Calling Jesus Names: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXVII

THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME
Herbert C. Gabhart

Names are interesting, beautiful, significant, descriptive, and hereditary. ... The multiple names of Jesus and the many descriptive titles given Him run the gamut of everything from the One at whose name "every knee shall bow...and every tongue confess" to the One despised and rejected, and from the world's greatest revolutionary to the Prince of peace. ... This [book] touches base with each day of the year. I feel confident that my enthusiasm at the beginning of the odyssey will not have lessened when I come to the final page. On the contrary, I feel that it will have become even more alive and vibrant because I will have described Him in so many verbal frames, cameos, and contexts that I can say with Thomas, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).

This year-long devotional book was one of several volumes from Southwestern Publishing that we were gifted after having allowed a small group of college-aged boys sleep in our basement for the summer. The young men were traveling through Southern Indiana selling the books (encyclopedias, a Bible dictionary, books on study techniques and I can't remember WHAT all else) as their summer job. This particular book was first published in 1986, but it FEELS like it was written in the 1950s. Some of the "names" of Jesus are a reeeeeal stretch in terms of being a Biblical designation for Christ, and Mr. Gabhart quotes a lot of hymns and cheesy poems. But all in all, most of the readings gave me something worthy to reflect on for the day and I don't love Jesus any less for having gone through them.

First Line: Some things in life cling to us with unbreakable tenacity.

Page 56 / Line 5: A carpenter in those days was a maker of tools, household utensils, and generally considered a worker in wood.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Spiritually, the yoke ... calls us to be submissive, responsive, and cooperative to the instructions and leadership of Christ.

Last Line: The end is not even in view.

Do I REALLY Want to Change?: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXVI

 

THE COMMON RULE: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction
Justin Whitmel Earley

Habits form us more than we form them. The modern world is a machine of invisible habits, forming us into anxious, busy people. We yearn for the freedom of the gospel but remain shackled by our screens and exhausted by our routines. What can we do about it? The answer to our contemporary chaos is to practice a rule of life that aligns our habits to our beliefs. [This book]'s four daily and four weekly habits transform frazzled days into lives of love for God and neighbor.

Borrowed this book from the library as part of our church's elders' current conversational arc about discipleship, which is part of the processing being done as a result of our pastoral staff's attendance at a national conference a few months ago. My knee-jerk reaction was along the lines of "This is kind of Pharisaical, isn't it? Follow all these steps. Habitually do all these things. Tote this barge. Lift that bale." But the more I read, the more I realized he was just sharing what has worked for him and why and was also offering his habits as examples of what might work for me. The suggested habits are logically organized and supported with personal anecdotes that make for simple, understandable reading. Now I just need to decide which ones to adopt, because reading this book without making some positive changes in my time usage would be a crime.

First Line: It was twelve on an ordinary Saturday night when I woke suddenly in a dreadful panic, sweating and shaking.

Page 56 / Line 5: And so we rest.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: The former editor in chief of Elle magazine, Jean-Dominique Bauby, after suffering a stroke that left him immobile except for one eyelid, wrote his incredible memoir The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by blinking one eye to a secretary who would read through the letters of the alphabet to spell words.

Last Line: They become the days that become a life spent looking at the beautiful one, the one named Jesus, who with a glance can catch the heart off guard  -  and blow it open.

Roth Christmas Epistle 2024

 

The Year That Was

January  -  Curtis turned 37.  *  We spent a mostly rainy but mostly wonderful week in Rotonda West, Florida, at the beautiful Vrbo house of the mostly wonderful owners, Bobby & Connie Brown.

February  -  Thomas turned 10.  *  Had a fun double date with friends enjoying Comedy Sportz Twin Cities at their appearance in Rosemount.  *  On the 23rd, Shonda turned 41 and Kelly Jo turned 35.

March  -  Ivy June turned 4.  *  Debbie did a lot of work on her new 9-week devotional book, Blue Tassels.

April  -  Anawynn turned 11.  *  Dewey was MC at our church's 2nd annual Taste & See Fundraiser for our summer mission trips.  *  Blue Tassels was sent to the publisher.  *  Debbie spoke to almost 100 women at a one-day event at our home church in Markle, Indiana. (What a trip!)  *  We both attended, once again, The Well Conference for Christian Creatives in Michigan (enjoyed a day-trip to Holland as well).

May  -  Loved having everyone (except Shonda and crew) at the house for some Mother's Day pizza (but also loved that Shonda added her crew to the group photo)

June  -  Blessed by having Ivy and Clay for 4 overnighters and all the days in between while Curtis & Abbey were in California for a conference.  *  The 9th was our 45th anniversary!

July  -  A relatively quiet month highlighted by an overnighter with the 3 oldest grandkids and one with the youngest.

August  -  Dewey turned 67 (How in the world can that be correct?!?)  *  Debbie celebrated the release of BLUE TASSELS: 45 Devotions for the Desperate, Determined, and Delivered with a book launch open house.

September  -  Ezra Ann turned 3.  *  Clarence "Clay" turned 1 year old.  *  Angel turned 44.  *  The two of us traveled to Wyoming for some time with Debbie's niece and brother and a sobering visit to the Heart Mountain WWII Japanese Relocation Museum. Debbie also celebrated her 66th birthday at Texas Roadhouse. Maverick turned 8.

October  -  A nice-but-too-short visit in Arkansas with Shonda and her family. The drive down through the Ozarks was beautiful and their almost-completed house is amazing.  *  Enjoyed the 2nd year of greeting trick-or-treaters as SantaDewey. This time, we handed out candy canes!

November  -  We were overjoyed to be able to fly to Ohio for Thanksgiving. My (Dewey's) baby sister and her preacher husband open the fellowship hall of their church for both sides of the family to gather, gorge, and giggle. Curtis and Kelly Jo (and their families) drove to the event and were able to spend extra time with us and my sister and brother-in-law. Wonderful.

