A Wrinkle in Time

By: Madeline L'Engle

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Hope Davis

Published: 1962 (this version 2012)

Genre: children's / young adult fantasy

 

I'm a little surprised that I didn't already have an entry for this title . . . I first read it in the 1970s as a child. I've read it since then at least twice and perhaps have listened to an audiobook version. I honestly can't remember if I've seen a movie version . . . but I can't imagine any movie could really do it justice.

 

Meg Murry is an odd duck who is good with numbers and loves her little brother Charles Wallace. She loves "the twins" as well, but they don't play much of a role in the story. They are "normal" active boys while she and her baby brother don't fit in well. 

 

After writing that paragraph, I realized that if you need a summary of the book, you should just look elsewhere. Here are some of the things that jumped out at me on this listening:

 

1. I loved the foreward by Madeline L'Engle herself. It was lovely to hear her voice. It's interesting that she had so much trouble getting this published! Publishers told her it was too complex for children, but she was reading it to her own children (7, 10, and 12) and they loved it! Fascinating.

 

2. I didn't remember it having so many Biblical references! Wow. Very interesting that in her granddaughter's afterword, she said some accused her grandmother of writing a book of witchcraft and others accused her of writing Christian propaganda! I loved the references and they endeared the book to me that much more.

 

3. The reader did a delightful job with the vocal work and emotional tone of the story. 

 

I was familiar with Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Who (though I'm not sure why the "Mrs." part is in their names). I remember Camazotz, the Thing, and tesseracts. I had forgotten about the Happy Medium, Ixchel, and Aunt Beast. This was an enjoyable listen.

 

Introduction - by film director Ava DuVernay

Foreword - by the author, read by her

Text - by the author, read by Hope Davis

Afterword - by Charlotte Jones Voiklis (L'Engle's granddaughter) 

Sunrise on the Reaping (a Hunger Games novel)

By: Suzanne Collins

Libby ebook  27 chapters plus epilogue

Published: 2025

Genre: YA dystopian

 

When I told Louie what I was reading ("It's about when Haymitch Abernathy was in the Hunger Games for the fiftieth anniversary."), he said, "Well, you know he makes it out." True! As I read this, I pictured a young Woody Harrelson. It seems that a movie is in production and will be out in November of this year. It's weird to picture Ralph Fiennes as a young Donald Sutherland . . . 

 

Chapter 3: "Stress the positive, ignore the negative," says Plutarch.

 

Even though Haymitch doesn't know if Plutarch Heavensbee is for him or against him at this point, the advice is for his benefit. Plutarch's trying to portray the four contestants from District 12 in as positive a light as possible. Again, I kept picturing a young version of Philip Seymour Hoffman . . . apparently, the movies have left images in my brain. I like when Maysilee says, "Like when our shop calls stale marshmallows 'chewy.' And then charges an extra penny for them." That's putting a positive (but dishonest) spin on things.

 

Chapter 6: "We never, none of us, had any choices."

 

Maysilee is pointing out that the children of District 12 were destined to become what their family status made them. She claimed she would have spent the rest of her life behind the candy counter and Haymitch would die wearing miner's coveralls. Choice is interesting . . . we all have choices, but sometimes just accepting the status quo makes the most sense. The boy whose name was called first chose to run, but he only escaped being part of the Hunger Games.

 

I loved the connections between this book and the original trilogy! Wiress and Mags are their mentors, since 12 doesn't have surviving victors. Beetee shows up in the training room. I like how Collins has created a world that we can visit and people we "know."

 

Chapter 8: "I still don't think the fear they inspire justifies this arrangement we've all entered into. Do you?"

 

It really isn't fair for Plutarch to ask these kids such a question. He has money, position, and power. Their fear is well-founded. A rebellion may be something to aspire to in unjust circumstances, but when you've seen people tortured and killed for standing their ground, there's reason to fear.

 

Chapter 9:  Then she remembered she'd read that sometimes the only thing you can control is your attitude to a situation.

 

Haymitch is thinking of something Lenore Dove told him when she was arrested by Peacekeepers. She was afraid, but remembering the above convinced her to NOT be afraid.

 

Chapter 13 has Caesar Flickerman giving a "brief retrospective of the other forty-nine Games." It's an interesting history, but doesn't give enough info on how this all got started. I'm pretty sure that's in Mockingjay, but I'm not up for a re-read right now. The phrase "...the Games evolved from pure punishment to unapologetic entertainment" caught my attention. How does violence become entertainment? (This is from someone who cannot watch boxing or WWE-type stuff . . . )

 

Chapter 14: Sometimes she cries because things are so beautiful and we keep messing them up. Because the world doesn't have to be so terrifying. That's on people, not the world.

 

Lenore Dove is truly Haymitch's sweetheart. She's like a touchstone for him.  

 

Chapter 14: He sighs when he mentions the tools that were abolished and incapacitated in the past, ones deemed fated to destroy humanity because of their ability to replicate any scenario using any person.

 

This refers to Plutarch Heavensbee doing some video editing, but the allusion to our current-day AI slop . . . is chilling. It's getting tougher to know what photos, videos, etc. are "real" and which are manipulated.

