Books I Read in 2021, Vol. III

 

ONCE THIS RIVER RAN CLEAR
Peter Martin

"In 1950, as "progress" becomes another name for "greed," a sixteen-year-old boy learns from the people surrounding him. He and Urs, a bear-like man, live in a shabby cabin on the Nawaakamig River, existing happily on other people's trash and on the carp which pollute the water. Urs' land is coveted by a developer, setting off a chain of painful, tragic events, which overtake unlucky people, including the hobos who spend summers with Urs. The boy bounces from the humble cabin to the local elite to an Ojibwa community, using what he learns from each situation to find his self and settle a score."

Having spent over 20 years putting Pete's storytelling to life on the stages of Giant Step (Children's) Theatre and the Dakota Chautauqua, I was excited to read his first novel. The biggest adjustment I had to make was reconciling myself to the decidedly "earthy" language the narrator of this tale uses. But the nature of the tale and the heart of the narrator won me over within two pages. 

This is a satisfying read, and I was glad to have taken the journey. I hope Pete writes a sequel to keep the tale a-spinnin'.

First Line: If I knew the misery Laurence Larkin the Third was gonna cause I'da shot him dead the first time he showed up at our cabin.

Page 56/5th Sentence: The water was down even more and there were places with carp stranded half outta water.

Last Line: I let it take me south toward the train stop at Parker's Crossing, where I hoped to find a helpful man named Eustis, who would show me the train headed for a city with two shelters, three parks, a library, and, hopefully, a man with a long white beard and a hickory walking stick.

Books I Read in 2021, Vol. II

 

WINDS OF HEAVEN, STUFF OF EARTH: Spiritual Conversations Inspired by the Life & Lyrics of Rich Mullins

Andrew Greer and Randy Cox

"Twenty years after his passing, Rich Mullins is remembered as a once-in-a-lifetime singer/songwriter whose impact on Christian music and the church is still being felt. Through his own struggles and pursuits, Rich asked questions and started a dialogue about what it means to hang on to heavenly grace even when the stuff of earth gets in the way.

"Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth continues those conversations with thoughtful essays woven together with reflections, photos, lessons, and the lyrics of four never-before-published songs that Rich left behind. More than two dozen of today's singers, songwriters, producers, and authors share stories and remembrances of Rich that continue to influence their music and ministries today."

I got this book because of my inordinate admiration for Rich Mullins, but the book really is less about Rich than it is about the deep things of God that his "life and lyrics" brought to the surface. It could be read as a daily devotional and in fact, I read a lot of the chapters while enjoying my morning bowl of cereal. I'm sure that I'll pick it up again in a few years to remind myself that God loves me madly, that He is truly awesome, and that I am truly broken...but that doesn't lessen the Lord's love for me.

Page 56/Sentence 5: "Rich was so very relatable, in part because he was open about the pain in his own life."

Books I Read in 2021, Vol. I

 

THEY SMELL LIKE SHEEP, VOLUME 2: Leading with the Heart of a Shepherd

Dr. Lynn Anderson 

"Whether you have been called to serve as a minister or you're teaching an adult Bible study group or you're a teen leading the youth group in song, most assuredly from time to time you question your abilities and look for support and example.

"Author Lynn Anderson addresses the starting and ending place of true leadership among God's people: the heart of a shepherd. He presents Jesus, the Head Shepherd, as our only reliable model of godly leadership...."

I read this book in tandem with a man who is an elder apprentice at Valley Christian Church, and we had weekly ZOOM meetings to talk about each section: what we highlighted, what challenged us, what encouraged us. It was a great reason to read the book and a great book to read for that reason. The personal exercises at the end of each chapter were absolutely challenging and actually kind of difficult. While Anderson's style is full of practical stories/examples and reads easily, this is a book to be slowly digested and put into practice...not a beach read by any stretch!

Page 56/Sentence 5: If we go there, however, we not only stunt our own faith development, we also lose credibility as shepherds, as authentic spiritual leaders.

The First Post

 

I woke up with the idea for this new blog as a way to take the place of what I used to post in a Facebook "Note". FB doesn't DO notes anymore, apparently, so here's where my thoughts about books I've read and movies I've seen, Christmas Epistles, and anything else that doesn't fit in my two current blogs, Almost the Truth and Truth Is..., will reside.

Chances are high you'll notice that even though the title of this post is "The First Post," there are posts here that appear to have been posted before this post. That's because I've post-dated some posts that I've moved from Facebook Notes to DewDrops. 

It's postacular!

To whoever stumbles upon this...here's a tiny portion of my world, and welcome to it.

