Today's mashup

I love this backsplash of rough brick

This is hysterical. Thank you, Kathleen.

I love it! Sweet little guy.

Have you heard Esquire magazine included Shane Claiborne on their list of "Rebels and Radicals who are Changing the World"? The editors of Esquire, not known for their tee-totaling generally, invite Shane to write an open letter to non-believers, used-to-believers, etc, and to say anything he wanted! Really?!

Here is Shane's letter in Esquire magazine.

I've got a new favorite blog. It's Parkside Stories, which describes itself as "a beautiful multi-ethnic, low-income apartment complex in the suburbs of Chicago. God has put together a team of people living there who are working towards transforming this community. We live intentionally and work on building relationships between people in and outside the community. As one of Church of the Resurrection's locations, we are involved in community development and an apartment church-plant."

I've had two favorite posts lately - one about how the church should stand alongside immigrants (who make up a big part of the Parkside community and who need a great deal of help navigating the) and another about living a double life.   The author's "double life" consists of living in a low-income apartment complex among the very poorest poor of Chicago, but then leaving each morning to drive just a few miles to her day job - teaching in a rich high school. I can really relate, especially as B and I prepare to move to Haiti to teach high school. Will that be what it feels like - a double life, where I live among the poor and look like a local (well, kind of....), but have a cushy bank account, big house, and tons of beautiful things packed in storage at home?

Did you know there's a modern-day Underground Railroad going on right now, between North Korea and China? Much like on the Texas-Mexico border, many would-be refugees seek the help of a broker/human smuggler to get across the border, but that puts them at great risk for human trafficking and being sold into slavery.

Finally, may I say that Jillian Edwards' music has not left my mind since last week when I saw her delightful self in concert. Check her out! 
Happy Thanksgiving!