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I caught myself overreacting to an Internet outage the other day. I told myself to take a breath, step back, and think about the greater perspective. Then I realized that, while The Noticer is a quick read, its main idea had already gotten past my mind’s defenses.

Jones, the titular Noticer, is an itinerant philosopher, counselor, and friend, who seemingly does not age. Through multiple “chance” meetings with people in various walks (and troubles) of life, Jones (and author Andy Andrews) doles out sage advice that always comes back to regaining a greater perspective.

While the advice is worthwhile, I find it difficult to believe that the characters in the book would change their lives so drastically based on reason alone, as if one encounter with a wise man who finally speaks truth into their lives will change years of bad habits. I believe it can happen; I just don’t believe it happens all that often. However, should someone in a like situation to those found in the book read The Noticer, they might in fact be motivated to change. Or at least think about changing. Which is forward progress, even if it’s barely… noticeable.

Then again, the book even makes mention of the difference between intention and action, citing intention without action as being the same as inaction. So do you intend to change, or will your actions show your change? That’s the open question at the end of the book: Did those who meet Jones actually change?

As for my internet outage, I realized I’m more fortunate to have even a non-functioning internet connection than probably four-fifths of the planet.

Greater perspective indeed.

- posted as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogging Team

As a disclaimer, I signed up to be a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger a few weeks ago. They send me books; I read them and review them. Fortunately, they ask that the review be honest, and about the whole book. That’s always my intention.

This is Your Brain on Joy is not a book I would typically read. Not that I think I have life figured out (far from it!), but I seldom read “self-help” books, even though I’d have a hard time classifying Dr. Henslin’s book as your typical “self-help” book.

Through his relationship with New York Times bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen (of the Amen Clinic), Dr. Henslin provides insight into the physical realities behind our depressions, our manias, our phobias, and our lack of true joy. Through SPECT imaging of the brain itself, Dr. Amen and Dr. Henslin can help a person pinpoint their areas of actual brain weakness. Each chapter is devoted to a specific area of the brain, and how any minor damage, through any number of causes, can radically affect a person’s experience of life. Dr. Henslin then provides a number of recommendations to help a person change the way their brain functions. He provides examples of helpful supplements, activities, scriptures, quotes, recommended reading, listening, and watching, and a host of other ideas to help pull a person out of habits that can otherwise deteriorate a life well lived.

For such an intrinsically complicated subject, Dr. Henslin almost becomes too simple in his descriptions, like when he describes the Cingulate Gyrus as the Circular Gerbil Wheel, because people with problems in that area are compulsive, dwell on the negative, and tend to store hurts. In other words, they can’t “get off the wheel.” But, these simple images do help to metaphorically convey in a quick way what occurs in our minds, and how that plays out in our lives. The book itself is an easy read and has many good recommendations for those that might see themselves in its pages.

On a personal note, before reading this book, I thought that joy only came from God, and if I wasn’t feeling joyful, then I must not be doing something right. That’s a flawed view. Joy does only come from God, but God can use any number of means to bring it into our lives. Taking any kind of supplement or medication seemed like anathema to me; through a few recent exchanges with friends and family, I’ve learned that God can use those things to help reorient a person to joy.

And joy has to be sought. I was one to wait on it, not to seek it out. Dr. Henslin provides plenty of ways to seek out joy, and by understanding your brain deficiency, you’re better able to utilize his recommendations.

The Last Word: This Is Your Brain on Joy is an easy and practical read. It’s recommended for those that lack a deep sense of joy or those that are interested in how the brain’s functioning contributes to our daily experiences of life itself.

It’s been far too long since my last update. My lame excuse, though true, is that life got in the way. And I became a little enamored with the ease of twittering rather than having to devote concerted effort to blogging.

But I have a newfound (re-found?) interest in getting back into writing about the things I enjoy. Namely, books, and the crossroads between faith and culture. I signed up a few weeks ago to be a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger. I just recently registered to see if I could be an Ooze Viral Blogger (and yes, this post is my way of saying to them that I will be resuming my blogging!). And I’ve been stockpiling books on sale from a fairly new Mardel store close to me.

So, here’s a commitment from me to you to tell you my honest opinion about the things I’m reading. I would greatly appreciate comments, as well as leads on books that you’ve read that would seem to suit my tastes.

