Two for four:eight August 17, 2009

Sometimes you come across books that speak exactly to the spot you are standing on. Or they communicate an experience in a way that really resounds with you. It’s sort of like looking at a traffic jam from the same dashboard, or side of the crosswalk, and additional to seeing the way things are in the same light, they might offer advice about getting through the congestion that you might actually receive, because they know what it’s like to wait for so long, or be furiously lost, or forgotten by the person who was supposed to pick you up.

Formatio and Likewise Books, published by InterVarsity Press have been kind of like those active and empathetic traffic agents. Especially in navigating spiritual issues that are messied-up by life, while hoping that faith is worth hanging onto. (My friend, it always is.)

Here’s the description of Likewise, whose motto is “Go and do.”

A man come across an ancient enemy, beaten and left for dead. He lifts the wounded man onto the back of a donkey and takes him to an inn to tend to the man’s recovery. Jesus tells this story and instructs those who are listening to ‘go and do likewise.’

Likewise books explore a compassionate, active faith lived out in real time. When we’re skeptical about the status quo, Likewise books challenge us to create culture responsibly. When we’re confused about who we are and what we’re supposed to be doing, Likewise books help us listen for God’s voice. When we’re discouraged by the troubled world we’ve inherited, Likewise books encourage us to hold onto hope.

In this life we will face challenges that demand our response. Likewise books face those challenges with us so we can act on faith.

To get a better idea of the kind of writers who pen the ideas behind the writing, here’s David Zimmerman, a Likewise editor who worked with author Matt Rogers whose vulnerable and honest book called Losing God I’ve just completed reading.

While Likewise Books deals more with faith unravelled in life’s fabric, Formatio produces books that emphasize the journey each person takes on their spiritual growth. But far from navel-gazing and being overly introspective, the books I’ve read from Formatio help individuals to process and deal with the things they need to personally work through, in order to better effect the world around them. About Formatio:

Formatio books from InterVarsity Press follow the rich tradition of the church in the journey of spiritual formation. These books are not merely about being informed, but about being transformed by Christ and conformed to his image. Formatio stands in IVP’s evangelical publishing tradition by integrating God’s Word with spiritual practice and by prompting readers to move from inward change to outward witness. IVP uses the chambered nautilus for Formatio, a sumbol of spiritual formation because of its continual spiral journey outward as it moves from its centre. We believe that each of us is made with a deep desire to be in God’s presence. Formatio books help us to fulfill our deepest desires and to become our true selves in light of God’s grace.

Authors like John Stott, David Benner, Eugene Peterson, and J.I. Packer have been published through Formatio. To browse Formatio books, here’s the portal.

three for four:eight July 17, 2009

I don’t know about you, but when I’m shopping, even if I tell the inquiring salesperson that I’m “just browsing”, they know how to pull my attention towards more. With the amount of time we spend online, leisurely or purposefully, this is hardly different. Browsing comes in the form of product lists smartly recommended, and ready for your clickage. In the plethora of choices and products that vie for your interest, there are so many to choose!

The four:eight in the post title is a reference to Philippians 4:8. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that as a Christian that still wants to remain relevant in the modern world, it can be really hard to find things to read, watch, and listen to that are entertaining without being sleazy, interesting without the self-promotion, and plain good without the cheese. These are the three within my reach, but you can check out other sites like Plugged In for a much more thorough critique of current media.

I love jazz, but I hardly know anything about the Greats. Came upon this title by totally judging the book by its cover, and Ashley Kahn does not stop the artistic fluidity at the close-up of Miles Davis. The book is organized according to the segas which built the Miles Davis jazzmen, where anecdotal interviews with guys like Coltraine, Bill Evans and Charles Parker introduce us to the dynamics of the ever-evolving band. However capricious or committed, we get a sense of their contribution to their music that moved from dizzying be-bop to steady delicate melodies that made Miles famous. Place-name significances like 30th Street Studio also show how New York gave rise to the jazz scene in the 1950s, but what I love most about this book is the design. Let’s start with the photographs. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising to find photos in a biography: it’d be nice to know what the guy looked like, both on and off stage, but the grainy resolution of the pictures evoke a raw sense of creation. In fact, most of the photographs of the quartet, nonet, soloist are in the studio, and there’s something beautifully intimate about watching sound being made. On each page, the text leans toward the edge, its unpredictable alignment indicative of the musical genius of improv. Read it! But do it slow, even languidly, just as jazz can’t be rushed.

This is probably the most important book I’ve yet to read in learning what it means to grow up. Being raised in a Chinese Baptist environment, where serving is more celebrated than self-care, I read this in a season of burnout, emotional darkness and withdrawal. Thankfully, Cloud and Townsend see the danger of self-pity and wisely bring biblical light into such empty places. I copied parts about negative emotions into my journal and began to understand how my emotions could signal ways in which I should re-consider the relationships in which I was investing. What’s really helpful about this book is the myths that people commonly have about building boundaries, such as “Boundaries cause feelings of guilt” and “Boundaries are permanent, and I’m afraid of burning my bridges”. Instead, Cloud and Townsend show that “boundaries are a defensive tool. They simply prevent your treasures from being taken at the wrong time”, in order to ready ourselves to give prudent replies. A major idea is to learn our own boundaries and be responsible for them, so that we can be free to serve others.

Many have said that each time they read this book, they go away with something new and apt for the time. Not to be reductive, but if there’s one thing that can be taken away from this book, I’d say it is learning how to say no to people in a healthy and understanding way. Much of the concept behind this book is to encourage self-awareness, but again, the purpose is not to halt at your own wounds. From reading this book, I saw the value in being honest with myself and having the humility to work toward healing and change.

Ending the review on a lighter note, Roald’s candid but sincere writing is nothing we can’t expect in this delightful autobiography of his childhood. It’s hilarious and short. And the inspiration behind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is explained!

flip March 27, 2009

i love picture books!

p.s. fold the cover .. i used to do that with dollar bills and make Queen Elizabeth flip her frown