Story by Steven James (January/February 2007)

[MarkLee]

For 2007's inaugural selection, I had planned on doing an old standby like Madeleine L'Engle or Philip Yancey. But this book catches my attention everytime I walk past it, and I've gotten a few good recommendations. So, there you have it.

Sorry for the delay here. Happy New Year and happy reading!

[googledoll]

Excellent choice! ;)

[woman4life]

My books are scheduled to be delivered on Feb. 12, but I checked and they are only about 20 minutes away from here now, so hopefully they'll get here early and I can get started. In the meantime, I'm reading, "Bridge to Terabithia" which is a children's classic. I'm familiar with the book, but have never read it, and I thought I'd pass it on to a girl at church who has really gotten into reading lately. I may see if she is ready for The Bronze Bow, yet. It might still be just a little above her, but not sure.

Added: O.K. I did read "Bridge to Terabithia" and it was a good book. I decided it was probably a bit much for a 4th grader thematically, especially without a lot of adult input. I did enjoy one line in the book especially where the little girl, Leslie, goes to church for the first time with her friend and family and hears the story of Easter. Leslie says, "It's crazy, isn't it?" ... "You have to believe it, but you hate it. I don't have to believe it, and I think it's beautiful."

Anyway, my books did arrive and I am currently reading Story. I am enjoying it so far and looking forward to discussion. I did post a blog about it here: http://blog.myspace.com/woman4life It's right under the blog about phishing - same date.

--Melanie

[googledoll]

I did a post on HAYSTACKS (here (http://haystacks.typepad.com/haystacks/2007/01/story_by_steven.html) and here (http://haystacks.typepad.com/haystacks/2007/01/discuss.html)) about one of the sections from STORY and got some good feedback.
James' writing style really draws you in.

[cknell]

Just finished echoes. I'm still a little confused about where Story is going or if it is a story that is going anywhere.

I think that the author is trying to justify our human condition based on the very eary stories told in the Bible, mainly Genesis to this point of the book. My other thought is that he is telling the story of the history of God and man in a segmented way.

I'll keep reading and hope to figure it out.

BTW, Andirae, I go through Waterville every now and then, very familar with it. My husband used to work at the primary school there. Love to chat with you sometime. Let me know when you'll be back in the area.

[Salome]

I've never participated before. I've bought the book and started reading. When do I need to have the book done, and when do we start discussing? Thanks.

[woman4life]

Just finished echoes. I'm still a little confused about where Story is going or if it is a story that is going anywhere.

I think that the author is trying to justify our human condition based on the very eary stories told in the Bible, mainly Genesis to this point of the book. My other thought is that he is telling the story of the history of God and man in a segmented way.

I'll keep reading and hope to figure it out.

BTW, Andirae, I go through Waterville every now and then, very familar with it. My husband used to work at the primary school there. Love to chat with you sometime. Let me know when you'll be back in the area.

The primary point of the book is that the "story" of Jesus starts not at the cross, nor does it end there. It starts in Eden. Much of the book demonstrates our need for a savior and the rest of the book demonstrates just how much Jesus loves us and what he sacrificed on our behalf. You need both sides of the story to really fully appreciate all that has been done. I am loving the book. I read most of it, and have just a chapter or so to go. I just have to remember to bring it out of the car so I can finish. LOL

[Salome]

Hello? Is anybody home?

[woman4life]

I responded to your comment. But maybe I'm not anybody? LOL (Sorry, bad joke.) Are you looking for something in particular?

I wanted to post this the other day, but I didn't have the book handy. In the inside cover of my copy, it says the following, which describes the point of the book:

"What does it mean? And what has it to do with you?

'The empty tomb doesn't make sense without the cross, the cross doesn't make sense without the manger, and the manger doesn't make sense without the Garden of Eden.' says Steven James. 'It's all one story. And only when you finally untangle it, see it unfold, and enter it for yourself do you realize that the story has finally entered and at last untangled you.'"

This is the purpose and context to which the book is written. Knowing that as you are reading may help.

