{Things Shared} Week 51: books, suffering, and emus

For 2023 I’m going to alternate between weekly updates (goal check-ins, garden progress, notebook updates) and weekly “things shared” posts. These will be things I’ve shared with my friends that week (or things they’ve share with me) that impressed me, made me think, or made me laugh. So let’s give it a try. Here are things I shared with my friends last week:

Reading

I’m always looking for advice on good books, and I lean toward the “Old Dead Guys” genre. Lots of good suggestions here. One of the commenters even listed all the books suggested, if you don’t have time to watch, but if you can make the time, watch it! The wonderful advice on why to read these specific books should be heard!

Good quote

I came across this quote when reading his commentary on Hebrews 2. It’s from Alexander Maclaren.

“Christ, in His single manhood, says the writer [of Hebrews], gathered unto Himself every form of pain, of misery, of weariness, of burden, which can weigh upon and wear out a human spirit; and no single ingredient that ever made any man’s cup distasteful was left out, in that dreadful draught which He emptied to the dregs [before] He passed the chalice to our lips, saying, ‘Drink ye all of it.’ …
Dear brother! you and I have but a drop given to us; He drank the whole cup. Our natures are not capable of sorrow as varied, as deep, as poignant as the sorrow of Jesus Christ; but for each of us surely the assurance comes with some subtle power of consolation and strength, ‘In all their afflictions He was afflicted’; and none of us can ever meet a sorrow with whose face Christ was not familiar, and which He Himself has not conquered for us.”

Alexander Maclaren, Hebrews 2:17

Reading that reminded me of a quote by Susan Allibone:

“Oh! I do want to love my dear Saviour. It makes my heart sad to remember that Christ is so merciful and so compassionate, that He strengthens and supports me, and that I love Him so little. Oh! why is my heart so cold? ‘Lord, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I feel very weak in body today–so entirely prostrated. Oh! Jesus I will look to Thee, and fervently pray that Thou wilt bless my afflictions to my soul. I am not afraid of suffering, for Thou wilt enable me to endure it. Oh, I pray Thee, so order it that my light afflictions may work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while I look not at the things that are seen.”

Susan Allibone, Diary entry from 1834

for grins…

Emus are so derpy. I love them! But this one is the BEST:

And then, there’s Emmanuel: