2011 Book List

It has been a long time since I posted here, but I hope you'll forgive me. There have been a few things happening that have prevented me from visiting again. I hope all of you who read here have a blessed and wonderful 2012.

I wanted to end the year by providing you the list of books that I read over 2011. I will note the "Billiam" or "Best Book" in each category and award what I think is the best book I read this year. Here is the list of what I read...

Juvenile Fiction:
Gathering Blue- Lowry
Messenger- Lowry
Where The Red Fern Grows- Rawls
A Wrinkle in Time- L’Engle
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry- Taylor
Island of the Blue Dolphins- O’Dell
The Outsiders- Hinton
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas- Boyne
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth- Kinney
Heroes Don’t Run: A Pacific War Novel- Mazer
Soldier’s Heart- Paulsen
Milkweed- Spinelli
Fair Weather- Peck
A Year Down Yonder- Peck
A Season of Gifts- Peck
The Amber Spyglass- Pullman
The Firework Maker’s Daughter- Pullman
Holes- Sachar
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever- Kinney

Fiction:
Animal Farm- Orwell
Twelve Angry Men- Rose
Pudd’nhead Wilson- Twain
The Confession- Grisham
Cattle Annie and Little Britches- Ward
The Color Purple- Walker

Christian Fiction:
Face of Betrayal- Wiehl and Henry
Hand of Fate- Wiehl and Henry
Skin- Dekker
Adam- Dekker
Heart of Ice- Wiehl and Henry
The Priest’s Graveyard- Dekker

Christian Devotional/Study:
Jesus: The Greatest Life of All- Swindoll
Finding God in Unexpected Places- Yancey
The Lord’s Supper- Marty
Slaying the Giants in Your Life- Jeremiah
In Every Pew Sits A Broken Heart- Graham
Heaven is for Real- Burpo
Finding Favor with the King- Tenney
Theology for the Community of God- Grenz
God’s Story Your Story- Lucado

Non-Fiction
The Hardball Handbook: How To Win At Life- Matthews
Invasion- Malkin
Heroes of the Holocaust- Zullo and Bovsun
Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government- Beck
Obama’s Wars- Woodward
The Yankee Years- Verducci and Torre
Common Sense: Paine
Extraordinary Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family- Rice
Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight- Rove
Change We Can Believe In- Obama

On the list you will find a total of 50 books. Here are the awards for each category.

Juvenile Fiction: A Season of Gifts- Peck This book was just a really good read. I enjoy Peck's writing style and his characters, in my opinion, jump off the page. The message of this book is uplifting and warm. I read it twice this year.

Fiction: The Confession- Grisham I am a big fan of John Grisham and this one did not disappoint. He is a bit more liberal in his political views than some others, but his stories always cause me to think. I believe Grisham to be the best current American fiction writer.

Christian Fiction: The Priest's Graveyard- Dekker I confess that this year my selections in this category were limited. I really like the Triple Threat series by Lis Wiehl, but Dekker wins. I read this one at the beginning of the Bible Bowl summer season. It was solid.

Christian Study/Devotional: God's Story Your Story-Lucado. I am a fan of both Yancey and Lucado and both of their books that I read this year were very good. I know I am aging myself a bit by going with Lucado as opposed to some of the more current and cutting edge writers, but I really enjoyed this one and read it in two days.

Non-Fiction: Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight- Rove I really liked several of the books in this category. Of note were the Condoleeza Rice book and Joe Torre's book. Both of these I read this last summer and liked a lot. Courage and Consequence, though, revealed more about Karl Rove than I had known previously. I have come to respect him even more and think he has some good ideas for our country.

The "Billiam" or the "Best Book" in my opinion this year is Richard Peck's "A Season of Gifts."

I hope you will invest your time reading this year. May God bless you and thanks for reading here at "Bill's View."

Whew! It Has Been Busy!!!

