If you were to die today what would your obituary say? What words would be shared at your funeral? Though a somber thought, thinking about this eventual fact of life makes me and perhaps you too - ponder our legacy. Ever hear the quote: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”? Thinking this was from Mark Twain, I did some research and discovered it is actually a misquote, somewhat based on an actual incident. You can read the full story here. But essentially he said, "The report of my death was an exaggeration.” So let's hope the report of any of our deaths is a false overstatement too, but imagine what would words would be used to describe your life? How would you like to be remembered? What will be your legacy? I began thinking about this when I wrote last month about Finding your Purpose series on Thursdays. I suggested this practice before on retreats and in presentations as something to try. But last week I read the new book, Living Forward, a Proven … [Read more...]
Luther and Katharina – Book Review
I love a book with a strong female lead. And when the story is partially based on history, the reading becomes more intriguing. A great read for the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Luther and Katharina – a Novel of Love and Rebellion by Jody Hedlund tells the story of Martin Luther and Katharina von Bora’s relationship and then marriage. This fast read swept me quickly into the 1500s dark history of war, reformation, courage, and turmoil. This is a love story more than a history book. I kept wondering as I read it what was true and what was the author’s imagination. Hedlund clarified that in the author’s notes in the back of the book which as I reader I appreciated knowing. To be honest, I am a non-fiction reader and rarely read or enjoy fiction books. So it is quite an accomplishment to have a novel keep my attention from the start and draw me into the story with great dialog and description like this book did. The story captivated me and made me curious about … [Read more...]
How WillPower Works and What We Can Do to Use It More Effectively
I don't get it! I don’t really understand willpower. At times I can be Superwoman in accomplishing what I set out to do; others times I fail miserably. I start the day with full intentions of only eating so much and then graze on enough sugar/fat-laden carbs to fuel an elephant. I swear to live on austerity and simplicity and then magically find myself shopping on Amazon or at Christopher Banks for more books and clothes I don’t need. I really do have enough stuff in my life. Look! Pretty Object! Grab it now or you may never have that opportunity again! No, Never again… Most of the time willpower is a mysterious switch within me that seems to be faulty or misfiring. My self-control must be defective and flawed in some self-damaging way. Anyone else feel like that? I just finished reading Kelly McGonigal’s book The Willpower Instinct, that I borrowed from the library. This is not a formal book review of her work but a synopsis of insights I gained. Actually I am … [Read more...]
Thresholds – Book Review
As a spiritual director one of the most frequent topics I hear from my directees is about making decisions at significant points in their lives. Discernment, uncertainty, worry and/or fear of change, the unknown and mystery of what will happen if…affect all of us throughout our lives. Knowing this is a huge issue for many people is what attracted me to Sherre Hirsch’s new book, Thresholds, How to Thrive through Life’s Transitions to live Fearlessly and Regret-free. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review, but am excited to share it with you today. Sherre Hirsch is a Rabbi who weaves wonderful Bible story examples and contemporary illustrations into her writing. She is easy to read, encouraging, engaging and empowering with this message. This book would benefit anyone facing life transitions or those who help others in those challenging times. One section that made me smile is titled: "It’s Time to Stop Using the F word." Using Moses as her … [Read more...]
Rediscovering a Treasure – A Diary of Private Prayer
My mornings are blessed lately by rereading a classic – A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie. First published in 1936, A Diary of Private Prayer remains a devotional masterpiece with more than a million copies in print. To be honest, this old book has been sitting on my shelf untouched for quite awhile. I don’t remember buying it. I even don’t know what made me find it a couple of weeks ago and put it by my Bible. This last week its words just called to me to open it and I was amazed and taken in by its wisdom. Each prayer captures my deepest desire to love God more. His language is a beautiful devotional testament to his love for God. Each day has two pages, one titled Morning and the other Evening and there are 31 chapters for each of the days of a month. The language is old – lots of “thees, thines and thous and didst” but the meaning is lovely. I simply translate them in my heart and mind to “you” and “did.” This morning I read one aloud twice – once with the archaic … [Read more...]
Between the Dark and the Daylight – Joan Chittister – Book Review
We all hit the wall at times. Tensions tug. Paradoxes confuse. We wandered through the thick mud of contradictions of life. Knowing this is all too common for many of us is what drew me to Joan Chittister’s newest book. Between the Dark and the Daylight – Embracing the Contradictions of life. I have read her words of wisdom before and knew this would be a wonderful thought provoking exploration of the paradoxical moments of life. What lessons can we learn in these times? What insights could we share with others? The truth is we don’t live in a clear right vs. wrong, black vs. white world – we drift and try to see and survive through varying shades of grayness. This book lived up to its marketing. Chittister presents 32 common dilemmas – such as “The Delusion of Frustration”, “The Insecurity of Certainty”, “The Emptiness of Accumulation”, and “the Role of Failure in Success” and discusses with the reader the meaning behind these tough issues. Each chapter is short, easy to … [Read more...]
A Fresh Perspective to Prayer
I threw the windows open and unlocked the front door last week and invited the crisp spring air inside my house and my heart. Deep breathe, Jeanie. Feel the life in the atmosphere. Time to refresh and shake out that old dust. Don’t you love gaining a new perspective to old routines? Rearranging the furniture. Cleaning out the bedlam buried in a kitchen drawer. Learning a new way to thinking or doing something This is how I feel about a book I am reading by Kelly O’Dell Stanley called Praying Upside Down – a Creative Prayer Experience to Transform Your Time with God. Kelly tackles prayer from an artist point of view, giving me new insight and ways to pray. I love how she weaves in her own story, humbly sharing her ups and downs and inviting us no matter what our faith background is or our history with prayer to join her. The book is one of the most creative books I have read on prayer and I have read a ton of books on this topic. Quotes to share: “Praying upside down is a … [Read more...]
The Ancient Path – Book Review
When planning and dreaming about our future, we can learn lessons from those who lived before us. This is the crux of the new book by John Michael Talbot titled “The Ancient Path – Old Lessons from the Church Fathers from a New Life Today.” This book describes Talbot’s journey in establishing the monastic community, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity. He writes about his life and how the early church fathers taught him how to live. What I liked about the book: I love seeing how the author dug deeply into our church history to find and then apply lessons to his life from those early wise leaders. As I read the book I recognized some names, discovered new ones and always learned more about the early church. Talbot’s determined drive to explore intensely and intentionally the wisdom from the past for patterns to live in our world today inspired me – why can’t we apply their insight to our lives too? Quote I liked: “There is a theme that runs through the writings of the … [Read more...]