When Old is New

A review of 20,000 Days and Counting by Robert D. Smith

This book was a quick and interesting read.  I don’t think there was a single new thought throughout and yet I found it inspiring.  Similar to some of Og Mandino’s books where the messages were to the point, and extra verbiage was avoided. 

I think the fact that this was an intensely personal story, and certainly not an attempt to establish himself as a major author, gave the book an authenticity often missing in self-help books.   I certainly was reminded of the brevity of life, and the importance of utilizing our time wisely.  Few people achieve even their own dreams, much less dreaming big enough dreams. 

If my calculations are correct, I have lived over 24,000 days, and my mother has lived nearly 34,000 days.  While we seldom are good self-evaluators, it is my hope that I will correctly see the major impact that my mother has had, not only on her family, but on others as well.  My prayer is that I, too, will make a major contribution with my life.

I especially like these chapters:  Living Each Day as if it were Your Last, If We Can Learn How to Die, We”ll Know How to Live, and Motivation is a Myth.  This is certainly a recommended read.

When a movie becomes a book!

"Rudy" by Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger

I remember well watching the film, “Rudy.”  Even though it has been nearly twenty years, the spirit and inspiration that it incited can still be felt!  So it was intriguing to see the book come out almost two decades later—the opposite of most processes.

The book was not a disappointment, because it added significant dimensions to “the story.”  The story is told in the first person, and that connected well.  I think Rudy is correct that “the story” became bigger than his life because of the principles that were engrained in the story.  It is such a wonderful contrast to the deficiencies so prevalent in our current culture.  It promotes the value of the large family (and I fully identify with that being the 13^th of 15 children.)  It presents the dogged determination of a charactered person and espouses values such as loyalty, persistence, self-control and responsibility.  The book gives great details missing in the movie and helps us to see inside the heart and mind of Rudy.

Another connection for me was that my grandson was named Jeffrey Ruettiger, and is affectionately called “Rudy.”  He already is a joy to the family showing traits of persistence and adventure.  It certainly is my hope that he will emulate these positive qualities as he grows older and will accept the responsibility to pursue a God-given dream even when encountering giant obstacles.  When you read the book, I hope you will discover the “message” for yourself, and write your own successful life story.

Jesus: a Theography

Jesus:  A Theography by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

The title itself should be an alert that something is different.  The authors have coined a new word, theography.  Perhaps it will become a new genre in books, but since it is unique enough to apply to just one person, maybe not. 

The book is a long read—requiring more than an afternoon sitting.  At times it was documented well enough to be a scholarly treatise, but at other times it was obvious that the writers were simply story-telling for the masses.  Whichever mode the authors were in, they were challenging old paradigms of concepts concerning the Christ.  While I did not find anything contrary to scripture, they often used their imaginations to stretch our thinking about Jesus.

I must admit that the first half was an analytical time for me weighing the various assertions, but by the time I was 2/3 through the narrative, my mind was often contemplating the fuller meanings suggested by the text.  I found it fascinating to see all the other connections between the two testaments.  While I knew many, there were fresh ideas throughout the book.

This will be one book I will re-read, not only with a high-liter but with a notepad.  It has launched me into new understandings of our great Savior.

The Magic Man in the Sky

by Carl Gallups

The culture of the United States has undergone tremendous changes in the past 50 years.  The decade of the sixty’s witnessed the questioning of authority—parents, church, government, etc.  When we look beneath the surface of that rebellion, we find the underlying battle was the rejection of God.  “Intellectuals” led the drive to replace faith with science, and the results have had a devastating effect on culture. 

Carl Gallups lays out the contrasts in this new book and does a remarkable job in identifying the real questions that must be answered.  He also shows that the debate is often skewed so the answers are assumed.  The book begins with a conversation of two college students, and I find the dialogue to be real because I spent several years working on college campuses in the 70’s and similar conversations were going on even then.  The teachings of Francis Schaeffer were of great benefit in defining the responses to the faith challenges.

