Tying Rocks to Clouds

Hey there sports fans! It's a G-R-R-R-R-R-R-E-A-T day!!!!!

Man, I just love these first days back....the whole newness that covers everything...no one's been acting out inappropriately, no one's turned anything in late (or not at all), everyone's rested and fresh for the day...oh, man I JUST LOVE IT!!!! (c;

This morning, during Social Studies, the lesson ended with a semi-cryptic sentence, "back in Europe, the French were overjoyed at the loss suffered by their old enemy, the British." (Battle of Saratoga, Revolutionary War.) So, I asked my kids, to see if they could make the connection, why the French were happy. Half the class put their hands up in the air, one quite enthusiastically. So, I called on him, and he said, "Well, just before Ponitiac's Rebellion, the French lost almost all of their land holding's in North America, thanks to the British win during the French and Indian War. The Treaty of Paris set up the new boundaries, which showed all of the land the French lost." A fifth grader knows that! We talked about that back in the beginning of December, and they still remember!!! whoo hoo!!!

So, I'm reading this new book (I took a break in the middle of Bibi's text book) called "Tying Rocks to Clouds". It's basically the transcript of one man's interviews with spiritual and intellectual leaders throughout the world. It's really interesting getting all the different perspectives in one concise format. It's been pretty readable, and surprisingly funny. Plus, it's a friend of mines, he's a college professor, and it's got all of his notes. (c;

It's interesting to note the similarity and connectivity present in all of the answers so far. It's also interesting to see the "intellectuals" separate themselves from the "spiritual" leaders.

It reminds me of the conversations my old roommate Brad and I used to have, when he was taking a class on William Blake. We would debate the merits of Faith vs. Reason. I don't know....it seems to me that we are such a "reasonable" people, that we rely so wholeheartedly on our reasoning abilities, that there has to be a flaw there. Now, don't get me wrong....I'm a fan of logical action and thought as much as the next person....but how many times have you argued with someone and thought that their argument was tragically weak logically speaking? However, they probably thought you were being daft, too! I guess I just have a healthy distrust at the human mind's ability to figure EVERYTHING out based on reason alone.

For me, Faith has always been more interesting. Faith isn't believing the firemen will catch you when you jump; Faith is you falling through the air towards the net. I think Faith's attraction to me is the fact that it is what God calls for. Ok, this is a cheesy example, but go with me. In Elf, the Will Ferrel movie? Buddy's brother asks Santa why he can't just show himself to everyone so that they'll all believe in him. Santa tells him that that isn't what believing is all about. Faith, to carry this on, isn't just a belief, but the way you act based on your faith. God wants us to believe in God not because there is irrefutable evidence obvious to all. God wants us to believe in God because we have Faith in God and God's promises. Faith is so much harder and yet, SO much more fullfilling.

The beautiful thing about Faith? God tells us that, if we want Faith....God will give it to us. God will GIVE us that amazing thing that God wants from us.

Reason is great. Reason is useful. Reason is a wonderful part of who we are as a people. But Faith? Faith is a gift from God.

I'll take Faith ANY day.

Thanks for reading....(hope I didn't get too preachy....)

Tommy