 

Chapter 20: Mamaw used to say you never really knew who'd swim in a flood.

 

I love that Haymitch thinks of this homey aphorism when he sees how resilient Maysilee has been. There are others like this throughout the book. And LOTS of song verses / poems.

 

Chapter 23: I feel like I constantly demonstrate poor judgment. I don't feel qualified to choose between fried or scrambled eggs.

 

I can relate to this! And I smiled at the egg comparison.

 

Chapter 25: I have no idea how my efforts have been edited, blacked out, and card-stacked.

 

Haymitch sees first hand during the Victor's Ceremony that the Capitol has curated their own version of the truth.

 

Epilogue: Burdock was so proud of her, he toted her around everywhere. After he died in that mine explosion, she started coming alone, trading the odd squirrel or rabbit. Tough and smart, her hair in two braids then, reminding me for all the world of Louella McCoy. . . 

 

I love that the story of Haymitch ends with his best friend's child being Katniss Everdeen! The way Collins wrote this is impressive.  

 

 

The Deal of a Lifetime

By: Fredrik Backman

Libby audiobook 47 minutes

Read by: Santino Fontana

Published: 2017

Genre: . . . that's a great question

 

I needed something to listen to so I could stay awake on a late night drive that was less than an hour. When I searched for available audiobooks of less than sixty minutes, most of them were children's stories that were shorter than ten minutes! But when I saw this author's name, I jumped.

 

A Man Called Ove is one of my all-time favorite books. I thought it was pronounced "Ove" like in "stove," but then listened to the audiobook and heard "Oovah." After listening to it, I had to read it in print. When I saw that the movie version had Tom Hanks as "Otto," I refused to watch it. But then I gave in and I'm glad I did. The movie is quite faithful to the story. I have since re-read the print version. I've also read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry.  He's a fascinating author (and only 45 years old!)

 

This one caught me by surprise. I had to go back and start listening to it again to see where my misunderstanding of the protagonist's choices started. He's a tricky writer, that Backman. The story starts with an author's note and jumps right in to murder. But it's not what you think . . . Libby's blurb on the novella ends with, "The Deal of a Lifetime reminds us that life is a fleeting gift, and our legacy rests in how we share that gift with others."

 

Libby also says this is an illustrated book . . . so perhaps I want to check out and read a copy of it. 

 

<I've already had "4 readers" - humans or AI bots? since I published this seven hours ago. I was sorting through some of my papers and found a slip that had notes I had jotted in my car. I'm adding these below.>

 

Helsingbore - the name of the place in Sweden where the protagonist lives (I had written "Helsing Boring" . . . because that's what it sounded like!)

 

wind from below - two different times, this was mentioned. I am not going to search for it. It's possible that it's simply the feeling when your coat isn't long enough and the wind "catches" you from underneath.

 

letter to son from dad

 

woman (death?) in grey jumper

 

death / legacy / life - these have definitely been on my mind lately. I think I'll enjoy reading the book

 

misleading! 5 y.o. girl with cancer, 40-something famous man also with cancer

 

"The only thing of value on Earth is time." - great quotation! 

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

By: Kate Moore

Scott County Library hardcover 399 pages plus many extras (author's note, bibliography, etc.)

Published: 2017

Genre: Non-fiction (363.17 Dewey)

 

I may need to reduce my post-its. This has taken me too long to read and I really need to get it back to the library! It was fascinating, but I didn't "like" it. These young women's lives were stolen by corporate greed. The author really captured the essence of these women who were so excited to have a well-paying job. The sheen of radium that clung to their clothing, hair, and skin seemed to be an added bonus. But that radium tortured, then killed them. And the company denied culpability. 

 

Page 6: The element was dubbed "liquid sunshine," and it lit up not just the hospitals and drawing rooms of America, but its theaters, music halls, grocery stores, and bookshelves.

 

As someone who loves shiny things and sunshine, I would have been enamored of this element in the late teens and early 1920s. That it was considered "healthy" horrifies my 2026 brain.

 

Page 9: Some earned more than three times the average factory-floor worker; some even earned more than their fathers. They were ranked in the top 5 percent of female wage-earners and on average took home $20 ($370) a week, though the fastest painters could easily earn more . . . " 

 

I'm guessing the $370 is reflecting 2017 dollars . . . and oh, how the world has changed in the past decade. The girls were hired to paint the radium-filled luminescence onto watch faces, dials, etc. The method for getting it precise included putting the tip of the paintbrush into their mouths to "point" it. These young women (and some of them teenagers!) were poisoning themselves for their lucrative jobs.

 

Page 31: The residue from radium extraction looked like seaside sand, and the company had offloaded this industrial waste by selling it to schools and playgrounds to use in their children's sandboxes; kids' shoes were reported to have turned white because of it, while one little boy complained to his mother of a burning sensation in his hands.

 

Ugh. This raises questions about how much the company knew or suspected in 1920. Willful ignorance or actual ignorance?

 

Page  50: In fact, the bibliography contained articles as far back as 1906 on the damage radium could cause.