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy. I suppose that might be true for quite a few folks. I've been immersed in finishing teaching New Testament Survey for Dallas Christian College; working on Systematic Theology and Hebrew 1 for Lincoln Christian Seminary; teaching three different groups of students at Union Middle School; teaching Character Education to the number two ranked football team in the state of Missouri; leading open gyms for middle school basketball; and coaching both Bible Bowl and Beginner Bowl at First Christian in Washington. In addition to that I have been learning a lot about writing from my editor at White Feather Press, Mary Mueller. I have a novella coming out in November with White Feather Press and getting that ready had been a challenge. I thought I'd share a few observations about that process in this edition of "Bill's View."

First, we ought to realize that none of us is perfect. Paul reminds us of that truth in Romans. He notes, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). I have certainly been reminded of that by Mary. I thought I was a decent writer. I know that some of you might raise an issue here, but, for the most part, I think I can put subject and verb together. Not long ago I sent Mary my best work on this story that I've had for four years and just sold to White Feather Press. I reworked it and had two friends who are very good at editing clean it up even more. It was my best work. Mary sent it back to me with over three hundred corrections; all in red. My finest work wasn't good enough.

There is a spiritual lesson here. I think sometimes we feel like we can "polish ourselves," then present to God "our best" and think it will be all right for him. The truth is our best is never good enough for God to just accept us. It is only through Jesus Christ that we can come to God.

Second, this process has shown me that it is all right, however, to keep working on something until it is right. I've had a tendency in the past to just write something and think it's "good enough." I'm beginning to learn hard work and being willing to go over something again and again moves it from being "good enough" to, dare I say it, "good." Now, I won't say my story is good, nor will Mary. It is, though, better. I hope, when it comes out, some of you (maybe a lot of you) will read it.

The application here is that I need that same tenacity in my life and walk with the Lord. My salvation is not dependent upon my being "good," but I think I too often settle for "good enough" when, with a little work, discipline and patience, I might get to "good" in my walk and serving Him. I see this in how I observe my quiet time; how I handle my prayer life; how I enter worship; how seriously I take my Bible reading and memorization; and how my attitude is serving others. We can't make ourselves clean enough for acceptance, but once we are accepted, shouldn't we give our best? We are to do whatever we do "as unto the Lord" (Colossians 3:17). He deserves my striving for "good" and not just my "good enough."

I don't think I will stop being busy for a while and probably that's true for a lot of you. That's ok, though. Let's keep the Lord first in our thoughts and on our "To Do" lists. Have a great day and thanks for reading...

Thoughts on Respect

I have the opportunity to direct the Character Education program for the Union High School football team. In that role I speak to the team on Tuesdays and Thursdays (or arrange a guest speaker, usually one of our ministers) and pray at the end of the games on Friday. I have been at it for four weeks and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Each week I have the chance to address forty to fifty young men about what it means to be a man. I appreciate very much our head coach Brent Eckley, who attends First Christian (the same church I attend)because he is not only dedicated to winning games, but he is committed to building men. He insists on Character Education and he, himself, leads the pregame prayer.

One of the many things that stand out to me in this role is the respect that the football team shows to the coaching staff and to me or anyone else that addresses the team. For those who have a negative view of kids today, I think you would be amazed. These young men are learning and demonstrating great respect in how they listen, speak and conduct themselves. They are not perfect, but I do find it refreshing to get the chance to share with them. They caused me to think a bit about respect this week.

How do we do, as Christians, with regard to respect? Peter challenges us in 1 Peter 2:17, "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." In the context of this verse Peter is telling believers that they need to live in such a way that God is glorified by what they do. He admonishes them to be submissive and to be humble. Let's take a look at the three-part challenge issued in this verse.

To begin, the "umbrella statement" is made. The charge is to "show proper respect to everyone." The word for "respect" is a word that can be translated "honor." A Christian ought to be known for how he or she treats/honors those around them. After giving that principle, Peter then gets more specific. He notes three ways in which this should be seen.

