American Reading List: Children's Literature

image from here

A few years ago, I presented an American Reading List (ARL) in several parts (due to its size). I realized today that I did not adequately cover children's literature. I amend that error here, and moved titles from those earlier lists (literature, history and everything else) as needed.

Most of the ~60 titles below were taken from the 2012 "Top 100 chapter books" poll frequently cited as representative of the opinions of educators. Expect this list to evolve.

Andrew Clements           Frindle

Avi                                  The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Barbara Robinson           The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Beverly Cleary                Ramona and her Father

Brian Selznick                The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Christopher Paul Curtis  Bud, Not Buddy

Dav Pilkey                 The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Deborah Wiles                Each Little Bird That Sings

E. B. White                 Charlotte's Web

E. L. Konigsburg            From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Edward Eager                 Half Magic

Elizabeth Enright           Gone-Away Lake

Elizabeth George Speare    The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Ellen Raskin                 The Westing Game         

Esther Forbes                 Johnny Tremain

Fred Gipson                 Old Yeller

Gail Carson Levine        Ella Enchanted

Gary D. Schmidt            The Wednesday Wars

Gary Paulsen                  Hatchet

George Selden                The Cricket in Times Square

Gertrude Chandler Warner    The Boxcar Children

Grace Lin                        Where the Mountain Metes the Moon

Jane Langton                 The Diamond in the Window

Jean Craighead George    My Side of the Mountain

Jeanne Birdsall                The Penderwicks

Jeff Kinney                 Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Jerry Spinelli                   Maniac Magee

Judy Blume                     Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Kate DiCamillo             Because of Winn-Dixie

Katherine Paterson         Bridge to Terabithia

L. Frank Baum                The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie

Lemony Snicket             The Bad Beginning

Lloyd Alexander             The Book of Three

Lois Lowry                 The Giver

Lois Lowry                 Number the Stars

Louis Sachar                 Holes

Louisa May Alcott         Little Women

Louise Fitzhugh             Harriet the Spy

Lynne Reid Banks         The Indian in the Cupboard

Madeliene L'Engle         A Wrinkle in Time

Maud Hart Lovelace       Betsy-Tacy

Meg Cabot                 The Princess Diaries

Megan Whalen Turner    The Thief

Mildred Taylor                Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Natalie Babbitt                Tuck Everlasting

Norton Juster                 The Phantom Tollbooth

R.J. Palacio                    Wonder

R. L. Stine                 Goosebumps

Rebecca Stead                When You Reach Me

Richard Peck                  A Long Way from Chicago

Robert C. O'Brien          Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Ruth Stiles Gannett        My Father's Dragon

Sara Pennypacker         Clementine

Scott O'Dell                 The Island of the Blue Dolphin

Sharon Creech                Walk Two Moons

Sid Fleischman         The Whipping Boy

Sydney Taylor                All-of-a-Kind Family

Tom Angleberger           The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Wendelin Van Draanen    Flipped

William Pene du Bois    The Twenty-One Balloons

Wilson Rawls                 Where the Red Fern Grows

Zilpha Keatley Snyder    The Egypt Game

Selected Poems of Robert Frost

In reading poems by Robert Frost

I plowed on through despite the cost

His rhyming stuff? It was okay

(Though I seldom got what he tried to say)

His blank verse though, I just don't know

Why that genre is allowed to grow

Poetry should always rhyme

Other verse? Name it a crime

I didn't like this as much as some do

America's poet, they say. Me? Ewww.

I'm sorry; I should probably stop the jeering

(this is why I studied engineering)

Rating: C

The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The Lord of the Rings is a classic tale. I have previously reviewed and summarized its constituent parts (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King); today, I finished reading this one-volume edition illustrated by the author. I even read Appendices A and B ("Annals of the Kings and Rulers" of the Third Age and "The Tale of Years," respectively) and skimmed C through E (Family Trees, Calendars, and Writing and Spelling).

Of the tale itself, little need be said. It is full of wisdom and wonder. It has impression of depth. I enjoyed it perhaps more now than I have in the past, despite this being my third or fourth re-reading. 

