I have been reluctant to divulge the exact location of my small town in Texas, for fear that one day, some stalker will decide to stalk me! Since this is highly unlikely because less than 200 people read this blog on a good day, let’s just say that my small town is prominently featured in Art Briles’ Beating Goliath. For those of you who are not football enthusiasts, Art Briles is the head football coach at Baylor University. And if that doesn’t send any bells or whistles off in your head, Baylor used to have one of the worst records in NCAA recent history. Until Art Briles arrived. Now, one of his quarterbacks has won one of the most prestigious awards in college football, The Heisman Trophy.

If that’s not impressive, then maybe this will get your attention: Earlier this fall Baylor was ranked # 4 in the country for football and managed to pull out an impressive win against a formidable opponent, TCU. And Art manages to do that with every program he takes on.

The October 2014 MIP Book Club Selection is up! I think the guys will like this choice, not to mention a pile of my local compadres. Go here for details.

Howdy, MIP Book Club Lovers! The MIP September Book Club Selection was a little different than the average fare here. It was an actual Christian romance novel entitled The Way Home by Belle Calhoune. Either the long absence from novels or Ms. Calhoune’s writing made this book a “can’t-put-it-down” experience for me and I finished it before the month began!

The book is set in a seaside small town and Blue Donahue, the protagonist, has returned home from his globetrotting reporter duties to celebrate a monumental anniversary for his adoptive parents. Mr. and Mrs. Donahue didn’t just adopt Blue, but also 6 other boys from varied, and often troubled backgrounds. Thus, when an unforeseen event at the anniversary celebration, it puts the whole family in turmoil and they collectively wind up in the hospital ER.

The September Book Club Selection is up! It’s a NOVEL! Go here to learn the details!

Good morning, Book Club Fans! This month’s book, by Gary Keller (Yes, one of the founders of that huge realty company named Keller-Williams!), first made it onto my “radar screen” when I was making out my Amazon.com Christmas wish list last year. I am a sucker for intriguing titles and thus, I put it on my wish list. Thankfully, my brother gave it to me for Christmas! But, true to nature, I just got around to reading it this summer.

I wish I had read it sooner.

If you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be doing with yourself while on this planet or you’re incredibly dissatisfied with your current life, this book will crystallize what you should be doing and help you figure out how to do it.

Not only that, it will also help you figure out how to do it better than anyone else. And yet, the concepts in this book are remarkably simple to adopt into your everyday life.

Grapes for Two

Top Mommy Blogs Update: As I write this, MIP is now # 250 out of 921 blogs on topmommyblogs.com. That’s ALL due to you, my dear readers! Thanks so much! While you’re here, would you mind clicking on that Top Mommy Blog button over there to the right of this post??? Thanks again!

Book Club Readers: The August MIP Book Club Selection is out, along with the suggested reading plan! This one is a MUST READ! Go here for all the details!

Do you know Anita Renfroe? Not ringing any bells for some of you? Well, watch this video and I think you’ll remember her just fine. She and her husband, John, are the authors for this month’s MIP Book Club Selection, Songs in the Key of Solomon. The book is a collection of couples devotionals.

Now, before you get ready to click on another blog somewhere or check your FB page, John and Anita are quick to point out that they, too, don’t like most couples devotional books because they are exceedingly boring. They never stuck with any they tried. And so, they decided to author one where you might actually be able to get your spouse to enjoy them and read them.

I floated the first few past the hubby’s very impatient eyes and he actually consented to doing one a week. We’d do it more often, but the man is on a plane 90% of the time and it’s a little tough to communicate in any way, shape or form when the FAA frowns upon such communication. So, we have to cram such activities in on the weekends and they are often so busy with us just catching up on home repairs and what admonitions we need to issue to the youngest collectively that we seldom get more than 1 night each weekend for a date.

If you think I’m lying about the fun of this book, then here are a few excerpts of just where these little “dates” take place from the Renfroes’ book:

1. “Wash some plump, juicy grapes in a colander and bring them bathtub-side. Run a nice bubble bath, light some candles, and set them around the edge of the tub. After you’ve climbed in together, read on.”

2. “Build a tent with some chairs and blankets like you used to do when you were kids. Get underneath, in the dark, with a flashlight.”

3. “Go to wherever the husband’s most prized material possession is kept.”

Do I have your attention now? As you can see, most of these devotions don’t require a lot of planning, lengthy readings or even a lot of cash and babysitters. Most can be done after you get those kids to bed and with ease.

