I wanted to participate in the I Read It! for the 5th Tuesday of September. The struggle of course being finding time to read. I walked back through some of the books they have reviewed on 5 Minutes for Books lately and picked The Grand Weaver by Ravi Zacharias. I have listened to Ravi and even heard him speak at the Ligonier National Conference 2 years ago. He is a great speaker, has wonderful illustrations, and talks to practical topics. 

The Grand Weaver is the first book I’ve read by Zacharias. He does a good job with this book in illustrating various areas of our life that God designed and uses to weave our lives. 

In the chapter on our DNA he discusses how we should accept and celebrate our personality, that this begins our understanding of the Grand Weaver’s design for our lives. Then he discuss our disappointments, explaining that we need to allow our heart to be made tender by God, not callous, by the pains of this world. Then we must strenghten our mind through faith. And always, the cross should be primary, the bridge between him and us.

The chapter on our calling defines it as “God’s shaping of your burden and beckoning you to your service to him in the place and pursuit of his choosing.” Zacharias mentions that this calling may not always feel pleasing, but it will tug at the soul. We are encouraged to submit to God’s design and live a life of humility.

I found the chapter on morality interesting. We cannot escape the need for morals but there is a lot of discussion about who creates morals. Morality can become legalism if it isn’t tempered with grace and mercy. Zachias mentions that perhaps the point to some of the parables isn’t what appears to be the main point. Perhaps the older brother was the real point to the story of the prodigal son. I find the story of repentance and acceptance (younger son and father) very reassuring, but the action of the older brother hits too close to home sometimes. Or maybe the real point of the stofy of the good Samaritan is the priest and Levite and their behavior. He uses another one – maybe the point to be learned from the women arriving first at the tomb was the fact that the disciples hadn’t. I think this one is the most surprising for me. I’ve always been amazed that the women were headed to the tomb even though they were aware that there was a big stone they couldn’t move, they trusted that a way to handle it would come up as long as they did what they needed to do. I wonder if the disciples didn’t go because they knew there was this big stone in the way?

The chapter on spirituality gets to the point that it is truth what separates true spirituality from false spirituality. We are warned not to get sidetracked by ceremony or legalism. He discusses our will and how salvation also brings a change in our hungers. We will new things. But in our fallenness we often put our energy into peripheral or wrong pursuits instead of concentrating on following Christ alone. 

We are made to worship, it seems. But our worship belongs to God and we are too quick to turn to other things. In this chapter Zacharias talks about the church and how we are supposed to build each other up, bring hope and healing to each other. But too often there is pulling down, condemnation, and reprimand. Worship is primary and here Zacharias uses the imagery again, worhip “pulls the many threads of life into a beautiful whole.”

He ends with a chapter about our Destiny; our eternal life in heaven being known by God and knowing God. I have always thought the image of being completely known is one of the most comforting allures of Heaven. I seldom feel truly understood and often don’t understand myself. To be known completely by a loving God, and perfected to boot, sounds wonderful!

I am glad I read this book and found much to meditate on. I found his writing to be a bit distracted and had to search for his point a few times. He speaks much the same way, the stories and illustrations may be disconnected, but each is worthwhile and the effort required by the listener to interpret the whole out of the pieces is a good exercise.

We’re on to chapter 13 now. Olivia and Father Tim are talking about Hoppy and how he’s acting since learning about Olivia’s condition. The weather is fowl and Father Tim is finally ready to get his car running again after 8 years of not driving.

Father Tim is searching the church bottom to top. His Bible has been missing for weeks and he wants it back. He smells Chicken Noodle Soup, most of the extra food in the basement is gone, and he found a chocolate bar wrapper in the attic. But he found ways to explain it all away. 

Hoppy is fired up that he can’t just sit by and do nothing for Olivia. He, Father Tim, and God are going to team up to look for a transplant that will keep Olivia alive.

Father Tim goes to visit Homeless Hobbes and they have a nice talk while Homeless makes dinner for them. It is good to have someone you can level with.  A very refreshing visit, marred only by Barnabas’s reaction to the car driving down the road on the way home.

The police call with some interesting stolen jewelry news and now want to inspect the candy wrapper from the attic. And the traveling businessman calls with a very different perspective on life!

Today we met Absolom Greer, the pastor of Harold’s church where Emma is getting married. They have a wonderful time of fellowship and understanding as two men of the cloth. Just as it ends we learn that Absolom proposed to Miss Sadie once!

Cynthia came to dinner! What a homey comfortable time. 

Father Tim is worried that Andrew is involved with the stolen jewels transported in hollow table legs to furniture stores.

Olivia is very sick and now in the hospital. Time to wait to see if a transplant is available.

While Father Tim is praying before his sermon, the stairs to the attic descend and a man walks down them to make a confession. The crime is the small part of it. The faith and intimacy with God are what will last.

Barnabas has been snatched by a car driving past. They accused Father Tim of taking their dog. But Baranabas didn’t seem eager to go with them.

They baptized George Gaynor, the thief that was living in the belfrey. And the paper is going to run a picture of Barnabas. 

Seems people all over the county are sending shoes and foot for George Gaynor. Now they are starting a collection for a reward for Barnabas.

