A funny thing happened this week in pop culture. You can read a little more about it here, and then see what I think about it in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3O5yIxNAaY&t=8s Welcoming and inclusive are who and what we are called to be, y'all.
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Every week, Doubting Believer brings you things to read, watch or listen to that are sure to make you smile. Because we all could use a little good news. A Cookbook Revival I love a good community cookbook. This one has been revived after a son found a copy in his deceased mother's belongings and is now raising money to feed kids on weekends and holidays. Learn More People Can ...
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Every week, Doubting Believer brings you things to read, listen to or watch that are sure to make you smile. Because we all could use a little good news. The butterflies are back! Monarch butterflies are making a resurgence in California. This is good news on many levels. Learn More Father/Daughter Duo Connect People and RVs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2D2lf6XC8 Zoom and Fauci among the Top Pet Names of 2021 Did you get a ...
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Every week, Doubting Believer brings you things to read, watch or listen to that are sure to make you smile. Because we all could us a little good news. School for the Deaf Football Team Has Undefeated Season Read More Boy Scout Saves the Day (and the dog) A couple lost with their injured dog while hiking in Hawaii were fortunate to have a twelve-year-old Boy Scout and his mom ...
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Yes, it’s true. As a country, we desperately need to work on our civil discourse skills, but Thanksgiving may not be the best time to practice those skills. With that in mind, here are 10 fun facts that you can bring up to steer the conversation away from politics at your Thanksgiving feast. Pull these out as needed to prevent heartburn and hurt feelings. Thanksgiving is to blame for TV dinners. In ...
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Every week, Doubting Believer brings you things to read, watch or listen to that are sure to make you smile. Because we all could use a little good news. Homelessness--what feel-good topic! But when it comes to a problem that seems overwhelming, it is good news indeed to learn about what some cities and communities are doing to make reduce homelessness. A friend of mine who is a homeless ...
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It kicks off October 15 (aka my dad's Birthday!) https://youtu.be/Q592rrw_zE8 Seven Songs Seven Stories Some new insight into what the Bible is saying to us. (Maybe even some characters you missed!) It's fun. It's online. You do it on your own time. Opt in now and start on October 15 or anytime thereafter. Learn More
Read MoreIn honor of International Women's Month, here are seven women who weren't just the first women, but the first anyone achieve the following: Anne Edison Taylor was the first woman to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The woman at the well in John 4 is the first person to tell people the Good News about Jesus. Marie Curie was the first person to win a Nobel Prize ...
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All the kids are doing it, and it turns out, quite a few clergy are, too. Is it possible to spread the Good News on an app made famous by dance moves? We'll see. Here are a few of my "beginner" efforts. https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6919575255639936262?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6912397560931354118 https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6912468019721686277?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6912397560931354118 https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6915771555251358982?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6912397560931354118 https://www.tiktok.com/@revanneruss/video/6927652776054918406?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1
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I am an ardent follower of Super Bowl commercials...not just because they're entertaining. Because life imitates art (even pop culture art) and art imitates life, I believe the tone of the Super Bowl ads is a barometer of who we are and where we're going as a nation. You may remember that not long ago the ads for the year's biggest sporting event used to be filled with ...
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February is Black History Month. I get that someone as white as I am may not be the best resource for books to read for Black History Month. This is by no means some definitive guide to Black History in America. Nor are these books I've read specifically to educate myself on anti-racism or books on Black liberation or womanist theology (those will come in subsequent lists). I just ...
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Lawd, y'all. Here we are in a New Year. A new beginning. A fresh start. But it doesn't seem like all that much as changed, does it? We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we're not there yet. If you feel your faith faltering, remember that a faith that struggles with questions is always stronger than one that never asks any. We're all going to ...
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On this day when the first vaccines are being administered to first responders, we pray: For healthcare workers on the frontlines who are physically and mentally exhausted. For those who continue to battle the virus in hospitals and in homes. For the long-haulers who have been dealing with the effects of this virus for months. For the custodians and janitors and all the unseen heroes who tirelessly clean and sanitize to keep ...
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I like television. Yeah, there's a lot of bad stuff out there (I'm looking at you, Hallmark movies and reality TV), but Thanksgiving is when some of the good shows really bring out their best. They remind us that no one's meal comes off perfectly, everyone has relatives that drive them up a wall and that, in spite of it all, there is much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving is going ...
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If you grow weary of election results and Corona virus updates, here are five movies (some you may not have heard of) that boost my spirits every time. Based on a true story of when the LGBTQ community teamed up with striking miners in the UK, this movie will make you feel better about life and the world. I love it every time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIh0v7nQcXw Available on Amazon Prime and Hulu It's ...
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This year's MTV Video Awards show gives me hope for the future. A middle-aged female African-American icon was finally recognized for her contribution and absolutely killed it on stage. Earlier this year, Missy Elliot was the first female hip hop artist inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and this week she was awarded the long overdue MTV Vanguard Award for her contribution to hip hop music, culture and fashion--not ...
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I've lived in Arkansas for about 34 of my 49 years--but not consecutively. I've traveled so many backroads and by-ways of the state that I'm surprised when I run across a small town that I haven't heard of (but I have yet to find a town that my native Arkansan father doesn't know about). Before I get out of here this time and head to NYC, I thought I'd share ...
