A Meal With Jesus, by Tim Chester

This book's subtitle caught my attention: Discovering Grace, Community and Mission Around the Table. A Meal with Jesus seemed like it would hit upon one of my "hot button" issues - hospitality. (I think we, as Christians, have fallen out of habit of offering genuine hospitality to others, hence one of the big reasons I started the other blog - Offering Hospitality - and continue it with the help and partnership of Stephanie.) As a general rule, women and families today come up with a lot of reasons why they are incapable of practicing the art of hospitality with others. It could be that life is "too busy." Or perhaps the house is thought too small or the budget too sparse. We are afraid of one another. We feel like we can't provide a decent meal or that there is no way we could clean our house and decorate it in Martha Stewart fashion. We forget that hospitality isn't about impressing. It's about blessing. It is about building community. Because this is a pet topic of mine, I rather wanted to find out what Tim Chester had to say on the topic.

Now, I do have to be honest and admit that I did not care for Chester's "voice"/writing style in this book. He is extremely passionate about fellowship and communing with others and I think he is passionate for and about all of the right reasons. He builds up his argument for why it is important to fellowship with others over food in particular in a Biblical fashion, laying out his verses and arguments decently enough. I don't feel the need to spell out his reasons here. Read the book if you want to know why he would argue, Biblically, that it is important to fellowship around meals.

I would say that I concluded reading the book thinking about how Chester must like Radical, by David Platt (linked to my thoughts.) Chester is passionate about finding fellowship among the poor and needy. He doesn't pay attention to social classes, religion or what movies another person might watch when deciding who or who not to fellowship with. He strongly urges Christians to drop the boundary lines and minister to those in need. It's not about who has what, but it is about being the Body of Christ and reaching those in need. He has a clear heart for non-Christians and desires to display the Gospel to them through the everyday act of eating a meal and communicating over rice or BBQ or whatever their culture might prefer.

In all of this I cannot disagree. I just felt a bit badgered in the way that he presented his case. I rather walked away feeling like if I didn't practice hospitality his way then he would assume I was practicing incorrectly.

I do believe that each one of us (Christians) are called to practice hospitality. (Take a peek only at 1 Peter 4:8-11 for proof.) I believe the Bible is very clear on that point. But as we have all been given different gifts and talents, as well homes and resources, I believe it will look different for each one of us. I know one particular issue that we have discussed over at Offering Hospitality is how to show hospitality to strangers (also a Biblical command) when you have a family and children to look after and care for as well. Chester tends to suggest that we should not think so much about exposing our children to different things (and even potentially unhealthy situations) and on that point I would heartily disagree with him. There are some strangers that I would absolutely think twice about before inviting them to fellowship with my family. There are some people who simply are not safe and I think we, as parents and thinking adults, must exercise some wisdom in how we may or may not expose our children to potentially harmful situations. I do not believe that I am called to open my home to anyone and everyone "off the street" per se. Again, I think some wisdom and discretion needs to be exercised because my ultimate priority is to raise my children right now. That does involve teaching them to practice hospitality - also to strangers - but even then I have to acknowledge that what works for me now might not work for my children and their families later. Definitely some thought has to be put into fellowship and it is important to see that our young children are protected and cared for. In today's day and age, I don't think that constitutes swinging wide the door and hollering, "COME ON IN!" to anyone and everyone. Caution must be exercised because, again, God gave us the blessing of children and gave us charge to protect and raise them. We must do that as well. So my stranger may look different than Chester's stranger. I don't think he distinguished between us very well - if he even meant to do so.

In A Meal with Jesus, Chester does make some very good points about the value in sharing the Christian life over the table. He doesn't buy into your typical excuses as to why you cannot see fit to fellowship with others. (Too little time? Clear some. Small house? Invite a friend out for coffee.) I agree with him in all of this. We tend to make it harder than it has to be. Having someone over for dessert instead of dinner is acceptable for purposes of fellowship. One can eat just as happily off of a paper plate as off of a china dish. You can eat outside or inside, with children on the floor and adults taking up the table space! Have someone over to watch a favorite television show or movie. Anything goes, really. Just so long as you are doing it in the spirit which we are supposed to - to build community. As Chester points out, one day we will all be sharing one big feast and we act out that picture in our day-to-day meals here on earth -- right now.

