Listen

Listen
by Rene Gutteridge

What would happen if conversations you had in the privacy of your home went public? Would your words bring life or death? This is the question explored in this book.

Like it or not, our words have power. The written word as well as the spoken word have the power to cripple or uplift. How we use our words is so important. We can use our words to harm others or to encourage them.

The small town in this book is turned upside down when private conversations begin to show up on a website for all to see. Who is behind this and what are they trying to get at? In the mean time allegations and judgements are passed as everyone tries to decipher who said what about who.

An interesting experiment and in some regards what keeps us glued to reality tv. (the drama) What we say comes from who we are. Granted we all say things in anger or frustration, but we still need to be careful what we say, which means we need to be careful what we think, which is why God says to take every thought captive.

After this read I will definitely pause to think about what I am saying and if it is something edifying or not.

"Commercial"ism at its worst

I recently saw a commercial for the Toyota Highlander and I have to say I think that my perception of Toyota just went down quite a few notches. I was really disheartened by the message it was sending to kids and adults.

Not only was the message that you are a “lame” parent if you don’t buy an expensive car with all the bells and whistles, but you are also “lame” if you enjoy life and your family time. You also need to be plugged in all the time because, well, that’s just cooler.

We never had entertainment systems in our cars. We never had the nicest cars. I know we thought our parents were crazy at times, but so what? Doesn’t every kid think that at some point? But I’ve never met a kid that wasn’t thankful for quality time with family. I never look back on times we spent in the car and think, boy I wish I could have just plugged myself in and had no interaction with anyone.

As I mentioned I am appalled that the commercial doesn’t even insinuate but point blank says that because the parents enjoying life in their “small” car don’t have the Highlander they are “lame.” What message does that send to our kids and parents? You have to have the best to be cool! I don’t think we need any more messages like that out there! It’s bad enough our kids get it from movies and tv and magazines and school, now commercials too and commercials for things beyond them? And this kid wasn’t even a teenager. He was probably middle school age.

Argggh…I hate the commercialism of our world and the lack of family values that 99% of media instills. People can swear up and down that it’s just a commercial and doesn’t have any effect but I tell you what, if that’s you, you are wrong. If advertising did not work it would not be on the air so much. It’s a lucrative industry all about the benjamins and I’ve personally had enough. I have to sit through and rip up commercials left and right these days and this one was too much!

If you are a parent I’d encourage you to practice dissecting commercials as well. Sit down with your kids, watch a commercial, even on YouTube and ask them what the message is that the commercial is sending? And discuss what God says and what the Truth of the matter is. Discuss why the commercial is selling lies and why their message does not provide what it claims to.

I did a google search on the commercial just to see what I could find and I found that many feel like me. I am glad I am not the only one! I found this article which I think sums up my feelings nicely and also shows the commercial so you can see for yourself. I also agree with his thoughts on the Windows phone commercial too.

http://blogs.trb.com/features/family/parenting/blog/2010/11/2011_highlanders_antifamily_co.html

Life Discipler

I recently received a new product to review called Life Discipler. It really is unlike anything I’ve seen before and kinda cool. It’s a little electronic gadget, about the size of a pedometer, which has more than 1500 verses stored on it arranged on 44 subjects. You can search for subjects and scrolls through the verses or pick a subject and have the alarm sound to remind you to look at another verse.

I thought that it sounded kind of neat when I first got it. Any tool to help me learn God’s word and be constantly immersed in it throughout my day is a good thing. I thought the subjects offered were definitely applicable to life, though not every verse seemed to fit with the subject it was under. I tried it out for about a week, mostly at work. I set the alarm for 1 hour the first day just to get used to it, but I found myself wanting more. So the rest of the week I set it to go off every ½ hour.

