Logocentric (adj).Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).
Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:
I have always enjoyed the longer distance running and skiing. The Marathon in Summer Olympics and the 50km Mass Start in the Winter. My wife can't understand how I can watch the same race for several hours. But they are fascinating to me. I like the Downhill Slalom, Bobsled and Luge sports. Attending a Winter Olympics remains on my bucket list.
My favorite sporting events in the Winter Olympics are the Luge, Bobsled, Figure Skating and curling. Initially, I thought I would be bored with curling but I'm not. It's fascinating how they determine each glide's angle and potential score.
When my children were younger we built them a luge course, they loved it. We were lucky that winter to have lots of snow to build up the walls and with some help with pallets that we covered with snow, it kept them and the neighborhood kids busy until it warmed up and melted. I was a lot more at ease with the luge course than I was when they decided to try arial jumps off our house roof. Never a dull moment when you live in Maine.
I am reading ESV through the Bible this time. Like you, I've explored a bunch of translations. My church uses NIV but my women's Bible study group (part of the same church) varies based on what Bible study we're doing.
Hope you enjoy the Olympics! I agree that the every four year thing makes them feel more special.
I read the New American Bible, which is a Catholic Bible. (NABRE) They include Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, which generally aren't included in other versions of the Bible. I would be curious to read an orthodox bible or the Ethiopian Bible as I hear they have differences as well.
As for the Olympics, I love the Winter Olympics. I'm just crossing my fingers I have time to watch!
In terms of the original texts the NASB has the best reputation among conservative scholars. It looks at more translations, has a sensible hierarchy of text selection and the best principles for approaching the translation task. It favors original texts when possible. The ESV and NKJV are on a similar level. The Net Bible gives the best overview of the discussions in its commentary. The NIV renders the original text to make it more readable. It is a more functional text which is why many churches use it but it is also less precise. Greek or Russian orthodox are more Septuagint orientated and there is a considerable amount of ethical or emotional rendering to the text.The disadvantage of the NASB is that it loses much of the Hebrew poetical style in its effort to be precise as this does not translate into the English
I'm very fortunate to have met some practicing and humble Christians. Truly humble people seek to serve, not attain power and influence. The actions of many Christians make me run the opposite way... as fast as I can.
In his book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee states: "Nothing has done greater damage to our Christian testimony than our trying to be right and demanding right of others. We become preoccupied with what is and what is not right. We ask ourselves,' Have we been justly or unjustly treated?' and we think thus to vindicate our actions. But that is not our standard. The whole question for us is one of crossbearing".
Jeff, this is an excellent book. Perhaps one for your reading list?
I know pretty much all the lyrics to this song and I can almost never get all the way through singing along without choking up at some point. I didn't used to get like this, but I think the lyrics and the sentiment in the song have really affected me as my own life experience has grown over the years. When Dixie Chicks' album Taking The Long Way came out in 2006, my wife and I listened to the album a lot and actually went to see them in concert for the Accidents & Accusations Tour for this record.
At the time, I just thought the songs were catchy and they were great performers. I was peripherally aware of the 2003 controversy when lead singer Natalie Maines said that she was against the war in Iraq and ashamed that then-President George W. Bush was a fellow Texan following his decisions about the Iraq War... but I was also a twenty-something kid just a few years out of college who really didn't have a lot of experience with controversy. Public backlash to someone's political speech was still relatively new and unusual, long before social media practically turned that into a national pastime.
In the years since, I've gained a lot of respect for people who stand up for what they believe in, particularly Dixie Chicks, who were under an immense amount of pressure to apologize for their statement, and were subjected to ridicule, harassment, and derailed careers as a result of standing by what they said. And on top of all that, two years later they released this album and it wasn't some apology or admission of wrongdoing, it was a fiercely defiant, "Hey, we stand by what we said and we're still here" statement, with the first physical track being "Not Ready to Make Nice" and then "The Long Way Around" following. I think true courage is in short supply, and the fact that Dixie Chicks didn't just make the statement, but also stood by it, refused to cave to intense pressure where many would have just pretended to apologize and salvage their careers, and came back with convictions as strong as ever.
On a personal level, this song just kind of hits me too. The opening verse
My friends from high school
Married their high school boyfriends
Moved into houses in the same ZIP codes
Where their parents live
of the song is eerily similar to my experiences growing up, where probably half of my friends and classmates ended up staying less than an hour's drive of the houses they grew up in. Most of them work comfortable jobs and have houses, where my wife and I moved to an expensive city and chose careers we were passionate about, but didn't come with a lot of material success at first. Whenever we go home, we constantly face questions of, "So when are you guys going to get it together and buy a house?" The main refrain
I've been a long time gone now
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way somehow
By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
of this song really hit me hard.
Now that my wife and I are approaching middle age, we've had a lot of years together and they've been amazing, but also full of mistakes and missteps, uncertainty and complications. I absolutely love this song and will often listen to it on repeat when I need a little encouragement. Because the truth is that life isn't easy, especially when you're trying to follow your heart and it doesn't always line up with the easy way or the thing that everyone else thinks you should do.
The ending verse has become one of my mantras at various times over the years, because the long way around may be difficult, but it's sure been a pretty incredible journey at the same time:
Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
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