52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 22: "A Praying Life" by Paul E Miller

This is by far the best book I've ever read on prayer and probably the best book on Christian living that I've read in a decade.  It has totally changed my perspective on prayer, and you can read an example of how it has affected my life in the previous post.

Miller discusses hinderances to prayer, such as cynicism and how it develops over the years as most of us progress through Christian life as modern evangelicals. And he gives a fresh look at the promises of Jesus regarding prayer.  For example: What did Jesus really mean when He said, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it?"

Miller also includes some very practical tips at the end of his book. He shows the system he has developed of using prayer cards. However, the point he emphasizes over and over is that prayer is not a system or something we should put on a "To Do" list.  That is what it has become for so many of us, that that is why our prayer lives are not what we want them to be.

This book is a must read for any evangelical Christian.  Really.  Go get it and read it if you have any interest in developing a more vibrant, relational, and effective prayer life.  I'd offer to loan you mine, but there are too many personal notes in it!

Sojourner

Of Illness and prayers for wisdom

My 6 yr old son is going to a summer day camp this week at a local park.  When I picked him up last night, he was complaining of lower back pain.  What???  He complained about the bumps in the road on the way home.  I told him, "You must've pulled a muscle."   We got home & I started fixing dinner & then he started saying, "I don't feel good.  My head hurts.  My legs hurt.  My stomach hurts. My throat hurts.  My heart hurts."  This is a fairly standard list of complaints he has often had lately, and we've had many discussions about the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  When he does this, I pull out the thermometer and prove to him that he is fine.  So, I stopped my dinner preparation and took his temperature. 101.6. Hmm.  That can't be right.  Let's take it again. 101.5.  OK. So.....hmm.

I don't usually take my son to the doctor just because he has a fever.  I don't even like to give him Tylenol for a fever unless his temperature is over 102 or it is making him miserable.  After all, a fever is one of your body's weapons against illness.  If you reduce the fever, you're probably going to be sick longer than if you just leave your immune system alone & let it do its job.

Since the fever proved he really was sick, and he said his stomach didn't feel good, I let him eat crackers, applesauce, and a popsicle for dinner.  My husband and I discussed whether or not we should just put him to bed & call the pediatrician if he was still sick in the morning.  That is what I would normally do in a situation like this. But, something about this was bugging me & we also considered taking him out to a walk-in-clinic after dinner.

At church we have been discussing Paul Miller's book "A Praying Life".  I'll review it here when I'm finished.  I had just been reading his chapter on asking.  He says we are far too confident in our worldly resources and that keeps us from a life of prayerful dependence on God.  He gives two reasons (from the book of James, chapter 4) that explain why prayers often go unanswered: 1) we do not ask  2) we ask with wrong motives.  I have been realizing that I am very guilty of not asking in situations like this. After all, we have doctors.  We have pills.  We have WebMD.  Most of the time I just make decisions like this without thinking about asking God for wisdom.

But last night, as we bowed our heads to give thanks for our meal, I prayed for wisdom in making this decision.  After dinner, we decided to take him the clinic, so I packed him in the car (in his hoodie jacket, since he was cold in the 87 degree night air!) and off we went.  The whole time we were there, I felt like I was overreacting & was feeling guilty about dragging my sick boy out instead of just putting him to bed. Until the doctor walked in and said, "Somebody has strep!"

One antibiotic shot (and 3 minutes of crying) later, and we were headed home.  The last time he had strep he was much sicker, had very severe throat pain, and vomiting.  Lots of vomiting.  I think this time we caught it much earlier - at least 12 hours earlier than we would have if I had waited to take him to the pediatrician in the morning.  It did not occur to me, until I woke up in the middle of the night & was thinking about it, that God had answered our prayer for wisdom.  It was an unusual move for us - I really don't think we would have made that decision otherwise.

This morning, he is feeling much better, and his temperature is down to 100.  He will most likely be right as rain very soon. 

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  James 1:5

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 21: "Dinosaurs!" by Michael and Caroline Carroll

If you are a Christian parent who wants your children to read books from a Christian perspective that are neutral on the question of the age of the earth, you're going to have a hard time.  Especially when it comes to specific topics, like dinosaurs.  Since our 6 yr old son has become obsessed with dinosaurs, I have been looking for a dinosaur book that will affirm God's glory and be scientifically and intellectually honest.  It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Thanks to Theology Mom, I finally found it.

The authors begin by listing many of the questions about dinosaurs, which they will deal with in the book.  When did the dinosaurs live? How did they become extinct?  Were they like lizards, or more like birds?  But they set up the expectation at the beginning that these questions may not be definitively answered.  And that scientists can reasonably hold different theories and disagree with one another.

In addition to all kinds of fascinating facts about dinosaurs, and stories of the earliest discoveries of dinosaur fossils, they include photos from dig sites, and interviews with Christian paleontologists. They have a section on the science of geology and a very balanced presentation of the theories of the age of the earth. There is also a balanced presentation different extinction theories.

