I am re-reading Walking on Water by Madeline L’Engle for inspiration. I have read a number of her books over the years but this one goes down as the all-time favorite. Did you know that she wrote over 50 books of fiction, poetry, autobiography, and non-fiction? I loved A Wrinkle in Time, The Genesis Trilogy, and The Rock that is Higher. She was an amazing writer, and I believe Walking on Water is one of her best. 

Here are some highlights from the book that have stayed with me for years. 
First, let’s start with stories. “A friend of mine, a fine storyteller, remarked to me, ‘Jesus was not a theologian. He was God who told stories.’ Yes, God told stories. St. Matthew says, ‘And he spoke many things unto them in parables …and without a parable spoke he not unto them.’ When the powers of this world denigrate and deny the value of story, life loses much of its meaning, and for many people in the world today, life has lost its meaning, one reason why every other hospital bed is for someone with a mental, not a physical illness.” (P. 56)

This quote struck me in the midst of the COVID chaos. I know many of us are feeling less than quite whole at the moment. Mentally, I am reading more stories and watching more dramas. I need stories. Any dip into a story is healing for the mind, and our minds definitely need something with all the isolation that has gone on.

Another quote from the book that stands out is from Canon Tallis. “One time I was talking to Canon Tallis, who is my spiritual director as well as friend, and I was deeply grieved about something, and I kept telling him how woefully I had failed someone I loved, failed totally, otherwise that person couldn’t have done the wrong that was so destructive. Finally he looked at me calmly, ‘Who are you to think you are better than our Lord? After all, he was singularly unsuccessful with a great many people.’ That remark, made to me years ago, has stood me in good stead, time and again. I have to try, but I do not have to succeed. Following Christ has nothing to do with success as the world sees success. It has to do with love.” (P. 64)

That one kind of hurt because I could relate to it so well. Lately I have been reflecting on how ineffective I have been in teaching, leading, encouraging, and sharing Christ with others. The good news is that I am not even expected to be effective. I am expected to be faithful. I have expected to love others.

The chapter entitled A Coal in the Hand was also insightful. “We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are, to see through plastic sham to living, breathing reality, and to break down our defenses of self-protection in order to be free to receive and give love … Paul certainly wasn’t qualified to talk about love, Paul who had persecuted so many Christians as ruthlessly as possible; and yet his poem on love in I Corinthians has shattering power. It not a vague, genial sense of well-being that it offers us but a particularly, painful, birth-giving love … It is a listening, unself-conscious love, and many artists who are incapable of this in their daily living are able to find it as they listen to their work, that work which binds our wounds and heals us and helps us toward wholeness.” (P. 71-72)

This is true for me. Writing helps. It binds wounds. It helps me deal with reality. It moves me towards wholeness. It helps me enter the narrow gate of heaven. It shows me I can walk on water. 

The last chapter is Feeding the Lake. This last chapter is all about vulnerability. It starts by describing Christ’s vulnerability. “We are, ourselves, as little children, and therefore we are vulnerable. We might paraphrase Descartes to read, ‘I hurt; therefore I am.’ And because of the great affirmation of the Incarnation, we may not give in to despair.” (P. 229)

I hurt; therefore I am? In all honesty, this makes sense. We are all on the winding road called life. We all hurt from something. The question is whether we wallow in it or not. 

I may wallow in hurt for a while, but I do eventually pick myself up, dust myself off, and get on with life. I doubt I am making great art, but I know I am working through my pain.

Some of the greatest artists of the past were able to overcome their hurt with their art. Milton wrote Paradise Lost. “Milton could have retreated into passive blindness and self-pity instead of trying to patience of his three dutiful daughters and any visiting friends by insisitng that they write down what he dictated.” (P. 232).

Beethoven was going deaf when he wrote the Ninth Symphony. “Beethoven could have remained in the gloom of silence instead of forging the glorious sounds which he could never hear except in his artist’s imagination.” (P. 232). 
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What does Madeline L’Engle discover? Over and over, her reflections come back to the fact that she is a Christian. She is an artist, and she is a Christian.