Of the version: I liked it. This version of the book is as the author intended, meaning presented in one volume. (I have read it could not be so produced in his era, due to paper shortages from World War II.) Having his illustrations in it is a bonus (this is a 'companion' volume to The Hobbit version I read earlier this year). Having this in one volume improved the flow (or seemed to), though it can still jar the reader by not interleaving various threads of the story (when the fellowship parts, Tolkien will follow one thread, then rewind and do the other).

Observation: for as much as I love the story, Tolkien most certainly does not invest in suspense. I believe his son claimed that he wrote with "no sense of narrative urgency," and that shines forth in places here. Things I believed to be the most suspenseful, even climactic, were handled abruptly with little fanfare. It almost seemed as though Tolkien wanted more focus on the wonder of the world, the history, and the languages than the suspense of the story itself. The story was excellent, but it was not delivered in modern fashion.

Finally, I read two appendices this time because of subsequent big-screen adaptations: The Rings of Power (seasons one and two) and The War of the Rohirrim. Both feature events mentioned in Appendices A and B. 

Rating: A

Wonka

As a child, Willy Wonka dreamed of making the world's best chocolate with his mom. And she promised she would share the secret. But when she passed away, Willy is forced to find his own way in the world. 

Years later, Willy makes his way to the city, where his creations dazzle the population . . . and draw the attention of three evil chocolate makers. They are determined to take him down . . . can Wonka and his friends follow his dreams, or will the greedy always beat the needy?

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Delightfully absurd, this musical/comedy (a prequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) is a treat. It celebrates dreams, imagination, and the importance of sharing life selflessly with others. Recommended.

Rating: A-

The Fellowship of the Ring Deck-Building Game

Today's review is of the 2013 release, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Deck-Building Game (hereafter, Fellowship DBG). For 2-5 players, it takes 30 minutes.

Overview

In the Fellowship DBG, your goal is to have the most victory points. To do so, you must plan wisely, buying powerful cards and ridding your deck of weak and worthless ones. This will enable you to gain enough strength to take down archenemies (the standard game has eight in succession). 

This deck-building game works like most in this genre. You start with a deck of 10 cards, drawing 5 to form your hand. The cards grant power (and sometimes other abilities), enabling you to buy cards from the central row ("the path"): allies, artifacts, locations, maneuvers, even enemies. You will buy one or more cards, then replenish the path from the main deck each turn. Cards you buy, plus any in your hand or played to the table that turn, go into your discard pile. Then draw 5 cards to prepare for your next turn, shuffling your discard pile to form a new deck as needed. Play passes clockwise.

You can also use power to fight archenemies. (The game comes with 12 but recommends you play with 8, placed in a stack next to the lineup.) If your power on a given turn equals or exceeds the super-villain on the top of the stack, you defeat them, putting them in your discard pile (yes, this means you can use them on a later turn). Once all super-villains have been defeated, each player tallies their victory points (printed on each card) to determine the victor.

Review

This game is almost exactly like the DC Deck-building Game (not surprising, as it is by the same company). My comments for this are the same as that offering: it is a fun game, easy to learn, with some aspects that were counter-intuitive (like buying enemies to incorporate into your deck). There are mild differences:

- the hero you choose does not have a special ability, but instead a unique card you start with in your deck

- there are 'fortune' cards that are free and can be played immediately

- there is the 'ambush' keyword that is similar to attacks, but affects only the player whose turn it is

Overall, this one seems a touch simpler than its DC counterpart, and that is okay.

Rating: A-

The Gang

Today's review is of the 2024 release, The Gang. For 3-6 players, it takes 20 minutes.

Overview

The Gang is cooperative Texas Hold-em Poker, where your goal is not to get the best hand but to correctly and cooperatively order your hands (from strongest to weakest) without revealing your cards. The game is played over rounds, each with four steps [my terms]. A round:

- First step: each player is dealt two cards (known only to them) and chooses a white chip (ranked one to six) corresponding to their hand's perceived strength. If two players want the same rank, they debate without revealing their cards.

- Second step: the dealer reveals the flop (the first three community cards). Players take a yellow chip (ranked one to six) corresponding to their hand's perceived strength based on this new information. Players debate as before if there are conflicts.

