Book Review: "The Giver"

 

This photo originates from https://www.amazon.com/Giver-Quartet-Book-ebook/dp/B003MC5N28/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=.

My wife, son and I are in the midst of a reading contest. The bad news is that it is going very slow. The good news is that I'm winning! "The Giver" by Lois Lowry is my second book in the contest. I told you it is going slow. The first person to read 31 books is the winner.

I confess, when I first started reading this book, I fell asleep while reading it at Namsa Public Library in South Korea. But let's not blame that on the writer. I had gone hiking with my family in the morning and apparently I was very exhausted.

I won't deny that I was tempted to shelf the book but since the whole purpose of this contest is to encourage my son to read the books we recently bought him, and since he chose this book as the next one I have to read, that didn't seem like a viable option.

So, I started again. And am I ever glad I didn't give up on it. I realized that the reason I fell asleep was not because the book was boring but that it is 100% contrary to my reality. I actually thought this was a book about communism. To put it bluntly, I thought this story was weird.

It's about a people who live in a community (So I was reading into community so much that I erroneously induced Communism, but can you blame me?) and everything is set up in a way that nobody questions anything. There's even a special time set aside to talk about "feelings," that seems like more of an accountability group where that's the only time one can talk about one's feelings. Nonetheless, I thought it might be a good model for my family to follow. I digress.

At the age of 12, children are given jobs. This is based on having been monitored by the powers that be for the last 12 years. Usually it's a good fit. Jonas, the main character, is assigned the task of "Receiver." His job is to carry the memories of the community passed on by the "Giver." Nobody else in the community has these memories. They know nothing of the past, only what happens now. They know nothing of color, diversity, or even love. Even the assembling of the "family" is not naturally but people are grouped together by the authorities.

Jonas's predecessor disappeared. She was "released," which he comes to realize means she was euthanized. If you are unfit for the community, this happens to you. But they don't call it death. Once Jonas realizes this, he and the Giver decide this is not good for the community and that they need to hold onto the memories, not the Giver and the Receiver. Jonas decides to escape with Gabriel, the baby his father is caring for as part of his job. He's about to be euthanized because he cries through the night except when he's with Jonas.

When Jonas starts going through puberty and having romantic dreams, he is instructed by his "mother" that he is to take a pill, which he obediently takes, but once he learns of love, not just in the erotic sense but in the agape sense, and realizes this is a good thing for a family to love each other, he stops taking the pill. 

Is his escape with Gabriel successful? It is indeed, and the place he ends up going is exactly the place he learned of in his first memory passed onto him by "The Giver." And Jonas ends up giving Gabriel memories, starting with when he slept in the same room as Gabriel, in Jonas's room. But then as they escape, though he starts to lose the full memories as he escapes from the community. 

The reader is not given information on what happens to the community after Jonas and Gabriel disappear. Perhaps the reader is left with the hope that both Jonas' and Gabriel's old and new communities experience color, diversity (not sameness) and of course, love in all its facets.

I highly recommend this book to anybody looking for a highly imaginative book that has the potential to challenge us in our current world where it seems we are aiming for some kind of sameness with a lack of diverse perspective. And as a Wesleyan, it's a good reminder that love is the essence of who we are as human beings, created in the image of God.

The Gospel of Luke

 

Image taken by Pedroivo via Pixabay.

I have finally finished the Gospel of Luke (St. Luke according to the KJV). As I may have mentioned before, I am reading through the King James Version of the Bible "backwards." I started with Revelation and have now read through Luke. The reason? I was challenged several years ago to read through the KJV but I got stuck on the law. The person making this challenge said I needed to read the New Testament so I thought this would be a good way to cut to the chase and also to see a reverse perspective of New Testament to Old rather than the other way around. Since some people read Jesus into the Old Testament anyway, I thought this would be an interesting way to see that perspective.

I should be much further than Luke by now but 2024 has been filled with drama with two relatives passing away (the drama is only related to one of them) and lots of back and forth, in the Bible, out of the Bible, in the Bible. I highly recommend reading each book of the Bible in one sitting but that is harder to do with longer books, like Luke, which has 24 chapters. It's much more meaningful to read books straight through and you get more of a sense of context than reading individual chapters.

