Author Archives: Pooka

May 18, 2012

Home Again – Not Enough Showers to Get Off All the Dirt

By Pooka

Three months seemed more like six or more. But it ended. Gotta say it was far more than I expected, and quite different from the last time I got underway with a ship. I’ve never been to sea with so many people on such a big vessel. Frankly, I don’t think I could’ve predicted the different dynamics. And they were certainly different. I spent most of the time doing everything but the usual things in my job description. Which should illuminate how the whole thing works. The job description is more like a guideline from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Something broke – in me, not the ship – on this trip. I’m still unable to pin down just what goes on. Maybe it’s an early mid-life thingy or just the entirely new environment after several years of being on land. At least those might contribute.

The barrage of humanity – close, heavy, overwhelming and incessant was quick to become a problem. My last experience on a ship did not include the perspective I have of life, the universe and everything that I have now. And I took much of the sailorese, tradition and general dirt of people rather hard. It is difficult like nothing else I can think of to maintain peace and patience in the midst of the world when the world is condensed into a couple of thousand people living in a giant shoe-box on the sea.

To really explain all this out is more than I can put into a single post. That is why several of the previous entries are more poetic attempts to capture some of what I was feeling at the time.

Suffice to say, it was a shock nearly every day to hear the crassness, the dark thoughts and misery of regular people again after so long. I’ve been sheltered for a long time. I don’t like it, but I got the point rather late that there really is a real world and I’m part of it. I got my sailorese – the cussin’ and foulness back fairly quickly and then spent the duration fighting against it.

I lost a lot of faith, in a way, but I gained some insight into the mechanics of The Faith as well. There is something to be said about ivory tower Christianity, but in all, the isolation from Real World may be more of a loss. Though I find it distasteful or distressing (depending on the particulars), I think it’s better to be “in the mix” rather than in a monastery. We forget the complexity of depravity and corruption (our own!)  when we stay in our houses, our little support circles and home-schools. Apart doesn’t mean out-of, though every time I’ve been in there, I’ve wanted to run. A few times should have seen me running but I didn’t, and I hate that.

I also learned that to compare me to those great trials in the Scriptures (or anywhere else), in light of this common world is a difficult and often not-so-profitable exercise. Yes, my difficulties may well pale in comparison to those of the greats – David and Joseph, Paul and Christ – but I am not them – just a shadow of their massive weights on our lives. They set a standard for righteousness and suffering all at once, but I think we forget that they are (especially Jesus) more than we are. They are first things, the Formers and the Designers – hand-picked by God Almighty for essential elements of His plan of redemption and we are not co-actors on that level. We are recipients of their gifts of suffering, goodness, faith and all that entails.

Though I take up my cross daily, in emulation of Christ, I do not take up His Cross. That one I cannot take up; only He could. So I am not safely comparable to Him in my own trials. I am small and weak (made manifestly obvious during the last three months), and need Him for my support. I cannot endure what the greats endured for I am not in that select crew. I am not downplaying the Christian position; rather I am thinking that we over-rate our individual status in suffering and trials in some way that makes us equal to the task.

And we’re not. At least I’m not.

To accept this (provided I’m thinking rightly) may be a key to a right standing before the benevolent Father and His interceding Son. Broken and needy is far greater than safely cushioned in a fall. Fall far enough, fast enough and no amount of pious cushion can save. The impact reveals the lie.

Crying out to the Father-Son-Spirit for help sometimes ends up best when I don’t feel safe. Pleading for my life may end best with that uncertainty that comes from a desolate echo in my heart, reminding me that there’s still more to bear, more to fear, more trudging and sweating and groaning.

Remind me, o Spirit,
of my smallness, my weak estate.
for I depend, every second
on thy provision to make
my breath upon my lips
my gaze upon God’s grace
my feet fast on the earth
my trust truly trusting
And not upon my own work
Which fails as it stands.

The claim is that religion is a crutch. That may be fairly accurate from time to time.
Sometime the claim falls sorely short. The Faith is sometimes a gurney.
With an IV, straps, blankets and a half-dozen people trucking along with gauze, pain-killers, sutures and other bloody tools making slow headway in just keeping the patient alive during the trip.

6 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in The Faith

April 1, 2012

Today Tis Not Enough

By Pooka

I cannot see
How you find joy in me
With my ceaseless perils
And hiding and dying

I cannot lift me
I cannot reach your security
There is no path
To the seas of glass

Though I weep
Tears in this deep
Deep soul and cry to you
Today tis not enough

Nor any day
These days
And no enemy
Oppresses me

No enemy here
Upon which my eye may rest
Simply endless fear
And ponderous darkness

You might think
Satisfaction finds
Itself in looking back
To days more fine

That I might take heart
In all that you are
Father, Giver, Son
And all that you have done

But it rests not in me
I cannot see
My mind swallows me
In cloud and perilous black

I have read your psalms and the sweet refrains mind me of summer-land. Though I return to the shadows, trembling afresh at the weight upon me, I have read your psalms. I have believed and you have marked this humble thing of a man. I remain, crying out to you, and you have answered. The Lord has answered my cries and he has dealt mercifully with me. I only await the burden of his lovingkindness. One day there shall be no more tears.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Nightfall, Paper Screams, poetry, The Faith

March 12, 2012

Of Lust and Lethargy

By Pooka

This place, it is dark and soiled.
Its uncured leather bands,
Tied to bind my hands
Grind onto me the miasma,
The sweat of clouded minds
And it burdens all my toil.

