15 books … (more or less)

I’m a sucker for memes and facebook quizzes. So when Chris tagged me in a note called 15 Books That Have Shaped You (for better or worse), I had to make my list. It’s on facebook, but I’ll post it here, too, with a little commentary. (And these are probably not in any particular order, other than roughly chronological.)

1. Black Beauty
2. King of the Wind
I read these two horse stories more times than I can count and I loved them every time.

3. Little Women — I think I related to bookish Jo, always the outsider, the most. The four March girls old friends I like to visit now and again.
4. Jane Eyre — I first read this when I was about 13 and I think this is the book that really awakened me to literature. (up until then I read a lot, but I don’t think I’d tackeled anything very challenging) Sure, it’s gothic romance, but it’s gothic romance at its best, with rich characters and thrilling conflict. I was enthralled.
5. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land (both by Robert Heinlein)  — I should probably also mention a book by Andre Norton, but I don’t remember what it was called. But it was one of the first science fiction books I ever read. I was probably about 15 or 16. Then it was on to Isaac Asimov and  Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. I was hooked on science fiction.
6. The Left Hand of Darkness (by Ursula K. LeGuin) — I first read this one weekend while I was in college and it was one of those books that so completely sucked me in that when I would come up for air, it was a bit of a shock to find myself in a college dorm room and not on the planet Gethen. LeGuin is a master storyteller and in this book she was at her best. I still love it.
7. The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings — I discovered The Hobbit in high school and had never read anything like it. So then I tackled the Lord of the Rings. It took me a couple of tries to read it all the way through, but I’ve been a resident of Middle Earth ever since.
8. The Chronicles of Narnia — I didn’t discover these until I was in college. We were fond, at my little Christian college, of using passages as devotions. But I think even if you never knew anything about C.S. Lewis or about Christianity, the beauty of the stories would speak to you. They’re all good, but my favorite is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
9. To Kill a Mockingbird — I actually read this in high school and I’ve returned to it many times since. I love the voice and the way Harper Lee wove the story. It’s as if someone were sitting on the front porch and telling it to me.
10. Mysteries by Agatha Christie — My mom is a mystery lover, so I suppose it was only natural that I’d start delving into her collection. I’ve read most of her books and enjoyed them a lot, though I have found that they aren’t the kind of books that hold up to rereading. But she was very good at writing mysteries and I don’t think I ever figured out who did it very much  before the end.
11. Mysteries by Ngaio Marsh — I discovered Ngaio Marsh after I was grown and found her stories to be a little meatier, at least in some ways. Her characters seemed deeper than Christie’s. I think I liked her later books better (especially the ones where Inspecter Allyn’s wife appears).
12. Gaudy Night, by Dorothy L. Sayers (as well as her others, but this one’s my favorite) — and then I discovered Dorothy Sayers and most English mystery writers have paled in comparison ever since. I can reread some of Sayers’ books, especially Gaudy Night. I realized that a mystery story could be good literature, too, and I just loved the way she told the stories. Some of them are a little rambling and seem dated, but the characters and scenes are still vivid.
13. Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger — it’s beautiful and what else is there to say. Enger has a way with words and with characters.
14. On Writing, by Stephen King — I’ve read a lot of books about writing, but this is my favorite. And I’m not even a big Stephen King fan. But I liked his approach — telling his story and then telling about writing. It all fits together somehow and it’s entertaining as well as instructive.
15. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden — I think I first read this in a Reader’s Digest Condensed Book and loved the story of nuns in Britain. I’m not Catholic, but Godden brought that faith tradition alive. But it’s also full of very human characters and it’s a good story.

I could go on and on (and have sometimes). But I would say that these are some of the books that have had the most lasting affect on me. What about you?

 

Where have I been?

My daughter, grandson and dad, with me, as we celebrate Dad's 80th birthday.

As you can probably guess from the picture above, we had a great time celebrating my dad’s 80th birthday in May. Most of my immediate family (siblings, kids, etc.) were able to come and we had a lot of fun. It was chaos at times, but my parents were so glad we all came and I know we were all glad to be there, too. Dad got lots of nice cards from people, too, and he still enjoys them, I think.  It’s a memory we’ll all treasure.

Earlier this month, I got to spend a week in beautiful downtown Des Moines, Iowa (and that’s only a tiny bit of sarcasm you here). I was at a conference for work and it went well, other me forgetting my poster and having to recreate it. Fortunately, the FedEx/Kinko’s downtown was very helpful and I was able to do an acceptable job. I completed the ACE Leadership Institute, too, and I think it will help me in a lot of areas, as well as my job.

Now I think I’m home for the forseeable future. So maybe I’ll do a little more blogging. I know I’m going to do a couple of blog tours this summer for Robin Parrish’s new book, Off World. It sounds good, so stay tuned.

I’m finishing up the layout for Relief 3.1, and I can tell you it’s a good issue. A little edgy, but that’s OK. And I’m working on a time-travel story of my own, so maybe I’ll be able to finish that. But in the meantime, I’m trying to stay cool.

