This video shows the amazing (and inspiring) power of attitude. This young boy, his eyes taken by cancer at the age of two, has developed the amazing ability to see even though he has no eyes. Oh to have a mom that could build into him not helplessness, but the ability to believe that anything is possible! Instead of wallowing in what he can't do, he focuses on what he can. Truly amazing.
(H.T. to Aneta at Lifelines)
Hey folk, on this Resurrection Sunday I just want to wish all of you a great Easter! He is risen! (He is risen indeed!) May God's peace and joy be with you today.
Book Review: The Happy Isles of Oceania by Paul Theroux
What would you do if you were a world famous travel writer who’s marriage was in the final stages of death and you were an emotional wreck? If you were Paul Theroux, you would set out on along adventure to find places that are beautiful and happy - like the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Starting in Australia, Theroux takes his portable kayak to over 51 islands exploring the lands, culture, and people he meets along the way. Aa he journeys you get to delve deep into the personality of such an interesting man; his wit, biases, religious views, insecurities, and his search for peace and paradise. The author shares his unique experience of each place highlighting both the weaknesses and strengths of the people he runs into. The book falls strongly into the travel genre but is quite readable and should appeal to everyone.
The best part of this book is its uniqueness. It is a kayaking book, a travel book, a book about culture, a book about divorce, a book about happiness, and a book about history - all wrapped up into one. Sometimes Theroux villifies some of the people he meets quite harshly (like the Australians and missionaries) and you get a sense that is some deep insecurity in him. Strangely I found this trait somewhat endearing. His descriptions of the islands themselves are quite fetching and if anyone was thinking about taking an extended vactation (or even relocating) to the Pacific this would be a great resource as Theroux often compares the islands (pros and cons) to each other as he paddles. Maps of the island show most of the places he visits and are quite handy for following his journey.
If you are a serious paddler, this book is a must add to your library. Though not strictly a “paddling” book, there is enough exotic locales to keep even the most serious paddler engaged in that aspect of his adventure. It would also be a great read if you were going on vacation somewhere tropical or if you are stuck at home experiencing cabin fever in a long, cold winter. I’ve read this book three times so far and have it enjoyed it immensely every time. I found that I connected with his discontent with life and his desire for solitude and paradise. His joy at finding such places is never fully realized as he reflects on being alone and wondering if the next island is better then the one he's on. Eventually he does find a near perfect place and that is where the story ends. Where is it? You'll have to read the book to find out. My rating for this book is 4.5 ninja stars out of 5.
When I woke up early yesterday morning I noticed that it was gloomy and kind of dark outside. This seemed strangely fitting as it was Good Friday, the day of the year set aside to remember Christ's death on the cross. It was kind of a strange day for me as I didn't go to church. Jobina was singing in the worship band and told me that she thought that the kids might find the service difficult to sit through (and maybe a little too intense and disturbing). So I stayed home with the kids and she went to church. I read three chapters of "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" to my offspring and we basically just hung out.
I often feel a kind of tension or maybe even a low level anxiousness on Good Friday, not knowing how to approach this solemn day. Perhaps these feelings are natural, it's a reminder of our natural condition and what was needed to save us from it. I'm glad Christ died for us - at the same time, I'm very unhappy that he had to die. Often on this day I feel a internal pressure to go and spend time in reflection and prayer but usually I don't get around to it. Instead, I accomplish very little, spiritually or otherwise. Perhaps this too is fitting - I'm guessing the disciples didn't spend their Good Friday deep in pious pursuits! Later I felt relief and was just glad when the day was over.
(By the way, the painting is "Stations of the Cross (X): Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments" from Chris Gollin's "Stations of the Cross." I chose it because I felt it captured the honest look of someone who had been tortured and was facing his death.)
May Light increase!
Hmmm . . . I was expecting more of response for Part 1 of this series. Why did not more people comment? There are many reasons of course. Some are too shy, some find the post uninteresting, some probably don't like the pressure to comment, and others are just dedicated lurkers. There is at least one other possibility though: some of us have no favorite books of the Bible. Some of us don't like reading the Bible at all but don't want to admit it publicly.
This of course is a terrible thing! What, you don't like reading the Bible??? What is wrong with you? And you call yourself a Christian?!!! These are the responses that many of us imagine in our heads (or worse have actually heard from someone) if we are honest and admit the truth. In the evangelical tradition that I come from, Scripture is king. From a very young age we are taught the importance of the Word of God. Read it! Memorize it! Study it! Know it! Obey it! "Read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll grow, grow, grow" goes an old kids song. Evangelicals continue the tradition of the Protestant reformers; Scripture is our authority and thus you need to embrace and love it.
Here's the thing though; some of us try . . . but can't.
I've been there. And although I'm not there anymore, I was and remember what it was like. And I know lots of people who are in the same boat. Actually, I know lots of Christians who don't like any kind of reading. But they think that since their tradition ties spirituality and growth as a Christian to reading the Bible that something is wrong with them. They feel extremely guilty. They want to spend an hour reading and enjoying the Bible every day . . . and they try . . . but they can't. And so they feel more guilty, more discouraged, and more hopeless about it. They condemn them self, fake it, or both. The idea of reading the Bible becomes a curse to them because they don't enjoy it (or not enough of it anyway) and the mere idea of reading it becomes a chore at best or a painful experience at worst.
