Facts vs Frost Flowers
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
"It's been such a long time..." Thus sings Brad Delp over a sustained Bb chord from Boston's epic single, Long Time. It is also apropos to this article. Towards the end of the spring semester, my writing discipline took an early (and extended) vacation so it has been such a long time since I sent out my last The Long and Short of It. Thanks to my good friends (you know who you are) who encouraged me to get back into writing.
THE LONG TAKE: Facts vs Frost Flowers
Every once in awhile, I will hit the perfect storm of reading: an interesting book, focused reading, and time to truly and deeply contemplate what I'm reading. Reading Recapturing the Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World by Mike Cosper was the most recent time that has happened. I was fully engaged in the text when I came across a line that literally made me close the book and put it on the nightstand. I tentatively opened the book to see if the line was there or if it was a figment of my imagination. Sure enough, there it stood in black and white for all the world to see.
Maybe the facts of frost flowers don't tell us the truth of frost flowers (Cosper, 2017, p. 21).
I thought, "what type of postmodern nonsense is this?" Then, I re-read the lead up to the quote to get the full context and flow of his thoughts. What I had stumbled upon was, perhaps, one of the most influential lines, outside of Scripture, that I have ever read. Here is the brief summary (I would recommend reading the whole book; it's quite good!!): Cosper was out for a walk one morning when he came upon a visually stunning landscape consisting of an unfamiliar plant illuminated by the rising sun. Upon returning to his cabin where he was vacationing with his wife and another couple, he attempted to describe the scene but did not know the name of the plants he saw. So like any good research group, they fired up Wikipedia to learn that the plants Cosper saw were called frost flowers and they spent several minutes learning all they could about this interesting flower, including why they were able to make such a spectacular scene at the sunrise. At that time, Cosper realized that, while his wife and friends knew many facts about frost flowers, he was the one who experienced them in reality, soaking in the sheer beauty that was before him. They had facts; he had an experience. Thus, the facts of frost flowers do not fully convey the essence of frost flowers.
I am a biologist by trade and, as such, I tend to see the world around me in biological terms. Leaves are green due to reflected light from chloroplasts; blue footed boobies (the coolest birds in the world, if I may say so) lift their feet to impress mates; the caloric intake of your breakfast is literally providing the ability to use your index finger to swipe through Instagram; etc. I know the facts of those various topics, but for the past few years, God was opening my eyes to the truth of those various topics, namely that the Lord God Almighty, the Maker of the Heavens and Earth, is the power and presence behind every single one of those facts.
This is why Cosper's book (and line) resonated so deep within me. We see a beautiful sunrise without realizing that God, through his providential power, is directing specific beams of light through millions of miles of space, interacting with specific particles to refract and reflect various wavelengths of light to hit our retinas at a perfect angle to create an electrical signal which travels to our brain which then simply thinks, "Wow". We know the physics behind it but fail to see the God behind the physics behind it. The truth is that these things around us, whether they be things of beauty or of the mundane, are 100% made possible through the sovereign will of God. The sun does not rise because of the rotation of the earth; the sun rises because God, each day in accordance to His will, says "Do it again". The oxygen molecule that you are getting ready to breath in has benefitted from the full, undivided attention of its Creator since the dawn of time so that it is perfectly positioned to enter your lungs in the next few seconds providing the necessary material for one of your cells to function properly.
Don't mistake what I'm saying as an embrace of anti-intellectualism; it is far from it. The facts of science and what we can learn from and through our senses are of value. However, there is greater power in knowing what is the glue that makes those "facts" possible. Stephen Hawking, who would never be confused with an evangelical theologian, understood this concept when he wrote:
Even if there is only one possible unified theory, it is just a set of rules and equations. What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe? (Quoted from Polkinghorne's Faith of a Physicist)
We have the answer: the God of the Bible is not just Creator, but Sustainer and Provider as well. By His good and perfect will, every single particle of matter is subject to His sovereignty. Thus, the next time you are filled with awe at grandeur of the world around you, remember the God who is ultimately behind it all and glorify Him; that is what it means to recapture the wonder. We just need to let the facts of this world lead us to the bigger truth behind it....
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Many years ago, I was introduced to the Centurions Program, a biblically based academic fellowship focused on culture and intellectual engagement. The Centurions was started under the leadership of the late Chuck Colson and was designed to take the average church goer and equip them to know how to use their vocation in a way that demonstrates an understanding of a biblical worldview and its application in all walks of life. Looking at the books, topics, and opportunities, I knew that was something that one day want to do, but I did not have the time or attention. Several years and kids later, I now have the opportunity to join the academic affiliate of the renamed Colson Fellows Program with several of my co-workers at North Raleigh Christian Academy. It's been a challenge to get back into a heavy reading pace, but I'm learning and growing, which is the point after all.
THIS AND THAT
I have a deep love of music, especially music from the last three decades of the 20th century. To me (which means this is my opinion; you are free to disagree), the 70s, 80s, and 90s were the last great decades of what I would like to call "songmanship", where artists were both skilled musicians and songwriters. To be sure, there are some bands/singers today that fit this category but these are the exceptions rather than the rule. One thing that gets my attention is the hidden subtlety in songs (an instrument here, a groove there) that adds depth to the song without being the main focus of the song. In fact, its pretty easy to miss unless you are in tune with the music. Here are three examples of some of my favorite musical subtleties:
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps: Beatles - What makes this single so good is the bass line Paul lays down. It follows its own rhythm without contrasting the drums and lead guitar while providing an interesting harmony in its root notes. Bonus points for the bass line to only be in the right stereo speaker (set your fade fully to R in your car or headphones and you will hear it).
- Right Now: Van Halen - One of my goals as a guitarist is to play like Eddie Van Halen; however, while he has a great solo on this single, it is the groove from the drums that drives this song. The more you focus on the drums, the more you notice that there is a level of complexity beyond initial diagnosis. The fills, the shuffle, even the "off beat" intro makes the song, more so than Eddie's guitar.
- No More Tears: Ozzy Osbourne - I challenge you to find the "1" count during the opening bass riff and time up when the drums come in. I'll wait.... Fun fact -- it sounds like it is in 4/4 time, but it's not! Those few measures set the scene for the abruptness and power of the rest of the song.
MY CURRENT INTAKE
- What I'm Listening To: Currently, it's a very eclectic list, but heavy on 80's and 90's ballads. Hello there, Jon Secada and Quincy Jones...
- What I'm Reading For Fun: Play It Loud: An Epic History of the Style, Sound, and Revolution of the Electric Guitar Utterly fascinating read about the development of the modern electric guitar that focuses more on the people rather than on the instrument itself. The story of Leo Fender leaving work the day after he sold his company was heart-wrenching...
- What I'm Reading For Work: Saving the Bible From Ourselves by Glenn R. Paauw. Interesting points and worth a gander...
- Recommended Spotify Playlist: Getting back into the music of Andrew Peterson and his ilk which is a blend of bluegrass, folk, and country but with great lyrics and even better musicians. Here is The Rabbit Room. Upright bass and epic moustache not included...
Soli Deo Gloria,
Mitch Evans, Ed.D.