I hate them
They hurt me
They lead me astray
There is no dawn
My Hope seems far away
I’ve been fenced from the table

I find me the fool
I cannot labor for I guard
My fallow fields under a foul star
Of lust and lethargy
Alone surrounded and
Covering my ears from the cruel

The hope I’d found
I found so sweet
It disappeared
With the horizon
That life I feared
Came back as the hope faded

The cruel words, the thrusts
The putrescence that surges to me
Pulls out my tongue, Drags at me,
And forces me to wag
A bitter stream of cursed nightmares
Things I left, I left back there

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God. – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

I’ve learned a few things in just a few weeks. My strength is not my own, and my faith is not mine either. I always pride myself in my own self. I look at my accomplishments, the confidence and hopefulness stemming from a wash of dreamy perfection that is my own creation. It’s always been that way, and the good, warm, sweet things that surround me lead me to greater heights of security, loving my sordid sort of wisdom-collecting and word-weaving. My own increase has been my increase, a snake consuming its tail.

Removal from the fold has illumined this and brought back old nightmares that I’ve foolishly believed gone. And the Lord of Creation may well laugh at my foolishness, for I see once again that it is Him I have forgotten in my facile little attempts at piety, my falsetto holiness. O that my mind would consume this truth, that I would realize with some permanence that I am not the sum of my salvation. I run through the back of my head constantly that my feet are dirty, they are of clay and I tread the carpets of God’s House with these foul things. But it’s not real. Not real enough.

Until today, when the sunshine failed to lift my spirits and the sea suddenly hasn’t enough water to wash me clean. Then, then I am reminded that the cleansing flood is not my pursuit but His. Not my sweat and tears but His. Not my blood, which runs foul of its own streams but His, which is life, pure and purging, lifting my death from me, my lameness from my feet and my dumbness from my mouth. Before I could speak only evil. And still I can only spew the vitriol of those around me, lest I remember, by God’s grace, that I am His. I am among His people who He has made for Himself.

It is dark here, dark and infectious. I feel the teeming, groping shadows at my periphery and I almost, almost feel like rejoining them. But no. In the words of a little angel wiser than me, “but no.”

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Nightfall, Paper Screams, poetry, The Faith

March 2, 2012

A Wall I Might Not Climb

By Pooka

I haven’t explored much me in recent times at this blog. So suppose there’s still a place for such things. I think it’s a trap. OTOH maybe I can record it and revisit in hopes I can work it out. As may be seen shortly, however, I haven’t much confidence of success here. Conversation seems to fail me – I cannot bring up the terms and phrases that make all this clear, so discussing this in person just doesn’t work at this point. Of course I wonder if it ever has in my short history.

Something that frustrates me greatly is my lack of mental acuity to know what to do in a situation involving conflict. Specifically I mean conflicting personalities or motives. I’m tied up in some sort of blinding bubble that seems to prevent me from thinking clearly how to respond to direction or make decisions based on how others respond to me. I am tempted to back into a shell. In some regards, I think my head is still spinning from the buzz of three very intensive weeks of change. Things are very different from what I remember of all my previous assignments, even the other ships. Granted, I’m in a different paygrade and therefore position of authority, but what I remember from before does not reflect in what I see now. So things are confusing.

All that being said, I see my typical failures coming right through, amplified in some cases, but consistent. I can’t seem to employ tact in giving direction or making decisions. I can’t seem to communicate in a way that appeals to others. In fact, I’ve done a fair job of ruining others’ good impression of me in a couple of cases and I’m not sure there is a quick way to repair that. That, however, is something I think I can handle, for I’m aware of the method by which I may seek restoration: humble patience. I’m not necessarily good at that, but I know to pursue it; and for as long as necessary. But I keep stumbling over my own intentions and desires, my own understanding of these conflicted situations and mixed personalities. And it’s highly discouraging. I simply do not know what to do at any given moment. I wish I could explain the circumstances in which I find myself with a little more detail, but due to the professional nature of the situation I cannot.

So why is it that I can’t seem to get things right? One would think that, after 16 years of experience in this field, variety in many aspects making me supposedly well-exposed to a great variety of character and wisdom-building events, I would have learned how to deal with these conflicts. I am highly tempted to fall back on my old belief that this simply isn’t the place for me. Perhaps I’m not really cut out for this role. But in many ways I love it. I do enjoy the technical work and caring for others; trying to help with the labor and profession of this team. Every team with which I’ve been associated has seen me wanting to do for them. But I think every time I have seen the same failures on my part. This one may well be up there for contention as the worst 3 weeks of them all.

I know the fault of mine. But I cannot trace the fault of mine to every corner of the trial I find. My sin has undone some things which will take time and continued repentance to repair (Lord willing). But I still can’t escape my weakness. I can’t seem to overcome this inability to make wise decisions and time them correctly. And I can’t respond correctly when the conflict comes. Once upon a time everything was easy. I didn’t have these responsibilities. But that was long ago and now I have it, have had it for quite some time. And I have not experienced any improvement over that time. It appears to me as though I was still fresh into the pool with no stroke or rhythm whatsoever. This is a race I just don’t think I can run. Now that the overconfidence that stems from selfishness and newness has been crushed, I’m back to zero again. It seems to happen that way every time. I’m 37. I know there are a lot of years left in the maturity scales (should the Lord be kind to me in my aging). I have plenty of time on the job but from my perspective I show no remarkable improvement.

I swear that I am not a leader of men and right now I regret that I am again in that position.

