I read Life of Pi some years back, liked it, and recently decided to revisit the book. I’m scarcely into the first chapter and am already hugely enjoying it. Here is the last sentence of the Author’s Notes:
If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams.
Last Wed. I was at the Delta counter in Pittsburg airport, frantically rearranging the contents of my luggage so that they’d weigh less than 50 lbs. each. “Too many books,” my friend said. Too true.
When I returned to the agent who had first taken my bags, he waved me to the next agent and said to her: “Take this lady next. She had a weight problem.”
I couldn’t believe that an agent would say that, and I blushed even though I knew he was talking about my books and not me.
I as settle into normal life after living in the rarefied air of Bible school, I’m re-inspired to read. Lots of books. Ones I’ve read before, so as to become reacquainted with old friends. And others that are new, so as to gain new friends. I will not become overwhelmed with so many books and so little time as I always complained before, but instead, I plan to enjoy and savor and gain from every tidbit that I get.
Come to think of that, maybe it WILL become a weight problem.
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.
Lincoln is credited with these words, but these days they are my words. Walking up and down the stairways and in and out of classrooms of Calvary Bible School, I am love, love, loving this station of my life.
Even as I cry and wrestle with class material and tweak time to grade papers, and talk with young ladies on my couch or on a walk, and feel completely drained every night, I love it. And though I have searched long for formulas and answers to hand out, I am happy to find again that usually the answers we need are found on our knees, hands open, faces toward Him who loves us and for whom nothing is too much.
They told me to come round for tea sometime, so I asked if I could come at 4. We sat in front of the warm fire, drank tea, stroked the dogs, and chatted. The chat went on and on, in a hurry, and when I was ready to leave, they urged me to stay to eat stew with them. I couldn’t refuse.
The conversation moved on, but always centered on books, stories, memories of stories. They have young bookworm girls always in need of book recommendations. “What did you read when you were a young teen, and 15 and 16, that shaped you?” they asked.
Instantly, I knew the book. It was Shadow of the Almighty. I read it before I understood the concepts of evangelization; I just liked the story.
As when someone asks you to lead a song, you suddenly don’t know any songs. And so I was blank when trying to recall anything else besides Jim Elliot’s story. Then I remembered Elizabeth Yates and her sweet word crafting, especially The Next Fine Day and On That Night.
Then it came to me, what to recommend for the young girls: all of Patricia St. John’s books. Each book has a theme Scripture verse that the plot winds around unobtrusively but beautifully. They’re set in all parts of the world, about winsome children with big life lessons in front of them. When I started to talk about the titles and themes in the books, I got goosebumps and almost choked up. The stories are so real and human, and I’m sure they shaped me more than I realize.
It was a lovely visit. After all, what could be better than sitting by a fire with tea, comparing favourite parts of Narnia or Lord of the Rings?!
Several weeks ago, I posted the story of my sisters’ traumatic experience of being told at the the boarding gate that her airline ticket is invalid. I didn’t write the story to exploit my sisters, or to garner more sympathy for them. My purpose for the post was to alert Orbitz’s PR people that their customers were used wrongly and unfairly. My plan worked, and within 24 hrs, I got a comment from an Orbitz rep who wanted to see if she could help us.
The good news is that they’ve promised a refund for most of the ticket that they had said was invalid. Maybe Orbitz can be trusted after all.
And now, I’m off to fling things into suitcases for my flight tomorrow.
As an addendum to the last post: my inspiration about the power of story comes from speaker and author Donald Miller.
Also, a quote from Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp helped to give guidance to my thoughts in the discussion about how much God is interested in our heart’s treasures:
What rules my heart will shape the way I deal with life’s saddest and sweetest moments.
I approached teaching the ladies’ class Sunday school yesterday with trepidation because I didn’t want the discussion to degenerate into talking about money and selling all our possessions. Discussions about finances have their place, to be sure, but not in this place, at this time. We were looking at the account of the rich young ruler and the question he put to Jesus: What must I do to inherit eternal life?