 

This bibliography is from radium studies that the company had published! Titled "Radium Dangers - Injurious Effects." So . . . all their later claims of innocence are hard to believe. And most of what USRC (United States Radium Corporation) published were glowingly positive reviews of the benefits of radium. Those skunks!

 

Page 51:  But if you looked a little closer at all those positive publications, there was a common denominator: the researchers, on the whole, worked for radium firms. 

 

Well, yes. If you hire the "researchers," there may be some bias . . . (heavy sarcasm).

 

Page 77: His reasoning may have been political, for the Department of Labor was pro-business.

 

When the government cares more about businesses and money than about citizens, what are we to do?

 

Page 80: Grace - as had so many of her former colleagues - now became trapped in a vicious circle, with each operation incurring yet another bill. Before too long, she had to swallow her pride and ask her parents for money; but the rising medical costs desecrated both her savings and her family's bank account.

 

Grace Fryer was one of many, many young women who had teeth falling out, disintegrating jawbones, tumors ("sarcomas"), and various medical problems. Many of these dial painters were dead before they turned thirty. I probably marked many more spots like this, but I need to get this entry done and the book returned. People should not become destitute because they need medical care, especially if their job caused it!

 

Page  99: In Orange, the medical-exam results had been secretly shared with the company behind the women's backs; in Ottawa, they went straight to the corporation and cut out the middle woman entirely.

 

I hated this part! Not believing the women or their medical reports, the company made the women have medical exams AT work BY the company's doctors, and they were NOT given the results! HIPAA laws didn't exist until 1996.

 

Page 108: Radium was what one might call a boneseeker, just like calcium; and the human body is programmed to deliver calcium straight to the bones to make them stronger . . . Essentially, radium had masked itself as calcium . . . 

 

The fact that many of the women had toothaches, a lack of healing after a tooth was pulled, and pieces of jawbone coming into their mouths just leaves me sick.

 

Page 125: On June 7, 1925, the first male employee of the United States Radium Corporation died.

 

Of course, it takes the death of a young man to get the company's attention! Dr. Leman had scoffed at concerns expressed over the black lesions on his hands. He was thirty-six and didn't wear gloves at work. He had been the chief chemist.

 

Page  134: Sarah's own life may have been cut short, but the radium inside her had a half-life of 1,600 years. It would be shooting out its rays from Sarah's bones for centuries, long after she was gone.

 

That's incredible.  Later in the book, we learn that many family members of dead dial painters gave permission for their bodies to be exhumed. The glowing remains were most definitely radioactive!

 

Page 221: Predictably, USRC wheeled out Dr. Flinn, who pronounced that his tests showed "there is no radium" in the women; he was convinced, he said, that their health problems were caused by nerves. This was a common response to women's occupational illnesses, which were often first attributed to female hysteria.

 

There are times I'm really glad to have been born when I was . . . Dr. Flinn was not a medical doctor, by the way. The company hired a guy with a PhD in philosophy (or some similar field) to conduct examinations of the women who were suing the company!

 

Page 239: It was part of their settlement that they would agree to medical procedures. And so they were forced to strip as directed and went through the tests with the company men watching all they did closely.

 

Big nope. Angry nope. This was wrong on so many levels!

 

Page 272: It seemed wealthy consumers were much more worthy of protection than working-class girls; after all, dial painting was still going on, even in 1933.

 

This was after the AMA finally removed radium from a list of "New and Nonofficial Remedies." Something I dislike about humanity is how we revere financial wealth.

 

Page 296: After all, Radium Dial had long been a valued employer. With the country in the middle of its worst-ever economic depression - what some were now calling the Great Depression - communities were even more protective of the firms that could give them work and wages. The women found they were disbelieved, ignored and even shunned when they spoke out about their ailments and the cause.

 

I can't imagine the heartbreak of extreme physical ailments, miscarriages, etc. AND being treated like the bad guy as a young woman. One thing this author does well is making these women real to the reader. I went back to the photographs in the middle several times to see the faces of these women. 

 

Page  329: The hard tumor on her hipbone, which had so been concerning Catherine over the past few months, was now "about the size of a grapefruit."

 

This thirty-five year old was down to 71 pounds, couldn't hold her children, and had a white blood cell count of a few hundred (8,000 is closer to normal). I read a few paragraphs of this page to Louie and he was horrified, too. "Catherine kept having to pick out pieces of her jawbone from her mouth." What part of female hysteria does this fit? 

 

Page  336: The girls had been shunned, told they were liars and cheats and frauds; they had seen the company literally get away with murder. The truth was what they were fighting for.

 

Since the company was closed (and then reopened as a different company), there was not much in the way of money for the women's medical expenses. Over and over again, the company claimed it wasn't their fault that these workers were ill.

 

Page 368 has a letter that Catherine wrote which was widely publicized and resulted in thousands of people across the country praying for her. She lived far longer than was expected. 

 

In the epilogue, we learn that WWII dramatically increased the radium dial-painting industry.

 

Page 377: . . . the United States used more than 190 grams of radium for luminous dials during the Second World War; in contrast, fewer than 30 grams were used worldwide in the earlier conflict.

