Date: October 31, 2005
Title: Einstein’s Clocks, Poincare’s Maps: Empires of Time
Author: Peter Galison
Thoughts: It’s amazing how many things, ideas, philosophy, technology, science, can come together within people to revolutionize our understanding of the world.
Date: November 2, 2005
Title: How We Got Here
Author: Andy Kessler
Thoughts: Tongue in cheek. Readable. Interesting.
Date: November 16, 2005
Title: Sea of Glory
Author: Nathaniel Philbrook
Thoughts: A great adventure turned cautionary tale. Wilkes certainly had determination, perseverance and dedication. He lacked character, integrity and patience. With what he had he accomplished something great, and by sad display of what he lacked he denied himself the fame he sought.
Date: December 4, 2005
Title: The Power of Positive Thinking
Author: Norman Vincent Peale
Thoughts: I’m going to improve my thinking and keep at it. I’m going to do what it takes to have the good life I desire.
Date: January 1, 2006
Title: Simple Pictures Are Best
Author: Nancy Willard, illustrations by Tomie De Paola
Thoughts: Possibly my favorite book. It has influence me more than any book except the Bible. I am a firm believer in simplicity.
My parents got me a copy as a child and I’ve always remembered it.
Date: January 3, 2006
Title: The Millionaire Maker
Author: Loral Langemeier
Thoughts: I’m looking forward to being a millionaire. Even more, I’m looking forward to financial freedom.
Date: January 10, 2006
Title: IBM and the Holocaust
Author: Edwin Black
Thoughts: Heavenly Father, keep me always aware of the eternal value of righteousness and justice.
Date: January 16, 2006
Title: No More Christian Nice Guy
Author: Paul Coughlin
Thoughts: “God is an odds-breaker—He loves that game, and when you flex even a small amount of faith, he’ll open doors for you” (quote from the book).
Date: January 16, 2006
Title: Starting from Scratch
Author: Wes Moss
Thoughts: I’m starting a successful business, too.
Other parts of What I Read:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query patience. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query patience. Sort by date Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Saturday, July 20, 2013
New & Interesting Stuff July 20, 2013
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Thanks for your patience. Thanks
to everyone who follows Keenan’s Book Reviews.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
James
James. The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,
1982.
*
Several related themes run through James. These are trials, self-control,
practical faith,
and humility.
James begins his letter with a discussion of trials. We all have troubles. Disconcertingly, sometimes our worst problems
arise from doing the right thing. Though
it may seem like God
has abandoned us in such times, God is at work.
Facing trials with patience and
faith builds our character.
Part of a godly character is self-control. A mature Christian will discipline
himself. In particular, he will watch
what he says. It is hard to control what
we say, refraining from idle and harmful words.
It is hard to speak convincingly about the love, grace, and faithfulness
of God when you just spewed a lot of gossip, lies, and nonsense.
James writes of faith in very practical and active terms. Sermons, exultations, and moral sayings are
hollow and useless if they are not coupled with service, aid and upright
living. If we really believe the Gospel and
have call to be followers of Christ, we will
act like Christ who humbled Himself to labor with men, heal the sick, feed the
hungry, and care for the needy.
Emulating the humility or Christ is a theme of the letter in
itself. James extols believers to act
with humility and treat everyone fairly.
Wealth and position are temporary, but in our eternal relation to God
we’re all the same: each Christian is a
sinful person saved by the grace of God.
Pride is
a source of strife, people in conflict as they all try to get their own way,
but humble people trust God and can let go of strife.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Google
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Life's Not Fair, but God is Good by Robert H. Schuller
You may remember Robert H.
Schuller from the Hour of Power television
program. He was a popular figure who attracted celebrities to appear on
broadcasts of worship services from the Crystal Cathedral. He preached what you
might call a gospel of positivity, making in consciously a successor to Norman
Vincent Peale and in some sense a predecessor to Joel Osteen.
The Crystal Cathedral and the Schullers have floundered after his passing. Life’s Not Fair, but God is Good was
published in happier times for them.
