I read the chapter Berlin this week. It was my favorite chapter so far. Dietrich experiences a real heart change. We might say, his theology shifts from head knowledge to heart knowledge.
"It became clear to me that the life of a servant of Jesus Christ must belong to the Church, and step by step it became plainer to me how far that must go."
How I loved reading about him and his students...and his confirmation class in Wedding.
Living with budding theologians and unruly confirmants alike...and taking personal interest in them all.
It reminded of the year Emma spent living among the poor in Chicago.
"Bonhoeffer's recurring theme of incarnation--that God did not create us to be disembodied spirits, but flesh-and-blood human beings-- led hi to the idea that the Christian life must be modeled. Jesus did not only communicate ideas and concepts and rules and principles for living. He lived. And by living with his disciples, he showed them what life was suppose to look like, what God had intended it to look like.
It was not merely intellectual or merely spiritual. It was all these things together, it was something more. Bonhoeffer aimed to model the Christian life for his students. This led him to the idea that, to be a Christian, one must live with Christians." ~Eric Metaxas
This modeling the way of living and loving and learning. It can be effective.
Such a good chapter. Just read this chapter...its a real special one.
****
We spent the weekend in the big blow-up bounce-house for volleyball this weekend.
We had our first and last tournament in the Dells. Katie and her teammates played and played and waited and played and reefed. Over and over and over.
They girls loved it. Only the five hour wait between two of our games on Sunday was a real bummer for all of us....but the girls played the best they have all season. They won five matches out of nine. Yesterday we arrived in the Dells at 7:30 and headed home at 7:30.
The parents were bleary eyed. They girls were still looking good.
Weird.
We just loved the coach, Morgan.
They girls learned, improved and had a lot of fun.
Good times.
Why am I the only one who looks tired?
At the beginning of the matches the teams greet the fans.
Go OTT!
(over the top)
On to .......softball!
Encourage one another,
Donna
"Reefed" -- that sounds a bit sketchy ;-) just kidding.
ReplyDeleteI am jazzed to pick up my DB book again, especially after this review of the Berlin Chapter. But first I had to finish my book club book for this Wednesday, because it's my pick and the club is meeting at MY house. Hence it's always best to actually READ the book ;-)
(BTW, it's called "The Snow Child" and it's beautiful, even if it is about that white stuff that we're all very tired of.)
Good news, Spring has finally come to my little corner of the world. Yay!
I'm so pleased that Katie had a great experience with club Volleyball. You are a peach of a Mom, Donna.
Here's hoping today is a restful day for you.
Oh! I didn't fix that! haha. is it reffed? There was no way I would spell out the whole word. gah.
ReplyDeleteYes. I have not taken her to school yet. We are resting for a little while longer.
Approx time of arrival for Miss Katie at school today....9:40.
I should have said....I will be driving Miss Katie to school at a more civilized hour today.
ReplyDelete{{{LIKE}}} - definitely a good day to be leisurely :-)
DeleteI love that - a more civilized hour! Yes! :)
DeleteA literal blow up house for volleyball? Wow, I've never seen one! I'm enjoying your thoughts on Bonhoffer. I had to read a book about him back in my Bible School days and I was so bored. It's really great to hear your good things so I realize the other side of his story rather than the "I'm bored when I'm 18". :)
ReplyDeleteOn my way out the door for Dad's cleaning and bill paying day, but I wanted to say that it is so true about DB and how he lived the word by example. What fun you must have had at the blow up house for volleyball...sorry for the long intermission. Katie looks fresh as a daisy after all the games and you look lovely in your pretty scarf. ;-) love and prayers, jep
ReplyDeleteI am glad you v-ball season is done, Donna. That was a long one :). I just picked up DB from the library and got through the first 200 pages this weekend. Great book - great man!
ReplyDeleteRe: "To be a Christian, one must live with Christians..."
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, I certainly think faith and conviction becomes stronger when living with those who are similar to you in faith and conviction.
On the other hand, when you are alone in your faith and your conviction, it becomes more difficult to live a Christian life (and either you become more faithful, or less)...
But to live among those that don't believe and come out still with belief? That is just so brave and courageous and really hard all at the same time...
**I think this goes for any group/religion/culture***
Gina,
DeleteI think that sentence comes across wrong out of context. I think he was saying that for new believers it is important to see the life of a Christ follower lived out. And for a mature Christian it is important to be around new believers and mature believers. Kind of living your faith out loud and influencing others for Christ's sake by living your everyday life like you mean it.
Hello everybody! I have a prayer request to ask of you all, please. I have a very good friend Stacey whose mother is not well. Debbie will be having more tests done tomorrow and on Thursday she will find out if she has bone cancer or not.
