Church

When we retire at night my wife writes in her journal and reads a portion of a book. I trust her judgment.  If a book isn't making it, she quits.  If it's good, she rereads it.  If I should be reading it, she tells me! Two books recently have struck her fancy!  One I'm just beginning to read --  I Was Just Wondering, by Philip Yancey.   Here is a book of short essays written for a column in the magazine called Christianity today.  Yancey ranges all over the place with his thoughts, and writes well enough that you trail along with him. The second book I haven't gotten my hands on yet.  Not that I haven't heard bits and pieces of wisdom from the book.  The best thoughts, in a few paragraphs, get read to me just before I fall to sleep.  And somehow I remember them!  Last night Jill mentioned she is about to start reading, once again, Hidden in Plain Sight by Mark Buchanan.  The book is a study of the Bible book, II Peter.  I'll poach it from Jill once she's done (and not a moment before, if I know what's good for me!). Got some books you are reading?  Leave a comment!

The computer had been basically given to the organization.  There needed to be a little tweaking.  Out of my box of Computer goodies there appeared a new CD drive.  I also installed a DVD burner.  Cleaned the cover.  Attached a monitor. Voila!  A functioning computer.  Generally I would have been expecting those marvelous PC treats!!  "Fatal error" or "Data overflow" or some such thing.  NOTHING! Within moments I'm done!  I phoned a friend but he wasn't home.  So I sat down on my own computer and began to clean up some files. Now it's 9:15 and my motivation is winding down.  So, to the computer -- good night.  To my files -- good night.  And to all -- a good night!

Yes, the wind has been high.  I understand we were the wind capital of Saskatchewan on Friday night.  The days continue to exhibit the push of power.  Today people entering stores were headed, slanted, into the wind.  Often it is not so much the wind.  You can find shelter.  You can tighten up the coat.  You can even defiantly face into the wind. But the sound.  Constant.  Unceasing.  Persistent. I'm not sure if I associate destruction with wind.  Perhaps a hurricane victim would speak better to that.  Mexico and Hurrican Dean may be just the real life laboratory to test sight and sound -- to associate dis-ease and destruction with sound and sight. Tonight the wind has calmed -- and somehow the soul joins in!

Last night we watched a thunder storm.  Not just thunder -- but lightning and rain and wind. Wind that blew branches off trees.  Wind that twisted a neighbour's newly planted tree almost 45 degrees.  Wind that blew over a lawn chair, eavetroughing and some bricks.  We cannot see the wind.  We can certainly see the results.  We can harass the wind and transfer the power to electrical grids.  We can pressurize air and utilize it in pneumatic tools.  We can even stand in the wind and pretend to defy God. But are we the authors of the wind?  Are we able to control the hurricane? At best, we are observers. And so, last night we took the time to stand and watch.  And in the midst -- God is who he is, let all the earth keep reverent silence.