As I mentioned in the last post, I've begun reading "The Year of Living Biblically." I have to say that I've been surprised by the book. I went into it fully believing that my personal beliefs were about to be trounced and mocked. I think that sometimes as Christians, we need that. We need to be presented with things that are very contrary to what we believe because I think it asks us to evaluate what we believe, and ultimately why we believe it.
This book surprised me. While being written by someone who has labeled themselves a "devout agnostic," it doesn't put Christians down. It doesn't cater to stereotypes, and in some cases it even breaks the stereotype. (In October the Narrator goes to the creationism museum where he encounters not intolerant rednecks, but people with Phds and intolerance for intolerance- it wasn't what he expected, but he was open to seeing it.) I like that the narrator, who for the purpose of this blog is Jacob, is committed to more than the motions. He doesn't just want to do the things the bible says, but also think the way it says to think. I like that he's all in, and I like that he's honest about the things that don't sit well with him and the things that he struggles with. I'd recommend this post to anyone who is... well actually to just about anyone. I'm into October and I've found it to be informative, humorous, and accessible. I feel like almost everyone will find something in it that rings true for them.
* End Shameless Plug*
Monday, April 26, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
I'm BAAAAACK!
So, this blog was infiltrated by one of the teachers at TC, who found it, and gave me a lot of grief about posting about my students' lives on here. So, before I continue, I should say a few things.
1. My life is weird. It is neither consistently good, nor consistently bad. It IS however consistently strange. I think most people's lives are if they looked at them closely.
2. Security features on the internet are great things, like that said teacher, can not see this post. I find this to be reassuring.
3. I will always protect the innocent or mostly innocent by changing names or not giving a name- so while most of the people who talk to me pretty consistently feel that they "know" my students. They do not actually KNOW my students.
Having said all that, I hope to post more often. I've begun reading "A Year of Living Biblically" which is not meant to be a devotional so much as it is meant to answer the question, "what if we took the entire bible literally? What if we did not allowed room for context, social pressures, or social norms? What would our lives look like then?" As someone who walks a precarious line between being devout and being loving, being faithful without being judgmental, and as someone who has memorized much, but not all of the Good Book, I'm interested to know how a literal translation would affect one's day to day life. I will post commentary here.
In addition to all of that- some life updates: had a migraine yesterday. It was the first time that I clearly remember seeing an aura. It was like there was a blurry spot growing towards the bottom of my field of vision in my right eye. I thought my contacts had stuff on them, but it wouldn't rub out. Then 30 minutes later, I was laying on the bathroom floor with my duvet, throwing up and praying for sleep to take me. Some days, I hate my body.
South Dakota's version of "spring" is rainy and windy. I am not impressed.
I think I want a bicycle.
Student loans are going to be the death of me.
1. My life is weird. It is neither consistently good, nor consistently bad. It IS however consistently strange. I think most people's lives are if they looked at them closely.
2. Security features on the internet are great things, like that said teacher, can not see this post. I find this to be reassuring.
3. I will always protect the innocent or mostly innocent by changing names or not giving a name- so while most of the people who talk to me pretty consistently feel that they "know" my students. They do not actually KNOW my students.
Having said all that, I hope to post more often. I've begun reading "A Year of Living Biblically" which is not meant to be a devotional so much as it is meant to answer the question, "what if we took the entire bible literally? What if we did not allowed room for context, social pressures, or social norms? What would our lives look like then?" As someone who walks a precarious line between being devout and being loving, being faithful without being judgmental, and as someone who has memorized much, but not all of the Good Book, I'm interested to know how a literal translation would affect one's day to day life. I will post commentary here.
In addition to all of that- some life updates: had a migraine yesterday. It was the first time that I clearly remember seeing an aura. It was like there was a blurry spot growing towards the bottom of my field of vision in my right eye. I thought my contacts had stuff on them, but it wouldn't rub out. Then 30 minutes later, I was laying on the bathroom floor with my duvet, throwing up and praying for sleep to take me. Some days, I hate my body.
South Dakota's version of "spring" is rainy and windy. I am not impressed.
I think I want a bicycle.
Student loans are going to be the death of me.
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