Books!

I love to read.  seriously. LOVE.

Text books. Novels. Nonfiction. Magazines. Blogs.  You name it, I'll read it.  Last weekend I was at work reading a book after the kids were asleep (The Art of Racing in the Rain... great read!) and I got into a conversation with coworkers about reading.  Most of them said that they HATED to read.  HATED.  I save that word for things like the dentist or waking up before 9am.  I couldn't believe that they hated books!!!

Anyway, I started to wonder if I was in the minority as a voracious reader. (I've read two novels, two memoirs, this month's copies of my favorite magazines - Vogue, Glamor, Real Simple, and the required school readings so far this month.... no bragging, just an illustration that books really are important to me!)  A bit of researching let me to the statistic that after graduation 42% of people with a college degree will never read another book.  HOW DEPRESSING!!!  I am a proponent of EVERYONE reading!  A little while back I came across this list of reasons that we should all read classic literature...  I think all these are great ideas.  Its wonderful to escape into another world, relax, AND to gain all these other things:

1. Bigger Vocabulary
When reading the classics you’ll come across many words that are no longer commonly used. Why learn words most people don’t use? To set yourself apart. Having a bigger vocabulary is like having a tool box with more tools. A larger arsenal of words enables you to express yourself more eloquently. You’ll be able to communicate with precision and create a perception of higher intelligence that will give you an advantage in work and social situations.


2. Improved Writing Ability
Reading the classics is the easiest way to improve your writing. While reading you unconsciously absorb the grammar and style of the author. Why not learn from the best? Great authors have a tendency to take over your mind. After reading, I’ve observed that my thoughts begin to mirror the writer’s style. This influence carries over to writing, helping form clear, rhythmic sentences.


3. Improved Speaking Ability
Becoming a better speaker accompanies becoming a better writer because both are caused by becoming a better thinker. Studying works of genius will teach you to express yourself with clarity and style. By improving your command of the English language, you’ll become more persuasive, sound more intelligent, and enjoy an advantage over less articulate people.


4. Fresh Ideas
Isn’t it ironic that the best source for new ideas are writers who’ve been dead for centuries? I’ve derived some of my best ideas directly from the classics. It makes sense when you consider the competition. Everyone you know is reading the same popular blogs and bestselling books. Observing the same ideas as everyone else leads to generic and repetitive thinking. No wonder it’s difficult to sound original! By looking to the classics for inspiration you can enhance your creativity and find fresh subject matter.


5. Historical Perspective
Somebody who reads only newspapers and at best the books of contemporary authors looks to me like an extremely nearsighted person who scorns eyeglasses. He is completely dependent on the prejudices and fashions of his times, since he never gets to see or hear anything else. And what a person thinks on his own without being stimulated by the thoughts and experiences of other people is even in the best case rather paltry and monotonous.There are only a few enlightened people with a lucid mind and style and with good taste within a century. What has been preserved of their work belongs among the most precious possessions of mankind.


6. Educational Entertainment
Reading great books is fun. The key is getting past the initial vocabulary barrier. It’s actually less difficult than you think. Even challenging authors use a limited vocabulary. After the initial learning curve, you’ll find the classics as readable as modern books and infinitely more stimulating. Classics have endured because of entertainment value. There’s a reason filmmakers keep remaking old books — they have the best content.


7. Sophistication
If you’d like to excel in conversation, knowledge of the classics is essential. These are books that keep coming up. They’re a part of human history that isn’t going to disappear in 10 years like 99% of books on the bestsellers list. By reading the classics you gain a deeper appreciation of ideas generally taken for granted. Plus quoting Aristotle or Voltaire is a great way to win an argument.


8. More Efficient Reading
Truly great books don’t come around every year. If you only read contemporary literature, you’re drawing from a diluted pool. Why not make the most of your reading time by finding the best of the best?


9. Develop a Distinct Voice
If you’re a writer/blogger, ignoring the classics is a mistake. This has nothing to do with subject matter. Regardless of what you write about, you need to be persuasive and develop a distinct voice. The best way to learn is from the masters. I’ve seen several articles recommend examples of good writing — they’ve all been other blogs. I have a feeling most people reading this article already read enough blogs. Spending some time with the classics will give you an edge.


10. Learn Timeless Ideas
We like to believe, in our modern arrogance, that technology has changed everything. In truth, it feels the same to be alive today as it did a thousand years ago. The lessons of the classics carry as much weight as ever. They contain information that is directly applicable to your life.