The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?
The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know the way to the city.
(Ecclesiastes 10:12-15 )

6 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in More About, special

January 30, 2012

Book Review: Good News for Anxious Christians

By Pooka
I just had to write this review. Finished the book several days ago, started again back at the beginning to do it again. I don’t normally mark up books, but found myself pulling out the pencil and lining and commenting quite a bit. I highly, highly recommend this book. A shout to Junior, who recommended it at the Christmas Party – I was doubting how well this read would turn out during the first couple of chapters, but when the bomb dropped, I thought of the recommendation and repented of my doubts. Wonderful book.
So here is my review as it should (pending approval) appear on Amazon.com
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Work For More Than Just College Kids
January 30, 2012
This review is from: Good News for Anxious Christians: 10 Practical Things You Don’t Have to Do (Paperback)

This book is wonderful. Good News for Anxious Christians levels both barrels of theology and philosophy at a twisted system of religion that has overgrown our churches and lives. Philip Cary does an amazing job of tackling the little stuff, rolling it all up into the big stuff and then delivers paragraph after paragraph of convicting, convincing thought that should serve to turn the reader to the real Gospel, real Biblical faith, piety and the real church.

The material in this book is perfect for young and old readers from all periods of the faith – from just-saved to been-saved-a-while. Cary covers all the ground, from worship to pastors, thinking to feeling and just ties it all together so nicely that one must simply sit back, put the book down and chew for a while on the words he turns.

As advertised, the book is chock-full of zingers and eye-grabbing lines. But this, as well as the didactic theory all blends together in what appears to be a carefully calculated sequence of arguments. The first 4 chapters or so may well seem to drag, but the reader will suddenly find himself hit with the entire pile of thinking all of a sudden in later chapters – everything is very well linked and builds upon previous bits until it’s just about perfect.

You won’t go to church or read your Bible or talk about your faith the same way again after reading this book. Highest recommendation. I’d call it the book of the year if I had any clout at all.

Thank you, Mr. Cary.

2 comments   |  tags: , | posted in special

January 17, 2012

Baptism Last Call

By Pooka

Cover for Item ReviewedContinuing from Sunday’s Baptism Retread, I want to demonstrate this from my own past and that of my kids. My oldest, was “baptized” into a pagan family. She was born to witches and dedicated in accordance with her family’s beliefs. No choice there.

Now we were more honest than Christians at the time as well. We, as parents, determined to raise our daughter with freedom to choose her beliefs by not explicitly indoctrinating her into witchcraft’s creeds or practices. Credo-baptist Christians do not do this with their own – they create a half-way dilemma for their kids in which the dedication and upbringing are Christian, but do not provide for inclusion in the covenant family of God. Essentially, this creates pagans being accepted into the family and church. Does the term Christian-in-name-only come to mind?

The world has the concept of baptism down perfectly. Children born outside the church, to non-Christian families are “baptized” into the religion of their fathers by full acceptance as just what they are; no “of age” requirements or professions of faith required at any point in order to become part of the family or culture or nation.

Once again, it seems most natural to me to think that the position of “believer’s baptism” as the only acceptable view of baptism is backward and unfaithful to the Scripture and God’s revealed system.

For additional reference:

I find that the arguments against paedobaptism are similar to the arguments against paedocommunion. I think that the analyses of PC are fitting where they do not similarly suit PB. Analyses of PB included in these references point toward validating the baptism of infants and young children. So far, it appears that PC isn’t for minor children because of the complexity, obligation and depth of the Lord’s Supper as opposed to baptism.

OPC paedocommunion – a great layout of the scriptural and historical grounds concerning paedocommunion.

PCA paedocommunion – a collection of position papers and statements on the issue.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in The Faith

January 15, 2012

Baptism Retread

By Pooka

http://www.newlifelamesa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/hero-baptism.jpg

I have a few more thoughts on infant baptism. Stuff I didn’t mention here in three big arguments for covenant baptism.

Primarily, I’d like to discuss this in a way that demonstrates how God’s system permeates even our “godless” society and traditions. Children are remarkably claimed by everything into which they are born, except for One Big Thing which mystifies me to no end. A year ago I was unsettled and unwilling to commit to the idea of infant, or covenant, baptism. It was foreign to me, and didn’t make much sense. I was more than willing to at least explore the idea, being more than aware that my Christian education was lacking in most areas, especially in the Reformed ideas of covenants and sacraments. So I read. And read and read. And then I wrote. And wrote.

Denial of infant baptism actually breaks a pattern that has been running for millenia. I’ll keep it really brief. Children have had no choice in things like birth-parents, family name, Christian name, nationality, race, religion or what’s-for-dinner for as long as children have been around. Why in the world do we come up with the idea that they are not members of the church? The church is not a business that only “hires” people of legal working age. The church has never been a club that “cards” prospective patrons to see if they’re old enough to enter. The church has ever been considered an outpost, a consulate or embassy of God’s kingdom in the world. Therefore, I think it should make sense to baptize infants with the understanding that essentially is corroborated by practices of historical and modern custom and legal matters. Here are some references.

Birth abroad … Citizenship … Family Law Basics

Now, to quell the suspicion that I’m using the World to interpret the Bible in a Christian issue that needs to be resolved, I must refer back to my previous posts and the Word in general to make the claim that there’s no argument here. The Scriptures assume, just as they assume covenants in general, that children born to believing parents (or covenant families) are considered participants in the covenants. Isaac did not have to wait to be the covenant child until Genesis 24. Jacob and Esau did not have to wait until they were “of age” to begin the battle of who would be the continuation of the Promise. The firstborn children of Israel had no say in their survival on the day of the passover when the Lord’s angel came into Egypt and started the holocaust.

