Ragamuffin Gospel

"Unlike Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, we need not hide all that is ugly and repulsive in us. Jesus came not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it all together and who are not too proud to accept the handout of amazin' grace. As we glance up, we are astonished to find the eyes of Jesus open with wonder, deep with understanding, and gentle with compassion." ~Brennan Manning

I have read The Ragamuffin Gospel before. This time, I devoured it. I went through each chapter, one at a time. My friend Stacy and I picked apart each chapter with awe and amazement. Each Monday night we talked together of our own understanding of grace, how we accept it, how we teach it, how we live it. I love this book. It is good food for hungry souls.

I have been blessed with the first hand knowledge of God's grace in my own life and Brennan drew out that picture in harmony. He also reminded me to humble myself in judgment of where others have been and where they are going. He reminded me to see God's fingerprint on all people, not just the ones I want to see it on.

If you believe or not, I would recommend you read this book. We have made a pretty good mess out of what Jesus came to do. He died to save the world, not just the few.

Understanding Exposure

I recently took a beginners digital photography class at the local community college. It was quite an experience. I have enjoyed shooting with my Nikon for the past two years but have felt a little inadequate, well maybe more than a little. But, I have always loved it and felt joy when a picture turns into something beautiful that expresses my heart or emotion at a particular moment.

While my one simple class hasn't filled the gap, it has grown a hunger in me to know more and understand more when it comes to my photography. So, to add a special treat to my 75 book reading challenge this year, I will be adding some photography books. Now, I want to put a disclosure out there....I am not a professional photographer....I don't know how truly amazing a book is in the profession realm of photography, but I can tell you what it meant to me.

My first photography read comes by recommendation from Digital Photography School : Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. I would recommend both the web site and the book to any beginners or anyone looking for better understanding and more resources to improve their photography.

At first some of the photography terminology can feel like a foreign language. I felt this book gave me practical material with visual examples. Yes, my friends, it is a book with pictures. I borrowed this book from our local library but would love to have this on my shelves as a reference when I am shooting or have difficulty shooting the image I desire. In the few weeks I had borrowed the book, I found myself using in numerous times as a reference when I was in need of answers.

Hopefully with the help of this book and many like it I will find myself less frustrated and more able to express myself and what I see through my photography. If you are interested in seeing my pictures, I post them at: http://blessedamerican.posterous.com/

The Children of Men

I began book number 6 of the year thinking I knew what to expect. I have seen the movie so I wasn't looking for too many surprises. After about chapter 3, I realized this book is nothing like the movie.

P.D. James' book The Children of Men is so much more than any movie could have been. Now, I don't want you to get me wrong. The movie was great. The book was amazing. I wouldn't even compare the two by saying the book is better than the movie, simply because they are not the same. Other than the name of the main character and the concept of a sterile society, there was very little else in common between the two.

I picked this book because it is the second in the Emmaus Readers collection that I am going through this year. Admittedly, I wouldn't have picked this one off the shelf on my own. I was pleasantly surprised. The book isn't full of warm fuzzy's and happiness but it is real. I could connect with James' idea of a depraved society, one lost of hope. I could see the struggle between faith, god and inevitable end. The characters were real, almost so perfectly detailed you could reach out and touch them.

I would highly recommend this book. It is a suspense but one that is richly built on humanity and all of it's imperfections.

Ted's Candy Shoppe

In the Second of our Stolpe Family Night Production comes Ted's Candy Shoppe. This is the combination a few family nights. Yes, the puppets are all hand made. Each one of us created our own puppet. How fun it is to be creative and silly with our family.

Forgotten God

2010 is proving to be a good year for book reading. I am enjoying the challenge. There will be a few books throughout the year that I am reading with a friend or in a small group. I love devouring a book with friends, it makes it even more enjoyable. My friend Janell and I just finished up Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan.

We usually take one chapter a week to read and then discuss. This book was well worth the investment in time. Each week I felt more and more challenged in my personal understanding of the Holy Spirit. The beginning of chapter 5 was a great comfort, speaking on how our confidence comes from the Holy Spirit. It is a beautiful reminder to me that God gives me His spirit in order that I may become the person He already sees me as. I don't need the world to tell me if I am good enough if I can just grasp the idea that "the most powerful Being in universe adores (me) as His own child."

I would recommend this book if you are looking to get out of the typical stereotypes of the Holy Spirit. If you are ready to get a better understanding that living a Spirit filled life is going to call you to action, call you to more reliance on God and call you to believe there are things that can only be accomplished through you if you let the Spirit work; then this is a great book. Let me leave you with this quote:

“The truth is that the Spirit of the living God is guaranteed to ask you to go somewhere or do something you wouldn’t normally want or choose to do. The Spirit will lead you into the way of the cross, as He led Jesus to the cross, and that is definitely not a safe or pretty or comfortable place to be. The Holy Spirit of God will mold you into the person you were made to be…”

Mariette

For the 4th book into my 75 book challenge I have read Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen.

I will have to add this to my list of books that everyone should read. It is beautiful. The story follows a young girl, pretty and devout, Mariette, as she joins the Sisters of the Crucifixion.

I love a book that allows me to personally get involved. Throughout the story Hansen leaves it up to me, the reader, to decide my own perspective. Is Mariette truly experiencing ecstasy or is she a young girl in need of attention? If God truly spoke to this young girl, or someone around us, would we recognize it as God or would we do our best to disprove before we choose to believe in the miracle? Do we try so hard to fit people into our experiences and expectations that we miss the power of God that we so desire to see?

"God gives us just enough to seek Him, and never enough to fully find him. to do more would inhibit our freedom, and our freedom is very dear to God." (pg 174)

I didn't know what to expect. I had intentionally not read a review or information about the story before I borrowed it from the library. It is the first book of twelve from The Emmaus Readers: Listening for God in Contemporary Fiction. Each of the twelve books reviewed has a chapter with summary and questions that allow you dive deeper into the stories meaning and purpose. I will be enjoying all twelve of these books this year.

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl

While home on Christmas break, a seventeen-year-old Senate page takes her dog out for a walk and never returns. A reporter, FBI agent and a Federal Prosecutor are working together on the case.

I felt the basic idea for the book was good. But, it was very ordinary. It was difficult to emotionally attach and live out the experience with any one character. The three professional friends were dealing with their own personal demons while working through the case of the missing girl. I felt it would have flowed better if it had chosen one of the women as the main character.

It took until about pg 150 before I felt pulled into the actually story of the young ladies murder. From that point I enjoyed the story and the surprise twist. If you enjoy a good mystery novel that is clean cut with a splash of Christian morality, this is a decent read.

A complimentary review copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers with no expectation of a positive review.

Since I got this book for free, I would like to share it. If you are interested, I will send you my copy. Just post a comment and a way I can contact you. One comment will randomly be chosen next Wed. Feb 17th.