A Hectic Week

We are trying to establish our routines for this year and we are going through transitional pains as it were. Money is as tight as ever, but there is hope on the horizon with Ellice's new job (God be praised) and the increase in income forthcoming. As I'm not taking classes this semester, I'm going to be able to focus on my writing and church activities.

The week shakes down like this: every other Monday we'll be gaming for a few hours--if you don't keep the game up, it dies and we are having way too much fun to let that happen. Tuesdays will be volleyball, almost straight through until spring. Ellice and I have decided to take the church's sign language class on Wednesdays. Ellice has Bible study and bunco on Thursdays, and Friday is grocery night. Saturdays are resting-date days, and Saturday nights will be UK football of course. Sunday is church and lesson planning for Ellice. I'll probably be writing on Thursday and Sundays. Somewhere in there we'd like to walk and swim at the YMCA, once Ellice feels up to it. There you go, that's our week in a nutshell.

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

This daily devotional was intense; an uplifting read that was at times thought provoking but at others rather harsh. This turn of the century work seemed to be written from a missions perspective, with an emphasis on trusting God for everything and sacrificing self. While appropriate, the language was very dogmatic as if Chambers himself held not only the keys to life, the universe and everything (Christ of course) but also the definitive disciplines and activities that everyone should follow as a Christian. There was an awful lot of good theology here, but I found myself arguing at least once a week with his point. I guess you could say that's good, healthy, thought-provoking religious literature, and my rating will reflect that. ***

The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel

Lee Strobel is famous for his scientific and historical analysis of Jesus the person and how we can show that he was the Christ. This book is one of his briefer works, a quick journalistic investigation into the divinity of the child in the manger. His rationale is pretty good, but a strong skeptic will not a few leaps in logic here and there. Much of what is dug up is interesting and very useful in discussions with non-Christians, but I doubt that a cynic would take the information without corobaration. In general, I found the book interesting and informative food for thought. **1/2