In every case of children I can think of, none had to prove themselves or hit a certain age before they were anointed or circumcised or sprinkled. Children were partakers of the covenants of God as soon as they entered into the world. The fact that there was this mysterious baptism thing in the New Testament really doesn’t come to bear on the children:

  1. They didn’t need to be included in the revision of being called out: They inherited whatever was going to happen, regardless, because they were children.
  2. Baptism was simply a modal shift from circumcision, not an entirely new practice that completely wiped out all past meaning and practices from the times of the Patriarchs. In fact, Baptism wasn’t even an entirely new idea in the first place. What people apparently are all worked up over was nothing more than the most obvious and poignant means of “setting apart” or “cutting off” seen in circumcision. Baptism, sprinkling, anointing and other means of marking the one who belonged to the covenant all made it into the omnibus version of applying God’s promises in word and touch – baptism.
  3. They weren’t the main actors! Those in the New Testament were primarily conversant adults because they were required to interact with Jesus and His apostles on the level at which the Scriptures speak. And those adults were automatically responsible for those children.
  4. Jesus gave it to them, without mention of their age or eligibility: Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Finally, we who are believers in the doctrine of election, of God’s sovereignty, all should be convinced that it is God’s work and choice that we have become His children and that we were not really given the option to turn to Him for our salvation. He dragged us, kicking and screaming, from our place at the brink of hell into His courts where we may enjoy Him forever. What more could help us to understand that His children are as much in our place as we are? More so, for we were afar off, but our children, born into our Christian families and churches are not so far off, are they?

I hope that helps.

5 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in The Faith

January 1, 2012

Idols Of Marriage

By Pooka

There are a great many similarities between Christ and the church, our relationship to the Father and our relationship in marriage. It’s been said consistently that marriage is a shadow that greatly symbolizes Christ’s relationship to His bride, the Church. Ephesians 5 pretty much lays this out for us:

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for herto make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

I’d like to trace this out a little bit differently. As Christians, our sinful nature separates us from our Lord in our own lives over and over again. It must be understood, and remembered, that it is our God who steps into our lives and interacts with us, brings us into communion and community with Him and our fellow saints. All our good actions, thoughts and words are results of His intervention in our lives, specifically through His Spirit who dwells within us.

Outside of Christ, all good is vanity, merely a superficial sugar coating on what is ultimately twisted and evil, so appearances deceive. We must not base our lives and qualities on that which the World puts on display as right or righteous. So I’m talking most to Christians here, from what I believe should be the proper Christian perspective.

As Husband and Wife, there are idols which replace our proper relationship to each other. They may seem right, or even be essentially indistinguishable from our marital relationship. But as we have our perpetual idol factories going on all our days, separating us from our Lord’s good will and commands, those same sorts of idols do double duty to divorce us from our marriages. I perceive most of these because they are little shadows and great chasms in my own family, but some are based on what I’ve observed outside as well.

What they are, specifically, I would think becomes obvious, as soon as we think of our barriers to proper marital relationships as idol-like things. Obsession with work (in order to provide, of course), obsession with the kids (replacing that of husband or wife), preservation of the house or living status or any number of other material things. All sorts of little and big things we may believe are part of our familial duties become more important to us than the family itself. Even the devotion of a husband to his wife can be compromised by just the secret little place of spite that is hidden away but resides in every thing he does for her. Hypocritical commitment is not commitment at all, but is a living, breathing divorce that endures over time, seeping bitterness and alienation into what is God’s greatest (and first) establishment of human interrelation.

We create idols for our marriage just for the same reasons that we do so in place of God. Because we only want to trust what we control, what we can manipulate. Or worse, what we think we can understand and develop. Yes, she isn’t easy to figure out or he isn’t easy to live with. No, she isn’t what you originally bargained for (bargained? What? I think that’s pretty shoddy, considering all good things come from the Lord and He is the one who designed her and presented her to you in the first place). No, he isn’t obsessed with you like he was in the beginning.None of these things holds water to what God designed in marriage and none of the substitutes make up in any way.

Here is the answer. It’s probably disappointing to read, but it’s all I’ve been able to figure out in 15 years of marriage. Christ. The directions we have for our relationship to Christ are our directions for doing right by our spouse. I mean that literally: If we are to love our wives as Christ loved the church and we are to submit to our husbands as the church submits to Christ, then lets do that first. Look for devotion to Him and devotion to spouse should follow suit.

The church, being the Bride, should as a whole be alert to this equation and seek to build it in the marriages that comprise her membership. Members of the Body of Christ should be able to come to their church for support and leadership in marriage trials. But all of this depends on the whole being devoted to Christ, His Word and sacraments. Without the elements of the Faith, ain’t nonna this going to go much farther. All else that has developed in and outside the Christian religion is but works without belief and trust in the Savior. Counseling, tips, guidebooks, philosophy, 12-steps, all of these are works. The sacrifice, devotion, empathy, sympathy, emotion and everything else that comprise the sweetness of marriage are only real if they develop out of a commitment to the Lord and because we believe and love Him first. He makes it work, not us. The mystery, of course is that God makes the trials and efforts we endure and enact build our relationships. Ponder that, but depend on Him.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in The Faith

December 26, 2011

Literary Sampler

By Pooka
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eW231aSGAmw/S88Rl-3cjrI/AAAAAAAARPM/vTElkPCYP88/s1600/Carl_Spitzweg_BookWorm.jpg

Sorting is Fun

Highly Updated, Alphabetized and Tabled! Long but incomplete list of authors who’ve crossed my path. Some are good, some abysmal. I haven’t commented on all, but those most notable should have something attached.