The title is the title because the Song of Solomon is the one book of the Bible that says marital love (and the most intimate parts of it) is not only okay, but strongly recommended! Besides, there are references to the woman’s body that will just make you guffaw. Modern romance isn’t anything like Biblical romance. And for that.. I thank you, Jesus!!!

So go ahead, make some beautiful music with your spouse. Now, where are those grapes?!

What did you think of Songs in the Key of Solomon? Share your thoughts about it in the comment section below!

Monday’s Post: What’s bricolage?

You Might Also Like: Slow Reader Friday: Jesus, the One and Only; Slow Reader Friday: Killing Jesus; and Slow Reader Friday: And Then There Were Nuns

Note: Click here to see the July 2014 MIP Book Club Selection!

Warning: You might want to get 2 of your favorite beverages.

I first “encountered” Beth Moore on a video screen. She was doing a Bible Study on Daniel. I had heard rave reviews about her and was preparing to be my usual hyper-critical self simply because I’m a PK (Preacher’s Kids) and have been doing Bible Studies all my life and have often been less than impressed with more than a few.

The opposite was true. I learned unbelievable amounts of stuff that I never understood before. Maybe Beth Moore isn’t a seminary graduate, but the woman does a pretty good job of learning as much as she can for the Bible book she decides to tackle. And it was actually fun to learn from her, because Beth is from Houston, TX and she is a quinessential Texas woman, with a passion for fashion, a definite Texan drawl, and the almost-required accompanying sense of humor. One of the first things she asked us (as her students) to do with the Book of Daniel was to remember that “not everything is about you!” My daughter and I did this study together and we still giggle to this day when we encounter something where we want to be self-centered and remind ourselves of Beth’s words.

As much as I hate to admit it, Beth’s study was about me. Beth has a way of reaching into your very soul, as if she knows you like her best friend, finding your most vulnerable place and then miraculously healing that place by simply teaching you about the Bible. And so, about Week 5, I found myself fighting back tears as she taught. Only one other speaker has done that to me and I have heard him twice (and yes, he reduced me to tears twice) and that is William Paul Young, author of The Shack and Crossroads. If you ever have an opportunity to hear either one of them speak, move Heaven and Earth to do it. You won’t be disappointed.

Enter Jesus, the One and Only. As I looked at the table of contents, I reminded myself that Beth never takes the easy route through a topic. 53 chapters? Are you kidding me? But, thankfully, the chapters were short. So, I started diving into her step-by-step teaching of Jesus’ life from start to finish.

I have to admit I was disappointed at first. It may be because I had just finished reading 2 really great books and one of them had delved into all the circumstances of Jesus’ life very factually and historically. That book, Killing Jesus, was a “can’t put it down” kind of experience of the Gospels, because Martin Dugard and Bill O’Reilly write like unbiased reporters. No wonder Hollywood wants to make movies of all of their books.

Beth Moore, on the other hand, chooses to use the Greek origins of words, Bible commentaries, etc. to help the reader put themselves into the times of Jesus. And she readily admits that sometimes she is just relying upon her impressions of how things might have gone in particular situations and conversations involving Jesus. I felt like she often missed the very point that I thought was obvious and kept wishing she had used Killing Jesus as a resource for her own book. The reality is that they were probably both written around the same time, so it would have been impossible for her to do so.)

And Beth, because she is passionate about her faith, tends to spend a pile of time rejoicing over the various elements of Jesus’ story and asking the reader to do the same. I guess I’m more of a factual kind of gal and preferred the way that Dugard and O’Reilly tried to leave their own belief systems out of Jesus’ story and let the reader decide whether Jesus is the Messiah or not.

But, just about the time I was ready to curse myself for selecting this LOONNGG book for the June Selection, Beth Moore worked her magic and I got the point of what she was trying to say. At least the point I needed to hear. I found myself crying again (There goes my reputation as a stoic Scot again!).

I think I still prefer to watch her on video (It’s just so much fun to see Beth’s facial expression and non-verbals as she teaches!), but I will be forever grateful I took the time to read the book. Plain and simple? It did a real healing in a chronically vulnerable place of mine.

Here are a few quotes from the book that resonated with me or inspired me or at least made me smile:

1. “Sometimes in the contrast of the night, we can best see the glory of God.”

2. “Jesus probably did not walk until He was ten or twelve months old and He certainly didn’t walk on His bathwater.”

3. “When we set apart our lives unto Him, He will do wonders with us the likes of which we cannot imagine.”

