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that is a collection of essays that sixty contributors read/spoke on PBS' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly program. The Life of Meaning:Reflections on Faith, Doubt, and Repairing the World has 67 different offerings, and I am finding it lovely to skip around the book and read whichever one catches my fancy. And I'd "lost" it since February, when I ordered it!I enjoy this thought from Phyllis Tickle so much that I will copy it here. It's from her short piece entitled "With or Without Religion":
"People talk about life being a gift. I think that's probably a crock. It's not that it's a gift to you--it's that your life was created to serve God. It is God's life. The fact that your awareness dwells in this life should not be confused with who owns it. You know, my awareness, perhaps, will die when I die. Who knows how much of it is neurological and how much of it is real? My obligation--my joy, my gift--is to see that this part of livingness that is me learn truly to celebrate its maker and to serve him (her)." (182)
The very first essay is by Thomas Lynch, who is a funeral director, essayist and poet, and I liked how he described his idea of God:
"But the older I get the list of things that I have to worry about is getting shorter and shorter. And if I just turn those things over to God (whoever God is these days, and she or he changes a lot for me from day to day), God seems to be taking care of them." (15)
I'm glad I found this book today, especially for the times I am cooling off from being out at my clothesline!
7 comments:
Wow, you are one dedicated clothesline person, Jan. I stood outside for about two minutes this aftermoon to wave goodbye to Katie as she drove away. Just about killed me! :-)
Glad you have a great book to come back inside for. That sounds nice.
I used to buy a lot of books, which is partially why I have no money now! But that's ok.
Now I use our most excellent library and hope for Border's gift cards, which my family and friends know to buy me. And I have some really nice friends that have send me books too!
This will be on my library list for this week.
You always have great recommendations about books Jan, always!
that sounds like an awesome book!
I know how you feel about books, and I have been trying and praying to get back into the library habit again.
There's a library in St. Paul near the seminary I went to that is such great architecture that I would go and sit there just for the experience.
However, I don't live in St. Paul.
That sounds like a GREAT book.
I'm really enjoying my new spirituality book, too.
i really appreciated the quotations you posted.
And I agree with the praise for your taste in books.
"The Life of Meaning" is a delicious book and even the cover is delectable!
...and now I have another book to add to MY tower of "not yet read" books. :-) Thanks, Jan.
Seriously, it sounds really interesting.
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