I liked this particular point he makes when discussing hosting others for fellowship;

Hospitality involves welcoming, creating space, listening, paying attention, and providing. Meals slow things down. Some of us don't like that. We like to get things done. But meals force you to be people oriented instead of task oriented. Sharing a meal is not the only way to build relationships, but it is number one on the list. (Chapter 2, Meals as Enacted Community, page 47)

I also appreciated his urge to be creative in preparing the meals which you would then share with others:

"Not only did God give us food, He also ordained cooking. Cooking is a central expression of the cultural mandate. God gave this world to us to care for and cultivate. But He also gave it to us to explore and develop. It was God's intention to take the raw material of His world and use it to create science, culture, agriculture, music, technology and poetry - all to His glory. Every time you bake a cake, you're fulfilling that creation mandate. Every cake is a reminder of our freedom to create and be creative in the image of the Creator. Every time you place a meal on the table with quiet satisfaction, you're sharing the joy of the Creator at the creation of the world when He declared everything good." (Chapter 3, Meals as Enacted Hope, page 69)

Did you ever think of your cooking and baking in quite that way before? It's rather inspiring, is it not? (Terrifying?)

So while I would say (and Chester would say) that you do not need to surround yourself with excuses as to why you are strangely exempt from fulfilling the command of 1 Peter 4:8-11. Neither should you think no care or concern should be given to making your guest feel welcomed, loved and cared for. There are all sorts of things that you can consider when purposing to offer hospitality to another. Does your guest have food allergies? Do they have small children who might have difficulty getting the spaghetti from the plate to their mouth? Are their breakables in the house that should be put away before said small children come over? Do you have steps on your front porch that might make it difficult for an elderly person or someone currently using crutches to climb? Is there a single or a widow(er) in your church who is alone for the holiday season? All of these questions require thought and should not be avoided because they might also require work. Anything worth doing or having (friendships included) will require work. To assume otherwise is to lie to yourself. But you can choose the level of difficulty involved in your gathering. Perhaps it is best to invite certain couples over for dessert only, instead of a full meal. Maybe inviting another family to join yours at the park some Friday evening will do the trick. The point is to fellowship over the Gospel of Jesus Christ - to build the body of Christ and fellowship in spirit and in truth.

As that is the ultimate point that Tim Chester is making in A Meal with Jesus, I think it is a worthy and thought-provoking read. Thank you, Crossway Books, for shooting a copy my way for my perusal.

*****

Stephanie and I would invite anyone who is interested in exploring various aspects of how to offer and practice hospitality to join us at Offering Hospitality. We love the interaction, suggestions and good discussions that people have gotten going which have all served to inspire us to be more creative and obedient to what we believe God's word calls us to - to build the Body of Christ through fellowship and communion with others.

Friday Favorite Five: Things to Anticipate

I'm here with another Friday Favorite Five which is hosted weekly by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story. This week, I thought I'd mention five things which I am anticipating and which make me happy to anticipate.

"When I think something nice is going to happen I seem to fly right up on the wings of anticipation; and then the first thing I realize I drop down to earth with a thud. But really, Marilla, the flying part IS glorious as long as it lasts . . . it's like soaring through a sunset. I think it almost pays for the thud." ~ Anne (Anne of Avonlea)

* It should be noted that I do not necessarily anticipate these things in the following order.

#1 - August 9th: Steven Curtis Chapman's newest album, Re:Creation, will be released.



#2 - Kung Fu Panda 2. (Did you ever think you'd see that posted here?!) My brother and sister-in-law introduced us to Kung Fun Panda a few years back and I think that every time I watch it, it increases in it's ability to make me laugh. We're hoping to take the boys to see it very soon.





#3 - The movie version of The Magician's Nephew!??!

Even though I rather despised (and rejected) the film version of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (linked to my thoughts) I still harbor high hopes that they'll make a good go of any of the other books in the series that they opt to bring to the big screen. I hope, I hope, I hope . . . !

#4 - So, speaking of that, I'm actually getting pretty hyped about the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge around these parts (in July.) I've started my reading already. (I actually started with The Magician's Nephew and I've begun reading The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe aloud to Bookworm1 (and he is very much enjoying it.) I think he's finally old enough to truly appreciate the wonder that is Narnia which makes me even MORE excited about these stories. If such a thing is possible. (Just wait until my daughter is old enough to enjoy Anne. Be still my heart!)



#5 - And on a deeply serious note: I anticipate Truth.

I always anticipate it. Truth in many areas. It redeems, transforms, renews and makes crooked ways straight. I definitely anticipate it (with hope!)

And with that, I bid you all a FABULOUS THREE DAY WEEKEND (that comes under #6) and look forward to chattin' it up again with you after the holiday!

