Can't fix stupid

A retired high school Physics teacher, an author, a professor of religious studies, a doctor of theology, a preacher's wife, a retired physician, a retired engineer turned high school math teacher turned professor, a doctor's widow, a retired nurse and teacher, a dentist, a minister, a retired government worker, a homeschool mom and a stonemason flooring dude.  What do all of these people have in common?  Born in the same town?  No.  Stood in line at the same coffee shoppe?  Doubtful.  How about a book discussion @ the local scholar's hangout, of course.  Duh.  That last remark is telling of my maturity level in the room.  I mean, what grown up really uses "duh" as a response anymore, right?

  Anywho, this group convenes in a college town close to me.  To drive through this town makes you feel slightly under educated.  Oddly enough, I fell in love with the pillars and the grassy areas of this college town when I was very young.  One of my earliest memories was coming here on one of our vacations to the lake house.  Oh, just to lay soles to the sidewalks made me giddy.  I loved the way you could just close your eyes and practically smell the pipe tobacco wafting from the open windows of the English department!  I wanted to live there someday.  That dream has changed.  I like to visit, but I like my internal organs and the only way I could remotely afford to live there is if I started selling off pieces of myself.

My husband and I are attending this book discussion at the invite of my mother.  Not sure yet whether to say "thank you" to her.... I'll let you know, mom.  Just kidding.  The room was filled with the heaviness of degrees upon degrees upon doctorates that attached themselves as part of the alphabet onto the backsides of each persons introductions.  The room felt like one big comfy wool sweater with a tweed sport coat.  I hung on every word that these folks seemed intent on getting across.  Never in my wildest dreams will I ever feel like speaking in the group as to the discussion of the book.  David and I have resolved to use the smile and head nods as our contributions to the discussion.  An occasional note talking or doodling when the words become to large, so I won't forget to google the definitions later, will be the extent of my participation.  Well, that, and actually reading the book.

The book is called, "The Language of God" by Francis Collins.  I am only into the book a few pages, but am very excited to crack open the spine and carve indelible ink into the margins as I go.  Francis Collins is the head of the National Institute of Health and the Human Genome Project.  He is a believer in God and Jesus Christ as his savior.  The subtitle reads, "A scientist presents evidence for belief".  Born in the Shenandoah Mountains of Va and lived most of his life in NC, he and I have trod in the same paths along the way.  That is where my comparison of my life and his ends.  I am fascinated by the book's premise and am ready to see where God has led Mr. Collins.

The first discussion is done and there will be several Sunday evenings of joking about C.S. Lewis and pondering the importance of science and faith playing nice on the playground together.  I feel certain the discussion will be lively and quite eye opening.  After all, the backgrounds are diverse, the directions in which each of us think about science and faith are as vast as the universe itself.  No, really, the Theology doctor was sitting beside the lady who said, "I pray like God is a person, but I really don't believe that, so basically I pray to the universe.  Oh, and by the way, I will just be honest, I believe in reincarnation, too."  Ok, then.  This will be awesome!  I just hope no one finds out I never actually graduated from college or I might get kicked out of class....

I am including a video of the author at a commencement speech at the University of Michigan.  It really is quite entertaining and will make you want to know more about this book by way of his sense of humor!  I hope you enjoy!  God bless.