…Answers

So these are the answers that came to the questions I posed.

What is your role among people (perhaps in your work, family, friendship group)?
I think my role is to call to others, to know the rythm, to be still and to know.

What gift do you bring to share in that group that no one else does?
I bring prayer connected with reading and listening. I also bring experiences of the life I’ve lived, which is different from most of the people around me.

What gift do you value in others that is shared in that particular group?
I really value the gift of fun – of being able to find the fun in almost any situation and share that fun  with others. I tend to be a little more serious, so I really appreciate people who draw me to have fun. Also, the gift of caring and those blessed with the desire to grow, share and journey with others.

What gifts and graces would you like to ask God to bless your group with?
I ask God for the gift of openness to each other – a willingness to listen and to serve. Not to be closed.

Questions…

I led an all night prayer vigil recently and these questions came to me during it. I will probably post my own answers here at a later date, but for your consideration here are the questions:

1. What is your role among people (perhaps in your work, family, friendship group)?
2. What gift do you bring to share in that group that no one else does?
3. What gift do you value in others that is shared in that particular group?
4. What gifts and graces would you like to ask God to bless your group with?

I think this has turned into a list of my favourite authors

I came across this on Happy Catholic and I just couldn’t resist. Here goes:

1. Most treasured childhood book (s)?
A tale of time city by Diana Wynne Jones,

2. Classic(s) you are embarrassed to admit you’ve never read?
Not really embarrassed to admit I haven’t read a book. I do sometimes think I should have read some Proust or Tolstoy by now.

3. Classics you read, but hated?
Great expectations – any Charles Dickens really. I find the descriptions of EVERYTHING a little too much.

4. Favourite genres?
Fantasy, Sci-fi and childrens

5. Favourite light reading?
Almost anything by Anne McCaffrey or Maeve Binchy

6. Favourite heavy reading?
I’m not sure what heavy reading is, but these were certainly challenging reading, at least the first time: Thomas Merton’s New Seeds of Contemplation, Jane Austin

7. Last book(s) you finished?
New read: Just Henry by Michelle Magorian, Reread: Pegasus in flight by Anne McCaffrey

8. Last book you bailed on?
Theology of the Body by Christopher West – just because I had too much going on at the time to pay proper attention. It’s still in my ‘to read’ pile.

9. Three books on your nightstand?
Follow your dream by Peter Hannan, The inner voice of love by Henri Nouwen and Just Henry by Michelle Magorian

10. Books you’ve read more than once?
I reread books all the time, but some favourites… Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, Persuasion & Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton.

11. The books that meant the most to you when you were young?
The Chalet School Series by Eleanor M Brent-Dyer, The Lord of the Rings, Tim & Tobias books and the Buccanear (?) books by Sheila McCullagh.

12. Book(s) that changed the way you looked at life?
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton, the Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov, Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, The Chalet School Series, The Lord of the Rings, Evening Class by Maeve Binchy, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, The Johnny Series by Terry Pratchett

13. Favorite books
See previous question – the books that teach me something new and reach conclusions usually become favourites.

14. Favorite author(s)
Diana Wynne Jones, Thomas Merton, Michelle Magorian

15. Desert Island book
All of them? Probably Lord of the Rings as it would be long enough (with all the appendices) to keep me going for a while.

I think this has turned into a list of my favourite authors.