Editor’s Note: Jodi Nisly Hertzler writes occasionally for Another Way and is a college counselor, tutor, and freelance proofreader. Jodi and her husband have three children. Nine o’clock on a summer morning. The task at hand is simple but necessary. We’re out of granola, and that just won’t do. I can still picture the recipe card taped to the inside of Mom’s cabinet; I can still remember standing on a chair in the kitchen, helping to dump and stir. Most of my friends have a granola recipe that they claim is the best. Some of them are quite good, especially my friend Carmen’s, […]

The story of Iowa City pastor Max Villatoro captured hearts inside and outside the Mennonite Church this spring. Many were outraged when “Pastor Max,” as he became known, was picked up outside his home by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and later unjustly deported to Honduras, separating him from his four U.S. citizen children. For others, Pastor Max’s case brought tension between the biblical call to welcome the stranger (e.g., Exodus 22:21, Matthew 25:35) and to follow the rule of law (Romans 13). One email I received asked: “Why was Max Villatoro here 20 years, but he still […]

How many shoes do you own? I’ll wager you own a few less shoes than the legendary Imelda Marcos (rumored 3,000 pair in her collection), but more than the impoverished Cinderella. I am certainly no shoe collector; my shoe wardrobe is sparse compared to many women. But I have way more than two pair of shoes. Don, the pastor who married my husband and me over 39 years ago (now pastor emeritus and, yes, he’s getting up there), posed a challenge on Pentecost Sunday in a private conversation during coffee hour. Our current interim pastor (and we’ve only had two […]

I recently had the privilege of attending the first Movies and Meaning Film Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The festival was led by Gareth Higgins and Richard Rohr and featured a variety of profound films and inspiring talks. One of those profound films was a new Jesus film that is scheduled for a limited release in October (it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January). The film’s writer/director, Rodrigo Garcia, joined us for a long Q&A after the screening. Those who know the story of Jesus and are interested in exploring his wilderness encounter with the devil in a […]

Last summer a four-day youth peace camp was held in Saskatoon. Community engagement coordinators, with the help of Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan (MCCS) summer staff Charis Miller & Rachel Bueckert set up a four day youth camp August 17-20, 2014. Charis and Rachel wrote the following reflections following the camp. As summer staff, part of our job was planning and implementing a peace camp titled “Raise the Peace” in the Meadowgreen area of Saskatoon.This area is home to many newcomer families from about 20 different nations. The focus of the camp was peacebuilding and restorative justice, with a specific emphasis on using spoken word (expressive […]

Do you believe in praying for good weather? What about for rain? While great weather is nice to have, especially in summer, and I’m grateful when it occurs on opportune days, I’m not sure it is right to pray for good weather. What if my nice sunshiny day for a picnic prevents a farmer from getting the rain he or she needs so desperately for a crop? I’m often aware of how public prayers can affect those around us, particularly if there are persons in the group who are not necessarily Christian. In early May we had a brief getaway […]

Mandolin Orange, the duo of Emily Frantz and Andrew Marlin, offers a gem with the release of their latest album. They have been touring regularly over the last few years, but this album whispers of the desire to be home. The last cut, “Of Which There Is No Like,” ends with: The fiddle, guitar, and mandolin blend with the voices surrounding you like a comfy blanket in the chill so you can settle back into your rocking chair or porch swing and enjoy life as the sun sets over the horizon. Hold me tight tonight my darling Out of the […]

My husband and I recently moved into the home we purchased a few months ago. We can envision living here for decades. Once all of the boxes are unpacked and the furniture put in place, we’ll need some time to relax. One of my hopes for our home is to show hospitality through sharing guest bedrooms and meals. But I am also keeping an eye toward developing practices in our new home to help us continue to live simply. As I packed up our boxes, I reflected that I felt we had the right amount of stuff (not a precise […]

An interesting email came my way today, encouraging youthful summer job seekers to “look outside the box.” The story pitch noted that the most traditional jobs for teenagers are retail, recreation, and food service. Done, done, and done—between me and my children, at least, we covered those bases. How nice for kids to use summers to experience a bevy of different kinds of jobs! But it made me think of some of the more unusual jobs I held during those magical summers when I wasn’t yet employed full time year-round. How nice for kids to use summers to experience a […]

Two weeks ago, an antifeminist blogger received way too much media attention when he suggested that men shouldn’t see Mad Max: Fury Road because it was feminist propaganda disguised as an action flick (even though he hadn’t actually watched the film). That non-story gained a lot of traction among media outlets, but it really just gave a lot of press to a site that should have just been left to wallow in its own hatred. The question remains, however: is Mad Max: Fury Road really a shift in action film philosophy regarding gender roles? Well, not quite. The women are […]