#RendTheHeavens Day 17: Conspire

The system is rigged. The process is tainted. It's a perversion of justice.

They are scheming, plotting, bullying, hatching, tweeting.

Everyone is against. Against immigrants, climate change, gays, Muslims, abortion, labor laws, women's rights, Black Lives Matter, Main Stream Media...voices, protests, humor, art, difference.

Unless you are for them. If you pledge allegiance, they will protect you. If you scratch their back, or your name is Vladimir, they'll scratch your back with a promise and a wink.

They are building. Building walls to keep out our neighbors. Building a cabinet to keep power at the top. Building buildings with the demagogue's name in all caps. Building up fear to keep out the truth.

They are conspiring to create a kingdom - one characterized more by shame than by shalom, more by judgement than by justice.

But here's the thing: we can play that game too.

Con-spire (v). From Latin, conspirare. Com- "together" + spirare "to breathe." To breathe together.

Collude, cooperate, connive, contrive, concoct, connect, construct, cook up, create, cry out.

And care. That is our superpower. 

Loving wastefully, like our lives depend on it. Because they do.

Will you come over for coffee? It's time to put our heads together. You, me, and anyone else who's afraid of what those who are afraid of them might be planning (while drinking scotch somewhere on a gilded sofa). It can be an Irish coffee.

The point is, we need to brainstorm. And even more importantly...all together now...

Take a deep breath in...deep breath out. 

Ready or not, here we come.



But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

-Jude 20-21

#RendTheHeavens Day 9: Violation

The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

-Isaiah 24:5

Today there was a hiccup in the violation.

Water protectors, Native Americans, allies, and everyday Americans stood their ground,

And the covenant held fast.

In an age of unceasing destruction, greed, loss of life,

This is a moment of grace.

This is the day the Lord has made.

Jacquelyn Martin / AP

#RendTheHeavens Day 5: Stained

The Sins of the Daughters of Zion

My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. (Isaiah 3:12)

"I think putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing." 

"Women in military: bad idea." 

“That’s why there are some unintended consequences of the women’s liberation movement. In fact, the women that would lead this country would be pro-family, they would have husbands, they would love their children. They wouldn’t be a bunch of dykes that came from the Seven Sisters schools up in New England." 

"For years we have gotten the message from the popular mouthpieces of culture that you can have it all: career, kids, and a two-car garage." 

"I fear my wife more than I fear voters." 

“I would never buy my wife any decent jewels or pictures. Why give her negotiable assets?” 

"And then there is the calculating woman who refuses to sign the prenuptial agreement because she is expecting to take advantage of the poor, unsuspecting sucker she’s got in her grasp." 

"You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever."

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet; the Lord will afflict with scabs the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts. (3:16-17)

"It doesn't really matter as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of ass." 

"I’m going to get the bathing suits to be smaller and the heels to be higher." 

"You could have gotten her, right? You could have nailed her?" "I think I could have." 

"All of the women flirted with me - consciously or unconsciously." 

"When women see me, they’ll walk up, and they’ll flip their top, and they’ll flip their panties.” 

“If she weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.” 

“It must be a pretty picture. You dropping to your knee." 

"You'd fuck her, wouldn't you? I'd fuck her. C'mon, wouldn't you?" 

"And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Whatever you want. Grab them by the pussy."

In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs; the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; the signet rings and nose rings; the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils. Instead of perfume, there will be a stench; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame. (3:18-24)

“I really understand beauty. I mean I own a lot of different things. I do understand beauty, and she's not." 

"Look at her - she's a slob. She's a very unattractive person both inside and out." 

"This is the face of a dog!" 

"Sadly, she's no longer a 10." 

"She's a fat pig, with a fat ugly face." 

"I call her Miss Piggy - she's an eating machine." 

"Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?" 

"She doesn't have the look. She doesn't have the stamina."

"And when she walked in front of me, believe me, I wasn't impressed." 

Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes; just let us be called by your name; take away our disgrace.” (4:1)

"And they expect us to believe that her ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohort." 

"I fully understand why her husband left her for a man - he made a good decision." 

"If she can't satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?" 

"There has to be some form of punishment." 

"I'm going to ram it down her fucking throat."

"You have to treat 'em like shit." 

Whoever is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy [...] once the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. (4:3-4)

"Did I say that? Excuse me."

#RendTheHeavens Day 4: Shut.Up.

And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

-Matthew 24:31

these days are full of angry noise

but today i felt it inside my body
head screaming

a pulsing crescendo as the day went on
and suddenly my gut was tumbling

then hovering, tenuously

toes over the edge

ready to leap

i walked it back slowly, and there was a respite

but now this creature inside me roars

so loud i can’t hear myself think
i have to stop

i accomplished nothing today
there was so much i wanted to do
but some days my body is not mine
it belongs to the Progesterone God

who i will now address directly:
if you are just the trumpeter

and you answer to someone higher

tell your boss, i hear ye
i’m all ears
just keep the lights out when you come
speak softly
and don’t put any pressure on my belly

thanks

p.s. looks like i’ll be wearing sweatpants for the apocalypse

#RendTheHeavens Day 3: Fr(act)ured

I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

-Genesis 9:15

Today, the waters pour down. But it seems right for the world to be gray. Misery loves company, as the saying goes. The heavens weep as I have been, on and off, for weeks.

At least it's helping to put out the fires that are ravaging the Great Smoky Mountains, where, on this day eight years ago, I was closing in on the last 80 miles of my thru-hike. Frost nipped and famished, I felt like a member of the Fellowship of the Ring, trudging over hill and dale (and through many a gale) on a quest to save Middle Earth.

This earth, you see, is part of us, and we of her. We are knit of the same fabric. Our pain is one pain. We share this hurt.

And even on the days when no rainbow is visible, we must remember the covenant. We may have to get through Mordor to get there, but in time, the world will be made new.