donnadarling

[donnadarling]

The feminist urge is winning these days, but perhaps I'll lean punk during June

The feminine urge to dress masculine. The masculine urge to dress hyper feminine. The Catholic urge to veil. The feminist urge NOT to veil. The punk rock urge to veil but in an annoying way.

[donnadarling]

I feel like Catholics and other Christians tend to hold up the Holy Family as the ideal role model of a nuclear family; but Mary was pregnant outside of wedlock, and Joseph was not Jesus's bio dad. The Holy Spirit (the One Who conceived Jesus) is referred to with feminine language in the original text of the Scripture. According to the Church, Mary and Joseph never consummated their relationship; instead adopting more kids. At Jesus' request, John the Beloved took in Mary as his own Mother--that's chosen family.

None of these things exactly fits the ideals of a nuclear marriage and family which Christians espouse--in fact, it would be considered scandalous. But they were a Holy Family nonetheless. It's almost like family can be complicated and not fit into lines or boxes, and still be built on love and honoring to God

[donnadarling]

OHOHOHO!!

I feel like Catholics and other Christians tend to hold up the Holy Family as the ideal role model of a nuclear family; but Mary was pregnant outside of wedlock, and Joseph was not Jesus's bio dad. The Holy Spirit (the One Who conceived Jesus) is referred to with feminine language in the original text of the Scripture. According to the Church, Mary and Joseph never consummated their relationship; instead adopting more kids. At Jesus' request, John the Beloved took in Mary as his own Mother--that's chosen family.

None of these things exactly fits the ideals of a nuclear marriage and family which Christians espouse--in fact, it would be considered scandalous. But they were a Holy Family nonetheless. It's almost like family can be complicated and not fit into lines or boxes, and still be built on love and honoring to God

[donnadarling]

Check out my friend's book!!

It's a memoir of her experience as an autistic Christian! I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and let me tell you honestly: this book was EXACTLY what I needed right now. As an ADHD girly who struggles with depression, self-worth, and living in a world not built for neurodivergent people; Miya's story and reflections were so relatable, and a healing balm to my soul.

This work is a much-needed breath of honesty in a Church that has historically dismissed mental health with a cliche and a prayer (or worse--condemnation). We follow Miya through the highs of a miraculous conversion and God's providential care; and the lows of the fact that real-life (and mental health) is messy and sometimes sorrowful. The glory of it all is that God walks *with* us in the mess and sorrow, NOT that He magics it all away. That's part of what it means to be human on Earth, not just some walking ball of smiling holy light. And that's what we see in Miya's story--that Autism is just another flavor of humanity, another facet of the Image of God. There are wonderful joys in it that God gives as gifts (like special interests! :D), and there are struggles in it that God tenderly guides His children through--just like every other brain type He has created. I hope someday the whole church recognizes this truth. I'm grateful that Miya shared her story, and I hope that many people learn from it or are encouraged by it!

[donnadarling]

Glass

(A poem by Donna Darling)

"Be ye holy as I am holy," He said So we know we're doing well. For Heaven knows the Holy One Never descended into Hell! Holiness never sat beside sinners Never healed their aching wounds Never drank wine, held men Never blessed the unwed womb. "Take up your crosses," He said So we wear them round our necks. Large enough for the worlds to see Small enough not to break a back Or if we want to suffer like Him A candy one we might buy. We'll fill it up with broken glass Call it martyrdom when we bleed and cry

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Digital text assignment- of course I had to use a Lord Huron quote.

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Great Comet of 1861 (Edmund Weiss, 1888)

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apple blossomed trees / roots with the birds

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X-Files “I want to believe” // Mark 9: 24

[donnadarling]

Bringing this back for the holy-days~

I feel like Catholics and other Christians tend to hold up the Holy Family as the ideal role model of a nuclear family; but Mary was pregnant outside of wedlock, and Joseph was not Jesus's bio dad. The Holy Spirit (the One Who conceived Jesus) is referred to with feminine language in the original text of the Scripture. According to the Church, Mary and Joseph never consummated their relationship; instead adopting more kids. At Jesus' request, John the Beloved took in Mary as his own Mother--that's chosen family.

None of these things exactly fits the ideals of a nuclear marriage and family which Christians espouse--in fact, it would be considered scandalous. But they were a Holy Family nonetheless. It's almost like family can be complicated and not fit into lines or boxes, and still be built on love and honoring to God

[donnadarling]

She had a sexy skeleton, with curves in all the wrong places.

(a noir detective talking about my gf with scoliosis)

[donnadarling]

🎵🎶 I see him when I'm sleeping

I know that he's awake

I prophecy in unknown tongues

And my mind's about to break 🎶🎵

[donnadarling]

I wrote a poem about this a few years ago! His story was so beautiful and baffling, I could not resist.

The Janitor Prophet (by Donna Darling)

The gods appeared to him and suddenly he could see eternity in a coke bottle, the fabric of time and space in a cereal box. The Holy Spirit overshadowed him and he spun gold from drinking straws. The angels watched over him, guided his hands as he shaped crowns no head would ever wear, wrote words no one would ever read. Decades poured into unseen beauty, his invisible Patron providing the sacred materiel: Band aids and foil and reckless devotion, a cathedral in a rented garage.

Was it love or madness? Is there a difference? There was God in the garbage, Mary in the smog filled skies, he saw them with his own eyes. And so he continued his lonely vigil, alone yet not alone.

“Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly”

Built by janitor James Hampton over a period of 14 years.

It is constructed out of “various old materials like aluminum and gold foil, old furniture, various pieces of cardboard, old light bulbs, shards of mirror and old desk blotters. He had pinned it together with tacks, glue, pins and tape.”