- Third step: the dealer reveals the turn (the fourth community card). Players take an orange chip for ranking and debate as before.

- Fourth step: the dealer reveals the river (the fifth community card). Players take a red chip for ranking and debate as before.

game in progress; image from here

And the end of these steps, players must agree on their ranking. Once agreed, cards are revealed from weakest to strongest hands. If the players get the order correct, they win that round. If they do not, they get one strike. Then cards are returned, shuffled, and a new round begins. The players collectively win if they win three rounds before losing three.

Review

Cooperative Poker?! Definitely a new concept for me. This is a fun party game. The different ranking chips taken at each step help players speculate on others' hands ["hey, he thinks his hand strengthened considerably with the 10 just played. Maybe he has a 10."]. Of course, those familiar with Texas Hold'em and strength of hands will do much better at judging their own hand's value (the game comes with reference cards to help novices). And games like this are best enjoyed with close friends in my opinion. Still, it is a winner.

Rating: A

The Wishes of the Fish King (Douglas McKelvey)

The Wishes of the Fish King is a children's picture book celebrating the wonder of the world. The goal is conveyed through a quote on the inside cover: 

"Fairy tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water." --G.K. Chesteron, Orthodoxy

The verse is okay; the art is outstanding. It reminded me of the 'magic in the mundane'; how the world around us is beautiful, amazing, and astounding, but we often lose sight of it. I've heard that reading it out loud to children makes it better.

Rating: B+

TMNT 2: The Secret of the Ooze

Shortly after last time . . . New York is safe and enjoying it pizza, for the turtles defeated Shredder and his Foot Clan. Or did they? Both are back, and worse, they have a vial of the same ooze that created the turtles. What dastardly creatures will they create with it . . . and have the turtles met their match? And what will they learn of their own origins?

I was disappointed in this 1991 sequel. The tone is sillier and clearly geared towards kids (not inherently bad, but a departure from the original, which the entire family could enjoy). The messages were sparse and undeveloped, relegated to a line here or there that hinted at something greater but never delivered. The best quote brimmed with potential but was left hanging:

Do not confuse the specter of your origin with your present worth.

The movie was rife with nineties pop culture (including Vanilla Ice), which I got but would be lost on today's audience. It was funny in places (though often juvenile humor). Ultimately, this was an action spectacle for kids that did more to revisit the past movie than develop the story or characters.

Rating: C-

A friend in need

"A friend in need is a friend indeed." Most of us know this saying; I never really thought about it until now. A curious expression, when you think about it, because often the opposite happens: we hide our needs from friends (and everyone), or we run from those who are needy. This has me thinking: what does it mean to be a friend? What does friendship look like?

The Bible talks a lot about friendship, looking at both the blessing it can be and also the reality of how our fallen state can affect such relationships. I'll start with the latter.

How Sin Affects Friendship

Job talks a lot about how his friends deserted him during this trials, and Proverbs talks about how people can be drawn to the rich as friends and ignore the poor. These are both pictures of what can happen because of our sinfulness, but are not upheld as being right. 

Job (and Psalms) talk about how people can react when we fall on hard times:

My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me. (Job 19:14)
All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me. (Job 19:19)

My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off. (Psalm 38:11)

Proverbs talks about wealth and friendship:

Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend. (Proverbs 19:4)

The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. (Proverbs 14:20)

All a poor man's brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them. (Proverbs 19:7)

In both cases, the selfishness of man is revealed. We tend to be drawn to the successful and prosperous, and want to hang out with people from whom we can get something: some social or material benefit through our association. And yet, this is not how it should be, and such things do not profit or satisfy. Look at celebrities, who can be flush with cash and surrounded by 'friends' yet miserable—such people must wonder "are these people here because they love me, or because they love my wealth and status?" 

Things are not the way they are supposed to be, and the Bible recognizes this. It also shows the right way; true friendship is a great blessing.

True Friendship and its Blessings

Looking across the Scriptures, I would characterize friends as those who do three things: bear burdens, rejoice together, and challenge each other.

