Book Notes: September 20, 2023 - More Nonfiction of Note

 Welcome to the scenic route! I hope you enjoy your visit today. I've got a word prompt for those who've come for a creative jump-start. But before that, I want to share a couple of book reviews with you. I enjoyed these books and learned a lot from them. It was interesting to get a different perspective from someone who's obviously put in the study time necessary to tackle such topics. These are religious books in the Christian realm, so if that's not your thing and doesn't interest you, just scroll past them and check out the word prompt. Let's go!

Book Notes: The Neglected Qualification by Douglas Wilson

The Neglected Qualification: Black Sheep in Pastors’ Homes by Douglas Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been enjoying these short books on Christian thought, practice, and living. This one contained lots of things I knew, but have never really heard brought out this way before. I think it's also something which we should be talking more about. Everyone seems ready to condemn (or even worse, excuse) pastors and their kids, but no one seems to want to do anything which would lead to a positive outcome. They seem more prone to just complain all the time. But I believe if we'd just be willing to discuss these things, then we could definitely find a way to work on them together, in a loving way, like we're supposed to. This book really made me consider my own thoughts on pastors and their kids, especially since my mother was one, and I'd encourage any Christian to crack open this book and give it some study.

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This book was so helpful. I'd often wondered why the church in general has become so lax in qualifications required to stand in a pulpit and lead a congregation. I urge you to find a congregation where the pastor is honest about his failings and willing to step down if/when he no longer meets the qualifications which are clearly stated in the Bible. (Yes, I am one of those who does not agree with women being in the pulpit, preaching to the congregation. That's not our role and it's clearly stated. I won't be discussing this in the comments and it's OK if you stop following my blog if you aren't able to agree to disagree on this point. It'll make me sad to see you go, but I will understand.)

Book Notes: The Seven Deadlies by Douglas Wilson

The Seven Deadlies: Poisons and Antidotes by Douglas Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I learned a lot while reading this book. Most of it, I knew. But the author presented the material in a way which helped me understand it better. I was able to recognize some things in my life for what they were and can now set to work, living more for God than I was before. If you're looking for a book to help pinpoint problems in the Christian life, as well as ways to win the victory over those problems, then I recommend this book.

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First, can I just say how awesome this cover picture is? Isn't that how we are, though? We pick one of the seven deadlies and love it and cuddle it and call it 'George'... And it never does us any favors. I highly recommend this one. It was informative and presented in a way that often made me smile because of the delivery.

In both of these, I listened to the audio books. I actually listen to The Wade Show With Wade, which is similar to Babylon Bee. If you enjoy political snark and satire and are conservative or mostly conservative, you'll probably get a kick out of Wade's podcast. Anyway, he narrated these books and has a pleasant voice. 

Just Keep Writing: Wednesday Whimsy

If this is your first time participating in this kind of writing exercise, you're in for a treat. If you've done this with me before, just keep scrolling for the prompt.

Rules:

1. You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.  
2. Please keep the material you write clean (i.e. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to. 
3. Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.

Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required. 

What do you think? Are story ideas coming to you? I hope so!

Thank you so much for joining me on the scenic route today. I hope you enjoyed your visit and stop by again tomorrow. I'll have another word prompt ready to share. Won't you let me know in the comment if these are helping you in some way? 

Until next time,
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