Books and Easter

Books

I finished reading The Wrath of the Grinning Ghost by Brad Strickland (using Johnny Dixon and more of Bellairs' characters).

I guess I picked this up because I had bought "The Bell, the Book and the Spellbinder" back in grade school and I missed reading fantastic magical adventure horror stories. 'Grinning Ghost was amazing. It starts off a little quick and predictable, but I didn't mind.

I started up on l'Engle's The Young Unicorns, but had to put it down after about 10 pages. It was just too racist. Not that it was malicious, but just the fact that the characters had to ponder race so deeply--and within the first 10 pages--was a major turn-off. I may give it a second chance later (l'Engle is one of my favourite writers after all).


Easter

I was in the Good Friday / Easter choir again this year. It kinda sucks that we need a special occasion for a choir, but at least we have a choir. It's good to be singing again; feels wonderful.

I also found myself realizing how....strong our leaders are.

We have three pastors: one each for English, Cantonese and Mandarin. In the two Johnny Dixon books I've read, the priest is a heroic figure. I guess that's also in a few of l'Engle's books, too.

And I realized during service, that the three pastors are also...warrior-like. They too have that strength and a sort of nobility or knight-ness. Also one of our Elders who teaches Sunday School for the teens. Should anyone in the church be caught in a spiritual battle and be in need of help, I have no doubt any of them would hesitate to fight. I dunno, it's easy to picture them with jeweled swords and emblazoned shields, fighting off demons and dragons.

Which, I guess they do!

One of their favourite passages is about the Armour of God (http://www.realarmorofgod.com/armor-of-god.html).


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