Whatever one of us asked the other to do - it was assumed the asker would weigh all the consequences - the other would do. Thus one might wake the other in the night and ask for a cup of water; and the other would peacefully (and sleepily) fetch it. We, in fact, defined courtesy as 'a cup of water in the night'. And we considered it a very great courtesy to ask for the cup as well as to fetch it.
Sheldon Vanaukenโฆthough I wouldnโt have admitted it, even to myself, I didnโt want God aboard. He was too heavy. I wanted Him approving from a considerable distance. I didnโt want to be thinking of Him. I wanted to be freeโlike Gypsy. I wanted life itself, the color and fire and loveliness of life. And Christ now and then, like a loved poem I could read when I wanted to. I didnโt want us to be swallowed up in God. I wanted holidays from the school of Christ.
Sheldon VanaukenBetween the probable and proved there yawns A gap. Afraid to jump, we stand absurd, Then see behind us sink the ground and, worse, Our very standpoint crumbling. Desperate dawns Our only hope: to leap into the Word That opens up the shuttered universe.
Sheldon VanaukenBoth Heaven and Hell are retroactive, all of one's life will eventually be known to have been one or the other.
Sheldon VanaukenThe adult must seem to mislead the child, and the Master the dog. They misread the signs. Their ignorance and their wishes twist everything. You are so sure you know what the promise promised! And the danger is that when what He means by โwindโ appears you will ignore it because it is not what you thought it would beโas He Himself was rejected because He was not like the Messiah the Jews had in mind.
Sheldon Vanauken