I wish I could make a long list of differences I saw between John and Luke (the order I have read only two of the four Gospels) but with such intermittent reading, that is harder to do. I remember my notes from Bible School, that John presents Jesus as the Son of God, whereas Luke presents Jesus as the Son of [Hu]Man[kind]. I think specifically of the reference in Isaiah which Jesus read in the temple, in Luke 4.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias [Isaiah]. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (KJV, Bible Gateway).

Jesus added that on that day this Scripture was fulfilled. Who wouldn't want to be on the same side of one who brought in a kingdom, The Kingdom, which rescues people in such desperate situations.

The other thing that stuck out to me is when Jesus preached the Sermon on the "Mount," he was not on a mountain but on level ground. In Luke 6,

17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain... (KJV, Bible Gateway)

One ought be alarmed. Clearly, Luke's record is different. Whereas Matthew's Gospel portrays Jesus as the new Moses, Luke's Gospel is portraying Jesus as the Son of Man, the chief of all humans (really, it's another way of saying Son of God). Matthew's Gospel has a Sermon on the Mount and Luke's Gospel has a Sermon on the Plain.

One also cannot forget that Marconi, the great heretic (Great here does not mean superb) who read his Bible with scissors, so to speak, cherished parts of Luke's Gospel. I don't endorse that in the least but it is worth mentioning that there is an attraction to Luke's Gospel. Oftentimes, I have heard people recommend new Christians or those interested in learning about Jesus, start with John's Gospel. I personally recommend reading Mark's Gospel first since it is believed to be the first Gospel by some contemporary scholars (This is a red herring. I am choosing not to get into the debate about what a "scholar" is. Some would argue that scholars are only those who embrace the documentary hypothesis and other tools that are the result of Biblical Criticism. I think it is arrogant for me to say what consists of a scholar and what doesn't) and it is also the shortest. 

Up next, I'll be reading Mark's Gospel. I hope that will be done in one sitting, but stay tuned to see whether I'm able to accomplish that.

"Holes": A Book Review

 

This picture is from https://www.amazon.com/Holes-Louis-Sachar/dp/0440414806.

I saw this movie with one of my Uncle Kenneth at a curious time, after my paternal grandmother passed away. It was the first time this uncle and I saw a movie at a movie theater, and the only time. I didn't know much about it. I was a university student at the time. I don't remember it having much of an impact on me. But the experience with my uncle was certainly meaningful. I've never forgotten it.

Recently, I read the book. My wife purchased a bunch of books for my 9-year-old son to read. But the problem is, he is not reading them too aggressively, so I've been reading them to encourage him to read them. That's not having a lot of effect so far. Currently he and I are tied.

I have to say, I enjoyed the book much more than the movie. The main character is Stanley Yelnats (You bright ones will notice that his last name is his first name spelled backwards and vice versa). He was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was accused of stealing a famous athletes shoes. 

The judge gave him the choice of going to jail or "camp." He and his parents chose the latter. The boys at this so-called camp have one task everyday, to dig a hole five feet deep by five feet high. Once they dig one hole, they are done for the day and the rest of the time is theirs. 

Child abuse? Of course! And that's why the "camp" eventually gets shutdown. The timing of it is curious. A boy whose alias is "Zero" runs away from the camp. He is actually the boy who stole the shoes that fell on Stanley. A few days later, Stanley worried about him dying in the desert and so he went looking for him.

Surprisingly, he found him and they went up a mountain Stanley was curious about, stayed there for a few days where they found water and then they went down the mountain and returned to camp. While they were gone, a lawyer arrived at the camp to rescue Stanley. 

Stanley could have just left on his own but he was worried about Zero. So it worked out that Zero went with Stanley, thanks to the attorney. While the Attorney General looked for records, he found there were some peculiarities about this camp that go all the way to the Warden. 

Of course, digging the holes wasn't just for building character in the boys but the Warden wanted to find buried treasure. 

There was a white woman who kissed a black man and he got killed for it. Way back when, it was illegal for an African American to kiss a white woman but the opposite was totally legal (Explain to me how that double-standard works out). 

At this time in my life, I had rarely met African Americans as it was prior to my seminary experience in Kansas City. This part gripped me much more while reading the book than what I remember when I watched the movie.

This book reads much like a movie and if you make it to the last five chapters, you will be gripped for the remainder of the book. I haven't read a book that keeps my attention like that for a long time.

