Paul M. Dubuc

I’m going to take this one more to heart in the future. In the past I’ve been too preoccupied with differences I’ve had on these matters with people I’ve loved and still care about. I’ve struggled with a root of bitterness over it for too long and it has often gotten the best of me in spite of my efforts. I’m coming to realize that I’ve been in a much better place for years now than at the time when these conflicts were at their height and I need to be ready to develop a different attitude toward life in general and follow my better lights more from now on. Like Abigail Shrier here, I see many positive things starting to happen concerning the issues that concern me most and I welcome the changes and want to encourage them from a more generous perspective. I’m no stranger to conflicting views, having participated in public forums on the internet for 45 years or so. But learning to engage them with respect and grace toward others requires sustained effort with, an in, God’s love and the love of God. This is something I wish to do better in this coming year and wish the same for all my past, present, and future friends and acquaintances. God bless you all in the the coming year!

https://open.substack.com/pub/abigailshrier/p/three-new-years-resolutions-for-americans

Remember George Floyd? Remember what you heard, saw, thought and said about the events surrounding his death? If it still matters, there’s more we should be aware of with a recently released documentary film called “The Fall of Minneapolis“. If our idea of justice includes trying to discern the truth, all the truth, in events like this maybe we owe it to ourselves to consider a perspective on those events that has been largely withheld from us until now. There is no real justice without truth.

Here is some discussion on these events by two guys who are no fools; who are intelligent, articulate and thoughtful. I’ve been listening to their discussions on a variety of topics for years and I trust their integrity. Here they interview the makers of the film in this podcast and ask probing questions about it. Below you’ll also find a link where you can watch the 102 minute film free of charge. There have been many heated discussions on social media where many people I know spent quite a bit of time supporting and promoting the dominant narrative surrounding these events. Now, years later, I wonder how many of them will take the time to seriously consider whether or not they were well informed. This is, at least, an opportunity.

https://glennloury.substack.com/p/the-story-behind-the-new-george-floyd

https://www.thefallofminneapolis.com/

The Message of Lamentations by Christopher J.H. Wright

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


During this Lenten season my scripture reading guide took me through the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations. To get more out of my reading, I read along with The Message of Jeremiah by Derek Kidner and this exposition The Message of Lamentations by Christopher Wright. Both of these books helped my reading immensely. During a time when our world is threatened by widespread sickness, it’s even more sobering to read of a time and place that was much more severe.

These books put their subject in historical and biblical context, giving the reader a much better picture of what it was like in ancient times for a city to be invaded by a cruel and powerful army; its starving people brutally treated, killed, led into exile in a foreign land. Forsaken by the God whom they had forsaken. Kidner and Wright also shed light from the New Testament on the writings of Jeremiah and Lamentations helping to connect their meaning with our own time and place.

It is difficult to read Jeremiah and Lamentations without help from those with in-depth understanding of them. This is probably the main reason these books of the Old Testament are largely ignored by Christians. Kidner and Wright do a very good work in showing what real gems are these biblical books.



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