Obviously, the questions of faith in our generation have been re-engineered by subsequent decades of doubt and confusion.  Carl energetically takes on these questions.  Recognizing that getting the issues correctly framed is the starting point, he does a masterful job in laying out each argument.  Once the groundwork is laid to ask the right question, logic dictates the discourse.  Scientific proof versus faith is the way it is presented.  However, actual scientific proof supports genuine faith.

While this book addresses the science available, it is done written as a lab manual but as a real life story with deep human interest.  It is easy to read, and takes even the difficult arguments from science and renders them in understandable ways.  I highly recommend this book, not only for the teens and college students, but for any adults who have not previously studied these subjects.  We are instructed to “always be ready to give an answer” to any skeptic and this will help prepare you.  (1 Peter 3:15)

By Faith, Not By Sight

Scott MacIntyre’s story is a contrast to the prevailing philosophies of accepting defeat and settling for being a victim.  This story shows the myriad of complications that often are strewn in our life’s pathway.  Being a good person or coming from a good family are not exemptions from trouble.  Troubles are often the tool that God allows to make us strong.  The MacIntyre family is a great example of how, in working together, every difficulty can become a stepping stone to greatness.

I appreciated the frank admission of struggling with faith.  God knows that we have less than full understanding and assists us in discernment in assessing these challenges.  Faith doesn’t come to us in perfect proportions, and has to be grown—most often is small steps of obedience.    It wasn’t enough for Scott to simply cope with the difficulties he encountered, he determined to overcome and then excel.  This book certainly was a major inspiration to me, and confirms my journey which includes many challenges—different ones from Scott, but big to me.

Faith is described as things which are “not seen” but as this story describes, mature faith becomes sight.  Scott certainly sees what many others with physical eyesight have missed.  Faith refuses to rely on what is seen in the natural world.  I choose to live by faith.

The Founder's Key

The Founder’s Key by Larry Arnn

Since we are in the midst of a political year, this book has special meaning.  It is not only an excellent treatise on the founding of our nation, but it serves as a clarion call to return to the principles that guided us to greatness.  As our Declaration of Independence declares, the basic assumptions of all the founding documents were “the laws of nature and of nature’s God.”  Those he identifies as “Progressives” have made a concerted effort not only to abandon that foundation, but to redefine the words to further confuse the issues.

The work is certainly scholarly and is not “preachy” in its content.  Arnn seems to have captured the spirit of the founding gentlemen recognizing both strengths and weaknesses that were acknowledged.  I particularly liked his analysis of the synchronicity between the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.  Our nation is suffering from self-inflicted wounds that are represented by the departure from the principles expressed in these two documents.

Arnn presents a well-documented thesis that should be recommended reading for every student in America, including college students.  I am glad that the Hillsdale College students have access to this superior teaching.  Supplementing the two founding documents are some of the Federalist papers by James Madison.  Few in America have even read these insightful documents.  We ignore  this book at great peril to the soul of this nation.

Father Hunger

Father Hunger

Douglas Wilson

Since fatherhood has been around since creation, it would seem there wouldn’t be a lot of new things to say about the role of a father.  However, Douglas Wilson not only offers some fresh insights into the problems so prevalent in our generation, he knocks a home run.  In truth, perhaps it’s a grand slam.  It’s a must read for fathers and pastors, as well as counselors.

Having reared four daughters, and now seeing them rear their children, my view on fatherhood has been molded not only by scripture but life experience.  While Wilson does not give us much insight into his personal relationships with his own children (3) and grandchildren (15), he obviously had to try his theories in the crucible of life.

He is able to extrapolate deep principles, and I found his understanding to be extremely invigorating.  It seems God has directed me along many of the same paths, and the extracted truths were affirming.  I believe he has been true to the scriptures.  Correctly describing the conditions both in our country and the church, he offers difficult but real solutions.

One point that was particularly pungent was his section on “Discipline as Gift and Gratitude.”  I have discovered the connection between spirituality and gratitude, and this was significant addition to my understanding.  I am grateful for the wholesome relationship I have with my daughters, even if I stumbled into doing some things correctly.