(3) Book Blogs

I have been doing a lot of reading. So here goes...

A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren (I think is his last name.) This book was basically talking about how we are transitioning into the Post Modern era and that the church has to respond to that. He (Brian) and his friend talk in this book about what the Post Modern church will look like. This book is pretty progressive I would say but honestly it is nothing I haven't heard or thought about myself. I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone that is searching for answers about church. Somethings that it addressed was: heaven and how it is not us versus them, that we shouldn't look at people who aren't like us as going to heaven or not, basically that it isn't our place to decide that and we need to stop acting like it. He also talked about how Jesus talks of the Kingdom of Heaven being here now and we need to start acting like it. We need to bring the kindgom to others, especially those that aren't as fortunate as us.

Larry's Kidney by Daniel Asa Rose (again, I think that is his name.) So the synopsis on the front cover is this, and I think it describes the book pretty well: How I ended up in China with my Black Sheep cousin and his Mail Order Bride, to try and get him a kidney transplant to save his life. The book is pretty funny and his cousin is probably one of the worst, bravest, dumbest person I have ever heard of. Good book but just very quirky. Also, in the end, what eventually happens I don't agree with on a moral basis so that was hard to get over as well.

The Lassa Ward by Ross Donaldson, M.D. This was a good book. This book is about Ross (then a medical school student) who goes to Sierra Leone to help in a hospital ward that specializes in Lassa Fever. Lassa Fever is a hemorrhagic fever found in a certain species of rats. If a person eats or comes in contact with the bodily fluid of a rat that is infected, they can contract the disease. It is highly deadly and highly infectious. The people that work in the ward are incredibly brave for doing it especially since the facilities and equipment are outdated and poorly supplied. It was amazing to see the stark difference between medical practices there versus the US. It makes you grateful to live here. Death is a constant figure in their lives. I am very blessed to live here where medicine and health education is so widely distributed.

Whew! So that's it! I just realized how random all these books are! Something for everyone...

Christmas and New Years!

This year, once again, was lots of fun. Clint and I traveled to Corsicana, to see all of his sisters and their husbands and kids. It was great to spend several days with them. We had great food and conversations. I think Christmas Eve, it snowed a little while we were in Corsicana. Clint and I were a little bitter because Fort Worth apparently got a few inches and we totally missed it! Oh well...We also went to Waco and saw my family and cousins. This year, my immediate family Christmas was pretty short. It made me sad, but sometimes that's just what happens. We came back from traveling the Monday after Christmas. I went ahead and took off that week from work to spend more time with Clint before he hit the books again.

New Years was alot of fun. My brother and Lacie, and some of our other friends came over. It was a blast. We talked, played games and then talked some more. It was a great way to bring in the new year.

So here are some pics:


Not a great pic. These are the desserts at mom's house. Yikes!!
Uncle Nathan and his namesake.
Snow! Okay, you have to look closely but I promise it is there.