Sunday Salon ~ books and fun stuff

BOOKS

My roommate Donna checked out a bunch of children's picture books from the library.  All but one are by Douglas Wood, so I had to read them — because Douglas Wood's Old Turtle and the Broken Truth (2003) is one of my favorites.  Here's what she brought home:

Making the World ~ by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Yoshi and Hibiki Miyazaki, 1998, children's, 9/10

Northwoods Cradle Song: From a Menominee Lullaby ~ by Doublas Wood, illustrated by Lisa Desimini, 1996, children's, 8/10

Grandad's Prayers of the Earth ~ by Douglas Wood, illustrated by P. J. Lynch, 1999, children's, 10/10

"Are our prayers answered, Grandad?" I asked.
"Grandad smiled.  "Most prayers are not really questions," he said.  "And if we listen very closely, a prayer is often its own answer.  Like the trees and Winds and waters, we pray because we are here — not to change the world, but to change ourselves.  Because it is when we change ourselves . . . that the world is changed."

Miss Little's Gift ~ by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Jim Burke, 2009, children's, 9/10

The Secret of Saying Thanks ~ by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Greg Shed, 2005, children's, 8/10

"We don't give thanks because we're happy.
We are happy because we give thanks."

A Quiet Place ~ by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Dan Andreasen, 2002, children's, 9/10

No One But You ~ by Douglas Wood, illustrated by P. J. Lynch, 2011, children's, 9/10

God, Can You Hear Me? ~ by Justine Simmons, paintings by Robert Papp, 2007, children's, 8/10

FUN STUFF

On Friday night, we had movie night out by the pool at my apartment complex.  That's Donna dead center, behind the man's shoulder.  We got free popcorn (in those white bags), soft drinks, boxes of movie candy, and three kinds of pizza, as well as prizes.

I won a $25 gift card, and Donna won an insulated bag full of goodies:  three helium-filled balloons (which promptly became cat toys), five coupons for "one free movie on demand," a $15 iTunes gift card, a small lap blanket, and several other small items.  All in all, it was a fun evening, except that the mosquitos found me.  I'm very allergic to bites, so my left elbow and arm are still swollen from several bites.  And it won't stop itching, even after taking my allergy pill, rubbing on itch medicine, and zapping it with hot water and hot blow dryer.

The movie we saw, once it got dark enough, was We Bought a Zoo, a 2011 comedy-drama film based on the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee.  It tells the story of Mee and his family who just moved into a dilapidated zoo and took on the challenge of preparing the zoo for its reopening to the public.

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Friday Five ~ blogging

Jan @ RevGalBlogPals brings us today's subject.  She said, "Blogging at Google's Blogger, I recently was boondoggled by the new designs of the site, which includes my blog. I felt like I had lost track of all the blogs I daily check so that I asked for help both at my blog and on Facebook! Still trying to learn these new ways of blogging, I am turning our minds to blogging for this Friday Five."

1. When did you start blogging? What/who prompted you?

My first post appeared January 30, 2007.  Two book buddies inspired me and invited me to try blogging myself, and both of them commented on my first post.

Stephanie @ Confessions of a Book-a-holic — Click to read her list of excellent children's and YA books.

Marg @ The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader — Click to read one of her posts about book blogging.

2. How often do you post?  How often do you visit blogging friends and/or other blogs?

Until recently, I usually posted every day and sometimes more than that.  Lately, I've been studying my books (as opposed to merely reading through them), and only some of my notes end up on my blog.  On the other hand, I have several blogs so I don't "inflict" all of my interests on any one group of folks.  I usually read (or at least glance over) whatever has been newly posted by the blogs listed on my sidebar as "Blogs I read" every day.

3. Why do you keep on blogging?

Under my profile picture on the sidebar, I say, "I read to explore ideas."  Reading and writing and discussing things is the way I learn and keep up with what interests me.  Blogging is my venue.

4. What do you like to write about?

Whatever I'm reading — or studying.  I like to share what I'm learning.  Over the weekend, I attended a seminar by Diana Butler Bass, so I'll be writing more about her ideas in the near future.

