Once again, I’ve been really overcomitting myself on the reading challenges, and my “currently reading” shelf stands at 13 books. 😮 I shall try to make heads or tails of it in this post.
The weather has been pretty lovely here, by the way. Still kind of chilly, a classic Northwest April. Daffodils and morning birdsong are the little reminders that life indeed goes on!
Continue reading “April Catch-Up – A Little Bit of Everything”Wishing joy and peace to everyone today, and to those celebrating, a very happy Easter!
Love in Christ,
Marian
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Today is Good Friday, when Christians remember the betrayal, trial, and unjust execution of Christ. I reread the accounts of the trial this morning and wanted to share some details I had not remembered or perhaps even noticed before.
For those who may be unfamiliar with the story—the events begin in the Garden of Gethsemane, in Jerusalem. Jesus knows His death is imminent. He prays for strength in the Garden, while His disciples fall asleep. That same night, His absent disciple Judas reappears with a group of armed men and turns Him over to them. Jesus is led away to be tried before the religious elite, Herod the Jewish tetrarch, and finally Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea. The religious leaders want His blood but they have no legal authority to execute someone, so they bring Jesus to the Romans with false accusations, shifting the focus of their accusations from blasphemy, which is irrelevant to the Romans, to political rebellion. After many misgivings, Pilate eventually bends to the will of the mob and agrees to crucify Jesus—death by slow torture and humiliation by public nakedness. Infamously, Pilate ends the trial by washing his hands, in a symbol to claim his own innocence.
Continue reading “The Trial of Jesus – Reflections on the Four Gospels”Experimenting with this WordPress “Story” feature…not sure what I think of it yet.
Continue reading “Storytelling as a Strategic Advantage”
When we first meet Digory Kirke, he is crying.
This would be striking enough in a contemporary novel, but consider that The Magician’s Nephew was published in 1955. Even then, C.S. Lewis had no reservations introducing his young Victorian hero as a vulnerable figure. He then ushers in the foundational conflict of the story: Digory’s mother is dying. In spite of the liberal use of humor throughout the book, there is a stronger, darker undertone set in this very first scene.
Digory and his new friend Polly Plummer try to make the most of a very wet and boring summer. Polly is a sensible, smart girl whose friendship with Digory is complex, based on a mix of sympathy and tolerance for his occasional impetuosity. They go exploring in the attics of their connected houses and accidentally end up in the forbidden study of Digory’s uncle. What started as a game turns into a life-or-death situation, when they learn Digory’s uncle has been dabbling in magic.
Continue reading “Characters & Layers of The Magician’s Nephew – The Chronicles of Narnia”
