A Year in Books: An Overview

It's the end of the year, and time to think about what I read over the past 12 months.

This year I was a little slower about reading books. The problem was, I discovered the world of fanfiction in the spring, and that sucked up a lot of book time over the summer. Some fanfic is really bad, but some is really, really good, and held my interest. Also, those stories tend to be shorter and easier to read. So I was read a lot, but not books, and generally nothing deep.

As a result, my total book count for this year sits at 80 books (if I finish that last one today, and that is my plan). It's split pretty much perfectly between fiction and nonfiction (which is also a change, since usually I read more nonfiction). The most interesting fact, for myself at least, is that nonfiction is pretty much a 3:1 ratio between biographies and everything else.

It was, then, a pretty light year for reading, both in terms of numbers and content. It was fun, but I think I missed out on a lot by not focusing my reading better. I find that when I'm reading deeper and focusing more on ideas and bigger thoughts, I feel better about things. I need to keep my brain going or I get sluggish and then it's easier and easier to be lazy about my reading and thinking.

The plan for 2020 is to get back on track with reading more deeply (although I'm not giving up fiction; I just want to knock it back down to no more than a third at most of my overall reading). One way is to pick up the Challies reading challenge again (found here). That way, I'll be deliberately seeking out different genres and authors. I also plan to go back to planning reading; generally, I go with "this week, I will read these chapters of these books" to keep on track. Having goals works.

Over the next couple days, I'll give you my annual lists of fiction and nonfiction.

A Hymn of Prayer

1 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me;
   For I am afflicted and needy.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man;
   O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
   For to You I cry all day long.
4 Make glad the soul of Your servant,
   For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
   And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
   And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
   For You will answer me.
8 There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
   Nor are there any works like Yours.
9 All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
   And they shall glorify Your name.

10 For You are great and do wondrous deeds;
    You alone are God.

Psalm 86:1-10 (NASB)

A Hymn for Christmas

8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Luke 2:8=20 (NASB)

Almost Christmas!

I mean, Christmas Eve is practically Christmas, and this afternoon I'm heading off to start the celebration of Christmas with friends, so I guess we could claim that it's Christmas. But if I did, then I wouldn't have an excuse to post this song, from one of my favourite versions of A Christmas Carol!

A Hymn for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7 (NASB)

Sermon Notes

I have been blessed with excellent pastors, and I really enjoy their preaching (even when it hits very close to home and even when it hurts). Over the past few months, there have been a few things that have really stood out in a "that's good and I need to think about that" way. I write these down separately, and now I'm sharing them with you:

Taking yourself out of fellowship is like being at sea with your sail down and waiting for the wind to fill your sail.

God may deliver us from within the trial long before He delivers us from the trial.

There are no inspired writers, just inspired writings.

Everyone is a theologian; the question is, are you a good theologian?

The Spirit bears His fruit in His people, of a lack of the fruit of the Spirit indicates a lack of the Spirit.

A Hymn for the Third Sunday of Advent

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:6-13 (NASB)

A Hymn for the Second Sunday of Advent

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5 (NASB)

A Hymn For the First Sunday of Advent

1 But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

2 The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
3 You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.
5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:1-7 (NASB)

A Hymn to Remind Us of Grace

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB)

A Hymn For When You're Feeling Discouraged

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1 (NASB)

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began the good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

Remembrance Day

Many family members have served over the years in various capacities. Now I have a nephew in the navy and a nephew in the air force. I love them dearly and I'm proud of their choice of a career where they protect their country. I also worry about what might happen and I pray for them often.

A Hymn (A Prayer)

1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
4 So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches,
7 For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63:1-8 (NASB)

A Hymn for Reformation Day (only a few days late)

Psalm 46 (NASB)

1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

A Hymn for the Work Week

23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Colossians 3:23-24 (NASB)

Romans 11, A Doxology

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:33-36 (NASB)

A Hymn for Thanksgiving

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57:7-11

A Hymn for When We Do Not Have the Words

 26In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27

1O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
            My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
            In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

      2Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,
            To see Your power and Your glory.