4. “I don’t practice ‘Lord forgive me for all of my sins.’ I don’t see true biblical repentance in that. Repentance assumes we are naming the sin to acknowledge it. Then I like to discuss with God why it doesn’t agree with His Word.”

5. “Every hour you do your job as working for the Lord gets punched on a time clock in heaven. You get paid by God Himself for the hours you work as unto the Lord. I’m not being cheesy. Our future inheritance is real, and it far exceeds minimum wage. As you partner with Christ at your job, you will be more efficient.”

6. “He spoke to my heart and said: ‘Beth, My child, you have an authority problem. You think you can do your part, which is repent. You just don’t think I can do MY part, which is forgive.”

Point to Ponder 1: Did you read this book this month? Did you want to read this book this month? If you wanted to read it and didn’t, what happened to prevent it? Were you too focused on the “urgent” to give way to what’s truly important (your relationship with Christ)? Were you a little lazy this month? Are you a guy and think Beth Moore books are for women only? Did I not give you enough reminders to read it this month in my other posts (Guilty as charged!)? I’ll make you a deal: I’ll try to give you more reminders, if you’ll try to read the next book I select. Deal?

Point to Ponder 2: Where is your chronically vulnerable place? Do you have an authority problem and can’t seem to have the faith to allow God to heal that place forever? If so, ask God to help your lack of belief in His power. Then, have confidence that the maker of the universe can do whatever He wants and He most definitely wants to heal YOU! For Pete’s sake (or in this case, Peter’s sake), He let His only Son get killed just so He could be with YOU. That makes you worth a major healing. 🙂

Point to Ponder 3: Are you sometimes so critical of people/things/situations that you fail to notice what God wants to say to you through that person/thing/situation? I’ll give you an example from my own life: I can be sweet to one stranger at a store, but if that same person gets behind the wheel of a car and is in front of me and driving slowly, I immediately start criticizing their “slowpokedness.” Perhaps what I need to remember in that situation is that there is a wreck that’s about to happen ahead of me and God has sent that person to drive slowly to prevent me from being injured in that wreck (or worse–injuring someone else!). Perhaps I need to learn a little patience! Perhaps I need to say a prayer of blessing for that person and some protection from drivers like me who like to get there pronto and sometimes take unnecessary risks on the road! How about you?

Point to Ponder 4: Is this your first Beth Moore book to read? How did it strike you? If you have read other books of hers, what’s your favorite and why? (Yes, –comment away!)

Monday’s Post: It’s WOW time!

You might also like: Slow Reader Friday: Killing Jesus; Slow Reader Friday: And Then There Were Nuns; and Slow Reader Friday: Undaunted

Book Club Lovers: Go here to see the Book Club Selection for June!

Warning: Get 2 beverages first.

Because of the writing hiatus, few MIP readers will probably remember that the January MIP Book Club Selection was Bill O’ Reilly’s and Martin Dugard’s Killing Jesus. Written like a reporter on the scene, Killing Jesus reads like a fast-paced, yet meticulously-detailed and intriguing tale. Unlike many Christians today, I chose not to go and see The Passion of the Christ. I felt I wouldn’t be able to handle the outright gore of Jesus’ death. After reading Killing Jesus, that was the right decision to make!

I had some reservations about reading this book and in making it the January MIP Book Selection. First, both of the authors are Roman Catholics. Would they rely too heavily upon Roman Catholic tradition and books from the Apocrypha? Would they try to “convert” people to Catholicism? While I’m sure some of the Apocrypha is factual, the books were determined too unsubstantiated to be a part of the Protestant Bible by scholars well-versed in all matters of that era of human history. Second, this book would follow (on the Book Club List) another book talking extensively about Catholicism, And Then There Were Nuns. I feared that my readers might think this was my only area of interest! And lastly, Bill O’Reilly can make me rather uncomfortable with his obvious confrontational grandstanding and self-promotion.

I shouldn’t have worried. At the outset of the book, the authors clearly admit that they are both Roman Catholics, but they do not wish to convert anyone to some “spiritual cause”–they merely want to tell the reader as much factual truth about Jesus’ death as they can possibly find. At the end of the book, their very detailed notes about their research and sources show that they did consult multiple scholarly works both recently and in the past to make sure they were truthfully reporting what is known about his death. Yes, they do rely, rather heavily in my opinion, on Josephus’ book in the Apocrypha, but keep in mind that, unlike their previous books, Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, they were unable to consult youtube.com, journals, newspapers, biographies and other more modern sources for information! I just choose to discount some of Josephus’ accounts to a small degree as a Protestant. If anything, their sources are now on my reading list, based on their own impressions of the sources! And as a kid I was raised in Indiana, so my readers will have to forgive me if I am sometimes on a “Catholic bent.” I was surrounded by Catholicism in a state that is home to Notre Dame University!

