Our Adventuresome Lives

Beautiful Thoughts

We are truly blessed to still be in touch with two dear friends from Hume days, who also happen to be married. The Trues. They are pursuing the path that God has them on, which includes Tim attending Episcopal seminary in Tennessee. Their path is way more complex and beautiful than what I am portraying and they minister to us in their obedience and through their servant’s hearts. Both of them are also gifted with words and it is a treat to receive their monthly newsletter, to keep up with them and their family and what God is doing in their lives. This last letter, focusing on Hope in Advent, had some interesting thoughts that moved me and that I’d like to share:

“Vergil, the great Roman poet, is perhaps best known for his Aeneid.  It tells the story of what happened to the Trojans who survived the fateful war with the Greeks, how they sailed off under the competent and selfless leadership of Aeneas into the Mediterranean and faced hardships and adventures, and how eventually they landed on the shores of Italy and founded a new Troy, Rome—more or less anyway.

Well, if the Aeneid is Vergil’s best-known work, coming in a close second—and this is where I want to focus—is his fourth Eclogue.  Sometimes referred to as his “Messianic” Eclogue, it is a poem concerned with life in the here and now, and how it is not like it used to be, once upon a time, in the good old days; but also how we human beings have reason to hope in a coming new age.  A maiden—another word for virgin—is mentioned.  Then, a child will enter the scene, Vergil says, one like a son of the gods.  And with his arrival the age of iron will begin to diminish, eventually to cease.  This boy will grow into a man, and he will rule humanity with his father’s wise and benevolent virtues.  Of its own accord the earth will pour forth gifts to the boy, the lion will no longer kill or injure the flock, and all snakes will perish.  Ship merchants will no longer have need of crossing the seas, for each land will yield over-abundantly for its inhabitants.  And so on.

But you get the picture, right?  This poem, which beautifully expresses a popular hope in Vergil’s day of a coming new age, with a little imagination could be referring to Christ Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, who left his rightful place in heaven and took on humanity, becoming God incarnate.  This Christ was born of a virgin, lived as a man, died, was raised, and now sits at the right hand of his Father until he should come again in his fullness.  Moreover, his teachings when he walked the earth were radical for his day, calling for everyone but especially those who identified themselves as God’s people to love even their enemies.  And, as you know, in the context of Jewish life under Roman political authority such love was no easy task. But isn’t this what Vergil is saying?  Isn’t Christ’s “fullness” the same thing as Vergil’s coming new age?  Most Christians thought so throughout the Middle Ages.  Some still think so today.

Now here’s the interesting part.  Vergil was an Augustan poet.  That means he lived and worked and wrote in the time of Augustus.  He died, in other words, before Jesus was ever born.  Some fifteen years in fact. Who was the boy then that Vergil had in mind? Augustus?  Augustus’s anticipated son?  Was Vergil thinking of a specific person at all? Much has been made of these questions, and not just by pre-modern Christians.  The simple answer is that we don’t know.  But what we do see here, clearly, is that ideas about a coming new age were in the air.  Such ideas and hopes were not just in the Essenes of the sectarian Qumran community.  They permeated even the upper classes of Rome.”

There are two things in particular that I love in this. The first are the descriptions of Jesus, by both by Vergil and Tim. They give me goosebumps of excitement. Like my whole body, in spite of myself, gives God glory for who He created and what He has done. The second is that God is mysterious. We don’t understand His ways. If there is one thing I have gleaned on my spiritual walk with God, in my learning of Him with Him, is that there are no bounds to what He can use, do, and say. Who are we to limit Him? I love that there are so many unknowns in this story. That He could have been speaking and revealing Himself to Vergil. Whispering His great plan into his ear. Whispering to a famous poet who had the ears and minds of people of influence open to him. God spoke of the coming of His son, of His divine plan for hundreds of years before He physically placed His Son in this place. It was no secret. He was very clear about His plan, what He intended to do, but not exactly how He planned to do it. Clear, but also mysterious; still we could not grasp it. Some people today still don’t. But what a beautiful story of love and sacrifice, redemption and peace. Hope. One that we all need. One that we don’t deserve. But one that has been given to us so generously. 

I love this story. It is a great reminder and mind bender. It is a beautiful message of hope and then fulfillment. Exactly what we should be focused on at this time of year: as we anticipate, remember, and celebrate Christ’s birth and God’s most incredible gift to us. We need to remember that God is huge. God is mysterious. But He and His story are whole. Even though we haven’t come to the end of it yet…

-Dione

BIG HOUSE vs. small house

So, most people were really excited for us, that we’d get to move into this big beautiful house. We were incredibly thankful to find it, as there are few decent houses on the rental market. A select few of our friends worried for us and knew it would be hard since we have truly embraced and exercised a simple lifestyle that doesn’t require a lot of space and definitely not a lot of stuff. This has been intentional. When you visit a village in Africa, or even rural Mexico, where a family of 7-12 share a one room hut/house, you can’t help but ask yourself why we feel like we need so much. There is certainly a difference between need and want and that is a distinction we have tried to keep straight in our heads as we have lived life in Orange County and raised our kids in a ridiculously affluent area. I have to say, we certainly don’t have it all figured out and haven’t lived it out perfectly, far from it…believe me. But no matter our failures, we try to keep it in mind. Embrace it. Live this value. 

So, the new bigger house has been great and a challenge. Cleaning is a bear. Honestly, I haven’t even really tackled it yet, wholeheartedly, since we don’t own a vacuum. Yet. As soon as we have that integral piece of equipment I will be more motivated to instruct our children on their new cleaning jobs around the house. That and when I finally get enough cleaning supplies in each bathroom. I just don’t want everyone to have to tote around a big bucket of cleaning supplies all over the house. I am still figuring out the logistics. And I have to say that even though the cost of living is supposed to be much cheaper out this way, I am finding that just keeping three bathrooms stocked with toilet paper is a considerable monetary drain. Small, I had figured out. One bathroom, though cramped, I had figured out. I am currently swinging on the learning curve. 

So, even though we are comfortable here in this big elegant house, there are a few things I miss. I miss the sound of the rain. You just can’t hear it in this gigantic brick structure, no matter how hard you try. I miss my wood burning fireplace. No, ceramic logs with real flames don’t suffice. And I miss that the kids now have their own rooms, since I don’t hear giggles any more at bed time. Or for my daughters who were still sharing a room until we moved here three weeks ago, who would share their hearts with each other as they went to bed with tears, laughter, and/or deep conversations only they could have together. Yes, I mourn that. And that it takes them 20 minutes to dart in and out of each other’s rooms saying good night every night. It puts a real damper on bed time, but warms the heart that even though they are teens (in body if not years yet in Eden’s case) they still love each other and want to be together. 

And just to make sure that I don’t come across as a complaining hum drum, here are some things I love about this house. The big windows and the light that streams in through them in the morning. The bird feeder that, now full, attracts birds I have only read about or seen in pictures or movies before. Cardinals. Robins with their red breasts. Black-capped Chickadees. Bluebirds. House Wrens. They are a treat to watch. I wish they’d come all day long instead of just in the morning and at sunset. But they are wise. There are hawks to be avoided for sure. The enclosed porch which is the only place to hear the rain when it comes, especially when there are thunderstorms so it is warm enough to leave the door open to the drippy symphony. The forest that surrounds this place. I know there is more I will grow to love. There is one whole room we still can’t even use and I have a feeling that one might become my favorite. My long sought after library. All our books, two cozy chairs, and a stand-up piano will probably bring bliss to this home. 

-Dione