5. Have your blogging habits changed — or are they changing?

Recently, I have been more focused on books about an alternative or emerging Christianity that focuses on greater spiritual depth and actively meeting the needs of people.  That's why I've been doing more in-depth studying.  One really good book was Proverbs of Ashes: Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and the Search for What Saves Us (2001), which was written by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker.  I wrote a bit about Rita's story and Rebecca's story.

Sunday Salon ~ seminar by Diana Butler Bass

Diana Butler Bass, after yesterday's sessions

Diana Butler Bass led a weekend seminar about Christianity After Religion, her latest book.  In July, I discussed the book and Butler Bass's three B's:  believing, behaving, and belonging.

Believing ~ What do I think?
Behaving ~ How should I act?
Behaving ~ What do I do?
Belonging ~ Who am I?

My friend Donna and I attended all three sessions on Friday and Saturday and plan to hear Butler Bass again this morning as she teaches a Sunday school class and preaches a sermon at the church which hosted the seminar.  I have a lot to tell you about what I've learned.

BOOKS

One book arrived this week via UPS.

Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?: Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World ~ by Brian McLaren, 2012

When four religious leaders walk across the road, it's not the beginning of a joke.  It's the start of one of the most important conversations in today's world.  Can you be a committed Christian without having to condemn or convert people of other faiths?  Is it possible to affirm other religious traditions without watering down your own?  Brian McLaren proposes a new faith alternative, one built on "benevolence and solidarity rather than rivalry and hostility."  This way of being Christian is strong but doesn't strong-arm anyone, going beyond mere tolerance to vigorous hospitality toward, interest in, and collaboration with the other.  McLaren shows step-by-step how to reclaim this strong-benevolent faith, challenging us to stop creating barriers in the name of God and learn how affirming other religions can strengthen our commitment to our own.  And in doing so, he invites Christians to become more Christ-like than ever before.

One book arrived because Donna and I attended the author's seminar and bought it to get it signed.

Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith ~ by Diana Butler Bass, 2006

For decades the accepted wisdom has been that America's mainline Protestant churches are in decline, eclipsed by evangelical mega-churches.  Church and religion expert Diana Butler Bass wondered if this was true, and this book is the result of her extensive, three-year study of centrist and progressive churches across the country.  Her surprising findings reveal just the opposite — that many of the churches are flourishing, and they are doing so without resorting to mimicking the mega-church, evangelical style.  Butler Bass describes this phenomenon and offers a how-to approach for Protestants eager to remain faithful to their tradition while becoming a vital spiritual community.  As she delved into the rich spiritual life of various Episcopal, United Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, and Lutheran churches, certain consistent practices — such as hospitality, contemplation, diversity, justice, discernment, and worship — emerged as core expressions of congregations seeking to rediscover authentic Christian faith and witness today.  This hopeful book reveals the practical steps that leaders and laypeople alike are taking to proclaim an alternative message about an emerging Christianity that strives for greater spiritual depth and proactively engages the needs of the world.

What have you been reading?

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Five-year-old piano prodigy

If this video quits working, click on this YouTube link.

Emma Sue?

Goodbye, Maxine (here and here).  Hello, Emma Sue.  (Emma Sue?)  Let me explain.  Today I traded in Maxine, my 1983 Datsun Maxima, and got a 2000 Subaru Outback.  And I'm guilty of naming my cars.  My friend Donna went with me and, thinking of ways to describe green — as in the car's color — she came up with emerald.  No, no, no!  That's a forest green, not an emerald green!  So she shortened emerald to "Emma" and added "Sue" for Subaru.  Thus, Emma Sue.  Well, I don't know.  What do you think?  Does she look like an Emma Sue to you?

Sunday Salon ~ I've been busy

Perfectly fried okra is my favorite comfort food.  Slice fresh okra, bread it with yellow corn meal, salt it lightly, and fry it in vegetable oil until crispy.  Would you like to know why I wanted comfort food this week?