This book invites you to journey into mystery and beauty. She is earthy, passionate, and holy. She is worth following because she followed Jesus. This is so worth the read or re-read! 

This lovely little Christmas tree has become a part of our Christmas traditions. Ann Voskamp wrote this book of devotions in response to requests from customers about The Greatest Gift, which I wrote about last week as a poem. The customers wanted something interactive for their children and shorter. This is what she came up with.

When you open it, the tree pops up. The little Christmas tree ornaments all correspond to the story told in the devotions.This is a must-have if you like Jesse tree traditions. These traditions tell the story of Jesus from the Old Testament into the New Testament. Each and every story relates to Jesus and his coming to earth as the greatest gift. 

And this is how it starts:

​"This is the most amazing story ever told about a family - about Jesus' family. The family includes a king named David - and it includes your family too! This is a story about a family that was big like a tree, with branches that reached to the sky!

But this family got into trouble. (You'll be surprised!) This family didn't always love God. (You'll see). And when that happened, it was like their family tree kind of crashed, leaving only a stump.

But guess what? The most fabulous, marvelous, miraculous thing happened. A Baby was born into that family - a Baby who like  a teeny, tiny leaf that grew out of that tree stump that looked dead. And Jesus like the biggest tree full of love you've ever seen! This was God's great plan all along. He wanted to wrap you in the warmest, most amazing love, like the biggest hug you can imagine.

But sometimes miracles don't start big, like a humungous tree. Sometimes miracles start out small, like a new life - or a tiny baby.

That's how it was with the miracle of God's son. Jesus comes to our little-yet-big miracles. He makes himself small - so small He can fit inside our own hearts. 

His love is all around us. Can you feel it?

His miracles are all around us. Can you see them?

His love goes down deep into our hearts, like roots. Can you even believe it?

Dear Jesus, thank you for the miracles all around me. Thank you for bringing good things out of things that look dead. Most of all, thank you for you unstoppable love for me! Amen."

​I have never been comfortable with the claim that only certain people are selected by God for salvation and holiness. I believe that God wants all of us to believe, be saved, and become holy. Responsible Grace: Exploring John Wesley’s Theology is one of those books that explains John Wesley’s thought but does not polarize the views on this, a rarity in academic circles. 

I am taking a class entitled “Exploring John Wesley’s Theology” with Nazarene Bible College and we are required to read Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology. I read most of this book last week and I have to say that it is very good and very balanced. John Wesley was astute as finding a middle way between polarized views. This author, Randy L. Maddox, is also great at describing the different viewpoints and then describing Wesley’s viewpoint as somewhere between the two. Maddox has his own middle way, perhaps influenced by Wesley's thought. 

The book covers views a myriad of topics that all deserve exploration. It starts by going relating human knowledge and Wesley’s quadrilateral thought of scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. The second chapter explains the nature of God and Wesley’s view on God as Creator/Sustainer, provider, governor, physician, and judge. The third chapter is entitled Humanity’s Need and God’s Initial Restoring Grace. This chapter is the heart of John Wesley’s thought.

"Wesley's most fundamental conviction about human life was that we are created and dependent beings. Our very existence and all of our faculties are gifts of God's grace" (p. 67). It all begins with God, but we are responsible to respond to this grace. I do not believe we can do this perfectly, but we are called by him to respond.

​The fourth chapter is about Christ - The Iniative of Responsible Grace. It talks of Wesley’s view of Christ as atonement for sin, and explains Christ as a priest, a prophet, and a king or physician. This also touches on Christ’s nature. Other chapters include Wesley’s view on the Holy Spirit, grace and human response, how human response to grace builds on itself, the means of grace and response, and the triumph of responsible grace. 

As previously stated, I find that Dr. Maddox is very adept at avoiding predetermined positions and relating things as he finds them - a rare attribute that comes across openly and honestly. This book is a definite essential for those who would understand the real value of holiness doctrine and theology - and not be disheartened by those who simply dismiss it with cryptic shots from the hip after expounding their own views.

