Thursday, March 28, 2019

Other Bodies book review

I have to share with you the author’s notes about this book.


I didn’t want to write this book. I fought it, but the idea kept growing inside of me, and it wouldn’t leave me alone. It was a crazy idea, really. But, when I tried to sleep, it whispered to me. When I tried to write something else, it tugged on the peripheries of my consciousness, daring me to look it in the eye. If I were to do so, I knew what it would mean though. Career suicide, most likely. Too controversial. Too ambitious. Delusional, really.
Let’s be honest; I’m a middle-aged white guy writing a book about abortion, set in the inner city, and told from the POV of a young girl, all in a dystopian, futuristic America that’s eerily similar in many ways to the world we find ourselves in today. Not to mention, there are complicated issues of reproductive rights, teenage pregnancy, feminism, classism, assisted suicide. One could be forgiven for thinking I’m in way over my head.
And then there’s the hate mail. If I can be transparent, I like getting emails from my readers at 3 a.m., telling me they stayed up late, reading my books, and then, in all caps, WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK COMING OUT? Those emails are nice. The emails (and reviews) that are not so nice are the ones where I’m accused of being a lunatic, fundamentalist, backward, woman-hating, white-privileged, out-of-touch cis-male Christian. And those are just the words that I can print. The other adjectives are … even less nice.
But the idea was still there, tempting me, taunting me to look it square in the eye and just describe it for what it was: a hard truth about a hard, broken world. I don’t claim to have all the answers, and what answers I might have are not easy. But I think we can do better; we have to do better. I’m a Christian, so the words in the Bible, the words Jesus says, they mean something to me, of course—because I know him. I know what he’s done for me, given his very body for me—he has made the ultimate sacrifice for all other bodies—and I have the simple joy just to say he knows me. And yet, the truth of this idea, it seemed to be so fundamentally basic that we can all agree on it, whether believer or unbeliever, atheist, agnostic, searcher, dreamer, or skeptic.
The hard truth is this: the body inside your body is not your body.
That’s it. When coupled with the truth implicit in all civilized society—we don’t harm other bodies—then even the most atheistic naturalist among us has to admit, when we look at the ultrasound—even a young child knows; we all know—there’s another body in there. Where there was one, now, there are two. So, to delude ourselves into thinking it’s just my body, my choice betrays a tragic misunderstanding of reality.
To intentionally harm either of the bodies, mother or child, is wrong. Point blank.
When we harm other bodies because they look differently than us or happen to have a different hue and hair from us, that’s wrong. When we harm other bodies because they are smaller than us, unable to speak for themselves, and hidden from our sight and our conscience, that’s wrong. Let us never forget that racism and abortion have this in common: though insidious in philosophy, they are not mere disembodied ideas; they are not intellectual musings without real-world, real-life consequences. They are both visceral, embodied practices that harm other bodies. Backs are flayed, and limbs are severed; teeth are broken, and skulls are punctured; knees are slammed into pavement, and brain matter is suctioned into a vacuum; hands are bent behind backs to be handcuffed, and tiny little appendages are yanked from their sockets and scraped into the trash. Both practices with the end result a world that can continue oblivious into the sunlight of an American Dream built upon the crushed lives of these other bodies.
But what if the pregnancy might do harm to the mother’s body? Of course, when two lives are threatened and only one can be saved, doctors must always save that life. But, if it is merely an inconvenience and not life-threatening, then the right to not be killed supersedes the right to not be pregnant. It is reasonable for society to expect an adult to live temporarily with an inconvenience if the only alternative is doing permanent and fatal harm to another innocent human body.
But what about rape, incest, or disability? Since none of these circumstances are sufficient to justify harming another innocent human body after birth, they’re not sufficient to justify harming an innocent human body before birth.
The body inside your body is not your body.
We don’t harm other bodies.
And, if being a feminist means believing that we are all equal—different but no less equal—then how can one claim to stand for women everywhere while refusing to stand for the little one inside of her?
That’s the hard truth. I’ve done my part. I’ve told the story. I’ve told the truth. I can sleep at night now.
Can you?
—Joel Ohman
Author of Other BodiesExecutive Director, AbortionFacts.com
Reading  what Joel Ohman had to say about Other Bodies just drew me in. I knew I had to read it!!  But I didn’t expect how hard it would be to read. I usually finish books in one day. This one has taken me a while. The topic is hard!! So hard that I am writing this before finishing it.  As much as I want to know what happens I am having a hard time with what has happened so far.  I am waiting for the redemptive part of the story. 
If you enjoy dystopian fiction and are up for wrestling with the hard topic then I encourage you to read this book.  I love the author’s heart behind it and passion. 

