reading... and honoring

I hope your Christmas was meaningful, and hope that the coming year finds you seeking growth by doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God, for this is what it means to live fully.

On the reading side of things, I'm thinking back in this post, on some of the best books I've read in the past year, in no particular order:

Deep Economy - if you'd like to catch a vision for an economic model that is different than the one that's gotten us into the deep mess of this moment, you ought to read this. McKibben casts a vision for more localized economies, a vision that leads to ecological sustainability and better balanced lives in the process.

The Faith of Barack Obama - if you're interested in the man who will soon be our next president, read this. A chapter called "Four Faces of Faith" traces the spiritual biographies of Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and John McCain. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

Surprised by Hope: Rethinking the Resurrection - This book is a little weighty, and I surely don't agree with all of it, but Wright's material challenges a lot of conventional wisdom regarding the nature of our resurrection and the new world God has planned for us.

Sophie Scholl - My newest in a growing list of heroes, Sophie and her brother lived fully, courageously, and creatively as they challenged the Nazi regime, at cost of their lives. The book reads, for the most part, as a historical novel, though there are a couple of sections that go deeper into history and theology than some might like.

Letters from Prison - Bonhoeffer's final thoughts, captures in letters to family and friends before his execution by the Reich, I'm impressed by the thoughtfulness, integrity, and joy that Bonhoeffer demonstrated right up until his execution. His example encourages and inspires me.

Bird by Bird - if you're interested in writing, this materiel by Annie Lamott should be on your shelf. Funny. Though provoking. Exemplary writing.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism - Tim Keller. All of us have questions about suffering, hell, the Bible, the exclusivity of Christ, and more. Keller's book deals with each question thoughtfully.

If you've read a good book in 2008 that you'd like to recommend, please leave a comment.

On another subject, if you don't here from me in the next few days, some health issues with my mom might well be occupying me to the point where I won't be able to write. I'll be grateful for your prayers on her behalf as she faces the challenges and changes that come with aging, and will certainly try to post by Monday

Cheers...