In closing, I’d like to briefly anticipate criticism. This is not an attack on everything modern. To read nothing but the classics would be as foolish as completely ignoring them. The aim is to combine the wisdom of the past with the innovation of the future. The two are inextricably linked — the best books are yet to be written. Also, this is not an appeal to snobbery. Quite the opposite. Reading the classics is a cheap hobby. Used copies can be borrowed from the library or purchased for 1/20 the cost of trendy books that are the talk of high society. Please stop associating the classics with your English Lit. Professor.

Whatever you do, don't be in that 42%... you're missing out!  The closing is a quote by George RR Martin (author of The Game of Thrones series... which I'm reading now. FANTASTIC!)

What's coming...

I forgot how much I liked blogging about faith. Things got away from me over the last few months due to starting grad school and moving to third shift at work. I'm FINALLY getting used to it though, and so I'm back at it with the blog!

Anyway, I ventured to the bookstore today. I'm starting to read Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I really like reading Christian living books. It helps me think about God and scripture in a new way, plus I just really like to read. I'm sure that this book will be influencing my blog posts in the coming days.




Here's the basics of the book:
"Are you a follower of Jesus? Don't answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Consider it a 'Define the Relationship' conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn't ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you're not into Jesus, period. In any case, don't take the question---Are you a follower of Jesus?---lightly. Some people don't know what they've said yes to and other people don't realize what they've said no to, says Pastor Kyle Idleman. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers. Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you."

More to come soon. Hope this message finds everyone well!

follow.

So let me just go ahead and make the proclamation... I'm fairly certain that I'm not going to be blogging about anything besides faith anymore. If you read my blog from the beginning you can see quite a journey over the last several months. A few months ago I wrote a post about my struggle with faith. I readily admitted that I felt weird writing about being a Christian and that I didn't have the authority to say anything of worth. I used to know a lot about being a Christian when I was a kid, but it never really changed me too much. I just took information in and spit it back when I was supposed to. I recently heard it called spiritual bulimia. Kind of crass, but totally true. So, I all but deserted the Christian faith for a few years post college. Anyway, I've gone over that story in a recent blog, so I'll skip the details. Suffice to say that over the last few months I wanted to find my way back to Christianity. I realized that I was missing something, but it wasn't that old excuse for faith that people presented me when I was a kid. I always felt guilty because I wanted something besides my religion. I thought is was a guy, a drink, a paycheck. Tried that and I was wrong. Turns out the whole time I was being suffocated by Christiainity and what I wanted was GOD. All the STUFF (meetings, trips, do's and don'ts, christian politics, and just CHURCH in general) of Christianity clogged up my mind and heart to the point that I never really got GOD. So, anyway, here's the thing I just realized. I've been a BELIEVER for a long time, but I just became a FOLLOWER.

I want to say a LOT more about this, but I'm still figuring it out myself. Here are a few related thoughts I'm currently chewing on... most are a combination from sermons I've heard recently at Elevation, stuff I've read in my own personal Bible study (I read Matthew today), and my current pleasure reading 'Irresistible Revolution' by Shane Claiborne.


- What I am > what I do. Therefore I am striving to not worry about what I am going to do, but who I am going to become. I want to be someone who loves God and loves people.

- Love God. Love people. Follow Jesus. Thats really all there is, so I am striving to stop worrying about anything that's not in direct relation to those things.

- Being passive is just as bad as being violent. TAKE ACTION.

- We can worship Jesus without following him. We can adore his cross without taking up ours... But that's not something I'm interested in.

- Sometimes Christian 'stuff' makes so much noise that people can't hear our words. That's not acceptable for me. If something I do makes it harder to hear Jesus, then its gotta go.

- Following Jesus is simple, but not easy.

- We should start out by serving others, but move toward a relationship with those people.

- Everyone in the body of Christ is important. We need to get planted in the local body and EMBRACE OUR PLACE.

- There shouldn't even be a plural form of the word church... there's only ONE body of believers.

- Conversion is a process, not a one time event

- 'There is enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.' -Gandhi

- 'We are called to be the Good Samaritan, but after you life so many people out of the ditch, you start to ask, maybe the whole road to Jericho needs to be repaved.' Martin Luther King Jr.


I know all of this didn't exactly 'flow'.... but hope you found at least one piece thought provoking. =)

obsessed.

I've been reading Francis Chan's book 'Crazy Love.' When I started the book I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. I'd just read 'Sun Stand Still' and lets be honest, its hard to follow a book written by your own pastor. haha. I'm happy to report though, that this book is indescribably good, absolutely amazing. God has spoken to me through every page. In fact I've read most chapters twice. I've looked up every reference in the book. I really wanted to get the full effect of every word I suppose.

