peril in the palace…

i was pleased to get this book and share it with my 5 yr old son who is just learning to read, so we read it together.  it was a good solid little story and the events, though somewhat tough at times for him to keep up with, didn’t move too quickly.  the story wasn’t that far of a reach that he didn’t enjoy it, which is really what i’m basing this entirely upon.

if my 5 yr old son, said that he would like to read more stories in the series, then that makes it worth at least 4 stars of 5, which is what i’ll give it.

by the way, tyndale gave me a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review, meaning i get to say what i want about it.

another review…

so i was given a copy of this book from Booksneeze for free, and in exchange i told them i would offer a review.  this is the review. 

this is a well written story that shows some of the adversity that albert pujols has had to go through in becoming one of Major League of Baseball’s premier players.  it does a decent job of communicating some of the faith journey that he’s had and some of the issues that he’s faced which have helped to shape who he is.

while i appreciate the impact on the game that he’s had (especially over the last few years as he’s kept up in his consistent play), i couldn’t quite get over the timing of this book’s release.  it “just happened” to come out right in the midst of his contract re-negotiations and i couldn’t help but wonder whether it was part of a larger marketing ploy to play into his contract talks.  whether it was or not, it’s a decently written biography.

nothing major was in here, meaning i wasn’t neccesarily surprised by anything, and that also means i didn’t really learn anything either.  to be honest, i was left feeling kinda “ho hum” after reading it.

Review: Coach on Success

so this time around, I’ve been reading a devotional book from Tyndale called “Life Promises for Success” by Jim Tressel.  Tressel is the acclaimed head coach of Ohio State University’s football team, and the winner of a couple of national championships, so I guess its okay for him to write about success.

i’ve purposely taken a few extra days weeks to go through this book because: A) i take a bit of a different approach with devotionals since they’re meant to be read daily in chunks rather than in a one or few short spurts as a whole, and B) i’m always skeptical of a book promising secrets to success – Christian or not.

i like this devotional.  i’m going to keep going through it.  it has great insights, and at times, i find it turns the definitions that i have of success on their ears and offers a newer perspective that seems – different, and – more right.  the book itself doesn’t shy away from success either, it actually encourages the enjoyment (but not the getting caught up in) of success, no matter what level it happens on.

Tyndale gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of it, meaning i get to say what i want about it.  and i like it.  i’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

Paws & Tales Blog Tour

welcome!  this is day one of the Paws & Tales: God Cares for You blog tour.  i’m glad to be part of this, and i hope that my (& my oldest son’s) review helps you here.

i was sent a free copy of this dvd from Tyndale in exchange of an honest review, meaning i get to say what i want about it.

now that that’s taken care of: Grayson (oldest son) really enjoyed the video.  he’s a fairly discerning 4 year old who definitely lets his opinion of what he likes and dislikes be known.  we watched the first episode on the dvd – “The Good Shepherd” (link goes to the trailer on Youtube) – and he thoroughly enjoyed it.  he wanted to watch it again, which i think says enough about it. 

when i asked him what he learned from it, he told me that “its really important to take good care of other people’s things, and that Jesus takes really good care of us”.  his favourite character was the shepherd dog, and he was able to sit through the whole thing, and then he asked if he could watch more!  i’d be glad to let him watch the whole series.

i personally thought the video was put together relatively well.  be warned though, the animation will take a little getting used to for the 80’s cartoon generation.  the wide-eyed look of the characters at first reminds me of a deer caught in the headlights.  the animation could definitely use some improvement (too bad we still have yet to say that a christian company has put out a product that blows away its competition) in my mind, but my son didn’t seem to mind.  the content was there, and if you can hold my 4 year old’s attention, then you’ve got mine.  the content and storyline were there, and i was impressed by the simplicity of the message.

for more info on the series check the Paws & Tales website, which has some great content on it, and you can always check out Tyndale too.

* i have a gift certificate for a free copy of this dvd to give away.  if you’d like it, i’ll send it to the first person to tweet me (@gpyouthguy) via twitter and say “I want the Paws & Tales DVD!!!”  I’ll respond to the winner and send you a free gift certificate.

praying together…

so its time i make a confession.  i don’t pray nearly enough.  as a matter of fact, i have to schedule times of prayer like my weekly Wednesday morning prayer time at the church in order for me to be more disciplined in praying.  the result is that i don’t pray as often as i should.  this means that i don’t pray nearly enough with my wife.

