Book worm.

I love to read, I always have a number of books on the go at any one time. A pile of books perched on my bedside table, genres for any and all moods. 

Sometimes though, I’ll go through phases when I don’t get to read as much as I like.

This week was not one of those phases. In fact, it saw me turning to the final pages of no less than 3 excellent books. I’ve enjoyed reading all of them, so thought I’d do a quick few lines of review on them in case you are a reader too and are looking for something to fill that space on YOUR bedside table. 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I was lent this book by one of the young people in the church, and was looking forward to reading it as the film version is coming out on the 23rd March. 

It focuses on a future version of our world, where civilization has fallen and been rebuilt into districts divided up into 13 sections, the one at the centre being the Capital (the big bads). To keep the population quiet and to show their power, every year, each district has to provide two young people to come to an arena of the Capital’s choosing, where they fight to the death. 24 go in, only one comes out. 

It sounds a little morbid, and yes...it is. It’s not the easiest of reads in parts, a bit sad to see these characters in these impossible situations, but well written, and a great world created.

This is only the first book of the trilogy, so Im looking forward to reading the next 2, and counting down the days to the movie release (which if the trailers are anything to go by, seems to be very faithful to the source material).

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

I’m on a running kick at the minute, so this book was recommended to me by a friend who is already an accomplished runner. It’s one man’s story of re-learning the art of running by discovering the secrets behind some of the best runners in the world. In particular he spends a lot of time in the Copper Canyon’s in Mexico, where the world’s greatest long distance runners reside (the Tarahumara). These tribes of people seem to eschew modern knowledge on long distance running, going against what all the experts in our first world context would say, and yet, remain the world’s best. 

As I attempt to train up for the marathon, this is a great bit of motivation. Reading as the author learns to love running again, and hearing the stories of some of these incredible runners, it does however make the 26 miles of a regular marathon look like a walk in the park when some of these guys pop out 100 miles through deserts with seemingly no problem... Maybe that’s for next year...

(This was also the first book I've ever read on a Kindle/iPad format. I thought I'd hate it, but actually liked it better than I thought I would...I'm not ready to jetison paper just yet though!)

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

This man is my favourite author. I say a lot of things are my “favourite”, but this is actually true. I love his style and the way he brings real life and depth to the characters he creates. 

In the case of this book, that isn’t really necessary as it’s actually about a real family. The Zeitouns are a mixed-culture Muslim family living in New Orleans, and this book is all about their lives throughout the time of Hurricane Katrina, looking at the way the government and armed forces dealt with the aftermath, in particular how a Muslim man of Syrian background was treated. It’s pretty shocking to imagine that these events took place in the USA only 6 years ago.

As usual, Dave Eggers packs a punch. He seems to have found his niche telling stories of those who have suffered at the hands of others and governments, sharing the profits widely around different foundations to help deal with the affects. One of his other bests and on my “you must read it” list is “What is the What”, which looks at a young boy escaping from Sudan (as one of the Walking Boys as they came to be known) and finding a new life in the USA. 

(And while I’m on a roll, other jewels from Dave Eggers are “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius”, “You Shall Know Our Velocity”, and “How We Are Hungry” (a beautiful book of short stories) He also wrote the film “Away We Go”, probably my favourite film (again, no exaggeration) with his wife Vendela Vida, also an author in her own right well worth looking into (her best so far in my opinion being “Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name”)

So there you have it. My two cents on three great books that I'm thankful made their way into my hands. 

Let me know if you’re currently engrossed in something you think shouldn’t be missing from my bedside table.

Greenfingers.

Last Summer I dug out a space in my back garden to grow things in. For the most part, I was motivated to do it so I could use the pictures in a talk I was doing for a family service (the Parable of the Sower...I needed some "good ground"!) But I was determined to make the most of the hard work. That ground had NOT been turned for a long time!

So I'm working on filling the space at the minute. For right now I just have some flowers planted in there, but am looking into what I can grow that is also edible (or can pass for edible).

Over the past few days, shoots have been breaking through the ground, and I've been loving seeing it! Something great about putting something in the ground and watching what happens. 

Watch this space for more updates...

Run, run, as fast as you can.

A year ago I couldn't run the length of my street, but I always wanted to be able to run.

At the start of the year last January, I heard about a podcast programme called "Couch to 5k", put together by the NHS in the UK, which was basically to get people off the sofa and out on the street running.

Because, and only because, of that podcast, I would class myself as becoming a runner today. It got me out of the house and out on the paths of North County Dublin by being manageable and taking it slowly at the start while building up to running for decent amounts of time, chunks that I never saw myself being able to do before starting.

It's gotten me to the place where I'm undertaking 1000 miles for charity this year, and also considering the marathon in May in Belfast.

So today I'm thankful for the "Couch to 5k" programme, and how it got me out of bad habits and into better health, and to a place where I actually enjoy it....and that's a big change, believe me!

(Check it out. I can't recommend it highly enough.)

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

The Creator who Creates Creators

I was struck this morning as I read through the first chapter of Genesis.

My Bible notes sent me there, and at first I was skeptical, how many times can I read that same passage and hear something new? When I heard that internal monologue in my own head, I knew something was amiss within me, and flicked to the start with new motivation to hear something new from God.

What I heard was a reminder of the creativity of the creator.

As the story goes, He filled this planet with a spectrum of the weird and wonderful. Oceans, rivers, sky, valleys and mountains, hummingbirds, aardvarks, Venus fly-traps and the duck-billed platypus.

And then on day 6 he makes us. In comparison maybe not so impressive. We can't survive the icy cold of the arctic or the sandy heat of the Sahara with just these relatively feeble bodies,but we have something else, he made us in His image, and along with that comes the creative spark that set this universe in its place.

We are not birds, but because of this spark of inspiration and creativity we can fly through the sky to the other side of the world in a matter of hours.

We are not fish, but because we are made in his image, with great creativity and innovation we can swim underwater for hours or sink to the depths and not be crushed.

We are not all mystics, but through art, poetry and music, those who are so gifted can transport us to another place, to another plane, communicating deeper truths than words themselves can express.

So I'm thankful for the creator who creates good things, and the spark of creation that lies in each of us.

Provider

Last night I was sitting in my car waiting for people to come out of the chippy.

They got in the car after I'd been sitting listening to music with the engine off for a while, and I turned the key to take us home.

Nothing.

A dead battery. We weren't going anywhere.

My first inclination was to race through the different scenarios in my mind, who did I know who would have jump leads? Would my emergency help insurance cover be busy, or even working on New Years Day? How long was it going to take us to get out of this mess?

My mind ran through the possibilities as I turned the key a couple more times. And from the back seat, someone suggested we pray.

She prayed under her breath and in short sentences asked for help.

No less than 30 seconds later as I was still pondering our options, the boot of the car parked in front of us pops open, and three late teenagers get out, pick out a big battery and jump cables and walk towards the car.

Stunned, I get out of the car and they ask "do you need help?" I open the bonnet, one of the guys attaches the cables, I turn the key, and the car jumps to life.

I thank the guys profusely, get back in the car, and we drive off.

All this taking place within literally two minutes of the prayer.

Now I assume that they heard me trying to start the car and thought that they'd jump out and help, but the timing, the situation, the help....all seemed very God ordained. Incredible stuff.

So this morning I'm thankful for helpful people, and for the God who led them to the place that He knew they could help out some people in need.

So as this year starts, may I learn more about relying on the God who provides and have a little more faith to maybe run to Him a little bit quicker.

(and I'm thankful for the faith of praying and faithful Argentinians, without whose example, I might still be waiting outside the chippy in Rostrevor!)