Reflective.

So far, Peace Like A River hasn’t been the most interesting read for me.  I’m the type of person that likes suspense and exciting things in many areas of my life.  For example, I LOVE thrill rides like roller coasters.  I will go on any and every one!  My favorite types of movies are also suspense/action films, -like Taken with Liam Neeson.  The only parts of this book that have really excited me and kept me engaged were in the beginning where Enger gives us the scene of Jeremiah “taking care” of Finch and Busca, and when Davy shoots them down.  I like books that are descriptive and give tons of imagery.  The past few chapters have been difficult for me to stay engaged with because much of the information given is just character building, -which is important, but not all that interesting to me.  I’ve found myself numerous times lately realizing I hadn’t been paying any attention whatsoever to what I was reading.  I’ve had to go back and re-read quite a few pages in order to comprehend what was going on.  Overall though, Peace Like A River has been pretty enjoyable.  I love the way the author writes and how even though many times he doesn’t use imagery, he is still somehow very descriptive in his writing in a way that makes you understand what he’s trying to say.  I’m a very visual person in the way I understand things, so when a reader can get through to me without painting a picture in my head, I’m impressed!  I was also really intrigued with Swede’s poetry.  She is such a young character but is incredibly brilliant in her writing (not to mention her vocabulary too).  Reading her writings really helped her character come alive throughout the book.  It helped the reader get inside her head and understand her a little bit better.
    I’ve liked seeing the growth within Reuben throughout all the chapters.  There are little instances here and there such as when he drinks coffee with his father’s (Jeremiah) best friend, that show the reader how he’s growing up and “becoming a man.”  I believe the distance of Davy’s character has helped with that.  Without Reuben having to go through all these troubles and search with his family for Davy, I don’t think he would really be growing as he is in the same way, -if at all.  Davy was the one with all of the responsibility and “manhood” or strength in the house until the whole fiasco went down.  Like it’s said, “God works in mysterious ways” and maybe this whole situation with Davy will end up being a sort of blessing in disguise in the end.  We shall see.

Annotative.

“I turn the corner of prayer and burn In a blessing of the sudden Sun.”

-       “Unnamed” By Dylan Thomas

After reading this poem numerous times, I believe the “I” (speaker) in this poem is Paul from the Bible, and this poem is in reference to the story in Acts 9 of when God blinded him on the road to Damascus.  The word “Sun” in this line refers to God’s overpowering glory, so bright He is impossible to look upon.  The author plays with words when he writes, “…burn In a blessing of the sudden Sun.”   Things burn when they are in the sun, and the speaker in this poem is burning in his heart from the overwhelming presence of the Son. 

Acts 9:3-4

³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Later in the poem it reads, “His lightening answers my Cry” –making me even more confident in my opinion of this poem’s meaning because of verse three. 

There is also the usage of the word “sudden” in both this line of the poem and in verse 3 of Acts 9.  I believe “the sudden Sun” really means, “the sudden Son.”

This is the first line in the poem that led me to believe it was a creative telling of Acts 9:1-4.  This line adds depth to the poem because it gives the reader a picture in their minds (imagery) of what is going on in the poem and what the speaker is feeling and/or going through.  Without the understanding of what this line means, the rest of the poem would be even more difficult to understand or decipher.  It is important for the reader to picture in their minds what they believe to be happening in the poem. 

Truth is...

My heart truly aches for you.  I wonder what happened to you to make you feel the way you do about God.  You probably won’t believe me, but Jesus has told me something very different from what you’re saying. 

Truth is…
Jesus was there when God established the heavens, when He drew the horizons on the oceans. 
He was there when God set the clouds above, when He established the springs deep in the earth. 
He was there when God set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries, and when He marked off the earth’s foundations. 
Jesus was the architect at God’s side. [Proverbs 8]

Truth is…
God is nothing like a drawing-pin caught in a sock. 
He is an everlasting, overabounding source of joy, peace, comfort, truth, and most of all love. 
I pray one day you’ll see that.

Truth is…
You’re not a mistake. No one is, or was, or ever will be.
Did you know that God even knows how many hairs are on your head?
How, you ask?  Because He created you. 
He knit you together while you were still in your mother’s womb. 
He knows every thought you have before you even think it. 
There is no escaping His presence, no matter how hard you try.

Truth is…
You are fearfully and wonderfully made –whether you like it or not, and whether you believe it or not.   

Truth is…
God is madly in love with you –whether you like it or not, and whether you believe it or not.

Truth is…
I pray one day you can come to believe all of this. 

Sincerely,
A concerned friend