It is my opinion (and that of Sacred Pathways author Gary Thomas) that God has actually designed all of us quite differently in how we connect with and experience Him. Every church tradition has its own ideas on how best to do this (prayer, Scripture, worship experience, obedience, etc) but we need to find out what works best for us and spend the lion's share of our "Godtime" doing that. For some, it is reading Scripture and praying. For other's it's helping those in need. For other's it may be listening/singing to worship music, being with God outdoors, living simply, etc. We need to stop feeling guilty about how we are not connecting to God and focus on what is most helpful to us. This is not to say that we should just give up on reading Scripture if we find it very difficult. But maybe we can spend most of our time with God doing things that really help us connect to Him and challenge ourselves to spend a smaller amount of time reading Scripture.
If we don't give ourselves permission not to like reading parts (or all) of Scripture we may be setting ourselves up for a lot of guilt and pain. We may even end up teaching ourselves to not enjoy the Word of God at all. I say enjoy the Scripture that you enjoy, even if that is only a few verses or a book or two. Celebrate that and don't feel guilty that you are not a big fan of the entire canon of Scripture. I'm sure the God who designed you and knows you can accept that. It's possible that by being more real with yourself and others about what you like/find difficult about the Bible will actually help you to grow in appreciating Scripture more. There is a place for discipline in reading the Bible, but I think God is much more interested in us loving Him and connecting with Him honestly and sincerely - whatever that looks like for us.
May Light increase!
Have you ever asked someone what their favorite verse in the Bible is? If they are a Christian, this is usually a tough question. Most people I've asked find it difficult to choose just one. "Um, let me think about it . . ." they say awkwardly. But if you ask someone what their favorite books are in the Bible (and what makes them special), many people seem to relish the inquiry. I love hearing about why a person likes certain books - they are not just sharing their opinion but their heart and uniqueness as well.
For myself, if I was stuck on a desert island (although for me "stuck" should probably be replaced by "blessed") with only a few books of the Bible to keep me company, I would probably choose Proverbs, James, Ecclesiastes, and Matthew. I like other books of the Bible, but these are the ones that I am drawn to the most. James was the first book of the Bible that I ever had a real emotional experience with. I remember reading James alone in my room one night during my first summer away from Briercrest. The challenge to honor God with my actions hit me so hard that I literally wept. I hardly ever get bored with James. His "just do it!" attitude resonates with my desires and weaknesses in such a way that I approach the book with both anticipation and fear every time I open it up.
Proverbs and Ecclessiastes are books that whenever I read them I am always learning something new. Unlike other books, the truth in wisdom literature is situational - proverbs are not true in every situation - the context and timing matter (this is why some Proverbs appear to contradict each other). This makes them even more intriguing to me! The wisdom literature is so practical and cuts through my apathy and excuses like a knife. Some day I want to be a wise like the sages of Israel, sitting on a hill learning and dispensing wisdom to others.
And then there's Matthew. I first really read the book of Matthew in my Gospels class at Briercrest. I had the most amazing teacher, Carl Hinderager, who was in my opinion the wisest and Spirit-sensitive teacher at the school. We went through that book verse by verse and savoured and reflected upon each one. The story of Jesus came alive to me that semester, and I met Jesus in a whole new way. Coincidentally I was going through a bit of faith crisis at the time (doubting the deity of Christ) and Carl's thoughtful exploration of the book helped me to resolve my doubts during a particularly difficult time.
So here's a question for you Christ-followers out there: what are you favorite book(s) of the Bible? Why do you like them? Or do none of them "turn your crank" (honesty please)? Come on lurkers, time to come out of the closet!
May light increase!
I found this video very encouraging. This sweet old lady was a great example of what it means to be salt and light. She showed courage, humility, wisdom, love, and faith. Basically, she's my hero. Link from Evangelical Outpost.
May Light increase!
Often when I am counseling couples I will encourage them to enjoy the stage that they are in, because once it is passed they will never get to enjoy it again. If they are dating, I try to ask them what is that they have now that they won't have when they are engaged (or married). These might include things like experiencing longing, clumsy awkwardness, mystery, anticipation, they joy of wooing/being wooed, dreaming of a great future, romantic obsession, etc. Often couples will squander and miss all the pluses of the stage they are in because they are thinking about/desiring the next stage. When you are going out, you want to be engaged. When you are engaged, you want to be married. The grass always seems to be greener on the other side of the fence. "Thing will be better when . . ." I often hear.
It is good to have goals and look excitedly towards the future, but we need to enjoy the journey as well. Enjoying the stage you are in is not just about relationships, but could be about lots of other stuff as well. Maybe it's your job. Maybe (like me) it's about school. If you are an adolescent it might be about waiting for your body to grow, fill in, or "get coordinated." If you are a senior it might be about retirement. My theory is that every stage of life, no matter what realm, has some pretty interesting and memorable parts to it. It seems like a much better use of our time to focus on what's good about the stage we're in as opposed to everything we're missing out on. By the way, I'm writing this mostly as reminder to myself but maybe my words are applicable to you as well . . .
May Light increase!