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Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23 (CEB) I have grown up and grown old with Madonna, and I have always been fascinated by her ability to reinvent herself in world that, as a whole, is incredibly resistant to change. I recently ran across a quote from an interview she did with Vanity Fair many moons ago, and Madonna said, “This ...
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I haven’t been able to find this clip from last week’s episode of legal drama For the People or been able to rip it legally. But it’s such a powerful speech that I believe speaks to the frustration and the realizations many of us are experiencing right now in regards to our country’s stance on immigration, that I decided to transcribe it. I’m a sucker for a good speech, and ...
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The Academy Awards are on tonight, which means fashion statements, pun-ny presenters and acceptance speeches. Some speeches are professional and polished, some are funny, some are painfully awkward and some go completely off the rails, but everyone who wins gives one. They thank their team of agents, managers, etc. They thank their co-workers, their mentors, their families and (at least some of them) God. Perhaps we should start expecting acceptance speeches ...
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Yesterday was National Pie Day (not to be confused with the March 14 National Pi Day). I love pie. Does anyone not love pie? I got to see the ultimate pie musical Waitress for the second time this past weekend. It's based on a movie by the same name that has been a favorite of mine for years. Shortly before the film premiered, Adrienne Shelley, the woman who wrote, directed and ...
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Our family is very fortunate in that one of our Christmas rituals is to catch the train into NYC while we're visiting my husband's family in Connecticut and take in a Broadway show. This year, we were able to catch the revival of Once on this Island in the Circle on the Square Theater. It's a theater in the round where the audience literally sits around the stage. In this fable of ...
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I'm so excited that there is a fairly new live version of my favorite Christmas song, sung by Dar Williams. It's about literally welcoming people to the table, which is my favorite image of what the Kingdom of God is like. If we can't welcome those who don't believe exactly what we do, especially at Christmas, then we're kinda missing the boat trying to be more like Jesus. May you welcome ...
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It's getting out of hand. The outrage over the lyrics and the backlash over the banning of the song, Baby It's Cold Outside. I will admit that am not a fan. As someone who is about to send a daughter off to college, any song about a man trying to keep a woman who has queried "What's in my drink?" from leaving his house sends off warning bells in my ...
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Dumplin' is one of the latest original movies to hit Netflix. I watched it this weekend, and here are just five of the reasons I love it. Note: all spoilers are thematic. No actual plot points revealed. It centers around the wisdom of Dolly Parton...and its soundtrack is chock full of her music. Dolly and I practice the same kind of Christianity--one that leans hard on faith and loving people (including yourself). When ...
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Are you awaiting the Rebel Jesus? The streets are filled with laughter and lightAnd the music of the seasonAnd the merchants' windows are all brightWith the faces of the childrenAnd the families hurrying to their homesAs the sky darkens and freezesWill be gathering around the hearths and tablesGiving thanks for all God's gracesAnd the birth of the rebel Jesus They call him by the "Prince of Peace"And they call him by "The ...
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In order to pass Bechdel test, a movie must have three things: Two named women characters Who have a conversation with each otherThat is not about a man You may or may not be surprised that Christmas movies that pass the Bechdel test are hard to come by, but here are five. (note to Netflix and Amazon Prime: get it together, you aren't streaming any of these Bechdel-approved flicks.) Godmothered https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYWzEqX-J-4 The latest ...
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If you're too full after Thanksgiving to move and go out to the movies, here are a few to view in-home. Pieces of April is not just my favorite Thanksgiving movie, but one of my favorite movies of all time. It's a tale of redemption. My husband tells me I think everything is a tale of redemption--but this story truly is. Planes, Trains and Automobiles has been out there for awhile, but, ...
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In response to those Christian voices who decry and denounce the celebration of Halloween, my friend Rev. Marie Mainard O'Connell (minister and unapologetic celebrant) penned this ode a few years ago. She has graciously allowed me to post it here. I think it should be read aloud in the town square (if we still had such things) every year. In defense and praise of Halloween! Rally the hordes of children in masks! Man ...
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Some people are sports fans. Some people are Instagram followers. Others are ardent devotees of Dancing with the Stars. I am a big fan of anything or anyone who helps us deal with death in healthy and helpful ways. I know. It's weird. Kudos to ABC this week for offering up two well-done story lines about how to (or how not to) handle death when children are involved. Single Parents (which I think ...
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I grew up watching Sesame Street. I was born the year after it went on the air, and it (along with Mr. Rogers Neighborhood) was a mainstay of my childhood. In those early years, Big Bird was the only person who could see his friend Mr. Snuffleupagus. It wasn't so much that Snuffy was invisible, but he and Big Bird's friends always seem to have missed connections. Big Bird (who is ...
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This is my favorite week of the year. Fall television premiere week. I know that's really not an acceptable thing for a pastor to say, but you might as well know the truth (if you don't already). Holy Week and the week before Christmas are a bit of a nightmare for pastors. Not only are the schedules jam packed, but there is the pressure of coming up with just the ...
