Monday afternoon post in five minutes or less ...
It has been a busy couple of weeks. Sick babies at home, car accident, and lots of prayer for discernment. Three thoughts, as has become customary.
1. Just finished Paul Johnson's short biography on Winston Churchill. I love that Churchill was good at getting over kicks to the gut. That is something I have never been good at. Estimated that he wrote somewhere around 10,000,000 words over his lifetime and painted 500 works. Not to mention (50) years in Parliament and serving as Prime Minister during WWII. Unbelievable man. One of my favorite bits of information was Churchill's deal to ask for no special remuneration after the war in exchange for all of his government papers. He used those papers to write memoirs which generated roughly $50m in present day dollars. How many would have asked for a modest pension.
2. I am getting close to finishing No Man is an Island. I love Merton's voice, but I feel like I retained so little. Biggest take aways? A love that is only had for the purpose of making us feel fulfilled is an incredibly selfish love. Also, asceticism is not meant to make "freaks" out of us (Merton's choice of word, not mine). Perhaps that is the danger of mystical writing. There isn't always a driving power point we can walk away with. And yet, perhaps this is the beauty of a type of writing which bristles against our requirement that everything we digest include "five easy (to remember) steps" to bettering our lives.
3. I have started reading Bonhoeffer's small book on the Psalter. I am working through it slowly. I am intrigued by the idea of praying through the Psalms, and in doing so, praying through Christ.
It is a Monday indeed. The week is full of possibility.
1. Just finished Paul Johnson's short biography on Winston Churchill. I love that Churchill was good at getting over kicks to the gut. That is something I have never been good at. Estimated that he wrote somewhere around 10,000,000 words over his lifetime and painted 500 works. Not to mention (50) years in Parliament and serving as Prime Minister during WWII. Unbelievable man. One of my favorite bits of information was Churchill's deal to ask for no special remuneration after the war in exchange for all of his government papers. He used those papers to write memoirs which generated roughly $50m in present day dollars. How many would have asked for a modest pension.
2. I am getting close to finishing No Man is an Island. I love Merton's voice, but I feel like I retained so little. Biggest take aways? A love that is only had for the purpose of making us feel fulfilled is an incredibly selfish love. Also, asceticism is not meant to make "freaks" out of us (Merton's choice of word, not mine). Perhaps that is the danger of mystical writing. There isn't always a driving power point we can walk away with. And yet, perhaps this is the beauty of a type of writing which bristles against our requirement that everything we digest include "five easy (to remember) steps" to bettering our lives.
3. I have started reading Bonhoeffer's small book on the Psalter. I am working through it slowly. I am intrigued by the idea of praying through the Psalms, and in doing so, praying through Christ.
It is a Monday indeed. The week is full of possibility.
