Mark Watson

Between the love of my new Kindle and the fact that I’m out of town most everyday, reading has become my comfort.  I’ve read three (almost 4) books the past couple of weeks.  Two of the books were good, the other one was a chore to even finish.  The choice of my books may give you a clue to my state of mind right now, but I’ll save that for another time. 

The first good book that I will give 4 out of 5 stars was O Me of Little Faith by Jason Boyett.  If you struggle with your faith at times like I do, this book will give you new hope.  I love the honesty and candor as Jason talks about his own doubts and struggles.  The nugget I got from the book is there can be no faith without doubt.  Doubt makes faith possible.  

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The second good book (I might even say great!) was In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.  The book is taken from an obscure passage in 2 Samuel 23:20-21.   The cool thing about this passage is I had just read this in my One Year Bible reading plan.  Even though I read the story and posted on my readings, I never mentioned the story of Benaiah.  The verses reads like this:

  ^20-21Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a vigorous man who accomplished a great deal. He once killed two lion cubs in Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he climbed down into a pit and killed a lion. Another time he killed a formidable Egyptian. The Egyptian was armed with a spear and Benaiah went against him with nothing but a walking stick; he seized the spear from his grip and killed him with his own spear. (The Message)

Did you get the part where on a snowy day, he climbed down in a pit and killed a lion?  He didn’t run from the Lion.  He chased the lion into the pit to kill it!  The nuggets I got from this book is this:

1. What is the lion in my life right now?
2. Am I complaining about the lion or am I chasing it to kill it?
3. Could the lion in my life right now be there to prepare me for a great challenge/opportunity yet to come?

I highly recommend both books.  They are both challenging but in a good way.  Give them a try and tell me what you think.

The last book and quite possibly the worst Christian book I’ve ever read in my life was The Christain Atheist by Craig Groeschel.  If you weren’t an atheist before you read this book, my fear is that you would be by the time you finished.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to hear Craig Groeshel speak but this book (in my opinion) should have never been put in print.  The book came off arrogant and self promotional.  This is not the real Craig Groeshel.  Here were the negative points I got:

1. Craig is handsome.  He looks like Tom Cruise.
2. He was major cool in high school and college and had his way with the girls.
3. He is successful and has a perfect family.
4. Blah, blah, blah.

I don’t normally write negative book reviews.  Maybe this says more about me and my state of mind than it does about the book.  It just didn’t work for me.

Another tough week at work made the readings hard to squeeze in.  I’m staying on-site at my facility in Mississippi through the week.  To top off a tough work week, the readings in Kings were a little tedious too.

The readings this week were taken from I Kings 13-22, Jonah 1-4, Philemon, and Psalms 87-91.  The highlights were as follows:

• The kingship of Jeroboam and Rehoboam, Kings of Israel and Judah
• The various kings that followed each of them and their commitment or lack thereof to God.
• When the Kings followed God, their kingship was blessed.  When they veered off that path, God cursed their reign.
• Some great stories of Elijah.  I love how God feeds him by ravens delivering his food!
• The story of Naboth’s vineyard and the corruption of Jezebel and Ahab.
• Jonah foolishly runs from God.  Repents.  Preaches to Ninevah.  Ninevah repents and Jonah sulks.
• Paul writes to Philemon about his servant Onesimus and how he is now a Christian.
• More Psalms praising God’s glory but at the same time questioning His absence in their time of need.

The first book I read on my new Kindle was Plan B by Pete Wilson.  When I was looking for a book to download, the title and description piqued my interest.  But I have to be honest, taking advice from a 30 something made me take pause.

I know Pete only through Twitter.  We’ve even exchanged a couple of tweets.  I have great respect for him as a father, Pastor and church planter but me being 51 years of age, was thinking what could a young Pastor know about my Plan B?  Maybe more than I thought. . . .

The book allows the reader to take a look at the bad and unplanned events that happen in our lives that derail our plans.  Things such as illness, job loss, divorce, and heartbreak that make us question, is God really watching over me?  Why am I going through this pain?  Did I do something wrong and now I’m being punished?  I need a new plan.  I need Plan B.

Do you know those people that everything just seems to go right?  It seems they’ve never been faced with any challenge or heartbreak?  They are the ones on Facebook that post after their vacation trip to the Bahamas, “God is good.”  It makes those of us who are facing problems in our families, jobs, or health just want to puke. 

I can remember shortly after our son Tate was born with Down’s Syndrome, sitting in a Sunday School class when one of these pompous asses actually said, “bad things happen in people’s families when they have sin in their life.”  I didn’t know what to call it then, but Stacie and I had started Plan B.  We’ve actually had several Plan B’s in our lives over the years.

Has your life turned out just as you planned?  Have you faced disappointments that don’t make sense and make you question if God really watches over the little people?  Have you had to adjust your life plans now that X has happened in your life?  If this is you, give Plan B a try.  It won’t solve your problems but it will give you reflection and understanding.  It may even make you think that God may love us Plan B’rs best of all!

Pete Wilson is the teaching Pastor at Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee.  He blogs at WithoutWax.tv.

