April Housekeeping

I've been away for awhile, struggling to feel motivated to write. I'm not sure just what my reasons are, but part of it is that I'm feeling overwhelmed. I'm reading multiple books and blogs and overdosing a bit on ideas I need to think through. Occasionally I stall out, feeling incapable of grasping the big picture and being able to comment with sense on anything. The more I read the thoughts of very informed folks, the more disqualified I feel to share my own thoughts. Humility or pride? Likely a healthy dose of each. Humility lets me know that I don't know much, pride makes me want to hide that fact from others. Hiding one's ignorance is appropriate at times ("Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." - Proverbs 17:28), but it's harmful if that silence keeps me ignorant when exposing myself by asking a "stupid" question could help me become less ignorant. Perhaps I'm just afraid to expose my ignorance on the likes of Facebook! I am well aware of the vast diversity of Friends who read my random comments - believers, doubters, smirkers, professors, activists, pastors, and cynics, to name just a few categories. This blog was meant to be a place to work through my thoughts and open topics up for discussion, but I face the same fears. Stupid, I know. But I press on.

Now for a bit of housekeeping: I am still reading Kathleen Norris' Amazing Grace - and really enjoying it. I have read nearly all of Wendell Berry's A World Lost and I'm just not into it, or at the very least, have no idea what to write about it. So, I am dropping it from my reading list. There are plenty of other books of his that I'm more interested to read, so I'll add him in later. I've got a few books on my mind for my next batch:

• For the Beauty of the Earth, by Steven Bouma-Prediger. This book presents "a Christian vision for creation care." The creation/evolution debate, as well of the spinoff issues of creation care and stewardship have been on my mind a lot lately.
• Pensees, by Blaise Pascal. It seems as though just about every thoughtful writer that I respect has quoted Pascal at some point. I'm long overdue in reading this one.
• The Way is Made by Walking, by Arthur Paul Boers. Boers is a Mennonite pastor and professor who went on a pilgrimage to Spain, and writes about his experience of pilgrimage, both literal and spiritual. Anyone who's read more than one of my posts likely knows that this is a major theme in my life right now.
• Discovering Biblical Equality, edited by Gordon Fee, among others. I've been wanting to read this one for a while, as I become increasingly involved in spiritual leadership in my church and community. I have ideas and I have feelings, but I'd like some facts, grappled with by this thoughtful writer and esteemed former professor. Only problem: I don't have a copy as of yet...Anyone have one to donate or sell at a reduced rate?

That's just a few...but more than enough to overwhelm me. Better just pick one and get started!

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