Putting IT into Words

Everything that's beautiful is cracked, that's how the light gets in.

-Leonard Cohen

Found this link that suggested a reading list for 1st grade to 12th.
Then there are some additional suggested books.
Here's the basic list, but go visit the site and see all that is suggest?
Then come back and tell me what do you think you would add (or subtract).

Obviously the list is created by someone who cares very deeply about a well organized doctrine...but the idea of having a list like this is a good idea.

When would you introduce Harry Potter?...that's important as well.

1st Grade:
The Lightlings, R.C. Sproul
The King Without a Shadow, R.C. Sproul
The Child’s Story Bible, Catherine Vos
The Gospel for Children, John B. Leuzarder
The Big Book of Questions and Answers About Jesus, Sinclair Ferguson

2nd Grade:
Dangerous Journey, John Bunyan, Ed. Oliver Hunkin
The Child’s Story Bible, Catherine Vos
Grandpa's Box: Retelling the Biblical Story of Redemption, Starr Meade

3rd Grade:
Against the World, Henry Coray
The 100 Most Important Events in Christian History, A. Kenneth Curtis, et al.
Heroes of the Reformation: Life-Changing Lessons for the Young, Richard Newton
Training Hearts, Teaching Minds, Starr Meade

4th Grade:
Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis (box set)
Luther the Leader, Virgil Robinson
Ten Boys/Ten Girls Who Changed the World (box sets), Irene Howat
Training Hearts, Teaching Minds, Starr Meade

5th Grade:
The Young Peacemaker: Teaching Students to Respond to Conflict God's Way, Corlette Sande (Kit, grades 3-7)
Visible Saints: The History of a Puritan Idea, Edmund S. Morgan
Survey of the Bible, William Hendriksen
According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible, Graeme Goldsworthy

6th Grade:
Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom
The Gospel for Real Life, Jerry Bridges

(Interim Recommended Reading: Shelf Life: How Books Have Changed the Destinies and Desires of People and Nations, George Grant; Read Any Good Books, Sinclair B. Ferguson; and Invitation to the Classics: A Guide to Books You've Always Wanted to Read, Eds. Louise Cowan & Os Guinness)

7th Grade:
The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan
Church History Plain Language, Bruce L. Shelley
Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations, Alex & Brett Harris
Chosen by God, R.C. Sproul
The Holiness of God, R.C. Sproul

(Interim Essential Purchases: Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem; Concise Theology, J.I. Packer; and How to Read Slowly: Reading for Comprehension, James W. Sire)

8th Grade:
Crown & Covenant Trilogy, Douglas Bond
Confessions, St. Augustine of Hippo (Ed. Henry Chadwick)
The Heidelberg Catechism: A Study Guide, G.I. Williamson
Knowing God, J.I. Packer

9th Grade:
The Screwtape Letters & Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis
The Peacemaker (Student Ed.), Ken Sande
Humility: The True Greatness, C.J. Mahaney
Living the Cross-Centered Life, C.J. Mahaney
Basic Christianity & Cross of Christ, John Stott

10th Grade:
The Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther
Christianity and Liberalism, J. Gresham Machen
The Sovereignty of God, Arthur W. Pink (Baker Books edition)
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer
Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer

11th Grade:
Hostage Lands, Douglas Bond
Reading Between The Lines, Gene Edward Veith Jr.
Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, Iain H. Murray
The Great Exchange, Jerry Bridges
The Truth of the Cross, R.C. Sproul
The Atonement: Its Meaning and Significance, Leon Morris

12th Grade:
Paradise Lost, John Milton
John Owen on the Christian Life, Sinclair B. Ferguson
Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
The Reason for God: Belief in God in an Age of Skepticism, Timothy Keller
The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, Leon Morris

...who does this remind you of?

Shaun Groves had a great post this week about his family's relationship with some neighbors, specifically an incident involving loud expletive music.

Worth the couple minutes of reading.

Who knows, maybe you and I will be challenged to share our lives with our actual neighbors.

Got my new issue of Rolling Stone this week.

Question: Does anyone know which candidate they are backing?

In typical guy fashion, I'm failing to pick up on their subtlety.

Not sure what your political opinions are (nor my own), but got to admit, it's gotta be pretty cool having the cover photo for Rolling Stone...especially when you have nothing to do with entertainment.