Blessings,

Carrie

Poppleton, by Cynthia Rylant

Time for another Read Aloud Thursday. Usually I post my RAT posts over at Reading My Library in conjunction with that challenge. However, I still haven't made it to the library with three kids in tow and I make absolutely NO promises that that will happen anytime soon. So, since we do still read-aloud, I'll just share whatever books we've been reading from our home library. It's convenient to get to those books!

Meet our newest friend: Poppleton. Poppleton, as you can clearly see from the cover art, is a pig. Illustrated by Mark Teague, he is fun to look at. Named by Cynthia Rylant, his name is fun to say. We like him. Very, very much.

These books are marked for ages 4-8 and we fall right into that category. I found the first book in the series, Poppleton, at Goodwill and picked it up to test it out on Bookworm1 (age 4 1/2.) In this story we meet Poppleton who moves to a small town and rather begrudgingly makes friends with his neighbor, a llama by the name of Cherry Sue. Cherry Sue is a very friendly sort, inviting him over for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day. He doesn't really want to go over every day and it turns out she doesn't really want to host every day. But it felt like the neighborly thing to do. They sort these issues out (through some mild irritation) and fall into a comfortable friendship.

On a subsequent visit to Goodwill I found an additional Poppleton title and he's become a smash hit in our household with multiple re-reads. At the change of the season, I ordered a copy of Poppleton In Spring in which we find Poppleton enjoying the warmer weather by spending time in a tent and wanting to purchase a bicycle so that he can "get everywhere faster." There are Poppleton books for each season and I think we'll collect the whole series as we move through the year. (I definitely want to pick each title up before they go out of print! There is a certain classic feel about Poppleton that makes me think he's a real keeper but from what I can tell on Amazon, Scholastic may be moving Poppleton out the door. I'm hoping that is NOT the case but to be on the safe side, we'll pick them up while we find them still available on Amazon.)

Each book has three chapters in it, each focused on a different story. They are labeled "Level Three" readers by Scholastic and read similarly to Frog and Toad, by Arnold Lobel. (If you like Frog and Toad, me thinks you will love Poppleton!) His friends are memorable as well with Cherry Sue being the most constant. Journey with him as he does his spring cleaning, takes a trip to the library and suffers from the common cold.

We really like this particular pig and highly recommend him to you. I'm super excited about him and I think Bookworm1 will be excited as well when he sees the new Poppleton book which will be arriving in our mailbox any day now. (It's true! I cannot resist this pig!) Check out these Poppleton titles: Poppleton Everyday, Poppleton Forever, Poppleton Has Fun, Poppleton And Friends, Poppleton In Fall, and Poppleton In Winter.

We trust you will enjoy.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Impacting. A can't-get-it-out-of-your-mind-and-why-haven't-YOU-read-it-yet(?!) novel.

As I mentioned, a number of book bloggers read The Help and it received positive mentions. It seemed to be garnering a great deal of attention which is typically a cue for me to leave a book alone. (Yes, I am a rebel reader that way. If a book hits The New York Times bestseller list and "everyone" who is "anyone" is talking about it, I generally tend to ignore it. At least until the hype dies down.) Then it happened: my mother mentioned that she had read it and that she liked it. She even said it was . . . good. I had been waiting for the paperback version to come out but once she gave her approval, I looked it up on Amazon and discovered a hardback copy at a paperback price. I bit the bullet and ordered it. And do you know what? My mother was right. It was good. It is good. And I cannot get it out of my mind!

Per usual, I also didn't bother to look up any information on what The Help was actually about before I started reading it. I had absolutely no clue what I was getting into when I cracked open the cover, which is exactly the way I like it. I like surprises. You'll never find me reading the last few pages of a novel to discover the ending! Oh no! I like the anticipation of the read, the happy unsuspecting way the plot unfolds and getting to know the characters as the author meant them to be understood. I was glad that I had not read any reviews in-depth or paid much mind to the actual plot before I got going. Just in case you are interested in reading this (and I would strongly suggest the read to you) here's the basic idea behind The Help:

Debut author Kathryn Stockett writes a compelling and moving story about black maids serving white Southern women in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960's. The story revolves around four characters in particular. First there is Skeeter, a twenty-three year old white woman who wants to write a book about what it is like being a black maid to white families. Secondly, we get to know Aibileen who is a black maid/nanny who is raising her seventeenth white child. Thirdly, we meet Minny, another black maid who has a sassy mouth that gets her into heaps of trouble with her employers but who also made me generally laugh outloud at the way her voice was expressed in the story. Lastly, we fear and are repulsed by Hilly, a white woman with a big chip on her shoulder who is adamantly opposed to any idea of desegregation.

