Poof! My 2023 Reading List

 Happy New Year! Below find my year in books for 2023. 

But bear with me for a moment...

You will find on my list books by both Kevin Deyoung and Douglas Wilson. I have great respect for both men for different reasons. I read both men quite a bit. Both men have had significant impact on the way I see the world (Wilson on all things family related; Deyoung on pretty much everything else). On the other hand, both men have personal associations that give me great pause. That makes for a level playing field. So when Deyoung posted his Moscow Mood, he did an outstanding job addressing some of my own concerns. BUT, as Proverbs reminds us, one man seems right until another questions him, and, sure enough,  Wilson stated his own case convincingly. Deyoung is right; Wilson should watch his language. Wilson is right; no one will come to the table. While Deyoung and Company have a world-class cancel culture going on regarding anyone in Moscow, it was Wilson who earned the respect, the friendship, and at the end of his life, the confidence of atheist Christopher Hitchens. From where I sit, it looks like Deyoung's camp is good at looking good but Wilson is good at doing good. (See, Kevin, I can do mic drops, too.)

As a believer in Proverbs 18:17 AND as a long-time debate mom, I know how this (should) work. Deyoung stated his case. We'll call it the Affirmative Constructive. Then Wilson gave the Negative Constructive. What is supposed to happen next is that Deyoung gets to rebut. Let's call that the Affirmative Refutation. Wilson, likewise, gets a Negative Refutation. Ideally, each would also get an opportunity to ask clarifying questions of each other in a time of Cross-Examination. Then we, the Church, at this point now as fully informed of each position as we can be, get to decide which way each argument flows. (But Deyoung doesn't just get to shrug his shoulders whimsically in a golly-gee-I-didn't-mean-to-stir-anything-up posture. I can't decide if he is coming off as weak or aloof.) Mic drops don't help the Church grow in Unity or Truth; they just sharpen the splinter. I look forward to both men seeing this through. The Church today needs both men. Meanwhile, I will continue to read books by both Deyoung and Wilson. 

And now, my reads. 

How to Thrive as a Pastor's Wife by Christine Hoover. Sigh. The pastor's wife is not the head of women's ministry. The pastor's wife is not a co-pastor. The pastor's wife is...hang onto your hats...the wife of the pastor. She is her husband's secret service agent who sees the threats while he sees the opportunities. She wears the sunglasses and the wire and watches the calendar, the clock, and the congregation with obnoxious precision. She steps in: Sir, we need to get you into the car now. Where is THAT book on pastors' wives? It's called Don't Let the Door Hit Ya Where the Good Lord Split Ya: A Pastor's Wife's Perspective. That's the book I want to read. Don't make me write it.  

The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien. Because Tolkien.

Things of Earth by Joe Rigney. Sweet reminder of the blessings of the mundane. Common grace. And pumpkin crunch cake. Really great book.

Death by Living by ND Wilson. Good, but not as good as Tilt-a-Whirl. :)

After the War by Carol Matas. The Jews' problems did not end just because the Holocaust did. So sad.

Authentic Ministry by Michael Reeves

Building Her House by Nancy Wilson

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King

The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien. Can I just say that the denouement is the most important part of this whole story? I have read this many times, but this was the first time I cried. 

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Sohlzenitzyn  Who would have thought that a book about the Gulag would give a reader so much encouragement to bloom where you are planted? And it really resonated with one of my kids this year who was experiencing his own squeeze. 

Ordinary by Michael Horton  In a world where it is fashionable to be concerned about the nameless, faceless 'poor and marginalized',  instead of people with an actual name and fingerprint, this is a good reminder that being ordinary leads to real human flourishing. The world doesn't need your quest for clean water; the world needs you to stay in your marriage.

Abusing Memory by Jane Gumprecht, MD. Brett picked this up at a conference. I read it once and scanned it again to maker sure I was reading it correctly. The science of the brain confirms that the brain is not able to bury traumatic memories. 

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. Some books, every sentence is a joy to read. This is one of those books. 

Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang. Want to start a revolution? Start by turning the children against the parents. Jiang's autobiography during the Cultural Revolution is chilling. 

