100 Books

Here on the eve of New Year, I've been reflecting on my goal of reading 100 books in 2008. The idea was something of a whim twelve months ago, and I really didn't know if I'd be able to achieve those heights while doing so many other things. But looking back, it's been an amazing journey.

I note, for example, that somewhere mid summer I'd reached the forty book mark and knew I'd have to step up my game. I began carrying books with me everywhere I went (the license branch, pharmacy, bathroom, prostate exams) and I read more books in bed, into the wee hours of the morning, than I can recall. Also, I must confess that my 100 books also includes several books on tape, and several half-read books that I'm combining to count as a single book. For example, I've read half of Stephen King's newest book, Just After Sunset, and half of Mother Teresa's book, Come Be My Light, which have combined to give me nightmares about God sending me to hell for feeding the hungry and helping the outcast.

But I did read 100 books, and this in a year when I also wrote nearly 50 sermons, a fair share of studies, numerable blogs, three books and a plethora of articles (by my count some 300,000 words) all while working 50-70 hours a week in my pastoral gig and also transitioning one kid to college and another to high school. Naturally, I don't recommend you try this at home, unless you, like me, want to go without food, water and sleep for long periods of time. My wife and I are still trying to get to know each other on a first-name basis. Next year, I will have to remember her birthday and our anniversary. But what's-her-name has been swell through this whole thing.

How many books do I plan to read in 2009? Well, not 100. I'll probably drop back to my manageable 30-40 book pace, but I do plan to read the entire Bible in 2009 (see www.toddsbible.blogspot.com) come January 1 . . . but I'll still be writing this demented piece, too. See you on the other side!

King Couplings

Rounding out my 2008 reading list is Sex with Kings: Five Hundred Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry and Revenge, by Eleanor Herman. Not as risque as my mother would have me believe, but a fairly good and amazingly fun history of all of the ways that sex has been used inside the European corridors of power to gain lands, armies, and influence. Some of the stories here are well-known (King Henry VIII leaps to mind) but there are more sordid tales, too.

Of course, reading this type of book as my 100th title of 2008 is much more enjoyable than reading, for example, a book written by some theologian or, perhaps, a commentary on the book of Leviticus. Of course, I can read about David and Bathsheba in the Bible, but I want to read about the kings who had four mistresses and got kicked out of the castle.

Naturally, as I was reading this book, I proudly displayed it on the coffee table so my wife would take the hint. She did. But her response was, of course, "Believe me, sweetheart, you're no king!"

And so ends the wild reading experiment of 2008.

Stroke of Genius

As I was reading My Stroke of Insight (by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D) my wife asked, "Are you enjoying that book?" My answer was slow in coming. "Enjoy isn't the word I would use," I said. "It's a fascinating personal memoir of a brain scientist's own stroke, what she felt during the stroke, how she had out of body experiences, her thoughts about death, about the health industry, and her long, eight year recovery process. I'm not enjoying reading about a bloody brain, but it is certainly fascinating."

I read the book in a few hours, and found several fascinating points of interest with the author, particularly as she is an Indiana State University grad, and following her stroke taught at Rose Hulman in Terre Haute and eventually made her way to IU, where she now teaches out of the Med Center in Indianapolis.

But that's where the commonalities end.

Jill Taylor, after all, is a genius who graduated from Harvard, Magna Cum Laude.
I graduated from Duke University, Lawdy How Cum.

Jill Taylor was voted one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine this year.
I was voted "Most Likely to be a Disappointment to his Mother" my senior year in high school.

Jill Taylor is a wonderfully witty and snappy fifty-year-old woman who apparently has never married.
I am a neary fifty-year-old man who has been married for twenty five years to a witty woman who snaps my head off.

Jill Taylor is a great success who has now written a best-selling book her first time out.
I am a dismal failure of a writer who continues to produce large quantities of landfill fodder.

Jill Taylor's mother nursed her baby back to health over a span of eight years following the stroke.
My mother didn't buy me any underwear this Christmas.

Poor Me

As 2008 is rapidly nearing an end, I am frantically reading books. I am still determined to read 100 books this year, and by my count, I'm going to do it.

One of the books I did complete was Poor Richard's Almanac (just selected portions, of course, written by Ben Franklin). I enjoyed the book, especially such pithy sayings as:

Both fish and visitors stink after three days.