      3Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
            My lips will praise You.

      4So I will bless You as long as I live;
            I will lift up my hands in Your name.

Psalm 63:1-4

A Hymn for Communion Sunday

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
I Cointhians 11:23-26 (NASB)

Aaron's Blessing

24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NASB)

A Song

Partly to share this version with you, but mostly so I can find it again easily when I want to listen to it.

More About Friendship

I overheard a bit of conversation at church one day; someone was talking about how a group of girls were talking about ... something ... not deep enough, evidently, because they had been asked how their conversation was edifying (and I don't actually remember the something, only that it was just normal conversation). And there was a book that basically said that any conversation that wasn't about God (or didn't include Him) was a wasted conversation.

Both of those ideas bothered me. Granted, there is a time for deep conversations about deep topics, and granted, God should be such a part of our lives that it shapes our conversations. And we shouldn't keep all friendships surface-level.

If we never talk about deeper ideas, I'm not going to trust you for the big stuff in life, but if all we talk about are the big theological topics, I'm also not going to trust you when I need someone to help with the big thing. Either way, you don't really know me and I don't really know you.

Friendships are not build solely on the big conversations; they're also build on the little things. They're built on conversations over coffee that range from deep and insightful to silly and nonsensical. They're built on tears and laughter, on trust and inside jokes. They're built over building puzzles and watching movies and playing games. They're built on stories and silly texts and late-night conversations. There's a lot of little bits that make up friendships.

The thing is, some surface-level conversations aren't edifying and might not help. On the other hand, a lot of them are useful at building friendships and helping people. Someone might need the conversation to feel out whether they can trust this person, or because it's been a really bad day (week, month, whatever) and big conversations are too big to deal with right then, but the smaller conversations are helpful to keep some perspective and focus, or just to be part of a group without any great demands just now. So yes, those conversations that don't seem edifying enough because they're not spiritual enough just might be edifying someone and you just can't see it.

My Life

I've likely written about this before, and I may write about it again, and that's the way it's going to be. Every now and then you'll get reruns of a sort as the same thoughts run through my head.

This is not the life I had planned.

I was going to grow up, go to university, become a teacher, get married, and raise a family. I was supposed to have children (many children).

So I got part of it: I grew up (mostly), went to university (for 3 degrees, so that was more than I had planned) and became a teacher.

The rest went off-script. Somehow I found my self in my mid-forties, still single, still childless.

Most of the time, I really, really love my life. I have a good job, I have family, I have a church family that fills in the spaces. I do really well living alone (I often wonder how I would cope with having people around all the time).

I have children, of course. Aside from the work kids (who come and go), I have all of my church kids. There are so many of them, and I claim all of them as my lambs. I teach them and play with them and boss them around (and when they're very young, they're pretty sure I run the church since I'm the grown up who takes care of children's ministries and also children). They come to visit me and I go to visit them. I have pictures that they've drawn on my fridge and little crafts that they've done for me scattered here and there. There are Lego creations that in the living room that I agree to leave together at least for a time, and since I have books and bins of toys for when they visit, it might almost look like children belong here.

Sometimes, though, it's hard and a bit lonely. I wonder what I've missed by not getting the traditional, expected life. I look at families and realize that I'm just a bit on the outside (or on the edge, where I belong, but not quite completely).

I don't regret my life, please understand that. I know that God has a plan for everyone, and this is His plan for me, and it's the best plan for me. I can even see the incredible rightness of His plan, how it fits my personality and my gifts (also part of His plan), and I rejoice in all that He has given me, including families (the psalmist says that He puts the homeless in families, and I realize how true that is when I see how many families claim me).

I think I'll always wonder sometimes, a bit, why this is what God chose for me. I'm not fighting His will, and I'm not wishing away that life that I have; as I said, it's a really good life.

On the hard days, when I'm not sure why things are the way they are, I listen to music that reminds me that it's all the way it's meant to be. This is my latest favourite (mostly for the chorus):

Warning: Contains Spoilers

Minor, not-really-a-spoiler for Guardians of the Galaxy (but really, it's been around 5 years now), and an actual spoiler for Avengers: Endgame.

