Why Sarregouset?

The Sarregousets or Arragousets were a part of Guernsey folklore mentioned in Victor Hugo's The Toilers of the Sea. The word is probably a corruption of Les Aragousais, 'the men of Aragon', who invaded Guernsey in the fourteenth century, according to The Fabled Coast, by Sophia Kingshill. They were a mysterious, elfin folk who were held responsible for many weird and suspicious events by the reclusive and superstitious populace, and were given strange powers and called by strange names. It is apparent in the novel that they existed only in the imagination of the natives. But as such they are a type or picture of the theme of this work, and most others by Victor Hugo: The misunderstood and anathematized, the untouchables and unreachables, the pathetic and empathetic, the helpless and hopeless, the neglected and broken. I can't say I want to be like the Sarregousets.

Actually, I just happened to be reading this book when I was in need of a unique username.

At night, when it thunders, if you should happen to see men flying in the lurid light of the clouds, or on the rolling waves of the air, these are no other than the Sarregousets.

You can read a contemporary version of the fable here: http://abookofcreatures.com/2015/04/01/arragouset/, and an encyclopedia entry here: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arragouset.

Vacation

I forgot my camera, so these are just the highlights. 

Something I'm beginning to learn.

When life presents you with a choice in paths, usually the only wrong decision is to not make a decision.

Living

Everything in life is what you make of it, except for a few things, such as faith, hope, and love, which are what they make of you.

Boxes

Life is all about boxes. Everyone has them; everyone needs them. The thing is, if you don't actively make the boxes fit yourself, you will end up fitting into the boxes.

Also, I've been wondering lately if a 'thick skin' is just a nice way of saying a dragon's skin. And if a bubble is the same as a brick wall, when it doesn't pop when it ought.

Theology

As I consider the history of the church, I am always especially interested in the errors our forefathers fell into. Even Calvin, Luther, and Augustine - I owe my worldview to them, yet I freely disagree with them, on points great or small. I expect that no one is in perfect accord with any of their founders, and I feel that that's okay. I'm not bothered by the mistakes of our predecessors—I want to know will be our mistakes, according to our successors, and according to God. What will have been the heresy of my era? And more importantly, how am I part of the problem, and how can I be part of the solution?

On reflection, I think on of the great errors of my day is the division of the church into so many 'denominations'. People who call on the same God cannot worship together because of their traditions - churches with identical creeds split on the smallest issues. No time or place in history has experienced such splits as the church in America today. And all this in the face of a clear command from God: 'Let there be no divisions among you! Has Christ been divided?' Yet you and I try to justify ourselves, saying this and that, claiming expediency in the growth of the church. Maybe this is true. Yet I would believe otherwise.