(feel free to post your comments about the Rolling Stone cover - Barack Obama's photo - I don't particular care to hear about political opinions at this moment...let's save that for another post)

I love visiting the Rabbit Room and think you will too. Stop by occasionally, or add the blog to your reader list. The Rabbit Room is a gathering place for artists (writers, musicians, thinkers, etc...) to creatively express...well their creative expressions (I know, I know...I should be included with those writers...with words like that.)

FYI - The Rabbit Room was the room in the English pub Eagle and Child where the Inkings (a group made up of C.S. Lewis, Tolkien and others) met.
One of the cool features is the Song of the Day. The Proprietor (Andrew Peterson) will often post a song and give some personal insights to the song (always cool to hear a song writer's impressions on a song...even others songs). Plus he post the song so you can even get a listen...

Here are some past Song of the Days:

Andrew Osenga - New Beginnings
Sandra McCracken - Thy Mercy, My God
Allen Levi - Where the People Walk Backwards
Andy Gullahorn - Give It Time
Jason Gray - Everything I Own
Randall Goodgame - From one his tributes to the Peanuts
Jeremy Casella - Distress Signal
Derek Webb - Rich Young Ruler
Ben Shive - '97
Jill Phillips - The Door
Eric Peters - Tomorrow
Andrew Peterson - All Shall Be Well (I love this song!)

and many more...

go on now...

read and listen...

This is from a worship Service at Mars Hill's Ballard Campus.

'Send Me' - Live at MHC | Ballard from Mars Hill Church on Vimeo.

What do you think?
Would you, could you, worship like this?
Is this the next wave in worship's musical revolution?

Good article too, if your interested in the dynamics of the pitching motion. Worth the read, Tom Verducci always has great baseball insights.

Have you ever seen this before?

Seems like something out of a movie. But if this was a movie, the game would probably be a playoff game or somekind of game that determined whether or not the heroes made it to the playoffs (it's never the actual championship game...why?).
If this had been a scene in a movie and the hero was the batter (Youkilis) the ball would of course fallen outside the fence for a homerun.
Or if the hero had been the fielder (Damon) he would have rolled, after hitting the ground, toward the fence and made the catch for the final out.

Melissa Etheridge, in high school, want to have a career in Christian music. In fact her first real gig was opening for Phil Keaggy in her hometown (Leavenworth, Kansas...been there). After the show, when she asked him what he thought, Melissa said he responded, "'I don't think there's a place for people like you in Christian music,' but he said it very nicely."
It always sucks being rejected. Even though Phil was being honest, brutally so, and was probably right... I'm glad she was able to find her success still in music (although I'm not a huge fan of hers...sorry Melissa).
You can read the article and more on Melissa's faith in the current Rolling Stone.

I woke up an extra hour early this morning in order to attend a meeting for work.

A team from an outside agency is here this week to instruct us on some new procedures that will be in place soon. Blah blah blah work blah…

Unfortunately we waited around for fifteen minutes for the team to arrive (they were waiting on one of their members who would still not arrive).

And what a group I was with. Not only was I the only person in their 20’s, except for one other person in her late 30’s/early 40’s, everyone has reached that half century mark. Which is nothing against my elders, but it’s hard for me to get up and going on a Monday morning, and even more so when the topic of conversation is retirement and calcium deficiency.

And I was there because the new procedures involve the computer, which my boss approaches like Derek and Hansel.

The meeting lasted an entire 5 minutes as the team introduced themselves. No immediate training , no handouts of information, nothing! Just introductions.

Goo-o-o-d morning.

Originally I wanted to title this post "frickin' awesome", but I wasn't sure if Psalty would appreciate that, so I just edited it. But then I remembered that Psalty doesn't read this blog, so I wrote it here in the actualy post.

I could go for a Psalty comeback, I don't know about you.
My favorite album was when they climbed the mountain, or the baseball one.

When my sister's came along they didn't fully appreciate the wonder and awe of a singing songbook, rather they preferred Rappin' Rabbit.

So I've been using Twitter for a little while now. Some of you may not know what Twitter is, I compare it to blogging on crack. You are limited to just 140 characters and many people send updates straight from their phones, via text messaging.

For a while I was really having trouble being consistent with it. But I think I've found my groove now. Want to know my secret? Well I'll tell you anyways...hiaku!

Here are my twits...er...twitters....er...twitter post...whatever they are called from yesterday.

