This is going to be my first blog post on this new blog. I've done blogging before but never kept up with it. Will I this time? Hopefully, and with the grace of God, I will; that and finding the time between work, family, and the myriad of other things that cry out for attention. So, bear with me, and we will get this rolling.
This blog is going to cover three areas. The first is the Bible. In that, I hope to share with you what I believe to be the truth and is the subject where I expect the most contention in what I say. The second is the books. I enjoy a fantastic book. My review of them will be my no-nonsense opinion. Last is being. This section will be musings on life in general. It may overlap with the Bible section since faith and life are one and the same for those of us who believe.
I pondered what I would do for my first post. I thought maybe I would start with a bang and post something that would be deemed somewhat controversial. I decided against that. Perhaps I should do a book review. I decided against that. I have plenty of things about which to write. I've decided I will write a sort of "year in review" as my first post. I mean, we are just a few short weeks from the end of 2020.
BIBLE/BEING
2020 has been an interesting and tumultuous year for me in terms of the Bible. Covid came along and decided to shut down churches for a while. I suddenly felt that I had free reign on Sunday to go and do something else besides church. I did and drug my wife and kids along. It was another day to fill with whatever we wanted. God got shuffled to the side. I had another whole day to fill with doing whatever I pleased. Then, I read a book.
I read John Comer's "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry." His words on the Sabbath struck me to the core forcing me to stop and take a long hard look at how I was living and what I was doing. We were always going. We had time to fill, and of course, we should fill it by going and doing. Now, sure, we were typically together. That didn't equate to quality. It didn't equate to anything except going and adding stress to our lives. God convicted me on several levels. It was time to stop going.
I discussed what I was feeling with my wife. We decided indeed that we should be stopping so much doing, and that it was time to observe the Sabbath. It was stressful at first. It was uncomfortable. Obeying the Sabbath was, well, weird. I know that sounds, well, weird, but it is quite the adjustment to make. Now, we don't have it perfect, and we are most likely observing on a wrong day, but it is a start. We've found it still weird but not as much as when we started. We are adjusting as we go.
I would like to say that was all God did, but it wasn't. I soon began questioning quite a large portion of my belief. I was questioning a lot of things going on in the world and our government. It was impressed upon me that I should be questioning what I thought I believed. Was what I have been taught about God and the Bible really what I believed and what the Word truly says?
Matthew 5:17-19 says, "17 "Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished!19 Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Here is the controversial part. I had to come to terms with this set of verses. The harder I looked, the more I became convinced and convicted that the Law of Moses wasn't an option. We aren't living in the new heaven and new earth of Revelation 21. (Honestly, if you can prove we are, I will tell you we have been duped. This one sort of sucks.) Here we go. Now I, along with my family, have more changes and decisions to make. Pork? Out the door. Shellfish? We don't eat those anyway. Tzitzit? Yep, I wear them. They are fun to make. Feasts? Next year since we missed them all this year.
Genesis 25:21 says, "Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived." This verse became very important to me in October through December. My wife was diagnosed with diabetes. The ultrasound showed a spot on her pancreas that seemed to be denser than the rest of her pancreas. It was either a lesion or an ultrasound anomaly. A CAT scan with and without contrast was ordered. My wife's mother had died of pancreatic cancer. Were we scared? Yes. Did we cry? Yes. Stress levels went through the roof. Did we pray? Like never before.
I was reading the Torah portion for the week when I came upon that verse. I was stunned, shocked, and I was elated. I had another verse to grab hold to and hold up before God. I prayed to God, "I come before you as Isaac did for his wife Rebekah. I ask you to hear my prayer as you did his." Thus, I made my request to the King of the Universe daily.
It was only a few short days ago, on a Thursday evening, my wife came to me with tears streaming down her face. I was in the bedroom sitting on the bed while my two years old and four years old brushed my hair and took my temperature. Call it a medical/spa visit. My heart dropped when I saw her face red and tear-streaked. Then she said words that sent me soaring. "The scans were clear!" My heart soared while I fell to my knees thanking God. God heard, and God answered. We went out to eat to celebrate with smiles on our faces and happiness in our hearts.
James 1:27 has been a major life verse for us. This year ended our foster care journey of 6 years. This was also the year that we adopted our third daughter. We were honored, humbled, and privileged to have had 11 children in our care for those years and have been able to adopt 3 of them. We are happy to move on with our lives knowing we made an impact on these kids and they on us. What an exquisite example of the Gospel we were allowed to participate in.
BOOKS
I've always been a bit of a reader. My wife and I make sure we read to our kids daily. Science has proven the benefits of doing this. Not only does it help them in their vocabulary, but it also helps to develop and reinforce the bond between parent and child. There is nothing like investing time in your children.
Not counting the books I've read to my kids, I have read just over 50 books this year. They have been a combination of fiction and non-fiction ranging from science fiction to historical fiction and from theology to biography. I've even managed to read a couple of the larger classical tomes this year. I've discovered new authors and fallen in love with new genres. I've traveled through space on a freighter and walked along with lady spies during WW2. Shoot, I've even cried.
I have read some really good books this year. The Chronicles of Narnia ranks high on my list of most enjoyed books this year. The Wingfeather Saga is definitely near the top. The two biographies of Fred Rogers were enlightening and enjoyable. "But what was your favorite read of the year?" I hear you asking. Be ready for a surprise if you know me well.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo was my favorite read of the year. I am afraid to watch the movie because it won't even come close to the beauty of this book. Jean Valjean is unforgettable. The translator of the version I read (the book was originally in French) excelled. I found myself writing so much in my commonplace that I had to begin to be a little more choosy or else I would transcribe the whole book! It was just that beautiful in its prose and insight into the human condition. It wasn't the easiest book to read at times with the in-depth descriptions of Paris sewers and other rabbit holes Hugo would follow, but it was well worth the time and effort. You should read it.
Now you are wondering, "What was your least favorite read of the year?" Notice that I didn't say hate. My least favorite was Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. I struggled to get through this one. My favorite character was Levin who was a complete contrast to Anna. I wanted to love this book. I had very high hopes for it. I did. I didn't hate it, but I don't think I will be reading it again.
Right now, I am reading "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome. It is delightful and I can understand why he has such a large following even after 100 years of the initial printing of this book. That will be another post.
May the Lord our God bless you and keep you.
Larry