I worked hard yesterday, and ended the day by reading a book. I only intended to read for an hour and then take care of some more things at home, but I couldn't put it down! The Giver, by Lois Lowry, is a fictional novel for young adults. I had read it years ago, I think when I was in college, and remembered it as being intriguing. I picked it up last week at the library, hoping my holiday would afford a little time for pleasure reading. The story goes that part of the world has decided to adopt "sameness" in order to prevent pain. Everyone must look the same, dress the same, think the same. They follow the same rules, eat the same food, ride the same bikes. On the outside that looks good. There is no pain, no war, no hatred or enmity. But it also results in the loss of all that is beautiful, pleasurable, real. There is no love, no color, no music. There is not even death or birth. I was very thoughtful about it all as I finished the book. I contemplated what it would be like to not see any differences in anyone; no fear, no hatred, no discomfort. I thought about how much I love my family. Even with all of the pain they cause, and will cause, the love so outweighs the pain that it is well worth the turmoil. __________________ Another reading from yesterday came from Window on the World. It is a book full of descriptions of peoples around the world who know little or nothing about God and Jesus. We read it as a family after dinner and then pray for the people. Yesterday was about the Dogon people of Mali. They live in cliffs and farm what little land they can. They were asking their gods for rain, but none came. Finally, someone suggested that they ask Christians to pray for rain, and they did. The Christians agreed, but only if they would stop sacrificing to their gods so they would know the rain really came from God. They agreed and the rain came! The Dogons ran out to sacrifice to their gods in thanks for the rain, and the rain stopped. The Elders of the tribe realized what had happened and made the people stop sacrificing. Then the rain began again! God still works miracles. The Dogon people have started turning toward God and Jesus since then.