BAGitAll

For Christmas my dad gave me this book. (It’s even a signed copy!) I took a long time reading it because it’s one of those that you read a little, think a lot, read a little, reevaluate your life, read a little, confess much, read a little, share with someone, read a little, think some more. It took me quite a long time to digest it all. Thank you, Jo Anne, for writing this book.

Jo Anne Lyons started a ministry named, World Hope International, Inc. It’s an international relief and development organization. Today, Jo Anne a General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church denomination.

So, a summary. Jo Anne writes about what it means to be blessed and about different types of blessing. Here are some chapter titles: The Blessing of Presence, The Blessing of Power, The Blessing of Holiness, The Blessing of Purpose, etc. It’s full of gripping stories about people she has met all over the world, encouraging words about how blessed I am and how I can be a blessing. Each chapter ends with a set of questions. So this could be a topical study guide for groups.

One of my favorite quotes is “If the life that God blesses is a life that is set apart, could that include being set apart to live amid the pain and suffering of the world, set apart to make a difference?” Another is a quote from secretary general of the United Nations from 1953-1961, Dag Hammarskjold’s book, , “Give me a pure heart – that I may see Thee, a humble heart – that I may hear Thee, a heart of love – that I may serve Thee. A heart of faith – that I may abide in Thee.”

But my favorite quote is the one with which I will end. Frank Laubach wrote in his book, “God, what is man’s best gift to mankind? To be beautiful of soul and then let people see into your soul.”

I hardly know what to write about this book. I could not put it down. But I can not adequately describe it.

The entire novel takes place in a cafe in Lahore, Pakistan as a conversation between two men. But only one man, the narrator, has a voice. Literally everything in the book is told to you from the one man’s, Changez, speech. He tells his story, a troubling one, describes the scene around him, and reveals the action, as he speaks. I’ve never read a book from this perspective. It captured my attention and wouldn’t let go.

The content intrigued me. It pushed me to deep thought, to see an opposing view, one I’d honestly rather not think about.  I think the author would be pleased.  In an interview on his website, he said that “the core skill of a novelist is empathy.”  And like the title suggests, I was relunctantly empathetic.

I won’t tell any of the plot. But I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys being forced to think beyond themselves and their own worldview.

I fell in love with Anne Patchett’s writing after reading her book “Run” for a book club. “Patron Saint of Liars” and “Truth and Beauty” were the next two books I devoured.

“What Now?” is the fourth of her books I’ve read.  It is an essay based on her commencement address at Sarah Lawarence College. “What Now?” is a  small, beautiful book of advice to those just starting out and filled beautiful photographs.

Here are two quotes that spoke to me….

“Maybe this is the moment you shift from seeing What now as one more thing to check off the list and start seeing it as two words worth living by.” (page 77)

As someone who loves to check off my list and then sit back and smile at the accomplishments, this is a new idea to consider. What would happen if I spent a little more time getting excited about what’s next? What if I spent more time enjoying the journey of doing instead of the just basking in the satisfaction of accomplishment?

And, “…there are some people who we grant the role of oracle in our lives and when they speak – rarely, gravely – we are well-advised to listen.” (page 90)

This made me stop and consider, “who is it that I listen to?” Who speaks into my life? Who are those people I respect so completely that when they speak, I listen? What amazed me is my answer. It’s family. My dad, my mom, my brothers, my sister, their spouses, many of whom have been like older siblings since I was just a child, my husband, my daughters.

I still have a special letter my sister, Barb, wrote to me way back when I was in high school. She was a mother of three small children. It’s chuck full of advice, even names of books to read.

Engrained in my heart are the words from a bookmark my sister-in-law, Felicia, gave me as a child. The bookmark is long gone. The advice, never far from my mind. Joy is Jesus first, others second, and you last.

I also have a letter from a Godly man, D.W. Lacy. He wrote it for my wedding. Now that I’ve been married for 18 years, I see just how wise his words were. (I’ll leave that for another post.)

My mom’s advice came through song. She was always singing while cleaning the house and it was usually, “In my heart there rings a melody, there rings a melody of love.” Or it was, “There is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul.”

I am so thankful for those “oracles” in my life.

Who are yours?