How the dinosaurs disappeared is still a mystery. What is not a mystery is that it was part of God's plan.  Whether God chose to take dinosaurs away before people-or later-is something Christians must try to figure out. We must first figure it out in light of Scripture, and where Scripture is not clear, we look to science to help us fill in the holes. What do you think happened to all those beasties? Devout people sometimes don't agree how old the earth is. The important thing to remember is that God is in control.  He is the Creator and designer of everything. Our God is great - powerful enough to make the world in six days-and vast enough to make it over billions of years.

The book ends with a section on addressing apparent conflicts between Scripture and science.  And it encourages:

Don't be afraid of science! Science is simply our way of trying to figure out how God put the world together. 

Published in the year 2000, the book is surely outdated in some of its scientific information.  But the principals it promotes: respect for differing viewpoints and seeking to glorify God through scientific discovery are timeless.

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 20: "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis gives us a view of one of the causes of the financial crisis by taking us into the lives of the managers of three hedge funds, and one bond salesman who saw it coming.  Some of the media coverage of Lewis and this book would lead you to believe that this is a comprehensive account of the causes of the financial crisis.  It is not.  No one could cover every factor that fed into the crisis in a 264 page book.

What Lewis does in this book is take the mind-numbingly complex world of derivatives linked to mortgage bonds and explain them, as much as it is possible, in terms that the lay person can understand.   And he does so through fascinating narratives that allow us to see the crisis unfolding through the eyes of these men.

One thing that was interesting to me was that these 5 men who saw this coming made huge, multi-million dollar profits by betting against the sub-prime mortgage industry.  But, at the end of the book, the snapshots Lewis give us of them shows them to be stressed, angry, and experiencing high levels of anxiety.  They foresaw the crisis and made more money than most people will see in a lifetime, but it could not bring them happiness and peace.

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?

Sojourner

52 books in 52 Weeks: Book 19: "Here Burns My Candle" by Liz Curtis Higgs

I have really enjoyed Liz Curtis Higgs' historical fiction novels set in 18th century Scotland.  I find it fascinating that an author can take a biblical story, transport it into another time and place, and create empathetic, historically accurate characters and plot lines.

Higgs does it again with "Here Burns My Candle", placing the biblical character of Ruth (as Lady Elizabeth Kerr) in 18th century Edinburgh during the Jacobite rebellion.  The story is a bit slow in the beginning, but picks up as it goes along.  The characters are well developed, and by the time I was half-way through the book, I was totally invested in their story.

As with her Lowlands of Scotland series, Higgs sprinkles Scottish dialect throughout the book & provides a glossary at the back for words that are hard to decipher.  This book covers the first 18 verses of the book of Ruth & a sequel is set to finish out the story in the spring of 2011.  I'll be waiting.

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 18: "The 7 Habbits of Happy Kids" by Sean Covey

Welcome to the community of 7 Oaks!  Meet the residents:  Goob Bear is big, friendly, and loves the outdoors. Jumper Rabbit loves and plays all kinds of sports. Lily Skunk is very crafty and loves art.  Sammy Squirrel likes playing with gadgets and fixing things.  His twin sister Sophie loves reading, math, and enjoys using big words that she has to explain to her friends. Pokey Porcupine likes to lie around in his hammock and play his harmonica all day.  Tagalong Allie is a mouse that loves to follow the gang around.  And Ernie the worm is very shy, so you have to go looking for him.

Each chapter of this book introduces children to one of Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" though a story.  In chapter one, Sammy Squirrel is "Bored! Bored! Bored!" & looking for someone else to entertain him.  Eventually he learns that he needs to be proactive (Habit 1) "You're in Charge!" Each chapter ends with discussion questions that parents can go over with kids & then a list of activities that can be done. There is also a paragraph or two at the end of each chapter for parents, discussing the habit and how to reinforce it with your kids as you are reading.

Our 6 year old really enjoys these characters and finds the stories entertaining. This is one library book that we like well enough to purchase & make it a permanent fixture in our library. It's a great way to introduce children to these positive life habits.

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 17: "Look Again" by Lisa Scottoline

Ellen Gleeson can't get that white "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CHILD?" card out of her mind.  It came with all the other junk mail, but she couldn't quite bring herself to throw it away.  The resemblance of the age-progressed photo of the missing baby to her own three-year old son Will was uncanny. Like they were twins.  But Will didn't have a twin.  She had adopted him as an only child.

From the very beginning of this novel, you have a pretty good idea where it's going. But the end will surprise you. 

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 16: "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer

John Krakauer, who wrote "Into Thin Air" about the tragedy on Mt Everest in 1996, tackles the story of the brutal 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter Erica in American Fork, Utah.  He traces the history of Mormonism, the fundamentalist sects that broke off after the mainline church renounced polygamy, and the theological and philosophical ideas that eventually resulted this crime.

