Happy Friday. I was so looking forward to this weekend because I have lots of fun things planned–a lecture on mid-century homes with a dear friend, time with out-of-town-friends, brunch at one of my fave restaurants, and some good ol’ R&R.
But, before I slip away for the weekend, here’s some of my favorite picks from the week:
What Was He Thinking? Dads are funny and they parent very differently from moms. As my husband always says, “Good thing kids have moms and not just dads, or they’d be dead.” This blog is perhaps living proof of that sentiment: What Was Daddy Thinking. It is a collection of pictures of little children and infants in precarious and questionable situations, thanks to…you guessed it, their dads.
Protection for the Atheist. I read an interesting post from Daylight Atheism a few days ago called Creating a Safe Harbor for Nonbelievers, which discusses where the nonbeliever can go for support once they have quit believing in God. It was an interesting and eye-opening read.
Trayvon and Justice. I’ve been following the Trayvon Martin tragedy, like so many Americans. I had for a brief moment considered writing a post on the issue, but decided against it. My view is unpopular and it was not something I did not want to tackle here on Modern Reject. However, this post from the Wall Street Journal by Juan Williams is exactly what I would have liked to have written on the issue, although I doubt I could have said it as eloquently and intelligently as Williams.
Self-Promotion is a Good Thing. Donald Miller wrote a great piece on why self-promotion is neither arrogant nor unholy. I have struggled with “promoting” myself and this blog, at times. It feels unnatural, but the points he makes are excellent ones and very encouraging.
A Big Box of Fun. Have you ever heard of Birch Box? It is a fantasy item for product and make-up junkies like me. Basically, you spend $11 a month and they send you a box of fun goodies. I’m in. There is also a similar product for moms called Bluum. And don’t worry guys, I didn’t forget about you. Men have the awesomely titled Manpacks, filled with things like razors, socks, and cologne.
There’s my round-up of Friday Findings. I hope you enjoy.
I struggle with promoting myself as well. I was just talking to someone about that the other day… a friend of mine named Lisa who is looking to expand her speaking and writing reach.
It feels weird self-promoting sometimes, and Donald made some great points.
Anywho, keep it up, gal. Love your site. You’re one of my faves!
Yeah, self-promotion is a tricky thing, but if we value our work and effort then it is the next natural step.
Thank you Antwuan for the kind words, too.
I actually liked Juan Williams’ article. I don’t always agree with him (if you read my blog enough, you’ll know that I’m pretty much a granola hippie liberal), but he does bring up some good points about the larger problem. There were a few parts where I thought he was going into the “blame the victim” thing, but thankfully he doesn’t.
Travis, exactly. When reading it, you could see where someone could slip into the usual drivel, but he doesn’t. He respectfully, yet accurately addresses the larger problem. I found his piece to be refreshing, if you can use that word surrounding such a tragedy.
My sage, Dennis Prager, always talks about “clarity over agreement,” and I think it applies to almost anything. Even liberals and conservatives should ( in an ideal world) be able to communicate this issue in the hopes of finding clarity, not necessarily agreement.
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for the Donald Miller link on self-promotion (always a hard thing in ministry/speaking/writing). I’m eager to check that out. The link on a safe place for non-believers is intriguing to think about too.
Have a great weekend.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Self promotion is so hard for me. I’ve always felt really weird about doing it. Thanks for posting Miller’s link, I think it’s just what I needed to help me get out of that mindset. My work isn’t about me, it’s truly about others – people like the guy I used to be, new Christians, old Christians etc….
Enjoy your weekend Nicole!
Great article on Martin. I don’t disagree in any way; in fact, I gave it a standing ovation.
At some point, white america (aka dominant culture) has to admit that sin and evil are systemic, not just individual. we have a LOT to atone for, and it needs to start sooner rather than later.