 

Remembering God’s Faithfulness

(This is my May 2009 column)
Psalm 77

In the early 1970s my father preached at a church in Linton, Indiana. I was just entering my teens and it was a good place for me. My brothers and I had friends in our neighborhood and there were a lot of kids in our church. What I was not aware of though, was that it wasn’t such a good place for my dad. There were good people there, but it just wasn’t a good fit and after a couple of years he resigned. I think it was the only time my father resigned before he’d been called by another church. I’ll never forget our parents telling us that we were going to be moving, but we didn’t know where or even if we would be serving another church. I think we were all a little scared, but our parents told us that God was with us and we could trust him.

My parents understood, better than my brothers and I, what the psalmist is talking about in Psalm 77. Sometimes God seems far away, sometimes we enter a desert time in our lives when the path is rocky and hard to follow. Those are the times, though, that we can say:

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds. (Psalm 77:11-12)

By remembering what God has done throughout history, and in our lives, we’re reminded of what a great God we serve and can be comforted. We know we can trust him because he’s never failed us.

And all those years ago, when we wondered what God had in mind for our family, he proved himself faithful once again. Within a month, my Dad had been called to another church in southern Indiana, where he would have a fruitful ministry and our family would be at home once more. And ever since, when the path seems uncertain, that time in my life reminds me of God’s faithfulness and I know I can trust him.

 

True Riches

(this is my April 2009 newsletter column)

Mark 10:17-27

Whenever a group from our church returns from a mission trip to Mexico or Nicaragua, someone always mentions the joy they saw even in the midst of great poverty. Our brothers and sisters in Christ in other countries experience real joy and peace from knowing Christ, maybe because they understand very well what it means to totally rely on God’s provision. When I see the pictures from Nicaragua and Mexico, and hear the testimonies of those who went there, I’m reminded how wealthy I am compared to most of the world. I don’t usually think of myself that way, but I have everything I need and much of what I want.

So when I read the story of Jesus and the rich young man who came to him for guidance, I realize I have a lot more in common with that young man than I usually like to admit. Jesus told the young man that even though he’d lived a good life, there was something lacking. He needed to sell his possessions and give to the poor, and then follow Jesus. The young man apparently found this too hard and went away sad, and without making any changes in his life. Jesus used this opportunity to teach his disciples about what it means to follow him. They didn’t find the teaching any more comfortable than the rich young man did.

It’s not that having wealth is a bad thing, but too often our material comfort leads to complacency. Our possessions can get in the way of our walk with Christ. Jesus told his disciples it was harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples were somewhat dismayed by this statment. In Jewish culture, as in ours, wealth was considered a sign that a person had done everything right. They were blessed. So if a wealthy person couldn’t get to heaven, who could? But Jesus reminds them that nothing is impossible with God.

I, like the rich young man, could say I’ve lived a pretty good life. And I, too, am uncomfortable with the idea that I might have to give up something to follow Jesus. But my salvation isn’t dependent on what I can do or on what I possess. It’s because of the saving work of Jesus Christ. And because of that I need to be willing to do whatever God asks of me. That’s the only way I’ll ever know the true riches that come from a life lived for Christ.

 

Happy 80th birthday, Daddy

Today is my dad’s 80th birthday. God gave me such a great dad and I’m glad I still have him in this world. He changed my diapers, let me comb his hair, baptized me, walked me down the aisle on my wedding day and then finished the wedding ceremony, and all along the way he has modeled what a Godly father should be.

He served small churches in small towns, but I’m not surprised at how many birthday wishes he’s received all over. He’s touched a lot of lives, either in churches or at church camp or in the communities where he and my mom lived. So happy birthday Dad!

 

Reminders of eternity

I usually live very much in the present. I reflect on the past and dream about the future, but most of the time I’m preoccupied with what’s going on right now. And though I believe in God’s promise of eternal life, I don’t think about it much. But once in a while, I’m reminded.

Today I learned that a dear old saint in our church has died. I don’t know the details, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Daisy went to sleep and never woke up — or rather, she woke up with Jesus. One minute she’s dozing over her paper, the next she’s hearing “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” And Daisy was a faithful servant of her Lord. She was quite elderly and didn’t get out a lot, but she cut out articles from our local paper about the kids in the church so our youth leaders could post them on the bulletin board. She always asked about our grown children and I know that a lot of kids from our church have been prayed for because of this dear woman. Daisy never married, but she loved her nieces and nephews and the children of her church family. She leaves a legacy of faith and service that puts me to shame.

Here’s another reminder: A few weeks ago my parents made a trip to Tennessee to visit some of my dad’s family there. They went up country to see my dad’s oldest half-brother, Uncle Avon, who’s 87 and dying of cancer. His son and daughter-in-law have come to live with him and look after him and he seems to be doing pretty well most of the time. Mom said they have a baby monitor back in his room (but he’s unaware of it), so they can here if he needs them. Mom said when they got to Uncle Avon’s house, before he knew they were there, they heard him singing old hymns to himself. His son says he does that most of the time these days. It’s pretty clear he’s living more in the next world than in this.