[Godgrl Gomer]

'The empty tomb doesn't make sense without the cross, the cross doesn't make sense without the manger, and the manger doesn't make sense without the Garden of Eden.' says Steven James. 'It's all one story. And only when you finally untangle it, see it unfold, and enter it for yourself do you realize that the story has finally entered and at last untangled you.'"
That is beautiful.

[Salome]

:eek: Of course you're somebody!! :D But the questions I wanted answered are when do we need to have the book done by, and when do we start discussing? Thanks.

[Salome]

EDIT BY CORRINE: I accidentally deleted a comment by Yippy in which she answered Salome, telling her that she could start reading the book and discuss it here in this thread, as others already were.

Gotcha!! Thanks.

[cknell]

I've read through 'shadows' now. It's starting to make more sense. I'm really starting to enjoy the parallels and the connections that are made between what happened in Bibical times compared to today.

Sad to say, but we would probably treat Jesus the same way the Jewish priests treated Jesus then. Some would say that He, Jesus, doesn't conform to the strict religous sect to be who He says He is and reject Him for it, just like the Jewish priests did then. After all, look who He hangs out with? How many who claim to be Jesus are locked up in a psycho ward? Would we do that to the real Jesus?

I'm glad that we now accept Jesus for who He is after the fact and that Jesus did not listen to those in charge of governing the religous sect.

[w8ing4daybreak]

I'm not very far into this book yet, but I love his writing and I love the poetry. I'll comment more at a later time.

[Salome]

Flipping through the book, I'm glad I realized early on that "touching the unseen" is the beginning of the end of each chapter!! :p If I hadn't been flipping, it probably would have been on Chapter Last that I thought to myself "HEY!! Didn't he already use this title for one of his poems"? haha. And have you realized that each chapter begins and ends with one word? Chapter One -- Creation.......Significan ce.

I've skipped through the introduction and I made a couple of notes ..... I became a little defensive I suppose when I read of his feelings towards his "traditional and really old" -- "denomination that still used the 380-year-old King James Translation of the Bible" (his words) versus tattoo wearing, electric guitar, drum and dancing church. He compared his old church to a funeral and his new church to a wedding. A new experience or returning to something you haven't been a part of in a while, can lead to this refreshment. This past summer I left a jean wearing, guitar/drum praise band, coffee during 6 p.m. service for a 9 a.m. (yawn -- literally) stain glassed church with hymns being sung in their entirety accompanied by an organ. My soul is on FIRE!! My old church left my soul wanting -- fluff and gimmicks. And so I did not get his comment "The sermon wasn't all that memorable, but the joy of the people was". What do we go to church for? I asked myself. My soul is on fire BECAUSE of the sermons. The pastor is obviously a man of God who is sitting at His feet waiting to hear the Word to be preached. It's easy to find sermons or services that make me feel good. Not so easy to find the truth of God spoken without apology. I'm not negating his experience, just saying that I had a different one, and here it is. Thanks for indulging me.

I loved the visual of "But if our church wasn't even ready for a 20th century translation of the Bible, we certainly weren't ready for a naked ninth grader with skinny legs standing next to the pulpit yelling, "Why hast Thou forsaken me?" HAHA!! :D

[woman4life]

I know what you mean. There is a beauty in both types of worship. The real key is worship, knowing Christ and the heart of God. I've been to very alive traditional churches, and some that were pretty dead as well. I love your observations.

I had an online friend ask me a question a while back. It kind of caught me off guard. I did know the answer to a point, but still couldn't think of how to answer her on the spot. So after reading a portion of Story, I was just really touched at how he really dealt with the issue of sacrifice. She basically had asked me if Christ knew he would be raised from the dead it wasn't really much of a sacrifice was it? Anyway, I finally wrote this response for her here and cited the book:

http://woman4life.blogspot.com/

The citation is in the latter portion of the book about the crucifixion so it could be a little bit of a spoiler if you aren't there yet.

[Salome]

I enjoyed reading your blog woman4life. I thought it was right on. Are we still discussing Story? I haven't been good to write down my thoughts here on the chapters.