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

Well, old Ben had a nice way of turning a phrase. But I've learned a few things over the years, too. Here are some of my musings.

Fifteen-year-old boys won't eat lima beans, not even if they're covered in chocolate sauce.

Never buy your wife a practical Christmas gift.

Don't crack walnuts on the sofa cushions.

Don't try to drive on ice.

If you are feeling depressed, eat a donut.

Twas the Night Before . . .

Twas the night before Christmas when Calvary Church
Sang "Joy to the World", with Mark on his perch.
The banners were hung by the altar guild ladies
(Some new ones, as well as some made in the eighties).
And all the poinsettias were arranged on the altar,
While Andrew had hopes that his wicks wouldn't falter.
And Jennifer greeted and shared a nice rhyme,
While David and Alison kept watching the time.
Michelle was there, too, for a long night of prayin'
But working with Todd, we're amazed that she's stayin'.
The building was scrubbed by Gary and Brian,
And Lori took care of the kids who were cryin'.
Fay made the fliers, and Tonya made cookies,
And Shellody counted, along with some rookies.

When all of a sudden, but what should appear,
But a choir singing praises . . . walking in from the rear.
Their cheeks were like roses, their dimples did glisten,
And they sang around midnight hoping someone would listen.
But my, how the people sang praises to Jesus,
The children, the youth, and even us geezers.
The people were dressed in their best of the season,
Though a few people coughed and a couple were sneezin'.

Then up to the rooftop our voices, they carried,
Though a few who can't sing lost the count, or they tarried,
And the people of God looked like jolly old elves
And we weren't that bad-looking in spite of ourselves,
Our faces still glowing by the car where we parked it
(We're still picking candle wax out of the carpet!)
But that's Christmas Eve in this Calvary steeple,
Where God still shows up, and people love people.

No, the meaning of Christmas is still filled with mirth,
If we but pause to ponder the Blessed Child's birth.
And we can't glean God's laughter in one single night
When we're learning to walk more by faith than by sight.

Messed Up

I have also gained much from reading Mike Yaconelli's book, Messy Spirituality. Mostly, I enjoyed Mike's stories about his messed up faith. He points out that our journey with God is always messy business, and our faith is, at best, an imperfect blend of failures, insecurities, dead ends, and do-overs. That's faith as I know it, too.

As we near Christmas, I'm even more reminded of how messed up we truly are. Somehow, we muddle through with God's help.

And sometimes God gives us comfort in unexpected places: donuts, coffee seem to work for me. I'll be doing my messed up thing in 2009, too. Can't wait.

Simple Church

As 2008 draws to a close, I am frantically reading books in order to attain my goal of reading 100 titles in a year. I'm going to make it (I have a plan).

I've also been overjoyed to discover that some of the books I've been reading in December have been some of the most thought-provoking, especially in the area of theology, ecclesiology, or eschatology (I love using big fancy seminary words). Hence, I enjoyed reading, and actually gained much from, Thom Rainer's and Eric Geiger's book, Simple Church.

Essentially, they point out that congregations grow when there is a simplicity of focus, expectation and programs. The more complex a congregation is (most congregations) the more difficult it is for the congregation to grow (in size, giving, mission, or ministry). They also discovered that the larger the congregation is, the more likely it is to be a simple church, and churches that are growing, are very likely simple in their design and makeup.

I think I serve a simple church (at least I hope we are). We aren't trying to do everything (simple), don't layer people with hundreds of meetings (simple), don't have hundreds of programs (simple) and we don't make hundreds of announcements in worship about the hundreds of programs we expect people to get involved in (simple). We are using the KISS principle: KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID.

We do FPU, a few Bible studies, women's groups, teens and children...all small groups, and that's about it. Our worship is simple and concise. And we don't have more than 20 missions that we support, so people can easily understand what we are trying to do locally or in the world with a single glance. People can also easily enter into Calvary, take a new member class and make a profession of faith. Then they can get involved in a group (that's important) and they can learn to find a place of service (that's important). SIMPLE.

And I think that's why Calvary is still dynamic. People are not overwhelmed. And people have enough complications in their work, their families and their pace, they simply don't want complexity in their walk with God. SIMPLE.

I liked this book very much and I plan to reread it every year!