So much of the time I act as if my present problems and pleasures are all there is to life, but I know better. I’m thankful for Daisy and Uncle Avon for reminding me of that.

 

Good news and basketball

A couple things.

First, I’m excited about a volunteer opportunity that has come my way. As Coach Culbertson announced last week, I’m the new layout editor for Relief Journal. This is very cool. (And, apparently, I’m continuing a tradition of Coach’s Midnight Diner authors who like to volunteer to work for Relief.) I’ve worked in journalism for nearly 20 years and a good bit of my experience involves page design and layout. So I think I have some skills that could be useful to a publication like Relief. Sure, I do this in my day job, but I’ve been praying about and keeping my eyes open for opportunities to use these talents for God in some way. So when Coach put out a call for a layout editor a few weeks ago, I fired off an e-mail before I could lose my nerve. Now I get to layout something like 170 pages between now and early May. A little scary and but I’m looking forward to it. And I’m helping a good cause.

I’ve also been putting together an annual report for the Midwest Covenant Conference Women Ministries (I’m on the board) and that’s been fun, too. It’s short and it’s almost done and I think it looks pretty good. A few more tweaks and it’ll be ready for printing.

Now on to basketball. Yes, the time has come for me to give myself over to the madness that is the NCAA tournament. I’ve made my bracket picks, knowing full well that my bracket will be shot to pieces before the first round is over. But it’s fun anyway. For once, I have not picked KU to win it all this year — they’re good, but I’m not confident they can do it this year. K-State’s men’s team is in the NIT and K-State’s women’s team is in the NCAA tournament, so I’ll have multiple teams to cheer for.

And one more thing — it is definitely feeling more like spring outside and that’s a very good thing.

 

Listening … No Line on the Horizon

I’ve been listening to U2’s new album this week — amazing. I like it better every time I listen to it. I’ve always liked U2 to some extent, but I think I appreciate their music more now than I did when I was younger. And it’s not just their most recent albums — I like a lot of their older music better now, too. There is some music like that — you have to be at the right point in your life to appreciate it.

I remember watching a performance by U2 on MTV back in the early 80s (when MTV actually played music videos and concerts). I’m pretty sure it was at least some of a concert at Red Rocks and I was captivated by their passion (especially Sunday, Bloody Sunday). Bono sang from his heart. And more than 25 years later, he’s still singing from his heart. In fact, one of the first things that struck me about No Line on the Horizon was how Bono sings on the album — with gusto, really giving his all in the songs. He’s going for notes that most middle-aged men avoid — and sometimes he sounds a little ragged, but it’s passionate and honest. I like it.

And the songs … oh my goodness, the songs. From soaring guitars to hushed vocals, the songs reward repeated listenings. Initial recording for this album was in Fez, Morocco, and you can hear some of that influence, but it’s subtle and not overdone. But most of all, I hear God in this album. On “Magnificent,” a hymn of praise if ever there was one, Bono sings that he was “born to sing for you, I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up.”

I don’t want to belabor the point. A lot of people will not hear what I hear, but when I listen to this album I’m uplifted — it’s the combination of lyrics, melody and instruments. I have not doubt that this album is art to the glory of God.

 

Welcome

I’ve decided to move my blog over to Word Press and be a little more focused in what I write about. I haven’t decided whether or not to move all my blogger entries over here — they’re fine where they are I guess. By the way, the old blog is Musings from the Windowsill.

 

Receive Him

Matt. 2:9-12
John 1:9-13

Almost every Christmas pageant includes an appearance by the three wise men who came to see baby Jesus. Of course, by the time they arrived, Jesus was probably a toddler, not a baby. And there might have been two wise men, or five, or more — the account in Matthew 2 just says they brought three kinds of gifts, not how many men actually brought them. But even though some of what we think we know about the wise men is more legend than fact, there is one thing we know for sure: When they saw Jesus “they fell down and worshiped him.” And in doing so, they offer a glimpse of what is to come — a time when all people, not just the Jews, can know and worship God.

John writes in his Gospel that Jesus “came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God …” (John 1:11-12) Among the earliest worshipers of God’s son were lowly shepherds, a poor prophet and prophetess in the temple (Simeon and Anna), and these men from a foreign country. The ruler of the day, King Herod, feared Jesus as a threat to his power. It seems to have beyond his imagination that what Jesus had to offer was worth far more than any earthly throne.

Who are we most like? The wise men who sought Jesus and offered him their worship and their best gifts? Or are we like Herod and the religious authorities of Israel, who, seeing only the threat to their way of life, rejected the son of God?

As we start another new year, let’s think about the wise men. Let’s try to be like those who welcomed Jesus and offered their hearts and lives to him. His gift to us is far greater than all the gold or power in the world.

~ Eutychus