Ever since posting my fall reading list I've been on the search for some good reading material. Last week at the library in the biograghy section I checked out the book, Martha Inc. expecting to learn about this talented lady who has really made a name for herself. After finishing about four chapters I plan on returning it to the library on our next visit. I found the book depressing and overly critical. I'm not trying to be naive about Martha Stewart. Although I appreciate her talent and use her suggestions in my homemaking I'm not unaware of her reputation. I don't have much of an opinion about her because I've never taken the time to learn about her. I have learned from checking out this book that if I want to learn and read someone's story it would be better for me to check out their autobiograghy as opposed to a biograghy.
Which brings me to my next book. Yesterday I told Rhett he could pick out a coloring book at the one dollar store. After he picked up his book I turned around and found this. I was so ecstatic to find a book worth reading at the one dollar store. Karen Hughes served as George Bush's communications director during his six years as governor of Texas. She was one of three people who ran his campaign and then served as counselor to him after he was elected president. After about a year and a half after seeing how hard her job at the white house was on her family she decided to move her family back home to Texas where she continues to advise the president. I remember hearing her speak a few years back at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit and have always wanted to read her book. I'm currently on chapter four and I highly recommend it.....as well as the one dollar store, you never know what fabulous finds might be awaiting you.
Showing posts with label A Good Read. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Good Read. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
A New Season of Books
One of the things I'm doing right now in addition to cleaning out our closets is compiling my Winter Reading List. I still have two books from my Summer Reading List to get to so they will be on top of the list. This is what I have so far:
The Gutter- Craig Gross
Urgings of the Heart- Wilkie Au Noreen Cannon
The Hidden Art of Homemaking- Edith Schaeffer
Sacred Rythms- Ruth Haley Barton
I'm looking for a good biograghy. If you know one let me know.
The Gutter- Craig Gross
Urgings of the Heart- Wilkie Au Noreen Cannon
The Hidden Art of Homemaking- Edith Schaeffer
Sacred Rythms- Ruth Haley Barton
I'm looking for a good biograghy. If you know one let me know.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Velvet Elvis
Here are some great quotes from a great book Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.
"Recently a women told me that she has the absolute Word of God (the Bible) and that the "opinions of man" don't mean a thing to her. But this same women would also tell you that she has a personal relationship with God through Jesus. In fact, she spends a great deal of time telling people they need a personal relationship with God through Jesus. What is interesting to me is that the phrase "personal relationship" isn't found anywhere in the Bible. Someone made up this phrase and then said you could have one with God. Apparently the "opinions of man" do mean something to her."
"My understanding is that to be a Christian is to do whatever it is that you do with great passion and devotion. We throw ourselves into our work because everything is sacred......this is why it is impossible for a Christian to have a secular job. If you follow Jesus and you are doing what you do in his name, then it is no longer secular work; it's sacred. You are there; God is there. The difference is our awareness."
"The goal isn't trying to bring everyone's work into the church; the goal is for the church to be these unique kinds of people who are transforming the places they live and work and play because they understand the whole earth is filled with the kavod of God."
"God then created people whom he puts right in the middle of all this loaded creation, commanding them to care for creation, to manage it, to lovingly use it, to creatively order it. The words he gives are words of loving service and thoughtful use. From day one (which is really day six), they are in intimate relationship and interaction with their environment. They are environmentalists. Being deeply connected with their environment is who they are. For them to be anything else or to deny their divine responsibility to care for all that God has made would be to deny something that is at the core of their existence. This is why litter and pollution are spiritual issues."
"And this is because the most powerful things happen when the church surrenders its desire to convert people and convince them to join. It is when the church gives itself away in radical acts of service and compassion , expecting nothing in return, that the way of Jesus is most vividly put on display. To do this, the church must stop thinking about everybody primarily in categories of in or out, saved or not, believer or nonbeliever."
"Ultimately our gift to the world is hope. Not blind hope that pretends everything is fine and refuses to acknowledge how things are. But the kind of hope that comes from staring pain and suffering right in the eyes and refusing to believe that this is all there is. It is what we all need- hop that comes not from going around suffering but from going through it. I am learning that the church has nothing to say to the world until it throws better parties. By this I don't necessarily mean balloons and confetti and clowns who paint faces. I mean backyards and basements and porches. It is in the flow of real life, in the places we live and move with the people we're on the journey with, that we are reminded it is God's world and we're going to be okay."
GOOD STUFF. Want more? Read the book.
"Recently a women told me that she has the absolute Word of God (the Bible) and that the "opinions of man" don't mean a thing to her. But this same women would also tell you that she has a personal relationship with God through Jesus. In fact, she spends a great deal of time telling people they need a personal relationship with God through Jesus. What is interesting to me is that the phrase "personal relationship" isn't found anywhere in the Bible. Someone made up this phrase and then said you could have one with God. Apparently the "opinions of man" do mean something to her."
"My understanding is that to be a Christian is to do whatever it is that you do with great passion and devotion. We throw ourselves into our work because everything is sacred......this is why it is impossible for a Christian to have a secular job. If you follow Jesus and you are doing what you do in his name, then it is no longer secular work; it's sacred. You are there; God is there. The difference is our awareness."
"The goal isn't trying to bring everyone's work into the church; the goal is for the church to be these unique kinds of people who are transforming the places they live and work and play because they understand the whole earth is filled with the kavod of God."
"God then created people whom he puts right in the middle of all this loaded creation, commanding them to care for creation, to manage it, to lovingly use it, to creatively order it. The words he gives are words of loving service and thoughtful use. From day one (which is really day six), they are in intimate relationship and interaction with their environment. They are environmentalists. Being deeply connected with their environment is who they are. For them to be anything else or to deny their divine responsibility to care for all that God has made would be to deny something that is at the core of their existence. This is why litter and pollution are spiritual issues."