I’m a little behind on this post but this is what Jared and Tate got me for Father’s Day!  This was a total surprise to me.  They usually aren’t very good at surprises but this time they pulled it off.  I don’t know if I’m just getting oblivous to what’s going on or if they really are getting better at being a sneak.

Jared is the ulitmate gift buyer.  I wish I had his ability.  He thinks obsessively on what a person would like and what fits them.  On Christmas he knows in his mind what to get everyone BEFORE he goes shopping.  I usually have no clue.

Anyway, as you know I’m an avid book reader and this thing is awesome!  Actually we all love it.  I get the New York Times delivered to it every morning and we all take turns going through the days events.

I’ve got some cool kids!

More interesting reading this week in the Old Testament, a quick read in Colossians, and then back into the Psalms.

Specifically the readings came from Colossians, Psalms 81-86, and I Kings 1-12.  The highlights were as follows:

1. Paul encourages the Colossians to live in Christ and live a life without all the religious rituals.  Put away sin and live in Him.
2. Paul give rules to live by for wives, husbands, and kids.
3. As David is old and dying Adonijah sets himself up as king.  Nathan and Bathsheba tell David and he appoints Solomon as king instead.
4. Adonijah is later killed by Solomon and he cleans house of all his supporters.
5. Soloman asks for wisdom from God.
6. Solomon builds temple and his own palace.  Most grand ever!
7. Queen of Sheba comes to visit to verify Solomon’s wisdom and wealth.
8. Solomon has a thing for women and they bring him down with their foreign gods.
9. God punishes Solomon by splitting the kingdom when his son Rehoboam takes over the throne.
10. Jeroboam is Rehoboam’s nemesis when Rehoboam refuses to lighten up on his people.

Some friends from church think they may be interested in doing this relay.  It is 185 mile relay race from Chattanooga to Nashville on November 5 – 6.  Here is a quote from the website: 

This 185 mile adventure-fest will push you and 11 pals through the birthplace of country music, Tennessee. Starting in Chattanooga you will hug the Tennessee River headed northwest. Along the way you will run across the rolling hills of southern Tennessee while enjoying the stunning November foliage. After the hills, you will move on to the ‘stills, as you pass through historic Lynchburg. The race (and your stamina) wraps up, when you honky tonk your way to the Country Music Hall of Fame, in Nashville.

Take a look at the Tennessee – Ragnar Relay Series link and see what you think!

Friday, Stacie and the boys got to spend the day with Reed while Stefanie was off doing whatever young moms do on a day off.  I was at work, so I didn’t get to play with them.  But when I got home everyone was all smiles!

Reed is the son of David and Stefanie Garner.  I predict he will be the future 2nd baseman for the St. Louis Cardinal but his Cubs fan father has other ideas.  Go figure!

My weeks continue to be hectic but at least I didn’t get too far behind.  When the readings come from some of my favorite Bible stories, staying caught up isn’t a problem.

The readings this week cover the history of King David and more of the Psalms.  Specifically the readings are from II Samuel 4-24 and Psalms 76-80.  The highlights are as follows:

1. David takes over as king after Saul’s death.
2. David defeats the Philistines and brings them under submission.
3. David makes a covenant with God to build a house for the Ark of the Covenant.
4. David sin with Bathsheba.
5. Amnon’s sin with his half sister Tamar.
6. Absalom avenges the sin against Tamar by killing his half brother Amnon.
7. Absalom flees David but is reunited.
8. Absalom turns the people against David and mounts an insurrection to take over David’s kingship.
9. Absalom killed by Joab and his men after his hair gets caught in a tree.
10. David makes restitution to the Gibeonites for what Saul had done to them.
11. More Psalms on the glory of God and calling out for his mercy when it seemed God had forsaken his children.

I haven’t posted on any books I’ve been reading in quite a while.  I’m not sure if it’s just me or there just haven’t been that many good books lately.  It seems like once I like an author they get pressured to start publishing so much that the books get pretty weak.

Probably due to the discontent of my own job, this one caught my eye on Amazon last week.  The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working by Tony Schwartz is an outstanding read and should be read by Leadership in any organization.  Even if you don’t like to to read, at least read the first chapter.  That should be enough to make you say “Amen!”

In America today, the land of excess, it is always more, more, more!  We are pushed for more productivity, more sales, more profit, more everything except quality of life.  This book touches on why it is important to achieve balance in all areas of our lives.  An imbalance in any area forces us into a dysfunctional behavior that will eventually rob us of our quality of life.

Take it from a guy who has 70 hours in by Friday at quitting time and hasn’t had more than a few days off in the past 3 years, all in the name of productivity and being on the boss’s “A” team, this book was past due for me.

Pick up a copy and see if you can make some changes to your life.  I know I’m taking some steps to make changes.  Let’s see where it goes!

Jeremy, Ashley, and Bailee came over for the Redbirds game Friday night and stayed over after the game.  We got to spend some time with Bailee and take a few photos.

It was hard to get Bailee sit still for a photo and Ashley escaped altogether!  Maybe next time!