my favorite time of year

It's been a busy couple of weeks in our house, but one thing I am happy to report is that we have been spending lots more time outside, thanks to the bouts of cooler weather that we've been having here and there. Also, I love the fall for many reasons. Seems like we get to spend extra quality time with friends and there are so many fun traditions associated with the fall.

Fall means zoo trips with friends. I love the Waco zoo and am already excited about lots of trips there this fall.

Fall means the famous Brischke tailgating parties. Grant gave Bruiser a high five at the first one and this weekend he couldn't wait to see him so he could give him a hug.

Fall means the Bosqueville Homecoming Parade. This is a big deal in our little community. This year DD got to come for the festivities. She helped make sure Grant got all the candy his bag would hold!

what recycling and grace have in common

I am ready to move on, as promised. There are 2 more things that I have learned from my readings of J. Phillip Newell that I want to elaborate on:

John 1:3 "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." John's gospel highly influences the way that Celt's view creation. From this passage and echoed in the Christ hymn found in Colossians 1:16-17 "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth...all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together" Celts find evidence that all of creation is a manifestation of God's goodness. Celtic spirituality rejects Pantheism, which is the belief that God and nature are equivalent or synonymous. However, they hold a very high view of nature. We are to be students of the text of nature just as much as we are to be students of the written scriptures. We learn from both with Christ as our guide. Why creation as well as scripture? Because "creation is the grand volume of God's utterance."

This way of seeing the world around us begs the question, "What are we to do with our perception of God's goodness in the earth, and in the gifts and people of the earth? How is it to affect the way we live, both individually and collectively?" From the beginning, Celtic writers saw a relationship between nature and grace that could not be denied. Both are gifts of God and both are given freely and abundantly to humankind. Pelagius asks, "Would we think of saying that the glowing lights or the moon or the stars serve the rich man more than the poor?...Does it seem just to you then that one man should have an abundance of riches over and above his needs, while another does not have enough to even supply his daily need? That one man should be full to bursting point with expensive and sumptuous banquets far in excess of nature's habitual requirements while another has not even enough cheap food to satisfy him?" I have to admit that one of the biggest surprises I discovered in my readings is the strong sense of social obligation that Celts hold. The early Celtic mission practiced the sharing of its gifts with the poor at a time when the Roman mission was becoming increasingly more rich and powerful. What I am learning from the Celts is a new reason why I should be concerned with the welfare of others - because "any inequality in the dispensation of the gifts of nature is due not to God, but to human injustice."


I think this view holds a timely message for even another reason. Seems as if the 'green movement' reached its tipping point sometime in the past 2 years. It seems as if almost everyone has jumped aboard, even the most unlikely. Consider: it can be socially awkward to admit that you don't recycle and reuseable shopping bags are a trendy new accessory. Celtic spirituality can provide depth to this movement by providing real reasons why we should care about the earth other than just to be included in the latest fad. We should care about this movement because God reveals himself through his creation and because every person should be able to enjoy it's provision, this generation and the next.


Moving on... I mentioned in my last post that the Celtic view of creation has implications for grace. Again, I am finding new arguments within my readings that conflict with the new reformed movement.


A basic belief of Celtic spirituality is that "God's generosity to humankind, is given for all people, both through the gifts of nature and the gift of grace." The Celts refuse to put boundaries on God's giving, thus standing in conflict with the doctrine of predestination. Celts believe, "the very rising of the sun each morning is a gift of God, given for the whole of creation, no less the gift of redemption, given to restore creation."


I find this an intriguing idea. Essentially there are 3 creation stories in the scriptures. Genesis tells of God creating a garden in which he purposes to have fellowship with humankind. That plan is overshadowed by sin. Fast forward hundreds of years later and we see a second creation story within the incarnation narrative. The birth stories in the gospels echo elements of the first story in Genesis. The 'light' of the world comes into the darkness. Christ is the new Adam and is given charge of all of creation. Once again, a creation story with the purpose of bringing about fellowship between God and his creation. Read to the end and you find the final creation story in Revelation. Here John speaks of a new heaven and a new earth. He in essence describes a new garden - (22:2) "on each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse." In Revelation, we see God's intent in Genesis finally being satisfied (21:3) "now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them forever."


