Considering the massively innovative title, "Books", I'm sad to see this series come to an end. Really though, I have a disclaimer. My intent is certainly not to brag or draw attention to myself in a "Look how many books I read" kind of way. Those of you that know me already realize that books, learning, continued growth, and engaging ideas are all a part of how I'm wired. Furthermore, there are those that have gone before me who have modeled a certain character trait that I strive to emulate. These are the people who not only live life, but make a point of helping others live life as well. These are the people who not only canoe the Missouri River, but actually write a guidebook as a resource for others. The type of people like Ray Jardine who not only thru-hike all three of our nation's National Scenic Trails, but design better backpacks so that you can do it too. So I guess I'm practicing. If I'm going to stick my nose in books, I'll try to pave the way for others to get their hands on the right book. Here's what I've had my nose in since being back in the country.

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Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-term World Travel :: Rolf Potts 9 out of 10

This book is one part long-term world travel book and two parts philosophy of life book. The way he writes about time, simplicity, neighbors, adventure, optimism makes me want to think about using this as a creative discipleship tool. Great quotes too!

Around the World in 80 Days :: Jules Verne

This French novel is an easy read and a lot of fun, especially when you realize it was written in the 1870's. After having traveled in places like London and Bombay, it's fascinating to see Verne's take on it over a century before.

A New Kind of Christian :: Brian McLaren 7

This "creative non-fiction" novel is the first of a trilogy that McLaren has written in the past four years. I love the trilogy! If you approach them as books asking solid questions, I think you'll love them too. McLaren invites you to enter into a conversation. This book starts out with an emphasis of discussing some aspects of the shift from the modern era to the postmodern era and how that might affect Christianity and faith.

The Story We Find Ourselves In :: Brian McLaren 8

Book two of the trilogy. This one is primarily a journey through the big picture of Scripture. It also hints at a fresh look at evangelism.

The Last Word and the Word After That :: Brian McLaren 9

The third and final book. My take was that I really enjoyed the first book of the trilogy, and each one got successively better. You can read my review of this book HERE.

More Ready Than You Realize :: Brian McLaren

No fiction involved here and not part of the trilogy. This book is all about evangelism in our context. Just reading the introduction made this book worth it for me.

John Wesley: A Theological Journey :: Kenneth Collins

A biography of sorts of this astounding man of the 1700's. Instead of focusing on life events, Collins focuses on what might have impacted Wesley's theology at each phase of his life.

Luke for Everyone :: N.T. Wright 7

If you don't know N.T Wright, get to know him. He has studied the historical Jesus and the first century Jewish context for his entire adult life, and thankfully he has shared his insights with the world via some great books. This one is a readable commentary for, well, everyone. He has a series that spans the New Testament and each one is only 10 bucks. Well worth it.

Challenge of Jesus :: N.T. Wright 9

This book is a bit meatier, but then again not nearly as meaty as The Victory of God or The New Testament and the People of God. Here Wright addresses such questions as "What did Messiah mean to 1st century Jews?", "Did Jesus see himself as the Messiah?", "Did Jesus see himself as God?" Simply put, Wright has changed the way I read the New Testament.

The Fifth Dimension :: John Hick

Renowned philosopher of religion, John Hick, here writing on what many would call pluralism. I'm not in his camp, but I appreciate how he values certain aspects of the worlds' great faiths.

One of the things my father instilled in me was a love for books. Little did I know that not every child grows up with their father reading aloud stories like the Lord of the Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia after dinner. Once I was old enough to read on my own, Jack London, Jules Verne, James Alexander Thom, and many others were taking me places I wouldn’t have dreamed of on my own. By expanding my horizons, I’m sure it was reading that first instilled my longing for adventure and traveling.

Reading still expands my horizons as much as ever. During my travels this year, I found that reading and vagabonding in tandem is an amazing combination! Here’s a look at the books that made a significant impression on me during my travels - from October '04 through April '05.

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Chesapeake :: James Michener 8 out of 10

A fabulous novel following a family from America’s pre-colonial days down to the 1970’s. This read gave me a fresh perspective on aspects of American history. Rather than looking back on events already determined, it was captivating to see the events unfold.

Love Thy Neighbor :: Peter Maas 8

A journalist’s inside look at the atrocious civil war that ravaged Bosnia in the early 90’s. The first 50 pages of this book were some of the most hard-hitting, in your face pages I’ve ever read.

How to be a World Class Christian :: Paul Borthwick 6

Following Christ is a call to not only look beyond yourself but to get involved globally, even if it’s in your neighborhood.

