Amy Makechnie's Blog, page 20

Women’s History Month: Sarah and Angelica Grimke! (3)

Sue Monk Kidd wrote about the Grimke sisters in her terrific novel, THE INVENTION OF WINGS (one of my favorites!)

Happy Women’s History Month! Day 3.

The Grimke sisters, Sarah and Angelica, were born into a slave owning family in South Carolina. Sarah devoured books of every subject. She wanted to become a lawyer like her father (a South Carolina judge who supported slavery and the subordination of women). He told Sarah that if she had been a man, she “would have been the greatest lawyer in South Carolina.”

How Sarah did not accept or embrace slavery or “her place in life” due to family and culture, is remarkable. In violation of the law, she secretly taught her personal slave to read.

Sarah GrimkeAngelica Grimke

At age 26, when Sarah was traveling with her ill father, she encountered the Quakers. She was immediately taken with their *radical views on slavery and gender. She returned home and began influencing Angelica.

Sarah and Angelica moved to Philadelphia and became Quakers in 1829. But when Sarah spoke out against slavery in public, she was rebuked by the Quakers (having not secured prior approval to speak.) She and Angelica had two choices: recant their words to stay in good standing with the Quakers or work harder to oppose slavery. They chose the latter.

It is of note, that it was their religious convictions and experiences that gave them such extensive oration skills. All of their lives, both were very religious and spiritual women, even when denounced by not only the Quakers but the Congregationalists.

The sisters began speaking in all-women’s meetings, and later to mixed-gender gatherings which garnered criticism from the press.

When a group of ministers wrote a letter citing the Bible and reprimanding the sisters for stepping out of the “woman’s proper sphere,” Sarah wrote an “Epistle to the Clergy of the Southern States” (1836). The sisters were not looking to become ardent feminists, but realized that without power, they could not address societal wrongs.

Both sisters continued to speak and write for the freedom of both women and slaves, and when they spoke in Boston, thousands flocked to hear them.

Perhaps my favorite Sarah quote (which Ruth Bader Ginsburg would later use in her landmark argument for equal rights):

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Times were changing! And I believe the 1800s were a time when both men and women were feeling the heavens open. Women were realizing and accessing their connection to the divine and their authority to speak of it.

Not un-coincidentally, in the late spring of 1820, a young boy went into the woods to pray – forever changing how millions would view and understand our communication with God.

Ten years later, in 1830, a new religion would burst onto the scene – and women were going to play a major role. Their faith would put them literally at the pulpit, and also empower them politically.

Enjoy this? Please share! More incredible women coming your way!

*faiths often deemed as radical: Quakers, Methodists, Shakers, Freewill Baptists, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Sources: womenshistory.org, wikipedia,

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Women’s History Month: Anne Hutchinson!(2)

Anne Hutchinson – was she a witch or a spiritual teacher?

“The elder women should instruct the young,” Hutchinson wrote, paraphrasing the New Testament.

But in Boston, in the 1630s, women were not to teach. Women speaking and preaching in public, let alone with spiritual authority, was a contentious issue. Hutchinson was teaching groups of men and women in her home, encouraging them “to pray, to teach their children, and to attend religious services.” Viewed as dangerous, Anne was excommunicated from her church and expelled from the Massachusetts Bay colony.

Most Christian denominations at this time, and through the 18th and 19th centuries, held that women were to be “silent” in church (and apparently their living rooms!) They were not entitled to spiritual revelation the way men were; certainly not if it meant speaking or influencing.

This was about to be challenged. The Great Awakening and American Revolution were coming. The spiritual and political landscape was about to shift, emphasizing leadership from “common” people, and encouraging more personal expression.

Anne Hutchinson was a trailblazer for women At the Pulpit! But it would take over 150 years to really see change…

Enjoy this? Please share! Stay tuned for more incredible women!

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Women’s History Month!

“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

I used to detest this saying. So often I associated it with women really behaving badly – like fighting on a reality show you can’t stop watching.

But recently I read about the woman who wrote this little line and why. In 1976, a Harvard historian emeritus, (specializing in the study of women and Pulitzer-prize winning author) *Laurel Thatcher Ulrich penned it while authoring an obscure article on puritan funerals. The quote went viral and ever since, it’s everywhere – mugs, t-shirts, posters…!

Ulrich was recently on NPR’s Dianna Douglas’s terrific podcast Zion’s Suffragists (FASCINATING!) After listening to Ulrich and Douglas, I have a completely different perspective about “women behaving badly” in the context of history and winning the right to vote.

An undated photo picturing the women who helped Utah women obtain voting rights. Front row: Jane S. Richards, left, Emmeline Wells. Middle row: Phoebe Woodruff, Isabelle Horne, Eliza R. Snow, Zina Young, Marinda Hyde. Back row: Dr. Ellis R. Shipp, Bathsheba W. Smith, Elizabeth Howard, Dr. Romania Pratt Penrose. Utah State Historical Society

I stumbled upon this podcast at the same time I was reading a terrific book: AT THE PULPIT: 183 YEARS of DISCOURSES BY LATTER-DAY SAINT WOMEN, edited by Ph.D and women’s history scholars Jennifer Reeder and Kate Holbrook (it’s brilliant). At the Pulpit showcases 54 speeches given by women literally at the pulpit between the years 1831 to 2016.

