Renew the blog :-)
I think in order to do that we need to use the blog as a step-by-step study together. It just doesn't work when we're all in different places. I think it will be the most productive/effective if we pick something none of us have read before. So, first order of business: what are we going to start the year off with?
I liked Sara's idea of using the children's bible to do a bible study with.
Captivating could be a really good one for us to work on together.
I did a little poking around with books suggested if you liked The Shack and So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore came up
Other ideas? Or does one of those stand out to you?
I'm excited that Toni is joining in this time around - I think it will be great to get more thoughts/opinions/discussion :-) Sara - in your experience, is it "the more the merrier"? Should we consider inviting other friends (Tab/Shana?) also, or do you think it will be more authentic if we keep it to the three of us for now?
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Shack
I, too, didn't like the writing or the ending. Although, I did have a different take on the ending regarding time, having read "Heaven is For Real" first - where time is not the same in Heaven as it is on Earth. In that sense it would be possible that it was not a dream and that all the events did, in fact, occur.
I did like the way the Trinity was used and their perfect relationship throughout the book. I also like Sara's play on it! The genders did keep throwing me off, but I think it got rid of the idea of God being viewed as a male or one human figure.
One idea I have been thinking about a lot is how Mack wanted to know how God could let terrible things happen and how he could still love those awful people. I like how it was explained that God had no control over people rebelling against him, but they were still his creation and he loved them.
I also liked the part when Mack went with Jesus to cross the lake. When he didn't believe he could walk on water and didn't put faith in Jesus his foot broke the surface, but when he put down his guard and trusted in him he was able to stand.
An interesting part that was at the beginning, middle and end was the fact that Mack went alone. He didn't want his wife to go originally to "protect" her. But, when Mack was starting to understand things between his relationship with God he wished Nan had been there to share it with him. I don't recall the specifics of their conversation, but God said that he wanted her to come and Mack realized that he hadn't been protecting her by keeping God from her. It made me think about all the things that we may keep to ourselves to "protect" others, when in fact we are possibly doing quite the opposite.
Sorry for many quick comments! Maybe we can use all ours to start a better conversation... maybe via Skype for a book talk of sorts?!
I did like the way the Trinity was used and their perfect relationship throughout the book. I also like Sara's play on it! The genders did keep throwing me off, but I think it got rid of the idea of God being viewed as a male or one human figure.
One idea I have been thinking about a lot is how Mack wanted to know how God could let terrible things happen and how he could still love those awful people. I like how it was explained that God had no control over people rebelling against him, but they were still his creation and he loved them.
I also liked the part when Mack went with Jesus to cross the lake. When he didn't believe he could walk on water and didn't put faith in Jesus his foot broke the surface, but when he put down his guard and trusted in him he was able to stand.
An interesting part that was at the beginning, middle and end was the fact that Mack went alone. He didn't want his wife to go originally to "protect" her. But, when Mack was starting to understand things between his relationship with God he wished Nan had been there to share it with him. I don't recall the specifics of their conversation, but God said that he wanted her to come and Mack realized that he hadn't been protecting her by keeping God from her. It made me think about all the things that we may keep to ourselves to "protect" others, when in fact we are possibly doing quite the opposite.
Sorry for many quick comments! Maybe we can use all ours to start a better conversation... maybe via Skype for a book talk of sorts?!
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