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes. Fun read-aloud with the 10 yr old.

Adam and His Kin by Ruth Beechick. Meh, kind of weird. 

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by ND Wilson.  The only book I read every year. 

The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt.

Just David by Eleanor Porter. 

Beside Still Waters by Charles Spurgeon. There is nothing like affliction in ourselves or others to reveal the wrong, weak, or weird theology in ourselves or others. No wonder Job was grumpy. Spurgeon was a cup of cool water to my soul. 

Don't Be True to Yourself by Kevin Deyoung. Nailed it. 

A Visual History of the Modern World. This book weighs about twenty pounds. But very good!

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. Read-aloud

The Innocence of Father Brown by GK Chesterton. I love Father Brown. 

In the House of Tom Bombadil by CR Wiley. Wonderful little read on Tolkien's most mysterious character.

Fight by Flight by Joel Webbon. No. Just all kinds of no. If you are leaving a place because the economy is bad, you don't like the politics, or it poses a threat to your family, just say so. But don't spin it like you're loving a place by leaving it. Bad eschatology. Bad exegesis. Just bad, bad, bad. 

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. If you want a curl up by the fire and read book, this is it. 

The Aeneid by Virgil. I don't care if you sing of arms an-zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

My Life for Yours by Douglas Wilson. Wilson shines on all things household related. But I would like to know if there is anything he doesn't file under First Order orthopraxy. What about Romans 14? Does everyone have to do it like he does? That aside, I really liked this book.

Phantastes by George MacDonald. Reminds me of Spencer's Fairie Queen. I liked it, but Spencer was better. 

Genesis in Time and Space by Francis Schaeffer. It was good to get back to Schaeffer. Really good.

The Universe Next Door by James Sire. A good book on the history of worldviews. 

Thinking God's Thoughts: Johannes Kepler and the Miracle of Cosmic Comprehensibility by Melissa Travis. This was the most beautiful, doxological book I read this year. It was a 'listen to this!' book. It was a 'my eyes were wide and my jaw was in my lap' book. I can't do it justice here, but it is based on Kepler's belief that God left hints of Himself in the cosmos for us to find, and Kepler's search to do just that. Just beautiful.

The Blue Train by Agatha Christie.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson. Dare I say it? I find that Wingfeather Saga to be at least as powerful story as...Narnia. I'll just leave that there. And I read it every few years.

 

Men and Women in the Church by Kevin Deyoung. Excellent treatment of his topic, as usual.

Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. Just what happened to those young boys in the Tower of London?

The Disciple-Making Parent by Chap Bettis. Brett and I both lost old friends to deconstruction this year. Not that we didn't see it coming in either case, but it's a tough pill to swallow nonetheless. One of the major signs? They failed to recategorize their children when the facts clearly warranted it. Instead of saying, "This child who I thought was in Christ is actually very much still in Adam", they recategorized the child's sin. "If it makes my child happy, how could it possibly be sin?" Whoops. I met Chap at a conference over the summer and we compared notes on what we are seeing in the Christian family these days, namely the prevalence of The Prodigal. Bettis' thesis is that the Great Commission is our parenting instruction. Brett and I have long thought the very same thing. Heartily recommend!!! 

Praise Her in the Gates by Nancy Wilson.

Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkel. While Jen Wilkin is concerned about 'power structures in the church' (insert disdainful eyeroll here; I'm so over Wilkin), Merkel actually wrote the best book on womanhood I have ever read.

Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour. I picked this up again after the October 7th Hamas attack. Chacour was a Palestinian kid in 1948 who is now a pastor. He saw how Israel did it wrong. And he loves Jesus. So his perspective is worth the read. But it also too easily veers into liberation theology. So read it for another side. But bring the salt. 

Worldliness by CJ Mahaney, et al. I assigned this to my high schoolers this year, and then we read Strangely Bright by Joe Rigney for a complete breakfast. Good to read the two back-to-back.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. A favorite of mine since I was a kid. 

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Such a fun read, especially back to back with Bronte!

The Lost Grizzlies by Rick Bass. A man's story about his passion to restore the grizzly population in the Colorado Rockies. 

North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson. The journey continues...

