Your Best Life: My Review

Your Best Life Begins Each Morning: Devotions to Start Every New Day of the Year by Joel Osteen

Click here to read the first chapter.

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
Ok, I have a confession to make. Joel Osteen gives me the creeps. Now, I've never watched him on television beyond a snippet or two on someone else's program. I'd never read anything he wrote, but he gave me the creeps. It is a prejudice, pure and simple. My thoughts about him are not based on reason fact but on first glimpses and emotion. Given that impression of him, my first thought when this book came across First Wildcard was to pass. I get few of their books about religion because they usually aren't writing about my religion, and it is just silly for me to criticise a book written by a Protestant for Protestants for being too Protestant. I almost chose not to get this book, but curiosity got the best of me, and since these review copies are sent at no cost to me, I hit the reply button. Now, I can say I've reviewed one book Osteen wrote. I say reviewed, because I didn't read every word.

The book is a daily devotional, one page per day for a year. The page starts with a Bible verse or two and then has an essay that is at least slightly related to the verse. The verses are drawn from all over the Bible and Osteen relates them to some positive thought for the day. There is nothing wrong with any of the essays at which I looked, my issue with the book and what I've heard of Osteen in general (and since I've heard little, and listened to him even less, I'm not sure it is the truth) is that this book is Christianity without the cross. It is all about God wants you to be happy, you can be happy if you want to be. In an essay about Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt, Osteen says "Because Joseph kept the right attitude, God brought him out much better than he was before". That's pretty typical of the book.

This is an attractive devotional book but it seems as dedicated to the power of positive thinking as to God.

First Wildcard will tour this book December 10. Check back then to read the first chapter and to learn about Osteen.

Click here for Amazon Link

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An Advent Read

Advent And Christmas Wisdom From Henri J.m. Nouwen: Daily Scripture And Prayers Together With Nouwen's Own Words by Henri J.M. Nouwen

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Advent can be a good time to get into the habit of daily prayer, or a time to try something new to enrich it. This book is helpful for either goal. It is an easy to read book of daily devotionals for the Advent and Christmas season. Each day's section is divided into four sections: a reading from one of the writings of Henri Nouwen, a reading from the Bible, a prayer, and an "Advent Action", which is, as the name implies, a concrete action to accomplish that day, which relates to the theme of the readings and prayer.

As an example, on day 13, we read Nouwen discussing the Latin words for listening and listening with great attention (obedire and audire) and for not listening (surdus), applying them to Psalm 23 and concluding that "Listening starts precisely when you move from the mind to the heart and let the truth of your being center you down". The scripture reading for the day is Psalm 23. The prayer asks God to help us pay full attention to Him. The Advent Action is to memorize a prayer that will be helpful in times of trouble.

Most of the Advent actions are very doable, but many are challenging. They call the reader to reach beyond him/herself but not so far that it is easy to say "I can't do that, I know it, and so there is no need to try". Live with this book through Advent and you will be ready to welcome the Lord on Christmas.

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Taking it Deeper Tuesday: The Mission Minded Family

The Mission Minded Family

List Price: $ 14.99

Paperback: 188 pages

Publisher: Authentic (July 1, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1934068438

ISBN-13: 978-1934068434

Click here to read the first chapter and read about the author.

Taking It Deeper Tuesday is a new carnival about First Wildcard books, started by me. I started it because in reading all these Christian books, and reading other people's reviews of them, I've wondered what effect these books have had on people's spiritual lives. I've also had questions about the beliefs espoused in some of the books, and I've been looking for a place to have discussions about such things. I decided that here is as good a place as any.

Here is now it will work. Each Tuesday I will post a discussion question dealing with the spiritual aspect of one of the FWC books from the previous week (Tues.-Mon.) While the topic will be taken from the book, it will not be one which you will have to have read the book in order to answer--in other words, I'm not going to ask you what the character did, though I might give you a synopsis and ask you what s/he should have done. Some weeks I'll use a novel, others, a non-fiction book. To participate, you can either reply to the question in the comments section, or you can post the question and answer on your blog, and then use a comment to link us over there. If you use your blog, I'd suggest copying the book info at the top of this post, and the question below.

And now, for this week's question:

The first chapter of The Mission Minded Family says: "God will help you, as parents, to train each child toward God’s mission for his or her life, and He will help you to focus your family toward making a strong impact for His kingdom—in your community, in your church, in your children’s schools, and in the world."

