The Law Student in Paris (Part II)

Part II from Paris:

Cafe Society ©Mark H. Pillsbury (2015)

I’ve often remembered how complicated this relationship appeared on its face; but at that age, at that time, it fit like a glove. Without similar backgrounds or cultures, common-ground came from far more intrinsic personality patterns, where they fell on the arc of our lives. 

His English proficiency allowed us to communicate, but our rapport grew slowly, partly because of our separate styles. Gabriel leaned shyly toward introversion, but his eyes sparkled, connecting with mine when we met.

My strong, gregarious “American” persona, smooth as my tanned legs, pressured his French manhood, yet as artists we were noncompetitive; drawn together by his earnest skillfulness, far more interesting than mine. 

He loved to debate politics, or the legal system. I assumed my sophisticated, cerebral “aura” caught his fancy, but he told me later that he first noticed me wearing a simple red Hermes scarf tying up my long, wavy brown hair.

Even though both of us were “breaking-out” of entrenched patterns; we went about it differently. Trading my logical conformity and linear thinking with sublimity, artistry, and creativity, became more art than science. On the other hand, Gabriel escaped deep-rooted archetypes of chaos and disorder through focus and concentration on life’s blueprint, which he found in nature’s precise mathematical models. As representatives of yin and yang, I believe we came together at the starting point of these changes; like two halves chasing each other, seeking balance. ##

[*This is a work of fiction, all references are coincidental and photographs are used under the "Fair Use" doctrine]

Praying for young people and Revival

Every year at HC, the faculty and staff pray that God would revive us again; that the teachers would be facilitators of joy among the students, so that they might rejoice in God, draw near to God, seek his kingdom, and his righteousness. 

With all this prayed over, there is then a peace that all the things of the coming school year would be added to them as it progresses. Everything will work out fine. In August every year the train leaves the station and picks up speed as it roars to the graduation ceremony in May. There are nice “rest” stops along the way but so much is accomplished that a fatigue builds up due to the “labor” of the school year. We started out this year well, breaking in the new principal, hosting numerous events, football and volleyball games, a capital campaign moving "Forward in Faith," new athletic conference announced [“SPC”], recruiting next year’s freshman, and many other tasks. It is a busy place, but a hopeful place!

Pray for Revival

I recently heard a Yale professor David H. Gelernter speak about the possibility of religious revivial starting with our young people:

"The next great American religious revival will start, my guess is, on (high school or) college campuses —and it will start fairly soon. The need is great, for they are the driest timber I have ever come across. In a spiritually dried-out land where “careers” alone are holy, the thirst is acute. Mostly they know little or nothing about religion; little or nothing about Americanism. Mostly no one ever speaks to them about truth and beauty, or nobility or honor or greatness. They are empty--spiritually bone dry--because no one has ever bothered to give them anything spiritual that is worth having. Platitudes about diversity and tolerance and multiculturalism are thin gruel for intellectually growing young people."

Gelernter thinks that "someone will start preaching." 

Maybe it is an ordained pastor from RUF? (www.ruf.org) or a high school chaplain like Drew Zeiler?

Audiences will be small at first, but young people want to hear this message:

‘Forget your career and think about your family.

Forget your rights and think about your duties.

Forget your bank account and think about your country.

Forget yourself and think about your God.’...

"(S)omeday soon some sympathetic disciple of the founding fathers will compose the indispensable companion to our Bill of Rights...a Bill of Duties that conveys the exact same truths in terms of responsibility, instead of entitlement." (Gelernter continues...)

"Let the right person speak to them, and they will turn back to the Bible with an excitement and exhilaration that will shake the country. In reading the Bible they will feel as if they are going home--which is just what they will be doing. Nothing would do America more good than a biblical homecoming."  (David Gelernter)

At Houston Christian ["HC"] students are exposed to a biblical world and life view. Many are "un-churched" or merely "seekers" of the ways of Jesus. But at least they get to hear from this important book, see how other Christians live out their daily walks with Him. In addition to great Bible teachers at HC, they have access to peer-to-peer discipleship groups after school, if they want to talk about their questions and walk with fellow students as they grow in spiritual maturity. It is my hope that God will send out leaders from HC who will help other college students (even the ones at Yale, prof. Gelernter) to see there is a higher calling in life than just materialism, consumption, power, money and lust. I hope that they feel responsible for the next generation of American exceptionalism, and that God will be important in their lives. If this happens then all these things will be added unto us.