Letting Go--A Simple Protocol for Mothers and Mothers-in-Law

She'll take the painting in the hallway, the one she did in junior high.

And that old lamp up in the attic--she'll need some light to study by.

She's had 18 years to get ready for this day.

She should be past the tears; she cries some anyway.

Oh, oh, letting go. There's nothing in her way now.

Letting go, there's room enough to fly.

Even though she's spent her whole life waiting, it's never easy,

Letting go.*

Our son got married last week, bringing the total of married children to five (thus far). I've been thinking a great deal this past year about 'letting go' and what that should look like. High school graduation, in our house, is our first glimpse. Then they go out on their own--sniff.  But there's nothing quite as final as marriage because now a new covenant has been created--one that doesn't include us at all. When a child says "I do" to their love, they also say "Goodbye" to us. But we aren't always as good at saying goodbye to them. We might say it in theory, but we aren't good at saying it in practice. The problem is that what feels to us like our affectionate hand on their shoulder feels to them like a grip on their ankle, like Uncle Andrew grasping at Polly and Digory on their way to the Wood-Between-the-Worlds. But if a woman is to leave her home and a man is to leave his father and mother, then it can be inferred that parents must let that woman and that man go. Since this is harder for moms than for dads, here's the short, simple protocol I have developed over the past nine years as a mom-to-marrieds.

DO recognize that, while you are the despot of your home, your daughter and daughter-in-law are the despots of their homes. This is a biblically-sanctioned household governmental role, and you need to respect it. You must decrease, and she must increase. Your realm will soon shrink to just you and your husband. Your realm, in no possible way, extends to your adult children and their children. 

DO realize that the household that just formed is not a church plant from the mother kirk; it is an entirely independent household. 

Do NOT issue requests. Even nicely phrased ones like, "I'd like you to spend your holidays with us/ visit our church/meet our social circle/ call you Aunt Betty" are assertions of an authority that no longer exists and, therefore, a power play. Don't do this.

If the married daughter/daughter-in-law lives far away, do NOT complain to her. It is possible that she is missing you, in which case you just made her homesick. It is also possible that she is enjoying the distance, in which case you just made her claustrophobic. 

Do NOT visit for the maximum amount of time. When you leave, she should wish you'd stayed longer rather than wish you'd left sooner. 

If the married daughter/daughter-in-law lives locally, do NOT invite yourself over or show up unannounced at her door. This is the despot's domain, and her own home should be the safest place of all from your encroachment. 

Do NOT share one adult child's news with another adult child. Do NOT talk about your relationship to one adult child with another adult child. Your children are not your support group. 

Brett has a simple protocol for relating as a father to his married daughters:

Do NOT inquire about your girl's emotional issues, relational issues, spiritual issues, physical issues. This kind of intimacy is out-of-bounds. First of all, Dad, she already has a husband; it is his job to bear her burdens. Second, you already have a wife and maybe children still at home. It's your job to focus on them. Think of this like being a confidante to another man's wife. Totally inappropriate. 

Likewise, there is a simple protocol for mothers of married sons:

Do NOT be a burden to your boy. Do not share your emotional issues, relational issues, spiritual issues, physical issues with him. This kind of intimacy is out-of-bounds. First of all, you already have a husband; it is his job to bear your burdens. Second, your son has a wife and children. It is his job to focus on them. Think of this like confiding in another woman's husband. Again, entirely inappropriate. 

I couldn't sum it up better than author and podcaster Nancy Wilson (mom to 3 and grandmother to 18). "You had your chance; now be quiet."** That's my mantra.

I had my chance; now be quiet.

I had my chance; now be quiet.

I had my chance; now be quiet. 

(And, dads, don't be passive. If your wife isn't doing a good job letting go, step in. Brett reminds me when I am encroaching. That's not just good advice; that's a relationship saver.)

If, at this point, you're thinking of all the ways you've blown it with your adult kids, be of good cheer. That is going to happen! Just ask their forgiveness, and resolve not to encroach again. If you aren't sure, put on your thick skin and get a progress report. I sat down with two of my married daughters a couple months ago to do just that. It was extremely helpful to all of us. 