Google
Reading the book two decades after it was published gave me an
opportunity to look back. One of the things that struck me is that Schuller
wrote of the fall of the Soviet Union
soon after it occurred. He had high hopes for Russia and the
other countries shifting toward a more democratic
form of government.
He looked forward to flourishing Christianity,
greater freedom, wealth,
and opportunity for long oppressed people. I’m not sure what he would think of
the current state of affairs, especially in Russia, but clearly fall short of
the hopes he expressed.
The book also prompted me to recall the Hour of Power. A routine segment featured Schuller interviewing
someone, recorded live before the congregation of his church. Though it is not
mentioned, I suspect many of the interviews recounted in the book may have come
from the show. These guests were often famous performers, athletes, and
politicians. Others were people who overcame troubles of all sorts, handicaps,
injuries, financial setbacks, abuse and losses. The common thread through these
interviews was how people succeeded through faith in God’s grace, hope,
positive outlook and persistence.
Speaking of themes, I should say something about the book. The title
expresses the theme: Life’s Not Fair, but
God is Good. Schuller concedes that sometimes life sucks. Bad things happen
to everyone, and sometimes the worst things happen to those who seem to deserve
it least. In spite of that, people can lead lives of purpose and joy because
God is good. The Great Redeemer can man something beautiful out of the ugliness
of life. Not only can He, He will.
I suppose the meat of the book is advice on how to live in the gap
between the unfair circumstances we experience and the awesome goodness we can
know even in the midst of them. In this, Schuller presents a mix of Christian philosophy
and self-help
positive thinking. We can’t always choose our circumstances, but we can choose
our reactions. Schuller encourages hopeful, positive responses based on the
acknowledgment of God’s goodness. Prayer, belief, gratitude,
good works, humility, forgiveness, connection to others, generosity, patience,
and vision are tools we have, or can develop, to be overcomers in the face of
obstacles. We master these skills under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit
as we get to know Christ
better.
Robert H. Schuller also wrote Self-Love.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
This Year I Will… by M. J.
Ryan
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Follow Your Heart by Andrew Matthews
Matthews, Andrew. Follow Your Heart. New York: Price Stern Sloan, 1997.
ISBN 0-8431-7491-9
Follow Your Heart is like a short course in the major concepts of happy living. That Andrew Matthews wrote it in a light, simple style gives it and advantage over many similar self-help books.
Matthews sees life as series of lessons. Our job is to learn, change and improve. Instead of fighting against and imperfect world, we learn to be better people and make the world a little better in the process. We’re not here to change the world, but to change ourselves.
In this light, success is more about being happy and having peace than about having money and the trappings of wealth. A person who does what he loves to do often finds he doesn’t need much. A person who develops his talents into excellent skills often finds himself equipped to make plenty of money.
This kind of success is available to everyone. Matthews says, “The universe has no favorites.” The universe is governed by natural laws and we can all understand and use them. Matthews discusses some of these laws. The laws aren't easy ways to get what you want. The laws require patience and effort. This relates to another of Matthews’ precepts, “When you fight life, life always wins.”
One of the ultimate things we can do to be better and help others be better is to love others. According to Matthews, the great expressions of love are forgiveness and acceptance. People aren’t going to be perfect and aren’t going to follow all the rules me make up for them. When we free others from our hurts and expectations, we free ourselves from self-imposed misery, too.
Follow Your Heart isn’t especially original in its message and methods, but neither are many other self-help books. Where it stands out is in a style that is straightforward, lighthearted, humorous and brief.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Attitude is Everything by Jeff Keller
Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar
ISBN 0-8431-7491-9
Follow Your Heart is like a short course in the major concepts of happy living. That Andrew Matthews wrote it in a light, simple style gives it and advantage over many similar self-help books.
Matthews sees life as series of lessons. Our job is to learn, change and improve. Instead of fighting against and imperfect world, we learn to be better people and make the world a little better in the process. We’re not here to change the world, but to change ourselves.
In this light, success is more about being happy and having peace than about having money and the trappings of wealth. A person who does what he loves to do often finds he doesn’t need much. A person who develops his talents into excellent skills often finds himself equipped to make plenty of money.