 

I was shocked when I read that. Not the increase from WWI to WWII . . . the fact that it was such a tiny amount that cause so much destruction! The amount used - 190 grams - is less than half a pound!

 

Page 381: . . . the death of a dial-painter's sister: she had "reportedly died from radiation exposure, but had never worked at the [USRC] plant. The source of contamination appears to have been her sister, the dial painter, with whom she shared a bed."

 

Dude. That's insane. The radium killed the sister of a dial painter from being in close proximity!

 

Page 382: In 1963, perhaps at least partly in response to the research on the dial-painters, President Kennedy signed the international Limited Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited atomic tests above ground, underwater, and in outer space. Strontium-90, it had been determined, was too dangerous for humanity after all.

 

Page 385 tells about a radioactive waste landfill that had homes built on top of it! "More than 200 acres of land were affected in Orange, some to a depth of more than fifteen feet." The author also shares that the former site of Radium Dial in Ottawa, Illinois, became a meat-locker company. Employees died of cancer and "a family who purchased meat there found that 'every brother got colon cancer within six months of each other.'" On and on it goes! This is why we need government regulation of industry! Companies care about profits, not the environment or destruction of  ordinary people's lives.

 

Page 391: The dial-painters' case ultimately led to the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which now works nationally in the United States to ensure safe working conditions.

 

OSHA is one good thing that resulted from all this, but I'm still horrified at the losses in these young women's lives.

 

Page 392: That was the tragedy. Radium had been known to be harmful since 1901. Every death since was unnecessary.

 

Page 398: But there were no warning signs in the workrooms. The women had been told that, as long as they didn't lip-point, they would be perfectly safe. 

These women worked in a little town called Ottawa, Illinois. These women worked for Joseph Kelly's firm, Luminous Processes.

The year was 1978.

 

What?! Forty years after the big lawsuit, appeals, and verdict . . . the company (in a new guise) just kept up their game? So very, very sad.

 

 

The Lost Story of Via Belle

By: Melanie Dobson

Libby ebook 41 chapters plus epilogue, note from the author, discussion questions, etc.

Published: 2026

Genre: Christian historical fiction

 

I really like this author's writing. We had a wonderful discussion about the book last night at book club. 

 

At first, I was skeptical - an author writing a book about an author - yawn. But I was drawn in by the characters and the growing mysteries. We follow Olivia (Via Belle) in the early 1940s and Harper in 2006. Olivia is a 46 year old novelist and widow. Harper is a twenty-something aspiring screenwriter.

 

Apparently, Libby removed all my highlighted sections. I've never had this happen before. Even if a book has been early returned and I've gotten it again weeks later. My bookmarks are there. Now I have zero. Perhaps reading it on both my phone and my tablet caused an issue? When it synchronized between devices it must have just noted where I was in the book and not what I had saved. A new learning experience . . . 

 

I loved how the author dropped little clues and foreshadowing. I love how a fairly simple story turned into a mystery that kept me "turning pages" until I found out the ending. The moonflowers were a neat theme throughout the book.

 

Olivia / Harper / Simon / Izzy / Angel / Eli / Kelsey / Sissy / Louie . . . the symbolism of good and bad, lovely and deadly . . . a wonderful book. 

The River We Remember

By: William Kent Krueger

Libby audiobook 13.5 hours

Read by: CJ Wilson

Published: 2023

Genre: Realistic (historical) fiction

 

Wow. Krueger's writing is simply phenomenal. I don't want to give any spoilers, but there were times I had to pause the audiobook because I dreaded what would happen in characters' lives . . . 

 

Since I listened to this instead of reading the text, I do have to note that at times the reader (Wilson) spoke in such a low voice that it was hard to hear what he was saying. Hitting reverse (15 seconds) several times and cranking the volume up helped, but I think I definitely would have gotten more out of just reading the book myself. 

 

At the start of the book, I was trying to figure out where the actual location was for the fictional Jewel, MN in Black Earth County. Blue Earth County? Mapleton? And one cannot forget the prominence of the Alabaster River! Is it the Minnesota? The Blue Earth River? This was constantly on my mind . . . and it was set in 1958, which was supported by many, many details in the story.

 

Brody Dern, the sheriff, was the main protagonist. Jimmy Quinn, the nasty, greedy man who has been found in the river with catfish nibbling his body. There are so many characters! Read a synopsis online if you want to know more. I'm just typing up some of my scrawls. Evangeline ("Angie") Madison runs the cafe with her mother-in-law Ida(?). She is Scott's mom and has a past. Felix is the town drunk, but a really great guy.

 

Garnett, married to Brody's brother Tom, was my least favorite character. She just gave me the "ick" every time. For so many reasons. My second least favorite was the Landis guy. (Honestly, Jimmy Quinn was the worst, but he was already dead, so . . . )

 

One of the lines in the book was, "We're all broken." It made me think of all the times I've said to my husband, "Person X has issues." His response? "We all have issues, Jeanne. They're just different." I'm married to a pretty amazing guy. "Broken AND blessed" also came up in the book.