Stockett tells her story through the first three women, devoting specific chapters to these specific women. For example, three chapters will involve the story of this secret book being written through the eyes of Skeeter. Then the following three chapters will give us the perspective of Aibileen who agrees to help Skeeter put together this book in hopes that it will bring about a change in the way that blacks and whites view each other. Then, of course, we hear about the world - and specifically Jackson, Mississippi society women - through the eyes of Minny who was my favorite character of them all. I loved her gumption, her spirit, her sassy/sarcastic mouth and the way of holding onto truth in the midst of a difficult life.

On the one hand, this is a painful read because it details a period of American life (especially focused on the South) where blacks (as they are referred to in Stockett's book) and whites were segregated from one another. Stockett brings in Jim Crowe laws and paints a picture of a South that is hard to take in. And yet it's important to take it because it is a part of our history, like it or not. It's painful to think that whites would think that blacks carry diseases uncommon to whites, that separate bathrooms might be installed in people's garages so that the maids would have a separate toilet, that white children would be raised by black women that they came to love and respect only to grow up distrusting the very same women who loved and cared for them. These things are painful to read about, yes. Stockett writes from the perspective of one who knew what it was like to have such a maid. Her family had a black maid when she was growing up and her maid raised her. It was because of her own life experiences that she chose to write this book. She wrote one line in this story that she said she particularly prized. This line expresses the point and purpose of The Help:

"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."

The Help is a moving tribute, of sorts, to the lady who raised Stockett when her own biological mother was absent from the scene. When she was a young girl, Stockett didn't think to ask her maid what it was like to work for their family. She wrote this book as a question and answer session, of sorts, when thinking back.

As difficult as the subject matter may sound, this book is beautifully written and extremely engaging. Skeeter is to be admired for her gumption to address an issue that most whites would (still) choose to ignore. You fear for her safety, you cheer for her successes and you wish her the best as she tries to do what she believes is right. Aibileen is admirable in every single way. Despite the injustices which are visited upon her, she remains calm, forgiving, well-thought out and a fabulous mother figure. You weep with her and you hope with her. Minny is a regular spit-fire who suffers the most injustices and yet also provides comedic relief. She has a tendency to speak her mind, even when it's not always in her best interest to do so, nor is it safe. But Stockett gives her mini "breaks" in her circumstances that make you sigh with relief and also feel an overwhelming sense of gratefulness, despite her troubles. I absolutely loved her character to bits!

I do not feel that I'm able to write anything down in this post that will do this book justice. It was moving, endearing, eye-opening and thought-provoking. It made me wonder how many times I have spoken or acted in ignorance on this subject matter. It made me grateful that we have made so much progress as a country to accept those who look different from us on the outside. It haunted me when I think of how so many have suffered needlessly and unjustly at the hands of hate-filled men and women. I laughed, I hoped, I cheered and I feared for the characters as I read. It took me a good two weeks post-newborn to read this book but I was thoroughly engaged and moved by this story. I do hope more people give this book not just for entertainment purposes but because it reminds us that the color of one's skin should not dictate how another ought to be treated. As a mother to internationally adopted child, I find this message very relevant, since our own family is "mixed" as you might say. So far we have not had any negative experiences in this regards and everyone we know has been very supportive of us. We do get curious stares and questions from time to time, but nothing heartbreaking or negative - things that would most definitely have been expressed even just a few decades back. It is hard to wrap one's mind around that.

I could ramble on but I'll stop there and simply say: find a copy and read it! I can't think but that you'll be glad that you did. I certainly am! I speculate that this one is going to end up as one of my top favorite reads of the year and the book now happily occupies space on my home bookshelf for future re-reads. Yes, I thought it was that good!

Harold Camping and The End of the World

Come, come now. You didn't expect me to NOT have an opinion about this, did you?!

I've seen other bloggers (and Facebook-ers) throw their hat into the ring and now I feel compelled. The general theme I've been sensing from people is that we need to express compassion towards Camping and those who believed his prediction that the end of the world was this past Saturday. I've been hearing that Christians should respond in love, without sarcasm or mockery ("like the world".) I've seen nothing about Christians being called to take a stand for truth, however, and address this issue head-on. This linked article suggests that "it's ok to be wrong" about this and we Christians should be forgiving towards Camping, but definitely not direct in our disapproval of his teachings. We don't want to further hurt anyone's feelings.