Disclaimer: This is not a book I have read so hopefully I'm not taking this quote out of context and misrepresenting the book. That being said--

I think one difference between Catholics and Protestants is the lingo used. As Catholics, I think we would use the word "vocation" where the author uses the word "mission". The word "vocation" comes from the Latin vocare which means "to call". "Mission" comes from the Latin missio which means "to be sent".

Questions: (Sorry I didn't plan on two, but...)

1) Does God call us, or does He send us, or both?

2) As parents, what can we do to prepare our children to fufill their mission and/or vocation?

My Answers.

1. I think He calls us first, and that our response may allow us to be sent. To say that He sends us, to me, implies a lack of free will, and I don't think He ever takes that from us.

2. I think the most important thing we can do is to teach them to pray. The second most is to encourage them. If your daugher feels a call to be a nun, or your son to be a missionary to Africa, they are a lot more likely to listen to the call if you and others aren't telling them they'll outgrow it, or to try something else first.

Catholic Carnival 201: Let's Have a Contest

Since I don't have Sarah's knack for photo essays, I'm going to make this version of the carnival an exercise in ballot box stuffing and shameless self-promotion. After reading this week's entries, leave a comment nominating one post as "Post of the Week". It can be your post, or someone else's. Leaving one comment on this post is one vote. If that comment links to a post on your blog promoting this carnival and contest, it is worth two votes. Since the post on your blog can encourage your readers to vote for a particular post (and to post on their blogs supporting that post) it is an opportunity for old-fashioned politics at its best. As far as the shameless self-promotion end, I'll give another vote to anyone who asks for it by posting a comment on one of my posts which has not been a part of the Catholic Carnival (hint: most of the Catholic book reviews have been part of the Carnival) indicating which post you wish to support. This means that any blogger can get three votes for a post (comment on the carnival post, post on his/her blog and comment on other post) plus can encourage others to support his/her choice. I will send the author of the Post of the Week this lovely book about the Rosary (yes, that post was part of a carnival) and of course you can post about your honor on your blog!

Advent seems to be the topic of the week, so let's meet the contestants!

Owen is encouraging everyone to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and invites you to add your loved one's names to his list.

Elena LaVictoire presents Tis the Season - Advent! Mega Links posted at My Domestic Church.

Steve is a fellow book blogger and has a review of a first book in what looks to be an amazing series of Catholic Science Fiction books. Steve also posts about the Knights of Columbus Book Club.

Teresa posts about a favorite priest.

Rosemarie posts about remaining vigilant in prayer and remembering the religious who keep vigil on our behalf and for the needs of the world. Her blog focuses on Carmelite spirituality.

David at Apostolate of the Laity posts on the Triumph of God, noting that one should not despair that this world is an evil place. The world is good, and that good has incredible power over evil. For while good and evil are opposites, they are not equal in weight.

Deanna posts about her plans for Advent, which focus on the penitential aspect of the season.

The Real Life Rosary Weblog has some practical ideas about how to keep Christ the focus of Advent and Christmas.

Prepare for Mass helps us prepare for the Second Sunday in Advent.

Quantum Theology posts on God's Grandeur in the City saying We celebrate Christ the King in a major key, with trumpets and soaring hymns. The Gospel of Matthew draws us back to Christ the King in a minor key - among those who are least in anyone else's kingdom.

Evann at Homeschool Goodies posts on Christmas in St. Charles saying they have one of the largest Christmas festivals in the country.

Catholic Journeyman writes about Ecumenical Progression saying "Countering the often mis-applied motive for Apologetics, we are called through our Magisterium and through Christ's teaching to approach other Christians from established Ecumenical common ground."

The HMS Blog has a reflection on the readings for the First Sunday in Advent

A Catholic View tells us that Planned Parenthood has reached a new low, using the Birth of Christ to sell abortion and birth control.

Catholic Fire tells us everything we need to know to keep Advent holy. She has mega-links to Advent resources.

A Catholic Life reflects on the Immaculate Conception.

Catholic Land considers what Jesus would do for Catholics who voted for Obama

Sarah sends a letter to her husband celebrating five years of marriage.

Contrariwise tells of an encounter with the Real Presence of Jesus

Lectio from a Monastery Chapel encourages us to use Advent to discover what Jesus wants from us.

So which is your favorite (and feel free to say yours is!) Leave a comment to get a vote. Votes will be counted December 8. Good luck to all!