I've got a wee beef with this recent post from Stuff Christians Like, entitled rather troubling, "Girls that have a past" and then subsequently subtitled as, "The unofficial identifying girls in church who have a past scorecard".

My beef isn't because:

a) I'm a girl with a past (though I kinda am, but not much of one and presumably didn't score very high on aforementioned scorecard because of my fear of white shorts);

b) I dislike SCL or its writer in residence, Jon Acuff (SCL is something I usually really like, so much so that I read portions of it outloud at dinner parties and sleepovers); or

c) Because I'm a feminist (though, again, I kinda am, but more in the way of Leslie Knope as opposed to Nancy Pelosi).

Instead, my beef is due in large part to:

a) The post saying it's meant to "call out" guys who think this way and keep such scores, but instead invites "girls" to tally up their own scores to see how they measure up;

b) Limiting the categorization of girls with a past to such profound outward signs of promiscuity as hoop earrings, a desire to drink, and tardiness;

c) Stereotyping the good girls as legalistic, un-marry-able prudes (who, in fairness, love a good orphan);

d) The host of this party, Jon, having to consistently defend, clarify, and define the post as "satire" and yet still claim it as "truth," not that he would know anything about that, as he married a good girl; and

e) The uninspired writing of a piece of satire without a clear beginning, middle or end, with no justifiable or redeeming conclusion that pierces the soul with wit, poignancy AND laughter (as all good satire must), and still also manages to reference Kim Kardashian.

I love SCL, and up till now, highly respected and learned a great deal from Acuff. But this post uses a common misconception as an excuse to judge - and laugh at - all women based on their looks, their facebook profiles, and their favourite verses (to name just a lousy few).

No wonder so many people have such a hard time going to church; we're not even safe among God's people.

One Moment in Time (cue Whitney Houston)

So I've been super busy lately, so busy that I've not had much time to write, rest, reflect or clean. Well, I try not to find the time to clean, but that's neither here nor there.

Anyway, after missing my last book club meeting due to some wicked morning sickness, and having only read 50 pages of the current book club read (Netherland, by Joseph O'Neill), I somewhat hesitatingly drove to our local library for our monthly meeting. Now when I say local, I mean that technically it's about 8 km away, driving down 3 narrow country roads, a not-as-narrow two-lane highway (dual carriageway), to a nearby village with construction (road works) up and down it's narrow main street. I have been known to take out a side-view mirror or two. So anyway, as I drove to book club last night at dusk, I was suddenly struck with an obvious though completely awe-inspiring thought:

I live in Ireland!

I live here. In Ireland. By the sea. In the country. With people I'm growing to love. Raising my kids here.

We have a life in Ireland. Wow.