CHurched Review from Shelly

My friend Shelly won the copy of CHURCHED I had to give away. Below is her review. The notion of God being omnipotent and in control, yet bad things happening...and then what? Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God cause it, or allow it? Does he know all the permutations? Is the outcome static from the beginning or change based on free will? I had a very interesting conversation with close Christian friends who have been through lots of heartache...and they had an author/theologian they had recommended that helped them make sense of the mystery and struggle to get their arms around it. Do you think I can remember now who it was? But I left a message to find out, so stay tuned...what are your thoughts?

Shelly wrote:

I forgot to tell you this morning that I finished Matthew Paul Turner’s book Churched. Two things troubled me (other just the whole premise of the way some churches can put more focus on rules and numbers than accepting people into the fold, flaws and all, and allow God to mold them).

The first was the ending. I would love to know where he is now in his journey and I think, although real as it was, it may not show enough of the loving side of churches. Maybe he had just not gotten to that point in his journey at the time of writing this book to be able to find a church that shows love and mercy, while still teaching the basis of Jesus's purpose. I loved the book and thought it was very funny overall. Growing up in the church, I could relate to some of the things that occurred and it is humorous once you look back. You have to have a sense of humor if you are going to live in this world. I just wish the ending was different. It left me hanging and now I feel the urge to search down his blog and see if I can get a few more details about how things are now and how his view changed. I could have used a few more chapters.

The second was when he said, “People said odd things about God. They said he was in control, but when a teenager was killed in a car accident or a young mother died of cancer, they said that he allowed those deaths to occur so other people would come to know Jesus. That only made me fear God more, not have faith in him.”
You know we say it all the time. God's in control. Just let Him be in control. And then some very horrible things happen. So how can we explain God's omnipotent authority and still encourage faith? When I was diagnosed with cancer, it made me actually feel better to know that God was in control, even if it meant my death. To explain that is very hard. I couldn't even explain it to my husband who maybe lost a little faith along the way, not gained it. I think if I could address just this one sentence in his book, I would be getting somewhere. And so since this has been haunting me, I think this may be God's way of challenging me to look deep inside and search for the answer. I guess that's my homework.

Thanks for the book!
Shelly

Thanks, Shelly, for sharing!

Alter Boyz

I believe we can't take ourselves too seriously. The ability for humor (especially self-deprecating humor) is a must. Maybe that's why I like reading Matthew Paul Turner so much...(I am still hoping he has time to write an endorsement for my upcoming Bible Study amidst the flurry of activity of his new release...) There is way too much tragedy in the world to get hung up on the "small" stuff. I find myself reflecting a lot these days on the big picture: God, grace, hope, mercy,justice and the ways we superimpose our views onto those things or filter them through a sieve of the small picture: whether I can watch an R rated movie with a group of girlfriends, how going to Neighborhood Bunco (Omigosh, a card game involving money, isn't that gambling?But before all Christians who think gambling is a sin yet still plan to vote for McCain just realize that he has very strong lobbying ties to the gambling industry), or how I can laugh at a hilarious performance of a production of the Alter Boyz, and still firmly hold onto my faith.

Obviously there are some long standing impressions that are still stuck inside the cobwebs of my head and I am working diligently to shake them loose and live a life without judgement that reflects the love of Christ.

For me, last night that included laughing hysterically at a production of a show called the Alter Boyz, that was performed at Bucknell University. It absolutely made fun of several stereotypes, beliefs, even of faith, but yet rung so true. Yet I found myself reflecting on yes, my new favorite author MPT (and he reads a guy called David Sedaris, so now I need to pull his work out...) and suspected that he would have been laughing right along with me...I will have to email him and ask. But for so long I felt like if I laughed at something like that there was something wrong with me...I was dissing Jesus and heaven's what might others think? I also suspect and said this to Howie, as we left, (having shared a really fun evening together...) I wonder how several of my Christian friends would have responded to this show. Contempt? horror? at least a lot of squirming...yet there was so much truth in many of the points they made, and I did have some true moments of poignancy as a lover of Jesus. Howie didn't agree with me on that one, but that's totally OK.

I can totally see how this show, "sacrilegious" as it was could, can and I suspect will be a point of conversation with those who only know that side of Christianity, and there are plenty. And not nearly enough who experience the grace and the desire to be a representative of Christ here on earth. But I believe it is totally possible to embrace both. And am finally becoming more comfortable doing just that.
But that begs a different set of questions...more for me to ponder myself at this point than share...