This book is highly recommended, though there are a few swear words, which is disappointing given that I  am trying to encourage my son to read it. But aside from that, the plot is good and it will especially grab the typical American boy who likes a story of triumph, where justice is restored.

As for Zero, you'll have to read the book for yourself to find out whether he has to go to jail or juvenile hall or some kind of boys camp for what he wrongfully did. But rest assured, you'll be encouraged.

"American Prophet": A Review

If one wants to read about the political issues during the Donald Trump presidency, this is your book. The main character is a prophet whom God speaks to through dreams. He can tell the difference between a God-initiated dream and a regular dream. It may be the surreal nature of  dreams that sets these "visions" aside. 

Perhaps it's my living in another country that shelters me from the news about the US, but I don't recall hearing any politician talk about the core issues during the presidency of Donald Trump and his responsibility of how he handled those issues. Upon reading this book, the reader will pick up on a progressive Christian perspective. The real names of those involved in leading the country have been changed but the reader will quickly recognize who they are.

The reader is to be warned. There are references to drinking alcohol, and the prophet does commit the sin of a one-night stand. There is occasional profanity, too. Being the tea-totaling Nazarene that I am, I think this book could maintain its message without these things, so take it as you will.

If these things don't bother you, it will be an easy read that puts historical events like the killing of an African American by a police officer, riots, hurricanes and Covid-19 into perspective.

More to the point is that it leaves the reader with a question to wrestle with, what to do when one knows trouble is coming and how to save lives in the immediate. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

It's Okay!

 

Photo by Noel Bauza via Pixabay.

I had the most novel dream recently. I went to my wife's hometown in Chuncheon-City, Gangwon Province in South Korea. I wanted to take pictures of the mountainous area but I didn't get the chance because it rained all weekend. Well, in my dream I got quite the pictures.

The photo above doesn't do justice. I was hiking in snow-covered mountains, going crazy with pictures. I even had a fancy camera (I believe you avid photographers call it a DSLR camera). When lo and behold,  there my deceased Uncle Leland appeared. Naturally, I took a picture of him and then we talked.

Mostly we talked about how everything went south with his intellectual property. To understand this situation, you need to understand the heavy heart I've been carrying. This uncle told me when I lived in the US that he wanted me to be the executor of his estate and apparently he told several other people about it, too. But once I moved out of the US, that was no longer practical. I asked him several years ago about his estate and he said he had made provisions. Well anyway, through all of that drama that happened with his intellectual property (i.e Facebook page, Tumbler account, self-published books on Amazon) either being deleted or books no longer allowed to be published through no choice or action of my own, I carry a heavy heart daily, wishing "if only." 

How nice that I got to express this to him, even if it was in a dream, and tell him how sorry I am that I didn't protect his things better. I told him I was sorry and how bad I felt and he said, "That's okay." 

One would think that would've made me feel better but it didn't. I tried to compromise with those who are in authority on those matters and I lost them, too. And so now it seems a huge loss.

And I carry it with me. No, I wouldn't call it a cross. That's a whole different matter altogether. Needless to say, the dream didn't really settle me. It was more upsetting in some ways that I couldn't really talk to my beloved uncle who was now gone. But I fretted over things more and there are still thoughts in the back of my mind about taking action for justice, but then I think, "What would I gain?" What has been done is done. It's probably best to leave dead dogs lying, as the saying goes.

And so, I go forward, remembering the lessons I learned from Uncle Leland, grateful for the dreams where I get to meet him, grateful for the resources that he left behind that I get access to, that I can read about those parts of him that I didn't know very well. And, as embarrassing as it is to admit, there were lots of things I didn't know about him.

May he rest in peace and "may the Lord of peace himself give [me] peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of [us]. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NRSV 

Bible Reading Plans

 

Photo by [doungtepro] via Pixabay

I wanted to share some ways I read the Bible these days. 

1. Reading the Bible Backwards

One way that is intermittent, is reading the Bible "backwards." I started in Revelation and am currently in Luke. It's been more intermittent recently. I think this works best when reading books of the Bible in one setting. But that's been harder as of late. 

2. "Keys for Kids"

Another way that I've done with my son recently is with "Keys for Kids." Here is the link. Currently, there is a challenge for kids to read the scripture passages and the devotional. This is what got my son interested. The name of the summer reading program is "Word with Zach." Here is the link for that. Upon starting with this, I thought it was a "canon within the canon" where the focus is on Pauline literature but upon further investigation there is also Old Testament and Gospel reading as well. I think it's a good way to get kids interested in the Bible when they aren't interested in reading whole chapters.