Brenda Lafferty was killed by her own brothers-in-law, Ron & Dan Lafferty.  Ron says he received a revelation from God telling him to eliminate, not only Brenda, but also his 15 month old niece.  Ron is not insane. What kind of religious perversion allows such an atrocity to take place? What allows someone like Ron Lafferty to justify this in his mind? That is what Krakauer explores in this book.  It is a fascinating and sobering read.

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 15: "Let Darkness Come" by Angela Hunt

 Angela Hunt delivers another spell-binding novel, raising fascinating questions through the lives of her well-developed characters.   Who killed Erin Tommassi's young & politically powerful husband?  As Erin stands trial for his murder, she begins to wonder if, in fact, she could have done it, though she has no memory of it.  Inexperienced attorney Briley Lester has been handed this case as her first murder trial & it is almost too much for her to handle.   

This one was hard to put down.

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 14: "The Blind Side" by Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis writes that Lawrence Taylor, linebacker for the New York Giants from 1981-1993, and widely considered football's greatest defensive player ever, fundamentally changed the game of football:

The game of football evolved and here was one cause of its evolution, a new kind of athlete doing a new kind of thing.  All by himself, Lawrence Taylor altered the environment and forced                   opposing coaches and players to adapt.

The reason for this was Taylor's size, strength, and speed, and his ability to sac a quarterback from the right - the vulnerable blind side.  The way opposing coaches and teams adapted was to look for offensive tackles with compensatory size & speed.  After the NFL opened the door to free agency, such players, already a rare commodity, also became a very expense and precious commodity.  Micheal Oher is one of those players.  

Lewis, in his trademark style, interweaves Oher's personal story (which became the movie released last year) with the story of the changes going on in the NFL.  The most interesting parts of the book to me were the parts of Micheal Oher's story and his relationship with the Tuohy family that gave more detail than the movie.

Sojourner

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 13: "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis

Several months ago, I was watching 60 Minutes and saw Steve Kroft interview Michael Lewis about his new book "The Big Short".  I knew Lewis was a popular writer, but I'd never read any of his books.  Kroft called Lewis, "one of the country's preeminent non-fiction writers with a knack for turning complicated, mind-numbing material into fascinating yarns".  This piqued my interest and I went and looked up the books that he has written.  Among them are "Moneyball", "The Blind Side", "Liar's Poker", and "Panic".  

I am very interested in finance and I'm also a big baseball fan.  Almost everything Lewis has written covers those two areas.  I wondered why on earth I've never read anything this man has written before, and I immediately set out to remedy that situation.

In "Moneyball: the Art of Winning an Unfair Game", Lewis follows Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, as he uses a radical and unpopular strategy to put together a successful low-budget baseball team.  Bean's strategy is to use statistics beyond the basic Batting Average/Home Runs/RBIs for hitters and the ERA/Wins/Losses for pitchers.  Bean used those statistics to evaluate the players he chose in the draft & he would look for players that were rated highly by his system, but that no one else was that interested in.  Those players did not demand high salaries, and in that way, he was able to put together a low-budget team.  And, as it turned out, it worked.  These low-budget teams that he put together have been able to consistently succeed.

Beane was able to select talented players that no one else was interested in because he was using a very different system than the rest of baseball.  Traditionally, players are chosen based on the reports of scouts - people (often former players) who travel around the country, attend college and high school games, and evaluate young players.  Their evaluations are generally based on subjectivecriteria - how a player looks to the scout.  Does he have the physical appearance of a strong player?  Is he fast?  Do his pitching mechanics (the way he winds up & throws the ball) look good?  They put great stock in a player's "potential" for future success. Beane looked at a player's past performance (through stats) and assumed that past performance would predict future performance.  He was right.   

This answers the question of why so many players who come up as "top prospects" end up going nowhere with their careers.  Beane had the painful experience of being one of those players, and that is what drove his quest to find a better way to evaluate potential.  Throughout the book Lewis alternates chapers between telling Beane's personal story and tracing the history of baseball's scouting efforts.  

This book came out in 2003 & it revolutionized and divided the baseball world.  It is responsible for the now numerous websites devoted to baseball statistics and evaluating every aspect of baseball.  Several other teams, most notably, the Boston Red Sox have begun using this method to build their teams.  This is a worthwhile and fascinating read for any baseball fan.

"The Blind Side" is next on my list to review, and I am also going to be reading "The Big Short", and probably "Liar's Poker".  Look for those reviews...when I get around to it :-)

Sojourner

Consistently Inconsistent

One of the reasons I have never started a blog before is that I knew I would never post consistently enough to keep a readership interested.  The most consistent thing about me is ... my inconsistency at keeping up with regular tasks like paperwork, e-mail, finances, and now, blog posts.  So, here I am posting for the first time in almost 2 months.  Now, don't think I haven't been reading.  I have 6 books to review and am almost finished with a seventh.  So, here come 6 - probably 7 book reviews in rapid succession.  They'll be short!  That will still put me 4 books behind schedule, but I can catch up.  I'll just do it in spurts.

Sojourner