Summer Reading

Just Finished Today:

• The Testament by John Grisham

Currently Reading:

• Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

• Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Donald S. Whitney

• Telling Yourself the Truth by William Backus and Marie Chapian

• The Life and Diary of David Brainerd (I have actually lost count regarding the number of times I've read this since I first obtained it in 2003--I love it!)

• Men and Women in the Church by Sarah Sumner (Disclaimer: I’m reading this to understand a view different from the one I hold regarding women in church leadership).

• Building Literacy Through Classroom Discussion: Research-Based Strategies for Developing Critical Readers and Thoughtful Writers in Middle School by Mary Adler & Eija Rougle

• Tools for Teaching: Discipline, Instruction, Motivation by Fred Jones (thanks for passing this along Amy)

Hope to Read Before Fall:

• Money, Possessions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn

• How To Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren

• What Jesus Demands from the World by John Piper

• Peace Making Women by Tara Klena Barthel & Judy Dabler

Looking over the books I am enjoying right now, I want to strongly recommend Whitney’s Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. This book is challenging, convicting and he gets right to the point (something that I greatly appreciate when I am reading multiple books). The book is framed by ten questions, they are:

1. Do you thirst for God?

2. Are you governed increasingly by God’s Word?

3. Are you more loving?

4. Are you more sensitive to God’s presence?

5. Do you have a growing concern for the spiritual and temporal needs of others?

6. Do you delight in the bride of Christ?

7. Are the spiritual disciplines increasingly important to you?

8. Do you still grieve over sin?

9. Are you a quick forgiver?

10. Do you yearn for heaven and to be with Jesus?

When I came across this title I initially shied away from it because it sounded, I don’t know...gimmicky. But it isn’t at all. Each chapter is so helpful and at the end of each chapter are practical steps to help further develop the characteristic outlined. Those "practical steps" alone make this book a must-read for every Christian, in my humble opinion.
Also, the book is peppered with quotes drawn from some of my favorite men of God...Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer, C.S. Lewis, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, etc. Oh this book is so good...and I’m only halfway through it!

FA Cup Final (from last Sunday)

So I’ve struggled all week trying to find a good tribute to FA Cup winners Chelsea FC!!! I have finally settled on just a montage of the FA Cup Final itself (even though it features that wretched little Man. U goal/not goal...ahem, anyways...), but before I present to you that clip, here’s a little preview of the intensity and importance of this match for those of you who don’t know about the FA Cup.

All right, here’s the Final clip...I especially appreciate all of the talk about the new Wembley, oh I wish I could have been there! Well, here it is my friends...celebrate with me the achievements of Chelsea FC, winners this year of both the Carling Cup and the FA Cup!!!

Procrastination At Its Finest

WARNING FOR JEN: Spoiler ahead, please don't read this post if you don't yet know the score of the Liverpool v. Chelsea game.

OK, having said that, I can continue...so I'm supposed to be writing an 8-10 page paper on history and perception for my Studies in Drama class, but I decided to procrastinate a bit for a few moments. And since I was thoroughly devastated by yesterday's game, I decided to relive the glory days of my precious team and watch some clips on YouTube. I especially love this one because it highlights Lampard.



I have to say though, even though I was soooo upset about yesterday's game, I know Chelsea still has life in them. After all, we have an awesome FA Cup final coming up in a few weeks against none other than Man. U. We play Arsenal this weekend and well, basically the rest of our Prem. season promises to be amazing. OK, enough procrastinating, back to my paper I go. Enjoy the clip I have included above.

And congratulations to Liverpool on your win. Good luck in the final, you'll need it!