December  -  We will experience a Christmas Miracle: All of our Minnesota-based kids and grands will gather at our house at the same time for a big, old-fashioned Christmas dinner! And we're forever grateful.

In the face of seasoned waves of evil

that we would sing that old noel,

that we would hang lights on branches,

that we would give gifts to others

even if that gift is only ourselves --

this, this is a defiance seemingly impotent

against the principalities and powers who

daily conspire to convince us that

we are alone and love is a lie.

But do not be deceived for the demons themselves

tremble at such quaintness.

Sisters and brothers,

Christmas on.

-John Blase-

The End of "Blue Bloods"

 

Since the first episode, Beloved and I have enjoyed the Blue Bloods television series. It has consistently upheld the honor and dignity of those who wear a police uniform, even when it sometimes told the story of those who "went bad." Especially meaningful through the years have been the scenes around the family dinner table...a scene that has been in each of its 293 episodes.

When the episode we watched the other night ended with a dinner table scene that included kids having come home from college and the announcement of a pregnancy, I said, "Gee...that kind of felt like a series finale."

It wasn't until this morning, when I stumbled onto the following clip from "The Talk", that I realized I was right. It includes Tom Selleck repeating a heartfelt "reading" of a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay that he had shared with the cast and crew following the filming of their final scene together around the table.

I hope you can relate to the emotional depth of the words...that you have people and experiences in your life that resonate.

https://youtu.be/OGU2ogyk-yM?si=qWV2dLfHd9FiC9Di

Red One: "Let's Go Save Christmas!"

 

Having joined Amazon Prime for a week (for only $1.99) to get free shipping on our last-minute Christmas shopping, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could watch the Christmas action-comedy Red One on Prime Video even though it's still in movie theaters.

J. K. Simmons is the buffest Santa you'll ever meet, but he spends most of this movie passed out as his special Santa power is stolen by a Christmas witch (who knew?) to be used to entrap all the people on the Naughty List in magical snow globes forever. And since Dwayne Johnson's chief of security mentions early on that, for the first time ever, the Naughty List has more names than the Nice List, there stands to be a decided decrease in the surplus population. [Bonus points for anyone reading this who recognizes that nod to Dickens' A Christmas Carol.]

The action is fun and sometimes fierce. The comedy is humorous enough to warrant smiles and a few giggles. But here's my question...why the foul language? Maybe it was going to be rated PG-13 anyway because of the violent action, but that doesn't mean they HAD to have Santa calling something bull$#!t, etc.

All in all, it hit the expected notes of redemption for Chris Evans' steals-candy-from-a-baby scalawag, the horrifying prospect of Christmas being cancelled, and a disenchanted elf returning to the fold.

It's a holiday-themed trifle that will stick with me as long as the candy cane I ate while watching it.

Have an Awe-full Christmas: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXV

 

TOUCHING WONDER: Recapturing the Awe of Christmas
John Blase

In this collection of short readings for Advent, John Blase helps us encounter the Christmas story ... with dirt beneath its fingernails. This is the incarnation as real as it gets, God-with-us in all our fleshly despair and hope. Smell the hay in the Bethlehem stable, soaked with birthing blood. Hear Mary's pants and cries as she pushes the living God from her womb. Look over Joseph's shoulder as he watches his beloved bear the child of Another, the Son he will raise who will raise all humankind. Read [this book] and remind yourself once again of the absurd, unexpected, unfathomable glory of God's arrival in our world.

It was a meandering path that brought me to this book. Carolyn Arends posted a poem written by Blase that I really liked, so I did a little research on who he was. On his website, I saw the other books, etc. he has written and the descriptions of this book really captured my attention and sparked a desire to own it. A few mouse clicks later, it was on its way to my mailbox. And let me tell you, the reading of this book lived up to every high expectation I had.

First Line: The author David James Duncan described the plastic shepherds from those Christmas dioramas of his youth as having "slack-jawed expressions of wonder."

Page 56 / Line 5: Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: [Zachariah speaking of his son, John the Baptizer] He seemed to live in the margins, somewhere between this world and the next.

Last Line: Remember, the Mighty One's favor comes in unexpected ways.

Another Solved Longmire Mystery: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXIV

THE HIGHWAYMAN: A Longmire Story
Craig Johnson

When Wyoming highway patrol officer Rosey Wayman is transferred to the beautiful and imposing landscape of the Wind River Canyon, an area the troopers refer to as no-man's-land because of the lack of radio communication, she starts receiving "officer needs assistance" calls. The problem? They're coming from Bobby Womack, a legendary Arapaho patrolman who met a fiery death in the canyon almost a half-century ago. With an investigation that spans this world and the next, Sheriff Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear take on a case that pits them against a legend: The Highwayman.

I was a little excited when I read this novella's description because I have visited the canyon Johnson writes about and gone through the tunnels on the winding road Longmire drives on. I've been to Thermopolis and Worland and Shoshoni and know the barren loneliness inherent in the landscape. This is a good, compact tale with a true sense of place...you know, just like all the Longmire books. It's not as spooky as the description would lead you to believe and I think that's a good thing. It keeps Longmire realistic and believable, but still exciting.

First Line: There is a canyon in the heart of Wyoming carved by a river called Wind and a narrow, opposing, two-lane highway that follows its every curve like a lover.

Page 56 / Line 5: "Do you think you have to be crazy or Indian to willfully do that sort of thing?"

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: I didn't have to wonder long, however, as I plunged into the Wind River and it seemed as though the 640 muscles in my body contracted to the point of breaking all 206 bones.

Last Line: At least that's our story, the owl and me.