Thursday, September 15, 2011

On Suffering

Record my misery;   
  list my tears on your scroll
   are they not in your record?
      -Psalm 56:8



For those suffering, Peter Kreeft has some beautiful words here.  But here's a snippet:

Thus God's answer to the problem of suffering not only really happened 2,000 years ago, but it is still happening in our own lives. The solution to our suffering is our suffering! All our suffering can become part of his work, the greatest work ever done, the work of salvation, of helping to win for those we love eternal joy.
How? This can be done on one condition: that we believe. For faith is not just a mental choice within us; it is a transaction with him. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone... opens the door, I will come in and eat with him" (Rev 3:20). To believe, according to John's Gospel, is to receive (Jn 1:12), to receive what God has already done. His part is finished ("It is finished," he said on the cross). Our part is to receive that work and let it work itself out in and through our lives, including our tears. We offer it up to him, and he really takes it and uses it in ways so powerful that we would be flattened with wonder if we knew them now. 
The more we love, the more we suffer.  There can be no love without suffering.  If God is love, we cannot know God without suffering.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Mockus Latinus

So, with "Natus" and "Iulia", my duo oldest discipuli, we spent the last hour in STITCHES making up silly Latin words or phrases such as "O-us snappus, est!"  (Mockus Latinus words must end in "us" or "a" and all phrases or sentences end in "est".) 

Translation:  So, with Nate and Julia, my two oldest students, we spent the last hour in stitches making up silly Latin words or phrases such as "Oh Snap!"  (Mock Latin words must end in "us" or "a" and all phrases or sentences end in "est".)

Try translating this to see how quickly my day is going down the drain...

Natus madus Helena sniffus Natus' armpitus est.  Iulia saidus, "Natus mortus Helena!"....

sigh....

At least they are having fun!  Now the two year old is calling her older brother Natus!