Michael DC Drout
I had to work a couple of night shifts this week for a coworker who was sick. It always leaves me tired, but I was able to join the family today for a sunny trip to a very cool playground. There were some very interesting contrasts between colors and materials. Also some interesting patterns.
And then t wore a cone around for a while.
Currently reading: Children of Odin by Padraic Colum 📚
I’ve never read any of the Norse myths before, so I didn’t recognize the similarities between Rocannon’s World and the story of Freya and her necklace as well as Odin the Wanderer. Trying to fill in a knowledge gap with this easy read (the one Le Guin had, according to a footnote).
Church last night was a service of lessons and carols. Concluded with this…
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly minded, for, with blessing in His hand, Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.
King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth He stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood. He will give to all the faithful His own self for heav’nly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day, that the pow’rs of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.
At His feet the six-winged seraph, cherubim with sleepless eye, veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry, “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord Most High!”
With everything dark going on in the world around us, we need more than ever this Light of light from the realms of endless day.
E, 14: “On the first day after it snows you build forts outside with snow. On the second day, you build them inside with cushions and mattresses and blankets.”
Adventure followed by coziness and comfort.
Another round of snow (4 1/2"), so another snowman. This one all by j.
E crocheted these snowflakes over the past few weeks. Constantly amazed at what she can do with thread.
Still feeling terrible. This cold is taking me a long time to kick. I went back to work today but felt like I was moving in slow motion. Maybe the fact that I got called in for an emergency appendectomy in the middle of the night didn’t help. I could use a good night of pure sleep.
Life goes on in the meantime though. The kids have been busy with some art projects. J started a snowman (until she came down with the same cold) and T finished it. E, age 14, finished a gift for a friend – Luna from HP complete with Gryffindor lion hat. And T did another drawing of me, himself, and J. Pretty good likenesses actually.
Currently reading: The Christmas Barn by C. L. Davis 📚
It’s a family tradition to read this every December leading up to Christmas. One chapter a day gets us finished on Christmas Eve.
Finished reading: A Tree for Peter by Kate Seredy 📚
Everyone loved this story about renewal and change in “Shantytown.”
In our house we always mentally count winter as beginning at the start of December. The weather agreed with us … first snow of the season last night, about 4.5". Unfortunately half the family is now a little sick, so the outside enjoyment was very short and half-hearted.
Home sick from church today, unfortunately. Sinus infection of some variety, flu-like. Feel pretty terrible.
That being said, happy first Sunday of Advent. I thought I would share these two kids-art pictures to mark the day.
A drawing by t, age 5, of the nativity, completely unprompted. I guess he’s taken in a lot from years past. And a rock arrangement by j, age 10, of the same. She’s always making cool stuff out of ordinary objects.
After a stop at the playground, we made it to see the sister giant of the three Giants that are at Bernheim.
Second stop was the Canopy Tree Walk. 99% of the leaves have fallen, but these golden ones remained to contrast with the plain silver of the trunks. The picture doesn’t do justice to the metallic feeling and the glow of the backlit leaves.
Visit to Bernheim Forest with the family today. First stop was this giant 27 foot Tin Man statue. Kids loved it. Makes me want to read Wizard of Oz again.
Oranges and browns mostly.
Today’s surgery roundup:
A mediport for cancer treatment. A hysteroscopy resulting in a more than likely diagnosis of uterine cancer. A craniotomy for tumor removal – which turned out to be a high grade glioma.
Not a good beginning to the week of Thanksgiving. But, it definitely throws a different perspective onto some of my recent problems. What’s some leaky toilet drain pipes next to terminal cancer? Nothing. Lots to be thankful for in this season.
So what are bodies for? When we stop ignoring or idolizing bodies, their telos or purpose comes into view: to love. We’re God’s image-bearers, and “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The great commandment is to love God and love neighbor (Matt. 22:37–39). Health and longevity aren’t ends in themselves. They’re means to an end: to glorify and enjoy God by loving him and others. Our call is not to optimize health for its own sake. Our call is rather an echo of the Christian wedding vows: to love, in sickness and in health. Knowing this truth frees us from the slavery of always needing to get everything right, obsessing over our fitness and body image.
Finished reading: Worlds of Exile and Illusion by Ursula K. Le Guin 📚
I enjoyed these three stories — Rocannon’s World, Planet of Exile, and City of Illusion. Probably my favorite was Planet of Exile, I think, because the planet and environment were so different from what we experience. The idea that you could only ever see a season one time in your life is such a new and weird thought.
No hike today because of rain, but the leaves in the grass near the library are still fantastically colorful.
Finished reading: The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Le Guin 📚
I read through all of these… maybe 2 or 3 years ago. Re-reading again a little slower. So far in this go around I’ve read A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan. I had forgotten, or never noticed, or never articulated to myself, the spiritual dimensions present in these works. Sparrowhawk must confront his own spiritual darkness, mostly in the form of pride, in the first one. Not until he can face his own evil can he be set free. In The Tombs, he is then free to help someone else battle and be free from their form of spiritual darkness. It calls to mind Matthew 7:5 — “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series with an eye out for these themes, but I’ll probably give some time in between. For now I’m reading some other works of Le Guin for the first time — Worlds of Exile & Illusion.
Currently reading: Saints and Heroes to the End of the Middle Ages by George Hodges 📚
Another family read aloud in church history.
Left work 15 minutes late then got caught in a 30 minute traffic jam. Worth it for this encounter with a deer in the slanty afternoon light on my weekly hike at Iroquois.
Went to George Rogers Clark Park this afternoon. Another beautiful autumn day. These two trees — oak & cypress I think — really perfect in shape and contrast with the blue blue sky.
He leadeth me, oh blessed thought, O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, whate’er I be, Still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, he leadeth me, By his own hand he leadeth me! His faithful follower I would be, For by his hand he leadeth me.
Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine, Nor ever murmur nor repine, Content whatever lot I see, Since ‘tis my God that leadeth me.
And when my task on earth is done, When by thy grace the victory’s won, E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee, Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
I sent this to a friend after the death of her brother. Praying for God’s leading and comfort during these difficult days. He is good, even when the providence is hard.
Michael DC Drout