These women are members of my own faith: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My study of these women has expanded my vision about LDS women and women’s history in general, in the 1800-1900’s.

In history and even today, women of my faith are often portrayed as “timid,” “oppressed,” and under the thumb of a patriarchy.

Growing up, this confused me – have you met my mother? The women I grew up admiring, including my mother, did not fit this stereotype (hello, Sister Bartlett!?). But what of the women of the past? Is timid and oppressed a fair stigma?

I’ve been deep diving. What I’ve found is astounding.

The stigma of oppression, I believe, largely grew out of the practice of polygamy in the 1800’s (something I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand). But what is really interesting, is that it was this issue that forced women in Utah to fight for the right to vote – and they won!

These women living in the desert, living this strange new religion would be the first in the history of the United States to vote with equal suffrage rights: FIFTY YEARS before most women in all of the United States, before the 19th amendment passed (The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex.)

March is Women’s History Month. I will be spotlighting women from At The Pulpit, many of whom are women of the early suffragette movement, and others.

These women were mothers, doctors, teachers, seamstresses, writers, and picketers! Some went to jail! They were deeply spiritual, highly intelligent, excellent speakers, and very articulate.

Were they “Monsters in Petticoats” in need of correction for their “bad behavior”? Or does “behaving badly” just depend on what side you’re on? They certainly challenged culture and the status quo.

Journey along with me this month, tag your friends, share these posts, leave your comments and questions as I introduce and explore the lives of some extraordinary women!

*btw, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, 81-years-old, describes herself as an active feminist and Latter-Day Saint. With Harvard just down the road, shouldn’t I go meet her???

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Dark Chocolate Valentine Treats

Homemade Dark Chocolate:

Looking for a super super simple treat with three stellar ingredients?

Ingredients:

1 Cup Cocoa Powder 1 Cup Coconut Oil1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup (less or more depending on taste)

Directions:

Heat Cocoa Powder, Coconut Oil, and Maple Syrup on stove over medium heat until combined. Stir constantly. Taste (careful – it’s hot!) for sweetness factor. Pour melted chocolate into silicone molds. Freeze. Done. Eat!

Helpful hint: Put the molds onto a baking sheet before you pour chocolate into it. Trying to move it later with hot liquid chocolate…is a disaster.

This recipe made 28 cute little valentine hearts. You don’t need to make them for a valentine. Make them for yourself because you love, YOU

Favorite Books of 2019

Goodreads tells me I read 37 out of my 45-book goal this year. Was my goal too lofty or do I just need to make more time to read? I think I’ll choose the latter; my 2020 reading list is long, exciting and ambitious, and I can’t wait to get started.

As for 2019: while it’s very hard to choose favorites, I did! Here are my top nine:

THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN: here’s to the all-female sea divers of Jeju!

ASK AGAIN, YES: domestic tragedy and a love story.

THE DEARLY BELOVED: it’s not easy to write about faith, but Wall pulled it off so well I was jealous. The writing was MARVELOUS! I just loved it.

SMALL FRY: what’s it like to feel like the abandoned daughter of Steve Jobs? a fabulous rendered memoir.

INHERITANCE: I adore everything Dani writes – including this page-turning memoir!

A PLACE FOR US: an exquisitely written story about an American-Muslim family. It made me cry. I loved it.

LONG WAY DOWN: a brilliant young adult bombshell by one of my favorite all-time writers. Just read it.

FRONT DESK: a middle grade read based on author Yang’s life of managing the front desk of a hotel while still in elementary school as a new immigrant.

A RACE AROUND THE WORLD: I think you’ll adore this picture book of real-life heroines, Nellie and Elizabeth. Grit and gumption!

All of these would be terrific Book Club reads, in my opinion. Now, please tell me – what were some of your favorite books this year?

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Happy Thanksgiving! 2019

Dear friends,

Happy Thanksgiving! Tomorrow I’ll be reading at an Episcopalian church as part of an inter-faith service. I’m reading the 2019 Thanksgiving Proclamation and then scriptures from The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon. I’m looking forward to it. And then…there shall be feasting!

I also wanted to invite you to sign up for my author newsletter. I write one every month and just published the November edition. Why should you subscribe? Well! An author’s newsletter is where I deliver exclusive information on my really exciting author existence. Okay, that was kindof a joke, but if you want to keep up with all things author visits, Skype visits, signed bookplates, and the newest book coming (YES, SOMETHING BIG IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!!!) please SUBSCRIBE! Yay. Thanks.

I really do appreciate you reading all of these years. How this blog has evolved (from potty training adventures, running, smoothies, books….). You’re good to stick with me. I hope I’ve brought something to the table, as well

Encouragement: some of it’s magic

My brother, Eric, posted this on Facebook last night:

“It’s the week of Thanksgiving, which always makes me think of a beautiful line from my favorite Jimmy Buffett song: ‘Some of it’s magic. Some of it’s tragic. But I’ve had a good life all the way.'”