 

Ruth Coffey (?) was an English teacher who inspired people and died old. The contrast between her death and Jimmy Quinn's was notable.

 

War changing the men who went and fought . . . WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It was interesting to see how so many of these men were tortured (literally and figuratively) but tried to just put on a brave face and not deal with the trauma.

 

Innocent until proven guilty . . . Noah Bluestone and Charlie. The newspaper guy. I loved these aspects of the story!

 

Del leading Scott to places he didn't want to go and knew he shouldn't . . . the evil of people like Tyler Creasy (and Jimmy Quinn) . . . this would be an amazing book club title! But then, I think all of Krueger's books are great fodder for conversation. 

 

It's interesting that of the many tense moments as I was listening, the fate of Angie's journals gripped me the most. There were several surprises along the way and I both love and hate the ending. This book was simply amazing. 

 

 

Hercule Poirot's Christmas

By: Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by:  Hugh Fraser

Published: 1938 (this version 2012)

Genre: murder mystery

 

How delightful to find an Agatha Christie that was not a Tommy and Tuppence and one I've not read before! It was delightful and I did not figure out the murderer before Poirot's "reveal" at the end. 

 

Thanks to Wikipedia (and many other sites that have detailed Christie lore), here's the character list:

Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective

Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable

Superintendent Sugden, the investigating police officer

Simeon Lee, an old millionaire

Alfred Lee, Simeon's son, who lives with his father

Lydia Lee, Alfred's wife

George Lee, Simeon's son and an MP

Magdalene Lee, George's wife

David Lee, Simeon's son, the artist

Hilda Lee, David's wife

Harry Lee, Simeon's son, called the prodigal son

"Pilar Estravados", Simeon's only granddaughter, really Conchita Lopez

"Stephen Farr", son of Simeon's former business partner, really Stephen Grant

Horbury, Simeon's valet

Tressilian, the butler

Walter, the footman

 

 My notes to add: 

• When I first heard the name of the murdered man, I heard "Simian" and pictured an ape. It was later that I realized it must be "Simeon." But it made me giggle.
• "Pilar" was the daughter of Simeon's only daughter Jennifer, who died earlier.
• I suspected Lydia of the murder . . . sorry if that spoils it for any other readers. I found it fascinating to have all the clues come together at the end. The diamonds, Tressilian's confusion, suspicious behaviors, . . . a wonderful murder mystery story with great vocal work by Fraser.

 

Jim and Casper Go to Church

By: Jim Henderson and Matt Casper

Libby ebook  400-plus pages

Published: 2007

Genre: non-fiction, Christianity, churches

 

This book was recommended at a session I went to at the Equip conference on reaching non-churched people. It kind of blew my mind . . . a Christian pastor found an atheist who was willing to go to different Christian churches with him and write a book together. They both sound like great guys. I have way too many bookmarks (again) and so may need to skip some and go with my overall impressions.

 

Introduction (I pay people to go to church):

We started our first church in a small town just north of Seattle that already had twenty-seven churches, but a multitude of churches has never stopped a dedicated Pentecostal from launching another one. We viewed most church people as needing our upgraded version of Christianity as badly as the unsaved.

 

This is an interesting statement. Not having grown up in a Pentacostal church, some of this still feels new to me. The sense that "we have the answers" is troubling to me. There's an arrogance that I find very unChristlike.At least Jim acknowledges that he held that view when he was planting a church.

 

Introduction (I pay people to go to church): In fact, what Jesus talked about looked more like Habitat for Humanity or Alcoholics Anonymous - a grassroots movement with no official hierarchy but lots of leaders; no offerings, but enough money to get the job done. Jesus called it the Kingdom of God.

 

What Jesus intended the church to be . . . is at the heart of this book. I appreciate that Jamie has often pushed back against people's notions of "doing church" and has asked some important questions of us as the church body.  

 

Introduction (I pay people to go to church): Barb kept reminding me that God is much bigger than I imagine, and that he is also kind to people who aren't interested in him. I ignored her for a long time, but eventually I was worn down by her love and her authentic relationship with Jesus.

 

Jim is talking about his wife and I love that they were in different places theologically (she was in a Catholic convent!) but that her "authentic relationship" with Jesus made a huge difference for him. Thank you, Jesus, that you can change us in powerful ways.

 

Included in this introduction is his The Map Church Survey and a link. I haven't checked out that website yet (and I'm not sure I want to . . . ) but I thought I'd make note of it here. I also want to note that the author included a nod to Joe Myers, who wrote Organic Community. I don't plan on reading it now, but perhaps someday. He also mentioned his blog: www.off-the-map.org/atheist/ . . . 

 

Introduction (I pay people to go to church): It was an honor to be given the opportunity to help people reimagine what it might mean for Christians to connect with non-Christians respectfully and authentically.

 

This is huge! There is very little civil discourse these days. Polarization and outrage are the norm. I just avoid "difficult" conversations rather than deal with the frothing at the mouth syndrome. To be able to communicate and disagree in respectful and authentic manners . . . wonderful.

