The Spirit Well

The Spirit Well is the third entry in author Stephen Lawhead's Bright Empire series and takes up where the second book, The Bone House, left off. Once more, we ping pong back and forth, thither and yon, amongst the different principal characters as they jump from time period to time period and place to place amongst different realities. As we have been schooled thus far in this adventure, traveling from chord to chord in the multiverse is different than time travel. So-called ley travel does not connect one to different points and places along the same time line, but to alternate realities. As these jumps are not something that can be calibrated or strongly controlled, it makes for a very interesting set of possibilities and narrative lines so one must always pay careful attention to keep up.

The overall story arc follows the descendents and travellers connected to Arthur Flinders-Petrie as they each take up the quest to protect the secrets of ley travel from those of less than pure intent. They are also seeking to acquire the ultimate treasure of the universe, although they have no idea what it could be based on the meager yet tantalizing hints that they possess. The antagonist in this chase is the evil, conniving Lord Burleigh and his lot of agents. He seems to always be one step ahead of Kit and Mina who are slowly learning his tricks and devising a few of their own.

In this story Kit and Mina become separated as Kit errantly travels back to the Stone Age where he is adopted into a most interesting tribe. It is here that he comes to find his place and comfort. Mina has sought out a fellow traveler located in a Spanish monastery in order to better understand ley travel so that she can find Kit. Meanwhile, Kit has made an unbelievable discovery, locating the Spirit Well. Yet the significance of this place and what powers are held there is anyone's guess. New to the scene is a young archaeologist named Cass, who has been charged with helping to find the missing Cosimo and Kit. Her role in the ongoing tale is still unclear. I will just have to hang on until the next installment, The Shadow Lamp, is published next year. A fun romp that stirs the imagination.

iTunes Latest - 7

Back in December of 2011, I finally discovered iTunes on my Mac. This service has really helped me to reconnect with my love of music. One of the things that I really like about music is that so often a given song has a strong association with a time or with a moment in my life. So, I thought that I would share my latest five downloads and a bit about my history with each song.

• Get the Party Started - Pink (2001) - This song caught my ear when I first heard it. It is the only song by Pink that I even know of, but it is catchy, energetic, and infectious.
  
• Strangelove - Depeche Mode (1987) - This "techno-band" song was not produced from the same cookie-cutter mold that most pop songs seem to come from. I have always liked this quirky tune and it holds up strong for me today.
  
• 10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman (2011) - I first heard this one at my church not too long ago. The lyrics are simple, beautiful, and reached deep within me.
  
• Have a Nice Day - Bon Jovi (2005) - Since their hey-day in the 1990s, Bon Jovi has produced an album every 2 to 3 years and each has contained one decent song. This is the one decent song on the album of the same name. If you don't like what I'm doing, then screw you. Oh, and have a nice day.
  
• Countdown to Zero - Asia (1985) - I purchased the album Astra back when I was in college and this is another keyboard heavy song from that work. Apart from the cheesy spoken part at the end, I enjoy the flavor and tone of this one.
  

When it Hurts

Early on in his book Where is God When it Hurts?, author Philip Yancey cites a quote by C.S. Lewis, "You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you." This statement is of the utmost relevance for anyone who calls themselves a Christian when they are forced to deal with pain. Of course many Christians have looked to Lewis for insight and wisdom on this topic in his landmark book The Problem with Pain. Actually after witnessing the depth and craft exhibited in this work by Yancey, I would put this work on the same shelf with Lewis' Pain.

Although this book focuses mostly on issues dealing with physical pain, it is entirely relevant for folks dealing with a spectrum of emotional pains such as depression, regret, loneliness, and loss of interest in life. In fact, many symptoms of emotional pains are manifest in much the same way as physical pain. This book begins with a detailed thesis on the value of pain to the human body. It explores how our nervous system points to a supernatural origin in its sheer ingenuity. It then tells us how to prepare for and help one another through suffering. Finally, it explores in depth the question when it comes to dealing with hurt and pain, "What difference does the Christian faith make?"

Yancey makes the statement that pain and suffering are part of the human condition. It is a part of the human experience that nobody can escape or weasel out of. Given that we must all face pain and suffering, how are we to respond? That is the whole point of this work, namely to help us gain perspective, to help us prepare for the inevitable, to help us learn appropriate ways to respond given the alternatives, and to teach us how to bless and show grace to others who are afflicted. This book is not your typical Christian-lite cotton candy. This is a work that will expand and shape your thinking and your theology. Top notch work.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26

God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 4-5

Thanks to Bill at Cycleguy's Spin for bringing this book to my attention.

