Bonhoeffer - Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy - Eric Metaxas

The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his brave and relentless effort to keep Christian ethics and Christian life alive and well in Nazi Germany is an inspiring one. Bonhoeffer, a bright and intelligent man with strong intellectual and religious family roots, worked tirelessly to be a voice for the German people to hear when the National Socialist party of Adolf Hitler dominated the airwaves, political platforms, social scene, and German Evangelical churches of the 30's and 40's. His great concern that Hitler was becoming, for the people of Germany, a dangerous and evil idol caused him to cast aside concerns for his own safety. He began to work frenetically toward a split with the Nazi sponsored German Evangelical Church that fell to pressure by the Nazis and pledged loyalty and obedience to 'the Furhrer' instead of God. He was horrified by the Nazi state's isolation and persecution of Jewish citizens and knew that the blending of church and Nazism would create a false sense of piety and a dangerous rationalization for what the government proceeded to do to Jews, the disabled, the socially disenfranchised, and any who differed in opinions with Nazi leaders. So ... he spoke out from the pulpit, wrote articles for theological seminars, traveled extensively to communicate his concerns to other religious leaders and politicians, trained new, young German theology students in the ideas and ethics of Christianity and discipleship, and finally joined an ill-fated plot to remove Hitler from power.

His love of Germany and the German people and his family never waned; he was a devoted German. Never let it be said that he turned his back on Germany. He longed, however, for a return of the brightest and best of German ideals- love of God, honorable and hard-working life style, love for and cherishing of the arts and literature, honoring of honorable leaders who are God-fearing and good, and ethical behavior toward all citizens. The lies, evil, and self-serving superiority of the Nazi system was considered an evil to be rooted from German society. Bonhoeffer came to believe that it was imperative that German people must work toward that end. He paid the price for his resistance.

Eric Metaxas has written a deep and thorough exploration of Bonhoeffer's spiritual and ethical voyage, as he grew up and developed into one of the 20th century's most intelligent and respected theologians. It is, at times, very deep with its references to Scripture and philosophical theories. I will admit to having read the book with my Bible, a copy of Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship , and my computer by my side. Researching his peers, looking back at historical texts, and reading about the history of WWI and WWII helped me to place Bonhoeffer more firmly in his world and aided in my understanding of the issues, the philosophy, and the history of the German Evangelical Church and its roots with the German people. This is a powerful book ... and it seems fitting that I have finished reading it during this Holy Week. Bonhoeffer was a devout man, a devoted patriot, a brave and resolute man - one that comes along once in a very great while who makes such a difference. He loved the Lord and placed himself firmly on the side of the good Christian - he lived his beliefs and for that, he deserves our love and respect and prayers.

Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand

Since discovering that the secret for audio books and me is to play them in the kitchen while I am cooking or cleaning up, I have constantly had a tape or disc in the kitchen sound system. I have consciously had to stop the 'book de jour' to listen to NPR news, 'Prairie Home Companion' and 'Celtic Sojourn'. Now THAT is saying something when NPR and my fave radio gets pre-empted by an audio book, but I find I love being read to ... a real story, an adventure, or a fantasy!

 My latest adventure is Laura Hillenbrand's account of Louis Zamperini's whirlwind life and his harrowing war experience when he and his crew are lost at sea during WWII's Pacific engagement with the Japanese. Zamperini is a rowdy, smart assed,  young Italian kid from Torrance, California. He leads a rough and tumble life from childhood up through his teen years, a rowdy child who challenges all authority, has light fingers and a daring personality that gets him into all manner of scrapes with his parents, teachers, neighbors, and the law. When it seems that Louis is going to end up in the state juvenile system (or worse!), his older brother takes it upon himself to find a socially acceptable outlet for his younger rogue of a brother. He begins training him on the running track at school. After a few 'false starts', Louis settles in and becomes a track star ( all that running from the law and his parents HAD to come to something!). He progresses through high school track finals and into the college track system in the California state college system. He's fast and strong and because he is such a spirited personality, he gathers a following that supports him and pushes him to greater athletic heights.