And then he posted this video that Cassie had made when baby Scout was born:

Cassie is Eric’s wife. She waited for baby Scout for a long long time; it was almost ten years of waiting before finally, through an amazing adoption miracle, that Cassie finally had that longed-for child in her arms.

If you’ve read this blog for long, you probably already know what happened after that. When Scout was three years old, Cassie died very unexpectedly. It was very, very tragic.

I don’t know if there will ever be a day that goes by that we don’t think of her. Inconceivably, life has continued to march on. Scout is thriving. Eric is amazing and just keeps holding on and taking each day as it comes. He’s even learned how to do Scout’s hair like a boss

10 Things I’m Loving

I am astounded at how similar my “favorite things” list is to Oprah’s! Just kidding. I haven’t quite caught up to her level of gift giving, but here are ten things I’m loving – and make great gifts.

1. Coconut Oil. Can’t.Get.Enough. It’s not always this brand. It’s often supermarket or Trader Joe’s. I spoon it into little tupperware containers for the shower. Hair, face, body. Won’t clog pores. Anti-bacterial. Smells SO GOOD. Leaves the best softness. And hey, if you don’t like it on your body, you can fry an egg with it!

2. Garnier’s BB Cream, Miracle Skin Perfector. I’ve tried a lot of tinted moisturizers, many more expensive. I always come back to this! You can find in most drugstores.

3. Anti Aging Facial Serum. The list of all-natural essential oils makes me and my skin happy. It also smells divine. Support a small-business owner by ordering this bestseller! I’ve had mine almost a year and it’s still not gone.

4. LOreal’s Mascara Primer. I usually pair the LOreal mascara with it, but my puny lashes loooove this under many brands. YAY for luscious lashes.

5. Double Wrap Necklace, Made By Mary. My sweet children bought this for me for Mother’s Day and I wear it almost every day. Mine has the heart on it, but we are drooling over the flower prints…high quality, great price.

6. Allbirds claims to be the world’s most comfortable shoe – that might be true! These all-wool loungers are fabulous. I have the marine blue tree loungers and are coveting more styles and colors.

7. Garmin Watch. Oh, Garmin, how do I love thee? THIS WATCH. No matter where you go in the world, you can track distance, time, and mileage. You can bike, run, and swim in it. You can pair it with Strava, program runs, sync online, even get email and text notifications (mine is off b/c WHY?!) Watch for Black Friday and Groupon sales. I have the Forerunner 230. SUCH A GREAT WATCH. It will inspire you and your peeps to move!

8. Flip Belt. Another great running/walking accoutrement. Fits snugly against your waist and has three pockets big enough for your phone, snack, & credit card. Doesn’t bounce. Comes in so many fun colors!

9. Pentel Energel Pens, Paper Mate Ink Joy Pens, and Paper Mate Felt Tip Pens. Oh, I adore PENS. I couldn’t choose just one, so I chose my three favorite

Encouragement This Week: When You’re Lost

This week a friend quoted David Wagoner’s poem, LOST, to me. I scribbled the words on the grocery list so I would remember. This is what it’s like to have a conversation with me: wait, wait, wait, say that again. Slowly. I’m writing this down!

And the grocery list looks like: milk, yogurt, eggs, poem that will change my life, beets, toothbrush…

This friends has had a MUCH harder journey the last few years than I, yet he remains cheerful, kind, and soft-spoken.

He said that when he’s going through hard times, he thinks about this poem…

“When you’re lost, stand still. The forest already knows where you are.”

Isn’t that beautiful?

The forest is sometimes just the forest, and that can be healing by itself.

The forest is also the people who love you, who are always there for you. They know where you are. It’s our Heavenly Father. He knows where you are. It’s the angels on this side of the veil and on the other. They know where you are.

Stand still.

They know where you are.

Sometimes you have to ask.

And then stand still. The forest knows where you are.

Happy Monday.

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What I Read Last Month (book recommendations!)

1. LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds. So so so good. A young African-American boy has just lost his brother in a shooting. Does he seek revenge or not? He’s got 60 seconds to decide (an elevator ride that’s a looooong way down). Brilliant writing. One of my favorite authors. Read it. Gritty Young Adult.

2. BOB by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. Really good. NOT gritty. Very sweet Middle Grade you and your kids will love.

3. THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell. Thriller, family drama, page-turner, not gruesome – my kind of book! Didn’t love the ending, but still good. Adult Fiction.

4. THE PERFECT NANNY by Leila Slimani. I questioned my book choices on Instagram, wondering why I am so drawn to domestic tragedy. Especially of this sort. Where there is a nanny. And the children do not survive (you know this on page one and yet I kept reading….Really good writing, I’ll give Slimani that! Adult fiction.

5. CON ACADEMY by Joe Schreiber. How about this: our 15 year protagonist is a total con artist at an elite prep school. He has a bet with Andrea (also a con). Who will win? It’s so SMART, so delightful. The prose is sparse and witty. I loved it! Young Adult.

On my bedside table: ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane.

Now you tell me! What did you read last month??? Recommendations?

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