Spiritual Readings                "Greetings from Whittier Presbyterian Church"

Wendell Berry is described as a conservationist, farmer, essayist, novelist, professor of English and poet.  No less than The New York Times has called Berry the "prophet of rural America."  He might even serve as a prophet for urban America, but that might come a little close to the editors of the NY Times!  There is an interesting short essay by him with attached feedback at http://www.tipiglen.dircon.co.uk/berrynot.html if you have the time to read it.  It is titled WHY I AM NOT GOING TO BUY A COMPUTER.  He raises some great points there and the letters the essay has generated give a great sense of balance and perspective.  I encourage your looking at it if you have the time.

 Here’s a quote by him taken from his collection of essays called “Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community.”  I found it quoted in another source, but it, as well as the essay noted above, make me want to read more of Berry.

 “The breath of God is only one of the divine gifts that make us living souls; the otheris the dust.  Most of our modern troubles come from our misunderstanding and misevaluation of this dust.”

 It is sometimes easier and less painful to just stick with “spiritual” things and forget the flesh, the “dust” in Berry’s terms, that we are charged with caring for.

May you keep a balance in your life between these two gifts from God.

Grace & peace to you all.

Geoff