Book: Under the Banner of Heaven

Note: Somehow I never published these comments when I wrote them in July 2008. Ooops.

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This book, like Into Thin Air, was a great read, and I'm further convinced I should read Krakauer's next book, whatever it might be.

In Under the Banner of Heaven, Krakauer explores Fundamentalist Mormonism, it's history, and it's strained relationship with mainline Mormonism. Having only a vague familiarity with the early beginnings of this religion, it was interesting to read the historical background.

Fundamentalism aside, some of the facts about the Mormon church are just astonishing. It is a fast-growing religion, with evangelism efforts that put the average church to shame. They not only set evangelism as a priority, they back it up with structured programs, and send out a huge number of young people every year on church missions. They are highly trained in the tenets of the faith, and in how to defend it, as anyone who's argued with them on a doorstep knows.

Krakauer is a great writer, and has delivered another compelling read. Highly recommended.

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
by Jon Krakauer
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Originally posted at: http://rebeccasmiscellanies.blogspot.com/

2 Miles and Holding

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to increase my jogging from one mile to two miles. The running plan I've been following does this in a mere one or two weeks. I'm at about four. Four weeks times three workouts equals 12 times I've laced up my shoes and attempted to run two miles without feeling like I'm going to die. I'm not there yet. I have to convince myself that I can do anything for just 15 minutes... 10 minutes... 5... 4... 3.... And somehow I'm supposed to be increasing by a quarter mile each week until I get to three miles. No way. Ain't happening.

So I'm throwing the schedule out the window. I can only take so much failure to meet expectations before getting completely discouraged. So for now, it's just going to be 2 miles, 3 times a week. I'm hoping that by repeatedly subjecting my body to this self-imposed torture, I will eventually fool myself into thinking that I'm actually capable of more. Maybe one day, I won't be checking the stopwatch constantly and I'll just accidentally run 5 extra minutes. Or maybe, without explanation, I will one day experience "runner's high" and feel inspired to go after that third mile.

I'm still planning to run a 5K in October, and I still have three months to train. Good thing I planned on lots of extra time to get ready.

Thankful Thursday

Odds 'N Ends of things I'm thankful for this week...

- A visit with old friends who stayed at our house this week
- A great concert on Sunday Night - check out Phil Wickham
- Receiving an encouraging e-mail from a friend
- Ice cream
- Finishing a good book
- Getting a closet cleaned out (only one more to go!)
- Fresh strawberries, one of my favorite things ever
- An enjoyable evening visiting my aunt and uncle, and getting to drive the golf cart (hehee)
- Spending some time with my sister-in-law who is off for summer vacation now
- Plans to celebrate the holiday tomorrow in the most traditional way possible: with BBQ food, fireworks and maybe a swim in the pool.

Have a great fourth!!

Book: The Amethyst Heart

When I found this book at my favorite used book store, I snapped it up before anyone else could. Years ago, I read The Blue Bottle Club by this same author, and although I don't remember the details, I do remember really enjoying the story. The Amethyst Heart didn't disappoint.

Although marked fiction, I would consider it more historical fiction, as the book traced a family from Mississippi from the days before the civil war to the present, including the historical and social events relevant to the setting. The Amethyst Heart is an heirloom passed down through the generations, a symbol of the family's faith and commitment to the motto engraved on the back: "Sincerity, Purity, Nobility."

Like the other books of Christian fiction I most enjoy, the faith of the characters seemed so real that I find it inspiring. In a way, I sometimes learn lessons from fictional characters that influence my own faith in the moment. Even that aside, Stokes is a good storyteller, and an author I would choose to read again.

The Amethyst Heart by Penelope J. Stokes

Speed

I read this in a devotion book yesterday: "If we are like most North Americans, life has one defining characteristic: speed.
"God, on the other hand, is slow. Not in the way that we understand slowness -- as sloth or inability -- but slow in the sense of infinitely patient and gracious. God is slow because he works with people. God is slow because he is in the growing business. God is slow because love is slow."*

I was so impressed by this because it brought me back to a more objective reality, that life (specifically my life) is not about finishing first, it's not about getting it all done, and it's definitely not about either of those things happening right this minute. I confess, though, that the speed of my life is too fast more often than not. I miss the beautiful sights on the way because I'm impatient to reach a goal. I have a vision for my life, and I want to arrive there by the Concorde instead of by walking.

On the other hand, while I want to reach my future goals at warp speed, I sometimes look at my life so far and feel that I haven't really accomplished yet. I struggle with feeling like I've been left in the dust when I look at what others have accomplished already, and it's too late to catch up.

I guess those two things together are part of the reason I'm making a plan for the future, starting with going back to school. Although I want to enjoy my journey, I want to know what the next destination is. After all, if you don't know where you are going, how will you know when you've arrived... right? I think in the past, I've thought that making a long-term plan was incompatible with enjoying the journey. That having both wasn't possible.

I hope I was wrong. I hope that somehow over the next several years I can work toward my goal and enjoy the process. I hope that by accepting that this will take years instead of hours, I can relax and be surprised by what God teaches me along the way. I hope that I can find the place where I am content because I know that I'm in exactly the right place, and that my right place is irrelevant from where anybody else happens to be at the moment.

I hope I can appreciate that while getting somewhere by Concorde is glamorous and fast, that God works when I walk with him. I hope I can look for the lessons he can teach me when I lace up my shoes and take today's steps towards the goal.


* From Shifting Gears: Maps & Meditations for the Sea to Sea 2008 Bike Tour, Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2008.
Why am I reading this book?
The Christian Reformed Church and Reformed Church of America, along with other partners, organized the Sea to Sea Bike Tour to raise awareness about poverty issues and to raise funds for causes that work to address poverty. One of the riders is a member of my church. The devotion book was written for the cyclists and those who helped sponsor the tour. For more information, visit www.seatosea.org.