He says, "love the brotherhood of believers." This charge is pretty direct. The word "brotherhood" implies a "band of brothers." Peter's point is that Christians must show they have respect by genuine love for each other. I wonder, sometimes, how we are doing in that regard? I don't know if many people today connect "respecting" others with "loving" others. This should be seen in how we talk to, talk about, write about and interact with each other. Are those situations "loving" or are they something else? How can we say we respect and talk badly about one another? How can we say we respect and hold a grudge against a brother or sister?

Peter continues, "fear God." Many times Bible teachers want to connect the word "fear" with the word "respect." I believe there is a connection, but the word literally here is "fear" or "be afraid." Peter is telling us that showing "proper respect" means to "fear God." It refers back to Proverbs 9:10 which says that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." What does it mean to "fear God?" As I walked tonight, I thought about that. I think it might have something to do with recognizing his holiness and our sinfulness; to think about what Isaiah said in Isaiah 6:5 upon seeing the Lord, "Woe to me! I am ruined; for I am a man with unclean lips." I believe there are quite a few Christians today who believe that God is awfully lucky to have them on his team. It seems to me that there may be a lot of Christians infected with a "head trip" rather than recognize the "headship" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter concludes with the admonishment to "honor the King." In this text he is talking about the political leaders of his day. Christians ought to be exemplary citizens. I want to give myself and other politically active Christians a warning as the political season heats up. We are to be involved and express our values. We are not to speak negatively or in a derogatory manner against any of our leaders. This is not respect and not befitting a follower of Jesus Christ.

I will continue to look forward to sharing with the young men of Union in the next couple of months. I want to thank them for reminding me to think about respect again. I hope you've thought about it, too.

Thanks for reading...

Reading Thus Far in 2011...

I thought I would post what I have read thus far in 2011. I do not have a "best book" pick yet.

Books Read in 2011
Juvenile Fiction:
Gathering Blue- Lowry
Messenger- Lowry
Where The Red Fern Grows- Rawls
A Wrinkle in Time- L’Engle
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry- Taylor
Island of the Blue Dolphins- O’Dell
The Outsiders- Hinton
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas- Boyne
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth- Kinney
Heroes Don’t Run: A Pacific War Novel- Mazer
Soldier’s Heart- Paulsen

Fiction:
Animal Farm- Orwell
Twelve Angry Men- Rose
Pudd’nhead Wilson- Twain
The Confession- Grisham

Christian Fiction:
Face of Betrayal- Wiehl and Henry
Hand of Fate- Wiehl and Henry
Skin- Dekker
Adam- Dekker
Heart of Ice- Wiehl and Henry
The Priest’s Graveyard- Dekker

Christian Devotional/Study:
Jesus: The Greatest Life of All- Swindoll
Finding God in Unexpected Places- Yancey
The Lord’s Supper- Marty
Slaying the Giants in Your Life- Jeremiah
In Every Pew Sits A Broken Heart- Graham
Heaven is for Real- Burpo
Finding Favor with the King- Tenney

Non-Fiction
The Hardball Handbook: How To Win At Life- Matthews
Invasion- Malkin
Heroes of the Holocaust- Zullo and Bovsun
Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government- Beck
Obama’s Wars- Woodward
The Yankee Years- Verducci and Torre

Thoughts on Abraham

I was asked recently to write a Bible study for the National Bible Bowl blog. I thought I would repost it here for any of you who still read "Bill's View."

One of the main characters in our study this year is Abraham. A lot can be said about Abraham, and I’m sure, by this time, you’ve heard quite a bit about him. There is one component of his life, though, that I thought might get overlooked. I think it might benefit us to examine it before our time is totally consumed with one use words and lists. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his greatest dream to obey God. His devotion to the Lord is more important to him than anything else. That observation leads to a challenging, but necessary question. Am I willing to give up my dream, if asked, in obedience to God?

Abraham is clearly a man of faith and we know that he believed the Lord and he credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). In that, Abraham stands tall as a role model and an example for all who seek to be Godly. However, I think it is significant that Abraham, though he was successful and wealthy, was a man of “unfulfilled dreams” (Arnold and Beyer, Encountering the Old Testament, 92). As you know, Abram (as he was called at the time) and his wife Sarai (later Sarah) were childless. In the culture of that day being childless was a sad situation and created unique problems, especially for the wealthy. God, as he so often does, dealt with Abram and the point of his greatest pain; his descendants or lack thereof. God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 12 and reiterated in Genesis 15 and Genesis 17 contained two great promises that would be very important to a man of Abram’s day: land and descendants.

