I have an article up at UrbanFaith.com and Sojo.net that I believe is as important as anything I’ve written. Here’s a clip:
I’ve often thought that if my husband had been black, we would have raised our sons in my hometown. It was small and idyllic. Both boys would have received a stellar academic foundation and Gabe would have had a role model at home to help him deal with identity issues. As it was, my husband and I were clueless about basics like what to do about his “ashy skin” or where to get him a decent hair cut. Living in a diverse community solved a lot of everyday problems and allowed us to develop socially and biblically responsible attitudes about race that we might not have otherwise developed. Still, there were costs. …
Read the whole thing here, especially if you’re a white parent raising children of a different race.
A beautiful, honest and yes, important, offering. Thank you.
Thanks Erika. I hope you are well. I also hope to visit you someday in the Pacific Northwest. Driving through rural Pennsylvania yesterday reminded me of the Tillamook Valley, which reminded me of home : )