I will walk through the fire and let it burn

Currently Reading Carpe Jugulum (Discworld Novels (Paperback)) By Terry Pratchett see related

Okay, so I got a call from Julie around 4 am this morning, since she couldn't remember whether I had asked her to wake me up. I hadn't, but it was nice of her to check in... we're almost on our way to Thailand!!

I managed to get settled back into my room after the bus ride fairly easily. Chris, who's going on the Thailand trip, picked me up at the bus station, and the RSA-on-duty let me back into my room, no problems at all. I had mentioned coming back over Instant Messenger, so Nic and Kristen called me, and I went to have supper with them at Backyard Burgers, and then I came back here. I managed to get my stuff for Thailand taken out of the rest of the stuff I brought from home and, rather than the two bags, the backpack, and the large plastic sack I had on the bus, I'm down to one suitcase and the same backpack, now somewhat lighter. I even managed to get some more songs on my iPod and get some sleep in between packing. AND MY ROOM LOOKS JUST AS GOOD AS IT DID WHEN I GOT HERE. ;-)

Anyway, it's almost time to head out the door to meet at the Circle at 5. I had a few minutes, since I was already up when Julie called, so I thought I'd post a quick update on my blog before going. I'm really excited!!

On a slightly different note, I read one of the Discworld novels I was given for Christmas (Carpe Jugulum) today on the bus, and one passage struck me as really interesting. It introduced another character from Omnia, the country featured in the book Small Gods, which I "blogged" about several entries ago. I had mentioned then that Terry Pratchett poked fun at a lot of religious things, but never at religion itself, or specifically at any Christian doctrine, and in this novel, you can briefly see the respect he actually has. It was kind of impressive, and some of the wording was really... exciting for one going out on the mission field.

In the passage, Esmeralda "Granny" Weatherwax is explaining to the Quite Reverend Oats why she doesn't believe in the small gods...

"Right. Right. That's people for you. Now if I'd seen him, really there, really alive, it'd be in me like a fever. If I thought there was some god who really did care two hoots about people, who watched 'em like a father and cared for 'em like a mother . . . well, you wouldn't catch me sayin' things like 'there are two sides to every question' and 'we must respect other people's beliefs.' You wouldn't find me just being gen'rally nice in the hope that it'd all turn out all right in the end, not if that flame was burning in me like an unforgivin' sword. And I did say burnin', Mr. Oats, 'cos that's what it'd be. You say that you people don't burn folk and sacrifice people anymore, but that's what true faith would mean, y'see? Sacrificin' your own life, one day at a time, to the flame, declarin' the truth of it, workin' for it, breathin' the soul of it. That's religion. Anything else is just . . . is just bein' nice. And a way of keepin' in touch with the neighbors."
--Carpe Jugulum, p. 310 (of the softcover), emphasis mine

Okay, time for a last look around the room, and then it's off to Thailand. I'll post when I can.

Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones, I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.
--Jeremiah 20:9, New King James Version

The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.
--Leviticus 6:13, New International Version