Throughout the middle part of our text (Genesis 12-22) we find God working with Abram and Sarai to bring about the covenant promises made to Abram. Their names are changed to Abraham (father of many nations) and Sarah (mother of many nations). We find God’s hand moving, in his time, to bring about the birth of Isaac. Along the way, though, we find Abraham and Sarah wrestling with whether or not God meant what he said and whether or not they should take matters into their own hands.

We know these accounts, too. Abraham had a servant in his house, Eliezer of Damascus, who would be his heir. It was “normal” for a childless man to adopt a servant or slave to be his heir. Abraham, being childless, was acting according to the norms of his time. God, though, told him that “this man will not be your heir.” Rather, “a son coming from your own body will be your heir” (Genesis 15:4). We notice that Abraham’s original plan was not God’s plan. The next idea of Abram’s and Sarai was for Abram to marry Sarai’s Egyptian maidservant Hagar. Out of that marriage came a son Ishmael, but not the fulfillment of God’s promise (Genesis 17:19-20). Finally, when Abraham and Sarah are very old and past the age when people have children, Sarah becomes pregnant and gives birth to Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7). At last, Abraham’s dream is realized. God is faithful and Abraham has a son to be his heir. All is well.

However, in Genesis 21, the foundation of Abraham’s life is shaken. God makes a request of him that would cause the strongest among us to flinch. “Take you son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” That request must’ve shocked Abraham. How could that be part of the plan? Can you imagine what Abraham must’ve thought about that night? What does he tell Sarah? Does he tell her anything? We don’t know. What we do know is that “early the next morning, Abraham got up and saddled his donkey” (Genesis 22:3). He was going to make that journey. For two full days, he, Isaac and two servants traveled to the mountain to which God had instructed him. Those days had to be two of the most difficult of Abraham’s life. God was telling him to sacrifice his dream on an altar of obedience.

I want to pause the story at this point for just a moment. Like Abraham, we have dreams, too. Sometimes God allows us to realize our dreams and life is really good. The difficult question is would we be willing to lay our dream on the altar of sacrifice if God asked us to do so? Is there anything more important to us than doing what God asks us to do?

We know the rest of the story. Abraham is willing to sacrifice Isaac. I personally believe that, had the angel not stopped him, he would have plunged the knife. God had miraculously given him Isaac. I think he believed God would raise him again. Abraham trusted God completely and wholly. That’s the challenge for us, too. Do you trust him?