The Source :: James Michener 9

Wow! An even better Michener novel. This one is seated in the Lower Galilee area of Israel and spans a few thousand years. I loved this book. The primary take-away was an altered understanding of the (OT) Hebrew worldview. In addition seeing the big picture of Israel’s history as well as Judaism was enlightening.

Autobiography: My Experiments with Truth :: Ghandi 8

Another great read. The biggest disappointment of this book is that it comes to an end 22 years before he was assassinated. What an opportunity to get inside the mind of a man who pursued truth, strove for integrity, lived love, toiled on behalf of the oppressed.

Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure :: Sarah MacDonald 7

Didn’t get to read all of this one, but the first chapter alone is such a delightful depiction of India through a traveler’s eyes.

Dynamics of Faith :: Paul Tillich 7

A theologians journey into faith as ‘ultimate concern’. What is your ultimate concern?

Buddhism in Sri Lanka :: Perera 5

Simply put, I learned about Buddhism and Sri Lanka.

Can Asians Think :: Kishore Mahbubani 8

An insightful book geared around global politics and social issues from an Asian perspective. It was so refreshing to read another perspective! This book began quite a reading trail, following the topics of geopolitics and recent world history.

Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order :: Samuel P. Huntington 9

A seminal book on global politics published in the mid to late 90’s. I can never see the world the same after reading this one. Post-Cold War, Huntington envisions the world’s fault lines forming along civilizational lines (The West, Islam, Sinic, Hindu, Orthodox, Africa, Japan, Latin America).

The World Religions :: Huston Smith 8

A great reader on the world’s religions from the perspective of a jovial pluralist.

Voices from S-21 :: David Chandler 7

This one and the next were books that complimented our travels in Cambodia. S-21 was the school turned prison that the Khmer Rouge sent political enemies to in the 70’s. Chandler unpacks the inner workings of the Khmer Rouge as they systematically exterminated roughly a million of their countrymen.

Brother Number One :: David Chandler 7

A biography of Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge.

The World Since 1945 :: Keith Robbins 6

Highlights from over five decades of world history.

The Shaping of Things to Come :: Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch 7

This book calls us to be missionaries to our own cultures by contextualizing the gospel incarnationally right where we are. This great read began another reading trail; this time on the issues of re-thinking faith and church.

Submerge: Living Deep In A Shallow World :: Ashley Barker & John Hayes 6

Barker is all about living missionally for Jesus and has even founded one of the first Protestant Orders.

Younger Evangelicals :: Robert Webber 8

Webber delves into major shifts in up and coming Christian leaders, such as an embodied apologetic vs. a proclaimed apologetic or cosmic salvation vs. solely personal salvation. If nothing else, picking this book up and flipping through the charts is a must.

From the Good Earth: A Celebration of Growing Food Around the World :: Michael Ableman 7

A beautiful book from the 80’s combining impressive photography with a love for the earth. This book taught me to actually think about where my food comes from.

Post-Evangelical :: Dave Tomlinson 6

Basic theme: Christians can and should think for themselves, be willing to ask the tough questions, and follow truth wherever it takes them.

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Today is Esther's 23rd birthday! I'm hoping this day brings her lots of smiles - and as you can see she has one of the best smiles in the world.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to see life through another persons' eyes? If I saw life through Esther's eyes, I'd see the handiwork of the Creator all about me. Each gentle breeze and ray of sunshine would be a reminder of His presence and beauty. Thus the outdoors would be a playground of sights, sounds, and smells to be enjoyed and relished.

If I saw life through Esther's eyes, I'd be captivated by music. Creating music and immersing myself in music could easily be the highlight of a given day. Music would regularly bring inspiration to my life.

If I saw life through Esther's eyes, I'd instantly have a connection with every kid. Spending time with kids, and particularly seeing myself being a catalyst for growth in the kids' lives, would be most energizing and rewarding.

If I saw life through Esther's eyes, I'd prefer volleyball over soccer, driving with the windows down over up, Steven Curtis Chapman over Coldplay, a great salad over a steak, napping outside over inside, walking with barefeet over shoes, and I'd rather affirm than criticize.

Esther, it's been a joy journeying with you. Happy Birthday!

Since I am very much in between things these days, many have asked me what I do with my time. The simple answer is that I spend the weekends with Esther and do "other stuff" the rest of the week. The other stuff is sometimes hard to explain. Here's an eclectic attempt.

