A weekend and a book

Hello friends. I was going to write yesterday but I got to do something I haven't done in months. Something that most of us long for throughout the day. Something I've been thinking about nonstop for the past few weeks. Something I've been desperately wanting for the past few weeks as well. *drum roll please*...

I got to take a nap. :) Did it add up to the hype? *grin*

Anyway...

This weekend I made my way up North near Sandusky or Mansfield, Ohio. 17 of us from my Youth Group were going on a Retreat with our Youth Pastor Phil and his lovely wife (my dear friend) Caroline. Britt and I were talking about it Thursday night. She told me that she wanted to stay home more then go on the retreat. I didn't tell her this, but I agreed completely.

Friday evening I sat next to my dear friend Caroline as she was driving, as we were making our way a few hours to the Retreat with 6 girls in the backseat. Most of the time when her and I weren't talking or engaging in conversation or laughter from the backseat, I found myself gazing out the window or leaning foward with my elbow on my knee and my chin in my hand, wondering why I wasn't reacting the way I wish I was toward the retreat. While back home, after paying $40 and packing I had almost changed my mind completely in deciding not to go. Thank God that I didn't...

I don't know about you, but sometimes I truly need to get away. Sometimes I'm desperate for it. Sometimes I truly need to be surrounded by people who are desperate for Jesus and love Him as much as I do; people who are broken, poor, needy, joyful, loving, free, compassionate, saved, desperate, and who want pure devotion. Friends... it was amazing to soak in. :)

Praise God.

Before I get to the meat of this blog, I want to ask for prayer friends. We got a call from my 9 year old neice yesterday; sadly, while I was napping. She told us that her grandmother had just died of cancer a few hours before that. Today my family and I are making our way to the viewing - I knew this lovely woman alittle when I was younger. I just ask for your prayers - for my neice and nephew and their Mom. Just pray that we can comfort them; and just that they would allow this to be a time that they would seek out Jesus and allow Him to save and comfort them...

On happier note...
If you know me at all, even just a tad, you know that I'm one who loves to read. I gained a love for it sometime after I began following Jesus. When I began following Jesus alittle over 2 years ago, I wanted to soak in everything about the Christian faith. Besides the Bible I read books by C.S. Lewis, Mark Buchanan, Donald Miller and Brennan Manning. Thankfully, I still love it.

I'm not one who normally likes fiction. Infact if you'd ask me, I'd most likely tell you that I hate it... and hate is a strong word. In the past few weeks I've learned that I don't necessarily hate fiction; but I only like well-written fiction. Why am I sharing this? Because... that should give you a glimpse at just how remarkable this book that I'm about to share truly is.

The Kite Runner...

I know the The author is Khaled Hosseini. He is from Kabul Afghanistan and I'm pretty sure he's a Muslim. I could be like a lot of people are today and allow those things to make me flinch, and take a step back. But I try not to be like a lot of people. And that has led me to believe he has to be one of the most well-written men.

I normally devour books. This one I took my time with. It almost seemed like if I read it too fast and too soon, I wouldn't get the full affect, that I'd be missing someting.

"There's a way to be good again" is one of the phrases used multiple times throughout this book. I've started questioning it this week. I know that Hosseini's words and my thoughts on this probably differ. I know that in the book the main man wants to be "good" again to experience forgiveness and not hold onto his regrets from the past. But, the one thought that comes to my mind is that the way to be made "good" doesn't really exsist. I only think there is a Way to be made clean and forgiven - and that's through God. I think even being made clean and forgiven won't completely make me good - because I still sin.

This has to be one of the best books that I've read. It is a novel about 2 young boys living in Afghanistan who differ greatly socially. One is rich another his servant. These young boys are friends, but their relationship is an odd one... but maybe one that I think we may experience or witness more then we think. One boy betrays the other and things end up a mess. But, the story unfolds in redemption, in brokenness and forgiveness... a young man truly wanting to know if he has a way to be "good" again.

Hmm... leave it to a novel by a young man in Afghanistan - to bring forth the question, "can we really be "good?"' For me, that doesn't need questioned... but obviously Hosseini questioned it, I bet others do as well...

Please share your thoughts friends...

Teresa