Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl-A review, sort of

Just finished reading Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl by N.D. Wilson. Wow.

I am not sure what to say about the book, where to start, how to review.

Let's start with the bad news and we'll move on. The book is so good I am not sure that the cover design and the title give it justice. I am sure it will be reprinted often. I hope it gets a face lift. My opinion. I think the old adage, you can't judge a book by its cover, is fitting here.

Now the good news: The rest of the book is unbelievably good. Is it a philosophy book? Theology? Practical Christian living? For adults? Crazy people?

I heard a country song I sort of like. The refrain goes like this, "God is great. Beer is good. And people are crazy." Somehow, I think that would be a fitting review of Nate's book.

You just have to read this book. It's schooled me, got me an education I was lacking. Knowledge? Not so much that, although there are some really cool observations about the working of God's world. Wonder? Yes. Life. That, too. Hope.

The book is an apologetic but not like one you'd expect, so forget I wrote that. I guess the more I look at the cover, it makes me dizzy and the book did, too. Maybe the cover is not so bad afterall?

This book reminds me of Lewis, Tolkein, Chesterton, and Wodehouse but with a gospel hope for the future that all of them were incapable of.

Try swallowing all the reductios of your skeptic friends. Bitter? Nate swallows them with laughter. It's not a bad morsel. You should try it.

I'd say this was one of the best books I've ever read but you wouldn't believe me.

The book left me strangely emotional and still has that effect as I sit here and think about it. There is the sadness of the reality of the roughness of the world but it is mixed with the laughter of God's story. I think we can call that Christian joy.

The main effect the book had on me was to wake me up. I have been feeling a bit dreary and sleepy lately, sleepy about life. But this book has woken me up. Remember the Ents?

I think y'all should get this book and just wake up.

Woe is Me

I've been gone for awhile, both in body and mind. It takes two to tango.

I was put in my place today, again, as if I needed it. I saw an old woman, broken, probably by multiple strokes, pushing her cart past BB&T. I'd hate for her to see me write about her thus but she'll never see this blog anyway. To say she's an inspiration falls short. She does more than inspire. She shames. She humiliates. She scorns. She jests. She scoffs. She jokes and laughs lives.

I've been gone for awhile, in body and mind, because I've a body that doesn't mind.

She has a body that doesn't mind, either. It's way more broken than mine. Her arm doesn't work. Her legs barely do their duty. Part of her mouth looks like it has trouble with it's designed function. But she's there, shuffling along, shaming all the whole bodies, slightly broken. She is not complaining. She lives. I don't know her. Maybe she does complain. Maybe she'd like somebody to drive her somewhere. But she walks through my life, a constant reminder that things can always get worse and when they do, what do we do?, we live.

I know this sounds a bit twisted but I see it as grace. God is watching me and her. He smiles at one and shakes His head at the other. Guess which is which? But His head shaking is not disgust, at least I hope not because I am the recipient of the gesture. It's more like a father shaking his head at his son when he tries to his ride his big sister's bike but is too small and too stupid to get it done. He thinks he's big stuff but he's not even big stuff enough to be like his older, and still stupid, sister. The head shaking will end one day and smiles will follow.

Anyway, I did a bit of reading while I was away. Some good, some not so and giving my goneness in body and mind, not sure if I benefited much. But I do think that I am the better for it all. God as my witness.

I promise I'll try to live better.