Thoughts on what it means to be a follower of God

In Sunday School, the last few weeks, we have been teaching and learning about Micah 6:8. This Scripture was part of a four part series on worship and what God wants from his people. The verse is pretty direct: "He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: to do justly; to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." The three key phrases in this verse were the basis for the lessons, and I thought our junior high students were very involved and into the discussions. Looking back on that verse, I thought there were some significant insights beyond our junior high class. The first part of the verse is "do justly." I tried to explain this phrase to the students in this way: "To do justly" is to seek and promote that which is right. "Just" does not necessarily mean "equal." It goes beyond treating people equally. God's people are to treat others in a way that is right and pleasing to the Lord. That's about where I left it with our junior high class, but I thought about it a bit more this week. How am I doing with regard to treating others in a way that is just or right? I know I am tempted, and I suppose others are as well, to treat others as they have treated me. Sometimes I find myself thinking Well, he or she had it coming or That's what they get... These thoughts, I don't think, are proper. It is true, I suppose, that some people get what they deserve, but it is not my right to pronounce that or to find satisfaction in it. To do that empties me of the grace I've received and makes me a modern-day Jonah. My goal needs to be to always seek that which is right and treat others that way. The second part of the verse is "to love mercy." In the context of the passage, Micah (speaking for the Lord) instructs the people of God to be merciful. That ought to be a part of their character or nature. "Mercy" is defined as "withholding a just punishment." To show mercy means to not mete out what might well be an earned or right punishment. Again, after a few examples, this is about where I left it with our junior high students. I thought about this one, too. I work in the OCS/OSS rooms at Union Middle School. I deal with junior high and senior high school students who have been suspended. All of them have done something against the policy of the school district. They are all guilty and receiving what is a just punishment. I know that there are some teachers that feel like these students should not be allowed any breaks. I am convinced that some educators believe the entire day in OCS/OSS be spent sitting silently at a desk and working continuously for seven hours. I understand where those teachers come from and, at one time, I thought like that, too. Now, though, I don't agree. Punishment does not have to be devoid of mercy. Sharing a drop of mercy to someone who is in the barren land of exile and punishment is not only all right, but in my book it is Christlike. I think a lot of Christians are very quick to judge others (especially those who sin in ways that they, themselves, don't) and sit by smugly wanting them to really suffer for what they've done. As people of God we can and should do better. Mercy is a gift that cannot be given too much. Let us "love mercy." The final challenge of this verse is "to walk humbly with your God." Again, Micah (speaking for God) urges the people of God to live humble lives in recognition of who they are and who God is. To our class, we stressed the importance of living and acting in a humble way. We defined "humility" as seeing ourselves as we really are in the light and context of God. After a few practical examples, that was where we left it for our class. This week, though, I thought quite a bit about this phrase. What does it mean to "walk humbly?" I believe I can illustrate it by portraying what it isn't. In my opinion, walking humbly with God is not... Thinking other people who wear the name of Jesus are less Christian than I am. Believing that I, because of what I do and think, am superior to those around me. Judging and finding fault with others, even if fault is present, for it is not mine to judge. Criticizing the church, the bride of Christ, and soiling her reputation among outsiders. Humility is a quiet, gentle spirit that knows it is by grace that it has been saved through faith. I am challenged to be less critical and "know-it-all" and more humble. I enjoyed time with this Old Testament passage and I hope you liked reading my meandering thoughts about it. Thanks for reading...

Books read in January 2011

I am a reader and hope to encourage others to read and share what they read. Today I will list what books I read in January and a brief synopsis of each. I hope you enjoy.

Animal Farm by George Orwell A classic piece of literature that cleverly and bitterly mocks the socialists of the Soviet Union. The book was first published in 1945, just after the war and sought to warn the west of a "dangerously alien form of socialism."

Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose This book is actually a play that describes one man's struggle against the prevailing mindset. The story is of a jury that must decide whether or not a young man committed murder.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls This is the poignant story of a boy and his hunting dogs set in the Ozark mountains. The tale of "Little Ann" and "Old Dan" will inspire you and perhaps bring a tear to your eye.

Messenger by Lois Lowry This is the third in the Lowry trilogy (The Giver and Gathering Blue). I thought this book was an interesting portrayal of sacrfice and giving. Some spiritual connections could be made in this one.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry This is the second in the Lowry trilogy (The Giver and Messenger). It was an unusual look at a post apocalyptic society and differed greatly from The Giver.

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl and April Harris This was the only Christian fiction book I read this month and the first I read from this author. You might recognize the name "Lis Wiehl" if you are a fan of Fox News. She often appears with Bill O'Reilly. This was an interesting, compelling story that had some interesting twists and turns. A good read.

Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain This is a later Twain novel and is a biting attack on the institution of slavery and southern attitudes. It is the story of two babies, both very light-skinned, switched at birth so that the "white" child grows up as a slave and the "black" child grows up free.

The Hardball Handbook: How to Win a Life by Chris Matthews This book was the only "political" book I read this month. I like Chris Matthews of MSNBC fame (though I do not always agree with him). His book chronicles his own journey and is an easy read and contains some good life lessons.

