News and a personal reflection

I think I've run out of interesting ways to say "Hello." Suggestions are welcome.

I got a letter in the mail yesterday telling me I have received a scholarship for one third of my tuition for all three years of my PhD research. This is very exciting because we're trying to pay for my education without selling our souls to the student loan sharks! I still have several other scholarships that I'm waiting to hear from as well.

I really feel at this moment that life is really good. All our needs are being met, my work is progressing, and I am aware of myself growing and changing in many different ways.

I'm reading a book at the moment that is causing me to do some serious reflection. It's called "The Inner Life" by Thomas a Kempis, a medieval writer. He says some things which are very hard. I was tempted at first to write it off as the kind of asceticism that is so prevalent in our stereotype of pre-Reformation Christianity, and while popular in many religions, has no basis in the Jewish and Christian scriptures, where God consistently affirms and celebrates the physical world in all of its pleasure and sensuality and power. However, I continued reading; and I'm beginning to wonder if I was misunderstanding his message. I'm just going to quote a few of the things that have made an impact on me and are causing me to reexamine my own "inner life":

"It is wise not to be over hasty in action, nor to cling stubbornly to our own opinions. ... Take counsel of a wise and conscientious man, and seek to be guided by one who is better than yourself, rather than to follow your own opinions."

"The eye is not filled with seeing, nor the ear with hearing."

"True peace of heart can only be found by resisting the passions, not by yielding to them."

"We could enjoy much peace if we did not busy ourselves with what other people say and do, for this is no concern of ours."

"Judge yourself, and beware of passing judgment on others."

"Keep yourself a stranger and pilgrim upon earth, to whom the affairs of the world are of no concern."

"Keep a clean conscience, and God will mightily defend you."

As I'm reading over it again to glean these quotes, I'm realizing that none of this is really earth-shattering advice; but for whatever reason his writing style is really grabbing me personally, maybe just because it's old and obscure, leaving it free from the misinterpretations of sentimental, entertainment-seeking church folk on the one hand and systematic theologians on the other that the Bible has undergone. (That's another topic though)

I've posted these quotes for the benefit of fellow Christians, but also for fellow, non-Christians, because much of the wisdom seems to be self-evident. Any reactions are welcome and appreciated, just post a comment.

I'll leave you with one last quote that has really affected me; my immediate thought upon reading it was "This is who I want to be!" My hope is that the person I am in the process of becoming will be of benefit to those around me, and ultimately be part of God's incarnational redemption of whatever corner of the universe I happen to inhabit...

"He who walks by an inner light, and is not unduly influenced by outward things, needs no special time or place for his prayers. For the man of inner life easily recollects himself, since he is never wholly immersed in outward affairs. Therefore his outward occupations and needful tasks do not distract him, and he adjusts himself to things as they come. The man whose inner life is well-ordered and disposed is not troubled by the strange and perverse ways of others; for a man is hindered and distracted by such things only so far as he allows himself to be concerned by them."

Until next time,

Chris

Hello faithful readers,

Spring in Yorkshire is quickly passing; the snowdrops of March were followed by the daffodils of April, which recently gave way to buttercups and these little white flowers that look like baby's breath. I wish I had taken a whole day just to photograph each transition, it's so incredibly beautiful.

It's still light after 10pm, which is having the interesting psycho-physiological effect that I seem to be getting a lot more done in an average day. Nevertheless, teaching three days a week and working 8 hours at Miller's (Melissa lied about me quitting right away) on top of my music work is pushing me to my limit. The grade schools have off this week, which is why I have some time to post an update for you.

I've been doing some self-reflection recently, about where we are and where we've come in this past year. In one sense, little has changed; but in another sense, everything has changed. I am still very much the same person I was before I left; but at the same time, this radically different place has left an indelible mark on my person, even if I were to leave today. I can't describe it in any other way except that one's environment is an integral part of oneself. The feeling of "I have seen" and "I have been" is very profound, and it forms the foundation of understanding. I know very little about what goes on inside of me, but I think it is making me a better person.

On a more practical subject, I am finding that I may have something to offer to the worship team at our local church congregation. There seems to be an opportunity for me to exercise my limited gifts of vision and discernment, and some very interesting things could happen in the future...

This summer should be very interesting in general, as I finish this year's work and gear up for the long road towards a PhD. Also, we should be making at least one more exciting excursion (location TBA, probably somewhere between here and Scotland) before Melissa heads back to the States in the fall. Besides that, I should have plenty to blog about as I will be launching my first professionally-developed website, and pondering the vocational aspect of my work. Stay tuned...

-Chris

p.s. If you enjoy our blog and haven't done so already, drop us a line with the comment function. It's nice to know who's reading...