Actually, this is an issue I wasn't going to bother to address because I think that the Bible makes it pretty obvious that no man can know the time or the hour when the world is going to end. God the Father alone knows when the end is going to happen and He's never given any indication that He intends to share His secret with any of the rest of us. We'll find out eventually. (Read Matthew 24)

The verse that we're all, of course, familiar with (or are we?) that the world is focused on at the moment is Matthew 24:36:

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

In other words, Harold Camping does not know when the end of the world would be and it would behoove him to stop predicting it. He has now been wrong enough times that you think he would stop. However, despite the fact that the world didn't end when he said it would on May 21, 2011, he's at it again. Instead of repenting for his false teaching and confessing his sin his mistake in mis-reading (and mis-teaching!?) the scriptures he is now saying that he made a little mistake. He is now saying that he was off by a couple of months and that - actually - the world is going to end in October 2011. Because you know that if at first you don't succeed you try, try again!

Now, we might be tempted to say that we should graciously ignore his little "oopsie" and comfort him in his time of insanity confusion. (Remember the professor in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe said that Lucy was either lying about having gone to Narnia, or she was mad, or she was telling the truth. Those were the options.) After all, Camping has managed to hurt a lot of people by speaking untruths. And we all do that from time to time, right? (Well, actually, yes we do.) We Christians are indeed all sinners, saved by grace. We make mistakes. We are not perfect. We were created in the image of God but we are not God (which is why we cannot know the date of the world's ending, by the way.) We might be tempted to rather graciously sweep Campings little mistake under the rug and move on. With some degree of false hope we might hope that the rest of the world didn't notice the billboards dotting the roadside, providing a Biblical guar-an-tee (!) that this past Saturday was the end. How sorry should we feel for Camping? For his followers?

I recognize the temptation.

However.

If you are a Christian then you are compelled to believe that the Bible is the unerring word of God. It is perfect and complete, lacking nothing. It is God-breathed, suitable for teaching, correcting, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness and correcting. (2 Timothy 3:16) The word of God is living and active and will expose fools from time to time. When it does, should we be embarrassed? Should we run about apologizing that God's word deals so sternly with false teaching and sets about correcting it? "You know, God hates a lying tongue and one that would lead others into a deception but that's God. I'm a little more compassionate than all that fire and brimstone stuff. Ignore the man behind the curtain. What we really need to do right now is love each other."

Is love looking away from a lie? Is is failing to point out the error of false teaching? Is it sitting silently by watching friends and loved ones believe a lie that will cause them to stumble away from truth? Perhaps love is silence.

So then let's look at 2 Peter 3 in which Peter is discussing people who speak untruths and people who are looking for the end of the age:

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. ¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

We Christians should be secure in the truths of scripture, studying and making every effort to understand them as accurately as possible. When we are presented with such a blatant untruth which flies in the face of what God has spoken (to the point where most of us can quote Matthew 34:36 without even thinking about it!) then should we sit idly by? Or make sure that those around us understand the fact that no man knows the day, time or hour? No one should have feared or anticipated May 21, 2011 as the day the world was going to end. It couldn't have happened as Harold Camping predicted because God will not be mocked or played the fool. God is always honest with us. It is we who are dishonest. Therefore we are exhorted to remain as blameless as possible before God and an easy truth (in my mind) to grasp hold of is that the world is not going to end when Camping (or anyone else) says. We cannot know and it is very much ok to say so.

The serious error of Camping is that he is attempting to be God-like. Just like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Camping is reaching for knowledge that is not his to own. God says, "I'm not telling you when the world is going to end." Camping says, "This knowledge is mine to have." Worse still, he goes around convincing others that it is his to have. He has made a grab for the forbidden fruit and is telling us how good it tastes. Is it better for us to say to him, "Well, at least that fruit tasted good for a little while"? Or is it kinder to say, "Um, you picked the apple, bud. You need to repent because you weren't supposed to do that!"

Now, is a bit of sarcasm ok to express when dealing with this? I think so. It's kind of like answering a fool according to his folly. (Except, of course, when you are not supposed to answer the fool.) In this case, I believe that the Bible exposed Camping as a fool and not much more is required of us in the way of jesting to point out this fact. May 21st has come and gone and nothing happened. The proof exists that Camping was wrong. Now he is predicting that the world will actually end in October, 2011. He is a proven fool who goes on spouting off lies. And yeah, I think he deserves to be poked fun at. We snicker at Chicken Little and we use the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf to make a point. It just so happens that Camping is a living example (who refuses to acknowledge the error of his ways - again, claiming knowledge that God claimed for Himself.)

