Books and Autumns

Currently reading: Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl, by N.D. Wilson. I started it 2 days ago and am over half-way through, so I must like it. It is one of those books that you wouldn't base your theology on, but is so beautiful to open up your eyes to new perspectives and thoughts about the world and life and the One who created it all. Lately I have been longing to see facets of God that I haven't seen before, and in a small way this book is giving me an opportunity to do so. The last two chapters have been about the "reason for evil", and I liked the author's description. You really have to read the whole chapter to fully understand the context, but I think you'll get the idea:

"The shadows exist in the painting, the dark corners of grief and trial and wickedness all exist so that He might step inside them, so we could see how low He can stoop. In this story, the Author became flesh and wandered the stage with Hamlet, offering His own life. In this story, the Author heaped all that he loathed, all that displeased Him, all the wrongness of the world, onto Himself. Evil exists so that He might be demeaned and insulted, so that the depth of His love and sacrifice could be expressed as much as is possible in the small frame of history."



In my home away from home, autumn is settling in. I can imagine the brilliant colors of leaves and blue skies reflecting on serene lakes. I heard that my friends are starting to turn on the heat at night. Sweaters and hot cocoa. Scarves and flushed cheeks. Crunchy leaves. Barren trees and stars on brisk nights.

Here in Chiang Mai it is a balmy 81 degrees, which is actually cool. The fans are on, blowing around the warm air, but making the room comfortable. It is amazing how quickly you can get accustomed to sweating all the time when AC is just not an option. Rain is in the forecast... for the next 10 days. And 10 more days of heat, of humidity, of shorts and tank tops, of running out to meet the friendly ice cream man as he pulls his cart around the muuban, longing for that coolness to slip down my throat and trying not to let too much melt onto my hands and motorbike, where I like to sit and eat it.

I will miss my Minnesota autumn. But this year it's time for a new experience. :)

I'm rejoicing in it.