Instead of giving you quotations today, I will list some facts I learned from Killing Jesus that I didn’t previously know. And as a preacher’s kid, that is rather remarkable, in and of itself!

1. Herod suffered from lung disease, kidney problems, worms, a heart condition, sexually transmitted diseases, gout and gangrene. He was so disabled he couldn’t even leave his palace.

2. Caesar’s death was so vicious that the senators stabbed each other.

3. Marc Antony was a pedophile.

4. The roads to Jerusalem were so dangerous that the pilgrims going there for Passover traveled in huge groups to protect themselves from criminals.

5. Crucifixion was such a bad way to die that Roman citizens could not be executed this way.

6. The Roman teams of soldiers taking care of crucifixions were vigorously trained on how to make the condemned suffer the longest, most agonizing death possible.

7. As part of this torturous process, the condemned’s legs are broken and the condemned person would most likely wind up urinating and defecating in full view of those watching.

8. The taxation of Jewish citizens was so high that many citizens suffered from malnutrition.

9. Joseph’s death most likely occurred sometime between Jesus’ 13th and 30th birthdays, making him head of the household and responsible for supporting his mother and siblings.

10. Tiberias often swam with “tiddlers,” naked young boys who “nibbled” between Tiberias’ legs.

11. Pilate’s appointment to Judea was not considered a “cushy assignment.”

12. During Passover, the Temple courts would have reeked from the smell of blood from the slaughtered animals needed for the ritual sacrifices that had to be offered.

13. The 4 million Passover visitors meant big bucks to all involved in this huge industry of supplying unblemished sacrificial animals. The “industry” not only involved money changers and livestock providers, but also the Temple aristocracy and Roman leaders of the area.

14. Tiberias actually liked the Jews and scolded Pontius Pilate for behavior that invoked a riot.

15. The behaviors that actually were more troubling to the “industry” were not Jesus’ so-called blasphemous words, but his rampages through the Temple, overturning tables of coins and letting out the animals that were there to be bought for the sacrifices. And he did this twice!

16. The only reason to try and trip up Jesus as he preached was to find a way to be able to execute him without it looking as if money was the motive!

17. The people sent to trip up Jesus were considered very knowledgeable about Torah law and had so much “intel” that they often beat Jesus to his next destination.

18. Caiaphas allowed Pontius Pilate to loot the Temple funds.

19. Because of Passover, the timing of Jesus’ arrest, trial and death became a huge problem.

20. 30 silver coins was the equivalent of 4 months’ wages. Think how that might sound to a man who has been malnourished for a long time.

21. Each crucifixion death squad was composed of 5 men, including an exactor mortis who oversaw it.

22. One can actually sweat blood and Jesus did.

23. High priests were appointed for life so that the money pipeline flowed unimpaired. Thus, Annas, a high priest, was wealthy and powerful.

24. Everything about Jesus’ trial and death was illegal.

25. One member of the death squad held an abacus to count the lashes given to a prisoner.

26. In some ways Jesus’ crucifixion was much less severe than other crucifixions, yet Jesus died in a shorter amount of time than most condemned to this death.

27. Usually, a crucified person would be left on the cross for days so that wild animals can eat the deceased or so the body decomposes before everyone.

28. Deceased bodies were kept in tombs for a year. The bones were then placed in a stone jar.

29. Trees were carried in from many miles to handle the large numbers of crucifixions.

30. Cleopatra died from opium and hemlock, not from an asp’s bite.

31. Jesus had 4 brothers: James, Joseph, Judas and Simon and several sisters.

32. The dove appearing at Jesus’ baptism appeared after his baptism and was a real dove.

33. Women in Jesus’ time were considered the equals of men.

34. Legend suggests that Jesus’ exactor mortis became a Christian.

35. Jesus may have called Simon “the Rock” to poke fun at his unstable personality traits.

36. Jesus was 36 when crucified and probably was born in March during lambing season.

So, if you have read Killing Jesus, what stood out to you?

Monday’s Post: WOW time!