Couples Who Pray by Squire and DuArt challenged me.  i sort of knew that it would when i selected this book from BookSneeze.  it was a good challenge and reminder of a discipline that i’ve allowed myself to lose.  the content reminded me of not only the importance of building this discipline, but of what i as a husband can give to my wife simply by spending the time praying with her.  like most guys, every now and then i need a good reminder about my responsibilities as a husband, and this served as a good one.  i give it 4 out of 5 stars.

disclaimer: i was given this book for free from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review of, meaning i get to say what i want about it, good or bad.

a book about heaven…

heaven is for real is a book written by American Pastor Todd Burpo.  and let me tell you, after reading this book, you’ll want to know its reality the way that little Colton (the author’s son) knows.

this book really challenged the way that i view, think about, and process the place of heaven in my faith journey.  the simplicity with which heaven, its inhabitants, and its reality are described break through many of the barriers that i had in place prior to reading this book.  the author’s mingling of the story with the scriptures that describe heaven make for one of, if not the best, explanations of heaven that i have ever encountered.

this book is a must read.  i thoroughly enjoyed it, and i finished it in 3 evenings, which for those who know how slowly i read, is a feat.  i highly recommend this book.  it will take a place on my “top shelf”.

i was given a free copy of this book by Booksneeze in return for an honest review, meaning i can say what i want about it.  and i say it’s worth 5 stars, and every bit of your time to read.

kurt warner can play, but can he write?

so i was given the chance to read this book for free from Tyndale, in exchange for an honest review of the book.  and to be honest with you, if not for receiving this book for free, i probably wouldn’t have bought it.  i don’t normally read parenting books, and i picked this one up mainly because the choices were very limited at the time.

but “First Things First: The Rules to Being a Warner” did surprise me a few times as i made my way through it.  as a parent of 3 small kids, it was refreshing to hear that i’m not the only one who walks around my house wondering where the poop smell is coming from.  it was also good to hear the encouragements that you generally hear as a parent, but normally just sort of take as common sense.  i found myself thinking at times about how i could use an idea that had never occurred to me before, and at others thinking about how i’d already tried it and found it didn’t work.

i guess you could say that i was pretty sceptical about this book; i at first wondered what a very high paid football player could teach me about my family.  but the honesty and humility that both Kurt and Brenda (ya, we’re on a first name basis now) write with definitely saved the book for me.  4 out of 5 stars.

Davies McDonalds Happy Meal Project- all photos �Sally Davies - a set on Flickr

i heard an interview on cbc radio this morning (sorry i can't remember what show) with Miss Davies, and i had a thought:

the legacy we leave on this planet might just be a Happy Meal discovered in the year 2550, but purchased in 2010, looking every bit as good as it did on day 1.

Davies McDonalds Happy Meal Project- all photos �Sally Davies - a set on Flickr

but those fries are just so darned good!

Halloween...

i struggle a little with Halloween. call it what you will, i don't understand some of the all-out rejection of the annual tradition from large segments of the Christian Church. i can understand some families choices not to participate, whatever their reasons.

Steve Bell is a fairly well known Christian Singer/Songwriter, and his thoughts are fairly close to mine - i think.

Keeping Christ in Halloween.�|�Steve Bell | Singer, Songwriter, Storyteller

i don't know what the "right" answers are, but i know i want to be a part of engaging the people in my neighborhood, and somehow Halloween has a way of forcing me to shake the hands of the people on my street - without it i doubt i ever would.

turmoil you say…

i’ve just finished reading “Seeds of Turmoil” by Bryant Wright.  it’s a book about the conflict in the Middle East between the Palestinian Arabs and the Jews over the land largely known as the Gaza Strip.  the book does a good job of describing the conflict from the perspective of the Bible and God’s intentions surrounding the two sons of Abraham (Isaac, the father of Jews and Ishmael, the father of Arabs).  the clarity of the conflict from the Bible’s perspective intermingled with some of the political background in the creation of an Israeli nation-state make for a decent presentation of the ‘problem’.  where the book comes up somewhat short is in that political and social commentary on the conflict.  it would have been nice to see some more explanation and background on the many wars over the years that saw the land mass change hands over the course of the millenia. 