I would suggest that loving your brother or your sister doesn't mean buying into lies and/or implying that you believe them through your silence in order to maintain a relationship with them. It wouldn't be a truthful relationship if that were the case! Much better to speak the truth - in love - than say that because of love we will not speak truth.

Who did Jesus deal harshest with? Those that went about claiming to possess knowledge of the Most High that they had no business to speak of? Or the repentant sinner? Jesus came down to earth to make the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, allowing us to approach the Father. When a sinner came to him and humbly confessed his sins, Jesus was quick to forgive. But when teachers stood up in front of the people teaching a false doctrine, Jesus was quick to call them on the carpet for their attitudes, behaviors and words. He made fun of them. He exposed them for what they were- hypocrites and heretics. Jesus was always, consistently, very emphatic about speaking truth and truth alone so that no one would be falsely led astray. He didn't die on the cross to save people from experiencing awkward moments and embarrassing situations. He came so that we might be holy and His.

I have come across a few statements indicating that Christians are embarrassed that the world is laughing at us. The world would laugh, and even should laugh, at Camping's predictions. I laugh at the world when they say stupid things. Besides that, "the world" doesn't really need a specific reason to question, mock or laugh at Christians. If any one of us were living a perfect Christian life, there would still be those who did not understand it. Best not to dwell on the fact that the world is laughing. If you fixate on that you are fixated on the wrong thing. You cannot change the world's reaction to Christianity. It will be what it will be. Your job as a Christian is to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12) - not to go around making apologies for other people's stupidity or hiding out in your house hoping that no one will ever notice a thing you ever say or do.

The bottom line is this: if you are a Christian, that involves believing in the inerrancy of scriptures. If you believe that the scriptures are accurate, perfect and complete then you will not fall prey to the lies of Camping and/or other false prophets.

Yes, we all make mistakes and we all sin. Thankfully we Christians serve a gracious and merciful God who will forgive us of our sins. But we must confess them. Harold Camping would do well to start confessing right about now. It would prove a far better use of his time.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

What's On My Nightstand - May

Time again to check in the Nightstand to see how much progress we've made and to set reading goals for the following month. This meme, by 5 Minutes for Books, really is fun. I find it a good way to keep myself on track and set reading priorities for each month.

Last month I was "out" having a baby. So this month I get to start with a clean slate! That's always kind of fun. I definitely slowed down on the review copies in the last few months for a few reasons. The first reason is that I expected (and indeed have) less time to read than when I was in my two-children-phase of life. That said, I am not a crafty person and don't have to divide my project time up between sewing and reading, for example. Reading IS my vice and it doesn't have to stop completely. I do read a bit slower but I'm still reading.

I also slowed down on review copies because I have so many older titles that are either sitting on my shelf or come highly recommended to me and I want to have time to actually get around to reading them! I find I like not having the pressure of "having" to read a book because it landed on my doorstep. Still, there are titles here and there that catch my eye. Some are as follows, and I do purpose to get to them this coming month:



A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table is a new title from Crossway Books which caught my eye. I've gotten started on this one already and should have it completed sooner rather than later.



When Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His (new from WaterBrook Multnomah) arrived in our mailbox, Jonathan asked me if there was something he should know about. I was just curious. I still like reading books from the single's perspective. Plus, now we have a daughter and I'm curious to know what Gunn and Goyer have to say about praying for your future spouse. Thoughts forthcoming!

As for "personal reads" that are sitting on my shelf awaiting attention, I have the following:



Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption came highly, highly, highly recommended by Amy at Hope is in the Word. If you click that last link it will take you to her post wherein she makes the prediction that this will be one of her top reads in 2011. Now - I ask you! - how could I resist a statement like that?! I ordered the book before Bookworm3's arrival and I'm hoping to get to that in the next month.



Lastly, I'll mention a book that Stephanie at Stephanie's Mommy Brain recommended. (Click on that last link to read her thoughts.) Several of you read and seemed to really love this book. Stephanie's reaction to it put me over the top and I snatched a copy up intending to read it post-baby. Well, it's post-baby time now! I trust you, Stephanie!

Other than these books I should point out that my thoughts are starting to shift towards the Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge which I will be hosting again this July. I'm currently trying to narrow down my reading list for June/July.



If you'd care to join in, I invite you to start thinking on what you will read either alone or with your kids this summer! I'm definitely looking forward to it! Stay tuned for more info on that.

Now it's time for me to pop around and see what's on everyone else's lists so that I can make my list longer. (sigh)

Dylan's Candy Bar: Unwrap Your Sweet Life

This is almost one of those posts which cause you to want to avert your eyes in all honesty.