Bear burdens (help each other): 

Friends help each other, in good times and bad. "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2) There is a self-sacrificial component to this: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) And it is regardless of circumstances: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17)

Helping each other entails meeting both physical and spiritual needs. In Acts, we read that Paul was reliant upon friends for his physical needs: "The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for." (Acts 27:3)

Friends can help us when we fall (either physically or spiritually). "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) This includes confessing sin to each other (see James 5:16).

Rejoice together:

Friends share joys, too. See Luke 15:3-10; friends celebrate good things that happen to each other:

So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Challenge each other:

This is where modern friendships (in America, anyway) can be glaringly deficient. Too often, we want to support our friends by agreeing with them, even when they may be on a dangerous path. We all need to be rebuked sometimes, and a true friend is one who does that. Consider these verses:

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (Proverbs 27:6)

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. (Proverbs 27:9)

We should not (necessarily) go to friends for affirmation of all we are feeling, but for honest counsel and rebuke where needed. 

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How do your friendships rank on these matters? It is interesting to me that most of our friendships are those who are in the same life stage and have similar hobbies or interests: we are going through the same things and like the same things. These are not bad things, but the Bible doesn't speak to those. It discusses the above three categories, all of which imply 1) physical proximity and 2) spending time together. So you can be friends with someone who is much older or younger, and you may or may not have the same interests. 

Take stock of your life. Do you have people in it that bear your burdens, share your joys, and counsel you? Do you do these things for others? What can you do to be a true friend?

UNO Elite NFL Edition

Today's review is of the 2024 release, UNO Elite: NFL 2024 Edition. For 2-7 players, it takes 20 minutes.

Overview

UNO Elite takes the classic game UNO and mixes it with draftable cards featuring your favorite NFL players. Like regular UNO, you have a common draw pile, turn over the top card, and take turns playing cards from your hand that match the topmost card in any way (number, color, etc.). The first player to empty their regular hand wins! But here, you also have a separate UNO Elite pile unique to you, and the top four cards of that are turned over in front of you. These cards feature NFL players and have an UNO game ability. On your turn, whenever you play a card with a star from your regular hand, you can then also play an UNO Elite card of matching color from these four cards. That card is put in your specific discard pile, replaced, and not used again unless you can use an ability to get it back in that UNO Elite pile.

Example of game cards; image from here

Game modes exist where you can draft these UNO Elite cards, and you can even buy randomized 'booster packs' to expand your collection and possibilities.

Review

"Good grief, they've gentrified UNO." That was my first reaction to this game. The collectible aspect to this means you can 'pay to win' by purchasing more packs. That really irritated me, probably because UNO is a game I don't view as fitting well into the collectible model. It's just UNO . . . but I digress. The "Elite" pile aspect to this is fine; I don't feel it adds anything to the experience, but it's not terrible. The NFL players are completely unrelated to the game mechanics; this theme is just pasted on to encourage children (and/or football fans) to spend their money. I would avoid this if I were you, but my son enjoys it.

Rating: C

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)

New York City is in the throes of a crime wave; a mysterious organization known as the Foot Clan is rumored to be behind it all. But hope is not lost . . . for a radioactive ooze twenty years earlier gifted a rat and four turtles with considerable growth and intellect. Combined with ninja skills gained from the rat's teachings, these heroes in a half shell will fight for justice as . . . the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Will they be enough to find and take down the Foot?

This 1990 film, based on the 1987 TV cartoon series (which was itself based on the 1984 comic series) was a huge hit in its day. And watching it again today with my kids . . . I still loved it. Yes, it is cheesy and dated. But it is light-hearted, the action holds up surprisingly well, the comedy is good, and the messages are mostly solid, looking at the importance of true family/community, right thinking, and repentance.

"TMNT" was a cultural force in the eighties and nineties—the original cartoon ran until 1996 (there have since been several others), the 1989 video game is a classic, the movie franchise got two more sequels and then a reboot in 2014. It is still in enough demand to warrant an upcoming Magic: the Gathering release. I'm not as familiar with the later offerings, but the original stuff is still just great by me.

Rating: A-

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear

Blinded as a boy and orphaned shortly thereafter, Matt Murdock has had more than his share of tragedy. But all is not lost . . .for the accident that wounded him granted him nigh-supernatural powers. His father's life taught him much about tenacity and sacrifice despite repeated failures. And the bullying he received daily awakened a sense for law and order. 

