When things just absolutely do NOT make sense…

This has been one of those weeks when so much has happened, most of which has not made “sense.” I have lived long enough to realize that my “sense” and my way is not necessarily God’s way. But still, when a child is taken or catastrophe strikes or the economy tips and keeps on tipping, I struggle with pushing back and wanting to know WHY. Sometimes I look for answers that fit into a logical pattern, when there is no human explanation.

In the midst of the mayhem, I have discovered an amazing book and author that remind me of the wonder and awe of God’s creation, while keeping me aware of the fact that this is His story, not mine – and that this is just the beginning. Like you, sometimes I need a faith boost, and this book delivers in a big way.

The title alone caught my eye and made me want to know more:

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God’s Spoken World, by N.D. Wilson.

This is one of those books that can make you laugh out loud in the middle of Panera or shake your head in stunned wonder – how did I miss this perspective all along? He makes you see just how complex our world is, and just how simple our minds are as we try to make “sense” of this planet and our lives. It is a breath of fresh air, a load off your shoulders, and a motivator to go on to the next day.

His chapters are all seemingly disconnected, yet they so closely resemble the fabric of our lives that it is hard to see the similarities up close – you have to step back with him to see just how it all plays out. As I go through these days, I find myself recalling his words and savoring them. His thoughts and perspective are such a breath of fresh air and so very reassuring. Here are a few examples:

“This storm is nothing, and I am less. But to an infinite artist, a Creator in love with His craft, there is no unimportant corner, there is no thrown-away image, no tattered thread in the novel left untidied.”

Our Creator cares about the minute details, we just can’t see them all while we’re riding this Tilt-a-Whirl we call life. What a great perspective reminder – our Creator is in love with His craft, and ALL that He creates. And oh, we can’t even imagine all that He has created:

“Just to be clear, I live on a near perfect sphere, hurtling through space at around 67,000 miles per hour. Mach 64 to pilots. Of course, this sphere of mine is also spinning while it hurtles, so tack on an extra 1,000 miles per hour at the fat parts. And it’s all tucked into this giant hurricane of stars. Yes, it can be freaky. Once a month or so, my wife will find me lying in the lawn, burrowing white knuckles into the grass, trying not to fly away. But most of the time I manage to keep my balance despite the speed, and I don’t have to hold on with anything more than my toes.”

I love the way that the book helps us to see Jesus – in new light and truth:

“From birth to the end, He never left the trough, Christ walked from insult to insult, from filth to filth. Lepers. Prostitutes. Tax men. The Dead. He chose fishermen to stand closest to Him, and from the educated He chose one great man – a murderer who did not want to come and had to be knocked off his donkey.”

Yes, days spin by and life flies past, filled with so many unexplainable events. But miracle of miracles, we are still hanging on, and this author shows us our days with fresh wind and new sunshine to keep us moving to the finale:

“Come, let us grow old like fishermen. Let us sweeten the air with songs while we fade. Let us die. Winter cannot hold us. Let us go into the ground, and our faces will find the sun. Let us ride the eruption of Easter.

Our Maker waits. He would have a conversation. What words will we have?

We will laugh and carve FINIS on the earth. We will carve it on the moon. We will look to the Voice, to the Singer, the Painter, the Poet, the One born in a barn, the One with holes in His hands and oceans in His eyes, and on THAT day we will know–

The story has begun.”

This is a book that I will give to friends, as Christmas gifts, to those searching, and to those who desperately need Hope. Get it, read it slowly, and take notes – the words will be timely reminders of this ride and the next one. The best is yet to come!