You Might Also Like: Slow Reader Friday: And Then There Were Nuns; Slow Reader Friday: Undaunted; and Slow Reader Friday: Life Interrupted

As many of you know, MIP has a Book Club. On Friday, May 23^rd expect the Book Club to “rev up” again. The Slow Reader Friday post that day will be for our last Book Club selection and an announcement will be made for the June Book Club selection. Consider this your invitation to join those of us who already read the selections each month, if you haven’t joined us so far! We have even had an author join in on the discussion!

A lot of you also know that my operating budget for running this little blog is a big fat zero. Thus, I often rely on Amazon gift cards, gifts, hand-me-downs, and “leftovers” for book selection fodder! I’ve recently rearranged my MIP bookshelf, adding some of my brother’s books to the collection. As I surveyed the rearranged shelf, I realized, “This is one eclectic collection of craziness!”

I am about to reveal how illiterate I am and that I’m way, way behind in reading books by great writers. Do I get to plead busy wife, mom, career woman and student for this???  Also, as you can see, I will read just about anything…once!

Thus, I would appreciate hearing your thoughts and comments about such a bookshelf and which books should be an MIP Book Selection. Are there any I should avoid? For instance, I’m not into blatant Christian bashing, cussing, gratuitous sex, horror stories or over-the-top violence! As old as some of these titles are, all of them, except one (which I removed from this list) are still alive and well on Amazon.com. Comment away!

• Pride and Prejudice
• The Art of the Steal
• Raving Fans
• The Da Vinci Code
• To Fly Again
• Op-Center: Acts of War
• Op-Center: Balance of Power
• Op-Center: Line of Control
• Power Plays: Cold War
• Net Force: CyberNation
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• George’s Marvelous Medicine
• Three Guardsmen
• Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
• Fields for President
• The Final Helping of “You Might Be a Redneck If…”
• Ocean’s 11
• Snickers from the Front Pew
• A Different Kind of Christmas
• Between Sisters
• How the Scots Invented the Modern World
• The Journey: Forgiveness, Restorative Justice, & Reconciliation
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
• Alex & Me
• Presbyterians & the American Revolution: A Documentary Account
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• The Happiest People on Earth
• One Was Johnny
• Texas High School Football Dynasties
• The Unlikely Spy
• A Grace Disguised
• Get Off Your Knees & Pray
• Charlotte’s Web

Friday’s Post: Does Lumosity.com Really Illumine???

You might also like: Slow Reader Friday:  And Then There Were Nuns; Slow Reader Friday: Undaunted; and Slow Reader Friday: Life Interrupted

Warning: War and Peace was shorter.

Book Club Readers: Click here for the January 2014 MIP Book Club Selection Announcement!

Good morning, Book Club Members and MIP readers! We are truly blessed this morning to have the author of the December 2013 MIP Book Club Selection, And Then There Were Nuns, give us some additional insights into her book and the monastic life. So, Jane Christmas? If you’re reading this, thank you so much for gracing us with your “presence.”

I have to confess that I’m rather stunned and deeply honored that a published author of several books would take the time to interact with a lowly new blogger (moi). But that just tells you how kind and thoughtful Jane Christmas is in “real life.” I am truly enjoying getting to her know her via emails right now and have this very selfish dream that someday we may be able to meet in person (In my dream world, we meet at a writer’s conference. Okay…stop laughing over there…it could happen.). Keep in mind that Ms. Christmas is now living in England and thus, some of the spellings of words are indicative of living in that beautiful country (Someday I’ll explain why our spellings differ, if you don’t already know.)

Here is the transcript of my interview with Jane:

1. What are the purposes and/or differences of the offices? Which one ultimately became your favorite and why?

In 4^th century Italy, Benedict of Nursia (St. Benedict) devised the monastic day around eight offices, or periods of worship: Vigils/Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. Most monastic communities now use an abbreviated regime of four offices—Lauds, Eucharist, Evening Prayer, and Compline.  The offices are held over the course of the day at regular intervals so that one does not become carried away with a particular activity: in monastic life nothing should compete with or overshadow the worship of God.  So basically, there are two or three hours between the offices—just enough time to do a task, but not too long to get heavily involved in it.

My favourite office is Lauds. I’m a morning person, and I loved waking up to the toll of the bell, to the silence of the convent, and to the practice of not uttering a word until my mouth opened in prayer in chapel. The music/chants and readings at Lauds all point to a new day, of waking up to God, and I loved that imagery, loved the positivity and optimism that it conveyed. It put me in very good humour, at least for the morning!

2. Have any of the sisters mentioned in And Then There Were Nuns read the book? If so, what reactions did they have regarding your sense of humor, occasional swearing and your more “secular moments” as you contemplated the notion of becoming a nun?