Ah crap!!! Just noticed that the first line above has an extra "to" in it...oh well.
My Twitter identity is the same as here, tsharrison, so find me and follow, and I promise I'll do the same. Oh and I should sit down and add a photo to my Twitter account too...maybe I'll get to that soon enough.

Update:
I noticed that for some reason I couldn't open the photo up. So for you're benefit I've copied and pasted the last several twitter post of mine. Enjoy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
tsharrison using a keyboard / strange way to update twitter / different than phone about 2 hours ago from web

tsharrison @buff23_7 figuring it out / how to reply to someone / when using twitter about 2 hours ago from web in reply to buff23_7

tsharrison finally home now / sandwich for dinner tonight / have a big headache about 3 hours ago from web

tsharrison guy teaching lesson / reminds me of J D Roth / perfect game show host about 6 hours ago from web

tsharrison doing guys study / talking about being heirs / David and Jesus about 6 hours ago from web

tsharrison middle school students / i would have hated doing this / plus it's hot as heck about 7 hours ago from web

tsharrison at wacky wednesday / a once a week vbs / middle school students about 7 hours ago from web

tsharrison (oops again - tpying and driving never a smart combo, can result in misspelled words - " current place in world" about 7 hours ago from web

tsharrison (oops - last post - first line - "current place in wolrld" about 7 hours ago from web

tsharrison current place in this wolrd / san antonio traffic / starting to pick up about 8 hours ago from web

tsharrison my first ozark crush / a secret not so secret / who missed out? me? her? about 8 hours ago from web

tsharrison a rapid heartbeat / a very blunt rejection / worst phone call ever about 10 hours ago from web

tsharrison she is still single / she should have taken a chance / i tried to take one about 10 hours ago from web

tsharrison i was just confirmed / think "trevor's got girl problems" / yes she was that one about 10 hours ago from web

tsharrison life is not easy / actions are hard to relay / when told in hiaku about 14 hours ago from web

tsharrison i have been slacking / not much twittering lately / getting on the ball about 14 hours ago from web

tsharrison movie of the night / watching jack black and mos def / in "be kind rewind" 08:18 PM June 23, 2008 from web

tsharrison unproductive day / doing a lot of staring / i need better sleep 11:58 AM June 23, 2008 from web

tsharrison today's summary / a broken and beaten world / need light truth and grace 09:01 PM June 22, 2008 from web

I never really questioned it, but just in case you have...

Will a baseball blend?

Why has there no been an adult-size big wheel developed?
I think I would purchase one if there was. I loved mine growing up. I think I had a Knight Rider, if memory serves right.

I promise I'll try not to point when I'm laughing at you.

"God is subtle but not malicious."

-Albert Einstein

Mental Floss posted today an article on What to Do (and Not Do) in a Fistfight.

It's been numerous years since I've been in one, so this is a good fresher, because you just never know.

Here are the tips, but read the article for further insights into each tip.
- Don't get in one
- Don't use your fist
- Find an escape route
- Don't kick them while their down
- Go for the soft spots
- Bite
- The ol' steak-on-the-black-eye trick
- Learn the moves
- Decide if you're willing to throw a sucker punch

I'm really excited to finally go see Bill Mallonee (more HERE) this Friday evening at the Cigar Club. Show starts at 8:00 if anyone wants to join me.
I first heard of Bill when he toured with his band V.O.L. (Vigilantes of Love). A brilliant musician.
A true musician in that he'd be playing on street corners if that was his only audience. In fact YouTube has numerous videos posted of him playing in somebody's backyard.
In fact let me post one of those videos here for you. It's one of my favorites called Skin, about Vincent Van Gogh. Enjoy:

One of the students in our church, who I recently told you about, has been researching LARPing as her first college roommate is steeped in it. She posted today about this upcoming documentary:

I told her she has to at least go once and engage this fascinating world. She's promised...so I'll keep you informed as she keeps me informed.

I don't know about you but as I type this (as you read it) I have two songs running through my head. One from the video down below that I really think you should watch, you'll love it, and the other is by the legendary Michael W. Smith. But I digress.
I saw this video and it seemed to really capture how I feel most days. That I'm the right person in the wrong place, completely out of context for what I am intended for.
Anyways...it made me chuckle...enjoy.

Seperate the criticism from the critique.

The Spirit is void in criticism; the critique lost when paired with criticism.
Offer your critique with prayer and humility.
A critical perspective demands grace, by the critic and the criticized. Otherwise beware of dogmatism.