This kind of success is available to everyone. Matthews says, “The universe has no favorites.” The universe is governed by natural laws and we can all understand and use them. Matthews discusses some of these laws. The laws aren't easy ways to get what you want. The laws require patience and effort. This relates to another of Matthews’ precepts, “When you fight life, life always wins.”
One of the ultimate things we can do to be better and help others be better is to love others. According to Matthews, the great expressions of love are forgiveness and acceptance. People aren’t going to be perfect and aren’t going to follow all the rules me make up for them. When we free others from our hurts and expectations, we free ourselves from self-imposed misery, too.
Follow Your Heart isn’t especially original in its message and methods, but neither are many other self-help books. Where it stands out is in a style that is straightforward, lighthearted, humorous and brief.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Attitude is Everything by Jeff Keller
Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar
Monday, June 4, 2012
First Thessalonians
First Thessalonians. The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Nashville
Paul covers several topics
in this letter to the church at Thessalonica.
The main theme is that Jesus Christ will return and believers should be
reassured in that fact. He mentions the
second coming twice before teaching about it in some detail.
Paul praises the church for
their faithfulness and godly character in the face of persecution. Their behavior was a sign to all of their
faith in gospel of Jesus Christ. They could
bear troubles with patience because they new He is coming again and He had
already rescued them from the judgment he will deliver on His return.
Part of the persecution the
church face appears to involve attempts to discredit Paul and the gospel he
taught. He presents two defenses. First was his conduct during his time in
Thessalonica. He did not try to take
advantage of the people, but worked hard to take care of them. Second, the proof of the gospel was the
endurance and faithfulness of the people who believed it. Paul concludes this section of his letter
with another reference to the second coming, stating how much he will delight
in them with the Lord at that time.
The letter was prompted in
part by Timothy’s visit to Thessalonica and his report on the state of the
church there. Paul is encouraged by what
he hears and encourages the Christians to continue in the faith. It may seem disheartening that he reminded
them to live lives of sexual purity, good order, and peace. A glance around almost any church even today
will show how much we need such reminders.
Before wrapping up, Paul
gets deeper into the subject of the second coming. First, he addresses the question of those who
die before Christ’s returns. Is that the
end for them? Will they not be with the
Lord? They though Christ might return in
their own lifetime, and were concerned about Christian brothers who had passed
away. Paul reminded them of Christ’s
resurrection, and taught that dead Christians would be brought back to life in
the same way. When He comes again, all
of His people, alive and dead raised to new life, will join Him. We don’t need to worry, those who God calls
He will keep forever.
The other question about the
second coming, one that people still ask, is: When will it happen? Only God knows. The rest of us will be caught by
surprise. For Christians, though, this
is no cause for fear. At any moment we
could be with the One we long to be with, our God, our Savior, our Helper, with
a kind of unveiled intimacy we have barely tasted. In the meantime, we should live with faith,
love, and hope as we have been called.
Paul’s message to these
Christians, and by extension to us, is simple.
You believed the truth and God has saved you. Keep living well. Don’t worry.
Jesus Christ is coming and we will be with Him.
Paul also wrote
Google
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
As I read Writing Down the Bones,
the writing
guide by Natalie
Goldberg that was first published in 1984,
I found myself being more courageous and honest in my writing. At least I’m
more that way in the writing I do for myself.
That is where it starts. Better writing comes from the practice of
writing. Goldberg recommends timed writing as a practice. Set the amount of
time you plan to write, even if it is as short as 10 minutes, and write as fast
and freely as you can.
I’ve been doing something similar for a while. What helped me break
through to more scary and fruitful territory is Goldberg’s advice to write a
little more. If you feel you’ve written all you can about something, write a
little more. I found it pushed me to write down thoughts and feelings I didn’t
want to admit I had. I don’t know that these confessions to myself had made me
a better writer, but when I break through I feel like I may be able to deal
with something I’ve been avoiding.
In both of these practices, writing is a kind of meditation,
which Goldberg discusses in several of the book’s short chapters. She draws on Buddhist
practices such as meditation throughout the book.