This is probably the only textbook I would recommend to the general public. Go ahead and pick up the classic work on John Wesley's theology. 
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The Dot and the Line by Norton Juster is one of those books that you keep coming back to. It is just so wonderfully written, funny, and it does get to the point as the line does eventually romance the dot.

Here we go…

Once upon a time there was a sensible straight line who was hopelessly in love with a beautiful dot. But the dot, though perfect in every way, only had eyes for a wild and unkempt squiggle. All of the line's romantic dreams were in vain, until he reimagines himself.

He reimagines himself a celebrated daredevil.

He reimagines himself as leader in world affairs.

He reimagines himself as a fearless law enforcement agent.

He reimagines himself as potent force in the world of art.

He reimagines himself as an international sportsman.

But he grows tired of the self deception. And then he discovers...angles!

Now, with newfound self-expression, he can be anything he wants to be--a square, a triangle, a parallelogram....And that's just the beginning!

He becomes mysterious, clever, dazzling.

He becomes profound, complex, erudite.

He becomes eloquent, versatile, and enigmatic. 

And the dot starts to notice how he has changed.

The dot realizes that what she thought she had with the squiggle was freedom was actually something else. She sees the squiggle as untidy and graceless. She sees anarchy and sloth were there once was love.

She goes to be with the line. 

"Do the one with all the funny curves again, honey," she cooes softly as they softly stroll away.

And they lived if not happy ever after at least reasonably.

This book is a gem. Norton Jester has won the Caldecott Medal. This story is hilarious and his others books are definitely going to make you smile! Check your local bookstore to pick it up.

This absolute treasure of a book follows Sarah's Clarkson "This Beautiful Truth", which I wrote about last month. Sarah was writing about the problem of pain and how God's goodness can break into our darkness. Contemplating beautiful things, like this book, is just one way that God can break in and give some light to those of us who feel things a little too heavily. 

I also connected to this book because it is celebrating something lost within a language, a form of linguistic revival that I find very effective. 

Robert McFarlane, a professor from Cambridge, wrote this book when he found that the people who were compiling the Oxford English Dictionary were replacing words like acorn and adder with more computer related terms. It's a celebration of words that are no longer alive in the world of children.

It is filled with absolutely gorgeous illustrations of the lost word and an acrostic poem. Here are a few samples to get us started. This is the picture of the kingfisher.
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And this is the text in the page beside the kingfisher...

Kingfisher: the colour-giver, fire-bringer, flame-flicker, river's quiver.

Ink-black bill, orange throat, and a quick blue back-gleaming feather-stream.

Neat and still it still on the snag of a stick, until with ...

Gold-flare, wing-fan, whipcrack the kingfisher - zingfisher, singfisher! -

Flashes down too fast to follow, quick and quicker carves its hollow

In the water, slings its arrow superswif to swallow

Stickleback or shrimp or minnow.

Halycon is its other name - also ripple-calmer, water nester,

Evening Angler, weather-teller, rainbringer and

Rainbow bird - that sets the stream alight with burn and glitter.


​Let's try another. Here is a picture of a dandelion.
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And here is the accompanying text for dandelion...

Dazzle me, little sun-of-the-grass!

And spin me, tiny time-machine!                                                          (Tick-tock, sun clock, thistle & dock)

Now no longer known as 

Dent-de-Lion, Lion's Toothe or Windblow,                                                      (Tick-tock, sun clock, thistle & dock)

Evening Glow, Milkwitch or Parachute, so

Let new names take root, thrive and grow,                                            (Tick-tock, sun clock, rattle & dock)

I would make you some, such as Bane of Lawn Perfectionists

Or Fallen Star of the Football Pitch or Scatterseed, but

Never would I call you only, merely, simply, 'weed'.                                       (Tick-tock, sun clock, clover & dock)

It's a beautiful book illustrated by Jackie Morris. I would recommend this as a pick-me-up after a stress-filled day or as something to look at with young children. Children do look with awe and wonder and this book deserves that kind of attention! 