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It's back. Today is the annual Talk Like a Pirate Day. A fine tradition that dates all the way back to 1995. The day was founded by a bunch of guys goofing off and talking like pirates while playing racquetball ((one has to imagine there was alcohol involved). They chose today's date because it was the birthday of one man's ex-wife, and it was the only date he could remember ...
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This one is an oldie, but a goodie. One of those it's-funny-cause-it's-true kinda things. There are lots of reasons people don’t come to church. Some are legitimate reasons and some are simply excuses. Here are 10 of the top excuses and ways to respond. 10. I go to brunch on Sundays. (Here is a list of local restaurants that serve Sunday brunch until 3 p.m.) 9. Church is full of hypocrites. (And we always ...
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The other day at an event (that was in need of some music), I turned my I-tunes playlist over to a stranger, and it made me extremely uncomfortable. I knew my phone was in good hands, but I was nervous about what this person might think if he started perusing my playlists. Would he judge me for the Barry Manilow songs? Would he imagine the reason I have the soundtracks for High ...
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Tomorrow is National Compliment Day. While there is still plenty to be outraged about, many policies to protest and a ton of things in our nation and our world that need changing, my heart craves a break from all the criticism and critiques, from the ugly words and angry hearts. For a day, could we flood our social media feeds with compliments? Not empty, insincere platitudes, but sincere compliments for people, businesses, ...
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Maybe this Christmas Ron Sexsmith captures what we all hope for at Christmas. Maybe this will be the year. The one where we access everything we truly want out of Christmas. Maybe... If this kind of Christmas is the one you've been seeking, then don't leave it to chance. Don't just hope for "maybe." Love deeper Choose to forgive Open Doors Shine the light Be grateful Participate in the incarnation by letting the Word be ...
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This song has a part in the Lessons and Carols service at First Pres Argenta every year as, for me, it captures who we are supposed to be as Christians (at Christmas and throughout the year). If we can't welcome those who don't believe exactly as we do to the table, then we are embarking on adventures in missing the point.
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Today only, use the code CYMON to get 25% off of all Doubting Believer online studies. If you're buying as a gift for someone, just put their email in the note at checkout and the date you'd like them notified, and we'll include them in the study. The Bible On-Location 22 plus 44 Days to a New Prayer Discipline (now with weekly Zoom call) The Gospel According to Broadway
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Last week's episode of the re-vamped Will and Grace (featuring the always-adorable Ben Platt) pointed out how the experiences of young gay people today are vastly different than those of the folks who came along (and out) 20 years ago...even 10 years ago. Today is National Coming Out Day. A professor from Ohio State has written an op-ed piece for the Washington Post asserting that a special day for coming out ...
Read MoreI know that's really not an acceptable thing for a pastor to say, but you might as well know the truth (if you don't already). Holy Week and the week before Christmas are a bit of a nightmare for pastors. Not only are the schedules jam packed, but there is the pressure of coming up with just the right thing to say about the same story year after year in ...
Read MoreWhite Flour, the tale of humor winning over hate (based on a real event), is now available in video form. Author, songwriter and peace activist David LaMotte has made it available for all to share.
Read MoreWe all know there is an opioid addiction epidemic plaguing our country. An epidemic that is far too serious and complicated a problem to fix in a blog post. However, there is another epidemic sweeping the country (if not the entire world) that can easily be addressed is five simple steps. I'm referring, of course, to our growing addiction to outrage. It seems there is nothing that America loves more than to ...
Read More"I breathe in. The water will wash my wounds clean. I breathe out. My mother submerged me in water when I was a baby, to give me to God. It has been a long time since I thought about God, but I think about him now. It is only natural. I am glad, suddenly, that I shot Eric in the foot instead of the head." —Tris in Divergent by Veronica Roth This ...
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I've was never a huge Kei$ha fan when she was at her peak. First of all, there's that dollar sign in her name (how substantive can you be when money is literally part of your name?). Then, there are the songs that made her famous, which celebrate and champion drunken debauchery. One night of drinking too much and dancing too hard and staying out too late can be celebratory and ...
Read MoreI've never been big on the clergy collar. When I first started in ministry, the blouses they made for women clergy were uncomfortable and unflattering, so I pretty much dismissed them. But now there are companies like Clergy Image, Women's Spirit and House of Ilona that make comfortable, stylish options so you don't feel like you're just trying to make a man's shirt work for you. So about a year ago, I ...
Read MoreI get it. It is really irritating that Christians (particularly clergy) rarely show up on television, even in places like emergency rooms or disasters sites where (in real life) clergy can always be found. (Yeah, I'm talking to you Shonda Rhimes and Dick Wolf.) When Christian characters do show up on television at all, they are either buffoons, predators or overbearing, judgmental haters. To add insult to the injury of the poor portrayal ...
Read MoreThis season is not lacking in cute, funny, romantic and sappy sweet movies and televisions specials. But if you're not in the mood for extreme Christmas cheer and looking for something a little more substantive in your holiday entertainment, check out these flicks. A Christmas Without Snow Michael Learned (the Walton's mom) plays a divorced single mom trying to pull her life back together. She joins the choir of a local church ...
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