I've been now at the same church for well over a year, and it's the first time I've been in any church for nearly so long since I left home almost 10 years ago. A feature of my church is the "man board" which in these past few months, I have found lacking. There is a reference to something called "Wild at Heart" which is a book by John Eldredge, well written and full of insights into the man's soul. Some women would smirk here and say there's not secret to seeing that, but look closely I ask you, and see what might actually be there. I'm finding a deep, DEEP sadness, not only my own, but my brothers, my friends, other guys from my church, what is there to do for it? Find out why it's there.
Tonight, I'm doing just that. A small group including myself are going to undertake the challenge of this literature. As a group to keep us accountable, but for me, I'm doing it so the class will actually take place. I'm looking at having only 4 or 5 men join me, but if it's one, it's worth the adventure.
I hope your prayers will be with this small group, my one reader, for honesty not only to each other, but to ourselves, and that you'll think of us Tuesday evenings.
Hi Jesse,
ReplyDeleteI have often been plagued by the sense of hopelessness that comes from the suffering of a universal soul, longing for its true home- heaven.
John Steinbeck sums it up pretty damn well in my opinion:
We all have that heritage, no matter what old land our fathers left. All colors and blends of Americans have somewhat the same tendencies. It's a breed-- selected out by accident. And so we're overbrave and overfearful-- we're kind and cruel as children. We're overfriendly and at the same time frightened of strangers. We boast and are impressed. We're oversentimental and realistic. We are mundane and materialistic-- and do you know of any other nation that acts for ideals? We eat too much. We have no taste, no sense of proportion. We throw our energy about like waste. In the old lands they say of us that we go from barbarism to decadence without an intervening culture. Can it be that our critics have not the key or the language of our culture? That's what we are, Cal-- all of us. –East of Eden
The only comforting word in that entire paragraph, for me is: “WE”.
Whether he was conscious of the fact or not, by using a pronoun that creates a concord between men, Steinbeck promotes the hope of “power in numbers”.
“We” are in this together.
Blessings to you and the guys.
PS
I know that you are a Christian but I also know that you studied religion in college (didn’t you major in religious studies- I can’t remember)
I figured you might appreciate this phrase. I used to say it to my mum before bed…
Salaam Alaykum - Peace from Allah transcend Upon You