i appreciated the easy to follow writing style, however, i felt like through much of the book that i was sitting in a church on a sunday morning.  it seems as though Wright has simply taken a 3 month long sermon series and plunked it all together in the form of the book.  the casual presentation of the book was refreshing and brought some much needed clarity for me on the conflict of the sons of Abraham.  i give this book a 4 out of 5.

disclaimer: i received a copy of this book for free through the Booksneeze blogging network in exchange for a review of the book.  this means i get to say what i want about it.

a devotional review…

so i received the “One Year Book of Encouragement” from Tyndale a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to give it a fair shot before i offered up my review of it.  so far it’s not bad.  but there are a few things that i’ve noticed about the book.

every day’s reading starts with a name.  really.  and it follows the same basic pattern.  so-and-so said this in a particular year.  so-and-so said this in the psalms.  so-and-so had a great point when they wrote this.  this devotional is quick and to the point.  which is good for a devotional that aims to have you done your reading in 5 minutes or less.  i appreciated that the thoughts don’t “beat around the bush”, but did you really have to use the EXACT SAME FORMAT FOR EACH OF THE 365 DAYS IN THE YEAR???  great for the person that requires patterns of repetition day after day, but at 2 weeks in, i need to change things up a little.

well put together thoughts throughout, good attempt at offering clear and concise “focus for the day”, and i appreciated having a small written prayer to finish the reading off.  all in all – 3.5 out of 5 if for no other reason than i’d like something that changes up its format a little more day to day.

Tyndale gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for a review, which basically means i get to say what i want about it.

Paul Revere, interesting…

The Revolutionary Paul Revere, by Joel Miller is an interesting, slightly fun read through a portion of history.

initially i decided to read this book because i wanted to know a little more about Paul Revere.  i’d always heard about the man and usually it was with regards to riding through towns shouting that ‘the British are coming’.  admittedly that is all that i knew of Paul Revere and so i was surprised to find out more about the goldsmith that he was.  its interesting to me that the author almost seems to attribute the simplicity of being in the ‘right place at the right time’ as a very large part of the success of Paul Revere.

the author also does a great job of illustrating the circumstantial events surrounding Paul Revere in the lives of his contemporaries, explaining with some clarity who was doing what and when and how it (may have) affected Paul and his family.

finally, i couldn’t help but read this book with a bit of a grain of salt.  i couldn’t help but wonder just how much creative liscence had been taken in the writing and presentation of who Paul Revere was, what kind of a family man was he, the more intricate details of life that are presented here.  all in all, the author does write a decent book.  it was an interesting way to learn a little more about early American history, however, i’m not sure that the next time i’m going to learn my history through novel form.  i give this book a 3 out of 5.

disclaimer: booksneeze.com gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for a review, and they didn’t pay me, so i will say what i want to about the book and what i think it has to say.

finally, a review…

  so i’ve been a little behind in my posts of books, and here’s one for now at least.  when i first chose this book, ReChurch by Stephen Mansfield, i was quite interested to see what it had to say.  there’s been a lot to say about the ‘de-churched’ for quite a while now, but i’ve had the fortune over the last few years of being in contact with some folks who have walked away from the church due to pains or hurts, and seen them return after a time of healing.  it seems to me that (especially in the Canadian context of the Church) the folks who walk away from the Church need just as much of our attention, if not more. 

my own experience of serving in churches over the last decade has been that there is little growth in terms of numbers, but there’s also been little decrease too.  the churches that i’ve been a part of have been more split between two different groups of people: first, there’s the group of people who have ‘been around’ for what seems like forever, people who have committed to the church and love being in that particular community for whatever their reason may be.  second, there is a group of folks who are more transient, moving between churches (sometimes in new towns due to work changes) as they get ‘bored’ or complacent or downright offended in their experience as they look for a place to call ‘home’.

