4 Jan 2011

Best of 2010: Books I Read

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“Read or get out of the ministry” was a quote a I learned when I started seminary at SEBTS 11 years ago this month.  Yes, I do like to read, but I’m not a fast reader.  Love actual books – not electronic reading.  Love a pen in hand, book in hand, maybe a drink in hand – its a good life!  I read 28 books in 2010.  My goal for 2011 is 52.  We’ll see.  Goals are goals.  They take work.  Here are some of my favorites:

1.  Mudhouse Sabbath: Lauren Winners.  Thanks to Janel for introducing me to this book.  Great Christian look at her Jewish upbringing and how she can still live the traditions and laws under the new grace of Jesus.

2.  What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert.  The coolest thing about this little book is that Greg, and his wife, Moriah, live out what he wrote in this helpful book.  Always a winner.

3.  Counsel from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick.  So nourishing for the soul and especially to have walked through it over breakfasts with Becca.

4.  Girls Gone Wise by Mary Kassian.  Biblical truths for living out God’s Word in today’s world.

5.  Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware.  Especially if you are a parent, or new in your faith – ok, everyone.  You need to read this book.  Theology 101 – or 99 – or 50. 

6.  Surprised by Grace by Tullian.  Meaningful commentary and life application on the book of Jonah.  You’ll never read Jonah the same again.

7.  Radical by David Platt.  I know this will be in almost everyone’s top 10 for 2010.  But, what are you going to do with what you read?

What are your reading goals for 2011?  What are your favorite books?  Do you have favorite authors?  What are you reading right now?

29 Nov 2010

Much and Link Love (November 29)

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Well, I don’t feel like November really happened – its already over. Gracious so much happened this month – but did anything? I feel like this month just kinda scooted by and here we are in the last month of 2010 and about to start 2011.
1. Loved wearing flannels during Thanksgiving dinner. Just my parents and I – so after running, the flannels came on. It was great. I did set the table real nice though.
2. It was good having my parents here, sad to see them leave, sort of a lonely feeling, don’t know quite how to explain it.
3. I do not relish the thought of going into another winter season single. Yes, I love being single, we all know that, but winter is somehow different: holiday parties, Christmas Eve and Day, New Years, birthday, valentines day. Just seems like it would be better with a significant other – but not worth settling.
4. More dreams coming true for people – love watching it. God is so gracious to us. He is the ultimate Dream fulfiller!
5. I ran an 8k. 64.21 – beating my previous time of an 8k by 3 minutes, but man, I gotta run more and get a run/walk split down that I can keep and practice and improve.
6. Doing some fun reading: Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain and Eat Pray Love by Gilbert. Good reads. And yes, I take notes even in fun reading.
7. Heard a line today in an Andrew Peterson song that went something like this: Your payment was more than all our lambs we sacrificed. We can never do enough to earn God’s love or salvation – it is all grace.

1. A friend of mine who is a pastor here in Raleigh wrote this about how to prepare for Sunday morning worship.
2. I need to make these since I now have a whole box of sweet potatoes to eat before they go bad, or I get sick of the box. Can’t wait to experiment. If you have any ideas – please pass them along!
3. I made these for Thanksgiving, very yummy. I have a few leftovers. Will be enjoying this week, too!
4. Do you have a love/hate relationship with your grocery store?
5. My friend, Dana, speaks on Christmas traditions in a Christian home. You will want to check back as this is a series…
6. My lovely and creative friend, Christine, made these to hang in their home. Art doesn’t have to be expensive.
7. Girls Gone Wise on single women using protection (read on to answer all your questions)…

22 Nov 2010

Much & Link Love: November 21 edition

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Vacation over: Thanksgiving ahead.
1. Vacation was great: hiking, eating, sleeping, photoging, seeing friends. Beautiful weather.
2. Parents come in town tomorrow.
3. I’ve decided not to do the half on Thursday. That would take out 9 hours of what my parents and I could do together (drive, run, drive), so we will find stuff to do in Raleigh without going to Charlotte.
4. Friends are crucial to my wellbeing, but I also love downtown when I don’t see another soul. I’ll have to find a time to do that after my parents leave. Hmmmm. Maybe New Years.
5. It just wasn’t a pretty football weekend, except for the GATORS. I was in Boone (home of ASU) and loved saying GO GATORS. One of the signs I saw read “Gator: It is what’s for dinner. Go App.” – Well, that didn’t happen.
6. Short week in the office, busy week of editing and reading.
7. To shed some weight this holiday season (instead of put it on): one meal a day has to be either oatmeal, egg white omelette, or veggies. That will definitely help cut some calories during the day.
8. Got some new things in the works for after New Years. Thinking and excited.

Link Love:
1. Girls Gone Wise blog hits up entitlements and rights of women.
2. I think I would like to host one of these. Anyone in RDU interested – good way to start the new year.
3. These will definitely be making their way to a holiday party near you.
4. These will also be making it to a Christmas party near you (if you live in RDU or Lakeland).
5. Love this article that Justin posted on his blog. Often as Christians we ignore culture. But, here are some wise ways to engage and redeem. Hopefully a post will be coming on that by a friend of mine.
6. I would like to try this Chicago-style pizze at home one night, maybe while the parents are here.
7. Ed Stetzer to the rescue – especially if you are flying this holiday season.
8. I thought of these videos a lot this wknd while scaling 23 feet up a ladder on a side of a mountain.

15 Nov 2010

Much and Link Love (November 15 edition)

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Halfway through November today. Wow, the holidays will be here before we know it and our schedules will be super busy.

1. Busy weekend, but good: Meta 2010, Tedd Tripp Conference (see live blog notes here), great sermon I sat through twice, fall foliage, photog with a friend at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham (love.for.photos.)
2. Ate too much this weekend.
3. Much to do tonight when I get home at 9pm and it doesn’t include watching MNF.
4. The Gators looked HORRIBLE on Saturday night – but thankful, if we had to lose, we lost to Steve.
5. This week: 1.5 lessons to write, hang out times with friends, photog sessions, and hiking with a friend. 4 days off in a row. Love. I never thought I would appreciate vacations – now I do.
6. Cooking this week: roasted chicken tacos, balsamic roast chicken, zucchini, wheat bread, asian chicken and vegetables, and something for dessert which I haven’t decided on yet.

Link Love:
1. This is a great post on theology and photography. Thanks Kerry and Devin for pointing me to it and writing it!
2. Gils Gone Wise has done it again – great post about dating and dating the right person. I’ve been thinking about settling – just to have a date – NOT worth it.
3. I think I will participate in this for the next two months…I have way too many cookbooks I don’t use!
4. Love this post by the Resurgence on great women of the reformation. Great women we can aspire to be (or exam their lives).
5. Love this piece on culture and influence, especially for my friends who are pursuing this regularly…

Short and sweet this week!