I am completely fascinated by LARPing and LARPers. In case you don't know LARP stands for Live Action Role Playing/er.
I have no interest in spending an afternoon participating, but the people who do complete amaze this particular people watcher.
Here is a video introducing you to the world of LARPing.

Now there are some LARPers who occasionally gather at a local park on Sunday afternoons and after a couple of attempts to go watch them I was beginning to give up hope that this might be an actual reality.
But alas, just before all hope was gone...good news!
One of our graduating youth group students will be attending Greenville College in Greenville, IL (where Jars of Clay formed - fyi). And after a random pairing of roommates guess what her future roommate does with her spare time!
Yep LARPing.
Shayla...please please please!
Pictures, pictures, pictures!

"Me like the Robert Downey Jr. of cookies" - Cookie Monster

"Elmo can wait in car. It's very fuel efficient. It's run on i-mag-ination!"

Enjoy this Deuce!

FOOT 2008 (REMI GAILLARD)
by nqtv

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood
188. Built a campfire
189. Have a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik's cube
(once)
196. Know CPR
(ladies....?)
197. Owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Fallen in love
(well...I'll say yes only because I don't know what else to call it)

I don't know who I'm more impressed with this student for giving this speech or the administration for allowing him to make it. Brilliant.

http://view.break.com/522466 - Watch more free videos

The average teenager has 800 illegally copied songs on their digital media player.
800!
This doesn't include the music that they might have actually paid for.
Almost half of all music the average teenager carries with them is illegal.
If they were to have purchased those from itunes they would have spent $792.
Conservatively speaking $792 would purchase 44 cds from a store (at a generous fee of $18 per). I'm curious what would happen if I were to walk out of a store with 44 unpurchased cds.

And my brothers and sisters (my actually brothers and sisters, not church talk here...although church talk may also apply) wonder why I think it's wrong.

It's never about one or two songs, because it doesn't ever end with just one or two...it ends around 800.

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
(no, but I haven't had a Dr. Pepper since New Years)
157. Found an arrowhead
158. Written a poem
(my twitter post are in haiku...does that count?)
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
(ET, Dukes of Hazard....Thank mom!)
160. Gotten food poisoning
(oh my... that was a bad trip home from Mexico! the border all the way to South Dakota)
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Been to the southern hemisphere.
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
(no but I have been in an opera house...)
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
(Ronald Reagan, Nolan Ryan)
166. Worn knickers
(are those socks?)
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books (
(No I read Alfred Hitchcock's The Three Investigators...those were brilliant!)
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone's life

I have some friends from the deep south part of Texas who are preping for a trip to a CIY conference all the way up in Michigan. Yep that's right...we Texans do everything big! No gas price is going to scare this crew away from having a rocked out road trip. Love them big time.
So as they travel they are going to be posting at this blog about the trip and events of the day so that those back home can be specific in their prayer request and praise. Brilliant idea.
Here is a video they posted today of Josh Taylor giving helpful tips on packing for the long trip.

Ham on you ham eaters!

The difference between sarcasm and mockery is very subtle.

Be extremely careful when using sarcasm.

By definition sarcasm intends harm…it’s hard to be a man of peace when your words cut. Better to pick up a gun than kill a man with words.

Be mindful of the audience, as sarcasm depends more on the interpretation than the presentation (both require precision though).

The laugh gained through sarcasm, at the expense of the damaged done, is typically not worth it.

And it’s probably best to just avoid mockery all together.

“Sarcasm: the last refuge of modest and chaste-souled people when the privacy of their soul is coarsely and intrusively invaded.”

- Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Sarcasm:

1: a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain

2a: a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against and individual

2b: the use of language of sarcasm (this is no time to indulge in sarcasm)

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

126. Ridden a elephant
(at the zoo)
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
(Germany, San Antonio)
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
(Diary of Anne Frank...back in h.s.)
131. Asked for a raise
(I prefer to just earn them, over asking for them...so no)
132. Made a hole-in-one
(only in putt putt)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
(I guess that's what I did...is it deep sea if you still see the coast)
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo's David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
(yes...a few...including Richard Dean Anderson, aka MacGyver)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
(maybe)
108. Brought out the worst in people
(probably)
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where people asked for the recipe
(is salsa a dish?)
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
(nope...missed...that's how I got the scar on my lip though)
120. Gone to an arboretum
(what's an arboretum? Just wiki'ed...yes, yes I have)
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
(gross!)
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need

I love the Texas Rangers!
Recently they gave Mets fans at Shea. Several players used the tarp during a rain storm as a slip-n-slide. Mets fans began cheering "Let's go Rangers!"...awesome!