Seeing this wasn’t a parable with a commentary, we approached the story as a story. I maintain that story is more powerful than doctrine. Story maps a grid, sets a compass for us, so that we can know what is truth and error, what is wise and good or foolish and reprehensible. An account by which we can make observations such as: this is what a foolish/wise man does, this is how Christ meets a seeker, these are Jesus’ life-giving words, this is how big God is.
So among the few phrases I under-lined as observations from the story were treasure in heaven and kingdom of heaven and with God all things are possible.
It seemed to me that these words were what Jesus really cared about when He spoke with the young man. He still does. He is concerned that our treasures are in heaven, that we focus on His kingdom, and that we never forget how He makes all things possible. In that light, money and selling all that we have are peripheral issues and not the crux of the matter.
I love Luke, and how He puts these human touches on Christ. Luke, the doctor and people-watcher, observed that the young man went away sad, and then Jesus became sad too. I wonder if our treasures sadden Him sometimes.
How quickly our treasures become tangibles like food and appearance. Or intangibles like ministry and people’s praise. He said “Your heart will be where your treasure is.” What is it that we feel we would die without? Is it Christ, who makes me His treasure? If He is my treasure, it will never be shaken or taken away.
We were fourteen ladies in the circle. What would happen if fourteen ladies met their world and went about their work with their highest treasure being their Redeemer and Lord?
Michelle and I have done alot of things together, gone on many adventures and dreamed many dreams. But I love how God dreams bigger than we do. We never dreamed we’d both be authors, both have book-birthing stories to compare. Guess I should have known it, knowing how little silence there is when we’re together, and how much we like words.
Finally, this week I got to see her new books: We Build a House and My Brother’s Keeper.
They are both for children, aimed at helping them to adjust to changes in life. We Build a House is Michelle’s own story of building their house, told and seen through her young Adam’s eyes.
My Brother’s Keeper is about a family’s journey of living with a handicapped child. It, too, is written in the voice of the brother. It made me cry, which is another reason why it’s a good book.
I’m proud of Michelle’s vision and skill and creativity evident in these books. I’m proud to show people the books and say “My friend did that!”
Order your copies for yourself and for beautiful gifts from smilesbymiles@gmail.com
If you’d like to get a copy for yourself because you’ve just been borrowing a friend’s, or if you want a different kind of birthday gift for a friend, or if you’d like to suggest the book for your ladies’ Bible study group, now is the time to order! The toll-free number, e-mail address, and web site are listed below for your quick convenience.
And if you’re interested in doing a group study, I will email you my basic study guide–for free! Drop me a comment to let me know, and I’ll get in touch with you.
Order from:
CLR Distribution
28500 Guys Mills Rd.
Guys Mills, PA 16327
Toll Free: 877-222-4769
Phone: 814-789-4769
Fax: 814-789-3396
Email: clr@fbep.org
Online: www.Christianlearning.org
Pretty much the only music I listen to is choral singing. It feeds my soul and spirit with its layers of depth. It’s what I love to sing.And maybe I’m biased and narrow, but I think it’s most like what we’ll sing in heaven.
These are my recent indulgences, and the best choices I’ve made in a long time:
Voce, by Trinity College in Cambridge, England.
The gems on this one is Durufle’s “Ubi Caritas” and Schubert’s “Sanctus.”
Lighten our Darkness is an exquisite collection of evening songs. I love, love the arrangement of “O Gladsome Light.” And the powerful Russian dynamics of Rachmininov’s “Borogorditsye Dyevo.” When I ordered this CD, some glitch happened with their database and John Rutter’s assistant wrote to sort it out. Bravo on their customer service!
I count it a bonus that both CD’s have the song that’s so beautiful, I’d like it sung at my funeral. (Relax– I’m not depressed or tending toward self-destruction.) This is the English translation for the Latin words sung to a most restful, soothing melody:
The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God,
And the pain of death shall not touch them:
in the eyes of the foolish they seem to die,
but they are in peace.
…in pace…