Books I Read in 2020, Vol. II

 

UNCOMMON TYPE: Some Stories
Tom Hanks

From the publisher: “ A collection of 17 wonderful short stories showing that two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is as talented a writer as he is an actor. These stories are surprising, intelligent, heart-warming, and, for the millions and millions of Tom Hanks fans, an absolute must-have.”

From me: This was a pleasant read indeed, though it contained more foul language than I’ve ever heard Hanks utter on the screen. Most of the stories are more slice-of-life than actual beginning-middle-end narratives, but they are a fine display of the actor’s powers of observation.

Page 56/Sentence 5: After ten days of reshoots in Budapest, they had only the surfing scenes yet to do.

IF THE CHURCH WERE CHRISTIAN: Rediscovering the Values of Jesus
Philip Gulley

“Gulley’s vision of Christianity is grounded, gripping, and filled with uncommon sense. He is building bridges instead of boundaries, and such wisdom is surely needed now.”

I found the chapter titles and the values they revealed (“Jesus Would Be a Model for Living Rather Than an Object of Worship”, “Reconciliation Would Be Valued Over Judgment”) to be intriguing, so I electronically borrowed this from the library and became instantly confused when I read the introduction and first chapter. Gulley makes it clear that he doesn’t believe in the historical accuracy of the gospel accounts in the Bible - that Jesus probably didn’t say the things the writers said he said - and that he doesn’t even regard Jesus as deity. So why would he even care about following Jesus’ values...and how can he even determine what those values are...and how can the Quakers accept him as a pastor? The more I read, the more I wondered why the author even considers himself a Christian.

56/5: What is it about religion that makes otherwise kind people forsake the obvious good to uphold doctrines that have long lost their meaning?

ANOTHER MAN’S MOCCASINS: A Walt Longmire Mystery
Craig Johnson

“ The 4th Longmire novel delivers more of the taut prose, engrossing characters, beautiful Wyoming setting, and satisfying depth that reviewers have been hailing since The Cold Dish.”

I have no idea whether I would keep reading these novels if not for having thoroughly enjoyed the TV series. Don’t get me wrong, I like the books...I really do...but I just can’t tell whether I like them for themselves or because they take my mind back to the TV characters, even when the book characters do things that I’m pretty sure the TV characters would never do. Ah well. Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to read and report.

56/5: I stopped saying anything.

DELIGHTING IN THE TRINITY: An Introduction to the Christian Faith
Michael Reeves

“ This brief and winsome book presents an introduction to the Christian faith that is rooted in the triune God. Reeves takes cues from preachers and teachers down through the ages, setting key doctrines of creation, the person and work of Christ, and life in the Spirit into a simple framework of the Christian life.”

I read this to be able to participate in a book discussion group hosted by Pastor Brad Dewing at my church (Valley Christian Church). All I had to do was read the “Introduction,” and I knew this was a really good decision. Can’t count how many times I said “I’ve never thought about it like that before!” while reading this book.

56/5: For when Jesus sends us, he is allowing us to share the missional, generous, outgoing shape of God’s own life.

DAVE BARRY’S COMPLETE GUIDE TO GUYS: A Fairly Short Story
Dave Barry

“For thousands of years, women have asked themselves: What is the deal with guys, anyway? What are they thinking? The answer, of course, is: virtually nothing. Deep down inside, guys are extremely shallow. But that has not stopped Dave Barry from writing an entire book about them.”

I really needed this book to be able to relax while reading Reconstructing the Gospel (below). Dave Barry writes the way I try to, often making me chuckle and sometimes even eliciting an actual guffaw.

56/5: Let’s say a guy named Roger is attracted to a woman named Elaine.

RECONSTRUCTING THE GOSPEL: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

“Reconstructing the Gospel is an attempt to work through the problem of sin and culture infecting the presentation and living out of the gospel. A gospel that justifies slavery, racism and oppression of the poor and marginalized is not the same gospel that Jesus was presenting.”

I got the ebook version of this for free from InterVarsity Press in an attempt to educate myself on the issue of racism as part of my response to the killing of George Floyd. I picked it because of the title, thinking, “I don’t think the gospel SHOULD be reconstructed. what the sam hill is this guy talking about. Truth be told, I’m still not real sure what he’s talking about. (Sorry.)

56/5: No, I can’t dip into the DPAC and get my Christmas-spirit fix in ninety minutes any more.

