Letter #13
Main Theme: Losing self to find self.
Background: Despite Wormwood's efforts and success to draw the patient into an illusive glamorous life, he slips into allowing the man to enjoy a couple of pasttimes which can send a person back into reality.

When He talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.

Do you like the main theme?  Yeah, to a non-church person, that would be confusing.  However, to any person who speaks fluent Christianese, it makes complete sense...sometimes.

The last...oh...three years have been a journey for me.  Of course there was finishing up college, moving back home and getting involved with church, finding a job, moving out on my own... But beginning just over three years ago--and continuing even to just this past year--the most uncertain and doubtful I have ever felt has come from evaluating where I am, what I'm doing, and what I think God wants me to do.

So here's the catch: as far back as I can remember, I've always thought about the future and tried to have everything planned out.  For several years I wanted to be a school bus driver, then a teacher, a meteorologist, architect, biochemist, science teacher.  Before finishing my junior year of high school, I had it planned that I would go to KU, major in biochemistry, go to graduate school on one of the coasts, and probably never return to live in my home city.  Well, I'm one for four.  I had no clue (and I'm still amazed by how everything changed) that I would end up at a small private college in-the-middle-of-nowhere Kansas, and then return home after graduating.  Going to a big school and getting an education was my ticket out of Kansas!  What happened?!

November 10th, 2001.

I was accepted to participate in the local university's Distinguished Scholarship Invitational.  About a thousand high school seniors came to the campus for a whole day and shuffled through activities such as debates, individual interviews, group interviews, and testing all while being watched and judged for leadership potential.  My last event of the day was the group interview.  There were about 10 of us students sitting in a half circle with our desks, and one of the professors at the front of the room asking us questions.  With this next part only those people in the room know about: I cried.  It wasn't because I was nervous or scared or whatever, but I was overcome with this joyful, passionate emotion.  So, I cried.  I had spent the whole day trying to give the "right" answers to impress and intrigue others.  But I finally broke when asked the question: "who would you most like to be like, and why?"  I was either last or next to last to answer.  Everybody else mentioned a family member or some kind of political or social leader.  When all eyes turned to me, all pre-thought answers left my head and I could only answer "Jesus."

So, how does one become like Jesus?  Do we follow a strict list of rules and laws?  No, even though sometimes it seems that way.  But what we do is not because some words tell us to, but because it is the Spirit working within us (Romans 7:6).  Do we completely separate ourselves from all people worldly? No, how else are we to minister to them (see my comments on Letter #10)?  Are we to let  people walk all over us so as not to offend anybody?  No.  I'm not going to expand on this because I can't think of any scripture off the top of my head (can anybody provide some?).  So, how are we to become like Jesus?  I don't know.  I DON'T KNOW.  Sheesh, okay?  But I do know that the best place to start is by realizing that I am not in control.

For me--at least--if I truly want to die to self (as the saying goes), then I need to give up that control to God.  The funny thing is that I never really had control in the first place.  When I eventually let go of my dreams of becoming a famous biochemist, God led me straight to where he wanted me to be: a small Bible-teaching college where I was able to meet incredible people and learn more about Him.  Three years ago, when I was fretting that my chosen major wouldn't get me a job post-graduation, God led me to education and developing a passion to working with youth.  A year and a half ago, when I was nearing the end of student teaching, but knew that I absolutely hated working in schools, God led me to working in a lab which freed up my sanity for volunteering with the church youth group.  Then two months ago, when I hated my job and desperately wanted to go into full-time youth ministry, God led me to a national youth leader conference where I learned that I have it good.  Believing that I had control of my own life, but then when things started going wrong, I was left feeling like a failure--lost and depressed.  Realizing that God is in control, and He has a plan for me that will be revealed over time allows me to live life to the fullest right now. <--Note the bolding.

You know, I'm just going to leave it at that.  Wait, let me answer the question first.  How do we become like Jesus?  By letting God lead.  There, that's my conclusion.

"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:33

Letter #11
Main Theme: Potential misuses of humor.
Background: Screwtape writes to Wormwood about the human's new friends.  Apparently, they pride themselves in their sarcastic nature and in causing laughter from any situation or subject.

[Flippancy] is a thousand miles away from joy: it deadens, instead of sharpening, the intellect; and it excites no affection between those who practise it.

Main Entry: flip·pan·cy
Pronunciation: 'fli-p&n(t)-sE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -cies
: unbecoming levity or pertness especially in respect to grave or sacred matters
(www.m-w.com)

"'See here, Dumbledore,' said Fudge, and Harry was astonished to see a slight smile dawning on his face, '"you--you can't seriously believe that.  You-Know-Who--back?  Come now, come now...certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders--but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore...'" (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)

Anybody who has read the Harry Potter books knows how this quote finally shows Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, as being one of the biggest fools throughout the series.  Here the most dangerous and powerful wizard, Lord Voldemort, has finally been able to regain a body, and thus his powers, to continue his reign of killing innocent people.  However, Fudge refuses to believe it--he refuses to acknowledge the truth, as horrible as it is, and hopes for it all to go away.  Fudge tries to hide the reality by laughing it away.

