Thank you, Clive Staples Lewis

It all started when my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Osterman, gave our class copies of "the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" for Christmas (but I'm not actually certain if I read it then or not).  In the last two or three months though, I did read all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia books, and I don't want to sound really dramatic (though I often am), but it changed me.  Each book provided food for thought regarding some of the big issues going on in my life right now, and helped me think about the way I relate both myself and Jesus to other people.  They were every ounce what I needed.

If I could share anything in the world with you, it wouldn't be my silly 24 year old insight.  No, like Ms. Osterman, it would be the wonderful children's books by C.S. Lewis.  But really... I have actually bought several copies of each book for this purpose, and would love to share!

What these books manage to do is explain Christian theology in such a way that doesn't push people away, shows Jesus's heart, and makes you forget for a second about all of the negative things that Christians, the church, and society as a whole have attached to religion.  What he did with these books is really just beautiful.  To spell it out: I would strongly encourage you to read them, regardless of what your belief system or current stage of life may be.

Initially, one book ("the Horse and His Boy") stood out as my least favorite, but in retrospect it was the one that I need to mull over the most.  I could talk about these books for every blog post between here and Christmas, but for today, I'll just focus on this one book and what it confronted me with.

 I had a 6 hour bus ride to Cleveland for work today, 

so decided to take a break from reading about domestic violence 

to reread "the Horse and His Boy" from my giant anthology.

As you may imagine, I finished the whole thing.

The book is centered around a boy (Shasta), a girl (Aravis), and two horses (Bree and Hwin). Aslan, the lion, is the main character in the books, and represents Jesus in a really great way.

To over-summarize, so as not to give too much away (because I trust you will read or reread it): They go on a journey, they get separated for a bit, and it is all very stressful.

During all of this, the kids each encounter Aslan on their own.  Both children ask Aslan about what he was doing for a third party, and he tells both children that it's not for them to know.

              

[Shasta]  “Then it was you who wounded Aravis?" 

[Aslan] "It was I."

              [Shasta] "But what for?" 

              [Aslan] "Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but 
             his   own.”

Wow.  How very much like God, and how very much like me. 

On my laundry list of quarter-life crisis struggles, wondering why God seems to be giving me and others answers that are in conflict, and just wondering why he is putting so-and-so through such-and- such (I am as good at oversimplifying my life as I am the Chronicles books) is just taking up too much of my time, prayer, and worries.  

Thank goodness for Lewis's Lion, who said it so simply and perfectly.  God reveals his plans for our lives in his own time, and that is all we can ask for and all we really need.  It's a bittersweet pill to swallow (and thus I had to read the book again today). 

In closing, here is another great quote from the book that I found some comfort in:

"I have now lived a hundred and nine winters in this world and have never yet much such a thing as Luck.  There is something about all of this that I do not understand: but if we everneed to know it, you may be sure that we shall."

And a link to a lovely song...