The Bible is amazingly consistent. When you are in the Old Testament, there are all sorts of hints and intimations of what is to come. And when you are in the New Testament, you get the last piece for many of the puzzles found in the Old Testament. As I read, I see a grand story of God's interaction with his people. And the story begins with God creating a very good world with generous fellowship and provision. And while the story has all sorts of unexpected twists and turns and obstacles, it ends with God creating a new heaven and a new earth with absolute fellowship and provision. Within these stories, I can see evidence that God has given, as the Celts believe, both nature and grace abundantly to each of us, even while undeserving. I think the Celts might be on to something with their beliefs....

best friends

While Amy and Mike went on vacation, Brad and I took care of Sophia. I think it was the best 5 days of Grant's life - he loved having a playmate 24/7 and wanted to do everything that Sophia did. Sophia and I had an all-girl's day while Grant was at MDO. I painted her fingernails, took her shopping to buy a new dress and shoes, we had hot chocolate at Starbucks, went to the playground, and enjoyed lunch out - it was so fun! After she went back home, Grant and I were sitting on the bed and I asked him if he missed her. He nodded and quietly said, "Sophia my best friend".

Creation: Part B

It's been raining for 3 days now, almost without ceasing, and I am growing accustomed to waking and sleeping to the sound of rain falling on our roof. If I want, I can spiritualize this rainfall. It seems perfectly predictable and comforting that after such a tiresome summer that this rain would come in abundance. That it would more than generously bring relief, even when it almost seemed too late.

And, on such a night as this, listening to the rain, it puts me in the mood to reflect on some of my readings (J. Phillip Newell's 'Christ of the Celts' and 'The Book of Creation'). If you recall, I originally wrote this post as a warm-up: Creation: Part A. Turns out I am still pondering the same things I did those weeks ago.

The Celtic view of creation has stretched me in ways that I didn't anticipate. Mainly, it has challenged me to be a thoughtful observer of nature and it has caused me to ponder what the gift of creation implies about God's generosity in regards to grace. I am writing again about the first, and will write about the latter in my next post.

Drawing from the Genesis story, Celts conclude that "not only is creation viewed as good, as coming out of the goodness of God, but it is viewed as well as theophany or a disclosing of the heart of God's being." As such, creation is like another form of scripture. "The cosmos is like a living sacred text that we can learn to read and interpret. We are invited to listen to the life of creation as an on-going, living utterance of God." In the West, we have largely been educated out of listening to nature. And, whether we could name it or not, our mechanistic world-view and the doctrine of creation ex nihilo (creation out of nothing) has shaped our society with lamentable ramifications for the earth's life and resources.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have always had a high view of creation. When we lived at the ranch, my regular form of exercise was to walk down to the river. Once there, I would sit on the bank and rest for several minutes before heading home. Those walks were much more spiritually refreshing than physically beneficial. I remember coming across a group of deer once and being able to watch as a fawn literally frolicked in the pasture - it was like watching a young child laughing and chasing an older sibling. I could have watched as long as I wanted and I felt a distinct privilege to witness something so authentic. When I would come to the break in my walk, I would sit by the river, listen to its sounds, gaze at its stillness, and a deep, filling sense of peace would often wash over me. I would let myself soak in that peace until every corner of me was satisfied.

When I first read 'Christ of the Celts' is was as if the knowledge of creation that I'd always had was finally articulated. It not only put words to my experiences, but infused it with an even richer truth. "It is not as if creation somehow exists independently of God and that God only periodically chooses to express himself through it. That would be to say that God is like an artist who has made a violin that he only occasionally plays. The rising of the sun each morning is the expression of God, as is the beauty of the moon at night." The challenge comes with the agreement. If I agree with this view, then I must be open to observing my surroundings with a different set of lenses.

