chasing the sun

I spend so much time not working these days that you’d think I’d be blogging like mad. But, alas, I just can’t get anything profound to stick in my head. There are a million little scattered thoughts racing through my brain at any given moment and I just can’t nail down any one pattern or stream of thought. So, I thought I’d take this time to tell you about the books I’m reading.

1. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (Jim Cymbala) – Jim Cymbala is the pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle in Brooklyn, NY. He wrote this book back in 1997 and I read it then. But my church has been reading it together this summer. I’m enjoying discussing it with my small group and trying desperately to allow myself to be impacted by Cymbala’s oversimplified theology. The book is basically a story about the power of prayer and how it can change a church. I agree with some of the things he says and disagree with others. There are moments while reading it that I have actually cried or gotten chills, so there’s definitely something there…I’m just not sure exactly what yet.

2. The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath) – I’m a little over halfway finished with this book. I had to take a break because I was getting so sad. This girl’s life just seems so meaningless, but the way she thinks sort of haunts you and leaves you feeling like mush on the inside. From my perspective, so far, she’s totally trapped. You’ll just have to read it to know what I mean…

3. Pagan Christianity (Frank Viola and George Barna) – This book is the one I’ve been telling everyone is the kind of book that I, being a cynic and a rebellious upstart, should not read. But, nonetheless, I am reading it. It’s all about how the church has adopted pagan rituals and ways of thinking and made them Christian when they aren’t really What Jesus Would Do! For example, the authors argue there is no New Testament evidence for the senior pastor model of leadership of churches. They’re right and pastors are overworked and underpaid and burn out all too easily. But my question for the authors is, what do we do about it. The only helpful advice given is to start house churches instead of attending mega-churches. Bah! Again, total oversimplification of the problems.

4. Toxic Relationships and How to Change Them (Clinton McLemore) – A friend gave me this book and I’ve been trying to pick it up for a week and haven’t had time. So, last night I started reading it. From what I can tell, it’s about how we interact with each other and how we can even cause other people to behave in certain ways based on how we treat them. I’m sure there is more to it. I’ve got a highlighter all picked out for this book – a pink oneJ

5. The Traveler (John Twelve Hawks) – This is a science fiction novel without the robots and aliens. It’s about this group of people who can travel in between worlds or realms, sort of like His Dark Materials. There is sword fighting and car chases. What can I say? I picked it up for $2 at a coffee shop near the Laundromat I used to go to. It’s not something I’d typically read, but I’m branching out these days.

6. For the Time Being (Annie Dillard) – I was interested in reading something by this author because several authors I love and respect have said her writing meant a lot to them, Phil Yancey being chief among them. I’m only a few pages in, but I am already sold on her writing style. She’s descriptive without being too verbose and ridiculous, but she uses words I have to look up and I LOVE that. I can’t wait to see what this book is all about.

I’m hoping to finish at least one of these books this week and start reading this other book I got about Jesus’ Jewishness. Until next time…