Now Playing: Psalm 130.
Anyone ever tried ginger milk tea? Thanks to our pastor's wife I was privileged to enjoy the experience this afternoon while on the phone with Nicole. Some of the strangest good stuff I've ever tried. Asian food, real Asian food, surprises my American tastebuds whenever they encounter it, and ginger milk tea was no exception. It's a powder, non-dairy creamer, sugar (spelled "suger" in the English translation on the back of the packet), and ginger, stirred into hot water. And the result is--spicy, to say the least.
Yesterday I finished the last book in Lawhead's Song of Albion trilogy, The Endless Knot. The book picks up flawlessly where the second book left off, with celebration and rejoicing. However, the latter half of the book grows rapidly darker until it reaches its bizarre conclusion. I must say that after reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I should be more comfortable with narration unfolding from a "dead" character's point of view, but every time it weirds me out (pardon the colloquialism).
If you're going to read the book, beware--plot points may be given away. In one sense, the end of the book beautifully mirrors and consummates its beginning, as the main character recognizes that his death mirrors that of Christ, recreating the world, elevating it to a higher, purer existence.
However, my main reaction to the main character's death and subsequent "resurrection" was one of bewilderment. How can a mere human being replicate the sacrifice of Christ? How can a human's death bring about the recreation of two worlds in a way that mirrors Revelation 21-22? Lawhead seems to want his readers to draw these conclusions, but I almost feel that such conclusions are presumptuous. Certainly let us have Christ figures in literature, but put them in their proper place, please, ultimately as sinful humans.
I know that as a Christian I probably ought to appreciate Lawhead's conclusion more than I do, and I know that many of you will probably disagree with me. Though Lawhead tells a good story, I can't help wishing he had ended it differently. For me these books are fun but not great literature--to which they have no pretensions anyway.
Dang girl you're ready for seminary :) The lack of celebration is a second point in our group project findings... the two African American members of our group are like, wow, we don't have so much of a problem with this. And it's so true. My new church in STL is teaching me a lot- it is fairly evenly split racially and the atmosphere during worship is MUCH more celebratory than anything other church I've ever attended. I am challenged and encouraged by the celebration!
ReplyDeleteI've never had ginger milk tea. It sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteNo, I have not tried ginger milk tea, but it reminds me of ginger beer. One of the local grocery stores here carries it, and I thought it would be fun to try a bottle like Polly and Diggory. It has to be good right? Not if you expect your soft drinks not to be spicy. My Mom and sister got a kick out of my reaction. That was a bit of a let down, though a fun experience to recount later : )
ReplyDelete