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I was just tagged by Vehige at Thursday Night Gumbo.
Now, the correct title of this meme is "5 Random Things About Me!"
1. I collect Nightmare Before Christmas stuff.2. I can watch the same movie back to back many times over, up to 8 or 9 viewings, Check out my Movie List.3. I think most beer made in North America is garbage, give me a good pint any day. (Guinness, Smithwicks, Cafferys, Double D …)4. When I find an author I like I try and read evrything they have published..JPG)
5. I collect Rosaries. I tag the following Relapsed Catholic, Irish Catholic and Dangerous & Bics, Blahniks and Bras.
(This is only the second Meme I have done, I dont usually and found this one rather difficult. The picture is my baby girl in a nightmare onezie, on my blanket, both Christmas presents from my dad and stepmom.)
P.S. Afterthought, 6. I love School and Learning and if I was wealthy I would go to school till I die.
Wild At Heart
John Eldredge
Thomas Nelson
ISBN 0785268839
This book was my first introduction to John Eldredge's thoughts. I have read it four times since starting the first time in 2003. It is considered by some the new classic on how to be a man, and more specifically, how to be a Christian man.
Eldredge's main premise is that men and women were created differently, and that we were created with specific roles, or character traits that we need to nourish if we are to be who God wants us to be. His main 4 areas are that a man needs:
- A Wound to Heal
- A Battle to Fight
- An Adventure to Live
- A Beauty to Rescue
He unpacks each of these in a variety of ways. I have read this book, worked through the Field Manual and the DVD curriculum series by myself, with one close friend, and then facilitated it in a group setting. Most men were hesitant to embrace all the ideas yet many came around by the time we were half way through the book.
"Deep in a man's heart are some fundamental questions that simply cannot be answered at a kitchen table. Who am I? What am I made of? What am I destined for?" p. 5
"The plan from the beginning of time was that his father would lay the foundation for a young boy's heart, and pass on to him that essential knowledge and confidence in his strength." p.62
"He created Adam for adventure, battle and beauty; he created us for a unique place in his story and he is committed to bringing us back to the original design." p.103
"You are a new creation in Christ. The New Testament calls you a saint, a holy one, a son of God. In the core of your being you are a good man. Yes, there is a war within us, but it is a civil war." p.145
These are but a few samples of the writing from the book. The one draw- back of the
DVD curriculum is that it does not follow the book exactly, and with 12 chapters in the book and field manual that follow each other exactly and 8 in the DVD, it doesn't seem weighted evenly.
Check it out; it will be worth it.
Review of Wild At Heart
Review of Wild At Heart Field Manual
Review of Wild At Heart Multi-Media Facilitators Kit
Wild At Heart Field Manual
John Eldredge
Thomas Nelson
ISBN 0785265740
This is the field manual for the book Wild At Heart. Mine is very worn from having been worked through 4 times. This is a great resource if you are working through Wild At Heart, either by yourself or in a group. It will help you really examine and work through the book.
This workbook is well laid out with lots of room for answers, and a number of little sections to help you on your journey as you work through it. Some of these supplemental sections are:
- A Break in the Clouds
- From the Map
- Warning!
- Dispatch
- Getting Your Bearings
Each chapter which parallels the book, begins with a 'Gut Reaction' - what is your first take on that chapter in the book? This helps set the bearings for where you will go in that chapter. As you work through it you will be drawn deeper and deeper into the masculine journey.Eldredge begins each chapter with quotes that span church history and denominations. He must be one of the most widely read men I have encountered. He draws from that breadth of knowledge to show a variety of views on topics and tries to help you see where God is wanting to work in your life.
The one drawback, if you use it in conjunction with the DVD curriculum, is that the DVD does not follow the book exactly, and with 12 chapters in the book and field manual that follow each other exactly, and 8 in the DVD, it doesn't seem weighted evenly.
The Field Manual is indispensable if you are going to work through the DVDs and is a great supplement to the original book. For you, or other men in your life, this book will be a great tool on your journey to authentic Christian manhood.
Review of Wild At Heart
Review of Wild At Heart Field Manual
Review of Wild At Heart Multi-Media Facilitators Kit
Wild At Heart Multi-Media Facilitator's Kit:
A Band of Brothers (DVD)
John Eldredge
Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10: 1400200865
ISBN-13: 9781400200863
This is an excellent study series for a group of men. The one drawback of the DVD curriculum is that it does not follow the book exactly, and with 12 chapters in the book and field manual that follow each other exactly, and 8 in the DVD, is doesn't seem weighted evenly. Yet even with that against it, this is an awesome series.
I first worked through this series by myself, then with one close friend - a pastor I know. Then both he and I led different groups through it: I a small group at my home, and he with the men in his church on Sunday evenings. Later he and I jointly did a weekend retreat to refresh the material for his men before they launched into some other material.
These DVDs will show you a group of men, John Eldredge and the Ransomed Heart Ministry Team, working through each of the issues raised in the book and having some frank discussions on camera, and some fun in the wilderness, as they work through these issues.
This facilitator's kit comes with the DVDs, posters to promote your event, invitations to use in smaller settings, and a manual. The manual goes through each week and suggests movie clips to start with, or music to use while gathering. It is a great resource and will help you get the most out of the book and field manual.
I would advise you not to try to use this without the men having the book and field manual, because it will be frustrating and will severely limit how much you can get out of the material. It is really designed for, and functions best as, a group study.
The DVDs are well done and very professional, the gag reel is hilarious, and some of the outtakes will have you on the floor laughing. It is not all super serious; there is a lot of fun as these men bonded further while filming this. Watch them launch their cell phones with a skeet shooter and shoot them out of the sky.
This tool will help you become a better man, husband, father, and son. Worth the time, effort, and money.
