Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Easter!

Since the sun is shining and I can see the tips of my daffodils blooming, it's time to think spring! Here are a few Easter cards for you to get you in the mood...

I hope to have more to post after Friday. I have a few more embellishments that just need created into cards. :) I'm also thinking about some Easter tags that could be tied onto baskets or little gifts. We'll see what some time to create on Friday brings!

To order, visit my facebook page. (www.facebook.com/cardsbyjessica) You can order all of these directly from my page. Look for the little shopping cart on the left. (PS- You get a nice little discount if you're a fan!)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Book Review: Finding Our Way Again by Brian McLaren

Side note: Another hobby! Reading! :)

I hope to post some Easter cards for you soon!

While this was not a book I would have normally chosen off the shelf, it turned out to be a very interesting read. As the introductory book to a series on spiritual practices, Brian McLaren speaks to how “we must rediscover our faith as a way of life, not simply as a system of belief.” He looks at how even ancient spiritual practices have a place today in modern religions as we seek to regain our focus and strengthen our faith. I was expecting a sort of summary of the practices, which it was not. He focused mainly on the need for these practices as a whole in our daily lives and what it means to be growing in our faith (and “finding our way again”).

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I am neither a religious scholar nor a history buff, but his explanations of Christian history were (mostly) clear enough that I was able to follow and have a very basic understanding of where he was coming from.

The one issue that I had with the book was that while McLaren clearly stated that he was a Christian and was writing from a Christian perspective, the book was written for “unreligious people as well as adherents of all three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.” I did appreciate his explanations of the similarities among these faiths, but I also believe they are different enough to warrant not including them all in one book. For that reason, there were times that I felt he wasn’t as clear in making his statements as he would have been if it simply was directed toward a Christian audience.

I plan to keep this book on my bookshelf to refer back to at another time. I also hope to perhaps think through some of the spiritual exercises and study guide questions more thoroughly.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com http://BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”