Flabbergasted – Ray Blackston

"Jay Jarvis just moved east. His dating life's gone south. What else is a guy to do but go fishing?"

Rating:



Summary:
Flabbergasted follows Jay Jarvis and his adventures in Greenville, South Carolina. Shortly after moving there, Jay is dumped by his girlfriend and left to fend for himself in the world of singleness and stocks. Receiving advice from his real estate lady, Jay attends North Hill Presbyterian Church in the hopes of meeting a single lady. His eye is caught by a tan skinned lady in the second row, but he was unable to speak with her. He volunteers to help coordinate the Memorial Day beach trip just to have a chance to talk with her, but he was unable to attend the planning meeting. Lucky for him, Allie (the girl) has an amazing throwing arm and makes Jay the target of shrimp, marshmallows, and other various food items. They spend the entire weekend at the beach together doing one crazy thing after another. Unlucky for Jay, Allie is a missionary and spends the rest of the summer traveling from church to church to get money to return to Ecuador. She returns to Ecuador, and Jay tries to return to the stock market. Secretly, Jay plans a trip to visit Allie in South America, and God’s perfect planning leads Jay to a whole new world of possibilities.

Impact:
Flabbergasted was an entertaining book. I initially read it this year because I needed something light and funny to read. Instead, I was left with a deep thought: Why not let God be God? If He is in control, then I have nothing to worry about and no need to fret. The relationship between Jay and Allie was something that I would love to have and it was planned by God. Their theology and philosophical questions are sure to make you laugh. I know I did. I found myself reading aloud the funnier bits to my family because I would laugh so. All in all, this book was exactly what I needed.

“There are potholes on the road less traveled. Some deep, some not so deep, some you dig yourself. Most are filled with mud. Many contain rocks. Once in a while, however, you’ll be walking along and step in one a bit more accommodating…shabby, green, and pulsing with life. It’ll tickle your feet, like clover.” ( Flabbergasted 8 )

“Because outside of God’s shadow I was just a gaudy plastic float filled with stubborn air, drifting like a blind Jonah in search of Plan B, manipulating circumstances and wondering why I kept waking up in my very own Tarshish. But in God’s shadow I had been dazzled by the detour, amazed at the fraternity, and flabbergasted by the depth that comes from simplicity…” ( Flabbergasted 326 )

6/6/10 - 6/10/10