Patrick O'Connell

1001 Books You Must Read

I love lists.

And I adore books.

That's why this is so cool.

I also have a habit of over-committing myself to things. (I get them done I just make myself work harder). So I am definately NOT challegning myself with the entire list.

How many of these books have you read? Would you ever try to read them all?

Jesus: A Novel by Walter Wangerin, Jr.

Over the weekend I finished reading a novel by Walter Wangerin, Jr. called Jesus.

I really enjoyed this book. What Wangerin does is simply tell the story of Jesus in novel form while remaining true to the Biblical accounts of his life.The story is told from the altermating perspective of Mary the mother of Jesus and John, the 'beloved' disciple. Wangerin is able to bring to life this most wonderful story.  recommend reading it if you want a fresh telling of the Jesus story.

Book: I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

Just finished reading Vince Antonucci's book, I Became a Christian and All I Got was This Lousy T-Shirt. It is flat-out funny and inspring and spiritual and will remind all of you following Jesus that this is the real life--the kind of life God intended for us.

I attended one of the break-outs at Exponential 2008 that he led and was very inpsired by what he and his church Forefront are up to.

Don't miss this one.

Vintage Jesus

I just finished reading Mark Driscoll's new book, Vintage Jesus, and learning a ton. Well I am not learning anything new--it's a book about Jesus after all--but because of Mr. Driscoll's lively writing style, I am re-thiniking things I already know about Jesus.

What makes this book about Jesus just a little different is Driscoll's unspoken challenges to the reader. He essentially says: here's Jesus, here's the theology around it--now deal with it. Driscoll doesn't try to sell Jesus or try to make him look like something he never claimed to be. He is God and he walked this world as a sinless man and then he died an excruciating death on the cross to pay for our sins.

Vintage Jesus is a book I needed to read. I needed the reminder of who Jesus was and what he means to me. I needed to be reminded of his sacrifice on the cross for our sins. I needed to be reminded of why I joined this church plant. I love Jesus and wish to serve him for the remainder of my days.

There is much good teaching in this book. If I have time I will try to get back to it and summarize some of it for you.

Wandering

When was the last time you spent an afternoon wandering around?

Although I don't recommend this too frequently, I did have the chance to do so Saturday with my friend Sean M. We are serving together at Restore and so it wasn't long before we were discussing our mutual obsession with books. Sean invited me to spend Saturday afternoon with him at one of his favorite bookstore, Prosperos. It's a used bookstore in the Westport area of KC. It's one of a dying breed of shops with charm and character that you simply cannot find in the books chains.

After a great lunch we got us a cup of Joe and walked over to the bookstore. We then proceeded to spend an hour or so wandering the shop and talking books. I didn't need any books and thus it was all the more pleasant to simply browse. I really enjoyed connecting with Sean.

I actually felt relaxed. I am grateful to Sean for the invite and look forward to the next time. In the meantime, I am going to try more time in my calendar simply to wander.

We Got Our Copy of Harry Potter

Well we did it. Bailie and I were in line at Midnight this past Friday night to buy a copy of the new and final (we shall see) Harry Potter novel.

The saga began Friday when I stopped at our neighborhood Barnes & Noble after work on and waited in line for a wristband so that I could come back later that night (around 11:00PM) and wait in line--again--for our chance to plop down $21 bucks on the Harry Potter novel. I actually went to bed and set the alarm for 11:00PM.

When we got there the store was packed. Yes, some of the people where dressed in costume and the atmosphere was positively festive.

Because I had waited for a bracelet, we were in the second group offered a chance to buy a book. At Midnight they started selling books. The line moved rather quickly and once we got our copy we hurried out. I told Bailie she could read two chapters of the book and then it was time for bed.

I didn't wait for her. As soon as I got home I went back to bed glad that I had the chance to spend some quality time with Bailie yet glad that it was all over.

Surrendering and Submitting Through Prayer

I came across these words from Phil Yancey on prayer. They are from his book, Prayer, Does It Make Any Difference?

Whether climbing a mountain or writing a book, I have a goal-oriented, accomplish-the-mission attitude toward life, and prayer stops me in my tracks. I learn that I cannot "fix" the people I am praying for. I cannot get everything I want in the time frame I want. I must slow down and wait. I have to present my requests in a manner that seems at first like surrender. I "give them up" to God, and through that act of submission God can at last begin to grow in me the qualities, or "fruit," that I needed all along: peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The real value of persistent prayer is not so much that we get what we want as that we become the person we should be.

My family and I are in earnest prayer about a major issue. And it seems that God's being real quiet on the matter. Yancey reminds me that prayer isn't about what I want but that through it, I am growing more into what God intends me to be. I am really going to try and just surrender it to God.

Commitment

John Maxwell on Commitment:

7 Enemies of Commitment

1. A Lifestyle of Giving Up
2. A Wrong Belief That Life Should be Easy
3. A Wrong Belief That Success is a Destination
4. An Attitude of Negative Thinking
5. An Acceptance of Other People's Fences
6. An Irrational Fear of Failure
7. A Lack of Vision

Now here are Ways to Develop Commitment:

1. Realize it Usually Begins With a Struggle
2. Understand That it has Nothing to Do With Talent or Ability
3. Recognize That it's Not a Matter of Conditions but of Choice
4. Start With the Little Things
5. Settle Moral Issues Before You're Confronted
6. TRUST IN GOD

Restore and Restoration

I read this in John Piper's new book, What Jesus Demands of the World. Piper writes in Demand #9 (pg.75), Love God With All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength:

Jesus came to RESTORE human beings to the kind of relationship with God and each other that we were created for. The most important thing he has to say about that RESTORED relationship with God is that we were meant to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.

This whole concept of RESTORE and RESTORATION is one that I've been praying about the last couple of days. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you why soon.

Piper quotes the following scripture:

...answered Jesus, "is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:29-30 (NIV)

"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rye and all other kind of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone." Luke 11:42 (NIV)

"I know you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him." John 5:42 (NIV)

Piper's point: Jesus demands that we love God above all else. God will reciprocate and restore us to a right relationship with Him.

The book is vintage Piper and therefore I am learning a ton.

Attitude is a Choice

I've been reading a book by John C. Maxwell called, The Choice Is Yours: Today's Decisions For the Rest of Your Life. (See link to the book on the right.)

Maxwell's thesis is that life is about choices. The only freedom we have is the freedom to choose.

I thought I'd pass along some of his ideas.

The first choice is ATTITUDE. Life, Maxwell asserts, is 10% how we make it and 90% how we take it. He passes along these truths:

1. No matter what, your attitude is a choice.
2. It's easier to maintain the right attitude than regain it.
3. Your attitude determines your actions.
4. The people you lead reflect the attitude you possess

He identifies what is an ATTITUDE?

It is the advance man of our true selves.

It's roots are inward but its fruit is outward.

It is our best friend or our worst enemy.

It is more honest and more consistent than our words.

It is an outward look based on past experiences.

It is a thing which draws people to us our repels them.

It is never content until it is expressed.

It is the librarian of our past;

It is the speak of our present;

It is the prophet of our future.

Attitude is a choice.