The evidence is in, ironic as it may be.

Hold on, even loosely, and you will create distance.

Let go of your kids, and they will come back to you as friends.

It' so worth it!

Mother sits down at the table, so many things she'd like to do,

Spend more time out in the garden. Now she can get those books read, too.

She's had 18 years to get ready for this day. 

She should be past the tears; she cries some anyway.

Oh, oh, letting go. There's nothing in the way now.

Letting go,  there's room enough to fly.

Even though she's spent her whole life waiting, it's never easy,

Letting go.

p.s. My husband loved this post and feels like it is important to get this message out. So if you found this helpful for yourself or you think it would be helpful to someone else, would you please share this post on your social media account? Thanks!

*Bogguss, Suzy. Letting Go. 1991. 

**Wilson, Nancy. Building Her House. Canon Press.2006.

In Relentless Pursuit of Truth

I have long thought that book 5 of the Harry Potter series, Order of the Phoenix, is the best story of the bunch. It is the story of the pursuit of truth in the face of opposition, scoffing, and calculated attack. It is the story of what witchcraft actually, scripturally is: rebellion. Namely rebellion against Truth. Rebellion doesn't like Truth and seeks to either silence it or twist it. 

Sounds a lot like the current decade...

Truth, to be Truth, must satisfy certain criteria. 

Truth must be transcendent. It must come from outside ourselves. And our consciences testify to that fact.

Truth must be objective. It must be the same for all people in all places. If your truth doesn't apply to me, it's not Truth.  

Truth must be unchanging. Truth must have been true in the beginning and will still be true in the end. There is no such thing as either dead Truth or new Truth. 

Truth must be impervious. We can jump up and down and throw rocks at it all day long, but Truth neither has feelings nor cares about ours. 

Therefore, for a position on any issue to be Truth, it must be transcendent, objective, unchanging, and impervious. Or to state it negatively, if it's not transcendent, objective, unchanging, and impervious, it's not Truth. 

John Adams once said that facts are stubborn things.

So is Truth. 

Books, Books, Books: My 2022 Reading List

Well, in spite of completely deleting my social media presence almost two years ago (Nothing went wrong. My marriage is happy; my kids are happy. We continue to amass weddings and grandbabies...), people still read last year's reading list.  That's amazing to me! And while I have not blogged faithfully in a couple years, I do have a few ideas I think might be worth a post or two, so stay tuned. But for now, here's my 2022 reading list. At forty-five books long, it's one of my shorter ones. I'm not sure why I didn't read as much this past year. But, hey, January of 2023 is almost over, and I have five books done already so that bodes well for the reading year ahead. 

And without further ado...

The Winter King by Christine Cohen. A fantasy civilization. A book of guidance that the elite rulers take great pains to hide from the ordinary reader. The corruption and misery that result. Huh. What does that sound like? Fun read!

The Majesty of Mystery by Scott Oliphant Like an old pastor used to say, do you really want a God small enough for you to completely understand? So good. 

Andrew and the Firedrake by Douglas Wilson Kill the dragon; get the girl. I loved the premise, but the story was more intriguing to my 9 year old than myself. Not quite as brilliant as The Man in the Dark.

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes This was a dutiful read-aloud. I wish it was one hundred pages shorter. 

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by ND Wilson Sighhhhhh. Still my favorite book and annual read. It never gets old. My husband is finally reading it along with all my margin notes. :)

Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke Burke was watching the French Revolution closely from across the Channel. College kids should be required to read this. Shoot, college professors should be required to read this. 

That Hideous Strength by CS Lewis I think this was my second time through. I hated the Space Trilogy the first time it was forced on me. Now that I'm an adult reading for my own growth, I find it absolutely fascinating. 

The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney John Stonestreet once mentioned that the old hymn got it wrong, that as we turn our eyes upon Jesus, the things of earth should grow strangely bright, not dim. Rigney's book seeks to prove just that. Despite David Platt's cuckoo radicalism, it's actually a good thing to enjoy the things of earth as good gifts from our Father in Heaven. 

Leepike Ridge by ND Wilson Totally wicked ride. A great adventure mystery story. It's his best fiction!

