And no only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience . . . Romans 5:3

“Mom, you have succeeded in raising a bunch of nerds,” said my oldest, nerdiest son. 

Some of you may cringe at his statement, or my description of my oldest. Please, don’t. Nerd is pretty much a compliment in our family. Besides he would readily admit to his nerdiness. At age 10 the kid was reading a 500 page book about naval battles in the South Pacific during World War II. Now, as a 20 year old mechanical engineering student, the nerd title still fits.

As to his statement, it was well deserved. I had just bragged that all his younger siblings had completed their reading logs for our library’s summer reading program within the first week. For my younger children, 4 and 7, this means 12 hours of reading or being read to. I am not even sure of my teenage daughter’s reading requirement for the first award in this program, but she had completed it in a few days. And, yes, she only read books. No blogs, graphic novels, or Facebook posts. Just books and her Bible. Yep. We are nerds.

Of course, if the truth be told, I love summer reading as much as the kids. Not that I have ever been able to complete the 8 book requirement in 8 weeks for the adult reading program. I am way too hyper-energized by our glorious summer days on the Oregn Coast to dream of sitting around for endless hours reading. Although I am always working my way through some volume on history, the Christian walk, or biographical account, but my life only allows short bursts of reading. Perhaps I should try to read shorter books to meet that reading goal, but that’s just so unlike my nerdy self.

However, what I LOVE most about summer reading is all the amazing audio books the kids listen to on car trips. They have listened the entire Little House on the Prairie series, several of the Boxcar Children books, and are currently working their way through the Chronicles of Narnia. They love the stories, and I love their quiet contemplation while they listen. Okay. Fine. I love the stores, too. Sometimes I think enjoy them more than them. It seems I missed out on a lot of great books as a youngster, and I am reveling in all their joyous, innocent wonder. I have almost imagined myself lost in prairie grass and trapped in snow, discovering life’s mysteries through the eyes of four orphans, and journeying through that magical land of Narnia.

Right now we are with “Eustace” and “Jill” as they seek for the heir of Prince Caspian to fill the throne at Cair Paravel. If you have never read the Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis, then I highly recommend it . However, please do not confuse Lewis’s classics with the more recent occult tales. Lewis wrote on another level. His imiganry world of Narnia is delightful, moral, and encouraging. And his works only truly make sense if you have walked a walk with the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ. Who else could be both terrible and good at the same time? Who else could swallow whole people and empires, yet have a specific task for each son of Adam and daughter of Eve? Jesus Christ is the only One that fits this description. 

. . . And patience, experience; and experience, hope . . Romans 5:4

Truly, Lewis’s character mirror many of the real life characters whose biographies I choose to read. These people are often Christians, but they are always. From George Washington to Joni Erickson Tada to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, I am enamored with the stories of those who gain victory over their enemies, both within and without. While engorging myself on the feast of their lives, I am struck with the uniqueness of every one’s life story. Because life is beautiful. Yes, it is hard. Sometimes, it is horrific. But, life overcoming the death that abounds on every side is beautiful. 

We all have stories. Sometimes the story seems to have no hope of a good ending. But that is the lie of the enemy. Where there is life there is hope. And perhaps we could gain some hope if we would only take the time to share our stories. Our vending machine, “How are you doing” and “I am doing fine” bit is not going to lend much hope. Our one line zinger tweets, only-positive Facebook posts, and emotionless texts are rarely going to encourage the down-hearted.  Sometimes these things are fine, but often they are misunderstood, misconstrued, and misaligned with real life. Our social media hyped-world has the propensity to be more fictitious than any creation of Lewis. Not to mention the REAL life we miss out on while engaging in our anti-social media online.

You know what I miss? Paul Harvey. I want the rest of the story. No. I NEED the rest of the story. I need to know behind that perfectly-posed profile picture there is an actual human being with actual life happenings. There is a person with feelings and experiences that I would be the better for knowing on the other side of that politcal meme. There are heartaches and losses of similar nature that I have shared in between all those hashtags.  I long for more “keeping it real” posts, tweets, and face to face encounters.

And this is the beauty of the story of our lives. Real lives. Real people. Real hurts. And, yes, my friends, real joy. And if you finding your life lacking of joy and hope then know the Author of Life is only waiting for you to come to Him to drink from His spring of Living Water to give you those things you are lacking. To give us hope and life eternal. And that,my friends, is the ultimate happy ending of the the most incredible story: Life that overcomes death to live forever with the Lifegiver and one another. 

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.   Romans 5:5