Observations 9

My occasional blog series "Observations" was created to be an outlet to share a variety of topics that pop into my field of view as a result of a condition that many bloggers are afflicted with known as "blogger's eyes". In this state we view the world on the constant look-out for topics on which to write about. Thus we see everything from a different perspective and with different purpose than normal folks.

Today's blog came about from random odds 'n ends of things that I have noticed over the past few weeks.

• I came across the following quote from Henri Nouwen that just spoke to my heart, "No man can stay alive when nobody is waiting for him."
  
• Folks pray and pray that an approaching hurricane does not come ashore in their area. Yet it ultimately must come ashore somewhere, in someone's area. Hmmm.
  
• There is not a clear etiquette when two folks, who are no more than casual colleagues, are walking outside in a rain shower and only one has an umbrella.
  
• If you are asked the definition of feckless, the answer according to the online Webster's dictionary reads, "completely without feck". Well, there you have it (maybe).
  
• Just when you are ready to give up, folks can surprise you out of nowhere, even if they are serving dust bunnies and floor wax.
  

Scream

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player - and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. (Shakespeare)

Sometimes when life becomes troubling, our mettle is put to the test and the true measure of our character emerges. Do you like what you see?

Do you accept your fate as a trembling, meek lamb?
Do you show any grace to others and to yourself?
Do you fight dirty?
Do you self medicate to shut out the world for a while?
Do you turn to God with salvos of prayers for deliverance?
Do you turn into someone else, forgetting who you are and what you believe?
Do you take your anger, hurt, and frustration out on others?
Do you withdraw from the world?
Do you cry without control?
Do you talk to yourself in ugly, hateful terms?
Do you give up?
Do you stop dreaming?
Do you turn negative?
Do you shut down?
Do you let sin take hold over your life?
Do you scream until you're hoarse?

Does anything help to restore us with even a small measure of peace besides time? Can there be healing and growth without help from others?

So many questions.

The Bone House

The second book in Stephen Lawhead's "Bright Empire" series is called The Bone House and takes up just where the first book, The Skin Map, left off. Again, the story bounces back and forth between several different narrative threads. We follow Mina as she builds a successful bakery and coffee house in Prague with her good-natured partner Etzel. We travel along with Kit Livingstone as he struggles for survival taking up the cause of his great grandfather Cosimo. We learn a bit more about the man who is map, Douglas Flinders-Petrie, and his pursuit of wisdom and secrets untold, and the paths followed by his son Benedict and his lineage. The common factor criss-crossing each of the protagonist's lives is the ne'er-do'well Lord Burleigh. A man who uses his breeding and rank to ensnare the rich and powerful with his charms and kills those in cold blood who get in his way.

The story develops an interesting turn when Lord Burleigh leaves Kit to die in an old Egyptian tomb. Just when it seems there is no hope for escape, Kit is rescued by Mina. In the long time that they have been separated, Mina has undergone a complete rebirth and Kit is completely unprepared for the strong, clever, and confident woman who rescues him. Yet more than this, it is clear that Mina has been very busy learning how to navigate among different points in the multiverse. When Lord Burleigh closes in, Kit makes a narrow escape by traveling to a prehistoric world where he is taken in by a nomadic tribe. Ultimately he is led to a hut-like dwelling made entirely of animal bones that holds mysteries beyond understanding. Another secret coordinate on the skin map.

Good story-telling that will take you on an interesting and fast-paced adventure. Now onto the third part of the story, The Spirit Well.

"The past and the present are our means; the future alone is our end." Blaise Pascal

What It's Not

I have had parts of this post running through my mind for some time now. I have not put it out before today because I wasn't quite sure what purpose it was supposed to serve. I was also a bit afraid that some might be offended or recognize themselves in my words. Ultimately, I decided that I would just gather together the threads that I had managed to grasp and share them come what may.

The notion that I have been wrestling with is friendship. More specifically, what a friend is not. To me a friend is someone that you spend time with and do things with. A person whose companionship and company you enjoy. It is not someone you only see once in a while at work or out on the street and say a few passing words to. That, in my vernacular, epitomizes an acquaintance. The difference between a friend and acquaintance is how close to your life and your heart someone is allowed to approach. A friend registers significantly higher on the intimacy scale than a mere acquaintance. Friends are there with you not only when you celebrate, but also when you cry.

A few things, from my perspective, of what characterizes someone who is not a friend.

• Someone who often says to you, "hey, we should get together", yet you never do.
  
• Someone who only wants a relationship to get something from you.
  
• Someone whose only presence in your life involves the occasional quickie, lite comments on your blog or Facebook page.
  
• Someone who consistently lets you know by their words and actions that you are not a priority.
  
• Someone who avoids you when you are hurting or down.
  

Of course friendship is a two-way street. You have to give what you expect to receive. By any measure, I must not expect to receive back much.