Louis ends up qualifying for US Olympic track team and goes to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, placing respectably for a young up-and-coming track athlete. Returning home triumphantly clutching all sort of pilfered souvenirs of the German Reich and Germanic culture, he becomes a source of pride and chagrin for his followers and family. He's a fun and lovable rake with an incredible athletic talent! With aspirations for the 1940 Olympics (in Tokyo), Zamperini continues to train at USC  ... but alas, Tokyo backs out of hosting and Finland signs on ... and then war breaks out in Europe and the Olympics are cancelled.

The American military begins to ramp up and Louis joins up. Here, his life takes a major twist. Louis becomes part of a crew on a fighter plane that is ordered into the air war in the Pacific. His years of resilience and savvy on the streets of Torrance, dodging bullies and cops will look like child's play compared to what he's in for. A plane crash in the middle of the Pacific, a long fight for survival at sea with wounded crew mates, a stint in one of the notoriously harsh prison camps of the Japanese army, and finally rescue brings back a far more mature and heroic man.

Hillenbrand makes Zamperini seem larger than life, but really, the men of that WWII generation were larger than life. Young and full of promise, thrown into the biggest conflagration the world has known, they performed with a sense of adventure, loyalty to each other, honor for home and country, and humor and self-deprecation that took the horrors they saw in stride. It was the only way to go ... and they went there. And back again.

This is a great read, fast-paced, full of pluck and humor. The audio version is read by Edward Herrmann, a pretty well-known stage and television actor. His voice is perfect - resonant and expressive and his pacing is excellent also. It often feels like I am listening to a reminiscence around the kitchen table. I expect to look up and see a group of old geezers yakking up their times 'back in the day' - geezers now, young bucks then in their prime and willing to take on the world. I plan to share this book with my Dad. He might just like this easy listen. At 90, he was in that generation of soldiers, trained for the Naval Air Corps and knows those big old planes. I'm betting he will enjoy this story of one smart ass guy who made it through the hardest of times and came back to tell the tale.

Saturday Snapshot - Remembering Spring at Keukenhof

Back in 2005, my husband and I lived in Baden-Wurttemberg, a state in Germany. We had some friends come to visit us in the springtime, so we took them for a short trip to Amsterdam and the surrounding area. One of our side trips was to Keukenhof Gardens, near Lisse. It was the height of bulb season and we really were in awe. Here are a few pictures from that day. The last is a photo of me and my best friend, Nancy. We were positively ecstatic about being together in the Netherlands in springtime! 

I'm sharing these photos because we really need a shot of Spring here in the Northeast - it's still really cold and blustery in New Hampshire - there were snow showers this morning and there's an ugly rumour going around that we're due for a Northeaster on Monday. 

Oh dear, crocus and daffodil season seems a long way off!

Head on over to Alyce's blog to see what others are sharing for this week's Saturday Snapshot!

On Entering the Fray - Mag 160

Faun, Horse and Bird 1936 - Pablo Picasso

On Entering the Fray

The three come to the precipice

But only one looks down.

Another sneers and rears on back

Foot pawing at the ground –

A heady height, this mountain ledge -

Air thin and views obscured

Should they proceed on further

Ambitious, glory-lured ?

One faints with fear and gasps

A plea to stay below the fray

The other stamps and pushes on

Inpatient with delay

And one stoops low to contemplate

The nature of these wayfarers

A grasp at fate, a swoon and faint

He turns aside for prayer –

Let truth arise and fly up free

As we confront this day

Let all the froth of anger

In this blue be washed away.

Let meekness overcome the wrath

Of mighty tyrant's roar

And peace come to that valley

As it was, let it be more

And so they turn, rise on up

Turn back to hero’s chase

One eager, one with trepidation

The last with inner grace.

Each will earn a hero’s wreath

All in their ordered way

I wonder which one I might be

Were I present on that day ?

3/20/13 - edits, to follow

Note: Some awkward lines still need work here … but this piece fell together, as I contemplated the nature of war and battle and confronting fears and pushing limits. The classic nature of the image reminded me of the romantic and sometimes lyrical (?) nature of the poetry of the 19^th century soldiers, hence the rhyme and rhythm of the piece. 

This piece joins others submitted to Tess's weekly writing circle over at The Mag - pop over and see what others are sharing.