i’ve always been of the opinion that if you’re going to get hurt as a Christian, it’s probably going to be in a local church.  and its probably going to be in a group of people that you’ve grown to love.  it’s going to happen because the Church is made up of a bunch of people just like you and me – hurt and broken.  and when hurt and broken people get together, its inevitable that they will hurt and break one another.

the thing i loved about this book is what it had to say about both the local church or people doing the hurting as much as it said about the people being hurt.  Mansfield did a great job of saying that both parties are part of the hurt and both parties need to commit to each other to grow through the hurt.  being part of the church isn’t about what we ‘get’ from the church, it’s about what we ‘give’ to it.  as we give, we find that we have strength given to us by God, and as we live our lives honestly with the people around us (even when we inevitably hurt them) we begin to find that God uses our little communities to do far greater things than we could ever imagine.

i give this book 4 out of 5 stars, and i definitely recommend it to anyone who’s been around any church for any length of time.  church leaders should especially be reading this.

disclaimer: i was given this book in exchange for a review by the Tyndale Blog Network, and i haven’t been paid for this review, which means i get to say what i want to about it.

feelin' the love...

i really love the folks over at GP's Prairie Coast Equipment. they love Camp Wapiti a lot over there, and contribute the use of a John Deere Gator for us to use for the summer. their generosity is a wonderful thing, and the team over there is top notch!

i came across this today, and who knows, maybe one day Bob will let us have one out there...

John Deer Gator XUV 825i

it didn't happen if...

here's a great article i read a while back. it's been picked up on a couple of the productivity blogs that i follow now. as the pace of the approaching summer has started to take off, i've been finding that i've been getting that little bit more forgettable.

so, my plan is this: keep writing things down. i never go anywhere without a piece of paper and a pen. usually i carry a small journal with me where i keep an updated-every-couple-of-days to do list, and i can jot down random notes or contact information if i need it.

lately though, i'm finding i'm using my ipod touch more too. its "notes" app (the one that comes with it) is increasingly useful, and i've found that this has basically become my pda. the native calendar updates with Google Calendar via wifi, backing up important dates (for when the battery inevitably runs out on the ipod) and in a pinch i can grab a date off of my cell phone mini-browser.

i'm slowly discovering the usefulness of an iphone or a blackberry or some other kind of full blown smartphone. it's just too bad that the costs are so high. it could mean one less gadget in my pocket. it would be nice to replace it one day. perhaps someone from Google or Apple is reading this and wants to drop a little present my way - hint hint. one can dream...

anywho, below is the link to the article. enjoy.

Methods of Work: It Didn’t Happen If You Didn’t Write It Down � Design By Gravity

Plan B... a little rushed...

truth be told i'm feeling a little rushed with this review of Plan B by Pete Wilson.  i received this book from Booksneeze for free, in return for a review specifically requested for today.  the problem is that the book showed up 3 weeks after i was told i would receive it, less than 10 days ago.  i'm a good reader, but not that good.  so admittedly, i'm still working my way through it.

Plan B is a refreshing book that discusses the fact that God operates much differently than we imagine he would.  it carries the tone of a pastor trying to connect with his young congregation, and is a fairly easy read.  the challenge of the book comes in the honesty that Wilson approaches the subject with.  he openly admits that he doesn't have "all the answers" about God and why God chooses to do the things he chooses to do.  this is refreshing, and more of this kind of honesty is needed.  it forces introspection and reflection, and that's not (usually) a bad thing.

however, i do wish that the book would be more up front about God's Plan B.  the reality is that there isn't one.  while addressing the reality that God does as God does, i don't think Pete goes far enough in declaring that God's Plan is being acted out right now.  it's been working since before the days of Jesus on earth, and it's design is Perfect.  God's Plan is happening with or without us, and whether we like it or not, we are invited to be a part of it.  Wilson's book stops short of this invitation and gets stuck in asking the questions without offering much more than discussion-starters.

in my opinion, this book is about 3.5 out of 5.  it offers good thought, some insight, but it stops somewhat short of really issuing a pointed challenge.

so in the mean time...

well, i'm starting to get a little bored while i wait for my free books. so i'm going to start reading another one that i've been given. the denomination that Camp Wapiti is a part of (CBWC) sent me this:

Celebration Of Disciplne Revised: Amazon.ca

i'm a Richard Foster fan. so i'm looking forward to this. i'll post a review when i'm done. again, no one's paying for the review, and somebody bought the book for me, so really there's nothing in it for me, other than another read.

and if anyone out there knows where a guy like me can continue getting books (or anything else for that matter) for free, let me know. i don't mind posting reviews on everything from books to gadgets, camping gear to power tools. i have a philosophy - if its free, its for me.

i'm still waiting...

well, i'm still waiting for my books to show up.  i have 3 of them on order from the two blogging networks that i've signed up for, and at this rate, i'm going to have to read the one book very quickly in order to submit the requested review on May 3rd.  i like free books, but i think i'm going to have to find a solution for covering the gaps here...

on a side note, i was thoroughly distracted today.  fortunately it was for good reason.  i got to spend the day with "the Bobs".  it started with breakfast this morning, and then we decided to take a stroll around the camp this afternoon.  i definitely enjoy being able to call stuff like this 'work'.

i think its time for me to find a mentor again.  i've missed having a friend who will challenge me spiritually and in life, and i think its time to start doing that again.  some of the best growth i've experienced has come because of a (usually older) wise person who has chosen to walk alongside of me and say "smarten up".

well, this turned into a bit of an all over the place post didn't it...

and another on the way...

so i was just offered another book from BookSneeze. this one comes with the disclaimer that i have to post the review on May 3rd. not sure what the "or else..." would be, seeing as its a free book and they're not paying me to review it. i guess that would all depend on how quickly it arrives at my door, huh. i'm still waiting for the other selections i've made from both BookSneeze and Tyndale. we'll see.

Plan B � A book by Pete Wilson

from the book's website:

'Wilson points readers to the cross as not just the starting line but the centerpiece of our story with God and shares that it is there we turn in our Plan B and find the undeniable relationship between crisis and our hope followed by true spiritual transformation. "God wants to live inside the questions" says Wilson and then reminds us that "the cross is proof that He does not always change the circumstance but that He always has a purpose in every circumstance. He will never let go of us. He will hold us and His cross will be an anchor for us."'

2 tools i'm finding i can't live without...

as i live a fair ways up north (not the Tundra, mind you, but north) and i have to wait a couple of extra days for things like ANYTHING DELIVERED BY CANADA POST, i've been finding myself thinking lately about a couple of tools that i have around that i just couldn't live without.

first, my Leatherman Micra. it's tiny, and instead of the pliers it has scissors. i used to carry a Swiss Army camping knife, but i found it was a little too bulky for my pocket. and when it came time to get myself a new pocket-knife, this one won out BIG TIME. the scissors are very sturdy, very capable, and i find myself looking for opportunities to take it out of my pocket and save the day around the house.

Leatherman Micra

next, is another Leatherman. this time, the SuperTool. and i have a story about this one. a close friend of mine and i were getting ready for the hunting season, and i mentioned it would be great to have a multitool that i could take with me. it turns out he had a second one that he'd bought something like 15 or more years ago and wasn't using anymore. it was an original SuperTool. i used it all summer long at our Camp and i was hooked. it had everything i needed and more and it wasn't going to leave my side. then i took it on my hunting trip, and i wasn't disappointed. again, i found myself eager to take it out and use it. it was extremely useful.

the only problem i had with it was the locking mechanism had broken, and the wire cutters had gotten bent over making it difficult to open the tool with one hand. so i went onto the Leatherman website and discovered their great 25 year warranty. just mail the tool away (insured of course) and they'll either fix it or replace it. so i mailed it away and waited. then one day about 6 weeks later i got a package in the mail. i started ripping away at it, eager to get my SuperTool back, and man was i surprised!

they didn't fix the tool, they gave me a brand new one! So now I get to start over with a brand new SuperTool 300, and this thing is excellent. I carry it with me everywhere i go, and my kids even love to take it out and handle it (with Dad's supervision).

Leatherman SuperTool 300

so there you have it. 2 tools i can't live without. and now if only Canada Post would hurry up and deliver my books.

* Leatherman did not pay me for this post. I'm simply posting about a couple of tools that I love having with me.