A BOOK TO TREASURE

 It was last week.  I was cleaning my garage and came across two boxes of books that were intended for the Salvation Army Store.  They were probably packed up either when we left for China in 2012, or upon my retirement in 2016.  

Books have always been my weakness.  Especially books about ministry, spiritual growth, church growth, Bible study, etc..  

You guessed it!  I started rooting through the boxes.  Good books.  I remember how hard they were to part with.  I was tempted to pull a few out and re-read them...

Then I found a thin book by Eugene Peterson [Author of THE MESSAGE Bible].  I remember buying several of his books some years ago.  I also remember that they were harder reads than I expected.  I think this one was pitched without a serious perusal.

I have a lawn chair in my garage;  I sat down and read half of it!  -  OH MY GOODNESS!  I'm so glad I caught this error in judgment!  😊

It's title:  THE WISDOM OF EACH OTHER:  A Conversation Between Spiritual Friends.  It's 110 pages and is an easy read.  This lifelong pastor [now deceased] writes in C. S. Lewis style that is absolutely delightful.  The short, unnamed/unnumbered chapters are stand-alone, but progressive letters written by Eugene to an imaginary friend named 'Gunnar'.  Gunnar is a conglomerate of all the people who asked Eugene questions over the many years of his pastoral work.  

The work is a delightful, progressive, discipling vehicle that coaches Gunnar in the new turn he has made - late in life - toward Christ.  You will NOT be disappointed!  I found it listed online for as low as $3.49.   😉

Here's a sample from page 40.

Dear Gunnar,

I took a walk this morning down to the beach.  I do this two or three times a week.  [He lives in Oregon.]  In the early morning I usually have the place to myself.  I sit on a piece of driftwood and take in the world of mountain and water, sky and weather.  And the birds.  I watch and admire the birds:  goldeneyes, buffleheads, usually a great blue heron, mallards, gulls, ravens, and an occasional bald eagle.  The intricate intersections of beauty make a fine warp for my prayers. 

This morning there was something added:  a bull-dozer cleaning logs off the beach, logs that had drifted in, storm tossed, through the winter months.  It was outfitted with an ingenious device at the front end that could pick up the logs and deposit them neatly in a pile.  It was noisy and jerky.  The acrid diesel exhaust stank up the beach.

And here's what struck me:  The noisy, stinking bull-dozer had attracted eight or ten men and women spectators, standing around talking, obviously fascinated with the exercise of technological prowess.  But why hadn't I seen any of these people before?  The montage of weather and birds, driftwood and sand, sky and water was far more beautiful and far more full of mystery than this contraption of steel, belching poison gas.  Why would anyone routinely boycott the daily winter light show and bird ballet on the beach, and then show up at an inconvenient hour to attend to this hulk of noise and stink?  

I guess I know the answer, and so do you.  But I realize how vigilant we have to be to keep a fascination with technology from intruding and taking over our prayers and our love.

The peace of the Lord.

Eugene