This worked great for most of the day. I was loving the reminders from God’s word. It was very encouraging. I loved that you could set a verse that came up as a favorite or as one you want to memorize as well. This will be great when I am waiting in line somewhere and I can just pull out God’s word and work on memorizing or reviewing it. However, sometime during the afternoon the alarm would just stop going off. I checked the battery but it was fine. If I turned it off and on again then it was fine. So that is a quirk that might become annoying if you are expecting it to work for long periods of time. But I guess that’s a small inconvenience.

I don’t know if it’s something I would use everyday, but it did do a great job of keeping God’s truth fresh in my mind. The MSRP is $29.99 and you can find this gadget at lifediscipler.com and Family Christian Stores. Could be a good gift if you know someone into gadgets.

They are offering a 20% discount now at lifediscipler.com if you use the coupon code GROW20. It’s good through Dec 30, 2010.

The 7 Minute Difference

The Seven Minute Difference & The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner

by Allyson Lewis

                                       

I signed up with Buzz Blogger to try out items and review them which seemed like a fun idea. My first assignment was this book and workbook which were sent to me. How can you go wrong with a free book? I am under no obligation to give a glorious review but to just share my honest opinion. So let’s get on to it already.

When I first received the book and looked it over I had two thoughts run through my mind. The first was, “Maybe this can really help me figure out how to do something with my passions in life.” The second was, “Oh boy, another self help book.” Now the workbook struck my fancy a little more because I am a very list orientated person.

I decided to stay open minded as I ventured in, and the first few chapters of the book were great thought provokers. Though I did not sit down and define my goals and passions yet I mean to go back through and do just that. I think it is a great starting point for those of us trying to figure out what we should be doing with our lives. And honestly, isn’t that most of us?

After the first few chapters, though, it felt like it was much more orientated to those in the business world who are trying to further their career. It was hard to relate everything to normal life outside that setting. If you are in the business boat, please read this book because it is totally geared towards helping you make small decisions to make you better at what you do. But if you are like me and not at all there then I wouldn’t really recommend this book.

It’s ok and has some great principles about pursuing passions and perserverance to finish the race but I just didn’t see that it was a book that was going to change my life. Maybe I’m just a skeptic though. You could check it out and see if her ideas work for you and let me know.

The workbook I really like though. Even though I still think it is very geared towards business tasks it does have some very practical items to check off, such as how much water you’ve drunk and what you’ve eaten for meals and snacks. You can never have too many daily planners as far as I am concerned.

If you’d like to find out more about this book and workbook or purchase a copy please visit http://www.the7minutelifesystem.com/

Muslims, Christians, and Jesus

Muslims, Christians, and Jesus
by Carl Medearis


In light of events in our country and around the world in the last decade I was curious to learn more about Islam, what it teaches and how to reach out to those in our country who are Muslim. I do not agree with the idea that they are our or even Israel's enemies, not as a whole. This book is a great tool for any Christian. I was challenged not just in my thinking about Muslims but also in how I approach evangelism in general.


First of all I learned many things about Islam that I did not know. I had no idea there were so many similarities between what the Qur'an says and what the Bible says. Obviously there are some major differences but Medaris focuses on the similarities seldom mentioned. It's a great starting point for conversation to start on common ground. The most common ground we actually share with Muslims is our faith in God and love for Jesus. He stresses again and again about bringing it always back to Jesus. He is highly respected by Muslims and most, according to Medearis, are open to talking and learning more about His life. It's a great reminder that we are not the converters. God draws people to Himself. God does the heart changing and saving, not us. 


I think the biggest challenge for me personally is the fact that I am not called to save people or even teach people the bible per say. I am called to love God and love others. I do want to share Jesus with people because I want them to have the hope I have and I want them to go to heaven because hell is going to be no fun. However, I should not go into relationships with the hope that they one day will become a Christian. If they do, great, if not, that is not my choice. If I love God with everything and love others with all Christ gives me and let His love flow through me it will make a difference. Of course that would mean sharing Jesus when the opportunity arises, but not forcing it. I think sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to share, to share to share. But really I just need to love, to love, to love. 


