Darwinian Coincidence?

In this Sunday morning's sermon, Pastor Paul discussed "the current debate on evolution" as a way to delineate the Bible's role in helping us understand the world.

"The bible is not a science textbook," he said, and made it clear that a Christian could--of course--believe in the theory of evolution. "The theory of evolution says nothing about God," he said.

Just that the night before, we'd watched "Creation," the movie about Darwin's inner struggle about publishing "The Origin of Species."

Because God wasn't mentioned in Darwin's book, it was a threat to believers. This movie shows how much this belief could shatter people--Darwin himself developed psychosomatic conditions when trying to work on his book, especially after his daughter died. (This has been chronicled by biographers, so the movie folk weren't making this up.) He was grieving her loss; was he also grieving the loss--or what he saw as the loss--of the Christian worldview? If God didn't exist, what meaning could her death possibly have?

I was really moved by the movie's portrayal of the the close relationship between Darwin and his wife, Emma. Clearly, they were both very creative and intelligent people who supported one another. The movie shows how science and death have driven a wedge between this middle-aged couple. They're unable to really talk--or listen to one another. It makes everything--Darwin's writer's block and Emma's isolation with her children--worse.

I'm not sure how true-to-life it is, but the movie shows that they finally reconcile with one another--absolving each other of any guilt in their daughter's death--and after that, Darwin is able to finish his book.

Even with a "current debate" about evolution simmering, I don't think 21st century people can really understand how earth-shattering Darwin's views were for most Christians of the time. Both Emma and Charles Darwin must have been strong people to be able to live with that new world view and figure out a way for the world to have sense and meaning without the traditional view of God. Maybe they could only do it together.

The movie ended with words on the screen telling that the Darwins lived happily together until he died at 73.

No Crabbing sign!

See! Here's the real sign! :-)

No Crabbing

He's tiny but serious.

I actually saw a sign that said this when visiting Aunt Dee and Uncle Dave--we were down by a tidal river. Made me laugh!

So who wants a tiny crab?

Scavenged!

Look at this great keyboard!

I scavenged it from the band room attic last weekend!

Anne and I were clearing junk out of a band storage room, "the attic," and one of the items that the band director no longer wanted was this great keyboard. Rather than taking it to Goodwill with a lot of other stuff, I claimed it.

We already had a keyboard--one that I bought at a garage sale for $50 about . . . oh, 12 years ago. I wanted to play some Christmas carols and kids' songs, but we didn't have a piano. For a long time, that WAS our piano.

But this one's better. We can plug it into our computer to create midi files. That will be especially useful this fall as Robbie's going to play regularly (every week) at church, accompanying the organist on hymns. With this keyboard, transposing hymn melodies for a B-flat instrument will be easier.

Eli's also enjoying the new keyboard--he's been practicing his piano lessons on it. I guess it's fun to see how his songs sound when you push different buttons--accordion, pan flute, whistle. Hey, whatever it takes.

Raspberry Solution

The posts plus wires keep the raspberries off the ground!

:-) and :-( in the garden

(Warning: I am writing this story on my laptop, which has a keyboard problem. I spilled some water on it & two keys are not working. You will be able to tell, but I will do my best to work around it with the spell sheker, et. The computer guy at Koe has ordered a new keyboard for me and will install it, too! I can't wait!)

Bak to the garden . . .

My autumn clematis is blooming!

I got it 2 years ago, and it hasn't bloomed. It didn't die, like the Jackman clematis I had to replace after one year, but this is the first time it's bloomed. I gave it a little shot of MiracleGro about a month ago. Maybe that did the trick! I will give the Jackman a shot of food in late May and see if that helps it.

Other things in my garden don't look very good, like these ratty tomatoes.

They are bearing OK, though the shade has kind of crept up on them from the trees behind them. But the incessant rain has been a real boon for fungus diseases . . . not sure how long they will survive into the fall.

But this is cool: those raspberry plants I got from Karen and Kevin are doing very well! they have berries on them that will ripen in September.

We need to think of a way to prop them up--I'm thinking of buying some metal fence posts and stringing wire between so they will be held up . . . a project for my young engineer and plantsman . . .

And maybe this kitty.