Review of Wild At Heart
Review of Wild At Heart Field Manual
Review of Wild At Heart Multi-Media Facilitators Kit
Love Letters to the South:Messages of Hope and Healing from the World’s
Best-Loved CelebritiesNaked Ink PressISBN 1595558578Some books defy almost all categories. This is definitely one of those books. It is a book of hope, dreams, encouragement and support, for those who lost so much in Hurricane Katrina. This book is the brainchild of Naomi Strasser who, along with photographer friend Paul Alexander, decided to create art that would help in some small way to heal.Alexander donated his time in photographing celebrities from around the world and from different strata of society. Many others contributed to the work, from the stylists working with the celebrities, to Ryan Priest doing the design and layout. This book was the work of the generosity of many, many people who all championed it and gave of their time and talents to make it happen. The book is a collection of 71 unique portraits of celebrities, from Johnny Depp, Kelly Hu, and Coldplay, to Viggo Mortensen, Helen Bonham Carter and so many more. Accompanying each portrait is a letter, or encouragement note, to encourage the giving to continue. And it is for those who are far from home now, that they should keep hoping and dreaming of their return. Interspersed with photos of the actual devastation from Katrina, these notes provide hope, encouragement and support.From Johnny Depp who writes “Help and Keep Helping”, to Helen Bonham Carter stating “No amount of rain can drown the music of New Orleans”, the words will challenge us to appreciate what we have and to help those less fortunate than we find ourselves to be. The publisher, Naked Ink Press, is doing their part as well; they have committed to give at least $25,000 US dollars to both the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and to Habitat for Humanity’s Operation Home Delivery. That is $2.50 from each book, sold for a minimum of $25,000 each more depending on sales. Shawn Ashmore states: “She beat you, but she didn’t break you!! Stay strong!!” Picking up this book, either for yourself or for others as a gift, will help to make those words come true. So along with Kevin Bacon we will say “Thinking of U.”It may be trite, but giving this book as a gift, will be a gift that keeps on giving.
(First Published in Imprint 2007-01-26 as "Love it" in the 'Love it/Hate it' book review column.)
Life After God
Douglas Coupland
Pocket Books
ISBN 0671874330
(Other Editions Available)
This is one of those books that I have wanted to review for a while, but was unsure of how to approach it. I love the book and have read it over a half dozen times in less than two years. Yet it is such an atypical book that it is difficult to review. I can just be blunt and state that the book will grab you and draw you back in again and again.
The book is published as fiction, yet rumors have it that Coupland will admit that it is at least partially autobiographical. It is a collection of recollections, thoughts, memories and drawings by Coupland. It is the recount a man's life, and as we find out he is telling the story to find out how his life got to where it is. He wants a record for his daughter so that maybe she will understand him better. My favorite of the individual entries is:
"Now -- here is my secret:
I tell it to you with an openness of heart I doubt I shall ever achieve again, so I pray that you are in a quiet room as you hear these words. My secret is that I need God - that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem capable of giving; to help me to be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond able to love." p.359
Every time I pick up this book, I get something more out of it. Sometimes I read it from beginning to end, and then at other times I just pick it up and read at random. This book deals with many of the 'big' questions all of us will have to deal with in our lives. Questions like: How do we deal with Loneliness? Anxiety? Failed relationships? How can we find quiet in our lives? It also deals with the question of being raised without a religion or belief system and how, as we age, we end up struggling with spiritual questions.
If you can track down the first edition hardcover it is worth it. It is in a different format and shape. With the dust jacket off, it looks like a prayer book or bible. If you read it without the jacket in public places people will often ask you what you are reading. This was intentional and the shape and design of this book are part of the art of the book, and part of the complexity Coupland has woven into it. The front cover of the hardback also has an outline of a hand, like a tracing of a child's hand. As we are all reaching out beyond ourselves in search of some greater meaning in life, we are reaching out like a child in search of a parent.
My hat is off to Coupland and this amazing work of art - on all the levels that it is art of the deepest level. Coupland has created a masterpiece that will become a classic, which will survive through the ages.
Catholic Publishers!
This will be the first of a series of reviews of Catholic Publishers and Publishing houses. I will highlight their area of expertise and, to my knowledge, some of their better offerings.
Novalis
http://www.novalis.ca
Novalis is the largest of the Canadian Catholic Publishing companies. They publish in both English and French, and have a wide range of books on a wide range of topics. Because they are the largest Canadian publisher, they are not nearly as specialized as many of the publishing houses south of the border or around the world. The authors I would recommend are Michael W. Higgins, and Irma Zaleski. Novalis is also the Canadian distributor of many of the American Catholic Publishing Houses here in Canada.
Scepter Presshttp://scepterpub.org/
Scepter is one of the publishers whose works I have been reading a lot of lately. They are the North American distributors for Scepter UK, Four Courts and a few others. These books specialize in the Spirituality of Opus Dei; they have numerous editions of all the books by St. Josemaria Escriva, and by many authors who are members of Opus Dei. I have yet to read anything from this publisher that was a disappointment. Besides the works of St. Josemaria Escriva, I would highly recommend Edward G. Maristany and Federico Suarez.
Loyola Press
http://www.loyolabooks.org
This is one of the larger Catholic Publishing Houses. They have a great website that is easy to navigate and have a lot of resources available. I would highly recommend the writings of Liz Kelly, and the Seeker's Guide Series.
Pauline Books & Media
http://pauline.org/
This is an organization dedicated to what they call Media Evangelization. They desire to use all the means that modern technology has - books, magazines, music, radio, videos, and the internet - to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Well that is a start. Next week I will try to profile a few more for you.
You may also want to check out these articles:
Some Catholic Resources on the Web
4 Resources
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I was just tagged by Vehige at Thursday Night Gumbo..JPG)
