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Showing posts from June, 2013

A need to need

I came across a quote, where someone said Alcoholics Anonymous had replaced church for them. I expected to hear something about hypocrites or money-grabbers, but the reason they gave was that they needed each other. They were dependent on each other. At first, I thought it was silly. In my mind, that's not what church was for. I didn't need anybody at my church. Nobody at my church really needs me. But maybe that's why I didn't get it. When I moved to Barbados, young and in love and in poverty, lol, I needed other people. I didn't want to need them. I wanted to be an independent married woman. I made the decision to get married as a full time worker to a full time worker, so I knew things would be tight. But I thought I could make the little money stretch. Turns out I picked the wrong country for stretching :) So there I was, this big married woman, having to be picked up (no vehicle) with my dirty laundry (no washing machine) to wash my clothes at my mother-in

Les Miserables: Grace Received

I’ve just watched this amazing movie (pun intended), and as great as it is, with so many different high points and themes portrayed, the representation of Grace really resonated with me. Spoiler Alert!!! If you haven’t seen the movie yet and you were looking forward to it, you should probably not read on just yet. Grace surrounds three main characters: The paroled prisoner on the run, the priest, and the officer just doing his job. Wolverine (I’ll always see Hugh Jackman in that light…) is enslaved for 19 years for a menial crime. The system is hostile and unjust, victimising the poor. On his release from prison, everyone treats him like he has the plague; mocking him and mistreating him. In response, he becomes hardened. Then the priest steps in and offers him grace. Grace is often described as ‘getting what you don’t deserve’. The priest offers him a place to stay and a meal. But Wolverine is still in his hardened state and does not trust the realness of this free gi