Matt is also not alone; the mysterious Stick will take Matt under his wing to sharpen and hone his abilities. His college friend, Foggy Nelson, will prove a good friend. And the charming Elektra will intrigue him in many ways . . .

Time goes on. Matt is a lawyer now, in Boston. Called back to New York, he makes a new friend and finds a decayed city run by criminals. When his friend is kidnapped, he can bear it no longer—he will become Daredevil, the man without fear, and seek to right what he can. 

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This classic origin story is a solid introduction (and good starting point) to the Daredevil character. The only thing that surprised me was the relative absence of the faith component; it is foreshadowed but not explored here, and is (to me) an important part of this hero that later titles will flesh out. Still, this is a good read.

Rating: A

Twenty Years Hitched

Last week, my wife and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary. This posts reflects on marriage and some things I've learned along the way.

1) You'll learn more about yourself . . . and it ain't pretty.

When I got engaged, my friend congratulated me but added an intriguing message: "you're about to find out how selfish you are." He was right. Marriage shows you how selfish you are. Why?

The Bible makes it clear that no one is righteous; nobody seeks God (Romans 3:9-18). God ordained marriage and states that the two become one (Genesis 2:18-24); you will know (and be known by) your spouse better than anyone else on this Earth. Part of that is knowing their sin (and learning your own). Your true self comes to bear; any masks you might wear (consciously or otherwise) in front of others will come off over time. You will see deep ugliness in yourself and your spouse. You will see each other at your worst. 

2) Both spouses need forgiveness and grace.

You will fail in many ways (see point 1). Your spouse will, too. Thankfully, there is forgiveness and grace. We need to bear with and forgive each other (Colossians 3:12-14) early and often (Matthew 18:21-22), remembering we have been forgiven a much greater debt in Christ (Matthew 18:23-35). Similarly, we are to treat each other with grace (unmerited favor), as the Lord treats us (John 1:14-17).

3) Love is self-sacrificial, not transactional.

There are many passages on love in the Bible. I've looked at what it means to love others in recent posts (here, here, and here). From various Bible passages, I summarized love with this definition: "Love is the self-sacrificial and self-forgetful care for and building up of others demonstrated by action, affection, attitude, endurance, and optimism." One key aspect is the self-sacrificial/forgetful nature of love.

It is easy (for me) to be transactional. It can be especially so in marriage. "You do this for me, and I'll do that for you." There can be a time and a place for such things—like divvying up chores—but true love does not take into account their actions for you when choosing your actions for them. Loving my wife means doing the right thing for her even if/when she doesn't return the favor. That is tremendously hard, but it is ultimately freeing to care for others without thought of their care for you. 

As a counselor once told me, our job is to "trust and obey." For things in my control, obey (do the right thing). For things outside of my control, trust (that God will work). Ephesians shows how Christ's self-sacrificial love affects us, and relates it to marriage:

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25-28) 

There are no guarantees, but it is what we are called to do. 

4) Love is a choice. It takes work.

There are many emotions in love; not all are romantic or pleasant. In twenty years of marriage, there have been plenty of cases where good feelings weren't there. But going back to the definition of love, the main point is to care for and build up your spouse. That manifests itself in dozens of choices each day regardless of feeling. You can be mad at your spouse and love them. You can disagree and still care. You can be hurt and still choose to love. It's hard work. But worth it.

5) It is easy (but wrong) to put the kids first.

This is a common problem, in the church and culture. Once kids come along, they tend to take center stage, and life revolves around them and their activities. Years later, they move out, and the spouses can realize they don't even know each other anymore. This is not the way it should be. Take time to connect with your spouse—daily. They are your most important earthly relationship, bar none.

6) Marriage is sanctifying; one of the hardest (and best) things you will ever do.

It's been said that there is nothing better than a good marriage, and nothing worse than a bad one. It is constantly sanctifying; we die to self as we grow, forgive each other, and strive to put away our selfishness, looking to love the other before ourselves.

Most marriages I've witnessed have had elements of good and bad. If you strive to bear each other's burdens, share each other's joys, and walk in the same direction [living life in the Gospel and learning what God has for the two of you each step of the way], things will be good. If you don't (and there will be plenty of times when that happens), things will be rough. See point 2. 