WOMEN IN MINISTRY: Four Views
Edited by Bonnidell Clouse and Robert G. Clouse

“Should women teach men? Should they exercise authority over men? What about ordaining women? Even those who agree that Scripture must determine our answers do not agree on what it teaches. And too often, differing sides have not been willing to listen to one another. Here in one volume are the views of four deeply-committed evangelicals that focus the discussion on the issues.”

I chose this book to educate myself on the different schools of thought about women in positions of church leadership because of its format of a main paper by a proponent of a particular view, followed by shorter critiques by three people who adhere to three different views...with each of the four people getting their turn to present their views and pick at the others’. The main take-away? It takes a lot of nit-picking in the original language to come up with a firm conviction on the topic...and each of the four thinks they’re right and the others are wrong. SO...there doesn’t seem to be much room for dogmatism.

56/5: If the Scriptures have been completely and correctly understood from the beginning and that understanding has been transmitted, it would seem that there would be little or no need for further biblical or theological study.

THE PRINCESS DIARIST
Carrie Fisher

“When Carrie Fisher discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved—plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Before her passing, her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon was indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a teenager with an all-consuming crush on her costar, Harrison Ford.”

Fisher’s reputation for brutal honesty and sailor-friendly language is well-earned, but this was a welcome respite from all the weighty reading I had been doing this third of the year. I have to admit, though, that some of her observations about her affair with Ford were far deeper and wiser than you’d expect from a 19-year-old:

With him, love was easier done than said
Instead of taking you to heart, he would take you to bed
And you take what he has to offer lying down
You’re getting more involved while he’s still getting around

It’s all a matter of touch and go
‘Cause he’s one for all and all for show
But after all was said and almost done
I was playing for keeps and he was playing for fun

56/5: The fact that Harrison and I had rolled around in the backseat during our return to London didn’t necessarily mean that it was a prologue for a more elaborate event.

I AM C-3PO: The Inside Story
Anthony Daniels

“Daniels tells a riveting, humorous, and often moving tale of life on (and off) the sets of all nine Star Wars movies, giving fascinating new insights into that galaxy far, far away.”

Perhaps obviously, I kind of unavoidably drifted to this memoir while finishing up The Princess Diarist, and I couldn’t be happier. Daniels’ eye for detail befits a droid and his storytelling made me feel like we were sitting around an Ewok’s fire recalling all the joys, surprises, and pains of having spent a lifetime inside a gold-colored suit.

56/5: He’s shot with Roman Polanski and Stanley Kubrick.

Books I Read in 2020, Vol. I

 

BOSSYPANTS
Tina Fey

From the publisher: “Everything you would hope for from this book - it’s impossible to put down, you will laugh until you cry, you will wish it were longer, you can’t wait to hand it to every friend you have - is true.” (Los Angeles Times)

From me: I had this on my list at the library, then saw it at the little free library in front of Culver’s and said, “Bingo!” While there are a few instances of PG-13 and R-rated language, it is thoroughly hilarious. I embarrassed myself in the lunchroom a few times by guffawing loudly in the midst of my El Parian leftovers.

Page 56/Sentence 5: I met HRW the next evening at his off-campus apartment.

PRAYER: Does It Make Any Difference?
Philip Yancey

“In his most powerful book since What’s So Amazing About Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat - the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect - of our relationship with God.”

I don’t know that I would use the word “powerful” to describe this. I found it, though challenging in a few places, to be mostly encouraging and reassuring. It is good to hear a profound thinker have the same kind of questions and doubts and disappointments and desires about prayer as me. The most significant walkaway for me was switching from prayer as a never-ending shopping list to being a restful time of relationship with my father in heaven, who loves me indescribably.

56/5: He later wrote about them in his book Knowing the Face of God, and I will simply quote him: Silently gazing into a friend’s eyes may seem purer, and certainly more romantic, than mere talk.

THE WISDOM OF GOD: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms & Wisdom Books
Nancy Guthrie

“This 10-week study of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon mines the Wisdom Literature not only for wise principles for living, but also for the wise person these books point to through their drama, poetry, proverb, and song - Jesus”

This was the resource for our adult Bible study class on Sunday mornings this winter. Guthrie did an excellent job of not only helping us understand the Old Testament books in their context, but also seeing how Jesus was right when he said that all of the books of the OT spoke of him.

56/5: In this challenge between God and Job, what would define a “win” for Satan?

KINDNESS GOES UNPUNISHED: A Walt Longmire Mystery
Craig Johnson

“For 24 years, Walt Longmire has been the sheriff in Wyoming’s Absaroka County, where his wit and charm have helped him solve many crimes. Even that can’t prepare him for the savage attack on his daughter, Cady, a Philadelphia lawyer who has unwittingly become embroiled in a political cover-up.”

