IN WHICH BEAR DECIDES TO CREATE A BOOK LIST, AND REMEMBERS JACK LAYTON

For some reason, I haven't been doing much book reading lately. I've been busy on the internet, with blogs and other articles (particularly journal items related to medicine and medical ethics).

So I decided to become more intentional about reading of things other than electronic. (No, I don't have a Kindle account.)

The challenge is that I rarely read fiction. I always think there's more interesting and important reading to do. But that's life when you're a Bear.

• Only One Way Left. This is a re-read of a book by the founder of the renewed, rebuilt Iona Community, George McLeod. Celtic Christian insights into everyday life.

• Living with Chronic Illness: Days of Patience and Passion. Cheri Register's book talks about what the title says. It's based on her experience, and the experience of other living with chronic illness.

• A History of Wales. John Davies book, originally entitled Hanes Cymru in Welsh, begins with data from pre-historic times, and ends with material from about 1990. A lot has happened in Wales since, but to understand the present, one needs to know something of the past.

• The Spirituality of Imperfection: Storytelling and the Journey to Wholeness. The book, by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham, focuses on our ordinary life, with all it's imperfections — which they say are the norm. It's learning to live with those imperfections which helps us. Quite a bit of material from Alcoholics Anonymous is included.

• God Hates Religion: How the Gospels Condemn False Religious Practice. Christopher Levan, retired Principal of a Canadian theological college, tackles the contemporary frustrations of church people and others, who are seeking a wholesome, lived Christianity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. (I'm wondering if  it might be a commentary applicable to the "Christian Right" in both Canada and the U.S.)

Hmmm. Well, that'll keep me going for a while. If I miss your blog, you'll know what I've been reading other things, and haven't got to you. Yet.

Blessings and (gentle) Bear hugs, friends!

FOOTNOTE:

On my Bears Noting blog I have included some notes from Saturday's funeral for Jack Layton.

STRANGE THINGS DONE BY THE MIDNIGHT SUN*

As some of you may be aware, Bear has a total of five blogs. Yes, five of 'em. Most of you are accustomed to being part of Chrome on the Range and Bears Noting.

But there are three others. One deals with things spiritual and religious. One deals with ethics, particularly medical ethics. And one is written in French. Entirely in French. Yes, I admit to being a bit of a peculiar Bear.

There is an explanation. Bear, being in better fame of mind these days, is starting to use all five blogs. I don't want my mind to rot — totally. The creative juices are starting to flow again. I would not want you to be bored by reading just one or two blogs. So, the ethics blog and the French blog are coming back "on line" this week. I don't use them as much as my main two, so I'll warn you when I'm posting there. Maybe I should say "advise you" when I have something thereabouts.

Happy reading!

* With apologies to Robert Service, Canadian poet.

DEPRESSION HURTS (3) Being Positive

Often, people who are depressed are told to "keep a positive attitude about life."

If only.

I'm reminded here of a little bit of repartee between John Wayne and Frank Shuster, of Canada's iconic comedy team of Wayne and Shuster. (Sadly, they're both dead; we could use their talents today!)

John:  Only fools are positive.
Frank:  Are you sure?
John:  I'm positive.

Well, so much for a positive outlook on life.

That said, however, I keep looking for positives in my life. Mostly, I force myself to do as much as I can every day. That's the bit about walking Sadie and cooking supper in my earlier blog piece about depression. Even if it's only chopping up some wood in our wood pile and lighting a fire, or cleaning up in the yard, or doing something in the house. My concentration isn't good enough to do some serious reading, and there are some things I want very much to read. (I really do enjoy reading.) It is far too easy for me to simply get up, feed Sadie and put her out, have something to eat, and collapse back into bed. Especially when every muscle in my body hurts, and I feel like I'm crawling through life. Literally crawling. As in going as fast as I can, and still losing the race with the tortoise.

The situation isn't helped when I sleep so poorly at night. My doctor has given me some medication to help with that. But it doesn't help. So we'll have to find something else. Otherwise, I'll keep getting up, going through my morning routine, and going back to bed until noon, then getting up for lunch, and trying to do some additional things in the afternoon, or into the evening.

It's not a great way to live, but "I'm doing the best that I can" for the time being. (Humble doesn't even register in my mind; humble, as in Mac Davis' song "O Lord, it's hard to be humble," with its line about "I'm doing the best that I can.") I would so much like to do more. But when simple tasks feel like they require moving a mountain, things are a bit challenging.

This morning's question: Will I make it to Church of Morning Worship today?

P.S.: Yes, I did make it to Morning Worship, and I'm glad I was there.

CRAZINESS IN CHURCH

When people think of religious communities (or "institutions"), like "churches," they seldom think of the risks involved in working within one.

The risks are very high, as I've noted on my "Desert Epiphanies" blog.

I realize that's not the kind of reading most people want to do, which is why I posted it elsewhere.

Take a look, if you dare. (I should put a warning on this; it could be un-nerving.)