It's not really a diet-lovin' sort of book. Definitely one I probably shouldn't be looking at post-baby (or anytime, really) but I do like candy. Plus, it's Monday. One should encourage many happy thoughts on Mondays. Candy is a happy thought. Enter: Dylan's Candy Bar: Unwrap Your Sweet Life.

I don't know who Dylan is and I barely know what her candy bar is. According to my online "research" for this book, Dylan likes candy and owns a swanky candy shoppe in New York City (that I wish I had known about when I visited last year!) There's also one in Florida and one in Houston, Texas if you are wondering. Which I was. If you like candy you will probably want to know about these stores. This book isn't half bad either.

Apparently Dylan's mission is to combine the world of art, fashion and candy. Look at it, wear it, and by all means - EAT IT! In this book, Dylan's Candy Bar, we are introduced to Dylan's love of candy:

"I believe in candy, not just for the endorphin high it gives when consumed but also for its ability to transcend time, space, and a really bad hair day. Candy is magic! Candy is imagination! Candy is art! Candy is always in fashion! Candy is joy! Candy is memories! And candy is childhood - the best and the brightest moments you wish could have lasted forever!"

Part of me wants to yell out, "Amen, sister!" and the other part of me wants to see her in the same room with Jillian Michaels.

From the introduction on, we learn what it is that makes Dylan love candy and the many ways it can be enjoyed during the course of one's non-Weight Watcher lifetime. She discusses the beauty of the colors, the texture, the history of lollipops and gum, and "how to live the sweet life."

Ok, so perhaps this book isn't entirely practical, per se, but I did enjoy it. It's a feast for the eyes for one thing. Truly, the bright bold photography is eye-catching and makes you slowly turn the pages. In fact, I enjoyed the photography so much that I could almost forget about the food. Almost. Not quite.

I like the book because she offers good tips and ideas for how to use candy when throwing various parties. From baby showers to weddings, Dylan makes suggestions for what candy to bring in to celebrate the event with. One thing Jonathan and I have noticed at weddings lately is the use of candy. It's becoming a trend to serve candy at wedding receptions and so it's fun to think about ways to display and serve it. Candy is "in" almost as much as wedding cake which is intriguing and, dare I say?, fun! It's different. Unique. And personal.

Dylan offers tips for baby shower games using candy, how to use candy as centerpieces for birthday parties and what colors/types of candies to look at using during which months of the year. There are candy quizzes scattered throughout the book as well as "chocolate fun facts" and lists of famous bunny characters (when speaking of Easter chocolate bunnies, of course!)

I can't say that I've ever seen a book quite like this. It's different and unique and makes you want to raid the candy section of your local grocery store and plan a trip to NYC or Houston for the sole purposes of eating a bagful of Skittles. If I thought I could resist the sugar, I'd definitely use candy to decorate for parties and events more frequently. As it is, I still might. I'll just have to use candy when I know I'll have a large crowd to help consume the goodies!

Personally, I enjoyed looking through and being inspired by Dylan's Candy Bar. If you are looking for fun party ideas or perhaps love candy as much as Dylan does, then this might be right up your alley.

Thanks to The Crown Publishing Group for sending a copy of this one my way.

Friday Favorite Five: The Family Edition

Ok, well, it took me a bit of time to get back on track with life (maybe I haven't exactly done that yet) but I'm here with another Friday Favorite Five which is hosted weekly by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

For those of you who haven't been by in awhile...I'll start off this family business with the mention of...

#1 - The safe and healthy birth of Bookworm3 (my little girl)!



She is now one month old, if you can believe it! Again, I have to ask, why does pregnancy last SO LONG and then they come out and time just totally flies by!?!?

She is a joy and a delight. I absolutely LOVE having a little girl in the house. I like having little boys also, for the record. It's just fun all around, I guess. The above picture is of my oldest holding onto my youngest.

#2 - Bookworm1.

My oldest (age 4 1/2) has been quite the little helper, always being willing to help out with the baby however I need. Now that her eyes are able to focus on things, he has been happily showing off his toys to her. He also comes up and talks to her when he sees that she is awake. Here is a recent interaction though that was quite amusing to me:

Bookworm1 asked me if baby's eyes were open. I affirmed that this was the case and he came over to greet his little sister.

"Helloo," he coo-ed. "Are you having a wonderful time looking at me?"

