Thursday, January 31, 2008

More Jayber...

Last night I spoke at a church about books. I was asked to share things that I'd been reading, things that have meant a lot to me, and lead an open ended discussion. I was happy to do it, not knowing how much I would thoroughly enjoy the experience. The church was one of a handful of moderate to left leaning Baptist churches in the area, and full of some extremely intelligent people. (I don't believe, as many, that the two always go together.)

I talked about Jayber Crow. After the meeting, a sweet middle aged woman came up to me and told me how much the book had meant to her husband. After a good two minute conversation she grabbed the book from me and found a quote and read it to me. I remember reading what she read, but felt as if she was reading this to me, in some sort of prophetic manner. (Creepy, I know.) Here's the passage, hope you enjoy it...

If you could do it, I suppos, it would be a good idea to live your life in a straight line-- starting, say, in the Dark Wood of Error, and proceeding by logical steps through Hell and Purgatory and into Heaven. Or you could take the King's Highway past appropriately named dangers, toils, and snares, and finally cross the River of Death and enter the Celestial City. But that is not hte way I have done it, so far. I am a pilgrim, but my pilgrimage has been wandering and unmarked. Often what has looked like a straight line to me has been a circle or a doubling back. I have been in the Dark Wood of Error any number of times. I have known something of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, but not always in that order. The names of many snares and dangers have been made known to me, but I have seen them only in looking back. Often I have not known where I was going until I was already there. I have had my share of desires and goals, but my life has come to me or I have gone to it mainly by way of mistakes and surprises. Often I have received better than I have deserved. Often my fairest hopes have rested on bad mistakes. I am an ignorant pilgrim, crossing a dark valley. And yet for a long time, looking back, I have been unable to shake off the feeling that I have been led--make of that what you will.

1 comment:

Danielle said...

Simply, thank you.