But what it does do is reconfirm for me the passion of pursuing a non-traditional church plant, which is something our home congregation is doing. A place where I can laugh alongside fellow congregants at fringe things, keep an Obama magnet on my car without getting too nervous, or believe that we can serve God on Sundays even if it means swinging a hammer. (A reference to our recent Faith in Action Campaign where "work" projects were moved to Saturday in observance of resting on the Sabbath...) And enjoy a glass of Merlot. But most importantly model, represent and introduce people to Jesus.

Yet it is my church home, the place where I met the real deal Jesus. But...and I don't want to be judgemental, I am just reflecting about thoughts that are swirling around in my mind about having a strong, strong faith and yet enjoying and embracing many different things...sorry, rambling.

Who'd have thought sitting through a show like the Alter Boyz would have been such a Spiritual experience...

Churched...Some Musings...

I have been talking about this book for awhile now, and the author even longer. What I love about his writing is he is real. Just read the subtitle, "One kid's journey toward God despite a holy mess." And he writes about several of those holy messes in his new book CHURCHED.

I remember when I read his book THE COFFEEHOUSE GOSPEL. I was hooked on his humor and candor. Here was someone I could relate to. So I can't tell you how excited I was when I actually met him. He is as real in person as on paper. And I love that.

Now, first, the cover isn't blue. It is yellow. And I have no idea why my computer put it here in blue...And I have to admit I hope I do this book justice; I am a writer after all, so I am feeling a lot of pressure about now to come up with the right words. But just like in prayer, they don't need to be fancy or eloquent, but just the real deal. And I believe that's OK.

So here are my real thoughts about Turner's Faith upbringing and journey. First, it allowed me to re-think my position about wondering why the heck God waited to get a hold of my heart till I was over the age of 40. If I had met God in Pastor Nolan's church I probably would have left. The candor, humor and grace with which his faith journey is told and followed speaks volumes to my heart about a God that loves us through it all and despite it all, and in spite of some well intended, but perhaps misguided representatives. The effect that some legalistic representatives of God had on me in my younger days was to make me run as fast as I could in the other direction. With friends like them who needed enemies? But Turner didn't turn his back and run, but survived and tells the story without condemnation. I love that. To me that is the gift of grace. And we all need more of that.

Turner's ability to weave stories with a strand of resonating self deprecating humor is a gift that I believe will help many find hope and healing in the God that has been there all along, but may take some of us longer to meet or find. I laughed and sighed my way through the book and am relieved there is someone with whom I feel like a kindred spirit. His writing has validated my own faith journey, allowing me to become more confident in the many ways in which we can meet and worship God. We don't all need to fit into a prescribed mold, nor should we have to. After all, we are unique!

God has gifted us with a variety of attributes and talents. I am so thankful that He has chosen Matthew as a scribe to share His love with others in his own style.

Leave your comment here for your chance to win a copy, or follow the link to www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400074711 to order your own copy.

Sex in the CIty, Churched and Hospitality

The following review was posted on a blog that I found through Matthew Paul Turner's blog written by a retired physician now homeschooling mom. The website is http://www.domesticadventure.blogsopot.com/.

Here's some reviews of some books I've been reading lately.Rapture Ready by Daniel Radosh - No, this is not a book about preparing for the supposed "Rapture" of the Church. Actually, it is a book by a non-Christian about his investigation into Christian subculture. He starts with a trip to to a Christian music festival and explored Christian bookstores, The Holy Land Experience, passion plays, Christian children's activities, and even Christian wrestling. This book was often entertaining, but at times disturbing. I wasn't always proud to be a part of this subculture. As Christians, we often put up with poor quality entertainment just because it's Christian. We even accept questionable theology because it is, overall, Christian. Radosh was open about things that bothered him - and they often bothered me, too. For example, a pro-life booth at a Christian music festival had pamphlets that stated that children born by in-vitro fertilization are just commodities. Radosh's children were conceived using this method, and he, quite understandably, took offense at the pamphlet. This is a very helpful book for those of us in the Christian subculture. We sometimes need to see from another perspective. I hope it will also give us an idea of how we can better impact the world around us. I highly recommend this book. A

At any rate, I thought her comments about the Christian subculture were interesting given my experience with hospitality and watching Sex in the City over the weekend, as well as thoughts and reactions I have had to reading Churched. It was the last three sentences that spoke to me in particular. The part about seeing things from another perspective. (Other than the "Christian subculture" perspective.) I see things from that "other pserspective" because I haven't been immersed or swallowed up by the Christian subculture. I love Jesus, but I only got to know him and "asked him into my heart" once seven years ago at the ripe old age of 41. But I also love all kinds of music and will watch an R rated movie.