Adams, Douglas (“Hitchhikers Guide”, Dirk Gently) The general interrelated mish-mash of all things is a concept to live by. Funny and sometimes very insightful dive into the intricacies of thought, not necessarily based on quality, rather quantity.
Adams, Richard (Watership Down) More cute animals. I love this one too, just like Wind in the Willows. Saw the movie and got the book right afterward. Epic.
Aesop (Fabled to be great).
Alexander, Lloyd (The Black Cauldron) Another childhood memory that I revisited only a few months ago. Still as good as ever. I should read Westmark someday.
Andersen, Hans Christian (Shoes and such).
Anthony, Piers (Isle of Woman, Incarnations) His books are good studies of people and relationships. I really enjoyed “watching” people. The incarnations were definitely NOT representative of immortality in reality, but they were entertaining. Fantasy is just that, FANTASY.
Appleton, Victor (Tom Swift)This series is like the Hardy Boys, only for nerds. I will maintain my opinion of the excellence of these books to any who ask. Okay, I was too nerdy for “The Hardy Boys.” These books, series I, II and III were what got me hooked on reading. I would not read my half-a-million words per week were it not for Victor Appleton’s stories.
Aristotle (Smart Guy).
Asimov, Isaac (Sci-Fi, math, history, science) His research skills are awesome. His insight is opinionated. Historical opinion, especially on the Bible must be taken with a grain of salt (or hallucinatory stuff, depending on how picky you are). Asimov has been a good companion over the last years. His work, though not quite in line with my worldview as far as society goes, has many times brought me to think hard about interaction with others. Much of his ideas regarding humans as a race are, as with Heinlein, worth the effort of fitting into our own thoughts. The Foundation series, and his Guide to the Bible (not from a Christian point of view, mind you) are filled with knowledge and insight.
Aspirin, Robert Robert Aspirin (Sci-Fi).
Bahnsen, Greg L. Postmil Theonomist
Baillie, John John Baillie (Christian Devotion) Wonderful stuff, I need to read it again.
Baum, L. Frank L. Frank Baum (THE WIZ).
Bear, Greg Greg Bear (Darwin’s Children and Radio) Really entertaining. Definitely not believable (which I prefer for fiction).
Berg, Jim Jim Berg (“Changed into His Image” and “Created for His Glory”) I can only thank the Lord for this man’s work. Changed really did just that. I read it twice and I’m different twice because. Conviction straight from the Bible.
Bond, Michael Michael Bond (Paddington).
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Dietrich Bonhoeffer (The Cost of Discipleship) Rocked my world in many ways. Showed me how carried away I can get and how vital my commitment is. Lordship Salvation.
Bradbury, Ray Ray Bradbury (Farenheit) I’m hoping the world ends before this happens. It’s too easy to envision and too frightening and depressing to enjoy reading twice.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer Marion Zimmer Bradley (Mists Of Avalon) Beautiful twist on Arthur and His Knights. I really enjoyed it.
Brooks, Terry (fantasy) Yuck again. It’s not my type.
Brown, Dan (“The Davinci Code” and “Angels and Demons”) Made me want to travel to Europe and see all the old cathedrals and castles and such. He did a really good job of describing the setting. His ideas were junk, based on junk and really just suck, like junk.
Buckland, Raymond (Pagan) A big compendium of paganry. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Buffett, Jimmy (Parrots Normal Writers) I prefer the music but my Wife doesn’t, so the book is less offensive.
Bunyan, John Progressing
Burroughs, Edgar Rice (Martian Chronicles) I picked these up because Heinlein mentioned them. No comparison, but I liked the Barsoomian jokes.
Calvin, John (Institutes Of The Christian Religion) Fantastic insight into what Christians believe, from apologetics to doctrine in general.
Card, Orson Scott (Fantasy).
Carey, Jacquelin (Kushiel’s Chosen/Dart/Avatar) I haven’t read #4. I don’t think I will any time soon. Too far off my moral scale. A year ago I would’ve bent the spine, but I’ve changed.
Carroll, Lewis (Looking through Glass).
Challies, Tim (The Discipline Of Spiritual Discernment.) Wonderful book filled with the truth about judgment, what Christians can do to determine the truth in any situation. Very practical, sound and easy to read.
Chaucer, Geoffrey (Canterbury’s finest).
Cherryh, C.J. (Faded Sun Trilogy. A beautiful story about a “soldier gone native.” I loved every minute of it. This story is epic like Dune and rolls like Star Wars.)
Clancy, Tom (Military Stories).
Clarke, Arthur C. (SPACE).
Clemens, James (Wi’t’ch Chronicles) Fantasy, Nasty, Scary, Nightmarish, Not worth reading. Freaky stuff loosely sewn together by plot and more freaky stuff.
Clemens, Samuel (TOM and HUCK).
Constantine, Storm (Wraiththu) Incredible. The sequel recently released was NOT up to standards.
Cooper, James Fenimore (Last of the Mohicans) The movie was better.
Creighton, Michael (Scientific Sci-fi).
Crowley, Alesdair (Pagan) Magical theory and rituals) Heavy philosophy and guidance. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Cunningham, Scott (Pagan) One of the most popular in the religion. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Dahl, Roald (Peachy).
Dante (Infernal).
De Cervantes, Miguel (Tilts).
Dickens, Charles (Wonderful).
Donaldson, Stephen R. (Covenants) Almost on a level with LOTR, but anachronistic in language and VERY VERY VERY repetitive with words like “hellfire” and other fancy things. I love books that have the scope of vision that Donaldson, Tolkien and Herbert all have. After #6, His sequels sucked.
Doyle, Arthur Conan (Elementary).
Dumas, Alexander (Musketeers).
Edwards, Jonathan Theologian of Puritan Likelihood
Farley, Walter (The Black Stallion) The movie was cool too. Scope again.
Farrar, J. and S. (Pagan). Popular basic Wicca. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Fitzpatrick, Elyse Christian Counselor and Author
Foster, Alan Dean (Funny Sci-fi).
Frank, Anne (Diaretic).
Furey, Maggie (Fantasy) I am guessing it wasn’t great, ‘cause I can’t remember a stitch of the book or the title.
Gemmel, David (Okay Fantasy) Never mind, he sucks. I can’t defend the writing. Just because there’s a lot of books doesn’t mean it’s good.
Gibran, Khall (Poetry of my dreams) Beautiful imagery. I dream of writing poetry as beautiful as his.
Gibson, William (TECH) Invented cyberspace. He’s freaky and night-mare dreamish, but entrancing. More movies should come out. Johhny Mnemonic was a bust.
God (Bible) Version? Currently NKJV but I’m not picky. I don’t consider the Positive Bible, Femme Lib, Gay, Affirmative Action or (insert special category here) to be the Bible. TR is fine, so is the AV, whatever. Quit arguing about the typeset and translation and check the message contained. Oh, and it’s NOT a fortune cookie. I was raised with the Bible, tried for the longest time to ignore it and finally found that it was useless without belief. Now it’s the first, most powerful reference in my life.
