To Kill A Mockingbird - and becoming like a little child

 

To Kill a Mockingbird is a journey through justice, empathy, innocence and compassion. Innocence is central in the mockingbird. Atticus teaches that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they are harmless and only make music for us to enjoy. We have a duty to protect the innocent from the world's evil. In this book, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are themselves mockingbirds, harmed by prejudice and cruelty. The children seem to understand much more than the adults ever will. 

Matthew 18:3-4 ...Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

2026 Journey....Moby-Dick

 I received a beautiful page a day calendar this year from my son's boyfriend. It's a page of day of great books. I've decided to do some writing each day about great books and scriptural connections.  I've always been fascinated by the intertextual connection between scriptures and great literature. Scripture has often been a primary source for settings, plots, characters, imagery and language. 

....so, here we go! 

Ahab's hunt for the white whale becomes a struggle against God's will...mirroring biblical tales of rebellion and search for meaning. 

Ahab, the main character, has a wooden leg because his original leg was bitten off by a whale. He spends his life seeking revenge for this. However, maybe he was always in pursuit of what was lost....like we have a yearning to always return to God. 

In the end, he is dragged to the bottom of the ocean to his death. Eeesh! I wonder if Ahab ever realized that he can't actually be the one in charge. There is something much bigger than him. Many of us go searching and searching for amazing wonders to fulfill us - when in fact, we need to turn inward to find fulfillment. 

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

That Christmas Feeling

December was a very busy month for me. The Relief Society was in charge of the ward Christmas party. We had a good committee and lots of help, but it still weighed heavily on my mind and took up a lot of time. I was pleased with how it all went and grateful for so many people's help. 

After that, there was the Relief Society party to plan and execute.  I didn't seem to have room in my brain to focus on this until the ward party was finished. Again, we had a committee of people to help; together we quickly made a plan and pulled it off. I think it was a good night for everyone who came. 

Hampers were the other big job (well, besides the stubbornly persistent need to go to work every day and to get ready for our own Christmas). I've always felt like I'm not very good at hampers. I don't like shopping and I'm an under-buyer, so the idea of buying things people might not buy because of financial constraints is hard for me to work around mentally. I'm not one to splurge a lot, even for other people. I did get some help though, and somehow, we got them organized on time. 

All through the month I felt kind of bad because I really didn't think I was feeling the real spirit of Christmas. Instead, I was working through a massive to-do list that never seemed to end. However, it all came together on Christmas Eve. We gave one of the hampers to a single mom in our ward. Her five‑year‑old boy had received one present. We brought him two more, which he loved, and it was super fun to watch him enjoy those. He seemed satisfied with his one gift  prior to the ones we brought, but there had been no presents for his mom. He was so happy to see her receive TWO presents. We told him that Santa had asked us to deliver them. Those were the only presents they received. His mom texted me later that this was the best Christmas she had had in years and that she was so grateful. I was quite humbled, and tears came easily as I thought about the abundance so many enjoy without realizing how simple other people's Christmases are.

I was grateful to finally have felt the real meaning of Christmas and to learn again how serving others is what it is all about.