A Different Kind of Good Book

Do you ever long for time just to spend with a good book? You know, turn off the TV, radio, phone, cell phone, computer, neighbors' dogs, etc., and just hunker down for 8 hours with a good book? Sometimes a book just pulls me right inside the covers and I don't want to come out. "Partners in Prayer" by John Maxwell yanked me inside yesterday and won't let me escape! Ok, over 10 years old and possibly out of print, but packed with powerful content! Having served as a placeholder on my bookcase for several years, recent stirrings urged me to pick up the book and read it. A typical book read for me starts at the front cover and goes straight through from the tiny print telling me where to find it in the Congressional library to the bold print in the back guiding me to other great works by the author. The last few times I have been drawn in like this, I was riding shotgun for a crazy Jersey-girl bond agent...and if you know who I mean, you know these are opposite ends of the reading chart! "Partners in Prayer" ("PIP") was different. Seems lately there has been an inner directive to learn about fasting and the spiritual significance of fasting. Now if you personally know me, you know that recently I look more like a woman who appreciates a good meal and a good desert, than one who would consider fasting - talk about modern miracles...this could be another one in my life! Wouldn't you know, right on the front cover it talks about a 'Special section on fasting'! So this time, I started in the middle of the book and worked my way to the end and then started at the beginning. Ironically, seems I have done that in many other areas of my life before, but never a book! (Different topic, different day!) For about eight years, I have had a very intentional, active prayer life --sometimes wondering if I was 'doing it right', but none the less continuing to pray -- and I am finding very direct, simplistic, understandable and applicable instructions from Mr. Maxwell. The section on fasting was informative and now has me on a quest to find a book solely devoted to fasting and spirituality. In the meantime (you know, that time frame we spend so much of our lives in), I will continue to study "PIP" and work on writing projects. Fact in point, if I would spend more time looking at the computer screen or the notebook, I would probably notice fewer toys to be picked up, papers to be put away and cobwebs gently inhabiting our home....I feel a different topic coming on... Seems that once God places a thought in my heart and head, it doesn't go away until I act on it, so for now, it is back to the book! Experience an awesome day! Suzanne

1st Post - One resolution accomplished!

Wow! I'm so excited to be posting my first BLOG entry and it is only January 5, 2008 (Ok, technically January 6, because the clock struck twelve a couple of hours ago, but with this type of excitement, who cares!). Now, for those of you who have grown up with computers or embraced them while I was praying they wouldn't last any longer than pet rocks or mood rings, this might not seem like a major accomplishment. But let me be the first to explain to you why this is such a big deal. First, I made a commitment to myself that I would learn how to blog in 2008 and, tah-dah, 2008 doesn't even have a week accounted for and I have begun. So theoretically, I am above average right off the starting line for 2008 since the average person does not achieve any New Year's Resolutions or changes! I'll be 10 years old for a minute here - "Yeah, me!" (Head tilt, cheesy smile, flippant attitude all included for same price.) Let me tell you, it is not without internal conflict that I have made this step, but I can now officially add to my well-rounded (perhaps slightly elliptical) resume that I am a blogger. (Of course when I was praying that computers would go away and pet rocks would come back, a 'blogger' would have surely been a shame-filled title and no one would have admitted to it anyway!) Next, I don't want to claim living in fear, but what happens when everyone decides that these computers are too intrusive and quits using them and no one knows where to buy an inkpen anymore? I mean, do you remember the insanity of 2000 when people stocked the cellar pantries with survival paraphernalia just because the century was changing and computers might have collective breakdowns? What would happen if the desires of so many were fulfilled and people just turned them all off permanently? Would people know where to buy inkpens or would they have to attend auctions, .com closures, and garage sales to buy the bulk promotional pens bearing obsolete URL's, www's, @'s and so on? What about paper? And let's consider the "peace on earth"....with great credit to the electronic, digital, 'interactive' age, many people have forgotten, lost or never learned the art of communicating person to person, live, in living color. I was talking to my best friend today and we both are amazed and frustrated at how even the cashier at the local grocery store is seemingly incapable of holding brief, pleasant conversations. Now, I understand that talking to me, the paying customer who helps make it possible for the nice lad to have a job, is probably not near as interesting as talking in garbled code to his co-worker who likewise doesn't realize that I am actually living and breathing right there before their very eyes, but wasn't talking to the nice 'old ladies' what the teenage sack boys of my youth excelled at even if it was motivated by the desire to score a monetary acknowledgement. And face to face conversation wouldn't be the only silence experienced. Can you imagine if there were only 3 or 4 television stations, maybe a half dozen radio stations, and vinyl records? Ok, let's get real carried away with this make-believe silence.....no cell phones!!!!! (Granted, one of our employees would swear that my truck wouldn't go in reverse if I don't have the cell phone to my ear, but I'm willing to try if only we could get back to more personal communications.) Well, it is that time of night when people all around are dreaming, but they are sound asleep and I am wide awake, so I just have to snap out of the fantasy of the electronics age coming to a silent halt. I will rejoice in my new accomplishment and revel in the joy! You see, my first blog is almost as exciting as my first child because I know I have once again passed a threshold of no return. Granted, my first child can probably design the page with half the effort and twice the flare, but sometimes a gal just has to go with gut instincts without reading all of the instructions. Trust me, there is plenty of time to get shown up by the firstborn because my whimsy desires a electronic demise of the grandest proportions, but my brains have finally grasped the reality that the computer age is going to be around much longer than the stone or pet rock age! PLEASE consider this my official "personal" invitation for YOU join me as we live abundantly, learning to embrace all good that comes our way! 2008 will be a memorable year - especially if we blog our way through it! In Him~~ Suzanne P. S. Some day we'll tackle getting our computers set on the right time zone so that posting times will actually correspond with reality! Oh, yes, the topics just keep pouring in!