Goldman, William (Princess Bride) My all-time favorite movie and the book is great too. I wish there was a sequel.
Graham, Kenneth (The Wind In The Willows) I loved the old toon-films and audio books. I read and loved the stories and they bring back memories as real as if I’d lived them.
Greene, Robert (48 Laws) More like the conspiracy theory stuff. I am not interested in control. It’s scary. I certainly don’t want to do it like the 48 expect. Servanthood, not mastery, is the game and I have a hard enough time with that.
Grimm, Brothers (Faerie Tails).
Grisham, John (Legal stuff zzzzzz….).
Harrison, Harry (Bil the Galactic Hero, Stainless Steel Rat) Pure gunk. I love it. Standing wager among my friends about making it through the entire Bil series in one try.
Heinlein, Robert (THE MASTER of Sci-fi and social ideas) Yep, he’s a humanist. He’s not Christian, but his work is entertaining, informative, and one can do much worse. I don’t keep up with most Sci-fi any more, but I’ll stick with Bob. I have yet to discover useless writing from this source. Some of the most influential works include “Time Enough For Love,” “Starship Troopers, (NOT THE MOVIE! LEARN HOW TO READ!)” “Number Of The Beast,” and “Stranger…
Hemingway, Ernest Author, Journalist
Henry, Matthew (Commentary) Easy to understand break-down of the Bible. I use it regularly. Can’t claim to have read it all, but large chunks have been chewed.
Herbert, Frank (Dune) Scope. The sequels were not as good, but the Brit movie that came out a while back, was really cool. The original Dune movie was okay because of innovation, not much else.
Herodotus Ancient Historian
Herriot, James (Veterinary stories) Beautiful stories of the old country. I loved the audio books. Just peaceful reading. Like Sherlock Holmes the Vet, sort of, only dark and stormy nights are more about getting out of the cold/wet, rather than catching the badguy.
Hesse, Herman (Siddhartha) Eastern religion. Not my cuppa any more, but it helped me get an A on my World Religion course this year.
Hickman, Tracy (Fantasy).
Hyde, Daniel R. URC Pastor, Author
Jordan, Robert (Fantasy) Blech. I decided I don’t like this stuff. Popularity doesn’t guarantee quality.
Keith, Harold (Rifles for Waitie) This was another book from my youth. I still have the copy I first read. Wonderful. My daughter has to do a book report on it.
King, Stephen (Gunslinger) I don’t really like any other works in his horror collections. I enjoyed Green Mile and Shawshank as movies.
Kraig, Donald Michael (Magical Theory) Almost entirely ritual and magical application. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
L’Amour, Louis (Westerns) History in every one. So many authors are overlooked because of their type-casting. L’Amour is a master of historical fiction. Read “The Haunted Mesa” and “The Walking Drum” back to back and then write your reviews. My first memorable story was “Down The Long Hills,” force-fed to me in the fifth grade, I think. I loved it and soon my Uncle Wilbur began flooding me with titles in periodic packages. Definite essentials include “Flint,” “Last Of The Breed,” “Education Of A Wandering Man,” “Smoke From This Altar.”
Lahaye, Tim (Left Behind et all) Blech. Trying to force Daniel and Revelation from the Bible into a believable story is for God, not man. The characters sucked, the scenes were repetitive and predictable (no pun) and the bad guys were stupid like Cobra from G.I. Joe cartoons. Over-armored idiots. We all know evil people are not stupid, why hope they’re not?
Lloyd-Jones, Martyn Theologian of Doctor Descent
Lawhead, Stephen (Historical medieval) He’s pretty good. Sometimes drawn out and not always temporally accurate in his use of words. Endings can be cheesy, but overall gets an A- for his stories.
Lewis, C.S. C. S. Lewis (Mere Christianity, Lion Witch Wardrobe, Space Trilogy) He’s had some critics in Christian circles about his use of allegory, but I take the simple stance that fantasy is Fantasy. Look beyond what you see. Oh, and the evil witch is just that… EVIL. Quit crying about witchcraft. Friend of Tolkien, and amazing thinker, Lewis has inspired me greatly. Mere Christianity is an eye-opener for those of us new to the Way, as well as anyone who hasn’t found Him yet. The Space Trilogy and the Chronicles of Narnia are, simply… You’ve just gotta read ‘em yourself. Beautiful work, not in the immensity of Tolkien, but in a more direct fashion.
Lowry, Lois (Gathering Blue) I still don’t get why this sort of work is on banned book lists.
Lucado, Max (Beautiful) Watered down but still moving. I prefer hard-hitting doctrine to mushy-poetic motivational-preaching. If you’re going to hit me with God’s Word, it had better pack the PUNCH of God’s Word. Catholics and Baptists can have peaceable lunch together over this stuff.
Luther, Martin (Galatians Commentary and Concerning Christian Liberty) Powerful doctrine of the church, the minister, Christian living and much more. A most valuable read.
Machen, J. Gresham (Christianity And Liberalism) A great read that illuminates very well all sorts of troubles with the Church of Christ in today’s society just as much as when it was written. Cross-read with Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and John Calvin’s Institutes.
Machiavelli, Niccolo (The Prince).
Mack, Wayne A. Biblical Counselor and Author
Mallory, Thomas (Le Morte D’ Arthur).
Marrs, Jim (Conspiracy junk) Falls under, maybe even below the magic stuff. This material causes serious psychological problems, undermines authority, deletes files pertaining to respect of people or organizations and in general plays havoc with society.
Martel, Yann (The Life Of PI) What a weird book. It was definitely what I’d call a “summer read.” Throw away when finished. I enjoyed it, but can’t figure out what specifically made the book enjoyable.
McCaffrey, Anne Anne McCaffrey (Dragons) NOT on the same plane as Rawn.
McCoy, Edain Edain McCoy (Pagan Fluff) Celtic tribal stuff. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Miller, Calvin Calvin Miller (The Singer Trilogy) Beautiful poetic rendition of the New Testament. Allegory, hard to read for me, but pretty.
Millman, Dan Dan Millman (Oriental Philosophy) This guy captured a LOT of what we could be in terms of physical living and how we view things. Zen isn’t the way to go, but finding joy in details and service is a skill to be developed and a gift to be coveted.
Milne, A.A. (Pooh).
Minsky, Marvin (Sci-Fi) Turing Option was a great story about AI.
Montgomery, Lucy Maud (All about Anne) I have a thing for redheads. I have a thing for the old days, which I never experienced). Watching someone grow up has always been a fascination for me.