Whether it's Muslims, or co-workers, or neighbors or family or whoever. We are called to love those around us. I know it's such a simple concept. You'd think it would be easy to grasp. But as Christians and churches I think we put too much emphasis on "saving" people and not enough emphasis on actually proactively loving people. I probably heard this from someone else so I can't take credit but it was something to the effect of "Nobody cares about what you have to say until they know you care about them." 


So getting back to the book...It's a great read for tips on conversing with Muslims as well as sharing Jesus in general. My challenge to myself and to you is to love people better. There is no way you can ever love too much! "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5: 22-23 

The Lost World

The Lost World

by Michael Crichton

More dinosaurs and more carnage. Although I will say that this book did not start out quite as grotesque as Jurassic Park. This book discussed the scientific theories for the extinction of dinosaurs. Of course no definitive answer was given since that is still unknown to us.

The “chase” if you will did not really ensue until halfway or more through the book. But then I was hanging on for another wild ride. It did hold my attention and keep me turning the pages but I don’t think much more inventive can be done with dinosaur and human encounters. Bad idea. I got it. 

Overall, it kept my attention but I would say it was rather redundant in many capacities. It was definitely an extension of the first book and did shed some light on issues from that book. Take it or leave it.

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger
by Ronald J. Sider


This topic is one that I have personally been struggling with for a while now. I know it's ok to enjoy God's blessings, but when do we start enjoying too much and not giving enough? How do you determine the balance? How can I enjoy a meal out when I know that the price it cost me for one meal could have fed a child for a month or longer? These are just some of the questions I have been asking myself.

This book explored some of those topics but more dealt with specifics of why the author believes so many hungry and poor exist, what wealthy countries should be doing about it, economic policies that need to be changed and what we as individuals should be doing to help. It read more like a text book and was actually a challenge for me to get through because of that. The beginning kept my attention, the middle was the biggest struggle and the last chapter was very practical.

For starters, we in the west are affluent. This is not news to me. Comparatively we are as rich as Bill Gates to most of the world's population. And our culture is a culture of materialism and hoarding. I just think of the tv shows and news articles that have been circulating recently about the people who hoard and how much damage it does. Most of us are not like that but nonetheless we fall prey to the enticing world around us. "You need this. You deserve this. Don't wait. You can buy it now." Commercials and advertising drive me crazy. Maybe that's my communications degree but I tend to analyze them as I watch, sometimes even going so far as to yell at the tv. "That is so not true!"

Moving on from the knowledge I already had, the author did bring up some great things I never thought about in regards to the way God would have us deal with wealth distribution as a society. He spoke of the year of Jubilee mentioned in Leviticus when land would be returned to the original owners every 50 years. It's definitely a cool thought. God knew what he was doing when he made the rules. It's a shame we don't follow them. God allowed for consequences and mistakes, but there was always grace. Everyone had a chance to make a living.

Of course he addressed the main issue I have been struggling with and that is enjoying the blessings of God. Basically it comes down to a generous spirit. We should most definitely enjoy what God has given to us and be thankful to Him for His good gifts. At the same time we need to recognize that the gifts are not God Himself. We should be willing and ready to give them all back to God should He ask us to. Also we should do what we can with what we've been given (time, talents gifts) to give what we can to aid the poor and needy.

It's not always easy to "give up" the things we deem necessary for comfortable living in order to be generous. However, God did not call us to be comfortable. He did call us to take care of widows and orphans and the poor. How can we show the world God's love if can't get past ourselves? With Jesus as our model we need to follow. He gave His time, His talents and His life to show His love. We should do the same.

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

by Michael Crichton

Everyone has heard of Jurassic Park and knows the basic plot due to the movie that came out a while back. I’ve never seen the movie because something about big mean dinosaurs and humans just seemed like a recipe for disastrous events that I did not care to witness. However, reading the book is something I could handle and so intrigued by my basic knowledge of the movie I ventured into the land of the dinosaurs.