 

I made note of yet another book that the author mentioned: The Evolution of Useful Things. I'm very interested in reading that one! The takeaway for Henderson is "Hidden in every new idea are the seeds of its demise." For various reasons, I'm just making this note here and hope to get this book and read it later.

 

Periodically throughout the book, Henderson has a section called "Defending the Space." 

 

Introduction (I pay people to go to church): Defending the space means we protect our relationships with non-Christians - they're real people to us, not targets. I think of it like this: They're just like me, except they're not currently interested in Jesus to the same degree I am.

 

He goes on to explain this in more detail, but I want to finish this blog entry and I'm only on the intro!

 

Rick Warren's Church: Saddleback: ". . . when it comes to music, I like it pure. Too much polish and you lose the heartfelt power, you lose the soul of the music, and you're not gonna move anyone."

 

Casper (I'll refer to him by his last name since that's how he's referenced throughout the book) is a musician and gives his POV on the music at each church service. At Saddleback, the professional set was off-putting for him. He compared it to American Idol.

 

 Rick Warren's Church: Saddleback:"What really moved me was talking over coffee with you."

 

Casper's honesty surprised Jim, but it makes sense. In having coffee and discussing the church service, they were two guys trusting one another and talking about life. This is relationship. And it matters.

 

Church, L.A. Style: Dream Center: "Well, it's right here, in the heart of the city. Amidst the poor and suffering. To me, that makes more sense than building a campus out in the middle of nowhere. Put your church where people need it most. I also like the fact that there appears to be a very solid mix of people heading inside."

 

Casper is making his honest "outsider" observations. Later in the book, he comments on how segregated most Christian churches are . . . but here he is recognizing a multicultural inner city church dynamic.

 

Church, L.A. Style: Dream Center:" . . . as far as I understand it anyway, Jesus never intended for the institution we call Christianity to form into a religion."

 

Jim kind of knocks Casper for a loop when he says this. He goes on to explain what and how Jesus taught. (And I'm thinking of how often Jesus had the harshest criticism for the most religious people of His day.) This book stirs up lots of questions.

 

Church, L.A. Style: Dream Center: ". . . a lot of what happens at church is really just cultural stuff."

 

There were times as I was reading this that I wondered about Jim's church experiences and his faith in Jesus. It seemed subsumed to learning Casper's opinions. But I agree that lots of what goes on in churches is cultural traditional stuff that may have no connection to the Gospel.

 

Church, L.A. Style: Dream Center: Frankly, most non-Christians have learned to see Christians as arrogant and unconcerned about their opinions. Offering an apology may in fact be the most effective way to get a conversation rolling.

 

Ouch, but true. So many people I know who are anti-church see Christians as arrogant, overbearing bullies. There are plenty of examples to look at in this current culture and climate . . . 

 

The Mayan and McManus: Mosaic: One thing I like about Casper and atheists in general is that due to their lack of reverence for our religion, they often see through things much more quickly than most Christians, and they feel free to tell me so.

 

I'm not sure why I marked this, except that I appreciated the relationship that the two men developed as they visited the different churches. They had open, honest conversations about belief, nonbelief, church, etc.

 

The Mayan and McManus: Mosaic: I could tell Erwin had not been through atheist training in quite some time and could use a refresher course in listening.

 

Listening is not my strength area . . . and something I'm really trying to improve upon. I'm so quick with my thoughts and my answers, but I truly need to work on listening to others. Erwin is the pastor who dismissed Casper's atheistic "beliefs" even after Casper insisted he has nonbelief.

 

The Mayan and McManus: Mosaic: ". . . I want to hear one answer to one simple question: What do you want me to do? I mean, we're talking about eternal salvation here, and if heaven is real, it can't be easy getting in."

 

When Casper has these genuine questions about faith, I am both surprised and relieved that Jim volleys back a question to him. Rather than "having all the answers," he digs to find out what and why Casper thinks.

 

The Mayan and McManus: Mosaic: Rather than talking down to people we're trying to influence, we'd be wise to remember that just because they don't have God, it doesn't mean they have no soul.

 

I just liked the way he wrote this.

 

Mega in the Midwest: Willow Creek: "The first thing that comes to mind is how much did this place cost to build? How much to keep it running? What are their electricity bills? And, maybe because of our 'mission,' the next thing I wonder is, is this what they think their God wants?"

 

As usual, Casper's first impressions raise some really good questions. I've never been to Willow Creek, but I've bought scripts from their drama department and have heard about what a big church it is.

 

Mega in the Midwest: Willow Creek:  "I mean, come on. People are being killed needlessly in every corner of the world, kids are starving, and people are praying for their pastor to meet a rock star? That's ludicrous."

 

I agree with Casper! And yet, I truly believe we can take *any* thought captive to the Lord and pray about anything in our lives, no matter how "insignificant." I don't think that the role of the church, though, is to lift up trivial concerns like this. Does it matter if Bill Hybels meets Bono? Perhaps to him, and he can pray about it. But to encourage a whole church congregation of several thousand to pray? Hmmm. Lots to discuss here about prayer.