Her Buddhist practices also involve being present, which she suggests
is helpful for writers. Be present in your everyday life and in your writing.
Be attentive,
listen, and you will fill your mind with the wonderful things. These become
specific details that ground your writing in real life. Instead of writing
about something, you can write what is; your readers will conjure up on their
own the emotions associated with the experience you capture in your words.
“Whatever is in front of you is your life, so please take care of it,” Natalie Goldberg, Afterward to Writing Down the Bones
Goldberg believes writing should be tied to the rest of your life.
Whatever you’re doing, you’re a writer, and even though you can and should give
your full attention to the person or task in front of you, the writing mind is
still being primed for its work. And writing is work; it requires effort. Like
any worthwhile thing, you get out of it what you put into it. Writing is a
process and it needs to be approached with joy, honesty and patience if it is
to bear fruit.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Saturday, November 24, 2018
The Beethoven Factor by Paul Pearsall
Sometimes it seems like we’re all sick and crazy. This may stem from a
focus on trying to find and fix what is wrong with us. Psychologist
Paul
Pearsall referred to this as a pathogenic focus. In his book The Beethoven Factor, he discusses
the field of positive
psychology, which focuses on what is right with people and what we can
learn from those who are well adjusted, happy and healthy. In
particular, Pearsall focuses on thriving.
Thriving is growth in the aftermath, and even in the midst of, stressful
situations. The people he discusses and learns from in his book, some patients
of his and many his fellow patients in a cancer ward,
often suffered greatly from disease, war, poverty and
other hardships. These people had there ups and downs, but they managed an
emotional upward trend.
The heart of thriving is a flexible explanatory style. We’re all
telling ourselves stories that interpret and evaluate our lives. People who
thrive are adaptive and creative in the stories they tell themselves, which
allows them to savor
and find meaning
in their lives even while suffering.
Thriving can be paradoxical,
especially from a pathogenic outlook: someone is becoming stronger in a
situation that is expected to make them weaker. Those who thrive can defy the
expectations the traditional view of healthy thinking. They work on themselves,
which can sometimes make them seem aloof or insensitive. They can be in denial,
but they use it to give themselves a temporary escape for pain and time to
think. They can be hard to like because of their intensity; when someone is
getting the most out of life, they may have little patience for interruptions,
naysayers and whiners. They are reflective, which can make them seem withdrawn.
They can be depressed, down on themselves and loose hope as they make their
journey. Thriving is a process of learning, so
it can take a long time, though sometimes someone will catch on quickly.
Pearsall offers a lot of advice on how to thrive, especially in the
second half of the book (the first half focuses on introducing positive
psychology and defining thriving). This section focuses on four aspects of
thriving: hardiness, happiness, healing and hope.
Hardiness comes from our beliefs. Hardy
people have beliefs that help them commit to engaging in living, finding a
sense of control—which
includes knowing when to let go of control—and seeing the difficulties they
face and challenges they can cope with if not overcome.
Happiness is rooted in flow. It is focus and engagement
in life. Happy people push aside distractions,
expectations
and striving for things that don’t really bring them joy.
Healing is fundamentally learning. We
all suffer to some extent in our lives, and these periods of sickness or other
hardship are telling us to slow down and pay attention.
Healing people learn to make sense of what happens (in their own ways), cope with it, and find meaning in their
experiences.
Hoping is what Pearsall calls “cautious optimism.”
People who hope find a way to hold onto their dreams, or come
up with new dreams, without expecting on depending on them. They imagine that
the world, imperfect as it is, may be the best possible world, so they get on
with seeking all they can enjoy in it.
Pearsall offers his readers a big dose of practical grace. If you’re
really finding your own way to cope with adversity in a way the truly engages
life as fully as you can, you’re on the path to thriving and it is okay that
you may not be the upbeat, outgoing, positive, realistic
person that your psychologists, physicians,
self-help
books and friends
think you should be. Living is learning, especially in times of sickness and
difficulty; learning is challenging, slow work that requires focus and imagination.