I was actually intellectually stimulated by the ideas put forth from the get go. Granted the violence in the beginning was also a foretaste of what was to come. But violence aside, there were some really intriguing ideas and great philosophical dilemmas laid out.

The most obvious thought and question that ran through my mind was, “Is this even possible?” When this was written it might have seemed less plausible but in the 20 years since then science has made huge advances in the genetic field. And when you learn how cut-throat the industry is and how much money is involved and how corrupt power and money make people, well, it really makes you stop and think. What potentially dangerous projects are going on all over the world that we know nothing about? 

One character in the book, Malcolm, makes many profound statements in my eyes. In speaking about scientists to another character he says, “So they are focused on whether they can do something. They never stop to ask if they should do something.” Isn’t that the great debate that we have been facing for quite some time in the areas of science and technology? Technology is not bad in and of itself and it can be used for the good of many but it can also be used to the detriment of many. Scientific discoveries are not bad in and of themselves but if we stop questioning the ethics and really thinking about the long term effects of our “breakthroughs” then we are setting ourselves up for potentially devastating situations that cannot be easily, if ever, undone. 

In our unquenchable thirst for immortality and perfection how much are we willing to give up? I never thought I would see the day when the manufacturing of A Brave New World might be a reality. But are we really that far off? So these are just some of the many thoughts running through my head as I read this book. I had no idea this suspense novel would stimulate so much of my intellect. 

One other thought that stands out is in regards to another of character Malcolm’s rants about chaos theory. Apparently that is a real field of study and it’s in regards to the complex systems of life. It speaks to the fact that it’s hard to predict some things because there are too many variables that can change everything. Weather is a great example because even seemingly the same situations can create two different weather patterns. But he also mentions that even within the chaos there is an underlying order and that simple things can produce complex behavior. As a Christian this all makes perfect sense to me. Though it doesn’t surprise me, it always amazes me more and more when science supports the evidence for a Creator. 

Even though I went into this book expecting a suspense thrill ride full of dinosaur chases and maimed people I was pleasantly surprised that it was so much more. I really enjoyed this read and am curious now to read The Lost World and see if the second book will engage the little gray cells as much as this one did. 

One last thought, raptors are some devilish dinos. (at least according to this book)

Words of Dragon

Words of Dragon

by J.L. Torres

A book showed up on my shelf at home with the post it, “Let me know what you think.” Of course I knew who the book was from. It was from my mom who was given the book by a co-worker to review. She passed it on to me for my thoughts as well. 

Naturally being given a book that I knew nothing about I turned it over to the back cover to find out the summary of what I was about to read. I will admit that it was hard to get through the summary and it definitely made me wonder if this was a prelude of what was to come. There were numerous grammatical errors and sentences that just didn’t make complete sense.

I ventured on, unsure of what awaited but hoping for the best. Sadly I was unimpressed. I am not an English major but there were so many mistakes in grammar and spelling. There were multiple times when I could not tell which character was speaking. Then there were times when the author even got the characters names confused and you could tell he used the wrong name. All these “little” things made this a very difficult read for me and hard to take seriously. I think a proof reader could go a long way in helping this book out.

Not that it was all bad. Certainly not. I give kudos to Torres for finishing this story he set out to write. Not many people take the time or have the creativity to accomplish such a task. The story is a decent one, the classic tale between good and evil in a land of fantasy. Though it did remind me of every fantasy book I’ve ever read. For what it is, a story completed by someone with no professional writing experience, it’s not bad. It will not be a best seller but with some editing it could be a bit better.

You can find out more or purchase your copy at JLT Fantasy

Why, Why, Why??? Arrgggg!

 Have you heard about the church in Gainesville, Florida that is planning on a Quran book burning on 9/11? Apparently they were denied a permit for safety reasons but are planning on going ahead with it, and all this in the name of Jesus. However, this isn’t too surprising considering the pastor of the church, Terry Jones wrote a book called “Islam is of the Devil” and consequently sells mugs with the same logo. 

