Book Review

This book wasn’t written for grouches, so I’m sorry that the words can’t wiggle into the grooves of your brain and tickle you with insight. Maybe that’s why you find no pleasure in the delightful descriptions or quirky quips. Yes, that’s it. You’re a grouch.

This book wasn’t written for the tame, so I’m sorry that the energy exhausts you. I’m sorry that you cannot appreciate the way the passion, personality, and positive spirit seem to splatter across the page. Maybe you should read something quieter, something with less life oozing out of it. It might fit you better.

This book wasn’t written for philosophers, at least, not the regular kind. But it wasn’t written for the mindless, either. It will challenge you to view everyday life—the moments of clarity, the times you failed, the nights you almost peed because you couldn’t stop laughing—as something meaningful, beautiful, and spiritual. I’m sorry if you’re looking for dull theories or tired metaphors on the Christian life. You’ll have to read something else.

When Shauna Niequist wrote Cold Tangerines she wanted to reinvigorate the way we think about blessing. She wanted to reveal something hopeful about the world through her personal stories. She wanted to be honest with her readers about faith, family, and the messy parts of life that we all try to hide in our basements or junk drawers or closets—because those are things worth writing about. If you don’t want a book that infuses you with joy from the ends of your hair to your crooked, big toe, don’t read this book. If you don’t want to celebrate the gift of life, put this book back on the shelf. I’m sorry. I just don’t think you will like it.

Credo Magazine

Check out my third piece for Credo! Go to www.CredoMagazine.com and click on "What Not To Be This Halloween." Then, get outside and enjoy the day. The leaves are falling and it's beautiful.

Try Journaling

KNOW GOD--PART FOUR

Journaling is powerful because it lets us reflect on where we’ve been and how God has walked alongside us during the good times and the bad. It doesn’t mean you have to keep a diary. Just write about the ups and downs of your life and the needs of the people around you. Then, go back and reflect on how God has proved his faithfulness.

Or here’s another idea. Pick a short Psalm (or part of a larger one) and rewrite it in your own words. This doesn’t mean that your version will be better--duh! But sometimes it’s easier to hear God’s voice when we take time to understand his Word in our everyday language. If you don’t know where to start, try Psalm 5.

Something to See

It’s hard to do nothing. Once I had chosen my spot beneath the shade of a big tree, I tried to get comfortable. I took off my shoes and wiggled my toes into the grass. It was starting to turn brown, but there were still patches of soft, green blades left over from summertime. I took a deep breath of Sunday afternoon air. It smelled crisp and rich, like the beginning of fall should smell in the Midwest. I looked at my watch. It had only been 10 minutes and I was already feeling anxious. I wished that I could walk around or listen to my ipod or read a book. But I forced myself to sit there, determined to just be in nature.

It required concentration. I had to continuously bring my mind back to that spot, back to the arching of trees, the glimmer of sunshine, the hum of insects. It was beautiful, of course. It wasn’t difficult for me to admire nature’s general beauty, but I realized that I often don’t pay attention to the specifics.

The crickets sounded like a classroom full of little boys grinding their teeth and sloshing their spit. The bugs hid somewhere in the tall grass, chanting: wwheeeha wwheeeha, we weha we weha. After a while, I caught the subtle rhythm. One overzealous cricket could be heard above the others. I wondered if he was the “class clown” telling a joke above the ruckus, or maybe he was the teacher trying to get control of his English class. As I sat on the ground, a tiny one landed on my shoe. I inspected him for a moment, and then brushed him back into the grass.

After the bugs, I noticed the leaves. They waited anxiously for the wind, as if they were surfers waiting for the perfect wave. Then they made a calculated but chaotic leap from the branches to the ground. Once they landed, they flirted with each other. Swayed back and forth like giddy girls, dressed in gold and red and green, at their very first dance. The leaves bubbled up in a burst of excitement and then paused, breathlessly, on the floor until the next wind-song began.

Next, I thought about the trees. I thought about how they have been there the longest out of everything in the park. I imagined them with eyes; I wished they could talk. I wished they could describe how the world looked when they first budded out of the earth. It must have been a lot different. Things were probably slower, there were probably more trees and maybe they didn’t see people pass by for a while. Poets have always described trees as wise. I think they are right. Trees have watched it all, endured thunderstorms, learned to change with the seasons, stood patiently in one spot for their entire lives. Yes, they must be wise.

After my time in nature was over, I felt calm. I’m glad that I forced myself to be an observer and to sit quietly. The nothingness turned out to be beautiful.

As I left the park, a little boy ran up to me and said, “I hope you enjoyed your day, lady. It’s really a nice day and there are lots of creatures to see out here. I hope you got to see some.” His mother grabbed his hand and apologized, “He’s just too talkative.” I just smiled and waved goodbye to him because he was right. It was a beautiful day and there is plenty to see if you are willing to look.

Create Something

KNOW GOD-PART THREE

God is creative. Just think about it, he designed Saturn and the hippopotamus and dandelions and your eyelashes. He crafted the entire world into existence; his imagination is endless. And because God is an artist, he must be filled with joy when we express our love to him through art. It’s like we’re speaking his heart language.

So, go create something. Read your favorite passage of scripture and draw a picture about why it’s significant in your life. Paint yourself sitting on your Heavenly Father’s lap. Just use your imagination! You don’t have to be the next Van Gogh. God will be delighted when you create something to bring him glory.

Go Walking

KNOW GOD--part two

Breathing fresh air is like sucking Heaven’s medicine through your nostrils. This is the perfect seasons to spend time with God outside. On a sunny or breezy day, take a walk. Sing praise songs to God as you stroll. Listen to worship music on your ipod. Whisper a prayer. Or just be silent and enjoy the beauty the day. God created nature so that we could find comfort in it. He made trees for shade. He made water so that we could dip our toes into a pond. He made the sun to turn our cheeks pink. Grasp the gift of creation with gratitude and don’t waste a warm day! Remember to thank God for the chance to roam in his backyard. (Wear good shoes!)

Be Silent

KNOW GOD--part one

Life is loud. Sometimes it is so loud that it can strangle us. Life is hectic, too. Sometimes it is so busy that we crash into our beds at night and can’t remember if we ate lunch or even talked to God at all. And when life is like that, we lose it. We aren’t healthy people anymore.

Take some time this week to be refreshed and renewed. Sit in silence with God, and not just for five minutes. Allow enough time for all the thoughts in your head to quit smacking into one another. Allow yourself to slow down enough to listen. Don’t talk. Just listen closely. You might be surprised to hear what God has to say to you if you give him a chance to speak. He is waiting to reveal himself to you.