Still Searching for my Element!

Last night we made a quick trip into the Big City north to go to the mall so that the good wife could make some exchanges. Before we got there we visited Papa Vino's and there enjoyed some Sizziline Spaghetti. It was super spicy, at least for me. Now I've always enjoyed a little heat in my jambalaya but that's about it, but this spaghetti was soaring, and I actually ate all of it, and enjoyed it; of course a large roll of Italian bread kept the heat somewhat in check, I think. The older I get the more I like spicey things, my mom tells me that's good, though I won't go into all the reasons she thinks that. Of course eating at an Italian restaurant is not complete for the good wife without finishing with a tiramisu ..... and she said it was excellent, just tasted like regular pudding to me!

Onward to the mall; while the good wife exchanged I journeyed to the Barnes & Noble store. By the time she was calling me on the cell phone I was getting close to the check-out counter, not there yet but her call pushed me over the line. How could she be ready to leave so early, I only had two books? Its always a treat to hand the clerk my Barnes & Noble mastercard because I will inevitably get that 'you're one of us' smile. It makes me feel like maybe after a future purchase I'll get invited to the home office of Barnes & Noble to be presented with the 'Publishers Purchase Prize' for the year, and my award is an unlimited choice of free books for a whole year.

The two books I purchased were 'The Element' by Dr. Ken Robinson and 'LEtters from the Land of Cancer' by Walter Wangerin Jr.. I would like to quote from the back of the book The Element to give you an idea of what its about: 'The Element' is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. When people arrive at the Element, they feel most themselves, most inspired and achieve their highest levels.
Ah, hah, that's it, I'm still either searching for my passion or purpose and when the two meet, watch out! I think I've always wanted to be an author, and I'm almost 100% certain thats not going to happen. This blog is as close as I'll ever come, some sorry attempts have been made, but let me remind you how grateful I am that you stop by for a spell, and some of you even comment here and there, it does this old heart good - more good than you'll know. However writing a blog isn't writing a book; my hope is that one day one of my grand kids [or great grand kids] with the same passion will read thru gramps old blog and either come away with an idea for a book, or piece together elements of this one and boom, a Christian author is born. Sorta like the story of King David and the building of the Temple. Although the Lord forbid David from building it, he did tell the king he could begin to make provisions for the materials to be gathered, so his son Solomon could build the temple. I'm sure there was a considerable amount of disappointment in David's life but at least God had allowed him to be a part of it. Now God knew only too well David's heart and mind so he didn't give David any of the blueprints because eventually the temptation would have been too great and David would have tried to assemble something; better to just keep the king focused on opening up channels so Solomon could get what he needed. Imagine with me the royal dinner table as David and Bathsheba [henceforth known as 'Babe'] sit down to eat. Babe looks at DAvid and ask,'anything noteworthy happen today?' As a face-wide smile breaks out on Davids face he replies, 'Anything happen, I had a meeting with the Ambassador from Lebanon..., Babe encourages him to continue 'and we signed a trade agreement. Israel will provide Lebanon with marble from our quarries and a few tons of scrape iron, their main export is the worlds finest lumber and they need material for saws and things for that industry, and we will also provide them with sheep and goats for three years; the sheep and goats I really sold him on. Then when Solomon is ready for the lumber that God requires in building/furnishing the Temple they will provide him all he needs. Pretty good deal, wouldn't you say.' Babe says nothing but smiles, not because she thinks her aging husband is such a clever businessman but because it will be a wonderful blessing to her son.

The other book, 'Letter from the Land of Cancer' is by one of my favorite authors. Brennan Manning is my favorite, and so Henri Nouwen and WAlter Wangerin,Jr. are vying for 2nd or 3rd place; Nouwen of course is at at disadvantage since he succumbed to celestial joys! Once again I will quote from the back cover of the book to give you an idea of what the book is about. I'm nearly a third through the book but will save reflections until I'm finished, ... I think?! 'On Dec.26, 05, Walter Wangerin Jr. felt a lump in his neck. Doctors confirmed his fears: Wangerin had inoperable lung cancer. Almost immediately Wangerin began writing a series of letters to his friends and family, detailing the many facets of surviving cancer and eloquently reflecting on the end of life. [Wangerin is still a senior prof. at Valpo University] Now Wangerin offers these intimate letters to all who ask questions about what it means to live and die well. As Wangerin writes, 'Here is the story which must ultimately embrace every living body, every physical person. Here, too, is the story in which our faith in Christ most can shine.' LATER.