I feel like I’m missing something here. This is wrong on so many levels. Sure Islam is of the devil, but so are all the other religions and cults out there. Not to mention “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (Galatians 5:19-21) And I didn’t even mention the fact that Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself, as well as love your enemy. I don’t know that I count Muslims as my enemy but surely they are my neighbor. Is it loving my enemy to burn a book they consider holy? I’d have to say unequivocally, NO! 

It really makes me angry to see a church like this making decisions that are so far off what the bible teaches. They are being a terrible representation of Christ. I know Christians aren’t perfect but these types of Christians make it worse for the rest of us. They make a big fuss and get all the media attention and people in the world look on and see us as hypocrites. And rightfully so. If what they are doing is what being a Christian is all about then I would want no part of it either. Why don’t they burn x rated movies and violent video games while they are at it. Those have probably destroyed just as many lives if not more.

September 11, 2001 was a tragic day for our nation and surely it will not soon be forgotten. However, we cannot cling to that as a reason to hold on to fear and bitterness. We can’t use it as a crutch to ostracize a people group. We are called to love as Jesus loves, to forgive as He has forgiven. Muslims need Jesus just as much as the rest of the world and I will be bold enough to say, just as much as some of our “Christian” church members. If the shoe were on the other foot and Muslims were burning bibles the church would be outraged. What a terrible act of disrespect not just to us, but to God! Why should they feel any differently. 

Pray that God would use Christian leaders to heavily push for this church to cancel the event. Pray that God could somehow bring good out of this if it proceeds as planned. Pray for Jesus to reveal His truth to Muslims around the world. Pray that these misguided Christians would come to understand the truth of Jesus and His message as well.

Details based on Article on Yahoo.com among other websites

The Heavenly Man

The Heavenly Man, the remarkable story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun

with Paul Hattaway

It's not often that I am truly humbled, encouraged and challenged by one read. However, this book is one of those reads. Brother Yun's story is one that you could find straight out of the New Testament in the Bible. Only it takes place in today's day and time.

This book will definitely challenge your views of what it really means to be a Christian. It shows what it means when Paul says, "to live is Christ and to die is gain," in Philippians. And models the command of Christ to love our enemies. Here in the west it takes on different forms from that in China, but Brother Yun even addresses that near the end of the book.

If you think that the God of the Bible does not do miracles in today's day and age then surely you do not know much about what God is doing throughout the church around the world. I find it fascinating how God is blooming in a garden that tried to stamp him out completely. Our God is not hindered by humans. This is a story about one such nation, China. You will learn about the history of religion in China and current day situations that humans with any heart at all will be saddened and probably angered by. Their nation tries to put on such a good face for the world but it's all a facade.

Brother Yun faced many trials and encountered many situations some of us pray we never have to face and yet Jesus was faithful through it all. Pain and suffering are something we try to hide from and yet he embraced them and used them to draw closer to Jesus. Was Brother Yun perfect? No. In fact we learn of some of his costly mistakes. But God is a good God. A God of grace and forgiveness and uses us despite our imperfections.

I challenge you to read this book and not be moved. I find I struggle to not get angry at China and the leaders that allow these terrible things to go on. But when that happens I get on my knees and pray for the leaders. Despite their efforts to literally crush and demolish the message of Christ, it is spreading like fire throughout their nation. Pray for China. Pray for Brother Yun and the other leaders of the House Church. Read this book and become more educated about what God is doing around the world.

Welcome to the land of many thoughts!

Welcome one and all! For those of you who know me you know how much I love to read and write. I know I am such a nerd. Nonetheless, I think it is high time I started a blog and stuck with it. So this is it. This is my blog.

My mission first and foremost is to glorify Christ through this. Secondly I hope to open up discussion and get people thinking about various topics as I wrestle with them myself. Third, I hope to encourage reading and thinking by sharing reviews of books I have read. I welcome recommendations.

I'm hoping it will evolve as I do and as I learn more about this world of blogging which is pretty new to me. Read on....