I have heard from several sisters (and one monk) who enjoyed the book. It must be a little weird to see their lifestyle and their colleagues reflected back at them, or to see how an outsider views their world or struggles to adapt to their way of life. Religious are so accustomed to their practice and routine that they likely don’t question the things someone like me would question, or see humour in the things I experienced.  As for swearing, I have to tell you that a few nuns of my acquaintance swear more than me! That said, I was intentionally careful with my language in this book. My previous books are pretty free and easy with expletives, but while I was discerning my vocation I did not swear. There are only two instances in And Then There Were Nuns where it is used, and one was in a direct quote. To be honest, I am tired of the f-word; it has pretty much been jettisoned from my lexicon. There is no satisfaction in using it – even in muttering it under my breath—and I find it jarring hearing people use it in public. It is so overused. 

3. If the entire world, including the business world, were to adhere to a convent’s daily schedule, what benefits would we enjoy, as a result? What negatives might there be for our world, from utilizing such a schedule, if any?

For one thing, business would slow down incredibly. It would be a good thing to see the world take its time. On the other hand, we have become so accustomed to speed and instant results that I’m not sure we could turn the clock back on that.  However, it would be lovely to see a pattern of worship and prayer followed in society. Muslims seem to be able to stop work for prayers throughout the day; shutting their businesses on Fridays for an hour to go to the mosque, so I don’t see why Christians can’t do the same thing.  Interspersing the day with periods of prayer—and they don’t have to be long (Evening Prayer is only 15 or 20 minutes) would make people more reflective; might give them space to ponder a personal issue or even a business proposition. It might inspire a creative idea that could not be formulated in the workplace, for instance, or someone might hear something in a prayer that suddenly clarifies a problem. So I think we would become more creative and more personally disciplined. We all talk about life-work balance, but no one ever follows it. It’s time to try another way. I also believe we would become more peaceful and caring if we made a practice of stopping for prayers during the day. My ideal day would have four offices: Lauds (15 minutes) at 8 or 8:30am; Eucharist (Holy Communion) from noon to 12:30; Evening Prayer (15 minutes) at 5pm; and Compline (20 minutes) said privately or as a household around 9pm.  That’s an hour and 20 minutes a day. Most people devote that time to TV each day.  The other problem is that society is increasingly secular; there is no tolerance for prayer times. Well, no tolerance for prayer times if you are Christian. Christians are quickly killing the culture of their faith because they are basically undisciplined and self-conscious about owning up to their faith. No one criticizes other religions for taking time out for daily prayer, s I don’t see why Christians should be ashamed of doing so.

4. The idea of silence while praying to God is one that I have also recently adopted and just seemed to happen upon on my own. In the churches I have attended the value of silence in conversing with God is and was, rarely mentioned, taught or practiced. Outside of monastic life, is this also true of Anglican and Catholic churches? If so, why do you think this is so rarely discussed or taught?

Silence is talked about and advocated in the Anglican and Catholic churches but rarely is it practiced! In fact, church has become incredibly noisy. The service is loaded up with hymns and announcements, chatter amongst the congregation. It is more a social event than a religious one. I’m much more likely to encounter God while walking in the woods or sitting on a park bench than I am in church.  That’s why I prefer (and encourage in my book) monastic churches. Monastic churches and indeed monastic practice DOES encourage silence and reflection and builds it into the service as well as into the day. I do attend a regular church twice a week—there isn’t a monastic church nearby—so I have to take what’s available, and then build silent periods into my day for prayer and for listening for God.

5. I just recently came to believe that God was also calling me to a writing vocation. I resisted this notion for a ridiculous number of years. My reason for doing so sounded so much like your response to Jesus in your vision. What is it about the writing vocation that we think is not a valid use of one’s life?

That was such a big moment for me! I never truly considered writing a vocation. It felt indulgent and isolating; that it didn’t serve the common good. And yet the written word is SO VITAL. There are so many interesting books being written these days in all genres, and they bring such joy and entertainment to people. Reading is a gift, and sharing the written word with others who cannot read is also a gift.  It has only recently struck me how the books that I write have enlightened people. For instance, lots of people have found And Then There Were Nuns fascinating from the perspective of discovering how a modern convent operates. My book about the Camino—What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim—has inspired loads of people to walk it, and has helped them train for it physically and psychologically.  I’ve received hundreds of emails from readers who enjoy my books but I could never see writing as a calling. It was easier to regard it as a hobby that took up a lot of time and energy. And because I also love writing how could it be a vocation? The term vocation implies something serious and lofty. So that vision with Jesus was a paradigm shift in terms of understanding that I had been blessed with a skill that I have been using rather embarrassedly. It’s funny that we resist the notion of writing as a vocation. I hope that you now see yours as a vocation as I see mine. And perhaps that gift/vocation has been given to us to write about God and faith. That has certainly been clarified for me.

