Saddest Thanksgiving

I don't mean to bum you out or to sound ungrateful. But I imagine that the character of my thanks this year may be quite like the pilgrims' that first Thanksgiving. Almost everyone else was dead, yet there they were. It was harvest and they had made it through. Not much to show for their efforts except a thin survival.

The thing is, not having a list of "supererogative" blessings (for lack of a better term), I find my gratitude toward Christ and others profoundly deepend. But it is hard to speak about openly.

Appropriately, along with the feasting and other usual observances, I suggested the family watch Guy Maddin's The Saddest Music In The World. The film explores an array of human response to overwhelming grief. Alas, I don't think anyone else appreciated the off-beat dark comedy or expressionistic style.

All The Leaves Are Brown

Recently Dave Bird and I were discussing the idea of worldview. In connection with a previous topic --the ubiquitous "supernatural"-- David mentioned Charles Kraft's book Christianity With Power. I studied Kraft in a missiology course some years ago, and although I disagree with many of his views, I'm certain his presentation will prove provocative. Ralph Smith interacts with Kraft (and N.T.Wright) in this essay on worldview and culture.

Speaking of... the Kuyperian site has been updated with an piece from David Naugle. I suppose it needs a little reformatting, but it's quite readable.

This past week Calvin's comments on Psalm 73 were particularly challenging and comforting to me. Perhaps you might find them helpful in difficult times.

Maison du Resevoir

Please update your address books:

Gregory Baus
2503 Brookfield Avenue Apt.#3
Baltimore MD 21217
U.S.A.

443-278-3020 [new as of 20 jan 05]

I now have [a cell phone]. And I suppose the above info should be good through at least next summer.

In other news, I'm enjoying Updike's early collection. And secular fundamentalists in popular U.S. media and across Europe continue to baffle over how "religious" most Americans seem.