Book Review - The Shack by William P. Young

My mom bought me a copy of this book and said I just had to read it.  As usual, Mom was right!  This book is amazing, and it is right up there with Randy Alcorn’s books on the same theme.  I was drawn to Randy Alcorn’s books after my first reading of Deadline.  Randy is a Christian author who takes what I have found to be a somewhat unique perspective on Heaven.  None of us knows for sure what Heaven will be like, but how many of us have really considered what it may be like?  Revelation reveals to us what the end of this Earth will be like, but does it really explain what Heaven will be like before the end times?  After the end times?   I can’t answer that, but I have learned from Randy that challenging preconceived ideas of Heaven can be a rewarding exercise that usually brings me to a deeper appreciation for the God of the universe.  Like Randy Alcorn did with Heaven, William P. Young has also encouraged me to go back to scripture to check out his assumptions, and mine, about who God is and what he expects.

So while I may not agree with every idea William P. Young puts forth in his book, I think that it is a very good book for adults to read.  I think that people who will read this book, and then go back to scripture and look for answers to questions that it will raise will really enjoy it and get a lot out of it.  I am even going to encourage my DD to read this book, as I think she has a deep enough theological basis to read it from.  But be warned, some of the ideas in this book are not traditional.  I believe that the main point of the book is very scripturally sound and is therefore good for instruction and has redemptive value. 

One more word of caution;  have plenty of tissue handy.

Published in: on July 14, 2008 at 5:19 pm Comments (3)
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Aren’t Kids Funny?! Tales from VBS

So DD and I (and a couple of days DS too) spent last week volunteering as “Crew Guides” for the Vacation Bible School program at our church. For the most part it was a lot of singing, listening to Bible stories and doing cute crafts. We also had a community focus this year, and we got to see our Mayor and even got to meet one of our town’s firefighters, which was a huge hit with the kids.

It was during our Question and Answer time with our local firefighter that I was reminded of how hilarious kids can be. The Question and Answer went something like this:

Church Boy: What do you do when you get to a house and you break down the door and go in and see all the people with their shirts nailed to the ceiling?

Firefighter: Ahhhh, what do you mean? I have never seen that.

Church Boy: Well, you know, in a fire the best air is up high, so the family would be there.

Firefighter: NO, the best air is down near the floor, in a fire, crawl on the floor and do not stand up.

Church Boy: (long pause) Snakes are lucky.

Folks, you can’t pay for that kind of humor!   I don’t know if this story translates well via blog, but let me tell you that the retelling of this story has caused hours of laughter for DD, DS and I.  If you haven’t volunteered with kids lately, it may just do you some good.

Published in: on July 1, 2008 at 5:04 pm Comments (2)
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On Happiness

I am currently reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and I am struck by my intense response to it. I find myself very angry with the overbearing men in the book. I find myself once again upset by the forces in my life that have dictated my dull view of Christianity.

So I am questioning how I have portrayed Christianity to my children? Does it seem dull to them? Are they burdened by the rules and regulations? Or have I shown them grace and love and mercy? Have I explained enough that while the Old Testament focused on tasks and laws. . . Jesus showed us that in those tasks we are called to focus on the people and relationships? For when asked the greatest commandment, Jesus reply was:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
Published in: on November 6, 2007 at 2:54 pm Comments (0)