#3 - Bookworm2

Bookworm2, age two, has been equally helpful, frequently anticipating baby's needs. If she is crying he will run up and lean over her crooning, "Ohhh baby, baby, baby." Jonathan says it's like a bad Elvis impersonation. Of course, Bookworm2's solution to her every problem is to bring her a bottle post-haste. If the baby is chunky, it might not totally be my fault!

#4 - Six years of marriage!

I wrote this anniversary post up last week, documenting the progression of Jonathan's and my relationship through song.

Thanks to a fabulous sister-in-law (and her pretty cool fiance) we had a "night out on the town" which consisted of dinner out and a walk around the local (beautiful) campus. So thankful for a lovely sunny evening (a rarity!) and the ability to walk after the c-section! (Recovery has been slow and steady.) Then, Jonathan surprised me with this upon our arrival home and we watched an episode while eating dessert.



Rumpole of the Bailey is to the law what Wodehouse is to golf, you might say. I am greatly amused by him. Especially since he reminds me of an attorney that I used to (love) working for.

(Thanks, Jonathan, for the treat!)

#5 - Blessings upon Blessings

From bloggy friends to church family to relatives we have just been blessed beyond measure after the birth of Bookworm3. Even after meals had officially ended, they are still being provided to us! I seriously have not had to cook in the ENTIRE last month! We've had plenty of food and leftovers to tide us over.

My mom came out for a week after baby was born and took care of the boys (and the girl) while I was recovering.

Bloggy friends - seriously, too many of you to mention, have generously sent gifts for us to enjoy. Girly gifts. ;) Girly clothes! Girly books! We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone around us! Things like the following have even been deposited on our front doorstep by some little elf:



I do not even know who to thank for some of the things that we have received! It's been amazing and we're so very grateful for each individual who has rejoiced with us as we have been rejoicing. (Romans 12:15) We have had plenty of people weep with us over the past few years. It's refreshing to REJOICE!

He is the one you praise; He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. Deuteronomy 10:21

And so we do rejoice! And we thank each and every one of you who have done so alongside us - happily and willingly. That is a blessing in and of itself and we are grateful.

Blessings on you all this weekend!

See ya next week.

Carrie

Bible Resources for Kids

My Big Book of Bible People, Places, and Things is a Bible dictionary, published by Barbour Publishing, that is just about perfect for explaining exactly what the title suggests - who certain people, places and things were - in scripture. Designed for children ages 6 to 10, it is illustrated in a cartoon-like fashion. Short descriptions are provided for things from Aaron to Zophar. At the end of this dictionary there is also a very basic map of the Holy Land for the children to be able to familiarize themselves with where certain events took place.

I do not know that I would use this one with children as old as ten, although I certainly do think it's appropriate for even toddler-aged kids who are asking questions about what certain things in Bible stories mean. The definitions are certainly simplistic enough. For example, here are a few:

Jordan River = Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. He was baptized in the river that flows from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.

Legion = A legion is a very large number of people or things.

Mote = A mote is a tiny speck of dust or dirt.

Seven Churches = The seven churches were seven groups of Christians in Asia Minor. In the book of Revelation, Jesus had a message for each church. Some were doing well. Others needed to love and trust Jesus more.

Scripture references are given alongside each picture and definition. Author and illustrator Phil A. Smouse wanted to create something to help him instruct his own children in learning about the Bible and so presents this resource in a kid-friendly manner. I think he accomplished his goal. There are 254 pages in this paperback edition and it is a handy resource for inquisitive minds.

Get Wisdom!: 23 Lessons for Children About Living for Jesus, by Ruth Younts, is a fairly new release from Shepherd Press. Want to walk and talk your children through the book of Proverbs? This may be a good place to start for you. Divided up into 23 lessons as the title suggests, this book operates as something of a workbook, designed to be used by parents and teachers.

The workbook pages are in color so as to appeal more to the young learner and each lesson features a verse from Proverbs, a character quality and an animal or other object to focus on when teaching. For example, the first lesson is on Listening and features a rabbit (with big, long ears.) The verse to memorize is Proverbs 4:1:

"Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding."

There are examples given as to how one can be a good listener, blank spaces for writing down one's own thoughts and a short prayer to conclude the lesson with. At the back of the book there are teacher notes for each lesson, providing ideas for games, activities and pointers for how to discuss the verse and its particular application.

Get Wisdom! is labeled as being a good resource for ages K5-Grade 4. It seems to be primarily geared for classroom use but is easy enough to adapt for home use as well.

Good resources to know of if you are looking for something to help explain particular scriptural lessons or need to explain what something is that is listed in Bible passages.

Thanks, Barbour Publishing and Shepherd Press for sending copies of these books my way to check out.