community

Clare,
Sorry for my absences. Our new neighbors has cable strung this past week and internet has not been reliable. We'll have to get it looked at.

Where are you hearing/reading these stories? I only listen to news on NPR and haven't heard anything about other stories.

It does make me angry that young women are the ones promising chastity, and not the young men. My son used the word "slut" last week. I asked him why he called her that. Of course the answer was about her promiscuity. I asked him why is it OK for boys to score and yet the same action makes a girl a slut? Isn't it a woman's choice if she wants to explore her sexuality at age 16- if it's her choice it doesn't make her a slut. If she's being forces or coerced then the man is a rapist…not her failure to stop him.
My son stood there with his mouth wide open…
I think I took him by surprise.
I hope he heard me. I don't get upset if I find out my kids are having sex- as long as they use protection. I just talk to them about being in control and never forcing.
Yes means yes…
rather than no means no…
just because I person doesn't say no doesn't mean they are consenting…
Yes, clearly and consistently is necessary.

I shared some of Rex Ambler at Meeting this morning. I had a strong leading about continuing the theme of community, as it's been for the past 3 weeks. I also had a strong desire to understand a quote from last week about "community with little in common"…
what we have in common is that of God within.
So I shared some of Ambler's writings of George Fox and then sang a few quotes about being in community.

Our life is love.
Our Life is peace.
Our life is tenderness.
And bearing with each other,
And forgiving one another,
And not laying accusations one against the other.
But holding each other up with a tender hand. -Isaac Pennington

Mind that which is eternal.
Which gathers your hearts together up to the Lord.
And lets you see that ye are written in one another's hearts. - George Fox

The singing was powerful for me. I haven't sung publicly in a long while. Just singing through them gave me joy each day. I think there's a message in this for me.

Love and Light beautiful sister,
Maggie