Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

Wow! What a book! This is not the book to read if you are happily unaware of sins in your life....that is, unless you want to grow closer to God. The title, to some, might be misleading. This isn't a book that condones sin. On the contrary, as the subtitle says (paraphrase), it confronts those sins in our life that we tolerate or may not even consider to be sin. Some of the topics (sins) covered in this book are:

Anxiety and frustration
Unthankfulness
Pride
Selfishness
Anger
Lack of patience
Lack of self-control

A thoughtful reading of this book will leave you feeling so grateful for Jesus Christ as you see how far you are from God's standard. It also leaves you hope, as the author reminds you that you are forgiven and that through His help, we can have victory over our sins. Bridges also gives you Scripture to fill your mind to use as a weapon against daily temptations. Definitely worth the read!

The Element, by Ken Robinson

This is the video that introduced me to Ken Robinson.  If you didn't watch it, please take the time to watch it, it will make you think.  As a homeschooler, I would consider myself to be very concerned about education, so much so, that I have decided to take the education of my children into my own hands.  I must say, this video really challenged my approach to education.  I am a person who tends to subscribe to the "hierarchy of subjects" that he mentions.  In search of being challenged and encouraged to "think outside the box", I went on a web-hunt looking for more of this man's thoughts on education.  That is how I stumbled on his book, "The Element".

My children (grade 8 and 12) have been homeschooled for the last 8 years.  I tend to be a "box checker" and more academically oriented, but my children do not necessarily fit this mold.  I have grown up believing that post-secondary education is critical to any type of success as an adult.  While I value and encourage my children to pursue post-secondary education (especially given the "over-inflation" of education in today's culture), I no longer believe it is absolutely critical to success...depending on your definition of success.  Throughout "The Element", Ken introduces you to several people who don't fit the mold of typical schooling, but yet, are quite successful in their chosen "fields".  Many of these individuals were not successful students in the educational system.  As many homeschoolers can relate, I worry that if my children are not A+ students with stellar SAT scores, they will be somehow at a huge disadvantage in life, unable to support their future families.  Homeschool parents, consequently, can put a lot of undue pressure both on themselves and their children to excel, whether or not their children are able to attain the ideal their parents have set for them.  

Instead of stressing success as academic ability, Ken stresses the importance of each person discovering "their Element", "the place where the things you love to do and things that you are good at come together" (Chapter 1, page15 in the ebook version).  It depends on "finding our own distinctive talents and passions" (Chapter 1, page 16).  Ken reminds the reader that intelligence comes in many forms, some of which may not be best served through the traditional methods of education.  The individual stories told throughout this book show that there is no one way to achieve success.  For some, it may very well be through A+ grades and stellar SAT scores, for some it might be through their love of movement and rhythm. 

There are 11 chapters in this book, each dealing with a different topic in relation to finding your "Element".  This book in no way gives you a "12 Step Plan" for success, but instead challenges the reader's ideas of success and education.  He talks of the need for educational transformation over education reformation.  He stresses the need to promote and encourage creativity (which he discusses in the video) to meet the demands of the future.  He challenges standard educational theory.

If you are interested in being challenged in the area of education, I recommend you read this book! 

 

Sheet Music by Dr. Kevin Leman

This is the third time I have read this book.  Obviously, to read it multiple times, I find great value in what Dr. Leman has to say about sex in a marriage relationship.  There are a few chapters at the beginning that can he advises those who are engaged to read as well, but the rest of the book he advises only those in a marriage should read....and for good reason!  Dr. Leman doesn't hold anything back!

Dr. Leman's treatment of sex throughout this book is respectful, although he is quite frank and his descriptions of certain things leave no question in your mind about what it is he is talking about.  He explains what he believes is acceptable (physically speaking) between a man and his wife and why.  His treatment of sex is from a biblical viewpoint and is quite refreshing.  Today's culture has somewhat "dirtied" sex (at least from my point of view) and Dr. Leman cleaned it up for me.  He also challenges what seems to be the cultural norm of men being subjected to whim of their wives when it comes to sexual satisfaction and strongly states the case for mutual submission.  Many women use marital intimacy as a "dangling carrot" and Dr. Leman addresses this issue.

He also helps to shed light on the differences between men and women and the way they receive and express love.  He gives helpful advice (to both husbands and wives) about how to increase both emotional and physical intimacy and thereby strenghten your marriage.

I find this to be a quick, enjoyable (yet personally challenging) read.  In no way do these few short paragraphs sum up all that Dr. Leman has to say in this book, but these are the things that bring me back to this book.  Each time I read it, I am inspired to continue to grow as a wife who seeks to love her husband as he ought to be loved.  I highly recommend this book for all married (and about to be married) men and women.

What's in your Cup?

I absolutely love to curl up with a good book, a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea! My favourite is Tetley's "Earl Grey Vanilla", but truthfully, almost any black tea will do. I don't mind the occasional cup of coffee, apple cider or hot chocolate either.

After Christas this year, I decided to buy a Keurig. You can get all sorts of drinks for it and I am loving it! It brews a perfect cup everytime and in no time flat! So far I have enjoyed Bigelow's Earl Grey and a French Vanilla coffee.

What about you?

Welcome!

I am excited! I love to read and have decided to catalogue what I read and give a mini-review for each book. I don't know about you, but I prefer to read books that are recommended to me rather than just picking up random books. It is my desire to share with you what books I would recommend (and not recommend) and to get some ideas from you too.

Right now, I am reading:

The Element, by Ken Robinson
Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges
Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy
Sheet Music, by Kevin Leman and
Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor

When I am finished, I will let you kmow what I think....in the mean time, let me know what you have read recently and would recommend.