Saints, Sinners, and Sufferers by Michael Emlet. Meh.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe Second time through, this time with my high schoolers. They balked at the conveniently happy ending, but I loved it again. 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis Can you read Narnia too much? Nah. 

Prince Caspian by CS Lewis

Rip Van Winkle and Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving Do you realize how little dialogue there is in these stories? No wonder they made them movies. So much potential. So little realized in the written form. 

Huntingtower by John Buchan Best spy author ever. I just love everything he writes. 

Voyage of the Dawn Treader by CS Lewis

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo  Jean Valjean is simply the best, better than all the rest, better than anyone, anyone I've ever met...Anyway...It was fun to discuss this time through with my high schoolers. And they were disappointed in the musical afterword because it left so much out. 

The Silver Chair by CS Lewis

The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis

Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien Didn't love it. But as a LOTR fan, I read it. 

What Grieving People Wish You Knew by Nancy Guthrie A friend of mine lost her son in May in a motorcycle accident. Not having a clue what to say or do, I found Guthrie's book extremely helpful. 

The Great Divorce by CS Lewis Like the Space Trilogy, I don't remember enjoying this one the first time through. But this time it was fascinating. I'm still not ever going to read Til We Have Faces again. And you can't make me. 

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder I hate this series. Loathe. Despise. Abominate. But I read this one to my 9 yr old. If he wants to read the rest, he is welcome to. My job is done here. 

100 Cupboards by ND Wilson Fun but weird. 

The Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis

The Light from Behind the Sun by Douglas Wilson In which Wilson attempts to argue that Lewis is reformed. Uh, no. 

The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Fenorella This is a BEAUTIFUL book. Just absolutely lovely and probably the best fiction I have read in a long, long time.

Nathan Coulter by Wendell Berry Good, though I think I'm done with Berry for a while.

Such a Mind as This by Richard Smith A book on the biblical theology of thinking. I have never read anything like it. It traces epistemology--how we know--from the garden, through the fall, the Wisdom books, Job, and the Teacher of Ecclesiastes. Absolutely fascinating!

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Meh.

The Abolition of Man by CS Lewis Chapter two. My head hurt. This is one of those little books that you can glean something from every time you read it. 

Being the Bad Guys by Stephen McAlpine Like it or not, believers have been pushed to the margin. But the Church being taken seriously by the world has historically been the exception, not the rule. And now, as we head back to being social outsiders, it's important to understand how to embrace that to God's glory. I assigned this to my teens after I read it. It's that important. 

A Severe Mercy by Sheldon VanAuken A marriage with a sappy, ridiculous, idolatrous agreement. And then they get saved. Whoa. 

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman If you want to know why the world seems to have lost its mind, Truemen offers a scholarly thesis. Heady stuff. Well-documented. It's hard work but worth the read. I finally get it. 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald What other end should we expect for the self-absorbed?

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Remarque I love this book. The horrors of war and using boys as chess pieces for little despots in big houses. Makes me mad.

Animal Farm by George Orwell When you're done reading about the effects of tyranny on warfare in All Quiet, you can read about tyranny in the suburbs here. 

The Intimate Marriage by RC Sproul Good, not great. Still nothing out there to rival Wilson's Reforming Marriage. 

Rejoice and Tremble by Michael Reeves I just love Reeves. And this book about the fear of the Lord was another great one by him. 

Learning to Love the Psalms by Robert Godfrey Being rather left-brained, I readily admit to being utterly lost in the psalms. Godfrey's book did, in fact, help me to understand and even begin to love the psalms. 

The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien This will probably be my last time reading it aloud, as I am going through it with my 9 yr old. It's a different experience reading it aloud, but I am still finding qoutes for my commonplace book. 

Dracula by Bram Stoker WHY have I never read this before? I loved this story so much. So much good vs. evil. So much heroism. Loved, loved, loved. 

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham Made me laugh out loud. Again. 

The Dawn of Redeeming Grace by Sinclair Ferguson

Live Like a Narnian by Joe Rigney I think Narnia can speak for itself. Nevertheless, Rigney pulls out some really wonderful insights.