Monday, June 20, 2005
10am-12:30pm :: Played tennis with Richie Brannon, Dustin Holloway, & Ryan Shepherd.
12:30-12:45pm :: Swung by Advanced Auto Parts on the way home to pick up a new set of low beam headlights for my '98 Honda Accord.
1-2pm :: Online stuff including email, reading others' blogs (& leaving comments), how to change a headlight, and I stumbled on to "So You Wanna Convert to Buddhism" (not really because I wanna, but because I enjoy learning about world religions and various expressions of faith).
2-2:30pm :: Ate my cheese sandwich, carrots, and cottage cheese while reading the paper. Honed in on the Classifieds (not really shopping, just gaining product knowledge), especially the pet section. I've never been a dog owner so it was interesting to see all the breeds and what they sell for.
2:30-3:15pm :: With my newfound expertise I changed out my headlight. For some reason I was very proud of this, even though it's quite simple.
3:30-4:30pm :: More online stuff. Particularly of note was the fascinating Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg interview available at Moviefone. I appreciate these men as masters of their craft, Spielberg possibly being one of the best storytellers of our time. Look for them in the upcoming War of the Worlds which will be released a week from Wednesday.
4:30-5:15pm :: Reading some Scriptures. Luke 9 was my jumping off place. If you haven't given the English Standard Version a shot yet, check it out. "A new, essentially literal translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literal excellence, beauty, and readability."
5:15-5:30pm :: My good buddy Dan Eggenshweiler called and we talked for a bit.
5:30-6:45pm :: My father and I went down to the park and played yet another round (actually three rounds) of frisbee golf on our 9-hole course. I tied my best score for the course at 3 under par.
7-8:30pm :: Dinner at Applebee's with Mom & Dad. It was a Cowboy Burger and some dessert for me.
8:45-9:15pm :: Entered a few more books into my personal library catalog, along with printing the Dewey Decimal call number labels for each. This has been an on-going project for a couple weeks now. I was inspired by Ken & Leanne Baker in Australia to organize my books in the most functional way possible. (While cataloging I got sidetracked reading a leadership book for a bit.)
9:30-11pm :: Chatted with Esther on the phone about this, that, and the other thing.
11pm-present :: Online again. I stumbled onto what is basically a mini-novel about the world surrounding George Lucas' Star Wars movies. It was ten times more interesting than I thought it would be. Go read The Sith Explained if you're interested. After the reading, I decided to tap out this post.

As you can see I thrive off of active stuff and learning opportunities - whether it's types of dogs, how to change a headlight, honing leadership skills, world religions, or cinematography.

Along with a picture I snapped from the car the other day.

Father's Day has brought some changes to the look of the blog, but one thing is certainly constant: my father's unwavering love for God and family. (I've already told him this today, but I'll share it with you because I'm proud of him and should get to brag on my pops from time to time.) This week was a great example of some quality shared experiences. My mom was out of town, so we had a chance to spend quite a bit of time together. We played about a dozen rounds of frisbee golf together, took in Batman Begins, and creatively navigated putting some food on the table. Good times.

The above shot is my dad and I on the Knobstone Trail in southern Indiana. We've teamed up to put away a couple hundred miles of trail in different parts of the country. The transition in the last five or six years from son to friend has been a great one.

Kory Pence - incredible graphic and web design guru that he is - put together this wallpaper for us hombres at CrossingTheGlobe.com. By all means, save it and use it if you are so inclined.

Here's the guided tour. The background is a shot I took of a fishing boat along the coast of Goa in India. If you could see the rest of the Mark shot you would see down below a Refuge for Ailing Buddhist Monks tucked away in the mountains of Sri Lanka - seriously! The shot of Keith is at Erawan Nat'l Park in Thailand. I'm cheesin' near Surfer's Paradise on the Gold Coast of Australia. Of course you can see more Crossing the Globe goodness at CrossingtheGlobe.com, simply click on MEDIA.

My dad leans over to me, "It was dark." Well said. The Dark Knight is back, thankfully.

I knew my dad couldn't have been speaking of the inside of our new theater in Noblesville because it had more interior lighting than any movie I've ever been in. BUT, everything else about the Batman Begins movie experience on opening night was a hit. The reviewers are raving, and this fan agrees. This film dabbled in meaningful themes such as justice vs. revenge, grief & guilt, fear vs. courage, corruption vs. benevolence, and action vs. complacency. In addition, the film took itself seriously to such a degree that I found myself thinking, "Yeah, why wouldn't he put on a bat-suit and prowl the nights of Gotham fighting evil villians." What!? Anyway, enjoy Cillian's performance as a surprisingly adept villian and be inspired to fight corruption and injustice at every turn.