Here is another installment of the absolutely delightful series Mr. Putter and Tabby. I have read and reread these books to my children as bedtime stories. They are just sweet, fun, and very funny. And you will get a warm-hearted feeling when you are done the book. The boys and I read one chapter a night.

In this one, Mr. Putter and Tabby are enjoying the winter snow fall while drinking tea and eating warm muffins. Mr. Putter goes out to get the newspaper from the mailbox because he wants to read the funnies, but he forgets his hat. He hopes he does not get a cold, but, alas, he does. 

And then he remembers. He remembers when he was a kid. He remembers the warm soup, minty tea, and adventure books that his mother gave him. He is remembering all this as Mrs. Teaberry, the next door neighbor, calls. 

Mrs. Teaberry thinks that Mr. Putter needs company, but Mr. exclaims that you do "not want to be old and catch a cold"! She calls back a while later and explains that Zeke, Mrs. Teaberry's dog, is going to come over.

Zeke comes through the snow, wagging his tail and carrying a thermos on his back. Mr. Putter checks the thermos and is delighted to find chicken soup inside. 

They are enjoying the chicken soup when Zeke comes back with another thermos of something on his back. Mr. Putter checks. This time he smells peppermint tea with honey sticks and he declares, "Yippee!"

Mr. Putter is remembering when he was sick with his mother many years ago. He decides to call Mrs. Teaberry and ask. 

"Would you perhaps have ...?" asks Mr. Putter.

"Would I perhaps have ...?" replies Mrs. Teaberry.

"An adventure book?" asks Mr. Putter.

"Of course!" says Mrs. Teaberry! "But the book really belongs to Zeke. It's about a brave dog. It's Zeke's favorite."

"Would he loan it to me?"

"Only if he gets to come along." 

Mr. Putter stops and thinks. Could he handle Zeke and a cold? 

"Of course Zeke can come with his book," says Mr. Putter. 

"Wonderful!"

A few minutes later, Zeke is at the door with a book on his back. What do you think Zeke, Tabby, and Mr. Putter do for the rest of the day? ;)

Again, this series is a delight! Enjoy! 

The boys and I had some great giggles as we read this delightful book! The boys enjoyed the word play in it. I just enjoyed the story. It is always fun when there is a return to childhood!

It's autumn, and Mr. Putter is enjoying fall things. Juicy apples, juicy tomatoes, hot apple cider, and pear jelly. How is he going to get pear jelly?

Mr. Putter attempts to climb a ladder, but that results in cranky legs. Who wants cranky legs? Not him. He decides for another route with Tabby, his cat, watching. 

Mr. Putter decides that a slingshot is the answer! He is going to knock pears off the trees. So, he goes into the house and makes a slingshot with an old pair of underwear that has good elastic. In fact, it is very good elastic!

He picks up an apple when he is back outside and puts it in the slingshot. He aims and it goes right over his house! He is smiling, and he picks up another apple and puts it in the slingshot. Zing! It flies over the house. Mr. Putter loves this!

He loves this so much he spends the afternoon sending apples over his house and into the neighbor's yard! Tabby, of course, falls asleep. And the next day, they do not have pear jelly. They are moping on the porch when Mrs. Teaberry, the neighbor, shows up.

"When I woke up this morning, there were dozens of apples in my front yard. And I don't even have an apple tree." Mr. Putter looked at Tabby. "Amazing!" he said. "So I made an apple feast!" said Mrs. Teaberry. She has turnovers, apple pies, apple jellies, and a gallon of hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks. They sit down, eat, and then an idea hits Mr. Putter. What do you think he is going to do about the pears up in the tree? :)

This series by Cynthia Rylant and Arthur Howard (illustrator) is just a delightful romp into Mr. Putter's second childhood and all of the fun that a pet brings into your life! A rather delightful read!