Musashi (5 Rings) Complement to Sun Tzu. Eastern religion and philosophy are very attractive. But they’re not in my book of recommendations. They deny the truth (easy, too, since they’re mostly about denial). The principles as applied to warfare are valuable, but people who read them for insight on running businesses or as guidance in life really should look a little less east.
Owen, John Puritan, Preacher, Theologian
Patchett, Anne (Bel Canto) Tragedy, engrossing, weird.
Peretti, Frank (Piercing writer) I don’t like his stuff. It’s not cool. Very overdone Christian thriller.” Spiritual warfare forced to reality, much like the Left-Behind series was Revelation forced to reality. Things spiritual should stay there.
Phillips, Dan (World-Tilting Gospel) A prolific blogger who put out some excellent writing in 2010-2011. I read WTG in a couple of days and can’t really find anything worth griping about, except maybe it was too short. DJP is a witty but devoted theological writer with a keen grasp of Christian doctrine, making an edifying yet entertaining read – excellent for new Christians or as a gift for someone you’d like to share the Faith with. I want his Proverbs book next.
Piper, John Charismatic Semi-Reformed Preacher of Great Fame
Plato Plato (Philosophical).
Poe, Edgar Alan Edgar Alan Poe (Pendulous Pen) I can’t say I liked reading Poe. The phenomenon I could call Shakespearablah applies (almost every book I was required to read in grade school ended up on my most hated list).
Pratchett, Terry Terry Pratchett (Funny Fantasy) Pretty much Douglass Adams in Fantasy. I love the stuff. Parody of just about every political or social situation around. His Tiffany Aching stories are some of the best I’ve read ever. Really.
Raleigh, Sir Walter (Great stuff).
Rand, Ayn (Atlas Shrugged etc.) Very selfish philosophy. She portrays so much that’s just on the verge of being right (such as “all men are NOT created equal” and “minorities are NOT victims”), but humanism is still corrupt, noble as we might think it is. I still enjoyed the good guys’ victory, and she makes badguys very unlikable.
Ravenwolf, Silver (Pagan) Example of pluralism at its worst. Anything is okay. Christian witches, all sorts of stuff. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Rawn, Melanie (Dragon Prince) Still my all-time favorite series. Competes with LOTR. I LOVE her imagery, detail, passion and everything. This is one of the stories I read at least once every two years. Soundtrack is the score from Last of the Mohicans.
Rice, Anne (Vampires, dead people) Beautiful imagery and some deep thought circling deity and religion, powerful enough to make you think.
Roberson, Jennifer (Cheysuli) Writes Books, fantasy, yay. Not. I couldn’t get into her.
Robinson, John J. (Freemasonry) Historical stuff intrigues me and this guy seems to have done good footwork. Problem is I lost interest in the topic. Oh well. Might come in useful someday, but I ditched my copy.
Robinson, Spider (Heinlein’s Twin) almost, especially now that he’s co-authored one with the Master.
Salvatore, R.A. (Fantasy and Star Wars).
Seuss, Dr. (Green Eggs etc…) Great Guy, reminds me of my brother. Actually, if Seuss were younger, it’d be a short stretch to convince me that he was my brother.
Shakespeare Shakespeare (Dead).
Shatner, William (HORRIBLE WRITER) Fair starship captain. He’s found his niche in commercials.
Shelley, Mary (Frankly Scary) Falls in with Poe under Shakespoopie
Smith, E.E. (Lensman) LONG-winded and hard to read. Maybe I’m too young.
Socrates (Dusty thinking) Philosophy is at odds with Christianity, but being able to argue, think, speak and comprehend are advantageous.
Sproul, R.C. (Holiness of God) and Much more. This man has done a ton of writing over his lifetime and has probably benefited more people than he can count. I’ve read and studied through his Holiness of God a couple of times and it never ceases to draw me into new considerations of how vast the glory and awe of God can be for us little people.
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon (All of Grace and more) This man’s testimony to the Faith is incredible. If more of us could be like him…
Starhawk (Pagan) Another very popular author. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Stevenson, Robert Louis (Treasured).
Strobel, Lee (The Case For Christ) His associations may not be to my liking, but this book played a very powerful part in my salvation. My problems with God were dealt with directly by Strobel’s work in the book.
Sun Tzu (Art of War) See note on Five Rings.
Tennyson (Poetically Spiffy).
Thiessen, Henry (Lectures in Systematic Theology) I’m working on Hodge now. Both are really hard work.
Thorsson, Edred (Runes) One more book on a magical system. Oracle or fortune telling, some religion too. I no longer recommend this or other new-agery. Rhymes with sewagery.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (LOTR and all else) He’s had the same attacks as Lewis, but I don’t get why. He didn’t claim Gospel content. He wrote a Beautiful story that defined fantasy, showed depths of depravity and heights of awesomeness rarely seen in fiction today. The movies were nearly as good. Put the imagination in me. I think Tolkien could be the seed of my love for languages and, to my discredit in many cases, magic.
Torrey, R.A. (The Fundamentals) Motivating and convicting. A collection of some of the most thoughtful articles on what is important to Christianity today. More Christians should read them. They’re free, too.
Trevallion (Shibumi) Another Eastern Philosophy story but with some serious cool assassin stuff. I loved the garden and the peaceful scenes. Never heard of the Basque either, until this book.
Tripp, Paul David Christian Counselor and Author
Verne, Jules (All Wet).
Warren, Rick (Purpose Driven Drivel) His work was poopy. I didn’t like the abuse of text from the Word. I am not a member of a corporation and my purpose is NOT to get along in society, though I would love to do so.
Weiss, Margaret (See Tracy Hickman. Pulp).
Welch, Ed CCEF Counselor and Writer
Wells, Orson (World War).
Westminster Divines Catechetically Correct
White, E.B. (Trumpet of the Swan) This book really affected me; being one of the earliest I can remember reading. I wanted to Be the boy. I wanted to go to the warm springs in Montanabanana.
Williams, Tad (Otherland) Scope. Complex. Engrossing. Mastery of including just about every genre in writing. I loved it. The soundtrack is Deep Forest Comparsa.
Wolverton, Dave (On My Way To Paradise) Still a favorite of mine, shocking, thought provoking and on a level similar to Gibson in it’s dreamy sort of style.
Wurts, Janny (Master of Whitestorm) Just plain classic stuff. Great story, great idea, well done. Surprising even when predictable.
Wyss, Johann David (Swiss Family) Survival, invention, solitude, adventure. All you could ask for in a L’Amour but Disney made a movie about it.