As for my thoughts about the book, I can pretty much sum up this book in one word: surprising. But you know me; I never stop with just one word! I thought this book would be a lighthearted romp through the monastic side of Catholicism and while Jane writes very humorously, as you will see from one of my favorite quotes below, there are some deeply serious reflections in this book. Just when I would think I knew what Jane’s ultimate decision was going to be about becoming a nun, her story takes yet another interesting turn. This is rare for me!

Jane’s journey to self-discovery is one I never, in a thousand years, would have predicted. In fact I hope she is “shopping it” to Hollywood or the British film industry because I’m ready to lay down serious money to go see the finished product. What? You don’t think life in a convent would be that intriguing? You would be wrong! While I am not going to reveal some of the twists in the book, just so you, dear reader, can have an opportunity to discover them yourself (if you’ve been too busy to read this December), here are a few of the minor things that I, for some reason, had never grasped until now:

1. That Anglican churches have nuns and monks.

2. That nuns swear.

3. That the greater churches of monastic orders do not financially support these orders.

While I would love to share all the humorous quotes with you, I am only going to share the one that made me chuckle out loud (again, rather rare for me) the most, simply because I want to recount two quotes that I have often thought, but not voiced nearly so deftly:

1. “Faith is not the surrender of the mind, as some have characterized it, but the expansion of it, and of the heart and spirit as well. It is head-scratching, yes, weird at times, nonsensical, but also brilliant and moving in its simplicity and in the good it succeeds in doing.”

2. “Father Luke had spoken about how, when we have been wounded by the words or deeds of others, our first reaction is to retreat from the world, which actually makes things worse for ourselves. Better, he said, to use the experience to reach out to others who have also been wounded.”

3. “Every morning I got up, washed, and chose an outfit from the five-outfit 2011 Winter Nun Collection.”

One more thing that now endears me to Jane’s books: She used at least two of my WOWs (Word of the Week). In fact she used frisson and suffuse, which are rather recent WOWs. What are the odds??

As lengthy as this post already is, it seems demonic to ask you to answer questions as we have done in the past. So, instead, would you please share with me (Yes, online. Be brave!) thoughts (good, bad or indifferent) about this interesting book? Submit a comment below. And if you didn’t have time to read the book, is it now on your list of books to read??? Thanks and….Merry Christmas!

Monday’s Post: Are you buying pinchbeck for gifts this holiday season?

You might also like: Slow Reader Friday: Undaunted; Slow Reader Friday: Life Interrupted; Slow Reader Friday: Mere Christianity; and Sl0w Reader Friday: Heaven 

Good morning, Book Club Members! Are you ready to discuss Undaunted by Christine Caine? I know I am. 🙂

I first encountered Christine Caine at the Women of Faith Conference in Dallas back in September. I was wondering how an Aussie found her way to Cowboyland, aka the Big D. But, I didn’t have to wonder too long. As Christine told her story and that of countless numbers of women and children who are enslaved in the human trafficking business around the globe, her story was very compelling. While many speakers at the conference were asking for financial support for their favorite causes, Christine only asked for prayers and now I understand why.

In Undaunted Caine describes how she was largely an unwanted child and then adopted, how she was abused and then loved by one incredibly understanding man, how she was joyously pregnant and then miscarried and yet learned to retain her faith through that long period of grief. She recounts how she was deeply saddened by the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp and asked God to make her open to new opportunities to serve. Waiting too long for luggage turned into a complete upheaval of her life to bring her to a new ministry for which, she admits, she had no earthly idea how to do. She is a living example of good triumphing over evil again and again in Undaunted. 

The most compelling parts of the book were those in which she recounted getting over the hurts and fears of all the miserable experiences in which she found herself, but I did think the “lessons learned” parts of the book began to “drag on,” particularly towards the end. Perhaps that’s because I’ve already heard her speak a few times previously. But, the fact remains that we all should be Undaunted when God asks us to do the “unthinkable.”

