Finished two books this week!

The first is C.S. Lewis’ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

It had been some years since I last visited the world of Narnia. This one is one of my favorites from the series. I love the sea voyage (reminded me of Odysseus’ sea-faring adventures in the Odyssey), Eustace’ transformation and reformation, meeting an embodied star, Reepicheep’s undaunted courage, and the beauty and wonder of crystal sea at the world’s end. Completing this story feels like I’ve been to the edge of the world and back. Most of all, I love the way Lewis can depict beauty and goodness. For some reason, I feel like goodness and beauty is much harder to describe in these modern times. But he, along with J.R.R. Tolkien, are master’s at not only showing the ugliness of evil, but the glory of goodness. It’s like they have sat with both, but become completely enamored with the deeper reality of truth, goodness, and beauty.

One of my favorite quotes from this story:

“In our world,” said Eustace, “a star is a huge ball of flaming gas.” “Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is but only what it is made of.” [said Ramandu, an embodied star]

Check out Malcolm Guite reading this passage and explaining it further with such insight on his YouTube channel.

I completed Sam Hughes’ (a.k.a. “qntm”) There Is No Antimemetics Division a couple of days ago. It’s a sci-fi atmospheric horror story. I didn’t realize it was a horror story until I started reading it – not my favorite genre. But I enjoyed this one. It was a very well-told story, and dealt so creatively with the concept of ideas.

What would an idea look like if we could see it? What do ideas do? And more importantly, how can you stop a bad idea?

An idea can end a world. An idea is alive.

I loved the way this story explored the Platonic conception of forms and ideas. In reality, it is truly horrifying what ideas that do not line up with reality can do to humanity (think the Holocaust, racism, etc.). I ate this story up pretty quickly. It was a quick but dense read. Looking forward to discussing this story with the reading group I’m a part of at my work.

This science fiction book makes me now want to read the non-fiction book by Nadia Asparouhova called Antimemetics. I heard her interviewed on the Dialectic podcast. Maybe one day I’ll get around to it!

Now for the music…

Cody Fry just released a beautiful short film for his first symphony called “The Unlikely Mariner.” I’ve watched it three times now, and I love it more each time – the story it tells, the quality of the cinematography and visual effects, and, as always, the incredible musical mastery of Cody Fry and all the musicians who play and sing in this work. Even Aden, my three year old, loves this! Enjoy this musical story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtObDSuR2Pc

And Andy Squyres, one of my favorite singer-songwriters of all time, is releasing his EP Praise Songs soon on June 12. But you can already listen to this album on his Bandcamp here.

My reading break ended last Thursday. This was part of the week-4 tasks in The Artist's Way. Basically, I didn't read any blog posts, articles, personal emails or any other social media, and didn't read any books. Here are a handful of things I learned during that down time.

• I have more “free time” available to me than I realize
• I want to distract myself with social media… Why is that?
• When I gave up looking for something to pre-occupy my attention, I actually ended up choosing action:
  • going to bed early
  • working out
  • getting laundry done
  • writing a blog post about a wildflowering date I took with my wife
  • enjoying listening to full albums
    • Ethan Nathaniel's latest album, River of Gladness
    • Andrew Peterson and friends' tribute concert to Rich Mullins, A Liturgy, a Legacy, & the Songs of Rich Mullins (Live)
    • JJ Heller's album, Love
    • Jess Ray's latest album, MAMA
• My thoughts are not as terrifying to be with as I originally “thought” they would be… I can sit with a calm mind
• I can “Do one thing at a time,” and my life is richer for it

Also, when I came back from the break – and this is not to diss anyone's sharing online as I am doing now – but I found that I really didn't miss much online in one week. When I take some space from the stream of data and content, I can see with better perspective. This was a good exercise in discerning what is really worthy of my time and attention, like my family, nature, and my own soul. I recommend giving it a try!

Rich Mullins on where his songs come from:

My songs are not particularly inspired. The Scriptures were inspired; my songs are provoked.

I love this idea of songs, or any art, being provoked from us. When I encounter the reality of God's grandeur, what is provoked out of me? Songs, poetry... love? I hope for more of all of the above.

Jess Ray released a new song today. It's very good. The writing, the mix, the melody, the feel and message. Grateful for artists like her and songs like this: Find My Way Back.

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is such a beautiful movie. Watched it for the first time in a long time. At one point, when Spirit was placed on the train and feeling low, and Bryan Adams is singing the melancholy "Sound the Bugle", me, my wife, and my three year old son were tearing up. The longing for Home stirred in all of us deeply. The animation (wish we did more animation like this movie these days), the storyline, the pacing (perfectly done), the film score (Hans Zimmer, of course!) – all so good and beautiful! 10/10.