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
(two fingers and left arm)
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
(I love taking off and landing...why would you want to sleep through those?)
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
(I've done some firing...)
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
(I starting trying to get people to call me TS my sophmore year in college...hoping it sounded more dignified)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
(both the insect and in baseball)
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
(fish?)
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
(on Route 66 non the less)
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
(well...at least fired when on set...this movie...with Elizabeth Shue!)
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
(home economics in middle school)
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
(I honestly know little of that history)
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
(maybe not my current job, but previous ones)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
(oh no... no chance here)
42. Visited Ireland
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
(back in high school...sure did...probably pass out right afterward though)
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day

If so is it worth the read?

Some are asking if it's the next Harry Potter / JK Rowling.

I'm curious.

Check out

This is in Joplin, MO (the town where I went to Bible college).

An incredible youth facility that incorporates faith and community.

Would you drive a cloth car?

This is BMW's new concept car. Awesome!

The GINA light visionary model, as BMW calls it, is made up of seamless fabric stretched over a metal frame. The driver can change the shape of the car at will. The car's interior has tillting instruments, shown here.

The car's fabric is made out of polyurethane-coated Lycra and according to BMW, is durable and water-resistant.

So I'm somehow linked up with a publishing company that occasionally will send me books under the condition that I post a review here on this blog.

However not ever book tickles my fancy nor am I a quick enough reader to finish the books in time. But in order to keep these powers that be happy and to keep them sending me free books I asked my mother to step up to the challenge.

So ladies and gentlemen please enjoy this book review by my mom, Cheryl.

-t-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Fatal Deduction” by Gayle Roper
Reviewed by Cheryl Harrison

Having just finished Gayle Roper’s book “Fatal Deduction” all I can say is bring her on…I look forward to reading anything written by Ms. Roper.
The book touches on everything a devoted fiction reader wants and looks for in a good read; a love interest, a common bond, suspense, humor and a promise that things will improve.
I found the story line capturing from the first page, with Libby’s struggles to be a good mom, a devout believer in following the will of God and still trying to honor her family, as dysfunctional as it is.
I love reading Christian novels, they leave me with warm fuzzies, but sometimes I am left feeling so totally inadequate at times. I am not able to spout off scripture or recall verses at a moments notice, in ways it is depicted in some books. That is the most appreciative thing I noticed in the book “Fatal Deduction.” Libby simply repeated over and over “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,” and she knew her fears were not warranted and God would protect her, and yet she still had niggles of doubt, like the rest of us do on occasion. She wasn’t pretentious about her faith, she just knew in her heart that God’s way was the right way, and that she needed to rely on Him to propel her forward. She didn’t nor could she throw scripture into the faces of her family and enemies, she simply tried to accept them, even though she judged them and recognized that in herself, trying to be better about that flaw in her character. How many of us, including me do the same thing? Almost all of us I’m sure.
I loved the role of Madge in Libby’s life, good neighbor, mentor and Godly Christian woman, wife and mother. She was placed in Libby’s young life at a crucial point, when she needed encouraging without meddling, acceptance with guilt, and good Christian loving without judgment. How we all wish we had a Madge in our lives, yet it is encouraging to know we could be a Madge to others simply by “walking the walk” knowing someone could be watching and wanting to know more of how they too could walk the same path. It is simply a way of offering hope to someone in need.
It was refreshing to read of Libby’s role as a mother to her daughter Chloe. She loved Chloe from the beginning, not looking at her as a mistake, nor comparing her to the man who fathered her. And she worked hard to bring her daughter up in a loving environment and succeeded without giving in, nor giving up. She led by example, without trying to be Chloe’s best friend, but by being her mother only to be her daughter’s friend, anyway, by Chloe’s choice. They were sweet, normal, and argumentative at times, yet devoted to one another.
And finally Drew, just as it was quoted in the first pages of the book…”For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,” Jeremiah 29:11. Drew, was placed in Libby’s path, not looking for a friend, or future mate, but by simply being one when Libby needed him the most. Such a sweet ending to a tumultuous time.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good, clean suspense, love story, both non-believers and those who know the way. Perhaps non believers will learn to call upon the Lord and believe He has the best plan, and knows the right path to follow. And those who do know the truth will not feel inadequate, because they use flare prayers, like Libby, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,” that will guide their steps even though they cannot always quote a scripture for every situation.
Way to go Gayle Roper, keep ‘em coming.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FYI - I have another free copy to give away if you would like it.