At the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill is stealing a mysterious orb from a seemingly abandoned planet. He puts on his walkman and dances his way through the landscape to "Come and Get Your Love".

In Avengers: Endgame, they go back in time to this spot (to steal the same item), and they watch Peter dance through the landscape. Except that he's wearing a walkman, so this time only he (and not his audience) can hear the music. And it looks really odd and funny to watch him dance without music.

I think about this sometimes when I'm at work. I use a headset to listen to music on the computer (it's easier to pull it off if someone walks in than to find the right tab to turn off the music). And sometimes I sing to the music, and sometimes I'm enjoying the music a lot, and then I think: this would look and sound really odd to anyone who can't hear the music. Watching that scene in Endgame just confirmed what I had wondered.

The Librarian of Auschwitz

There was a separate, family camp in Auschwitz; no one really understood its purpose, but it was possibly to show off to any Red Cross visitors so they wouldn't know the truth. It was in section BIIb in Birkenau, and it included the block where the children spent their days. Officially, they were running something like a day care, with games and songs and sports. Secretly, they were running a school. Hidden in the floor were 8 books, the entire library at Auschwitz, and they were cared for by Dita Kraus, one of the older children (she was in her teens).

The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe, translated by Lilit Zekulin Thwaites, is a novel based on the true events of the family camp and the aftermath. It is rather intense reading, as it describes a lot of the horrors of Auschwitz (including watching someone get hanged and how people died in the gas chambers). At the same time, it's the story of a girl surviving amid the horrors, and the books that she cared for.

This isn't really meant as a review, although I will say that it's a good book and I highly recommend it. Really, it's just that there are two quotes that I'd like to share with you:

First, when Dita fears that she is being watched and that her being the librarian might cause trouble for not only herself but for the others (if the books are found, that's the end of the school, and probably death for anyone involved), and thinks about giving up her position:

"It's easy to commend the hero whose actions are visible. But how to you measure the bravery of those who step aside?"

Later, after the first group of prisoners (including children) have been brought to the gas chambers, she is talking with Miriam, one of the block leaders (Miriam speaks first):

"...They were happy, Edita."
"But it lasted such a short time ---"
"Life, any life, is short. But if you've managed to be happy for at least an instant, it will have been worth living."
"An instant! How short is that?"
"Very short. It's enough to be happy for as long as it takes a match to be lit and go out."

Some Music for Easter

At the Start of the Week

Technically, the week starts on Sunday, so I'm already past the start of the week. The work week starts today, though, so I think this counts as the start of a week!

Although I can go backwards a bit: yesterday was good. I love the church family, I love my Sunday School class, I love singing with the congregation (I love that I can sing loudly and not worry about how my voice is sounding), I love that James is still preaching the resurrection, I love being surrounded by most of my favourite people. Then I was with friends for lunch, I went for a walk in the afternoon (there are geese at the pond), and I had Bible study in the evening.

This week looks busy, so far. There are some long days in it, but not bad days. Tonight and tomorrow I for sure have to work late, Thursday I have evening plans, and Friday is the start of the spring conference at the church. I've been looking forward to the conference since someone first mentioned the possibility of having Dr. Street come up to do a conference on mental illness. It will make for a busy weekend, but one that I will enjoy. I don't often make it to the entire spring conference because of work and stuff, but I booked the weekend off as soon as this one was announced.

The week is starting well: The sun is shining and the current forecast is for sunshine and mild temperatures all week. There are birds singing outside my window. It feels like a good day.

I don't know what will happen this week, or how things will work out with my meetings, appointments, students, teachers, home school room, or anything else. I'm working on focusing on today and right now, and not worrying about later. I'm working on remembering that some things are my responsibility and some things are God's responsibility, and taking care of my stuff and leaving God's stuff up to Him. Sometimes this is more challenging than others, but overall I think I'm getting better at it.

Right now, things are good. I'm going to leave for work soon, and I'm going to enjoy the walk (on nice days, I walk part way to work; I miss that walk when I don't get it), and the rest of everything will take care of itself.