Who will like this movie?
Most people. Both those who relish the action & visual effects, and also the group that loves hunting for the philosophical ideals of humanity that make the world go round.

Who won't like this movie?
Those who hate movies that aren't 100% realistic or maybe if you haven't gotten past the Joel Schumacher stigma of the Clooney-Batman days.

8.5 out of 10 for an Action movie (are you allowed to use decimals on a 10-pt scale?).

I recently finished the McLaren trilogy (NKoC, TSWFOI, & TLWatWAT) by reading The Last Word and the Word After That. I'll warn you up-front, this book caused me to THINK. McLaren is wonderful at gripping you with questions that matter and engaging you in a conversation that requires thinking for yourself. In other words, no easy answers here folks.

This is McLaren's best 'creative non-fiction' book yet, and I really enjoyed each of them. It continues to follow Dan Poole, the fictitious main character, as he explores the nature of God - particularly as it relates to the afterlife. In summary, this book pushes that hell and heaven are not the point. The point is God's justice. His mercy, love, reconciliation, grace, accountability, forgiveness, and His mission to save the entire world are what really matters.

What stuck out?

• The parade of questions surrounding the traditional understanding of hell.
• I did a triple-take during the fascinating discussion of intersexuality.
• Somehow McLaren communicates the ancient history of the concept of hell in a couple short chapters, tracking through Mesopotamian, Zoroastrian, and Greek thought.
• I was forced to examine and question my own presuppositions as he unpacked what the Scriptures really do (and don't) say about hell.
• The contrast of the Pharisees' and Jesus' use of hell language. Man's justice vs. God's justice. (Wow, this hit hard!)
• The thought that neither exclusivism, inclusivism, or universalism is really good enough. There's something better.
• Pushing toward deeper understandings of Scripture, gospel, salvation, eternal life, and the Kingdom of God.
• Jesus' call in the Gospels to bear fruit now, with an emphasis on right action - not right belief.
• The picture of the church as joining God in His saving love for all creation.

If you care about things of ultimate concern, wrestle with this book. McLaren joins the likes of N.T. Wright, Leslie Newbigin, and Dallas Willard in calling us to labor toward seeing God's will being done on earth as it is in heaven. I pray that this ongoing effort in my life and the life of my community will be marked by forgiveness, reconciliation, justice, grace, and peace flowing from the love of the Almighty Creator.

Quotables:

• God's justice is always merciful and God's mercy is always just.
• Deconstruction is not destruction; it is hope.
• Is it possible that God has only one end in mind . . . to banish and eradicate all that is evil and save all that can possibly by saved?
• Everything about Jesus' life and message seemed to be about inclusion, not exclusion.
• Learning isn't a consequence of teaching or listening but a consequence of thinking.
• Could our preoccupation with individual salvation from hell after death distract us from speaking prophetically about injustice in our world today?
• There are biblical passages (Rom. 8, Eph. 1, Col. 1) that suggest God's frame of reference for salvation is broader than our categories.
• Our modern Western use of hell was far different from Jesus' use of it.
• You're deconstructing our popular Christian conception of hell - not so that you'll say 'anything goes' or whatever but so that you can get to an even better understanding of God's justice.
  

**Side note: With 78 reviews posted on Amazon.com, I counted one, yeah, ONE reviewer that gave the book 3 stars out of a possible 5. Seemingly every other reader either hated or loved this book. The fascinating thing is that the overall average came to 3 out of 5 stars, right down the middle.**

What catches your eye as you flip through a book, or life for that matter? For me it's often solid questions. A great question is worth a dozen answers.

This question caught my eye earlier today: "Am I increasingly able to spend time profitably with people who are different?" The author went on to say, “Immature individuals can’t enjoy people who are different. They prefer people just like themselves. Maturity is being comfortable with diversity.”

Am I increasingly able to spend time profitably with people who are different? Maybe the first question should be, do I ever spend time with people who are different? If so, is it a chore or an opportunity?

Saturday I was at a wedding reception where I had the opportunity to connect with a group of Indians. Over the past five or ten years these families had made the massive move from India to Illinois (can you imagine???). Three men and a couple wives grilled me on my travels in India while their many children ran around and through our conversation. Long after our story telling and laughter had come to an end, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that those minutes together had been a real highlight of the weekend.

In former years of my life I know I would have shied away from the table filled with people from half-way around the world. Now, in some ways the other tables are in the way of me getting to that one.