Til next time, may you have books on your nightstands, quotes in your commonlplace books, and heroes to emulate. Happy reading in 2023!

Poof! My 2021 Reading List

 I am so late in getting out my reading list from last year that I have already started my reading list for this year! Here's how it went in 2021:

Atypical Woman by Abigail Dodds
The Plague by Albert Camus
Parcel of Patterns by Jill Paton Walsh

This was the second of three books on the plague I read this year and definitely the most interesting. 
A Little Book of the Christian Life by John Calvin
A Taste of Sabbath by Stuart Bryan
102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn

In honor of 9/11, I read this one. A minute-by-minute account inside the World Trade Towers that morning. 
Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle
United by Trillia Newbell

Don't get me wrong; Trillia Newbell is an infectiously joyful person. But I've been in very international churches and very American churches, and I haven't spent a moment thinking about their demographic makeup. I'm not quite sure why this is so important to Newbell.  
Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by ND Wilson

Fourth (?) annual read of one of my favorite books EVER.
The Hawk and the Dove by Penelope Wilcock

The trilogy following the life of Father Peregrine is sweet and one of my all time favorites. My copy is starting to show the wear!

The Wounds of God by Penelope Wilcock
The Long Fall by Penelope Wilcock
Exodus Old and New by L Michael Morales

I just love Biblical theology and the storyline of Scripture. (Thank you, Graeme Goldsworthy and Greg Beale!) This book was one of a couple I read along those lines. 
The Dead Don't Dance by Charles Martin
Maggie by Charles Martin
Othello by William Shakespeare
Economics: A Free Market Reader edited by Jane Williams and Kathryn Daniels
Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

If 2 Timothy 3:17 is to be believed--and it is--Christian therapy is a contradiction in terms. So I was more than a little nervous reading this until chapter 7. But then, wowza. He anchored it Biblically. Good read!
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
A Learned Treatise on the Plague by Theodore Beza

I'll just say this. Covid and the Bubonic plague are apples and oranges. I'll take covid any day. 

Fault Lines by Voddie Baucham
Between the World and Me by Ta'nahesi Coates

The difference between Baucham's book and Coates' book? If Baucham were to retract everything he said, the theses in Fault Lines would still stand. They are based on facts--quite thoroughly documented facts. If Coates were to retract everything he said in his book, the theses in Between the World and Me would collapse. They are entirely based on feelings. 

Rebels and Exiles by Matthew Harmon

Another Biblical theology
Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis

Not a sci-fi fan, but the Space Trilogy is more than just talking trashcans...
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
The Lord's Prayer by RC Sproul
A Place on Earth by Wendell Berry
Vindicae Contra Tyrannos by Junius Brutus

Food for thought when the State refuses to stay in its lane 
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

Jesus Wins by Dayton Hartman

Are you pre-mil? post-mil? clueless? Me, too. This tiny little book was great at laying out different end time views found among gospel Christians
Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Rose

Rose was a missionary wife turned POW in the Pacific Theater. It was a tough read. She was an amazing woman. Her testimony is gripping and encouraging. 
Perelandra by CS Lewis
Silas Marner by George Eliot

I <3 Silas Marner. 
Republocrat by Carl Trueman

Good book for those who think that to be a Christian and to be a Republican are the same thing. 
Confessions by Augustine

This was one of those books that I know I missed tons of. 
Alone Yet Not Alone by Tracey Leininger
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Contentment by Nancy Wilson
Ben and Me by Robert Lawson

The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
True Companion by Nancy Wilson
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
Live Not By Lies by Rod Dreher
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Boys of Blur by ND Wilson
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Popes and Feminists by Elise Crapuchettes
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

The Dawning of Indestructible Joy by John Piper
Watch for the Light by various
The Bible

2020 Reading List

 2020.

Well, that was silly. 

Ironically, I read less in a year of lockdown than I did in most other years. First, I consciously focused on gathering because it was 2020 that made me realize that gathering is a large part of what we are made for. Second, I found it really hard to focus. I read many paragraphs multiple times this year. I did manage to get through these, though...

Purloined Boy by CR Wiley. Looked good. Didn't really move me.