In chapter Creation the author opens up with words from Genesis 1. The author says that "Darkness and God lived side by side". Revelation 20:23 says "And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light." But Genesis 1 says "The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness". Not that it matters, but it is my understanding that it was just the earth in darkness. I can't imagine any place where God Almighty is as being in darkness.

Also, the author says that God "needed companionship because love gives, shares, sacrifices and woos. It has too. Or else it isn't love." It made me question, "Does God NEED anything"? Revelation 4:11 says "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created." This verse makes it sound like God didn't create us because He NEEDED us, but it was for His pleasure.

I loved the author's (Steven James) poem at the end of this chapter. Here it is for review:

oh, in the beginning, when you were alone,
did you dream of someone like me?
in the beginning, from soil and stone,
when you breathed out a world to be...
did you dream a great dream,
did it glisten and gleam,
for all of the angels to see?
in the beginning, in the depths of your heart,
were you thinking, already,
of me?

significance.

[woman4life]

Interesting point which I will give some thought. I'm not sure "need" is being used in the sense that God will not survive without us or anything. Obviously he existed before us. Perhaps it is need in the sense of being complete in what he desires. Love does usually require an object (recipient, not thing) to be complete does it not? Anyway, something to ponder. I do know that He desires to have a relationship with us and we were created for that relationship with him, no matter how far we seem to stray from it.

[MarkLee]

I found this great resource on Steven James' website:

http://www.stevenjames.net/displaypdf.php?f=pdf&t=resources&r=78

As we continue to discuss Story, these could serve as a good guide. I'd love to hear any responses you might have to any of these that hit you...

On a side note, don't let the fact that February is over deter you from discussing this (or any other) book. If it makes you feel any better, I'm still working through this book myself :D

-Mark

[jabob]

I know this is a bit late, but I'm going for it anyway. While I plan on going through quite a few of these, for now here are my thoughts on the questions for the introduction.

· The images that come to my mind at Easter are of crucifixion. I find that odd since Easter should be more about resurrection. I think the reason crucifixion comes first is that I grew up in a conservative church. There was much more talk of blood on Easter Sunday than there ever was of empty tombs.
· I have vivid Easter memories, but most of them are of a secular nature. My mother was very big on hiding Easter baskets for us every year. (She still buys us candy; I did convince her to quit hiding it when I was about 25) I remember new brightly colored clothes every year and it being one of the few Sundays where women wore hats to church. We went to my grandparents' house after church, where we had Easter Egg hunts. My reaction was positive as a child, indifferent as a young adult, but lately there has been a different reaction since our church does an Easter drama every year. It is fun, but it turns Easter into a deadline as well.
· I am trying to think of a holiday other than Easter that was originally religious but now is not. I think Easter may be unique in this. That being said, I think one of the reasons Easter does not hold the meaning it once did because we as believers do not want to be completely separated from the culture in which we live. As a result, we begin observing non-religious aspects of the holidays (especially when it comes to children) and it eventually erodes the spiritual meaning. We set out with the best of intentions, but once you start mixing the two, it gets difficult to tell them apart.

[woman4life]

In re: q. no. 1, my overall rememberances of Easter were good ones as far as I can remember. I remember an old reel to reel movie of us in the back yard in our "fancy" easter dresses baskets in hand. It's probably a good thing we did the egg hunt outside generally when the weather was good. LOL Missing eggs are not a pleasant thing otherwise. My mom did go to church with us on Easter when we were younger, but that pretty much stopped when we were older. But I recall it being a happy time.

As for the holidays becoming their mere "caricatures" of their original selves, I thought the original holidays were something other than Christian and we rather co-opted them to something better than they would have otherwise been. I do think as people get farther and farther from God, the more the cultural aspects of the holiday take on precedence or importance and the less they want to hear about the cross. After all, scripture does say the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It only makes sense that they would hang on to the pleasant traditions without necessarily delving into the rest.

So much for the first part. I'll have to check out the rest later. :)