I just finished reading this a moment ago, and I had to say something about it. (Although, being on the silence of God, and how we need to try to practice economy with our words in order for people who listen to us to hear God, or not hear God… I don’t want to say too much!) I don’t think that I have ever read a non-fiction book that was as beautifully written as this book by Barbara Brown Taylor. The book is mostly addressed towards those who have the frightening, awesome and beautiful privilege of preaching within their communities of faith. Taylor addresses the role of preachers in talking about, of, to, and with God. She talks about what has happened to language, what it means to try to stand before your community and speak truthfully, and how we try (unsuccesfully) to name God. The language that she uses is simply exquisite, I found myself reading and re-reading phrases that she wrote, just to enjoy again the way she expresses her thoughts. The words are so beautiful, its like they leave a sweet taste in your mouth: sweetness that is true, real and names the feelings and thoughts that you know but have not or cannot express with such eloquency. There are so many bits that I would like to share with you, but I just cannot here, but you should try to read this book if you can. I will leave you with the closing two paragraphs:

“Whatever preachers serve on Sunday, it must not blunt the appetite for this [God's] food. If people go away from us full, then we have done them a disservice. What we serve is not supposed to satisfy. It is food for the journey. It is meant to tantalize, to send people out our doors with a taste for what they cannot find in our kitchens. When they find it, they understand why we did not say more about it than we did. It was not that we didn’t. It was that we couldn’t.

Our words are too fragile. God’s silence is too deep. But oh, what gorgeous sounds our failures make: words flung again the silence like wine glasses pitched against a hearth. As lovely as they are, they were meant for smashing. For when they do, it is as if a little of God’s own music breaks through.”

The list shortens… :)

Well, the week before last week was due to be the week that things were going to get done. And actually, quite a few things did get done… I went shopping with a friend and we got the baby a cot, some sheets, a mattress (no expense spared!) and a really cool lamp. I’m sure the baby is especially going to appreciate the lamp! It is cylindrical shaped, with coloured stripes going horizontally down the length of it. And it has a dimmer switch. (Very important according to Gina Ford..!) I am definitely most excited about the lamp! Phil put the cot together the same day that I bought it, and its sitting waiting in the baby’s room. Actually, for the first few weeks my mom and dad bought us a Moses basket. We saw it when we were in Zurich for New Year, and they will bring it over when they get ‘the call’… but we don’t know how long baby will use the Moses basket… so we thought we’d have the cot ready too.

As well as bed-y type things, our amazing nappies arrived too. After baby-sitting a toddler who used cloth nappies and finding it not too bad at all, and for environmental reasons, we are going to use cloth nappies too. They are the cutest things too… in great colours and prints… so adorable! The make is called Wonderoos… so hopefully they will do the trick for our little monkey.

Apart from baby stuff, last week was my first week off work. It was good, although strange not to be going into the office. I will miss working at the EBF, it was a really great experience. I filled the time up with sorting out stuff for the house, visiting the hospital where I’ll have the baby, and having students and friends over, which was great. The coming week is looking a bit quieter, which is good, I’m feeling quite tired after the past week! I’m also really hoping that the baby might decide to arrive early… I’m pretty tired of being preggers now. I’d quite like to have ankles again… this past week my calves have eaten my ankles… resulting in fat, pretty uncomfortable feet! I mean, I haven’t had too bad a time being pregnant, but I’m really ready to have this baby now.

Anyway, this weekend Phil, a friend called Suzannah, and myself went to see Burn after Reading… a Coen brother’s film. The most recent film before this that they did was No Country for Old Men. Burn after Reading was completely different… for starters it is a comedy… as the Coen brothers do comedy: so very random, quirky, odd, and left me wondering at the end what I had just been watching. I mean, it wasn’t bad, it was just quite odd. I did laugh quite a fair bit, but I also found myself thinking what on earth was going on. I’d give it a 6.5 out of 10.

Well, I’m heading to bed, or I might try to google ‘huge fat swollen feet remedies for heavily pregnant women’…

… night.