It’s Maundy Thursday, a quiet and sad service. I always like our Maundy Thursday service. It feels weird though, to walk out of the church and find folks chatting in the parking lot. 

We found out that Puny is seeing Joe Joe Guthrie – that sounds like a good match.

Cynthia and Father Tim had a difficult talk. Not much was said, but they are talking. Now, if only we could get rid of that blasted Andrew!

That’s four more chapters. I like the way the Mitford books work. Small bits of time for things that often don’t seem all the important. But that is so much of life. The daily living and fellowship and friendship and duties that all add up to a complete and full life.

I began my reading of Mitford here.  Then read another 4 chapters here.

So, let’s dive into chapter 9 and see who we meet. Harold asked for Emma’s hand in marriage – very suitable. Then Olivia delivered her sad news and found a purpose for her final days. I assume Miss Sadie’s insurance questions got handled. That night we meet Cynthia, because Barnabas has chased her cat up a tree, not the best introduction but things are still looking good.

She comes to borrow sugar the next day and the visit is great but disastrous as well. At least it’s honest. And now Dooley has been in some fight at school. Now the mayor has called and put him in charge of officating next summer’s Festival of Roses. 

Ah ha! Here is my favorite quote from KJV Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. The NIV version is quite different: Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Both are wonderful, and bearing our burdens is a great benefit, but they just seem so different.

On with the book, we have a mystery of the disappearing sandwich and wine. Now death and birth come closely together. Time for Uncle Billy’s art show. The art show was a hit! More food missing from the church kitchen. And Cynthia cooks as well as I do. I too tend to walk away and find something else to do for “just a minute” which doesn’t work well with timed cooking.

Oh, we’re worried about Hoppy, he seems to be finding happiness with Olivia, but we know she’s dying and we don’t want Hoppy to be hurt again. 

I’m back, I made up a small salad to eat.

Well, mystery at the church is growing. Now Father Tim has found real jewels hidden in one of the urns in the columbarium closet (guess that explains the ashes in the garden earlier). Then he had a strange encounter with a traveling business man who had stopped in at the church. Now Father Tim has the jewels and his lackluster sermons bothering him.

He spoke with Olivia and her illness and Hoppy. Now he has to tell Hoppy after Christmas. And we learned a bit more about Dooley’s mother and siblings. Dooley’s grandfather has pneumonia and is in the hospital, so Dooley is staying with Father Tim for Christmas.

And now Dooley got his new bicycle for Christmas and has run away! And his mother’s trailer is moved so we can’t find him.

Ah, Dooley is back. And the jewels are gone from the urn. And Hoppy knows about Olivia.

This has been a very busy 4 chapters. Time to get a few things done so the next 4 will have to wait till another day.

We left off with the dinner party that Father Tim held for his dearest friends. He was weary but content.

Today we start with the appraiser returning and finally giving the welcome news that the painting is not a Vermeer. This scene accurately captures so many instances where the “good” news is not welcome to those who can see the worldly results that would come from it. Then Miss Sadie turns around and makes an announcement even better!

I love how much attention Father Tim puts into preparing for the vestry meeting to discuss Miss Sadie’s gift. Interesting how it is so appealing in this scene, but seems unnecessary when I’m rushing to get to and through a deacon meeting. 

We learn there is a new neighbor coming. Just a little comment the first time you read the book, but I’ve read these books before so I know she’ll turn out to be someone real special.

Now, on to meet Dooley. Oh, we get a nice visit with Uncle Billy first.  At first it seems interesting and out of place that so many mundane things get brought to a pastor. But where we need to remember that God is sovereign over everything and that we should abide in Christ at all times, it makes more sense that nothing is separate. 

Oh, Puny has taken over caring for his house. Uncle Billy is taken care of and now we know he can draw amazing pictures. Boy, Puny and Dooley a heck of a first meeting. Luckily Dooley and Barnabas have a better time of it that day. (But who broke the lock to the Chapel?)

Now Andrew and Father Tim are reading to one another. This reminds me, I want to start making time for Connor and I to read to one another. Maybe something like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and some poetry. I always loved to read so I got left alone alot and enjoyed it. Connor is learning that he likes to read as well, but I think we could both use some out-loud together time.

Dooley has his first horse-ride. I had a pony when I was little. My dad wanted to live on a farm so we did, cows, horse, poney, lots and lots of land, and two gardens. What I remember of it was wonderful, but Dad realized the Country Club life was more for him. Anthony came up with a real romantic Valentine’s Day idea last year and took me to ride horses with a friend of his from work. There were some other horses in a neighboring pasture that kept running and I discovered that I am very much afraid of heights when I’m on a horses back. I was happy to get off and then watch the farrier replace a shoe on one of the horses.

Father Tim talking to Hal about the building committee. And this is a committee that is starting out with enough money. I’m on one now where we are still raising the money, plus waiting for the town to get it in gear. I was also on the last pastor search committee, not sure why I keep letting myself get into these things.

The scene delivering the calf is interesting. Tonight at dinner Connor mentioned he might be interested in being a vet. Good timing as Anthony will be taking our cat for the annual physical next week. I wonder if he’d be interested in the farm animal kind or stick to cats and dogs?

Ah, end of chapter 8 and time to get some work done around here. It is nice to be back in Mitford.