For starters, there's my car, named Maxine because she's a Maxima.  This shows her on Saturday, September 1st, when I was ready to trade her in for a newer car.  Maxine is a 1983 Datsun Maxima, because Nissan Maximas didn't come out until the following year.  Yes, Maxine is 30 years old, since dealers around town already have 2013 models on their lots.  I decided to keep Maxine when I got really annoyed by the used car salesman's refusal to pin down actual numbers.  Using his figures, my overall cost for the 2006 used car, counting principle and interest, was about double the original asking price I was quoted.  Nope, sorry, I'm not willing to pay that much — or continue to play those used-car-salesman games.  Maxine and I came home together.

On Sunday the 2nd, I led our Sunday school discussion on Matthew, using three chapters from this book:  Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World ~ by John Shelby Spong, 2011.

Raegan with her new puppy toy

After Sunday school, I took Raegan and her parents to lunch at Red Lobster.  Her mother, Kenzie, is my granddaughter; her father, Michael, took offense at something I posted on Facebook back in May and spent the summer trying to convince me (on Facebook) that I was wrong.  When I finally un-friended him, it caused a ruckus in my family, so I tried to improve the situation by inviting Michael and family to lunch.  I also invited my friend Donna, who — in defending my stance — also offended them.  So here we are, smiling.

Donna and Kenzie

Michael and Bonnie

I'm not sure it made any difference, since we didn't discuss the "problem" in front of Raegan, but I did try to ease tensions by having us get to know each other a bit better.  On to the next event, which got complicated.

Bea and Sharon, with Jaxon in his great-grandmother's lap at his first birthday party in December.

On Monday the 3rd, which was Labor Day in the United States, my daughter-in-law Sharon learned that her mother (Bea) had died in her sleep.  Sharon asked me to do her mother's funeral, and I offered to go with the family to make arrangements, since that's what pastors do.  On Wednesday the 5th, Maxine wouldn't start when I needed to go to the funeral home, so I borrowed Donna's Saturn.

After we spent hours making funeral arrangements, my son followed me home and jump-started my car.  Maxine ran okay and even started after being turned off — but not the next time I tried.  On Friday the 7th, Donna drove me to the service in her car, since Maxine obviously needs a new battery.  After two hours of visitation, I officiated at the graveside service, inviting those who were present to share their memories.  Friday was a sunny day, with temperatures in the mid-90s, very hot to be outside, even for those of us under a canopy.  I came home hot and tired.

Saturday cooled off considerably, but can you see why I wanted comfort food this week?

P.S.  Jaxon and Raegan are my great-grandchildren.  And here's the book I've been trying (off and on) to read this week:

With or Without God: Why the Way We Live Is More Important than What We Believe ~ by Gretta Vosper, 2008

Envisioning a future in which the Christian church plays a viable and transformative role in shaping society, Gretta Vosper argues that if the church is to survive at all, the heart of faith must undergo a radical change.  Vosper, a minister in Toronto, believes that what will save the church is an emphasis on just and compassionate living — a new and wholly humanistic approach to religion.  Without this reform, the church as we know it faces extinction.

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I would have given the student high marks

A student got 0% on this exam ***

1. In which battle did Napoleon die?

* his last battle

2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?

* at the bottom of the page

3. River Ravi flows in which state?

* liquid

4. What is the main reason for divorce?

* marriage

5. What is the main reason for failure?

* exams

6. What can you never eat for breakfast?

* Lunch and dinner

7. What looks like half an apple?

* The other half

8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?

* It will simply become wet

9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping?

* No problem, he sleeps at night.

10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?

* You will never find an elephant that has only one hand.

11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?

* Very large hands

12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?

* No time at all, the wall is already built.

13. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?

* Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.

*** And here's how I know this isn't a real exam:

• The questions aren't about one subject ~ #11 and #12 are about math, #1 is about history, #3 is about geography, #4 is about social studies.
• The questions are made up especially to fit tricky answers ~ Who teaches "how" to drop a raw egg (#13) or "how" to lift an elephant (#10) or "how" to go eight days without sleep (#9)?
• What kind of questions are #6, #7, and #8?

"What can you never eat for breakfast?" (never?)
"What looks like half an apple?" (Looks like?)
"If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?" (become?)

• And the clincher: Napoleon died in bed, not in a battle. See this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon
• But wasn't it fun to contemplate?  Yeah!