3. "Bible Baptist of Belzview"

Another way which I've done hit and miss is with Bible Baptist of Belzview. Here is the link for that. If you are looking for reading from the KJV that doesn't have any roots to the Roman Catholic Church or the Revised Common Lectionary, this could be a good option for you. Or, if you're like me and you get distracted easily and having emails sent to you that remind you to read the Bible, this could be a good resource. As far as I know the chapters and books are not planned according to theme like lectionaries might be. The point is to read the Bible in its entirety.

4. "Revised Common Lectionary"

If you're looking for a more historical approach, the Revised Common Lectionary might be a good approach for you. These readings are matched according to their themes in accordance with the Church Year, which Roman Catholic, Orthodox and more classic Protestant Churches as a whole follow, such as the United Methodist Church, Lutheran Church, Episcopal/Anglican Church et cetera. I prefer the Book of Common Prayer among these but if you're looking for a more neutral resource, Vanderbilt University has a well-organized website. Here is that link. If you want to see my favorite way for connecting with the Church internationally, here is a link to The Online Book of Common Prayer which includes daily readings called the Daily Office Lectionary as well as the Lectionary. Here is the link for that.

5. "Lectio 365"

One more way that I have followed off and on is with Lectio 365, an app provided for free from 24-7 Prayer. This is not to be confused with the International House of Prayer. That's a different organization. The app is available for both Android and iPhones. Here is the link for that. 

I'll update this with other reading plans I find. You're welcome to share your own ideas in the comments. I might look at these different platforms for future review. Let me know what you like and I'll start with that.

Korean Daybreak Service

Image from Pixabay.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us... (Hebrews 12:1, RSV) (Bible Gateway)

 I've been attending daybreak services, called 새벽기도회, (sae-byeok-kido-hoi). The church I attend has services at 5:00 and 6:10 am. I go to the 5:00 am service because it enables me to get home by 6:00 am, in time to wake my son up so he can start on his schoolwork and get ready for school.

This is quite the paradigm shift for me. I've probably mocked the notion of having a service that early in the morning as false religion, excessive worship or something like that.

What brought this change on? Well, two people I was close to have passed away recently. The first was my Uncle Leland Dirks, who was discovered dead on February 15, 2024. The second was my Korean-American second cousin (no pun intended), Mee Ae Wolney, who died on April 4, 2024. It seems that more and more of the people in my life who have had such a great impact on my life are dying. In some ways, it is beginning to feel like God is the only one I can count on.

Actually, I started going to daybreak services to pray for Mee Ae, that God would heal her. It seemed to be working well. She started getting better. Then I missed two days and during that time is when she passed away.

So back to the daybreak services. Here is the worship sequence. It's quite simple.

1. Everybody recites the Apostles' Creed.

2. Everybody sings a hymn from the back of our Bibles (Korean Bibles have a mini-hymnal in the back).

3. A short sermon (In smaller churches, the senior pastor usually preaches but my church has enough associate pastors that there is a rotation). Right now, they are preaching a series on 1 Kings.

4. The pastor then closes in prayer, which ties into the benediction.

5. The pastor then reads the names of people who gave offering. Offering is given by placing money in envelopes and writing one's name and placing it on the podium/mini-pulpit comparable to a music stand. 

6. Brief mention of prayer requests.

7. People are then encouraged to raise their hands and cry out "주여" (Ju-yeo, which means "Lord) three times. Then people pray individually, quietly or out loud. The officiating pastor prays at loud at first and then either sits down with the congregation to pray or leaves the room where the service is being held. 

To my surprise, this service gives me a surge of energy. I have to get up at 4:00 am, so naturally, I'm sometimes tired. But if I don't go to the service then I feel tired and guilty for not going. So the reward for going far outweighs the inconvenience of getting up before the crack of dawn.

I think one of the reasons why this prayer meeting is so meaningful to me is that I'm not just praying alone. It reminds me of Hebrews 12:1, quoted above, that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. I feel like I am surrounded by those witnesses. When I don't know what to say, I love to watch people pray. It gives me encouragement and a hope that they are also praying for me and that while God hears their prayers, that God will hear mine also.