About More Than Serving Tea
I am the mother of three. Wife of one. I live in the north suburbs of Chicago, and I work for a parachurch organization as a multiethnic director for the region.
The title of the blog comes from the title of a book I helped author. The book is about the intersection of faith, culture and gender and it tells just part of an important story of Asian American Christian women.
How did we get the title? My first suggestion was “Serving Tea and Kicking Butt”. Yeah, that didn’t make the cut. We played around with it, and landed with MTST. We’ve gotten both positive and negative responses to the title, ranging from comments along the lines of “how much more stereotypical can you get?” to “I love the hope it communicates”.
For me personally, it connects the hope of “more” to that of a stereotypical image of both “Asian” as represented by the West and “women” as represented by the West, the East and by some interpretations of Biblical womanhood. I can still serve others, enjoy tea (I prefer coffee), embrace my complex ethnic/cultural/racial identity and my womanhood, all the while loving Jesus in an imperfect world.
- Urbana 09 Seminar Picks • Blog Archive • Go. Live. Serve. pingbacked on 3 weeks, 2 days ago
- Finding Hope in the Midst of Deadly Vipers (2) « signs of life pingbacked on 2 weeks, 2 days ago
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Kathy,
I found your blog a while back, maybe through Ed Gilbreath, maybe through Soong-Chan Rah — I lose track of the Internet paths I’ve trod to a particular destination!
I’ve followed the Deadly Vipers controversy quite closely and have chimed in from time to time. I am not a person who relishes conflict. I hate (I mean HATE) dealing with polarized points of view. But I’ve learned so much from those of you who led in the dialogue, and I want to thank you personally. It became an amazing thing to watch the baton pass from hand to hand, with someone always stepping up to offer a timely word and reshape the conversation just when everyone else was tiring. I distinctly remember various times when you provided the needed blend of accountability and grace in the blog discussions, often in the very threads that left me speechlessly perplexed and angry. I grew to be encouraged by the very sight of your name.
BTW, I love the name of your blog — that’s actually what enticed me to click on the link I found … wherever it was. You have hit on a motif that bridges the gaps between cultures so well! I can readily see the significance of the tea imagery for you as an Asian woman, but the cool thing is, as a white woman I ALSO chafe against it a limiting, condescending image. I’m praying that the DV authors can find a theme that is similarly unifying rather than encouraging one culture at the expense of another.
Thanks again, Kathy. I hope you’ll keep sharing your voice boldly and graciously.
| Posted 2 weeks, 3 days ago-
Kathy Khang says:
SueAtGraceCorner,
Thanks for stopping by! I’m grateful for the many opportunities that opened up to jump into this mess and for the many folks who co-labored in the conversations. This was quite an interesting unfolding of events from which I’m certain there are many, many lessons for us all. Thank you for your gracious and supportive words. It’s been unnerving at times (I was literally shaking during one of the conference calls), and I don’t think this situation is going to go away anytime soon.This controversy seems to be ramping up in a different way as friends of the authors as well as supporters of the DV community have been hurt. The exchange of words, if that is what we can call it, seems to be turning another corner with more accusations, hurt and anger. May God give all of us tender hearts to listen, engage, encourage and rebuke as necessary.
Looking forward to learning and listening together,
| Posted 2 weeks, 2 days ago
Kathy -
SueAtGraceCorner says:
I know, Kathy; I’m horrified by what’s happening on Eugene’s blog. It seems so unfair that he is there to keep his own flock accountable but there’s no one to call down the DV renegades. (And I’m hoping and praying that they are just renegades and don’t really exemplify Mike & Jud’s character teaching!) I’m trying not to let the few angry voices drown out the men of grace who have also chimed in to say, “I’m sad and I don’t really get the AA perspective, but I’m willing to acknowledge your pain.” Anyway, I’m glad that your own blog has managed to stay off the radar screen.
Blessings to you as you continue to discern the way of justice.
Posted 2 weeks, 2 days ago
I found your blog and while I haven’t had time to do any significant reading of it, I did find it odd that you have a similar name to my maiden name, Kiang. And both Kathys, too!
| Posted 1 year agoI’m glad you pointed me to your blog, Kathy. And I look forward to reading it when I don’t have a child at my elbow, chatting in my ear about Pokemon. But he is cute. And I’m glad to have him at my elbow today. He’s my Yom Kippur blessing
| Posted 2 months, 1 week ago