Conceiving Parenthood: American Protestantism and the Spirit of Reproduction by Amy Laura Hall. If you told me I was going to agree with an ordained female universalist Methodist minister, and on theological grounds, no less, I, who am a complementarity Calvinist, would have said you lost your mind. Boy was I wrong! In the opening years of the Twentieth Century, 'the baby' became a demographic in its own right; it was all downhill from there. Families were sold a bill of goods about the 'ideal' family, two children, three at most, all 'properly' nourished, 'properly' educated, and 'properly' under a doctor's care. 'Hygiene' was teh magic word. Family planning--and all the ugliness that entails--was the inevitable result, with a population of nervous mothers on the verge of breakdowns. Fascinating read!

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Austen at her satirical best. 

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by ND Wilson. Third annual read. Gets me in the right frame of mind every January.

Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan. The first in the series about the escapades of Richard Hannay. I love a good spy novel, and Buchan is the best.

Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson. Not gonna lie, artistic communities weird me out. But Peterson cautiously wins me over enough that I recommended it to a few artistic friends.

Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien. Because Tolkien.

Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson. I cried. Fourth (maybe fifth?) time through. I know how it ends. And I cried. Again.

Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik. A series of essays on man-made materials from concrete to porcelain to chocolate. Miodownik is a materials engineer and entertaining writer, to boot.

Man in the Dark by Douglas Wilson. Romantic mystery. 

Bomb by Steve Sheinklin. Page turner about the race to build the bomb and the ensuing spy activity.

Two Towers by JRR Tolkien.

Murder in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe.

Different Shade of Green by Gordon Wilson. Neither a virulent tree-hugger, nor a virulent capitalist, Wilson finally makes the intelligent case for conservation.

Return of the King by JRR Tolkien. This is the first time I actually read the appendices. After multiple, did-you-know's to Brett, he felt compelled to remind me this was fiction. Dork. 

Right Behind by ND Wilson. Laugh out loud funny.

Classical Me, Classical Thee by Rebekah Merkle.

Gospel and Kingdom by Graeme Goldsworthy. LOVE this book and the two others in the trilogy. Great again!

Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers. A Lord Peter Wimsey mystery! I love Lord Peter!

Coronavirus and Christ by John Piper. My first thought was, do we really need a whole book about this? But, actually, it was really good. 

Glass Houses by Louise Penny. Not particularly thrilled with the last two Gamache books. Read on. 

Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers. Lord Peter's first mystery. 

The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson. Oh, my heart.

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny. So done with Penny. If it weren't a library book, it would be in the garbage where it belongs. 

Letter to My Son by Jasmine Holmes. Facts are more useful than feelings, but if you want to hear the heart of a black woman for her black son, this is a really good book. I gave it out many times. 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Third time. I can finally see why this is a classic. 

Beautifully Distinct by Trillia Newbell, et al. Love Newbell, but I was hoping for deeper, I guess. 

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. Because it was time to introduce the 6 yr old to Bilbo.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. One of the best American novels. I have no idea how many times I've read it. And this year, Brett and I each, independently of each other, ordered another copy before it gets banned. 

Knowing Scripture by RC Sproul. How to, and not to, read scripture correctly. A gem. 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. Because it was also time to introduce the 6 yr old to Narnia.

Prince Caspian by CS Lewis.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville.It's about a whale. Or is it?

Voyage of the Dawn Treader by CS Lewis.

Beowulf. Heroes and monsters. What's not to love?

The Silver Chair by CS Lewis.

Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis. Eerily relevant in 2020.

How the Nations Rage by Jonathan Leeman. BEST book on political worldview ever. My high schoolers have to read it for government. 

Rolf and the Viking Bow by Allen French. Too long. Land the plane already.

Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis. Not a big sci-fi fan, but this one is really great.

The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton. Super fun adventure. 

The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis.

Door in the Wall by Marguerite D'Angeli.

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. Sweet story, sweet, sweet ending. Classic Berry.

New Testament Biblical Theology by GK Beale. This was my magnum opus this year. I love the preaching ministry at church and regard that as my corporate Bible study. But personal Bible study is just that for me: personal. It took me most of the year to work through this book, and it absolutely changed my perspective. I was blessed!