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.“


Tuesday, October 30, 2018

HOLY ROAR Review and Giveaway

I am one of those people that likes to have music on in the background as I go through my day.   Anyone else?  I try to play positive music because I find myself humming and singing the songs I listen to even when the music isn't on and it just sets my mood for the day.  

I was super excited to get Chris Tomlin's Holy Roar in the mail because I like his music and I put it in right away.  I love it!  What a great album to worship with!!  I found myself singing along and worshipping while doing the dishes and cleaning the house.  I had to pause my cleaning to sing and praise God during some of the songs.  The songs are upbeat and focused on worshipping and praising God. 

I love the thought behind the title Holy Roar.  HOLY ROAR: the freedom, the experience, the wonder of worship.  It is seeing the church come together, hands lifted to God, pouring out our praise with an eternal song in our hearts.  It's every voice together changing the way we worship.

Some of the songs include:
Holy Roar, Nobody Loves Me Like You, Resurrection Power, and I Stand in Awe

You definitely want to get this album.  Here is the link for different ways to buy and download-- https://christomlin.lnk.to/holyroarQW

Now comes one of my favorite part of my reviews--one reader will WIN a Holy Roar CD!
All you need to do is sign in to the Rafflecopter below.  Answer my question about your favorite music artist for 1 entry and share this giveaway for an extra entry.  Comments are moderated so don't be concerned if your comment doesn't show up right away.  Continental US only for this giveaway.  This is a quick giveaway so get your entries in before midnight on November 1.




"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"): Many thanks for Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winter and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.





Monday, November 27, 2017

The ESV Illuminated Bible


In the Bible in Joshua 4, after the Israelites crossed the Jordan river they placed 12 stones in the Jordan where they had crossed to remember what God had done.  Joshua told the people the stones were "to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." Joshua 4:6-7   


Like Joshua told the Israelites to do, I think it is important to look back and remember what the Lord has done in our lives and pass it down to our children.  One of the ways I have done this is by keeping notes in my Bible.  My Bible has verses underlined, important dates where God showed me something specific or brought me through something difficult, and little notes from things that have stuck out in sermons.   It is a good way for me to look back and remember what God has shown me and remember what He has done.  I hope to someday show our children and teach them how to remember and praise God.


One of the reasons I like the Illuminated Bible is that is has nice wide margins for writing notes or art journaling.  I have not gotten into Bible art journaling yet, but I know that many enjoy it as a way to express what God is showing them just like my writing in the margins does.



"The ESV Illuminated Bible places the full ESV text alongside over 500 elegantly hand-lettered gold ink illustrations by renowned artist Dana Tanamachi. Printed on thick cream-colored paper, the Bible's single-column text setting and wide margins provide generous space for additional notes, prayers, and designs—inviting readers to creatively engage with and reflect on the beauty of God's Word."

If you are someone who likes wide margins in your Bible or you are into Bible art journalling I would recommend this Bible.  The look is very elegant.  If you are not into that sort of thing there are other Bibles I would probably recommend over this Bible.

Here are a few links to find more information and/or purchase this Bible.

www.IlluminatedBible.org


I also have a copy to give away!!    One reader will win a copy of the Illuminated Bible.  To enter, sign in to Rafflecopter below.  You can get 1 entry for answering a question and 2 extra entries if you share this giveaway.  Comments are moderated so please do not be concerned if your comment doesn't show up right away.  Continental US only for this one.

a Rafflecopter giveaway





“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

    



Saturday, April 08, 2017

Once Upon a Time Holy Bible and Storybook Review


      With the popularity of fairy tales and Disney animation, and especially with the new release of Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast on March 17, Zonderkidz wanted to publish a storybook Bible and full -text Bible that would resonate with children and families who loved those types of movies, and loved reading a great story.

      Zonderkidz wanted to capture fans of this genre, but introduce young children to the word of God, and introduce them to the great characters of the Bible. It’s important to note that this brand serves to resound the theme that the Bible is NOT a fairy tale, but every great Bible story happened once upon a time. The Bible is the ultimate Happily Ever After story!


The Once Upon a Time Holy Bible is NIrV version.  It also highlights 6 stories with colorful illustrations.  I like this version and the illustrations and highlight stories draw the reader in. You can buy this book wherever books are sold.





The Once Upon a Time Storybook Bible is full of colorful illustrations to make the stories come alive.  Each story has a "Happily Ever After" section that shares a lesson to learn from the story.  For example for the story of Zacchaeus it reads, "Zacchaeus wasn't always a good person, but Jesus wanted to be friends with him anyway.  Jesus loves us no matter what mistakes we make."   It also shows where in the Bible the story is found so you can look it up and go deeper if you would like. This storybook is available at Sam's Club and wherever books are sold



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