Reflection - Poetry Jam

Reflection

I sat last evening and looked across –

no, through the yard and marveled -

what light and life and space is here!

On one plane -

I threw a Frisbee for Pete and Mimi.

Their wonder was the arc of flight

and the fight for ownership.

On another plane  -

The birds jostled the feeder.

They chortled, clicked, fluttered …

branch, perch, across the meadow to the pines.

Still, in another plane –

A frenzied swarm of gnats.

Their wonder seemed the cool air currents -

Whirling in a vortex and sweeping upward.

Entering, from another plane –

there came a squadron of dragonflies, dipping.

They gnashed and clicked their way

Darting through the swarm.

Mimi stopped mid-play, stopped and

watched what she could not compete with.

Her look of wonder mirrored mine, I’m sure.

I sometimes pause when I shower.

I stand and think in the steam –

Just stand -  thoughts follow invisible planes

The water runs down my nose –

falls to the shower floor.

I watch the path of the droplets the entire way –

through space and time and thought to the spatter.

Sometimes my life is in focus.

-Susan Miller-Lindquist 3/20/13

Northern Lights

Northern Lights

“What cosmic dance these lights perform”,

I soft exclaimed upon that beach.

“No, sweet, you murmured in my ear,

 just particles on the solar wind.”

“Look how they move and undulate”,

I spoke with awe and clutched your arms,

wrapped tight around me from behind.

We stood quite still and watched the lights.

The waves broke soft upon that shore.

Breeze and water sang to the night.

Above, the sky opened ever more, 

As sheets of color swirled and swayed

Unconsciously, we moved with the dance,

leaned and twirled on planted feet.

All the while our necks bent upward,

Drinking the night and cosmic wind.

“Times like this are magic, you said,

they’ll not be repeated very soon.”

“I hope not, I whispered in your ear,

for this heart can’t stand such perfection”

So, the stars shone, the lights shimmered.

The waves curled in upon that shore.

And we, like drunken lovers, weaved

our cosmic dance back to our door.

- 3/16/13 

Rebecca - Daphne duMaurier

I read this book when I was in high school and full of girlish romantic leanings that I kept pretty close to my vest. I was not the most popular girl in high school; rather, I was one of the nameless and faceless rabble that rambled though the halls with long lank hair, wire-rimmed glasses, blue jeans and bohemian blouses, and boots or sandals scuffing the floors. Reading a romance about a similarly plain young woman who catches the eye of an older sophisticated man was just the literary medicine for my poor beleaguered adolescent soul.

I identified completely with the nameless young girl who marries Max deWinter and returns from a whirlwind honeymoon in Venice to the wild coast of Cornwall and the fantasy estate of Manderley. It was like 'Jane Eyre grows up and does a bit of time travel' . I loved it. I loved hating Mrs. Danvers and thinking that Frank Crawley was just like my real -life dear friend Billy Carr - faithful, steadfast, and always ready to whisk me away in his car to smoke cigarettes and talk endlessly. I had the same unhealthy obsession with the idea of Rebecca and just knew that she was 'a bad seed'. And I was stuck on Max ... until I learned that he had a very dark secret. Then, my sense of righteous anger turned on him and I wondered how on God's green Earth could my mousy alter-ego stay true to him, when she had Frank Crawley, the best of men, so steadfast and true as a friend ?

I just re-read the book of my youth and l am still enthralled by the story in all its proper romanticism. I love the languidness of the story's unfolding, the dark foreboding of the descriptions of the house and grounds around Manderley and the weather that settles over the estate as the summer passes and the events of Rebecca's secrets unfold. One thing that I notice, now that I'm older, is the detailed descriptions of the plants and flowers and bird life of the book. Ms. duMaurier was a lover of nature, as her knowledge of the natural world comes through clearly in the book. As I have grown older and become interested in gardening and the wildlife around our home I can read the book with  'another eye'.  That's the beauty of rereading old favorites; they become new because of our growing maturity.

That does it. I need to order up Hitchcock's cinematic version of 'Rebecca' for this week's screen time ... Netflix, here I come! What a nice return to my romantic roots ...

PS - Wasn't she a stunner !