RootsRain

I was tagged again by Will (no one but Will tags me, so I can’t return the favor in his direction). This time it’s a culture meme:

1. A piece of art that you love:

   Tough one… I feel like saying “Every sculpture Bernini ever did” but that would be cheating. So I’m going to go with my favorite single work, which is Michaelangelo’s David:Photo: © Ryan Devries (Flickr)An interesting tidbit about the David: most people don’t realize how large that statue is… for comparison, imagine the average person standing on the pedestal with David… he would only reach David’s knees.

2. A line in a song or line of poetry that reaches your core:

   Teach me to live that I may dread
   The grave as little as my bed.
   Teach my to die that so I may
   Rise glorious at the Awful Day.
   (Hear this one sung… it’s much better.)
   from Sing, Ye Heavens

3. An experience in nature that was really special and/or spiritual:

   I went to my “secret spot” (a place near Table Rock that I’m convinced I’m the only one who knows about) and brought along my journal to work on some thoughts and poems. It was cold and it began raining and I took shelter under a small stand of low pines on the edge of a steep, bare section of the mountain. The rain kept coming down but I was completely dry. I had simultaneous extreme feelings of danger, mystery, wonder, and joy.

4. The movie that changed the way you see the world:

   Hmmmm… that’s tough… movies don’t usually have that effect on me. I might have to go with Wit.

5. A piece of music that makes you cry:

   This is tough… there are so many… but I would have to say Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem gets the Most Consistent, Profound Tear-Jerking Award.

6. Now tag five four people:
   1. Emily
   2. TJ
   3. John
   4. Brannon

I’ve been on a history kick lately, reading several books about World War II, a book about James Madison’s presidency, and a book about the battle of Thermopyle. My most recent one is Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East, by Michael B. Oren, an American Jew living in Israel. He’s a Princeton grad and is currently a Senior Fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem.

I’ve come to the realization that it’s often a good strategy to read books in an area where you feel suddenly and completely factless. The controversy in the Middle East is one such area. Most of what I know about it I know from heresay… “Balfour Declaration… 1948… Armistice Boundaries… PLO… Straits of Tiran… Trans-Jordan…” It’s all been a big, meaningless soup of generally Jewish prejudices about the history of Israel. Y’know, stuff you get from the pulpit of most Dispensational churches (that’s another issue I’m realizing deep ignorance on and I’m going to need to do some reading… any book recommendations, anyone?).

Well, I can’t say this book solved all my knowledge gaps about the history of Israel, but I can say that I now know an awful lot about the Six Day War itself as well as all the complex politics that went into precipitating it. For one, I had no idea the Soviet Union was such a major player in bringing the conflict about. I also didn’t know that Israel struck the first blow (militarily; they claimed Egypt struck the first blow by seriously crippling their economy by closing the Straits of Tiran to Israeli traffic, and by massive troop buildups in Sinai). I also didn’t know that the Arab states were falling all over themselves to get Israel to agree to a cease-fire within 3 days of the beginning of the war. Israel actually prolonged the war as long as possible in order to grab territory in Sinai, the West Bank, and Syria (which they hoped to use as bargaining chips in order to get Arab nations to agree to peace treaties with them… which the Arabs refused to do, so Israel kept those territories).

Another thing that struck me was how ridiculous the whole situation was. Most of the Arab leaders didn’t Read the rest of this entry »

Emily and I spent this past Labor Day weekend with Will & Alison at the Highlands Lake Inn in North Carolina. In between lying around, our half day of prayer, and getting apples, we went to various wonderful restaurants in Asheville. Will & Alison (& Emily) are all far more gourmet than I am, but I had a great time trying all the wonderful goodies. We went to The Marketplace and the Tupelo Honey Cafe. Since I’m such a loser about avoiding vegetables, new foods, etc., I decided to list all the new things I tried:

• gorgonzola cheese
• potato & leek vichysoisse
• sweet potato corn bread
• espresso barbeque sauce (on smoked pork)
• wood grilled sockeye salmon
• hickory smoked duck breast (medium)
• bordelaise sauce
• grand marnier souffle
• banana rum sauce
• Francois Leclerc pinot noir (2 sips)
• baby squash & baby zucchini
• lava cake

This sort of thing is big for me to record because it represents major steps in my palette improvement. I tend to be a pizza, pasta, and cheeseburger kind of guy—not from preference, but from necessity since I don’t like much else. So going to fine restaurants where no selection on the menu is comfortable or “normal” (menu item: Lemon Grass Marinated Grilled Shrimp over Couscous with Hazelnut Oil, Local Greens, Almonds and Moroccan Spiced Yogurt, etc.) is something of a character building experience. An expensive one, but necessary.

Will’s said he’s writing a book on eating and drinking to the glory of God. I guess you could say I’m trying to expand my food appreciation now instead of later so that I don’t get terribly convicted when I read his book.

In response to being tagged by Will’s book meme:

1. One book that changed your life:

   Heaven, by Randy Alcorn

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:

   An Experiment in Criticism, by C.S. Lewis (at least 6 times… and counting)

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:

   The Bible, or, if that’s cheating, Survive on a Desert Island by Claire Llewellyn.




4. One book that made you laugh:

   To Own a Dragon, by Don Miller & John MacMurray

5. One book that made you cry:

   The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis (didn’t really cry, but I laid awake for hours awash in wonder, fear, sorrow, and joy)

6. One book that you wish had been written:

   Well, I’m not sure if it qualifies as one book, but I wish Tolkien had finished all the books about Middle Earth that he was trying to write when he died.




7. One book you wish had never been written:

   I’m not going to say, for fear of terrorist retaliation.

8. One book you’re currently reading:

   Ack. ONE? Gee whiz…. well, Humility by C.J. Mahaney. And a bunch of others.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:

   Once again… ack. How can I list only one? Hmmm… How about The Pleasures of God, by John Piper.

10. Now tag five people:

    I don’t know very many people… even fewer with blogs… umm…

    • TJ?
    • Brannon?
    • Emily?
    • John?