New book...new thoughts...

Okay so I was going to post a picture of the new book that I'm reading, but I guess blogger is having a problem, so maybe I can get the picture later. Anyway, the book is called, "Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading", by Eugene H. Peterson. (He is the guy who wrote the Message.) I'm about half way through the book and already there is a ton of great insight. I want to share with you one of the things that just about slapped me in the face last night when I was reading.

"...the closer we are to another and the more intimate our relations, the more care we must exercise to hear accurately, to understand thoroughly, to answer appropriately."

After I read that sentence, I sat there and read it again; and again. I wanted to make sure to really take it in. I can't believe how true this statement is, and how often I don't practice this. I think most people feel like the closer you are to someone the easier it is to understand them. However, I feel that some times that when we are so close to another person that we just assume that they mean one thing, when in fact they mean something completely different. Yes, I know that in some of my friendships that we can finish each others sentences, but I feel like that is more so on a surface level type conversation. I feel like what Peterson is trying to convey is that in the conversations that are important, whether wonderful, or potentially disastrous that we need to really listen to what is being said, and not said for that matter. The actions, and reactions can mean so much. I hope that I can tune into these things more and really pay attention to what is being said. Something that I thought I was doing really well, but maybe I was just saying that to myself to get by. Something to thing about that's for sure! Over and out!

Lo!