A Hymn for Sunday

What I'm Reading

I just finished Heaven by Randy Alcorn. I mostly enjoyed it, although I found that he repeated himself a lot a points.

I also recently finished 7 Men and the Secret of their Greatness by Eric Metaxas. I liked it a lot; it's basically short biographies and their willingness to sacrifice for something greater than themselves.

Currently, I'm reading Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas. It's about William Wilberforce, one of my heroes. It's going slowly, though, because I keep getting distracted.

I'm starting Housewife Theologian by Aimee Byrd. I like her writing; she writes for women without being all girly.

I'm also on a Stuart McLean kick; I'm loving the Vinyl Cafe. I'm also reading some Noel Streatfeild; I really loved a couple of her books as a child (Ballet Shoes and White Shoes), and I'm enjoying relaxing with her books.

I'm also reading some of the Trailblazers books that I plan to put in the church library for the kids. It's an excuse to read some simple biographies.

A Hymn for Sunday

Teaching Math

It's math month in the home school room. The first week, we learned about Euclid and some geometry (shapes, perimeter, angles, and symmetry). The second week, we learned about Pythagoras and his theorem, as well as odd/even numbers, triangular numbers, and perfect numbers. Next week, we're learning about Fibonacci so we can see the beauty of the Fibonacci sequence. There's a bit of adding and subtracting thrown in, and basically fun with numbers.

The most fun part is teaching the little kids (grades 1-3) things like the Pythagorean theorem and how to do square numbers and all sort of math that they've never heard about. They have no clue what I'm talking about, and I'm not sure how much they remember (although they could all explain right angles to me a week after I taught it, so there's that), but they just have so much enthusiasm for it, and they're so delighted when they understand something. They haven't reached a point where they think that they can't do it, so they listen eagerly and make the connections and love it!

Seriously, we have this conversation all the time:
One (or more) of them: I don't understand that.
Me: I know, but I'm going to explain it to you, okay?
Them: Okay!

And then I explain it, and they get it (to whatever extent), and we're all happy.

It's a bit more challenging with the bigger kids who already know that some learning is really hard, but even they try learning what I'm teaching. The best part is that they aren't afraid to say when they don't understand, so I can try again. And some of them already know some of what I'm teaching (and most of them can do the basic math behind the concepts), so that helps.

So far, math month has been a lot of fun.

This Week

This week has been a bit much. I'm not adjusting well to the time change, there were some issues at work, and I'm feeling a bit let down by some friends (although I'm trying to think the best in that situation). Overall, I've been a bit down this week.

I've been doing my best to keep going, to just do the next thing. I'm not sure how many times I've recited Psalm 139, remembering that God is with me no matter what, and that He is in control (He had my life planned out from before I was born).

And I've prayed a lot. Sometimes they were longer prayers, and sometimes they were short,
disjointed prayers for help to get through this next thing or the next moment. I've prayed for forgiveness and patience and understanding and help.

I'm trying to be thankful (and I have so much to be thankful for) and to praise God in everything and to find the good things in life.

I want to be like Job in chapter 1. Everything was about as bad as it could get, and he didn't pretend that it was good, but he also didn't give up. He grieved and he worshiped God, and he did not sin.

About Friendship

I've been thinking about friendship lately. I always found it difficult to make friends; as a child, I was the one on the sidelines, never quite fitting in, and usually picked last. I didn't seem to see the world the same as other people, and I didn't like the same things.  Looking back now, I can see that I grew up with a very small number of people (in elementary school, my class had (I think) 12-15 people). There simply wasn't enough diversity within the group to accommodate someone who wasn't quite the same, and there were a couple strong personalities to dictate how things were done. Growing up, though, I didn't understand that and I thought that there was something wrong with me and that I would never quite fit in. I think that it kept me from reaching out for a long time, because I was afraid of being rejected.

This is what I realized this week: I have a lot of friends now, ranging from "casual acquaintances for light, surface talk" through "pretty good friends" to "friends who are like family" and "she who knows way to much about me for us to ever stop being friends".