7) Focus on God is key.

It is impossible to have a good marriage without God's strength. Your relationship with God precedes everything, and from that flows strength to love your spouse. Only through Jesus can you do so, for 'with men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible' (Matthew 19:26). In Jesus we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28), and without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). 

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The above is not exhaustive, but it is a start. I'm glad I married my wife (I still question her decision). It's not always easy, but I'd rather walk a hard road with her than an easy road without. It is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18); thank you, Lord, for marriage. And for forgiveness.

The Certainty of Faith (Herman Bavinck)

"A lust for doubt became the soul-sickness of our age, dragging a string of moral woes and miseries along with it." So says the Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck, writing in 1903, in the introduction of his short work The Certainty of Faith. And this quote points at why he produced this volume: we all want certainty. "To live in comfort and to die in beatitude, we need certainty about the things that are above, the things that are invisible and eternal. We must know who and what we are, and where we are going." He walks through a few concepts in this vein here. Select thoughts follow.

"Certainty is the complete rest of the mind in an object of knowledge." And faith is, in one sense, "confidence in the testimony of another." And for everyone, "by far the greatest part of their knowledge they owe to the investigations of others, whose testimony they accept in trust as truth." 

How does science relate to religious faith? Science is fine with human certainty, but religion "requires nothing less than divine certainty." Which relies on divine testimony. "We never obtain or maintain our deepest convictions and world-and-life-views by way of scientific demonstration." There is "no such things as science without personal trust, without faith in the testimony of another. The fact that religion and theology do not rest on our own observation but on a divine testimony, which cannot be established for us except through faith, does not in itself take anything away from the truth of their content." "Everything depends on whether the people to whose testimony we abandon ourselves are credible and deserving of trust." Thus, "by its very nature, [religious] faith . . . can only rest upon a word or promise of God, on something that proceeds from his mouth and is revealed to man in a natural or supernatural way."

How do we know which revelation is divine? Which religion is true? It is impossible to determine based on feelings, as "every religion arouses religious emotions and experiences." It is also impossible to deduce empirically, as we all have presuppositions that govern the questions we ask and approach we take. And our human heart is finite and fallen. Thus "the guilt of unbelief lies not with God and his revelation, but with man." And "due to the subjective condition of the human heart, all proofs are insufficient to move people to faith." So what can we do? Where can we turn?

The Bible stakes its claim. "The gospel of Christ does not first address itself to human beings as rational, but as moral creatures." We do see evidence of God in the world—creation bears witness and the gospel "does not fail to leave an impression upon the hearts of all." And we recognize the world (and each of us) is a mess—things are not the way they are supposed to be. But rather than proving anything, the Bible explains the problem and solution. It is living and active; a light and guide. It claims divine revelation and authority, "standing above and over against the natural man; while it is indeed intended for him, it does not accord with this thoughts and inclinations." And the Spirit does His work: "in order to believe, freely and willingly, and with our whole intellect, we need a new heart and a changed will. And who could give such things to himself?" For all Christians, "they owe their faith and hope to his grace alone." 

Thus "faith can rest in nowhere other than a word of God, in a promise of the Lord." "Let the plant of faith therefore take root in the soil of the promises of God, and thus it will naturally bear the fruit of certainty."

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This was a great book, full of good insights and (ultimately) hope.

Rating: A

The Thursday Murder Club (Richard Osman)

Four friends in a retirement village pass their days by investigating cold cases from decades past. This self-proclaimed "Thursday Murder Club" has a real (and current) adventure on their hands, though, when someone affiliated with their community is murdered. And then another. Determined to be helpful, the unorthodox gang sets out to investigate, and soon finds themselves uncovering a trail of secrets. Can no one be trusted? And can they find the killer?  

It took me a bit to get into it, but this book is gold. Written by known funny television personality Richard Osman, I thought this would be a second-rate mystery focused on comedy. I was wrong! It is funny, but it is also a good and suspenseful mystery. And has a dash of wisdom and surprisingly poignant moments to boot. I especially enjoyed the varied quirks of the four protagonists. This was a good time.

