January 30, 2005:

"Damiano, having had enough of a life that has suddenly turned to pain and more pain, tells the archangel Raphael to take a hike and starts an invocation to Satan. I close the novel, discouraged myself, but not discouraged enough to read beyond that point. A few minutes later the thought hits me that any time a person quits, even if they don't actively seek the devil, they're still playing his music. Quit. It's the language we've learned. The…

God has provided and will continue to provide for us so I'm not worried or feel like I'm "out" anything when I endure the inequities of life like I used to not so long ago. I'm really trying to just let God surprise me with His love every day - letting Him choose how He would express it instead of me making demands on how I want it to look, i.e., praying for health, wealth, love, respect, reputation, protections, friendship, possessions... I still pray that God shows me His love and continue…

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew…

Shortly after the book "The Shack" came out, people started talking about it. I tried to get it from the library but the wait list was long; I figured I'd get to it eventually. Then I forgot about it until Gaston mentioned it to me a week or so ago. I checked the library again and found it available.

The first person to mention it to me was Lu, of Mosaic fame. She said "I think you'd like this. He speaks your language." Now, all these years later, I've learned…