dawn’s coming up if you want it
Coffee Theology on Tuesday night was possibly the best we’ve had. There was a change of venue from Starbucks to Barnes & Noble, which helped the noise levels and claustrophobia greatly, and the subject was God’s providence, i.e. the ways in which He involves Himself in His creation. It may sound relatively inconsequential, but the questions addressed by the doctrine range across such topics as, “Is there such a thing as ‘chance’ or ‘luck’ in the world?” and, “If God controls all things, is He responsible for the evil in the world?” as well as, “Do we really have free will?” The issues have a history of having the potential to be very divisive, and the author of the theology book we are going through takes a definite stance on the issues, and rightly so. Each of the questions would require a treatise to address fully; suffice it to say that Truth is found in the Word and we have a responsibility to plumb these depths, as it were, as believers, to the extent that we are able. Since we have believed, we need to now know.
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The local NPR station plays the BBC in the mornings now. I enjoy it very much since it feels like an aural version of the International Herald Tribune, the daily newspaper we received in France and one of the best papers out there (primarily for its wider perspective on the world). The first report I heard concerned the American media frenzy surrounding the in-flight scare over the Atlantic yesterday. They played clips from major news sources and yet again, it made me somewhat embarrassed for our media. Not that I need the prodding of an overseas organization to be ashamed of the sensationalism: Last week during the coverage of the London arrests the tagline on on a noted news station read, “Terror in the Skies.” As has been said, you’d initially think a plane blew up or there was some colossal intelligence failure. At this rate journalists (if they aren’t already there) are going to be as vilified as shady lawyers in popular consciousness. Give me solid reporting. Give me even-handedness. Give me a solid daily newspaper and several weekly newsmagazines. It makes me want to swear off any kind of “real time” news reporting (whether it be the television or the internet). I can wait to be informed if the coverage will be more substantial.
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Here are a pair of beach pictures:
Before our date on Wednesday. We had a wonderful evening out (lovely tiramisu).
The Fava Bean and me, on the beach Friday evening. There was a big picture-taking session then.
More pictures on Diane’s journal.
(I love you.)