{"id":9164,"date":"2019-12-20T09:19:51","date_gmt":"2019-12-20T15:19:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/?p=9164"},"modified":"2026-02-26T13:39:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:39:48","slug":"this-advent-may-we-make-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/2019\/12\/20\/this-advent-may-we-make-room\/","title":{"rendered":"This Advent, may we make room"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo credit: unsplash.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Months ago, while my mind and heart were whirling after moving from rural Wisconsin to Chicago, I attempted to run a simple and quick errand: buy some shampoo. Another sister went with me, and we carried along a short list of things we needed for our new household. At the store, we found little of what we were looking for, even though the store bore a familiar name and allowed the expectation. I scanned the shelves for the kind of shampoo I like, but all the bottles were unfamiliar and unaffordable. Disoriented and overwhelmed, my body tensed with frustration and disgust. This store didn’t have anything I wanted.<\/p>\n

In another aisle, I complained to the sister with me. And then, a man approached us, his face looking stressed. He mumbled a request. “Can you help? Can you help me buy some laundry soap? And a few other things for my family?” I barely understood him. I thought, “Why don’t people just name what they need? Why don’t people speak clearly?” I asked him… [This is the beginning of my latest column for the online newspaper, Global Sisters Report<\/a>. Continue reading here<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

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This Advent, may we make room<\/a><\/blockquote>