Beth and Traci: Soapin’ our Saddles
For the three of you wondering what ever happened to Beth and Traci Go to Church (Hi, Helen, Jim and Benjamin!), we wanted you to know we’re still here.
As you may have noticed, we haven’t posted since February. (February? Really?) Or maybe it was March. Either way, it’s been awhile.
Traci’s been gardening and crazy-busy writing and editing for Real money. My time’s gone to writing for a fiction-writing class and just general living, my best energy reserves channeled into newly intensified parenting, emotional and academic issues of a child recently diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome.
But we’re still here, and we’re about to get back in the saddle again for the home stretch. Our plan is to don our hats for a couple more church lady visits. We have four items to check off our list before we (I, Beth) can call our Church Rater blog gig complete.
Our List
1) Visit some Catholic sisters at St. Somewhere (and write about it)
2) Whoop it up with a few Charismatic/Pentecostal believers (and post here)
3) Record a podcast with Nick & Josh (if they’ll still have us)
4) Write a contract-grabbing book proposal (Jim? Pointers?)
In the making of this list I wondered if we should include Methodist and Episcopal. Just thinking out loud here.
And yesterday morning as I drove home from the grocery store, that pesky light bulb popped up over my head with an idea that’s too late for this go around. If we could go back, in addition to observing I’d make it a point to ask a woman or two the following specific question.
“What does being a Christian mean to you and to a woman in this church tradition?“
I think the answers would be informative and revelatory, adding a more concrete component to the usual devastatingly entertaining take on our visits. More journalistic, less restaurant review-like. Hm. Maybe that’ll be a future project. (I dream of taking it on the road to explore what it’s like for women in countries all around the world to be followers of Christ. To me, THAT would make for fascinating reading.)
So stay tuned. You haven’t quite read the final word from us yet . . .
Comment by: Helen
1 05/1/08 6:08 AM | Comment Link |Thanks for the update, Beth! I hope you’re finding some approaches that help your son with the challenges of Asperger’s.
I like your question. I wonder how similar or different the answers of two women in the same tradition would be?
Comment by: Beth
2 05/1/08 8:41 AM | Comment Link |Thanks, Helen. We found a more tuned-in therapist, and that helps. It’s been a rough year for the guy. It’s hard to see your kid struggle emotionally, you know? I look forward to next school year, that’s for sure.
Thanks for liking my question. :)
Comment by: Randy
3 05/1/08 9:36 AM | Comment Link |You go, girls! I missed hearing from you, too!
And I think you should hit a Methodist church, btw. Episcopal would be relatively similar (in most cases) to the Catholic experience, I think, but Methodist would be enough different that it might present some contrasts.
I’ll have to research aspergers to find out more of what that’s about, but I think that’s the disease one of the characters on “Boston Legal” has (does that sound right?). You sounded fairly hopeful about new direction for your son. How old is he?
Comment by: Beth
4 05/1/08 9:54 AM | Comment Link |Hi, Randy! I did think to include you in the list of the “three” people who might miss us (which would have made it four). Nice to see you again.
There’s a big old Methodist church in town that has carved into its limestone exterior “Methodist-Episcopal,” which could make it one-stop shopping for us. Thanks for your thoughts. I’ll discuss it with the atheist and see what she wants to do.
And thank you for your compassion about my boy. I didn’t mention it, really, to fish for sympathy, but I appreciate the support. I do believe Jerry on “Boston Legal” has a cartoonish diagnosis of AS. My eleven year-old isn’t that extreme, fortunately. He slipped through the cracks till fifth grade, if that tells you anything. I just worry the social obstacles, magnified in middle school, will pound his tender spirit into the ground and snuff out his brilliant light. It’s tempting to pull him out and homeschool him or enroll him in a private school for kids with AS, which I doubt would really be doing him any favors. He’s wonderful, though. Truly. Thanks for asking. :)
Comment by: Beth
5 05/1/08 9:57 AM | Comment Link |Oh, and it’s not considered a “disease.” It’s an “autism spectrum disorder,” whatever that means. I’m still learning.
Comment by: Missy Welsch
6 05/1/08 11:58 AM | Comment Link |Giddy up, girls!
Comment by: Randy
7 05/3/08 11:14 AM | Comment Link |Beth,
Thanks for sharing about your son. I did a little research on AS and found a LOT of stuff about it online. My youngest son, who is now 20, may in fact have this. He doesn’t have all the symptoms, but many of them seem to be there…and he, too, is a wonderful guy who was pretty crushed in Jr. High (weren’t we all?). We always thought he was “different” but not in a bad way, and he still has trouble with humor and reading people’s intentions, which seems to cause him a lot of anxiety socially. I don’t know if this is my son’s issue, but if it is it sure would explain a lot.
Thanks again for the info. I hope you find lots of help and encouragement along the way.
Comment by: Claudia
8 05/3/08 11:23 AM | Comment Link |Yay! (About the return of the blog, that is.)
And many virtual hugs to you and the boy.
Comment by: karen
9 05/3/08 2:13 PM | Comment Link |Hey, I was just asking Helen about you guys the other day. Glad to know you’re still working on the project and have plans for more excursions.
Beth, best to you and your son. A friend of mine has a son with Asperger’s and he is doing very well in a mainstream educational setting with some special accommodations. It seems to often be diagnosed rather late (though my friend’s boy was diagnosed in first grade).
Comment by: Jim Henderson
10 05/3/08 2:17 PM | Comment Link |I missed you too
Comment by: Troy
11 05/14/08 7:52 AM | Comment Link |You are, of course, always welcome at Broadway, but it probably isn’t your typical Methodist church. Still would enjoy having you.
Comment by: Beth
12 05/14/08 9:18 AM | Comment Link |Thanks, Troy! It doesn’t have to be typical anything, as long as there’s a women’s event we can visit. In fact, I prefer atypical.
Thanks for visiting us here at the ole church rater blog.
Comment by: Beth Bates
13 05/14/08 3:01 PM | Comment Link |Stay tuned. Hang tight. Stand by.
TRACI AND I VISITED A CHURCH TODAY. And it was a juicy visit.
So be prepared. We’re comin’ at you any day now.
Comment by: Helen
14 05/14/08 6:12 PM | Comment Link |Awesome! I’d love to hear all about the juicy visit.