Chan writes at length about being a lukewarm Christian... if you can really even call you a Christian when you are lukewarm. He described the Christian life as being like swimming up stream. Sometimes you'll come to an obstacle. Sometimes the current will pull you down a little. But as long as you are always ACTIVELY swimming, pursuing Christ you're ok. But then I began to wonder... shouldn't it be more than just swimming up stream? Chan had then answer. I came to a chapter that I dare say is changing the way I look at my Christian life. Profile of the obsessed... here's just a FEW of the characteristics of someone who is totally in love with Christ. (paraphrased from Chan).

* People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly. Obsessed people love those who love them.... AND THOSE WHO HATE THEM.

* People who are obsessed with Jesus care more about God's will and his kingdom being advanced on this earth than about their own safety or comfort.

* People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect with the poor and needy. They know Jesus talked a lot about the poor because it was important to him.

* People obsessed with Jesus are more concerned with pleasing Jesus that fulfilling the status quo, obtaining wealth, or living the American dream.

* People obsessed with Jesus know that pride is a lifelong battle. They are continually seeking to be humble so that their good deeds might make Jesus known.

* People obsessed with Jesus know that service isn't a burden. Its a joy.

* People obsessed with Jesus give freely. They know that others matter just as much as they do.

* People obsessed with Jesus think about heaven. Their life is ultimately focused on eternity.

* People obsessed with Jesus is characterized by committed, settled passionate love for God. above and before every other thing and every other being.

* People who are obsessed with Jesus don't mask the ugliness of their sin. They are raw with God. He is their safe place and provides peace.

* People who are obsessed with Jesus know that Sunday morning isn't enough. they meditate on His words day and night.

* People who are obsessed with Jesus are more concerned with their character than with their comfort.

* People obsessed with Jesus know that true intimacy with God is impossible if they are trying pay God back or be worthy of his love. Instead they revel in their role as a chile of God.

These thoughts are changing the way I think about my faith. Hope they make you think too. Go get Chan's book. Its AMAZING.

update.

Sometimes I want to blog and I have nothing to say... but I feel the urge to write, to be creative. Today, I suppose is the opposite of that. I have approximately 47 million thoughts in my head. I'd like to put them all into one well executed blog, however I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's not possible. I AM quite eloquent, but... anyway, I suppose I'll give it a go at talking about some of whats been going on...

I'll start off with the lighter stuff.

The vegetarian thing is going along swimmingly. As it turns out, I don't really miss meat at all. Also, I don't really like the 'meatless meat' all too much. I kinda feel like thats cheating. I'm getting along just fine with only the veggies. I feel a lot better day to day, and my pants are already looser, which I didn't aim for, but certainly won't complain about.

So... had a chat with a friend today. Talked about a past relationship that I'd been in with a mutual friend of ours. When it ended I talked with this same friend (who has always been amazingly supportive) and I remember bawling my eyes out and telling him how I couldn't imagine ever living without this guy... how I felt SO bad that things were ending, even though the relationship was making me miserable... how I just knew that if I stuck by him long enough I could change him into what I knew he had the potential to be. Long story short, it turns out that I jumped that ship not a moment too soon... sometimes you really have to thank God for not answering prayers. I am so so grateful that he knows whats best for me better than I do!

Speaking of God...

I don't really ever post thoughts about religion. There are tons of reasons why. Firstly, I'm certainly no theologian. Meaning there's a good chance that I'll say something that makes no sense to anyone but me. Secondly, I am by no means the best follower of Jesus out there... so who am I to say what's what, right??

That being said, I've been reading Pastor Steven's book. For those of you who don't attend Elevation (everyone who reads my blog, save April) that would be "Sun Stand Still" by Steven Furtick. So far every page of the book has provided inspiration, challenges, and encouragement. Its amazing that someone can write words that are so biblically sound, and yet so colloquial... sound so authoritative about the things of God and yet still be so conversational and casual. I'm not sure why I expected anything less, as this style of holiness and hospitality so to speak is what really drew me to Elevation in the first place. I really want to comment on what I've learned from the book. but I feel like I should wait until I am done and reflect on the work as a whole. I'll say this... I'm reflecting on my faith in a way that I've not done in a long time, and its a WONDERFUL feeling.

I'll leave you with some quotes from the book that have stuck with me thus far... (quoting Mr. Furtick here of course)

"God has to work IN us before he can work THROUGH us."
"Its not wrong to feel fear. Its wrong to let fear have the last word in your life."
"When you get down to it you're not the one holding onto him... he's holding onto you."
"But that stuff [miracles, influence, answered prayer] won't be genuine, and certainly can't be sustained if it isn't cultivated out of a heart that has been formed by the spirit of God."

more to come on this soon... I'm of to read the rest of that book. =)