ReplyDeleteStacey is a single mother working a full-time job and also taking care of her mom, Debbie.
So can you please pray for Stacey and Debbie this week?
Thank you,
Sarah P. from Iowa
Praying for both - it is a privilege - thanks for letting us know Sarah.
DeleteGod bless Debbie and Stacey. Please.
DeleteThank you for asking Sarah.
I will also pray for Stacey and her mother, Debbie...waiting is a difficult thing.
DeleteBoth Debbie and Stacey are in my prayers.
DeleteMary Z
Just prayed for Debbie and Stacey...and will continue to. You are a good friend to care so deeply and to ask others to join you in praying for her/them. This is a good place to ask. (I'm not as regular here as I'd like to be, but I am always amazed and inspired by the love Donna's readers have for one another!)
DeletePlease keep us posted so we know how to pray.
E.
God please bless and be with Stacey and Debbie and all who care for them. Amen
Deletelove and prayers, jep
Praying in Virginia as well.
DeleteI will be praying, Sarah. We love mommies and the daughters who care for them!
ReplyDeleteDi
Love the volleyball pics!! She does look ready for anything! I think you are equally adorable, and not tired looking. :) What a long day...12 hours! You are a sweet mom.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how much time I spend waiting in the midst of speech/debate tournaments and basketball tournaments. The basketball gym has SEVEN courts that have games going on all the live long day. To say that it is hard to concentrate on a book when we are between games is an understatement!
ReplyDeleteAnd kudos to Katie! I can't play volleyball well at all, so I am in awe of those who can. Let alone looking cute in those mini shorts.
Bonhoeffer. I love how he was such an intellect and yet he reached out to kids. I loved his description of the state of the country house after they visited (-: This is a man who seemed to understand children (or at least boys.) I wonder if any of those boys have written about their experience with Dietrich.
Di
I don't know what to add about this section...this is such a great comment. The things you ladies have already pointed out are key. I also loved the description of the house, and his comment,"Only Frau S. is somewhat indignant at the proletarian invasion," made me giggle. I think he had quite a sense of humor, which jumps out at me often in the book, and is something I appreciate a great deal. Aside from how he lived his faith out so faithfully, his humor is my favorite thing about him.
DeleteMetaxas says,"Once one saw clearly what the Word of God said, one would have to act on it and its implications, such as they were. And actions in Germany at that time had serious consequences." Lately it seems that this could be true in our country as well. I don't mean to sound fanatical or alarmist, just to say we ought to take care and watch/be alert.
There are so many things in this chapter that I want to remember: "He taught us that the Bible goes directly into your life, [to] where your problems are;" that Jesus lived life, it was not merely intellectual nor was it merely spiritual; and how he read the Bible every day several times.
I was thinking today and wondering at my own admiration of Bonhoeffer, and how sometimes I forget to wonder at my God and Savior. It struck me that the difference may be (subconsciously?) that Bonhoeffer was just a man and this makes what he did, what he stood for, his courage, and his faithfulness, so amazing, so admirable. Of course Jesus lived the perfect life and loved others as he did...He was God! He couldn't do otherwise. But then I thought that this actually made it equally amazing, if not more. God the Son humbled himself, from the glories of heaven and a seat next to the Father on an eternal throne, to become a man, to be like the ones whom he came to save. He came to love them as no one else could: as their Creator, as their Savior, as their brother who would give them an eternal Father. What could be greater or more astounding than that? The depth of his love! Because he was God, his love and humility is amazing. I find myself wanting to be like Bonhoeffer, but I think he would be more pleased were I to say I want to be more like Jesus. :) I look forward to continue learning from each of them. And haha to my starting out with I don't know what to add...what a goober.
You are so funny! I love your thoughtful thoughts!
DeleteTeen-agers have boundless energy. Remember staying up until two in the morning? I don't. Haven't done it in years, but most teen-agers can.
ReplyDeleteWow, and I thought Molly's 9 hour v-ball tournament was a long one last week! So nice that Katie's season ended on a positive note. Molly's club season goes until June, so the overlap with the school soccer team is kind of stressful for me. But she really enjoys both sports -- and works hard at them, too. And you're only young once! Love the picture of you and Katie.
ReplyDeleteI'm behind on the book as my husband confiscated it. I can't complain as it actually is his copy that I gave him for Valentine's Day. I'm slightly suspicious that he didn't start reading it until I did, but we'll let this one go. :)
Mary Z
I am soooo glad Katie enjoyed volleyball. I know it's tough on Mom and Dad but it's so good for the kids. They learn so much of life through sports!!! I hope she plays again next season. :)
ReplyDelete