It has been a while since I've posted. Sorry about the delay. It is hard to come up with posts even close to being as interesting as those from Israel or in the southern states when I am spending my time reading books! I love to read and am enjoying the time to invest in some serious reading, but I didn't remember how much effort reading can be as well. Some books are a lot of work!
I found that to be the case with "The Cost of Discipleship" which I finished last week. It is such a small book I figured I could get through it rather quickly. It may be small, but it is dense with content. I read slowly and still am confident that there is a lot in there that I failed to capture. I felt like I was back in seminary while reading that book.
My reading list did take a very worthwhile detour. "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Wilkerson was recommended to me, and I moved that up the pecking order. It was an excellent book that told the story of the Great Migration that occured in the United States in the early 20th century. During that time blacks escaped the Jim Crow south by moving north and west. What they found there, however, was far from the Promised Land they had expected. This book follows the path of three individuals who were a part of that Great Migration and tells their stories. It was an excellent book that paints a clear picture of the south that they were escaping from and the north/west that wasn't always eager to welcome them. It also gives a clear picture of why segregation continues still today in northern cities like Chicago, Detroit and New York. I would highly recommend this book. The only downside to my reading experience was that it was almost 600 pages long! I didn't realize how long it was since it was my first Kindle purchase and read. (By the way...I enjoyed reading on my computer more than I thought I would.)
If you enjoyed reading "Warriors Don't Cry" about the Little Rock Nine, you may also enjoy "A Mighty Long Way" by another one of the Nine -- Carlotta Walls LaNier. I wondered if the books would overlap too much, but they don't. Carlotta writes from a very different perspective and writes less about her experience at Central High School and more about her time before integration and a lot about her life afterwards. It is a very good book.
I have "The Divine Conspiracy" left to read yet. I might just take another detour first. One of you recommended "Blood Brothers" to me. It is the story of a Palestinian Christian working for peace in Israel. Since I didn't get to connect with Palestinian Christians as much as I would have liked to when I was in Israel, this would be a valuable book for me to read. So, starting tomorrow, that is next on my list.
I have found many different places to do my reading. Most often I can be found in my favorite living room chair. But I've hidden back in the West Wing without anyone finding me. I've sat in the sun on the Grand Haven beach. I've brought my book to the waiting room of the tire shop, oil change place and barber shop. I've gone to the library overlooking the lake on Mackinac Island. I've turned off the movie and read at 35,000 feet. This weekend I will be flying to California for the funeral of my dad's brother, Marv Meyer, who passed away suddenly at age 64 following a short bout with cancer. It is strikingly similar to my father's journey eight years ago. So, I'll bring my books with me on that journey as well.
I miss all of you at Ivanrest! This sabbatical time has been good for me and I'm thankful that it isn't over yet, but I am looking forward to being back with all of you again come September!
I found that to be the case with "The Cost of Discipleship" which I finished last week. It is such a small book I figured I could get through it rather quickly. It may be small, but it is dense with content. I read slowly and still am confident that there is a lot in there that I failed to capture. I felt like I was back in seminary while reading that book.
My reading list did take a very worthwhile detour. "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Wilkerson was recommended to me, and I moved that up the pecking order. It was an excellent book that told the story of the Great Migration that occured in the United States in the early 20th century. During that time blacks escaped the Jim Crow south by moving north and west. What they found there, however, was far from the Promised Land they had expected. This book follows the path of three individuals who were a part of that Great Migration and tells their stories. It was an excellent book that paints a clear picture of the south that they were escaping from and the north/west that wasn't always eager to welcome them. It also gives a clear picture of why segregation continues still today in northern cities like Chicago, Detroit and New York. I would highly recommend this book. The only downside to my reading experience was that it was almost 600 pages long! I didn't realize how long it was since it was my first Kindle purchase and read. (By the way...I enjoyed reading on my computer more than I thought I would.)
If you enjoyed reading "Warriors Don't Cry" about the Little Rock Nine, you may also enjoy "A Mighty Long Way" by another one of the Nine -- Carlotta Walls LaNier. I wondered if the books would overlap too much, but they don't. Carlotta writes from a very different perspective and writes less about her experience at Central High School and more about her time before integration and a lot about her life afterwards. It is a very good book.
I have "The Divine Conspiracy" left to read yet. I might just take another detour first. One of you recommended "Blood Brothers" to me. It is the story of a Palestinian Christian working for peace in Israel. Since I didn't get to connect with Palestinian Christians as much as I would have liked to when I was in Israel, this would be a valuable book for me to read. So, starting tomorrow, that is next on my list.
I have found many different places to do my reading. Most often I can be found in my favorite living room chair. But I've hidden back in the West Wing without anyone finding me. I've sat in the sun on the Grand Haven beach. I've brought my book to the waiting room of the tire shop, oil change place and barber shop. I've gone to the library overlooking the lake on Mackinac Island. I've turned off the movie and read at 35,000 feet. This weekend I will be flying to California for the funeral of my dad's brother, Marv Meyer, who passed away suddenly at age 64 following a short bout with cancer. It is strikingly similar to my father's journey eight years ago. So, I'll bring my books with me on that journey as well.
I miss all of you at Ivanrest! This sabbatical time has been good for me and I'm thankful that it isn't over yet, but I am looking forward to being back with all of you again come September!
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