An artesian well
God brought Genesis 26 12-22 * (see below) to my mind about a week ago and it has been continually coming to mind.
Isaac redigs the wells that his enemies blocked out of envy, spite, insecurity, and orneriness.
I have blocked wells in my life--the nearly finished book I put on hold in 2006; other books I've started; my great love of reading, which has also been on hold since 2006.
Isaac redug the wells. Three times. It takes effort, energy and persistence.
Apparently, it's something one must do oneself (God probably won't send an angel to dig the wells for you). It's something one must just do. And I have come to a spacious place in my life in terms of time, health and peace to redig the ancient wells.
But, Lord, I pray for strength and refreshment, and soft soil, and that the springs which feed the wells may spring forth through the mud of their own volition. I pray for flowing artesian wells, with the water reaching the ground surface through natural pressure. I pray for fossil water acquifers with the water reaching the ground surface through pressure from the surrounding rocks.
Please make my job of redigging the ancient wells easy. Amen.
* * *
And speaking of that, I have begun reading intensively again. I usually have books from six genres on the go, and aim to finish one a week. Here's what I am reading.
1 Fiction--Angels and Insects, Antonia Byatt (almost finished) and Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
2 Christian--Grace Outpouring, Roy Godwin (almost finished) and 1000 Gifts, Ann Voskamp.
3 Poetry--Mary Oliver, and Jane Kenyon.
4 Memoir (almost a science book) Periodic Table, Primo Levi (wonderful).
5 Non-fiction--A History of Christianity by Diarmaid MacCullough
6 Literary Non-fiction--Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver (a story of a year of self-sufficiency and gardening in Appalachia).
What are you reading and enjoying at the moment?
And speaking of that, I have begun reading intensively again. I usually have books from six genres on the go, and aim to finish one a week. Here's what I am reading.
1 Fiction--Angels and Insects, Antonia Byatt (almost finished) and Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
2 Christian--Grace Outpouring, Roy Godwin (almost finished) and 1000 Gifts, Ann Voskamp.
3 Poetry--Mary Oliver, and Jane Kenyon.
4 Memoir (almost a science book) Periodic Table, Primo Levi (wonderful).
5 Non-fiction--A History of Christianity by Diarmaid MacCullough
6 Literary Non-fiction--Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver (a story of a year of self-sufficiency and gardening in Appalachia).
What are you reading and enjoying at the moment?
How do the 6 books at a time work out for you? Everytime I try that kind of thing I end up reading the ones that I love the best really quickly and then getting stuck on the ones that I don't like as much!
ReplyDeleteThere are actually 8! I keep 3 in my study, 3 on my bedside table, and 2 in the conservatory. I read a little prose and poetry before each writing or blogging session, and read myself to sleep with another book. I've always had about 6 on the go, and, with the goal of finishing one a week, intersperse the shorter quicker ones with the longer denser ones, and read more of the one I've planned to finish that week. I land up reading more this way!
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