How Silence Works: Emailed Conversations With Four Trappist Monks by Jeremy Mesiano-Crookston. “Is silence beneficial for all people? I would say the cultivation of silence is indispensable to being human.”
I have considered taking a weekend retreat where I simply observe silence and spend the time in prayer and meditation, no internet, no phone, no television, and no books. It’s the “no books” that frightens me. I’m not sure I have the inner resources or the connection with God that would sustain me in such silence for an entire weekend. Sad, but true.
Why You Should Consider Cancelling Your Short Term Missions Trip by Darren Carlson.
And yet my daughter leaves for Slovakia in a week to teach in Bible (day) camps and to share the gospel working alongside the Slovak church. Mistakes have been made, and unintended consequences are rampant. However, we can be called and used of God in other countries and cultures.
A British offering from Arts Council England: “Brought to life using audio performance and archive footage, 60 Years in 60 Poems travels through time to unpack our shared history, celebrating individual moments alongside national events.”
There’s a poem for every year of the Queen’s Jubilee, starting in 1954. I listened to the one for 1957, the year of my birth, and I thought it was poignant: On Not Dying Young by Elaine Feinstein.
Why Are American Kids So Spoiled? by Elizabeth Kolbert. Yikes, just yikes!
How Reading Disturbing Novels can make you a Better Reader of the Bible by Alan Jacobs
“If we are people of the Book, people whose Faith is built upon the Word of God as it is given to us in the Bible, then we need to be a reading people. And by reading I do not mean merely that we are literate, but that we are able to read carefully, that we are comfortable reading slowly, and allow passages to challenge our preconceptions and to change us.”
The Flying Inn (great blog) gives us a list of 5 things from YouTube that are actually worth watching. He’s called his post Reasons TV is Obsolete.
If I were in nature surrounded by woods somewhere, somewhere safe though, or lying on a sandy beach, I would not miss the books!
I think mission trips can be of great value to those going and those receiving them. I think one of the keys of to consult ahead of time whether the team or individuals would be welcome, is it a good time, what could we help with, what could we bring you. etc. I know several mission teams and missionaries that have had great experiences.