August Preview from the Chicago Botanical Garden

My parents are visiting from California and are here for two weeks spending their time with the grandsons, and then on occasion they'll talk to me as well. But it's been tough to find time to blog with all the day trips we have been taking (though I'm not complaining at all!). We've been exploring the best of Chicago and the Lake Michigan coastlines. So I'm struggling to scrape the minutes to post. I'll return to the blog next chance I get, but in the interim, here is a review of July to set up a preview for what's ahead in August.
   For all of July, I have blogged on Greco-Roman traditions surrounding death. The first post was on the grave reliefs depicting the agony and grief experienced by all when the deceased is separated eternally from their remaining loved ones (here). The second post was on the literary evidence for common cultural fears surrounding death, especially those recorded in the mythic traditions of Mediterranean religions (here). The third was on philosophical critiques against fearing death and the advice which philosophers like Philodemus gave to help people manage their grief and pain (here). In my next series of three (may be four?) posts, I hope to explore areas where the message and content of the Pauline letters intersect with these traditions. Just need to carve out the time and space to do this, which may not happen until the (grand)parents return home.
   Until then, here's a photo from the Chicago Botanical Garden, with a word from 1 Peter 2:24-25:

Tropical Water Lily in full bloom
Photo take by Max Lee © 2014 Chicago Botanical Garden

For, "All people are like grass, 

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

 but the word of the Lord endures forever." 

And this is the word that was preached to you.

 (1 Peter 1:24-25 TNIV)