This is the third book in the Longmire series, which I started reading because of the Longmire TV series. Unlike the first two, this one would be R-rated, mostly for language, if it were faithfully rendered on-screen. Still, the plot never gets bogged down and we get more of the great relationship between Walt and his friend, Standing Bear.

56/5: She saluted ever so slightly with her glass and downed the wine in one smooth swig like a longshoreman.

ILLUSTRATED LIFE OF JESUS: Pocket Reference Edition
Herschel H. Hobbs

“See the places Jesus walked, preached, and ministered. Weaving the Gospel writers’ varied perspectives into one seamless narrative, best-selling author Herschel Hobbs offers a unique angle on Jesus’ life, teachings, sacrificial death, and resurrection.”

While there aren’t as many illustrations as I was expecting in a book with this title, and it’s basically a recounting of what I’ve already read in the four Gospels, Hobbs does manage to explain some things about life as Jesus experienced it that helps breathe a new energy into some of the parables and events. His explanation of how one part of the Sermon on the Mount leads to the next and so on was a revelation for me.

56/5: John the Baptist’s ministry was on the decline.

Books I Read in 2019, Vol. III

 

SCHULZ AND PEANUTS: A Biography
David Michaelis

From the publisher: “Charles Schulz’s cartoons have a profound depth and resonance that touched the soul of modern America. The author now explains why. The brilliance of the Peanuts gang is rooted in the life and emotions of its creator. With great research and sensitivity, Michaelis takes us on a wondrous journey through the worlds of Charlie Brown and Charles Schulz.”

From me: I was surprised to actually learn some things I didn’t know by reading this thick book. (Definition of “thick”: This tome is the reason I only got through four books in this four-month period.) Some of the personal revelations that found their way into the comic strip were semi-amazing, including Schulz clearly (once you know the behind-the-scenes story) admitting to switching his affections from his first wife to others along the way to his second wife. Mind blown.

Page 56/Sentence 5: Years later, he would remember his teacher’s astonishment as she stood behind him, marveling that “Charles,” alone among his classmates, had taught himself to evoke ice not as a glittering surface but as a solid mass.

WEIRD: Because Normal Isn’t Working
Craig Groeschel

“Journey with author and pastor Craig Groeschel as he shares a Christ-centered philosophy, on everything from money to scheduling to purity, that will help you break out of the normal rut and live according to the rhythms of God’s grace and the truth of his Word.”

I truly enjoyed reading this. Yes, I am weird in my own way, and found myself secretly smug at being able to say “I know” about some of the chapters. But then there were those sections that held a mirror up to my face and made me realize I’m way more normal than I’d like to think. The challenge, as always, is to take those sections to heart and let the Lord keep working on me.

56/5: The white clouds seemed to be painted across the deep-blue sky.

A CHANGE OF HEART: A Harmony Novel
Philip Gulley

“Join Quaker Sam Gardner in his fifth year as pastor of Harmony Friends Meeting, where members must face the fragility of life, realize the resilience of family, and embrace the human ability to forgive.”

This book is more fun than the publisher’s description above might make you think. But in the same breath, there IS plenty of thought-provoking truth to be had here, too: “She isn’t the type to say ‘I told you so’ and rub it in, though she did have a self-satisfied smile that set him on edge.” Okay...that’s more funny than profound, but trust me, Gulley has some things to say about the human condition within his tale.

56/5: Instead, people gathered in the church basement, in the bosom of family and friends, eating chicken and noodles, profoundly grateful for having dodged death’s bullet.

ADORNING THE DARK: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making
Andrew Peterson

“Andrew Peterson believes that God calls us to proclaim the gospel and the coming kingdom using whatever gifts are at our disposal. This book is both a memoir of [his] journey and a handbook for anyone interested in imitating the way the Creator interacts with his creation, written in the hope that his story will provide encouragement to others stumbling along in pursuit of a calling to adorn the dark with the light of Christ.”

Having gained a sizable appreciation for Peterson from reading The Wingfeather Saga, I eagerly dove into this memoir-ish meditation. It’s full of useful insights like “If you don’t know what a lock-in is, then be grateful. It’s an all-nighter for a church youth group and is one of the things that is wrong with the world,” (HAHA!) but also liberally populated with self-effacement and drop-jaw beauty. THIS IS NOT JUST FOR CREATIVE TYPES. Or rather, Andrew would tell you that we are ALL creative...you know...like our Father.

56/5: I framed the drawing and hung it on the wall by the front door, in a place where I’d see it every time I left the house.