bierkergaard

Posting this essay by C.S. Lewis "Weight of Glory" just seemed appropriate as we celebrate Thanksgiving. I am not one to avoid pontification but when I come across the work of C.S. Lewis, I humbly and reverentially stop typing and let him speak for himself. Who am I to critique and comment about the literary Michelangelo ? I play with crayons in comparison. St. Augustine wrote, "Let your thinks be thanks" or something to that effect. I am thanking God today for C.S. Lewis and how influential and inspirational he was to me as a young Christian and even today. When you have a chance, share which C.S. essay or work had the most impact on you and why.

Matthew 13: 33 "Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. " This morning I went to make some bread from the whole wheat berry (everything from the wheat seed is ground up...even the whole wheat from the store takes out elements). White bread is a bizarre freakazoid "food." Processing takes most of the nutrients out, and the enrichment puts them back in (often lab versions thereof) . Wonder Bread? I wonder what is in it. Me making bread? Yes, when I mentioned that I am now a House Husband making the bread while my wife is making it, I was not exaggerating as a literary device. I am really enjoying the House Husband role. I had made some bread last week from the same organic whole wheat berry flour mix (I buy is from a guy here in Columbia...I am really starting to appreciate interacting with people who run their own businesses as I get to know them...

For some people, the word "Theology" reminds them of pipe-smoking blazer tweed-suit with elbow patches middle-aged men posturing about obscure doctrines in the echo chamber of academia. Theological ping-pong as it were where the process of the little white balls going back and forth over the net of debate is primarily for the jollies and amusements of the professors with paddles playing. The ball only has bounce, weight, and the motion of significance, in that dead air. Take the same game outside the walls, the pristine white ping-pong balls blow away when the brisk and strong winds of reality come a blowin'. The professors with paddles retreat back to the dusty and safe room, and get the help to drag the ping-pong table back inside. Or they drag the table back inside and one of him throws out his back and the other rips his boxers. Lina and I have heard two extremely obscure and long-winded sermons in the last few years about Baptism that caused her to go comatose in the...

The development of idioms is a fascinating subject to me. Sometimes sayings develop in an era where there is a product, process, or person where everyone knows the specific reference. Such as when people rode horses, telling someone to "Hold your horses" meant literally to keep your horse unmounted and unrode until others could resolve matters at hand. Now, the specific saying has taking on a general meaning "chill-out" and horses themselves, are no longer part of the equation. One time I told a black kid at the Reform School I was working at to "Keep your cotton-picking hands off of that." He looked at me askance and was offended and he should have been. I had never thought about the cultural and historical context of that saying until then. Since then, I have tried to not use it as it is a reference to slavery-era lingo. Don't even get me started about these Bubbas who drive around their pick-up trucks with Confederate Flag license plates. Take your...