"And this is because the most powerful things happen when the church surrenders its desire to convert people and convince them to join. It is when the church gives itself away in radical acts of service and compassion , expecting nothing in return, that the way of Jesus is most vividly put on display. To do this, the church must stop thinking about everybody primarily in categories of in or out, saved or not, believer or nonbeliever."
"Ultimately our gift to the world is hope. Not blind hope that pretends everything is fine and refuses to acknowledge how things are. But the kind of hope that comes from staring pain and suffering right in the eyes and refusing to believe that this is all there is. It is what we all need- hop that comes not from going around suffering but from going through it. I am learning that the church has nothing to say to the world until it throws better parties. By this I don't necessarily mean balloons and confetti and clowns who paint faces. I mean backyards and basements and porches. It is in the flow of real life, in the places we live and move with the people we're on the journey with, that we are reminded it is God's world and we're going to be okay."
GOOD STUFF. Want more? Read the book.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Some Gentle Reproof
Rhett has been acting out lately. He seems to want to do the opposite of EVERYTHING we ask him to do. He does not want to share, go potty in the toilet or heaven forbid let mom type on the computer. Everytime he goes into another fit I think to myself I really need to read "the Strong Willed Child." I won't let myself pick up the book until I finish the two books I'm reading right now, "Mission to Motherhood" and "He Speaks to Me." I'm so glad I didn't rush to get it because I would have possibly missed the learning God had for me in reading "Mission to Motherhood" today.
The chapter I was reading was building loving relationships with our children. The chapter was so full with tools I needed to read that it's hard to narrow it down to write this blog. I'm going to assume that there is one area that God is speaking to me in since it was also brought to my attention yesterday. While our kids were playing at the park one of my friends said, "Tara, you don't give Rhett enough credit." Ouch. I quickly retorted "you're right, I know I don't." When Rhett was younger he went to see a geneticist to evaluate whether his birth defects were connected and if he could possibly have some kind of syndrome. It was determined that all three birth defects were separate of eachother and he did not have any known syndrome. Lately I've been haunted by thoughts of maybe he really does have something wrong since he does not talk as clear as other 3 yr. olds or ride a bike as well or just be as big as most are.
Sally Clarkson in Mission to Motherhood says, ""every child should feel that there is no greater champion for his causes than his mother. The best person to confide in, to receive sympathy and affirmation from, should be the mom who gave life to this child." I have to ask myself If I'm too busy comparing my son to others to remember to champion who he is and what he is doing. Lauren wrote a beautiful post yesterday about God's view of her in relation to her view of her son. Along the same lines I'm so grateful God loves me for who I am yet I forget to trust God in letting Rhett be who God created him to be.
The author goes on to say, "....what our children need from us- the grace to grow. If we make them think that we expect perfection, then eventually they may give up trying to please us, because they know they will always fail, or they may spend their whole lives feeling guilty for their failures." I get it. Right now with my children being so young and not knowing God personally I am the main source of grace in their life. Not only do I need to extend more grace but more affirmation as well. I've always known kids need affirmation but when your child goes out of his way to tell you to say "say good job Rhett" after going potty in the toilet maybe it's a sign there could be some improvement in this area.
I'm still pretty confident I have a strong willed child and a book on that topic would help tremendously. I must say thank you though to Sally Clarkson and my park friend for some gentle reproof. Next time Rhett acts out maybe I can mentally check if I'm championing him, affirming him, extending grace and spending enough time on the floor playing weeble wobbles and zoo animals.
The chapter I was reading was building loving relationships with our children. The chapter was so full with tools I needed to read that it's hard to narrow it down to write this blog. I'm going to assume that there is one area that God is speaking to me in since it was also brought to my attention yesterday. While our kids were playing at the park one of my friends said, "Tara, you don't give Rhett enough credit." Ouch. I quickly retorted "you're right, I know I don't." When Rhett was younger he went to see a geneticist to evaluate whether his birth defects were connected and if he could possibly have some kind of syndrome. It was determined that all three birth defects were separate of eachother and he did not have any known syndrome. Lately I've been haunted by thoughts of maybe he really does have something wrong since he does not talk as clear as other 3 yr. olds or ride a bike as well or just be as big as most are.
Sally Clarkson in Mission to Motherhood says, ""every child should feel that there is no greater champion for his causes than his mother. The best person to confide in, to receive sympathy and affirmation from, should be the mom who gave life to this child." I have to ask myself If I'm too busy comparing my son to others to remember to champion who he is and what he is doing. Lauren wrote a beautiful post yesterday about God's view of her in relation to her view of her son. Along the same lines I'm so grateful God loves me for who I am yet I forget to trust God in letting Rhett be who God created him to be.
The author goes on to say, "....what our children need from us- the grace to grow. If we make them think that we expect perfection, then eventually they may give up trying to please us, because they know they will always fail, or they may spend their whole lives feeling guilty for their failures." I get it. Right now with my children being so young and not knowing God personally I am the main source of grace in their life. Not only do I need to extend more grace but more affirmation as well. I've always known kids need affirmation but when your child goes out of his way to tell you to say "say good job Rhett" after going potty in the toilet maybe it's a sign there could be some improvement in this area.
I'm still pretty confident I have a strong willed child and a book on that topic would help tremendously. I must say thank you though to Sally Clarkson and my park friend for some gentle reproof. Next time Rhett acts out maybe I can mentally check if I'm championing him, affirming him, extending grace and spending enough time on the floor playing weeble wobbles and zoo animals.
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