Jesus: The Greatest Life of All by Charles Swindoll This book was the climax of the Swindoll "Life" series. It was a thorough and powerful discussion of the life of Jesus Christ. I thought the book was quite challening and inspiring. I thought it could even be used in a "Life of Jesus" classroom setting. Highly recommend this one.

Finding God in Unexpected Places by Philip Yancey I am an unashamed fan of Philip Yancey's work. His challening and thought-provoking assertions always make me think and rethink what I believe and why. I thought of all the books I read this month, this one spoke to me most directly. Read anything Yancey writes is the advice I give.


I hope you will continue to read and grow, too. More next month. Thanks for reading....

A Life Theme

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines "regret" as "feeling deeply sad or sorry about something." The origin of the word may go back to the Old Norse language and carries the meaning "to weep over." In the last few days I have had a discussion with some people for whom I care very much about "regrets" and living life without them. I understand the desire to live life without regret. I think it makes very good sense to not live in the past. I don't think there is anyone who would claim to have never made a mistake. We all have. However, if living without regret means not living in the past and not dwelling upon mistakes, then I agree with that longing. Fixating upon what might have been is a waste of time and energy.

Having stated that case, though, I can't help but wonder if all of us don't have some things that we wish were a bit different in our lives. I don't know what we call these things, especially if "regret" is a bad word. I just know from my own life that there are things that I wish were a bit different. I could have been more kind to that person. I could have been a bit more sensitive. I could have shown patience. Maybe it is that I wish people for whom I care did not have to struggle or hurt. Are these regrets? I have no idea.

I do know this; there is one area in my life in which I wish I had done more. I wish I had taken more time; had more boldness; or been wiser in telling just one more person about Jesus Christ. I am still at Union Middle School (and, apparently, still learning). As a part of my job, I have been teaching the Holocaust. I came across this snippet from the movie Schindler's List. I invite you to watch it.

http://http://restlesspilgrim.blogspot.com/2010/10/regret-i-didnt-do-enough.html

I find that snippet powerful and moving. I have decided that the phrase, "One More Person" ought to be the theme of my life right now. Paul writes in Colossians 4:5, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." I am pleased that I have had the opportunity to do this. I regret that I have missed some opportunities. I do not dwell, though, upon the mistakes. Instead, they challenge, humble and inspire me to make the most of every chance I get. "One more person;" it has a nice ring to it. Think about it.

Once again, thanks for reading...

Words Matter

James wrote, "The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:6). In James 3:3-11 James gives a sober reminder of the danger of words and the damage that words can do. The tongue may be a small part of the body, but it can wreak great havoc. I think most of us know this. We are taught in Sunday School the children's song "O be careful little tongue what you say for the Father up above is looking down in love so be careful little tongue what you say."

I think, though, our culture today has forgotten that simple Sunday School song. Last Saturday there was a horrible tragedy in Arizona. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and several others were shot by a crazed loner named Jared Loughner. That horrific event is sickening and makes me wonder what is happening in the world in which we live. On top of that, the ensuing discussion about this awful shooting has been apalling. Last Saturday afternoon, hours after the event, there were many on the political left blaming the rhetoric of some on the pollitical right. Since that time, the "war of words" has escalated. Words are being tossed about; accusations are being made; a discussion is being held as to whether the political climate gave birth to this terrible crime. I don't know what has happened to the simple truth that a person is resposible for his or her own actions.

Having said that, though, I do sometimes wonder about the way we use words today. I don't think that words are responsible for the deaths of those in Arizona. Let me say that again. However, the way we use words and the tone in which we address each other is a bit troubling. I do not consider myself to be totally "up to date," but I do have a Facebook page and I have seen and used YouTube. Sometimes the words people use and the manner in which they interact is, well, less than civil. We seem to have no problem "calling each other out" or "getting in someone's face." We can and do use all kinds of words, even curse words, pretty freely. We are quick to "cut down" or "question" other people and very infrequently demonstrate what is polite or kind. I know. We don't really mean it that way. We are only talking about sports or movies. Maybe, though, we need to reassess how we use words and how we say things. I am going to try.

Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Have a great new year and thanks for reading...