 

Mega in the Midwest: Willow Creek: "No, Casper, all I have is faith - that's it - no proof. The fact is I can't prove one thing about what I believe to you. All I have is a hope, and the reality is neither of us will know who is right until we actually die."

 

I like how Jim lays it out. His honesty and forthrightness along with Casper's honesty about his observations and thoughts make this book very readable.

 

Mega in the Midwest: Willow Creek: For some reason, Christians continue to believe that we can talk people into following Jesus . . . Defending the space means we practice listening.

 

Again, listening is a skill for me to develop! And I already knew that it's pointless to try to "talk people into" following Jesus. But we are called to witness!

 

Helen, the Almost-an-Atheist, Takes Us to Church: First Presbyterian: "It's sometimes difficult to separate what's Christian from what's simply American."

 

Helen is talking about rituals like communion, confirmation, etc. More telling in this church visit was her observation that people didn't come up to the three of them and greet them. I like visiting other churches and seeing what they do . . . but I've not experienced church in another country (or culture). I have experienced traditional Roman Catholic Church, radical liberation theology Catholicism, United Methodist (two different churches, three different pastors), and Assembly of God. I've also attended Lutheran (ELCA) and Evangelical Free services . . .  Another site the author noted is Conversation at the Edge a blog for conversation for people with and without belief systems.  

 

Big Church or Church Big: Lawndale: Why are there such glaring discrepancies among churches regarding what it means to be a follower of Christ?

 

Sometimes Casper's questions to Jim lead Jim to raising pertinent questions. I've long been frustrated by the divisiveness between different denominations . . . it's simply not Scriptural to fight over some of the finer points of theology when we're told that Unity in the Spirit is key.

 

Big Church or Church Big: Lawndale: . . . what they call the Three Rs: relocation, reconciliation, and redistribution

 

This church is described as "missional" and rejects the stereotypical "Three Bs" (butts in the chair, bucks in the offering, building). I'm doing lots of paraphrasing and extrapolating here. I like it when churches really think about God's purpose for them instead of just "doing church."

 

Big Church or Church Big: Lawndale: In his book Real Hope in Chicago, Gordon put it this way: "I realized that 'get saved' evangelism was designed for suburban folk. It had little meaning in an urban context . . . People in the city are not encumbered primarily with feelings of guilt. Their deepest feelings are of hopelessness."

 

Hope is so important! I'm not sure I agree with this statement, but I'm guessing if I read Gordon's book, it would make a lot of sense. Evangelism is not just for suburbia . . . 

 

Big Church or Church Big: Lawndale: And I again thought how good it would be if pastors encouraged people to go visit other churches once a month.

 

Henderson (Jim) is making the point that seeing how others worship God is good, but it's also helpful for church goers to see how it feels to be an outsider. This makes a lot of sense to me. I love worshiping at different churches!

 

The Drummer's Church: Jason's House: That's what I want people to know about God - that God likes them and wants to hang out with them.

 

In this section, Casper goes to a musician friend's house for church. He'd been there before for barbecue and beer, but had a different experience when he went as a researcher for this book. A home church will naturally be more intimate, but the overwhelming takeaway for me was that his friend Jason lives his faith authentically - in how he treats people, in how he spends his free time. He "walks the talk." Cool!

 

Emerging Church Weekend: Imago and Mars: "Emerging church is a term used to describe a wide variety of churches that, for the most part, don't want to be like the traditional or mainstream megachurches."

 

I'm impressed that these two men were committed to visiting so many churches! I feel as though the megachurches are disproportionately represented.

 

Emerging Church Weekend: Imago and Mars: . . . another important distinguisher (sic) is that emerging churches are - again, for the most part - uncomfortable with the overemphasis on politics that has become a central identifier of the conservative evangelical movement.

 

I'm uncomfortable with it, too! Loving Jesus and striving to serve the Lord should *not* include political affiliation with the Republican party and especially not the big orange man in office!!!

 

Emerging Church Weekend: Imago and Mars:"As I see it, at places like Saddleback and Willow, you only have to say you're a Christian; following the teachings of Jesus seems optional. It's the same with this current administration. It's Christian talk, but then the bombs get dropped."

 

Amen! I'm with Casper on this one. How Christ-like is it to say and do the things our administration are saying and doing? What a joke.

 

Emerging Church Weekend: Imago and Mars: "Inbreaking is joining an existing community action, while outreaching is inviting them to join yours."

 

I love this distinction! As we've talked and prayed about being our local Jerusalem, we've talked about initiating things and inviting others to join versus seeing what's happening and joining in.

 

Emerging Church Weekend: Imago and Mars: "I understand how Christians disagree on a whole host of issues, like any group. I would say it is more the tone with which he approaches the topic. It's the I'm-right-and-anyone-who-disagrees-with-me-is-wrong vibe he gives off."

 

Yes! Again, I agree with Casper. When people have that particular "vibe," it's very off-putting. What's the point of trying to dialogue? 

 

Come as You Really Are: The Bridge: And yet I'm often tempted to act as if I know, when in fact I trust, and that is all that I really know for sure.

 

I love that Jim has those moments of recognizing his own failings through these dialogues with Casper. Confidence in Christ should not be a talisman warding unbelievers away.