Go here to see the full list, but these would be my three favorites:

I have been very slowly working through Uprising by Erwin McManus because I keep reading other books. This is not meant as a slight to Mr. McManus. In fact, I think I keep finding other things to read because Erwin challenges me too deeply. To wit, from today’s reading:

We are seldom afraid when our opposition is smaller than us. When we keep our challenges manageable, we not only manage our fear, but squelch our faith. One way to deal with our fears is to surround ourselves with security and predictability. We may look courageous when in fact all we’ve done is minimize our risk. Whenever God calls us to something, it inspires not only faith, but also fear. God always summons us to something bigger than ourselves. When he calls us to battle, the opposition will always be greater than the strength we have.

Last year I resolved not to make any resolutions. My reasoning? It’d be the one resolution I knew I could keep. Mission accomplished!

But this year is different. This year has been very different. So much so that I can’t resolve to do anything new. I have to revolt against what I’ve been doing.

I have to make New Year’s Revolutions.

I will fight against my past complacencies: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational. I’ve let far too many things slide because of my laziness, or forgetfulness, or selfishness, or ignorance. But I’m keen to my blindsides now, aware that my inaction breeds habits that must be forced out by… force.

By revolution.

Revolting against my sinfulness, I will fight to put God above all.
Revolting against my selfishness, I will fight to love my wife as Christ loves the church.
Revolting against my laziness, I will fight to better apply myself at my work.
Revolting against my indolence, I will fight to exercise and to get outside much more often.
Revolting against my ignorance, I will fight to read more and write more.

By contrasting who I’ve been with who I want to be, I can see the path set before me. It’s not an easy path; it takes dedication, commitment, perseverance, endurance, patience, and a whole host of other qualities that I possess in small qualities or rarely display at length. But it’s a burden worth bearing, because the reward is so great.

Even then, remember…

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30

Brilliantly shot and edited cellphone short film:

HT: Presentation Zen

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek have teamed up to create Fiction Family. I don’t even have to hear the music to know I’m going to like it. I’d buy it sound unheard. But, they’ve released one song for free.

Or you can just watch the video:

Fiction Family - When She’s Near from ATO Records on Vimeo.

For those that don’t know, Secret Millionaire follows millionaires who live the life of the poor for a week as they seek out people in need, to whom, at the end of the week, they give lavish amounts of money to.

I like this show. I think it’s ironic that it’s on FOX and that, at least in the two hour premiere I’ve seen, the Secret Millionaires mostly meet people helping other people through church-sponsored ministries.

It’s as if FOX is showing the world what most Baptist kids have experienced who’ve ever gone on a mission trip. No, we didn’t give lavish checks, but we gave a week, got out of our comfortable surroundings, and dug into the hard work of trying to help those in need. But then we’d come back to our “normal” lives, and we’d feel uncomfortable in this “normalcy” for awhile, but a few weeks would pass, the feeling would be gone, and we’d be back to living for ourselves. I assume that was the case for most of us; it was for me. Then again, there were the chosen few who, through one week of mission work, would get the call from God (why is it so clear for some and not others?), and they’d be headed off to Africa, or New York, or somewhere that people needed help. Which is really everywhere, but I digress.

Secret Millionaire is a great show. It’s actually doing some good. It’s worthwhile “reality” TV, if there is such a thing. I was readily engaged with the first show, where a millionaire dad and his son spent a week living in poverty. I started crying when he handed the first check to a woman who had once been homeless and had lived in a creek-bed for a year. This same woman, under the assumption that her new employee and his son were both living hand-to-mouth, took them under her wing and helped them out because someone once helped her out. When she received a check for $50,000, her first reaction was to say “I can’t accept that” over and over and over again. It was too much.

I started crying because it’s such a real depiction of what we do with God’s grace.

It’s too much.
We don’t feel worthy of it.
We don’t feel like we’ve earned it.
It’s too much.
There’s no way we could ever accept it.
Why would anyone want to give us that much of anything worth something?
It’s too much.

And I believe a lot of us live in that moment, shirking back from all that God wants to give us, repeating “It’s too much.”

It is too much.
And we will never do enough to earn it.
So do like the lady did.
Take it.
Say thanks.

Then live your life in response to that kind of generous grace.

I shall attempt to post a weekly NoiseTrade.com album widget for your perusal. I’ll only post ones I’ve actually downloaded. If you haven’t tried NoiseTrade, you should. It has a lot of great music and a great distribution deal - get the album for free if you recommend it to five friends via email or pay what you think it’s worth. They also appear to be adding new artists and albums every few weeks.

I don’t use it as much as I should, but that will change. Tonight’s download was to help ease me out of my bah-hum-bug-ness for the Christmas season (only because I’ve been rehearsing Christmas music for six weeks already!) Click the album cover to hear all the tracks!