Love Amid the Pews (a photo essay)

Hark! What apparition of divine beauty doth
appear before mine wondering eyes?

Thou art more lovely than the dusky jewel twilight.
I must embrace thee, maiden fair!

Do not spurn my affections beloved!
Alas, I have frightened you with my ardor.

Teach me the gentle path to your heart, sweet butterfly

"For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss"

Ok bye!

Books I Have Known and Loved

You may have seen, going around Facebook, lists of the top 10 books that have stuck with you. I have really enjoyed reading people's lists - they fit each person so exactly! I posted my list without any explanation and without really thinking too hard about it (as per the instructions!). But now I have thought about it more, and I know better why these are the ones that stuck with me.
So if you'll indulge me, here is my list. Again. And with way more words beside them.

1. Peace Like a River - Leif Enger

This is not at ALL the kind of book I normally read. It's set in America in the 50s (or thereabouts) and involves a faith healer and a fugitive son. But my mom read it and recommended it as some of the best prose she'd ever read. And it sure is. I have so many of the lines highlighted in my kindle and have read them over and over. The story is good, don't get me wrong, but the way he uses words is simply magical.


2. Enchantment - Orson Scott Card 

Now this, on the other hand, is EXACTLY the kind of book I normally read. It's a re-telling, re-imagining of an old familiar fairy tale (Sleeping Beauty). What I like best about the book isn't just a cool twist on an old story, it's that Card skillfully uses it as a platform to tackle much larger issues like faith, parenthood, marriage and cultural adaptation. This is also a book with a great deal of highlighting.

3. Love Wins - Rob Bell


This is probably the most controversial book on my list. If you don't like it, that's ok with me. I don't agree with 100% of what he says. This book challenges head-on the established church story of Jesus' purpose and what happens at the End. I read this book around the same time as I was in a very wonderful bible study in Denver. We threw out everything we "knew" about the Bible except for two things: God is good; and if it's in there, there's a reason. We tore into the scriptures, no holds barred. And they held their own. I at least came out of that experience a profoundly better person.
I guess if you feel up to a pretty hefty challenge, read this book!

4. Remember Us - Martin Small

This book made me cry my eyes out - worse than Harry Potter. It's the true story of a remarkable holocaust survivor. My Aunt and Uncle actually knew him in real life. It's more than a story about one man, though (as cool as he was), it tells of a whole culture that is no more. A peaceful civilization of light and learning was utterly destroyed by evil. 
It's a hard book to read but so very important.


5. The Year of Living Biblically - A.J. Jacobs

What would it look like to actually follow all those obscure rules and laws in the Bible? One guy with a very understanding wife decided to find out. The book is hilarious and thought-provoking. Jacobs is a non-practicing Jew but handles even the most ridiculous bits with a surprising amount of respect. I particularly love the bit when he has to stone someone. 

As a side note - I am SOOOOO tempted to end each and every entry with "but don't take my word for it!" Oh Reading Rainbow, how I love thee! 


6. Dave Berry's Book of Bad Songs

Ok this book does not provoke thought like the previous several. It's silly and wonderful. I remember my mom re-reading it to me right after I had surgery. It's a book that makes me happy. But if, for some reason, you really like Neil Diamond, you probably shouldn't read it. Also, we can't be friends anymore. 



7. The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

Of all the fantasy books ever written, Tolkein is king. Like for all time. That being said, this book is really good. It's supposedly the first of a trilogy but who is Rothfuss even kidding? This series will go on for a while. And that's cool with me. It has compelling characters, a vivid world, and great writing. It's another well underlined, oft read tome in my kindle. 

8. When Helping Hurts - Steve Corbett

Seriously, these are in no particular order except the order in which I remember them. Thematically, this should probably be up with the thinkin books. Whatever. This is a book about poverty and the American church's response to it. Sometimes what we do in our enthusiasm and ignorance causes a great deal of damage to the people we want to help and even to ourselves. It's a book I highly recommend every single church read together before embarking on any kind of local or international mission project. 

9. Lost to the West - Lars Brownworth

Hello, my name is Liz and I'm a huge history nerd. 
Back in my bored housewife days, my friend John Matthews got me hooked on a wonderful podcast called Hardcore History (by Dan Carlin). At the end of his shows he recommends a book, generally in the same theme as the show. This was one of those recommendations. It's actually a book that I read with my ears instead of my eyes (as Uncle Jim would say) but that still totally counts. Anyway, it's a history of the Eastern half of the Roman empire which endured for a really long time after the Western half ate a fistful of Gothic steel. It's an area of history I knew practically nothing about and my word did Brownworth spin a great yarn! Not only it is a great story, but the connections to the European history we usually hear about and even the modern world will blow your mind. 
I love it when someone else reads the boring text books for me and just tells me the story. Also, check out that podcast. It's great!

10. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

So remember how I said Tolkien is king? I meant it! Also, I had forgotten this was on the list. Or I would probably would have mentioned it here and not above. Hmmm. Anyhow. The Hobbit isn't the greatest of his works, or the best fantasy book there is. It is, however, the first one I ever read. Actually, Mom read this book to Pam and me when we were little. It opened up a whole new world for me. This was pretty much my gateway drug - the beginning of my love affair with A Song of Ice and Fire, the Wheel of Time and other super nerdy awesome books. 


So there it is. If we have learned anything is it that I am SUCH a huge dork. And if we have learned two things it is that you should read to your kids. So many of the books I love and remember I first heard in my mom's voice. 

Thanks Mom!