 

Come as You Really Are: The Bridge: ". . . Jesus chose to have twelve disciples, not twenty thousand."

 

It's interesting that Casper is the one making the point that smaller groups have more impact on people's lives than the huge megachurches. Before this line, he says, "But it seems that those groups, which I know can be very effective, are taking second stage - literally and figuratively - to a massive light show for a sea of people in a sports arena or opera house." Jim pointed out that even large churches have small groups. The effectiveness of different ministries . . . how can one really tell? Being a Jesus follower is life-changing, but it looks different for different people.

 

Osteen Live!: Lakewood: . . . opinions that had been like wet cement suddenly hardened into deeply held convictions. Hunches formed over thirty years in ministry shifted like tectonic plates on the ocean floor of my soul.

 

First of all, I love his use of language here - the way the words flow is beautiful. Secondly, I'm not at all sure what his point is. I personally have a very strong dislike for Joel Osteen, but that's probably not fair of me. But does Jim Henderson admire him? Disagree with his methods? I don't want to re-read this section of the book, but I was genuinely puzzled by what opinions were hardened and what hunches shifted . . . 

 

Osteen Live!: Lakewood: "What I mean is that Joel Osteen and other TV preachers are not making appeals to the worst people, but to the worst in people.

 They make appeals to people's greed, selfishness, envy, pride: 'You're gonna get rich, you deserve abundance, you're better than nonbelievers.'"

 

Yet again, I agree with Casper here. It's such a turnoff to hear his spiel. I still remember his reluctance to let people shelter in his church after Hurricane Harvey. What a tool! Is he listening to Jesus or reading God's Word at all?! Yuk.

 

Keeping It Real: The Potter's House:  I agreed with Casper that the celebrity pastor thing is garish and pretty much a reflection of the church's adoption of consumerism and technology.

 

Yep. Sad. And part of why some people have no desire to go to church.

 

Keeping It Real: The Potter's House: "It's simple: If the Bible is really the Word of God, it's very, very important to not take it out of context. I mean, that's a rule that applies to most every phrase ever said, so you'd think it'd apply tenfold to the Bible! You can't look at Leviticus and say God hates gay people, then ignore Jesus' endless commands to love each other. You can't take a snippet of the Bible out of context and misuse it, or spin it, to support your particular pitch. That's twisted."

 

A lot of us tend to pick our "favorite" verses and focus on those . . . and I'm guilty of it, too. Casper goes on to talk about the Constitution and amendments to it, but I want to finish this blog entry and move on.

 

Keeping It Real: The Potter's House: "I guess I'd just like Christians and church leaders to be more honest. Not just with me, but with everyone in their churches. Stop treating faith as a fact. Call it a hope. Call it confidence, not certainty."

 

Henderson wanted someone to be honest with him, sharing an "outsider" perspective on church. He  got it!

 

Is This What Jesus Told You Guys to Do?: The same format repeated itself regardless of the setting. The greet-sing-preach-collect-present form played out in front of us with unrelenting predictability. And when it was all done, he would turn to me and ask, "Jim, is this what Jesus told you guys to do?"

 

What a great question! Getting together for a worship service once a week is not the most important thing Christ followers were told to do.  

 

Is This What Jesus Told You Guys to Do?:  That leads to my basic question for pastors and Christians of all kinds: Are we in the preaching business or the people-changing business?

 

Honestly, I think this is a little unfair. Most pastors I know do so much more than preach! They counsel, encourage, connect, serve, . . . and inspire their congregation to do so also.

 

Is This What Jesus Told You Guys to Do?:  We need to honestly admit that in fact, Jesus didn't care a whit about church services. He cared about loving and serving others and introducing people to a personal God who not only loves them but more important, likes them.

 

Loving and serving others. I like that. Succinct.

 

Casper's Closing Words: There are two rules we must all abide by to live healthy, happy lives with each other and with everyone on the planet:

1. Be open-minded. Learning is the best thing that can happen to anyone.

2. DO unto others as you would have them do unto you.

And though I've never met the man, I think Jesus would agree.

 

I think it's interesting that all these experiences and conversations left Casper content with atheism and okay with not knowing Jesus. I can't disagree with his two points, though.

 

Q & A with Jim & Casper: This is probably more of a reflection of Casper's personality, but I also think he expresses the postmodern mind-set. Many young people are tired of being sold and told, preferring instead to be invited and included.

 

Someone asked about Casper's dislike of brochures and bulletins. I think Jim's response is eye-opening. Having done the bulletin at church for several years, I was taken aback when the pastor decided to stop using them. It has taken me a while to understand that decision. The idea of not wanting to be "sold and told" also caught my attention. Young people are very different now from thirty years ago . . . 

 

Q & A with Jim & Casper: There is a difference between certainty, and confidence or hope. As followers of Jesus, we put our faith in a set of beliefs that we choose to think of as real. We cannot prove any of them - that is why it is called faith.

 

This theme came up over and over. I'm not sure why I highlighted it again. This blog entry (and reading the book in two separate chunks of checkout time) has taken me much too long!