Okay, so the quote from Harry Potter goes along with the dictionay definition, but how does it relate to Screwtape's writings?

How often have you, or has someone else, thought lightly of a matter important to someone else?  Perhaps there was a bad test score, and instead of trying to improve in that subject, a person might sigh and say, "oh, well."  Or how about a group of friends are out late one night.  One friend has a curfew before the others, but the others convince him that an extra hour out won't hurt.  In each example, the flippant response towards hard work and rules lightens the mood for a while, but what happens afterwards?  The bad scores keep piling up until there's little hope of passing the class.  The friend who broke his curfew gets in trouble, possibly feeling a little resentful towards his peers (and probably the parents, though they don't deserve it).

How about another situation that we too often dismiss: salvation.  As Christians, we hide from the fact that there are unsaved people around us who are doomed to Hell.  For whatever reason, they do not know or believe that salvation comes only through our Lord Jesus Christ.  What do we do about it?  Nothing.  What should we do about it?  Everything--everything and anything it takes to share the Good News with others (Matthew 28:16-20).

Humor is good.  It helps alleviate some burderns, but it should never relieve the burdens.  Pretending something does not exist, does not cause it to be so.  Instead of dismissing a problem because it is too big for you to handle, remember it is not you alone who must deal with it.

By the way, when I write about something, it is directed towards myself as well as anybody reading this.

~Mme. Darcy

Letter #9
Main Theme: The desires of the flesh.
Background: In the previous letter Screwtape warned how low periods of the patient's life are used by God to reach the patient. Now, Screwtape is informing Wormwood on how to take advantage of the dull period.

He made all the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden.

I am a little apprehensive about what I am about to write, but please bear with me and read all the way through before coming to any conclusions about my character and morals...

Sex is not wrong--our bodies are not something to be ashamed of. Neither is drinking any kind of alcoholic beverage wrong. However, there is a time and place for sex, as there are also restrictions to drinking. What are these guidelines? Well, lemme break it down:

Sex
Anybody who has grown up in a Christian family or church probably has it instilled into their heads that sex outside of marriage (including premarital and extramarital) is wrong. Agreed? Agreed. Want Biblical references? Here ya go: Deuteronomy 5:18, Matthew 15:19, Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5, and Hebrews 13:4--just to name a few. However, too often people take these passages to the extreme in believing any form of sexuality is wrong. Not true! The male and female bodies were created by God--He wouldn't make anything that isn't beautiful. We have a whole book in the Bible that has a theme of marveling at what God has made (Song of Solomon/Songs).

With that said...in a way sexuality is wrong. It is wrong by how Satan and the world have perverted God's creation. Sex is now seen as the only true way of being intimate--a relationship is not a serious relationship until it is sexual. Sex is even used as a game. Furthermore, girls of all ages display their bodies in such ways to cause men to praise the creation, instead of the Creator. This, my friends, is idolatry, and shame on the boys to falling for it and shame on the girls for causing it.

Alcohol
I have never had any alcoholic beverage, not even a sip. If that's the case, then why did I say before that drinking is not wrong? Well, I have two reasons for my abstaining from the substance. The first would be what my dad always taught me (if I start drinking, what's to stop me from becoming drunk), and the second is that I do not want to be a stumbling block for others.

The Bible has several verses that warns against the sin of drunkenness and the foolishness that it causes (Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 5:11, Galatians 5:19-21). Drunkenness, of course, comes from having a lack of self-control and consuming too much alcohol. Too often people will drink too much because of some underlying problem. However, true solace and comfort is found in God, not a bottle of Jack Daniels or Southern Comfort (that name is quite misleading).

As a child and teenager, I followed my dad's rules and reasons. However, after doing my own studying and thinking, I still agree with my father's words, but I also see something much deeper.

Romans has got to be my favorite book in the Bible. The last few chapters of Romans is Paul giving further instructions to the Christian Jews and Gentiles about their customs, or lack-of customs. The gentile Christians are making fun of the jewish Christians for their strict observance of customs from the Law. In return, the jewish Christians are questioning the Gentiles of their Christianity for not following the Law's customs. It is so plain and convicting to read Romans 14:14-21:

"As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. [...] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall."

My conviction? Others see it as wrong to drink. If that person sees me drinking, and it causes him to think that Christianity is a hoax, then I have sinned against that person. I have caused that person to turn away from God because of my selfish need to fulfill an indulgence. Besides, it's easier and cheaper to order a pop or lemonade.

Okay, I'm spent. I'm going to do my hair and make-up for dinner.

~Mme. Darcy