Media update for those who might need some inspiration

Thought I might make a few posts about what I've been reading, watching, and listening to in case some of you are bored with your life in those categories (and taking the off chance that you might be impressed with me for something that I have read, because, really isn't that why we read anyway?), or in case you want to share with me things you've been enjoying. Before that, as a P.S. I wanted to say that Eliza ended up getting into the Spanish Immersion program at Jones School after all. We're very excited

Books
The Dirty Beggar Inside My Head, The Fingerless Lady Inside My Head, The Old Man Inside My Head - this is part of the Thoughts in My Head series by Don Everts (IV Press). Each book is very short (60 pages or so), and it’s an interesting way to do apologetics. Don writes about his ideas as though they were characters having a dialogue, and so when he writes about The Old Man, it is representative of the idea that Scripture is true, good, and worthy to be listened to in our lives. The Old Man gets mocked by ideas like Youthful Cynicism, and dialogues for the veracity of Scripture. These books are easy to read and appear to be a thoughtful way to engage a story-geared generation of students.

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt – former horror write Anne Rice (Interview with a Vampire, The Vampire Lestat) has returned to the Church with a renewed faith in Jesus Christ, and she has begun writing a series of books written from the first-person of Jesus. This book begins with His family leaving Egypt and returning to Nazareth when Jesus was about 10 years old. A very engaging and easy read, this book does an excellent job of setting the political and religious turmoil that existed in a Roman-occupied and controlled Israel. It also helps you remember that Jesus was a Jew, practicing the Law and sacrifices commanded by God. Seeing those practices in a new light brings more appreciation for the Old Testament and her take on Jesus learning and understanding who He was is very interesting. She writes from the perspective that He didn’t understand from the start that He was God’s son, that He struggled to piece that truth together, and in time, His parents revealed all the things about His conception and birth. This book also really gives an idea of the kind of man and father that Joseph might have been, though Scripture is largely silent on his life. An excellent read, and her story of her return to faith and the historicity of Christianity at the end is worth picking the book up.

How to Worship Jesus Christ – Joseph S Carroll has a passion to see Christians return to that which is essential in relationship with Jesus, which is worshipping God for who He is and not for what He does for us. This small book is a powerful and practical call to do just that. “How to” is not entirely accurate, because this is more a motivational book than instructional. This book really encouraged me to spend regular (almost daily) time simply worshipping God for who He is, worshipping and praising Him, and it has been really interesting to see the correlation between worship and dependence – to worship God is to be submitted to Him and His control, which requires dependence and abiding, things I have been learning about for some time now.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire – What if the Wicked Witch of the West wasn’t so bad after all, a political revolutionary? What if her desire for Dorothy’s ruby slippers was that she might keep the shoes from the Wizard, who was trying to rule Oz with an iron fist? What if she merely had the misfortune of being born green, yet managed to have friend and even room with Glinda the good witch at boarding school? What if all she wanted was forgiveness? Gregory Maguire’s very interesting take on the land of Oz makes for a fun read with some interesting commentary on politics, religion, and not judging books by their cover. A really good read.

Currently reading: Francis of Assisi: A Revolutionary Life by Adrian House