But because I lived outside of Christianity for such a long time, I know I have lots of friends who are not Christians and I have not been absorbed into the Christian subculture the way some who have always and forever been a part of the church have. I definitely live in the world, but try to follow Jesus. I am by no means perfect. I am honest. And I mess up all the time. But it is really a foreign concept to me when I speak to some of my Christian friends who honestly share that they really don't socialize or get together with any non-Christians. I have lots of non-Christian friends (and relatives... In fact, I am married to one...the most wonderful, giving, caring, servant hearted and humble guy in the world; he just doesn't know Jesus...)

Case in point, I watched Sex in the City, rated R, the other night at a neighborhood girlfriend get together. I found myself wondering what Pastor Nolan, the fundamentalist Baptist Minister whose fire and brimstone antics are vividly recounted in Churched would have to say about this movie. If Rock and Roll were of the devil, then this movie, omigosh would keep the fire burning for ages and ages to come. Can one be a Christian and watch a movie like this? Pastor Nolan would say "absolutely not!" but I say, "certainly."

Yes, there were a couple of scenes that gave the movie its title. Yes, there were loose morals thrown around. Yes, at times I felt mildly uncomfortable. Yes there was infidelity, but there were also the underlying messages of searching for love and offering forgiveness through the journey of life. And isn't that part of the Christian message? After all, if we're honest, infidelity is everywhere, including the church. It doesn't mean we condone it. But it also doesn't mean we act totally horrified and pretend it doesn't exist. Instead we can glean from the very real struggles the characters deal with and do a little honest introspection and see if we either don't relate ourselves to some of their struggles, or at least know someone who does.

I also have to say that the evening gathering where we watched the movie was just a lovely show of hospitality. The hostess went out of her way to serve her guests wonderful treats in a relaxed setting. The food and company were delicious. And she opened her home to her neighbors.

What' On My Mind...

There are several things on my mind and deep in a comment the other day I left a dangling carrot about promising to post about how "Sex in the City" could possibly be related to hospitality and being a decent representative of Christ. OK, so I have a knack for getting ears ringing or pushing people out of their comfort zones from time to time. But I have to admit I was just too tired last night to post. I had to go to HUF to see the new store, and it is Awesome! I also found out that they are now involved in recycling for the Milton School District, so that is something else on my mind. The list (which may cause some aches and pains from stretching) follows below the next photo... No, this isn't sawdust, although it might as well be. It is ground flax seed that I heard and read is healthy for you so I added some to my oatmeal yesterday. Yuck. It was awful. It had the consistency of sawdust and some of the seeds which didn't get totally ground got caught in my teeth. I may hold on to it, though, because it might make good cat litter. All in the name of recycling. Which will bring me to the first of the other things on my mind...

RECYCLING:
I heard a really nasty rumor at Nicole's elementary school that the paper that is collected in recycling bins in all the classrooms is just dumped in the regular trash at the end of the day. Talk about lousy example and misleading and lack of integrity. So this morning I went in to ask the Principal if it was so. He didn't know for sure, but supported me 100% when I said I would like to cause some trouble and look into it. Apparently there are all kinds of restrictions about what can and can't be recycled. OK. They obviously need to take a lesson from HUF, where they take everything except Glass and it doesn't even need to be separated. So I have a call in to the appropriate powers that be. I know there are like minded people who will get on the band wagon. Yes, it takes time and effort. But our world is not a replaceable commodity.

COFFEE CONVERSATION:
That was a safer heading than politics...I just want to say I believe we all want the same end result for our country: hope, a better economy, peace...and a bright future for the next generation. But we disagree on who we feel is best positioned to get us there. I invite my friends and readers to not get too nervous about out of the box posts. My goal is not to offend anyone or compromise any friendships. So no nervousness, just love allowed.

DIRECT TV:
We switched to Direct TV and bundled it with Verizon phone and Internet a few weeks ago and my mother hates it and can't figure out how to use the remote. So every day I hear about how much she hates it and how stupid it was to switch. Of course never mind that my mom is the one who taught me all about frugality and she will go ten blocks out of her way in NYC to save a dime on a gallon of milk.

CHURCHED:
Matthew Paul Turner's book Churched released yesterday and with the help and support of several friends and fans it made it to #687 on Amazon.com. I finished reading it and have decided to muse and reflect on topics and stories from the book starting today and going through next week.

WIN THE BOOK:
Remember if you want an opportunity to win the book, you get entered in a drawing every time you leave a comment.

FUTURE POLITICALLY ORIENTED POSTS:
Will be posted separately, so if readers prefer to skip politics they can do so and still keep reading the parts they enjoy. I aim to please!

