At first Paul doesn't notice God coming to visit because he's concentrating on cooking oatmeal. Oatmeal is the breakfast specified for Tuesday mornings. The oatmeal-cooking and oatmeal-eating directions, along with other instructions, are in the Book. This is an immense leather-bound volume Paul has. If he follows the Book, God won't be displeased with him, and won't smite him with a lightning bolt. At least Paul hopes not.
But when Paul comes face to face with God in his kitchen, it becomes clear that the Almighty requires something beyond following the Book. In fact, God wants Paul to leave home and go on a quest. Where Paul is supposed to go isn't clear, but God promises to guide him along the way. Paul is to take along one page from the Book, not the whole thing.
Paul sets out on his quest with a companion, Daniel. His activities along the way include forestry, gardening, drinking from a supernatural crucible, tasting an Archbishop's food to check if it's poisoned, serving a prison sentence, and playing games with children who seem wiser than their elders. When Paul and Daniel need guidance, the page from the book provides it, changing according to their needs and circumstances.
There's a WAITING FOR GODOT feeling to this novel. Though Paul and Daniel travel far, I didn't sense them arrived at break-through moments that greatly advanced their understanding of life. I found this a bit unsatisfying, but I enjoyed their journey in any case. The author's sense of humour and imagination kept me turning the pages.
One of the book's key ideas is that many people go through life afraid of being punished for displeasing God. The author feels they should change this attitude. They should move from a negative to a positive mind-set, from fearful keeping of rules to exercising free choice. The author prefers choosers to rule-keepers. However, it never became clear to me how choosers' lives should play out, and what effect their choices will have on themselves and others. Maybe the author means for us to discover that for ourselves.
The book is 117 pages long and sells for about $10 paperback, considerably less as an e-book. It can be ordered from:
Chapters Indigo https://tinyurl.com/y8ayckyd
Lulu http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/celticfrog [scroll down]
Amazon.ca https://tinyurl.com/yb3364sa
Amazon.com https://tinyurl.com/ybvwtewc
