Maybe there's something in the air that whispers, "Get the harvest in before winter comes." Maybe it's the back to school ads, compounded by years of gearing up for the new school year. Maybe it's the thick fog that covered our coast most of August, making me feel that I never had this summer which is now over. Whatever the reason, I've spent too many days overwhelmed by things to do, feeling attacked by details, being frozen by the multitude of possible actions, and wondering if it is even possible to successfully accomplish all the projects lined up in front of me. Several times, I have found myself standing still, suspended over a lake of tears, knowing I must touch down gently lest I slide into a pit of despair.
"One thing life taught me -- if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you." ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Waiting, lurking in corners to jump you...
One day at The word Shop I pulled out a handful of books by local authors for Paul Tutwiler, who has spent years compiling and researching the history of religious organizations in Santa Cruz County. He has listed around 500 organizations, of which 300 are still in existence. You can see his work at santacruzspirituality.net. Because he was now exploring nuances within Christianity, I spread in front of him Dan Kimball's The Emerging Church, Chip Ingrams Good to Great in God's Eyes, D.S. George's The Gospel of MaMaLuJo, several books by Daniel Brown, poetry by Jeff Towle and Debra Spencer, and yes, even one of the last remaining copies of my book, Using the Word.
"Is Chip Ingram a local author?" Rita asked from the other end of the table.
"Not anymore," I answered' "but at one time he was the main squeeze at one of the largest churches in town." Turns out Rita listens to Chip's radio program and really liked his book, Good to Great. So I decided to read it, despite the fact that Rita and I only agree on about a quarter of the books we've both read.
Good to Great in God's Eyes; Ten Practices Great Christians Have in Common. The book starts out affirming the desire to be great, something too often denigrated in Christian circles. Several scriptures near the beginning brought comfort to me with sufficient force that I started a new list of lovely scriptures on my iPad. (Let's see, which note app should I write them in?) The second chapter suggested that we "Read Great Books," which of course endeared the book to me--and also explained why certain titles had suddenly been in demand here in Santa Cruz. However, as I continued on, I read faster and faster, finally skimming through to the end. All the 'practices' are terrific, but reading one chapter week would have been a better plan. After inhaling the whole book in a couple of days, I felt even more overwhelmed, even less like a Good Christian (not to even mention Great). I ended up sure I'll never measure up, well, to anything.
"If any man seeks for greatness, let him forget greatness and ask for truth, and he will find both." -Horace Mann
A week before the Literary Party, I realized I wasn't reading anything. The 'genre' for the month was open: whatever you're reading now. Easy. Unfortunately, the only thing I was reading was my iPad. Carolyn pointed out in dulcet tones that iPad's DON'T COUNT! Fortunately, in the river of books flooding into the store (glub, glub), Donald Miller's Searching for God Knows What caught my attention. The cover was trying to be current and hip. I flipped it open and read the first page about a Christian Writers Conference. The tone resonated with my Christian Writers Conference experiences, so I brought the book home for the weekend.
What a delight! Donald Miller is funny, wry, down to earth, honest. His story pulls you in for the ride: the ride of reading his book and the ride of living your days. Somewhere along the road I realized I had read and enjoyed his previous book, Blue Like Jazz. (See January 2007 Newsletter.) I liked Donald's lifeboat notion: too often we act like we're all in a life-boat trying to ascertain our relative worth so that we won't get tossed over the side. Reality TV lurking underneath our smiles. How did we forget that we are worthy because we are loved, and the joy in life springs from, and is found in, our relationship with the beloved?
Ah yes, Jesus. It is so refreshing to read stories that reveal Him, instead of propositional theories about Him.
The funny thing is that Donald Miller lives in Portland, as does Brian Doyle, another author I recently raved about. Although Brian is in the sacramental stream and Donald is in the evangelical stream, there are similarities in their approach. WHAT is going on in Portland? A subterranean revival?
Having remembered Jesus, I looked at my prayer life and realized I wanted to be with Him more. How was I going to go about that? Again, swimming around in the river of books, I bumped into Jack Hayford's The Beauty of Spiritual Language; Unveiling the Mystery of Speaking in Tongues. I've read a lot of books on speaking in tongues, listened to tapes, have even taught on the subject. However, Jack Hayford has such a nice way of putting together stories and biblical references. He walks such an even line between excesses in various directions, that I brought the book home to peruse at leisure.
I relaxed on my patio, book in lap, enjoying the rare afternoon sun, stirring up the gift within. A humming bird happened by, giving a little slurp-chirp before diving into each peach-colored lantern flower in my patio garden. I churped back at him. He glanced my way and continued collecting nectar, churping at each flower. I continued echoing him. After a couple more flowers, the humming bird flew over, hovered in front of my face and chirped. I chirped back. He chirped again. I chirped again. After three or four repeats, I realized this was a little weird. The hummingbird must have thought the same thing, because at that point, he flew away.
And my heart was strangely warmed.
Paul writes in 1-Corinthians that "there are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification." I always thought he was talking about people, but sitting on my patio it occurred to me that I had just been praising the Lord in Hummingbird.
"Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord."
Upcoming events:
First Tuesday Writers - Sept. 7 at 7:15 in The Word Shop
Order of St. Luke Conference with Mike Evans - Sept. 10 & 11 in Campbell
First meeting of the Pacific Speakers Association - Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7:15, Rio Sands Hotel
Literary Party: Letters - Friday, Sept. 17 at 1:30 in The Word Shop
October 8 & 9 - another OSL Healing Mission at St. John's in Aptos.
"I think we would be able to live in this world more peaceably if our spirituality were to come from looking not just into infinity but very closely at the world around us--and appreciating its depth and divinity. ~Thomas Moore
Blessings,
Alliee +