NATIONAL OUTREACH CONVENTION:
The first week of November I am flying to San Diego to attend the National Outreach Convention and can't wait. I will also have the chance to visit my elementary school friend who is courageously fighting breast cancer again. You may recall I spent her birthday with her in June.

That's it for now. On to Churched!
Peace.

Remember, Your Comments May Win You a Book!

Drum roll...Today is October 1st, so for the next 17 days each day you comment, I will enter your name in a drawing for Matthew Paul Turner's book Churched. I have started reading it and have laughed out loud and moaned to myself several times. So comment away!

Blog Churched Book Tour

I am so, so excited. I have mentioned Matthew Paul Turner and his blog before, but now I want to tell you about a book he has written that will hit the stands on October 7th. The title of the book is Churched, and I am waiting for my two copies to arrive in the mail. One is for me, and I will be sharing my thoughts on it the week of October 13th here on my blog, and the other one is for one of you lucky readers who posts comments to the blog.

Starting October 1st, each time you comment I will put your name in for a drawing for the copy of the book which will occur on October 17th. I will probably have Nicole pull the name out of a hat.

Anyway, I have actually met MPT twice, both times at ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) first in Denver, then in Atlanta. I was so excited to meet him, as I had just finished reading THE COFFEEHOUSE GOSPEL and his conversational and honest appraisal of faith issues resonated with me.

This book promises to be a great read. You can read a sample chapter on his blog at www.matthewpaulturner.com to get a taste for yourself. I love his wit and humor. And also his honesty.

So I run out to my mailbox everyday to see if my books have arrived; frankly I am quite envious (yes, I know, it will rot my bones...) that others have already received their copies... in search of mine so I can immerse myself in the Churched world.

Hiking Alternatives and a Question

I am really disappointed that for some reason my card reader isn't working...I just love adding photos. I wanted to post our fun "alternative to hiking" photos: Kathy on a bucking bronco ride,and Nicole on the zip line and bungy jump. She much prefers both to hiking...

On a totally unrelated note, I have been following (another) tell it like it is Christian Author, Matthew Paul Turner's blog and he has added video clips to his blog. Not just photos, but video clips. And it is amazing, because he and his wife are eagerly anticipating the birth of their son Elias, and Jessica is in labor and he is posting video updates (informational in nature only). Of course, for those of you who know I have taught childbirth classes for over twenty years, for me this is doubly sweet. A new mode of communication I may need to check out instead of just photos, and the wonderful experience of labor and birth. You can visit them at: http://www.matthewpaulturner.com/ and check on the blog link.


Anyway, here is a question for you guys who pop in to visit and read: I was talking to my friend Mary this afternoon, who every once in a while says she needs a "Kathy Fix", meaning it is time to catch up by phone so we can whine together, and carry on about the various antics in our lives. She can always count on me to circumspectly tell it like it is. Well, since phone conversations aren't always possible or practical, (like right now, for example, I can't find my cell phone...I know I took it out of the little pouch I had it in yesterday, thought I threw it on the bed, but have rustled through the several matching and color coordinating covers on the King bed...LOVE the king bed! and haven't found it and don't have another one with which to call myself...anyway, the battery is probably dead...) I asked her if she had stopped by to visit my blog yet, where she could always get caught up. She said, "no" and I said, "well, it is kind of just like talking to me" and she was wondering if that was such a good thing...(uh oh, do I talk like Jesse Jackson off the mic?)
So here is my question: Is it like talking to me, is it too honest, or is it a pretty good reflection of the blog title...after all the blog is called Truth and Transparency (and if you are reading this, Gwen, it cracks me up that you know more about how our vacation is going than Erin does). Gwen is a friend, reader, and fellow softball mom, and Erin is our older son's girlfriend who is taking care of Tianna, our older daughter while we are hiking and finding other various non-hiking alternatives to keep Nicole happy.
You see, Gwen said something or asked Erin something about the trip that she didn't know the answer to, and Gwen said something to the effect of, "Don't you read Kathy's blog?" to which she said no, so Gwen filled her in on how much Nicole detested hiking. Apparently it didn't go without saying that I am pretty honest. Mary was concerned, I think, that I might at times get too honest, a kind of TMI stream of consciousness that, well, could come back to bite me. But then we agreed that if we always viewed ourselves as "talking on the mic" (after all, Jesus is the ultimate mic, no? He knows our heart, after all...) then honesty is OK.
So I am curious about what you think.
I tried to post this last night, but my computer got whacko on me, and wouldn't let me, so I am going to see if the card reader works, so if there are photos, I momentarily conquered technology, which isn't something that happens often. Rats, still can't get the photos to work...promise to work on that! The one of me on the bull ride is pretty funny.

Peace!