Some of them came from others reaching out to me, but a lot of them came from me not being afraid to reach out. I started inviting people over for dinner (starting with families of my Sunday School students, and then other families in the church), and getting to know them. Sometimes it proved that we could be friendly but not really friends, but other times it's resulted in an unexpected friendship as I learned that we thought alike in many ways, that we laughed at the same jokes, and that we were all "of the race that knows Joseph" (see Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery).

What I've learned is that "if you want to have a friend, you have to be a friend" is true, although you have to accept that not every attempt at reaching out will end with a friend. Sometimes you just don't click, and that's okay. It doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you or them; it just means that you need to try with the next person. And sometimes other people are afraid to reach out, and it's nice for them if you do the work of starting a friendship.

Also, it's okay to not have a lot of really close friends. I'm pretty happy with a very, very small circle of "kindred spirits" in my life (see Anne of Green Gables). If you look at friendship as a set of concentric circles, there are only a couple people in my inner circle, a few in the next circle, a lot in the third circle, and then the others start to blur together (it gets too hard to categorize friendships after a while). That's the way friendship works.

Chapter 15

Pastor James is still preaching through 1 Corinthians (and has been since April 3, 2016). To be fair, Pastor Mike has preached a lot in there (almost all of Ephesians and part of Ecclesiastes as well as a few other sermons), and James has also preached on other passages here and there, and there has been the occasional guest preacher. It hasn't really taken him almost 3 full years to get through 1 Corinthians (although we're not done yet).

I've really enjoyed these sermons, even the ones that hurt (I'm looking at you, nine sermons on love from chapter 13). It was a good hurt, one that brought healing. Other sermons were more cerebral (as Pastor James put it), and gave me things to think through; those ones appealed to the student in me.

These past few weeks have been different, because now we're on chapter 15 and the glorious truths of the gospel and the resurrection and the future hope. These sermons have given me great joy and delight.

I'm really just here to sent you there to listen to them. Enjoy!

The Great Elephant: A Review

The Great Elephant is an allegory for children by Nik Ranieri. It's has all the makings of a great story: the plot moves along nicely (without being too dragged out); the illustrations are excellent; and the message is clear without taking away from the story.

We have it in the church library, and I grabbed it on Wednesday to read to the little ones in the home school room (it's still book month, and so after they do some "silent" reading, I love reading to them). I had it in my hand when I switched to the big kids' room, and a couple of them asked me to read it to them. After silent reading time, I obliged, and soon the whole group had gathered in our corner for story time.

The story is pretty straight forward: Quinn, a small mouse, is ready to make his own way in the world, but when he sets out, things go very wrong. He decides to look for the Great Elephant (his dad had told Quinn stories about the Great Elephant when he was a child). Along the way, Quinn runs into a host of characters who are determined to steer him astray (while pretending to help). In the end, the Great Elephant comes along and saves Quinn from the jaws of death and gives him a new home.

Quinn seems like everyone who has ever set out into the world with a determination to do things his way and to be independent. His attitude and problems are realistic, as is his response when the meets the various characters and then the Great Elephant. The other characters are well developed and it's easy to see them in the real world as they try to lead people astray from the truth. They ring true to anyone who has dealt with legalism, worldly wisdom, or any other false gospels.

The home school room children loved the story, even the ones who had heard it before. They could sense Quinn's fear and despair, and they rejoiced when he was rescued. They laughed at the bits of humour and tensed at the scary bits. It's just a really, really enjoyable story, and is great for reading aloud.

One of my favourite things about the book is that although it was written for children, the author never dumbs down the language. So many books for children seem to keep to very simple words, but Ranieri uses longer words where they are needed, and the kids had no trouble keeping up. I love when books use good words and building a child's vocabulary rather than limiting it.

The illustrations are amazing, which is no surprise since it seems that Nik Ranieri is (or was?) a Disney animator. The kids loved them (their favourite was when the Great Elephant comes and the false teachers are trying to run away in terror).

In all, it's a great story, and I highly recommend it.