Even Better Than Eden by Nancy Guthrie. Traces nine biblical themes. Very, very good. 

Fidelity by Wendell Berry. Sweet short stories about the folks in Port William.

Treasure at Glaston by Eleanor French. Could have been a fun adventure. Way too mystical, I edited as I read it out loud.

Once and Future King by TH White. One of my all-time favorites. Whimsical and sad. 

Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis.

Flags Out Front by Douglas Wilson. What ensues when a prankster flies the Christian flag higher than the American flag outside a Christian school. Too funny. 

According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy. Bibical theology.

Death by Living by ND Wilson. If there was a philosophy we all needed in 2020, it was this. 

Repeat the Sounding Joy by Christopher Ash. A book about Advent that I read all year. Lovely.

Confessions of a Food Catholic by Douglas Wilson. By all means, make your own food rules for your family. But Managers of Their Homes should be able to at least articulate this perspective. Both informative and snort-a-french-fry-out-your-nose funny. 

The Ten Commandments by Kevin Deyoung. What would a year in reading be without a Deyoung? One of my favorite blogger/theologians.

The Last Battle by CS Lewis. Just kidding. I hate this book. I hate Tashlan. This is Lewis at his worst and why you always have to read him with buckets of salt. For the first time, I skipped it entirely.

Happy 2021. May there be better news and good books. 

Laugh: Thoughts on Living with Uncertainty

I heard someone say this week, "If we are going to put our faith in things other than Christ, the smallest thing possible--a virus--will shake that to the core."

In the wee hours of yesterday morning, Easter morning, we went through the house waking the children and telling them to assemble downstairs. We were under a tornado warning. My six-year-old sat in my lap and put his head on my shoulder. "I'm scared," he whispered. I did not know how to console him; I could not make promises I had no power to keep. But I rubbed his back and prayed silently, "You are the Author of Calamity, and You are able to do whatever You will. I am asking for your mercy. I am asking if you would keep us safe." Twenty minutes later the storm had passed. We were unharmed.

But I have been chewing on the unusual timing. Here we are in the middle of a worldwide quarantine. And you can't seek storm shelter and social distance at the same time. Legitimately huge or unfortunately overblown, God has used this little virus to bring the whole planet to its knees. And then He sent the storm that sent us scurrying for cover where there was little to be found. From Texas to North Carolina.

Can you hear me now?

Funny. On the one hand, Italy and New York City have been hit extremely hard by this virus. On the other hand, we are a month into this, and zero people in my social circle have told me they tested positive. I am not here implying that I have omniscience over the health of every single person of my acquaintance. But, thus far, there is no stigma associated with the virus and, therefore no reason for me to think people are being furtive. And I am not the only one. Zero? A month in?  In different locales?

Funny. On the one hand, I am told that half the people who have it are asymptomatic. On the other hand, responsible science should prevent us from making claims we do not have the ability to verify. Maybe everyone who has the virus is symptomatic. We. do. not. know. And we can not know.

Funny. On the one hand, I stand six feet back during my necessary excursions into the grocery store as a way to respect the fearful and vulnerable. On the other hand, I stand six feet back because this might be legit.

Funny. On the one hand, our family obeys the civil magistrate because that is what believers do. On the other hand, this is a jurisdictional travesty of Kuyperian proportions. Civil government protect personal liberties and punish infringers of said liberties; self-government takes personal responsibility.

Not quite as funny. On the one hand, we keep reminding each other that the second greatest commandment must inform our behavior. Enough already; we get it. It's one thing to present the second commandment for our consideration as we live in this time; it is another thing entirely to position ourselves as the final arbiters of what it actually means to love our neighbor. On the other hand, I have not seen one person present the greatest commandment for our consideration at this time. Not. a. single. soul.

So, yeah, I know little for certain. But I am certain of this:
On the one hand, Jesus is Lord over quarantines and diseases, tornadoes and tyrants. The nations rage, and the Lord laughs. On the other hand, Jesus is Lord of His Creation and of His nation, the Church, and we laugh with Him.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deut. 29:29

So laugh at the days to come.
And if you're not laughing? You might just need to repent.