if you want to walk on water.

last weekend, i walked around chapters with tiffany. i had all the intentions in the world to not buy a single book. all i wanted was a portuguese language cd/book. however, i ended up with a cute spiral-bound notebook, my portuguese cds and...

"the year of living biblically - one man's humble quest to follow the bible as literally as possible" by a. j. jacobs

i'm fairly certain that i have seen this book... or heard about it... it was familiar when i picked it up. quickly, i scanned the back... and decided that i would read it. the last time i read a book of this kind was "walking the bible - a journey by land through the five books of moses", by bruce feiler. i was up for some critical thinking, and very excited to live vicariously through this man for a while. it's interesting, because both of the authors previously mentioned went into their adventures as complete non-believers... agnostic. and to watch them both unravel their faiths feels quite voyeuristic to me... like i'm standing on their sidewalk, watching them through their front windows with binoculars.

in a.j.'s book... i'm on the chapter titled "month nine: may". the past 8 months, in the book... a.j. has decided to live his life according to the old testament. following every rule and law. not cutting his beard, tying tassels to the corners of his clothes, stoning adulterers. i've found this part of the book completely fascinating. for me, i've always been drawn to the nt. so, to see a.j... go to the ot extreme... i couldn't get enough of! he's eating bugs, paying close attention to menstrual laws, building huts! throughout the book, there are certain verses that he focuses on... many of them have been about wine. which, i can appreciate. other, have been very thought-provoking... i'm always curious to see what he will pick next. of course, i'm very excited for him to go through the nt next ... what will he think about paul, the book of revelation, the resurrection of Jesus?! and which verses will he study?

last night, i was finished reading for the night... finished facebook checking... turned off my light and started my nightly pre-sleep praying. just a lot of thanking, asking God to keep aderito safe, and if at all possible to keep the cost of my broken car on the low side. but, then my mind wandered to the book. thinking about the a.j.'s newest revelation, and thinking about his relationship with God. but, then i had... this thought....

reading the book, it's like a.j. is writing about a good Friend of mine... that i know quite well. and that he is getting to know. it's was a pretty strange feeling. for a.j., God is this... very impersonal idea... that he is learning about but, without getting attached to him. going through motions, and his head is getting quite full of God-facts... but, his heart is lagging behind. i find myself cheering on a.j.!!

wanting him to just... step out of the boat.