Some snippets of what went on in the world of women and relationships this week:
"Praise, " an apron by Heavenly Hostess.
The apron strings: It wasn’t long ago that aprons were tied to the idea of repression and “Leave It to Beaver.” These days, however, the apron is a thing of beauty, expression and acceptance, the LA Times says. The garment once defined a generation of women, but now it is an icon for women who are fully embracing all things domestic.
Recession linked to rise in abortion rates among some women: Amid economic fears, one trend emerges on abortion: Poor women were
twice as likely
as the rest to have an abortion, Salon reports. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal emphasizes that though most of those women had insurance, they chose to pay out of pocket for the procedure.
She was an athlete and an advocate: Patricia Rico, a longtime advocate for women’s track and field, has died at 76. She was the first female president of USA Track and Field.
All the single ladies, and their kids: Audrey Irvine’s relationship column at CNN.com focuses on the single ladies. Specifically, do single moms raise girls who will stay single?
Where our money is: According to GirlsandWomen.com: “Women carry out two-thirds of the world’s work hours, they receive one-tenth of its income and own less than a hundredth of its property.When a girl or woman earns income, she reinvests 90% of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40% for a man.” The Web site is a point of gathering for women and girls ahead of June’s G20 conference and it is looking for women to represent issues. It is part of the G(irls)20 Summit campaign, designed to help educate women about their influence, as well as educate the world about their weight in the economy.
The church isn’t immune, and neither are its women: A megachurch in Kansas is working with women addicted to pornography. The ministry gained the attention of the New York Times.
A fatal attraction? A university in Spain has learned that hot women may be bad for men’s health, and the stress it can put on a guy is compared to the stress of jumping out of an airplane. We’ll definitely be discussing this one more next week!
I love you, Mom!: Sunday is Mother’s Day! Forbes reminds us she’s worth $117,856 a year while bemoaning (a little) the holiday’s commercialization. Speaking of commercialization, somebody over at Appolicious believes there’s no better way to honor Mom than with apps. Um. OK. Meanwhile, Salon ruminates on the new mom trend: older, single and smart.
THIS WEEKEND IN THEATERS:
No movies with any significant relationship premise open today, but “Iron Man 2” — with all its expected relationship neuroses — will likely dominate the box office. Up to Thursday, however, Date Night continued to rank in the top 3 at the box office, with J.Lo’s “The Backup Plan” following on its heels.
TENNESSEE BLUES: While this has very little to do with relationships, it has everything to do with Keep Him or Dump Him: Our own Ashley is among those affected by the devastating flooding in the Nashville area. Her personal possessions are in good shape, but the situation does take a toll on one’s spirit. Please keep Ash and all Tennesseans in prayer as they continue to deal with a disaster that so far has taken the lives of 21 people in Tennessee, 31 in total.
Ash has posted a couple of tips for those who want to know how to help with relief efforts:
A couple of churches and United Way benefit when you buy these cool tees in support of MiddleTN. Click the image for more.
MONETARY DONATIONS can be made via the following links:
# Middle TN Red Cross: 615-250-4300 or by mail at 2201 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.
# Second Harvest Food Bank
# Community Foundation Flood Relief: Checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 440225, Nashville, TN, 37244.
# Salvation Army: or 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
RAISE AWARENESS
Educate those around you about what is going on out here. Remind them that dozens of counties have been declared federal disaster zones. Post pictures to your Facebook. Email them to your friends. Call your local news and tell them to find ways to carry news about the situation.
And, of course pray. We have a long road ahead of us.
Thank you so much for helping!
(And thank you to Nashvillest for compiling the above resources!)