4 comments   |  tags: , | posted in special

December 7, 2011

All The Important Things

By Pooka

Some of the implications of what I’m talking about in yesterday’s post relate back to previous articles. I know this is but one way to look at our religion. We can look at the Bible from the Historical and Redemptive perspective and from a Christ-centered approach, and both work, for they deal with the same terms. Our -ologies all should point to the same Gospel Message or they become suspect. That is what I hope is what I’ve stumbled upon in my studies, a line of thought that connects God’s relational-covenantal nature to our own as He created us.

In reading Machen last month, and then Luther, Lewis, Hart, Leithart, Sproul, Fitzpatrick, and most recently Calvin (which I’m still working on), I see that our God has made promises. He has declared many things, all the important things, all of which we must believe and trust to be true. To believe on the Name of Jesus Christ is to trust promises and declarations. To be baptized is to receive the covenant of The Most High God. To join in the Supper is to receive that same covenant in the form of Christ. We’re covenant creatures.

When we think of the Pharisees who were suddenly made aware of their most grievous error, their sin against God and their people, their own households and generations to follow, do we relate to that? Do we think about the decisions we make (or avoid) and the implications that will pour out on subsequent generations? What do our children face because of our deeds and choices? The U.S. has been trumpeting this message for decades, “How will what we do with this problem now impact future generations… should our children inherit our pitiful debt management… will our grandchildren have a planet that is worth inhabiting?” But it doesn’t sink in, does it?

Praise the Lord that He breaks into our glass bubbles of individualism and isolation when He calls us to repentance and salvation. He ruins the self-defining impulse in us, stages at a time, sometimes abruptly and sometimes gradually so that we become less self-centered and more aware of His external Word and Promise. Those things on which we depend are withering grass at His touch and we find ourselves pondering the depths and heights and breadth of His love – in His covenants.

When we think of the Bible’s promises, those things that God promised to His people, do we personalize them and relate them to our culture – to give our confusing days meaning and purpose – in a way that divorces the Scripture from Scripture? Or do we see that God has promised and fulfilled promises in the Scripture so that we can say He truly is faithful? I’m thinking of Paul’s discussion of Israel in Romans, and relating that to Acts where every place in the World had met the Gospel as God promised, fulfilling that wholeness, that unity of men that we somehow still think has yet to be made to this day. The Land, the Temple, Salvation for the Jews, those things are fulfilled in one grand sense and now we’re waiting for a consummation that doesn’t fulfill them again, but realizes all that with the fullness of the glorious end of days and the recreation of all that has been corrupted.

It’s more difficult, of course, to identify with covenants and relationships these days, at least in the sense that men have throughout history. It looks to me that our days are less like other times and places in history because of the massive emergence of new things that really do change us. Our world has suddenly become smaller, smarter, more intense and more interrelated, and we’ve not learned to deal with it. Yet. I think we can trust that the Lord will make good on His design and we will never truly lose the real essence of our being, so it may be some time, perhaps long – or not – but we’ll reconnect. Perhaps these are the end of the last days and things are worsening because it’s nearly time for the Great Connection. I don’t think it’s valuable to worry over this. People have said “today is the day” plenty of times through the centuries. But we can look back and see that we haven’t what many eras have in terms of community, common covenant, interest and commitments.

I could regale all sorts of moving and relevant personal stories that underscore my experience in covenantal thinking. Especially easy is to tell of my experience in the implications of not keeping promises and failing in my commitments. Better is to point to God’s Word, which puts perspective on this stuff from God’s perspective. Every book has it, every chapter has something that ties to God’s declarations, promises, oaths, trustworthiness, faithfulness. It’s all in there. Look for it.

Leave a comment | posted in The Faith

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.