Summer Reading.

     Indeed, the summer is over. For those of you who have been reading, i felt it appropriate to update you on my final reading list for the summer:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K. Rowling) - She is a wonderful story-teller. Very much enjoyed these.
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
8. second half of The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky) - this was twice the "accomplishment" of the previous seven combined. At least. It was heavy enough to really take an entire summer to sift through, but that certainly does not detract from its worth as a masterpiece.
9. The Pilgrim's Regress (C.S. Lewis) - i wouldn't even attempt to describe his genius.
10. Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis)
11. Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens) - Marvelously uplifting and convicting, at the same time.
12. The Call (Os Guinness) - i've still got about 30% of this to finish.



On an unrelated note, i think that a foundational truth that can be applied to a "mature" follower of Jesus is that he or she recognizes the blessing of God not simply in the "yes answers" to prayer; and not only in the happy things; and not just when we get a job or a raise or get married or have a child; but also in the fact that God gives His blessing just as passionately and knowingly in the rough times we face. That may be one of the most difficult parts of Biblical maturity. For me it is.