If you spend any amount of time goofing off in online circles, then you probably know how it goes. Grab the nearest book, no cheating going to dig out a title that you know will be good or make you look smarter,  open to Page 56. Count down to Sentence No. 5.

Now the fun part: broadcast that sentence on your profile (Facebook, Twitter, where ever you normally express your thoughts.) Finish by laughing at all the random goofiness or wisdom coming from an author’s page.  I imagine there has been a lot of stupid sentences shared due to the Book Game.

Normally I don’t share space on my computer desk with books. I have papers, pens, notebooks, newspapers, along with various clutter that makes me look like I’m a serious producer of quality content. I don’t read books at this desk, so no books to grab.

But while writing that blog post about Committed last week, a friend threw down a Book Game challenge, and – finally! – Committed snuggling in the mess on my desk.

Open book. Count down. Sentence No. 5.

Are you ready for what Ms. Gilbert has for us?

As Jesus taught: “If any man  me to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:2).

Personally, I think Liz knows the Book Game and intentionally put that there, knowing someday it would be called upon to be written on many a Facebook profile or blog post. Wasn’t that nice of her?

Love it, love it.

***

The scripture verse is in the chapter on Marriage and History; Gilbert has a lot to say regarding the Church and marriage. Anyone else read it? Care to discuss? The comments are open for you.

You can’t make this stuff up is a post from: Paper Bridges

The publishing world sees very few books reach blockbuster status, but William Paul Young’s The Shack has now exceeded even that. The book, originally self-published by Young and two friends, has now sold more than 10 million copies and has been translated into over thirty languages. It is now one of the best-selling paperback books of all time, and its readers are enthusiastic.

Follow the link to read the rest of the article. To date, it’s the best I’ve seen regarding the church’s (unfortunate) fondness for  Young’s book.

For you Shack fans is a post from: Paper Bridges

This entire book — every single page of it — has been an effort to search through the complex history of Western marriage until I could find some small place of comfort in there for myself. Such comfort is not necessarily always an easy thing to find.

And search she does.

I like this book. I don’t agree with everything she says, but like Eat, Pray, Love, her previous book, I take in the meat and spit out the bones. Fortunately, not much spitting here.

Here is what I enjoyed about Committed:

1. It’s a fast, interesting read on the history of marriage. I know a lot more about the history of marriage after reading Committed. I’m a big fan marriage, so that’s well done.

2. Seeing how other cultures view marriage. Gilbert is a good storyteller. And when one travels the world, one tends to pick up good stories. I’m still wondering what happened to that young monk in Cambodia.

3. More Felipe. If you enjoyed the story line of Elizabeth falling for Felipe in Eat, Pray, Love, you get to see what happens next to them in Committed. Hint: it has to do with homeland security.

4. A new thought regarding marriage. Gilbert calls marriage a revolutionary act. Never heard that one before. Read the book to find out what she’s talking about. Then come back here and we can talk about it.

and finally. . .

5.  I like to laugh. See page 75, middle of the first paragraph. (They are going to SAVE marriage?!? What a hoot.)

By the way: when my Edmund spotted the book in the store, he wanted to know if it was about Lord of the Rings.

I have no idea why.

Committed to reasoning is a post from: Paper Bridges

Without further delay: My Pile of Books

Miss Read: Village School by Dora Jessie Saint. I opened to Page One this morning. Too early to comment other than to say, I’ve heard lots of good things about Miss Read. No pressure, Miss Read, no pressure.

Problogger (Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income) by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett. Stop laughing. As a  mere amateur blogger, I read this to learn more about the how-to’s of a well-kept blog.

Black by Ted Dekker. I don’t know if I will ever get into this book properly, as I’ve tried with the first chapter and, well. . . .  we will see.

The Tipping Point (How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference) by Malcolm Gladwell. Thoroughly enjoying it. This was a Christmas present to Doc, and he didn’t think I would like it, but I knew I would – that’s one of the reasons I gave it to my husband. Sneaky, huh? This book is worthy of it’s own little post, and I’m not done reading, so you have to wait for more commentary here.

Lastly, I’m still poking my nose in Committed (A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage) by Elizabeth Gilbert, my current blogging inspiration, which also happens to be a whopping 55% off at Amazon. This won’t do, people! How the heck is Liz supposed to stay in New Jersey if her freshly-printed latest is too inexpensive. Don’t these publishers and retailers know the woman has to pay New Jersey property taxes, car insurance, blah, blah, etc., etc. Sheesh.

~Yo, Monica! Didn’t you borrow Committed from the library?

Um.

~That’s what I thought. Perhaps you should mention that you didn’t buy it either, you Library Rat.

Hey!  That’s it for me this month.

Happy Reading!

Insert witty title here is a post from: Paper Bridges

New Jersey. Ha. Take that nay-sayers. Not only is Gilbert planted in my Garden State, but she’s right here in my part of the Delaware Valley.