Here are my top 3 favorite quotes from the book:

1. “God doesn’t waste one experience of our lives. He uses everything to help someone else…We are all broken in some way. We all have wounds. Some of us use that as an excuse to do nothing, to serve no one, but rather to sit and nurse our misery.”

2. “…disappointments leave something too: a gift, an opportunity, a possibility to create change, to move from the valley of the shadow of death to new horizons, and to bring others with us on that road…the best way to get over your own broken heart or lost dream is to help others get over theirs.”

3. “My eyes, that day, were opened to how, by doing nothing when others suffer, we add to their injury…The oppressed do not see too much difference between those who would keep them down and those who do nothing to help. There is no in-between.”

So, here are the Book Club discussion questions for Undaunted: 

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being “WOW! Loved this book” and 1 being “Really? Why did you even select this book???”, where would you rate this book? (You’re probably going to see this question a lot until I’m comfy with understanding what types of books/writing appeal to you the most–fair warning!)

2. Which one of the stories about Christine Caine’s life made the biggest impression on you? And yes, you can pick more than one, but please tell us why they made a big impression.

3. When Christine Caine spoke about the A21 campaign at Women of Faith, she pointed out that often women are enslaved, drugged, beaten, sexually abused and then when the woman becomes pregnant, her baby is sold into slavery for “use” by pedophiles. Since this is a practice here in the U.S. (as well as globally), how does that thought strike you?

4. Did this book compel you to want to make some changes in your life? How so? Have you begun to implement those changes? What are the obstacles standing in your way?

I cannot wait to hear your comments below!

And if you just cannot contain yourself and you need to know what the December Book Club Selection is, click here.

Monday’s Post: Are you part of the booboisie?

You might also like: Slow Reader Friday: Life Interrupted; Slow Reader Friday: Mere Christianity; Slow Reader Thursday: Heaven; and of course, the Book Club Page!

Well, Book Club Homies…we’re here! I hope you have taken the journey with me as I read Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer. And here’s why: I was fortunate to hear Priscilla Shirer speak at the 2013 Women of Faith conference in Dallas. And Priscilla had a tough place on the agenda–right after a filling lunch! She was quick to acknowledge that most of her audience might be nodding off during her time slot! But, she was oh, so wrong–she held my attention the entire time she spoke!

Thus, I was anxious to make the first MIP Book Club Selection her book, Life Interrupted. I have to confess that I chose her book partly because of the ridiculously cheap price for the Kindle edition–a mere $ 2.99. But, it turned out to be a GREAT $ 2.99 to pay. The stoic Scot over here found herself crying several times as I read about her take on the book of Jonah.

I don’t know about you, but I can so relate to Jonah. Running away from my responsibilities is one of my favorite hobbies! But Shirer carefully and skillfully shows us why God did what He did with Jonah and how we, as modern-day Jonahs, can learn to embrace an interrupted life as something new and magnificent and even as an adventure.

It is truly difficult to pick my traditional 3 quotes today, because I’d like to put about 19 here, but here are the ones I selected:

1. “…interruptions are only negative when we deem the person, problem, or circumstance that’s forcing itself on us to be of less value or interest than what we were doing before.”

2. “Hold your own plans loosely and stay ready to submit to His. Consider them to be more important, more desirable than anything you could dream up on your own.

3. “Sometimes the divine intervention of God means breaking allegiance with what you love.”

So, dear Book Club Readers (and Slow Reader Friday Readers!), I have a few questions for you to answer below. Today I will ask you a few more than I will in future months, simply because I want your input about the type of books you like to read, etc. I will do my best to take your interests to heart when I’m considering books for the future:

a) Do you prefer Christian-oriented books or something different?

b) What genre of book is your favorite? Biographies, novels, non-fiction, self-improvement, historical accounts, mysteries, sci-fi???

c) What is the highest you are willing to shell out for a Book Club book? (I’m trying not to break your budget, so please be honest and you can answer under an “assumed name,” if necessary.)

Here are the Life Interrupted questions:

d) On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being “WOW! Loved this book” and 1 being “Really? Why did you even select this book???”, where would you rate this book?

e) What was the most memorable quote of the book for you? Why?

f) What other impressions (good, bad or indifferent) did you have to the book? (Remember–I’m not judging anyone about anything here–you have a right to your own opinion–even if it’s completely different from my own!)

Thanks, in advance, for sharing!

Click here for the November 2013 Book Club Selection!

Monday’s Post: How roweled up are you?

You might also like: Slow Reader Friday: Mere Christianity, Book Club, and Slow Reader Thursday: Heaven by Randy Alcorn