First to call dibs...it's yours.

-t-

Stealing this idea from Julie…

It's a list of 200 Have or Have Nots.
The things in RED are the things I have done.
The others I have not...yet.

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
(does NHL on the Playstation count?)
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
(almost every time I’ve given to charity)
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
(a small mountain)
9. Held a tarantula
(ugh…hate spiders)
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
(Twice – two great stories!)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
(does Guam count?...it’s almost smaller than a boat)
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sporting event
17. Climbed the stairs to the crown of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
(the old man and I grew are ingredients for salsa)
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
(I’m going to say “no” because “giggling makes it sound girly)
21. Had a pillow fight
(okay…apparently I do lots of girly stuff)
22. Bet on a winning horse
(I don’t gamble…the moment I put up stakes…I lose)
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
(but I was sick of the place)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb

FYI - this is my 600th post...
And in honor of such a glorious event I'd like to dish out some thank yous (before I pass out in my bed - it's late I tired)
T'anks to Rachel, Kristi and Taylor.
I was trying to think how I could repay for their help tonight and is there a better way than giving them my 600th post!
What? No? That's not good enough? Okay how about just a public thank you?
They know what for.
Now I'm going to sleep.

This past Sunday our campus pastor preached on the Beatitudes and the Kingdom that Jesus came to establish. The message was okay, it took three listens for me to really understand a couple of his ideas, but that may have been my lack of focus over his lack of clarity...who knows.
And I think he took too much time trying to blow our minds with a radical approach to reading the text than just serving up the actual meat of the Jesus' words (although I can't really say it was that radical and some of the Greek word insights may have been just too much of a stretch - and maybe the cause for my lack of focus...again who knows).
His big idea of the message, I think, was that Jesus establised a kingdom that compared to the world was upside down. But rather than an upside down kingdom Jesus established a kingdom that turned upside down things of this world right side up.
And I believe that and I can deal with my other issues, that stuff doesn't bother me. Where I do think this message failed, and where I think my church struggles to embrass Christ's Kingdom mindset, is in application.
If Jesus called us to His kingdom of turning the upside down right side up how do we live that out?
I dare say it's not by doing nothing.
We won't build into lives of students, turning their upside down lives and relationships right side up by doing nothing for them.
We won't turn the upside down world of the elderly woman, who cannot go to the grocery store on her own, right side up by doing nothing.
We won't care for the young family, turning their upside world of childhood diseases and absences of local family, right side up by doing nothing.
We won't turn the upside down world of the single father, who doesn't have the life skills to adequately care for his children, right side up by doing nothing.
I might be on a personal soap box here but this is something I've had real difficulty with lately.
My church axes a lot of ministry ideas and opportunities under the banner that we are simplifying ministry. But I have heard and experienced on several occasions now stories of people being overlooked (some after direct pleas for help).
There is a fine line between simplicity and laziness, and I'm wondering if we taken a flying leap over it.

That's enough...I'll get off my soap box now and try to get up off my duff and do something.

Maranatha,
Come Lord Jesus.

I'm sure that there are some out there that will just criticize LifeChurch for having the gall to produce something like this, but I'm rather impressed. I think the use of the Christianize catch phrases is brillant too.
Enjoy.

J.K. Rowling gave the commencement speech this year at Harvard.
Despite having endured numerous graduations other than my own, I still felt the need to press play [as demonstrated by the almost 2 full minutes of applause afterwards].
It's worth the listen. Sorry I first found it in three parts.
Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

No, seriously, that's what this clip has been titled.

Notice at the end, two (count them - 1, 2) Rangers are contending for the Triple Crown.

600!
Way to go Junior.
You truly had the greatest swing ever to enter a batter box.

2008-07-09

2008-07-06

2008-07-05

2008-07-04

2008-07-02

2008-06-30

2008-06-29

2008-06-25

2008-06-24

2008-06-23

2008-06-22

2008-06-21

2008-06-20

2008-06-19

2008-06-18

2008-06-17

2008-06-16

2008-06-15

2008-06-14

2008-06-13

2008-06-12

2008-06-10