year I will be praying for Shelby too- that the people around her and her teachers help her find her spirit in a school atmosphere again. Maybe it will comfort both you and her to know that her teachers are probably just as nervous as you are.

I'm a pastor who has his office in the parsonage. I took the last two weeks off as vacation, but wish that I could have extended it another week and a half --- until the start of school! But the vacation was nice, and that little rest will hopefully last me until I get my "quiet" back, at least during school hours....

sure wish there was a decent Christian Academy here. I'm so nervous about Thing One attending Middle School this year, and I'm sure my nervousness has rubbed off on her. God bless your writing and school for your children this year. ----paulapalooza