If you’re learning, you will struggle and be worn out sometimes. You’ll also be
engaged in life in a way that puts you in an uneven, but upward trend, instead
of spiraling downward in despair.
Paul Pearsall also wrote
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Pearsall, Paul. The Beethoven
Factor: The New Positive Psychology of Hardiness, Happiness, Healing, and Hope. Charlottesville,
VA: Hampton
Roads, 2003.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Attitude is Everything by Jeff Keller
Keller, Jeff. Attitude is Everything: Change Your Attitude…and Change Your Life. Tampa, FL: INTI, 1999.
In Keller’s book, you will find much of what you will find in many similar self-help books. (Perhaps I have read too many.) Attitude is Everything is superior to some others in its genre in that it is short and the author’s enthusiasm for the subject comes through.
The book is laid out in three parts concerning thinking, saying and doing. Each chapter is an essay on a topic relating one of these subjects.
It all starts with thinking. Success or failure begins in the mind because our thinking affects everything we do. Today some seem to have the idea from books like The Secret that it is all about thinking. Keller encourages his readers to be realistic as well as positive. He writes, “Success requires effort, commitment and patience.”
What we say and what we think are closely related. Keller wants us to be positive in our speech because what we say, along with our thoughts, sets us up to act in ways that lead to success or not. Even our answer to the question “How are you?” can affect our outlook and wellbeing.
The part I like most about the book is that it gives attention to the necessity of action. The advice in one of the action chapters, entitled “Networking That Gets Results,” is worth reading and using. I get more business from referrals than any other sources. I value my network more than any other marketing took because it works best for me. This is not about mercenary networking; I hope I can be a good friend to my friends and as helpful to my associates as they have been to me. Keller offers good advice on building and using your network.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Tested by Time by James L. Garlow
The Difference Maker by John C. Maxwell
Don’t Grow Old—Grow Up! by Dorothy Carnegie
Winning with People by John C. Maxwell
In Keller’s book, you will find much of what you will find in many similar self-help books. (Perhaps I have read too many.) Attitude is Everything is superior to some others in its genre in that it is short and the author’s enthusiasm for the subject comes through.
The book is laid out in three parts concerning thinking, saying and doing. Each chapter is an essay on a topic relating one of these subjects.
It all starts with thinking. Success or failure begins in the mind because our thinking affects everything we do. Today some seem to have the idea from books like The Secret that it is all about thinking. Keller encourages his readers to be realistic as well as positive. He writes, “Success requires effort, commitment and patience.”
What we say and what we think are closely related. Keller wants us to be positive in our speech because what we say, along with our thoughts, sets us up to act in ways that lead to success or not. Even our answer to the question “How are you?” can affect our outlook and wellbeing.
The part I like most about the book is that it gives attention to the necessity of action. The advice in one of the action chapters, entitled “Networking That Gets Results,” is worth reading and using. I get more business from referrals than any other sources. I value my network more than any other marketing took because it works best for me. This is not about mercenary networking; I hope I can be a good friend to my friends and as helpful to my associates as they have been to me. Keller offers good advice on building and using your network.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Tested by Time by James L. Garlow
The Difference Maker by John C. Maxwell
Don’t Grow Old—Grow Up! by Dorothy Carnegie
Winning with People by John C. Maxwell
Thursday, June 4, 2020
Late Bloomers by Rich Karlgaard
The heroes of our age
are young. Mark Zuckerberg, the man who made millions on Facebook while still in his 20s, is a notable
example. Though Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak and Tiger Woods are no longer youngsters, they
achieved fame and wealth early in life and that is at least
one reason why they remain famous. Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard is concerned that our focus on early
achievement is depriving our society of the untapped potential of many—probably
most of us—who develop at a slower rate. He discusses his concerns, and what we
can do about it, in Late Bloomers.
The First 20 Hours by Josh Kaufman
Future Bright by Martin E. Martinez
The Genius in All of Us by David Shenk
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
The Organized
Mind by Daniel J. Levitin
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Self-Love by Robert H. Schuller
Your Intelligence Makeover by Edward F. Droge, Jr.
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