Rating: A

The White Mountains in Autumn

Last week, my wife and I got away for an early 20th anniversary celebration. We spent a few wonderful days in New Hampshire; this post shares highlights.

North Conway

After taking an early flight to Manchester, we drove north and stayed in a new hotel in North Conway, a lovely mountain resort town in east-central New Hampshire. We enjoyed an initial hike east of town before checking out the (surprising) number of outlets and having a nice dinner.

The Kancamagus Highway

The next day, we stopped at a covered bridge (there are many in the region) and then headed out for the main feature: the Kancamagus Highway, which runs west from Conway to Lincoln. This scenic road had plenty of stops for short (or long) hikes and beautiful vistas. Parking at some stops became an issue, but it all worked out. As you'd expect, cell service was not always available, so download local maps as needed before heading out.

Just before Lincoln, we stopped at Loon Mountain, headed up via cable car, and enjoyed the poorly-named (yet exciting) "glacial caves," which are a series of natural granite obstacles [not caves] that force you to contort yourself in fun [and nerve-wracking, for the older] postures to navigate them. 

The Loop Back

After a nice lunch in Lincoln, we stopped for ice cream (I had maple soft serve) and took the northern loop back, which runs through Franconia Notch, by Mount Washington, and had plenty of sights on its own. But we visited there last year, so we just enjoyed the views and meandered back to North Conway. The map below shows the Kancamagus (the southern road) and the northern loop back. The listed drive time of two hours is deceiving and easily exceeded; plan to stop often (and/or be held up by slow motorists).

Lake Winnipesaukee

The next day, it was time to head home. We had driven up from Manchester on the east side of Lake Winnipesaukee, and headed home on the west side. We intended to find a place to hike and enjoy a view of the lake; our first choice, Castle in the Clouds, was out due to a classic car show that day. We drove on through Meredith (it looked pretty; we should have stopped) and Interlaken (not to be confused with its Swiss counterpart) before finding what looked like a good spot. What we didn't know: the road up went from pleasingly paved to dauntingly dirt and rock, with difficult climbs and hairpin turns. We parked in a lot that had some other cars, saw no other hikers, and grew increasingly nervous. After briefly exploring the local trail options and enjoying the view, we decided to head back down. On the way, a passing motorist told us to watch for black bears he had just seen, reinforcing our decision to get out of there.

We drove back to Manchester, stopping at (another) L.L. Bean outlet on the way before catching our flight home.

Thoughts

It was a short but wonderful trip. The people in the White Mountains live life at a different pace. They are polite, kind, and much more relaxed than what we are used to. The area is beautiful, even though the leaves were not as vibrant as we had hoped (the locals told us a drought had affected the maples in particular). There is plenty to do for the outdoors enthusiast, and many options for all skill levels and desires (we focused on shorter hikes and loved it). The food options were excellent, with an array of both chains and local fare. The shopping was surprisingly fun. I wish we had more time to explore the Lake Winnipesaukee area (and foreknowledge of where best to do that), but ultimately, the trip was made not by what we did, but who we were with—each other.

It was the first time my wife and I had gotten away overnight without the children in seven years. It was a much-needed time to relax, enjoy each other's company, and connect without distraction or interruption. We need to make this a habit.

Daily Doctrine (Kevin DeYoung)

Daily Doctrine is a devotional of sorts, with 260 entries (five per week). But unlike most devotionals (where each entry focuses on a Bible passage or topic), this book presents systematic theology for laypeople in digestible pieces (about a page per entry). Here, notable pastor and author Kevin DeYoung covers doctrine in 9 categories:

- Prolegomena (Preliminary Considerations)

- Theology Proper (The Being of God and the Works of God)

- Anthropology (Man as Created and Fallen)

- Covenant Theology (How God Relates to His Creatures)

- Christology 1 (The Person of Christ)

- Christology 2 (The Works of Christ)

- Soteriology (Salvation in Christ)

- Ecclesiology (The Nature, Mission, and Ordering of the Church)

- Eschatology (Last Things)

I loved this work. It takes skill to translate skilled theologians and their terminology into something clear and concise, but that is DeYoung's stated gift, and he pulls it off. He presents the Reformed view on most matters, but for particularly contentious topics, he does give a fair summary of different viewpoints. I recommend this to anyone interested in learning about systematic theology but (understandably) overwhelmed by other works on the topic (like John Frame's excellent, but much longer, volume) and simply wants an overview. I only wish there had been 365 entries.

