Hey guys... I was just messin around with the blog, and I noticed (again) the quote that I chose as the subheading of our blog. Have you read it?
I was wondering how reading Elie Wiesel's book has changed us. Has it caused you, in any way, to "live more intensely" because you read it? Was it worth your time investment to read the book?
For me, I think the answer to that question is that God is using it as part of a journey in my life of opening my eyes more widely to the incredible depravity and horror of the world around us. How easy it is for me to be comfortable and to shield my eyes and my heart. I pray that God would use me as His hands to help hurting people and eliminate injustice so that His will may be done "on earth as it is in heaven."
Also, in case you are new-- we have decided to read "Kite Runner" with our 'due date' of April 15th. (Eek! I don't know if I can do it! I'm in seminary and I really don't know if I can get in another book!!!) Anyways, you should all be able to 'contribute' on this blog and make posts with discussion questions as we finish up the book. Also, I think it would be great to continue to develop the "community" aspect of this group. Since most of us don't get to see each others faces very often.. if at all... keep us all posted on your lives too! Pics would be fun too!!
So, anyways, would love to hear your comments on how this book club is fulfilling its purpose as related to the above quote! Blessings!
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4 comments:
Yeah - I am back on! Thanks Jessica for re-setting me up! Good question too about the quote - we should definitely apply the truths we learn or I think our hearts will harden in a way!..interesting. I will try to be pro-active of the communal concept too - great suggestion! I can't wait to read our next book!
It does make me take notice of the world around us more. Even though the things that happen may not be close by, I realize I need to be aware that they could just as easily happen here. I remember watching the coverage of Hurricane Katrina and not knowing whether the media was blowing it out of proportion. I remember crying for the people there, but in the back of mind, I kept thinking, "but they could have left". It seems callous, I know. A year later at the 1-year anniversary, I cried way more than I did when it actually happened. I'm not sure where the change was, but maybe I just paid closer attention to the stories and the tragedies that happened and it broke my heart. I know the Holocaust is a significantly different tragedy that took place and even harder to comprehend because we only have books and movies to show our generation the horrors that took place during that time. Basically I'm just trying to reiterate how I also want to be more aware of the world around me.
Speaking of movies, have you seen "Life is Beautiful". It is a wonderful, beautiful, yet sad movie set around that time. It's a foreign language film and is best watched in its original Italian if you get the chance.
I have heard of that movie, Alicia, but I haven't yet watched it. Thanks for the suggestion!
I think one thing that I want to ask God to open my eyes to is that I am his hands and feet in this world, and whatever I do to the least of one of these, I do to Jesus. I pray that He would give us opportunities every day to be Jesus incarnate in this world. It's great if our eyes are more opened to what is happening in the world, but I pray that this transforms us to do things-- like pray! Too often we put prayer in the "not doing anything" category, when it is one of the most powerful weapons we can wield. I hope that through this book club experience we would become more fervent pray-ers and better "do-ers"! :)
Life if Beautiful is a good movie. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I remember liking it.
Did you guys read about the author of Night being assaulted? Here's the link.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/17/
wiesel.arrest.ap/index.html
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