Hey everyone!
Welcome to the Valentine edition of Digestable, the short, weekly email where we follow our curiosity and share quotes about love. This edition was emailed to subscribers on February 13th, 2022.
Alright then!
Valentine Gear > Chocolate: The Biolite HeadLamp 330 in the color red is Valentine’s Day gift from my valentine that I wholeheartedly recommend. It is the lightest and most comfortable headlamp I’ve ever owned. The low-profile design doesn’t bounce around when trail running, and it is comfortable enough to use for reading in bed when you don’t want to disturb your bunkmates in the hostel. It’s perfect for camping, rucks before the sun rises, and doesn’t take any room in your pack to take along for day trips as a “just in case” light. The limitations: it is USB rechargeable only, so if you are doing an extended backcountry trip or accidentally turn your light on in your pack and burn out the battery you can’t just pop new batteries in. 330 lumens is great for speeds up to a trail run pace, but it doesn’t shoot far enough down the trail for faster sports like biking or XC skiing. Durability: I’m on my second edition of this light. My first one (purchased on Kickstarter a number of years ago) started having battery consistency issues after its second year of use. I’m hoping they’ve got that fixed in the newer versions.
Aroo! My family and I as well as a bunch of good friends have signed up for the 21km Spartan Beast Obstacle Course Race at Big White (Kelowna)on Saturday, August 27th. It’s going to be a party and you should consider getting in on that. I’d be happy to share my unqualified (and FREE) opinions on how to get yourself ready for that if you need some guidance. If you need something more, or less, there are shorter and longer race options available. A special note for my Dad: you only have to do 30 burpees when you fail the obstacle, you don’t need to do them at the obstacles you successfully complete.
Life of Fred: How are your kids (or you) making out with math? Life of Fred is an entertaining story-based math curriculum that covers first-grade to university-level math and statistics. Our kids loved it as a supplement to their core math program, Math-U-See, and even I have Life of Fred on my “want to read” list. One day, I would like to brush up on the math concepts from about ninth-grade through to university level, and when I am ready to tackle that I intend to use Life of Fred. You can watch a video overview of Life of Fred here and if you would like to borrow one of these books shoot me a note!
Murder Razor: Here’s another razor (simple heuristic or rule of thumb) from the teachings of Jesus. How can we prevent violence and murder? He says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not murder” … But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’ [empty-headed] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
The capacity for murder and violence lives in each of us if the seeds of it are not properly managed. The seeds of murder are a feeling of contempt that provokes you to think or call someone a fool, empty-headed, or worthless. When you no longer see a fellow human as a brother or sister, but rather “a waste of skin.” Pop your head into Twitter and you will see the seeds of murder scattered liberally.
Jesus’ solution: treat the seeds of murder as seriously as murder itself, and reconcile grievances quickly. “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” And, “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way.”
To steer clear of murder and violence and the hell it will wreak on your life, address your feelings of contempt with all seriousness and practice the discipline of reconciling even the small injuries quickly. Religious acts, devotion, and sacrifice are but theatre if this is not practiced.
Quote I’m Pondering – Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) on “a love you cannot lose”:
“What do the lonely and the anxious long for except a love that they cannot lose? But who can give a love that does not fade and die, but You.
– Confessions, by Augustine
What does weariness seek except rest? But what sure rest is there apart from You.
Thus the soul commits adultery whenever it turns from You and seeks these things that it cannot find except in You.
Oh Lord, you made us for yourself and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in You.”
Where did your curiosity lead you this week? I’d love to hear from you!
Thanks again for following along. I’m having a riot putting these together, so if you are enjoying this newsletter I’d love it if you shared it with a friend or two and we can keep the great conversations growing.
Yours truly,
Jeff
P.S. Here’s a photo of my valentine and I at my son’s wedding (Ariel & Emilie) in September 🙂
Jeff Sutherland 