The Bible

Done and complete in about four months, which is a first time achievement for me.  I really enjoyed powering through quickly. I got a more connected picture of the Biblical timeline and the transition between covenants. When the gentiles first received the gospel their entire command was to avoid sexual sin and idolatry. It really was just a case of repent and believe. The law done away with, redemption through Christ's death invoked.  So simple. Then Paul and Peter added instruction to live in peace, honestly, and with love for others. We mull over these instructions to understand the finer details, but I don't think it was supposed to be complicated.  It's all really simple, live in love and repentance.  Makes me think all our over analysis of the letters is in vain, because it was all supposed to be so simple. The law good, but no longer in power. Christ now reigning over us and His example the 'law' we should be following.  This is all really new for me.  For so long I have been resting on my laurels when it comes to my knowledge of God's Word.  I've read it before, I think I understand it, but there really is so much more to get out of it.  And this reading has impacted at least my mind and hopefully my heart.
You should have a start to finish read too.

The Gospels

I just finished the Gospels yesterday in my read through the whole Bible.  They conveniently coincided with Easter Sunday. I've read them before, but it's been a long time since I read them through start to finish in quick succession, if at all.  And this time around, I was thinking about them more critically.  I read an article, an opinion piece, by Andrew Bolt, an open atheist.  He was actually speaking in defense of Christians and Christianity in the sense that we often get slandered more than other beliefs because of our meek and mild philosophies. His final point was that Jesus was an admirable man and a great preacher and philosopher that has inspired millions over thousands of years. With this idea in mind I read the gospels thinking, 'How can anyone ever think that.' I know it's almost cliche to make this point - that Jesus was either God, a liar or a madman, but it has only just hit home to me how absolutely true this is.  Jesus spoke of His divinity, of afterlife damnation, He made himself out to be a preacher of authority speaking words direct from God. I can't even think now, exactly what is was that sounded as if it would be insane to a non-believer. There were many statements and passages.  If you think Jesus was a good man and not God, read the Gospels for yourself to see that this is not possible.  If he isn't God, he was a total nutter, who dragged a whole lot of people into his nuttiness.

Saved by the Bell

I'd virtually forgotten this show although I'm sure I've seen a few episodes on free to air T.V. at some point.  A corny teen show from the early nineties. Not really sure what to say about it. It was tolerable watching, but obviously aimed at teens or preteens.  Found the nineties teen fashion interesting- fluorescent numbers and shoulder pads, high crimped hair and scrunchies. Ah, those were the days.

Madame Bovary

A woman enslaved to her lusts. The story follows Emma, married to a country doctor, and her entrapment to her desires, her immaturity and her flighty notions of romance. It touches on religion and the habit of false piety that many entertain. And it ends in calamity. The finale is unsatisfactory. It is tragic, but it doesn't feel thus, because it seems to follow the natural order of things. Emma and Monsieur Bovary are so caught up in their infatuations and seeking the fulfillment of their desires by others, and to me it was clear from the get go that these desires would not be fulfilled as they hoped, because they were centred on other faulty and selfish human beings.
I can't help but to read a book like this in the light of God's Word.  God's wisdom helps us to navigate the issues of marriage and have a more realistic outlook on it. I suppose its interesting to watch this self-indulgent character walk herself into trouble and difficulty. And a reminder to follow the wisdom of God rather than immediate desires. What Madame thought would make her happy led her to heartache, destitution and hopelessness.
Definitely something to think about.

Two Songs and John Cage

Just a quick note to record my audial consumption of Shania Twain's 'I Feel like a Woman' and 'We are Family' by Sister Sledge. My music collection is going to be quite eclectic by the end of this project.
John Cage's work could not be classed as music. It is more like performance art- The Firenze: 12.22 minutes of well timed jabs at the piano...interesting.

Two movies

I am now caught up on the classic 'Flashdance'.  Reasonably entertaining, not too long, but also no great drama, just a classic dance/beating the odds/romance sort of story.  I am learning to love the art of dance though. I just find it amazing the way we have the capacity to train movements into our muscle memory.  I find it with the piano and am sure its the same with dance. We take for granted our ability to learn songs and dances, plus other skills, driving, painting, cutting, writing.  Without this God-given talent our world would be a very different place.  One more reminder of the impossibility of our exitence without Almighty God.
I also watched the Hunchback on Notredame, the Disney version. A rather enjoyable representation of the book, but I'm looking forward to reading the original. I am sure it will be far more powerful.

A Tale of Two Cities

I plodded on through this book for so long, but the resolution was well worth the wait.  All the bits and pieces that I didn't understand came together in a way that I never expected. Satisfying, unpredictable, powerful, perfect.  The book also introduced me somewhat to the French revolution. I may be inspired to learn more about this because there were so many things that I just couldn't comprehend in the playing out of the story.  A history lesson would reveal a lot I'm sure.  I love that these classic books introduce me to the worlds of past others.
I am quite learning to enjoy this Charles Dickens fellow. Clever stuff. I am sure a second read would be more powerful and much clearer to me, but I must move on, to some other expectantly wonderful novels.