These past few days, listening to the rain, watching it create a million little pools around the front yard, listening to Grant giggle as raindrops hit and bounce off his nose and face - I think about this Celtic view of creation. I think about the past couple of weeks and Psalm 42:1-2
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." And I think about God's uncanny faithfulness to show up when we need Him the most and to fill us up to overflowing. And it doesn't seem like I'm overspiritualizing at all.

literary schizophrenia

My nightstand is running out of room and so is my brain. August was such a tiring month. I felt like I was swimming underwater and couldn't reach the surface. I kept trying to come up for breath, but even my most purposeful efforts failed. Now we are in a new month and I still feel unmoored. I climbed into bed last night and went through about 5 books in 20 minutes - I couldn't focus, I would read whole paragraphs and have no recollection of any of the words, I would toss the book aside and move to the next - all trying to get into that space - that space where you fall into the words, your mind relaxes and you slip from one world to another and... you breathe.

Here are the books on my nightstand:
1) Bel Canto. A loaner from my dear friend Erica, who made me promise I send her beloved copy back when I am done. It's a 'tragicomic' novel - absolutely spell bounding thus far.
2) Cold Tangerines. An unexpected gift from another dear friend. A spiritual autobiography that feels like settling into a comfortable old sweater when you read it.
3) One Foot in Eden. A Celtic view of the stages of life from birth to death.
4) The Strong Willed Child. A parenting book - enough said.
5) Authenticity. A business book about the experience economy, one of my favorite business philosophies.
6) Lone Survivor. A book I borrowed from my grandfather - an eyewitness account of operation redwing and the lost heroes of seal team 10.
7) The Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly Ponder. A delightful novel from the author of "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood".
8) A Thread of Truth. The second in a series that my book club is reading about female friendships.
9) The Year of Living Biblically. A unique story about one guy's attempt to follow the Bible literally for a year.
10) Christ of the Celts. A basic primer for understanding Celtic beliefs.

While I want to be able to read them all simultaneously - this schizophrenic collection of books has become a picture of my larger problem. This last month and more I have been cramming everything in - running faster and faster, still unable to reach the surface for that needed breath. So, tonight, I am removing all but 2 books. I will put the others back on the bookshelf in my room. I will read and thoroughly digest the 2, then move on until I am done. I will slow down. Step one: uncluttering my nightstand.

One-liners

What Grant is saying right now that makes me laugh:

1) "Peace out" - is this a sign that we hang out with youth too much?

2) "I want to do cheers" - as in, he wants to clink his sippy cup with my coffee mug at the breakfast table.

3) whenever i am talking and he wants my attention he puts his hands over his ears and says "you're hurting my ears. stop talking!" -- so dramatic.

4) whenever i call him by a nickname, he vehemently disagrees. as in, "i no silly monkey. i grant herridge!"

5) "what the heck is that?" - so lovely that he overheard this somewhere and decided to mimic.

6) "norman disobey mommy. norman get in big trouble. norman go to timeout" - he shakes his head as he says this, whenever norman has gone roaming out front. i think he secretly loves having authority over norman.

7) pull my heartstrings: today we saw a christmas tree and i asked 'who do we look for at christmas?'. i was expecting him to yell 'santa claus', instead he said (very matter of factly), 'jesus, mommy'.

8) anytime anything is broken, and i mean anything, he looks up and says, 'it okay. we get new one at grocery store'. if only life were so easy.

9) every morning i ask him if he dreamed. he always says yes and its always the same answer 'i dream of mommy and daddy. we all playing together.'

There are definitely times through out the day that I want and need to talk to another adult, but my little conversations with Grant make my heart smile and make me happy that I am home!