Rating: A

Magpie Murders (Anthony Horowitz)

Alan Conway is a popular 'whodunnit' author. His editor, Sue, is enjoying his latest draft manuscript until she discovers that the final chapters are missing. And it gets worse . . . Alan Conway is soon found dead on his property. Baffled, Sue takes it upon herself to investigate. Having enjoyed mysteries all her life, Sue suddenly finds herself in one . . . and the stakes could not be higher.

This was a fun read. This is two books in one: the manuscript is a ~240 page murder mystery, and Sue's investigation is about the same length. I don't want to say more lest I give spoilers, but it was a fun concept well executed. It has the suspense and surprises you'd expect of the genre.

Rating: A

Loving God

In July, I did a series of posts on love, looking at a Bible-based definition, AI's take, and love's object. Those posts were generic, yet the focus was on loving people. Today, I look at what it means to love God.

My definition of love from the first linked post above was as follows:

Love is the self-sacrificial and self-forgetful care for and building up of others demonstrated by action, affection, attitude, endurance, and optimism.

I think that reasonably covers what it means to love other people, but does all of that apply to God? We can't care for or build up God. Yet Jesus says the first and great commandment is that "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:36-38).

So what does loving God look like? How can we love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind?

One important factor is obedience. If we love God we will keep his commandments (John 14:15). That means keeping God's law, but not in a legalistic way as the Pharisees were famous for doing (Matthew 5:19-20); they would tithe down to the most precise amount, yet neglect weightier things (Matthew 23:23). So an important aspect of obedience is doing so in the spirit of the law, not just the letter. The letter kills, spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:5-6), and we should live by the Spirit, not by the letter (Romans 2:28-29). For example, the letter of the law says 'do not murder' (Exodus 20:13), but Jesus clarifies that the spirit of that law is not just murder, but even angry thoughts or insults (Matthew 5:21-22). The bar is high. To love God is to obey him. But is that all?

It's not just about obeying; another factor is humility. One aspect of love is sacrifice for another; the Lord demands sacrifice for several reasons in Scripture. Yet the Psalmist recognizes our heart plays a factor here and is ultimately what matters: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17). God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). And one summary of what God requires is to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). Why all this emphasis on humility? It is the right response to our sinful state in light of God's holiness. Richard Sibbes wrote a book on the topic; with him, we rightly approach God saying "be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:9-14). He who humbles himself will be exalted. 

A third factor is gratitude. You can be obedient and even humble but wallow in misery, yet the Bible calls us repeatedly to be thankful. Psalm 50 is helpful here, as it deals with sacrifices in general. After explaining that the Earth is the Lord's (verses 10-13), he says "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving" (verse 14) and "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me" (verse 23). We see the theme also in Psalm 107:22 and 116:17. Thankfulness is the right response to recognizing that the Lord loves and has blessed us. And related to thankfulness is enjoying life, which we are called to in Ecclesiastes (see especially 9:7-9 and this book). Life itself is a gift from God, and enjoying what is given to us is a way to show love to the one who gave it. Experientially, anyone who is a parent knows this: we give ourselves for our children, knowing that they cannot pay us back or earn it. Yet they can be thankful for and enjoy it. And we feel loved when they do so.

A fourth factor is time. When you love someone, you want to spend time with them. We spend time with God in three ways: Scripture, meditation, and prayer. We are called to store up and abide in His word (Psalm 119:15, 2 Timothy 3:16, Colossians 3:16, John 5:38), meditate on His law and deeds (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 77:12 or 119:15), and pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12). Jesus clearly made the same a priority, frequently withdrawing to pray (Luke 5:15-16, Mark 1:35). Time with God shows love for God.

So how do we love God? Obedience, humility, gratitude, and time. There may be more, but there is certainly not less. And, if you're like me, you constantly fall short in all of these areas. May we obey God, be humble, be thankful, and spend time with Him this day.