calling.

"By faith, Abraham, when called to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Hebrews 11:8

Summer Reading.

     Indeed, the summer is over. For those of you who have been reading, i felt it appropriate to update you on my final reading list for the summer:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K. Rowling) - She is a wonderful story-teller. Very much enjoyed these.
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
8. second half of The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky) - this was twice the "accomplishment" of the previous seven combined. At least. It was heavy enough to really take an entire summer to sift through, but that certainly does not detract from its worth as a masterpiece.
9. The Pilgrim's Regress (C.S. Lewis) - i wouldn't even attempt to describe his genius.
10. Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis)
11. Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens) - Marvelously uplifting and convicting, at the same time.
12. The Call (Os Guinness) - i've still got about 30% of this to finish.



On an unrelated note, i think that a foundational truth that can be applied to a "mature" follower of Jesus is that he or she recognizes the blessing of God not simply in the "yes answers" to prayer; and not only in the happy things; and not just when we get a job or a raise or get married or have a child; but also in the fact that God gives His blessing just as passionately and knowingly in the rough times we face. That may be one of the most difficult parts of Biblical maturity. For me it is.

"After Reading a Child's Guide to Modern Physics"

The following is an excerpt from a poem by Wystan Hugh Auden (W.H. Auden, what a cool name those initials are hiding) with the title that coincides with the title of this post.

This passion of our kind
For the process of finding out
Is a fact one can hardly doubt,
But I would rejoice in it more
If I knew more clearly what
We wanted the knowledge for,
Felt certain still that the mind
Is free to know or not.

monograms.

i am so very tired. But God is still so good.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

and all the twinkling, starry hosts.

i should read more. Everyone--well, most everyone--should read more. And i may step on toes here, but i am not talking of Harry Potter (which i liked reading, alot) or Twilight (which i generally despise) or Bob the Builder (which is mesmerizing) or the Hardy Boys (sleuthing is great), but of books whereby we are challenged intellectually and spiritually, and personally. There is, perhaps, nothing inherently wrong with reading for pleasure, or to simply pass the time, but is that really any different from just watching TV? i mean, i don't know the answer to that question, and i pose it quite as vigorously to myself as i do to you, but the fact that i can't immediately say with confidence that it is different from watching TV makes me think it may not be.

People who have read this blog from day one may recognize this topic as a sort of soapbox for me, and maybe i'm being "ridiculous," but at least humor me. The first thing is that, if you and i aren't being challenged by the things we read, then from whence comes the challenge? One in twenty movies, maybe. And usually just portions of them (i.e., i found Book of Eli to be challenging, in places). Maybe a song will impact you emotionally, or even spiritually, but i don't know that i've been challenged by a song. Sports? Can't see it there. For me, blogging is only intellectually and spiritually and personally challenging when i've been reading something that has already done that and then find myself trying to communicate those things to you, the reader. So, our media-saturated society seems to offer little. The second thing is that, if we are not reading "substance" (and i don't believe we are, as a generation and as a culture), then the very valuable resource of challenge, other people, has largely disappeared. And not only that, but we ourselves begin to be deficient in our ability to actually do the challenging. How can iron sharpen iron if there is no iron to begin with? i fear we are trying to sharpen play dough with plastic forks.

i cannot define for you what "substance" is. However, i can guarantee you that God's Word is substance. It is Truth, and there is not falsehood in it. But beyond that? Well, just because something is easy to read doesn't mean it lacks substance, just as difficult reads do not necessarily contain it. i suppose that it must ultimately be something you search for yourself, always looking through the lens of scripture. And even when you do "read for pleasure," seek truth. i have found truth in some very odd places. We must always be willing to confront ourselves, and ask if we are willing to love God with our minds. The Fall has made you and i very susceptible to all kinds of heresy, but there is always Hope, for the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Now.

Then.

 

"What the Bird Said Early in the Year"

I heard in Addison’s Walk a bird sing clear:
This year the summer will come true. This year. This year.

Winds will not strip the blossom from the apple trees
This year nor want of rain destroy the peas.

This year time’s nature will no more defeat you.
Nor all the promised moments in their passing cheat you.

This time they will not lead you round and back
To Autumn, one year older, by the well worn track.

This year, this year, as all these flowers foretell,
We shall escape the circle and undo the spell.

Often deceived, yet open once again your heart,
Quick, quick, quick, quick! – the gates are drawn apart.

-C.S. Lewis