The Appendix First

I love knowing the ending. I google while watching movies to find the ending. I read the last paragraph of books. It drives my wife crazy.

What I wasn't in the know about was the fact that I would have my appendix taken out a week ago tomorrow. Which put a cramp in my plan to start discussing Mere Christianity this past Sunday. I apologize to you - my one reader - for not being able to follow through with the plan. Today's the first day that I've felt like sitting down at the computer to write this blurb. Because of that, we'll be starting this Sunday.

As long as no other organs need to be removed.

Reading Schedule for Mere Christianity

As promised, here is what I'm going to be reading, week-by-week, as we read through Mere Christianity. Please join me if you will, and discuss it with me. Again, I'll be posting my thoughts on what we read on each Sunday. Oh, and before I forget, if you're reading this on Facebook, please join me here on my blog, so our comments are all in one place!

If you haven't found a book, each chapter heading below links to the corresponding online copy.

Preface

WEEK 1 - FEBRUARY 15-21
BOOK I. RIGHT AND WRONG AS A CLUE TO THE MEANING OF THE UNIVERSE
1. The Law of Human Nature
2. Some Objections
3. The Reality of the Law
4. What Lies Behind the Law
5. We Have Cause to Be Uneasy

WEEK 2 - FEBRUARY 22-28
BOOK II. WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
1. The Rival Conceptions of God
2. The Invasion
3. The Shocking Alternative
4. The Perfect Penitent
5. The Practical Conclusion

WEEK 3 - MARCH 1-7
BOOK III. CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR
1. The Three Parts of Morality
2. The "Cardinal Virtues"
3. Social Morality
4. Morality and Psychoanalysis
5. Sexual Morality
6. Christian Marriage

WEEK 4 - MARCH 8-14
7. Forgiveness
8. The Great Sin
9. Charity
10. Hope
11. Faith
12. Faith

WEEK 5 - MARCH 15-21
BOOK IV. BEYOND PERSONALITY: OR FIRST STEPS IN THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY
1. Making and Begetting
2. The Three-Personal God
3. Time and Beyond Time
4. Good Infection
5. The Obstinate Toy Soldiers
6. Two Notes

WEEK 6 - MARCH 22-28
7. Let's Pretend
8. Is Christianity Hard or Easy?
9. Counting the Cost
10. Nice People or New Men
11. The New Man

Come now - let us read together

I've had Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis, gathering dust for probably almost a decade. My copy is old; like a kid in a candy store (to use the phrase incorrectly), I asked for it sheepishly on the outside and hopefully on the inside when we were visiting some friends at their lake house, where it also sat and gathered dust.

I've heard good things about it. I've seen many good quotes from the book on many friends' Facebook profiles. I've read some good selections the three times I've picked it up to start reading it.

I think that I am maybe the only Christian who hasn't read it. So here it goes. But I need accountability. That's where you come in. Since Oprah probably won't feature this one soon in her Book Club, I'll start my own, sad, miniscule version of one. If you'd care to join me, you have a week to procure a copy (click here or on the title of this post for an online version; I like paper). I'll start reading it next Monday (I'll put up here in a few days what I plan to read when). Then on Sunday, I'll post my thoughts on the selection for the week, where you can also add your thoughts, and we can discuss until the next week.

How does that sound? Think you can join me? This is for everyone - newbies to the book or those who have read it a thousand times.

For those who have read it before, what stands out to you about the book - good and bad? Were you challenged by anything? What didn't you agree with and why? Would you approach anything covered in the book differently? What was spot on? What's your favorite color? Blood type?

Mudpies Instead of Sandcastles = War on the Floor

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I know it's been awhile, but I came across this great video from Desiring God. It offers a haunting reminder of what it means to waste one's life.

You can see their original post here: http://ow.ly/14ge9

Mothers-in-Law Write the Darnedest Things

Here's a cool parable from my mother-in-law.  I don't know her source, so no plagiarism is intended. 

Three men were walking on a wall, 

Feeling, Faith, and Fact.  

When Feeling took an awful fall, 

And Faith was taken back, 

So close was Faith to Feeling, 

He stumbled and fell too.  

But Fact remained, 

And pulled Faith back, 

And Faith brought Feeling too."

A Thought for the Day

Ponder this thought by a great American poet...

"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice."

Bill Cosby

The Unexpecteds

Our presuppositions about life and what's coming next are often taken too seriously, kind of like using a road atlas.  You assume that it's absolutely correct and that it contains all that there is to know about every bend in the road.  However, it's not until you're driving down that road - off of the paper - that you actually discover that hidden, unmarked scenic overlook or that surprisingly delicious greasy spoon or that detour that actually takes you down the higher road.

When we come to those "unexpecteds" in our lives, we're surprised.  We're baffled at how we couldn't see them coming through the fog of our expectations.  We think that we have the perfect route figured out.  But the God "who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" isn't surprised.  And those peace-yielding surprises confound our own wisdom and point our hearts to Him in praise - in awe of his timing and in wonder of his ways.