We’re practically neighbors. I could bump into her at the IGA or the coffee shop or she might come to my church. (Errr. She’s probably not coming to church) Hey, how cool is it that after exploring an exotic place like Southeast Asia, it’s my unassuming little patch of Earth that she decides to call home.

Brilliant choice of real estate investing, Liz. Welcome, welcome.

Today I finished  Gilbert’s latest book,  Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage and this week I will be sharing my thoughts.

Have you read it? Do you plan on reading Committed?

Let’s discuss it together.

Elizabeth Gilbert is brilliant! is a post from: Paper Bridges

No girls were hurt in the making of this video.

A video funny is a post from: Paper Bridges

The word orthodoxy literally means “right opinion.” In the context of Christian faith, orthodoxy is shorthand for getting your opinion or thoughts about God right. It is teaching and beliefs based on the established, proven, cherished truths of the faith.

(page 14, Dug Down Deep)

Orthodoxy.

It’s mentioned frequently in Dug Down Deep (Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters) by Joshua Harris. (Much thanks to the publisher for my free copy.) When I think of the term orthodoxy, I immediately think of the Brian D. McLaren book, A Generous Orthodoxy, a somewhat-controversial book (From what I know of it, as I have yet to read it. My library doesn’t have it, and when I once requested it from BookSwim, it was a no-go. Boohoo.)

Harris was raised in the Evangelical church, so I was surprised to see him using the term so liberally in his latest book.

On the back cover:

. . . seemingly worn-out words like theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy were the pathway to the mysterious, awe-filled experience of truly knowing the living Jesus Christ.

And:

. . . orthodoxy isn’t just for old men but for anyone who longs to behold a God who is bigger and more real . . .

Interesting.

Skeptical Monica doesn’t like this word one bit. Sorry, Josh. Aren’t doctrine and theology enough? Must we Evangelicals take on orthodoxy too?

To me – the great Bible scholar that I am *wink* – orthodoxy is the tradition of men. And this Christian ain’t too keen on the traditions. Just give me Jesus and his Word.

Thoughts? Opinions? Disgust I would dare mention such serious topics on my normally lighthearted blog?

What does the word orthodox mean to you?

Doctrine, theology and . . . orthodoxy? is a post from: Paper Bridges

Have you noticed? Social justice is a popular topic for the online church.

I spend a lot of time online reading blogs, surfing social media and listening to the chatter of the connected, Internet church. And it seems a lot of online Christians are into social justice.

Social justice is all over Sojourners. Blogs, blogs, blogs. So many blogs. (I wish I had more of these examples to share, as I’ve read a lot about this subject from various Christian bloggers, but I never bookmarked them.)

Of course there are books. Justice in the Burbs and The Irresistible Revolution, and there are more I’ve never read. And now Simple Compassion by Keri Wyatt Kent (I received a free copy from the publisher.) There is even a Social Justice Reading Challenge.

I’m not against helping people in need; I know what the Bible says. I’m not immune to feeling the pull toward social justice issues. Heck, I even have a social justice category here on this blog.

Still I’m concerned.

Is all of this a fad, the latest trend in our Christian-online clique? Or is this a true, Holy Spirit inspired move of God? In my flesh-and-blood church, I hear little about sex trafficking, clean water, or poverty, all popular issues within the online church.  That strikes me as odd.

Christians, we mustn’t forget it’s a grace salvation, not a works salvation.  Give to the poor, support organizations like Compassion International, commit to helping those in need. These issues of social justice are important, and must not be ignored, but let’s not forget the command by Jesus in Matthew 28.

.  .  . go and make disciples of all nations.

The social justice fad? is a post from: Paper Bridges

I do. I don’t know how long it will take. You know, we love stories and we love narrative; we love to get lost in an author’s  world. That’s not going to go away; that’s going to thrive. But the physical book really has had a 500-year run. . . But no technology, not even one as elegant as the book, lasts forever.

That’s Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezos, mastermind behind that eReader gadget known as Kindle answering the question posed by Newsweek magazine: Do you think that the ink-on-paper book will eventually go away?

Now I ask you -

Will the traditional paper book cease to exist?

Is technology that powerful?

Are we so addicted to our electronics that the eBook will send the paper book into extinction?

And do we care?

image: scrapetv.com

Are paper books dead? is a post from: Paper Bridges

Fiction: Under the Lemon Trees by Bhira Backhaus, The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.

Non-fiction: Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale or Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture by Taylor Clark and We’ll Always Have Paris: Paris by Ray Bradbury

DVD: The Kite Runner (loved the book, will I approve of the retelling in film?) and Whale Rider (which I’ve heard good things about. Hope it proves true.)

And. . . because this library visit happened without children in tow . . . I read a news magazine. Ah, yes. Me, a cushy chair and the indulgence of focusing uninterrupted. Pure joy.

Now you tell me: what are you reading?

First Saturday is a post from: Paper Bridges