Spring Cleaning the Bookshelves

I have a few comments from the gallery. Some recommendations for other books.

From a reader in Thailand:

Polishing God's Monuments

            Pillars of Hope for Punishing Times

A pastor and Bible College Professor preaches and teaches from the Word, but when prolonged, traumatic suffering engulfs his family, he is forced wrestle with many questions related to suffering.

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Here's a couple of recommendations that I held over from the Christmas Reading Club.  The following comes from a former Nanchanger who hangs out in Michigan now:

If you haven't read The Help yet, I'd highly recommend it.  Lots of humor, but not a Christian book. 

I thought I'd Never See the Day! by David Jeremiah.  NOT humorous, but should be on your "must read" list.

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Here are more recommendations held over from the Christmas Reading Club. They come from an author living in Spokane:

 First, your call for humor is echoed by editors everywhere. We heard their pleas at every writers conference I attended over the years. I laughed most through Jan Karon's books--filled with spiritual truth in everyday people like those you know next door, at the cafeteria or at the water cooler. Funny to tears and literary excellence.

    Here's a short list: 

    In the company of Others by Jan Karon, author the The Mitford Series (this one not so funny but I couldn't put it down). A tremendous piece of fiction set in Ireland that picks up the character Timothy McCavanaugh, a retired Episicopal priest, Karon's central protagonist in her wonderful town of Mitford series. In the Company... throbs with the underlying theme of forgiveness emerging from a family mystery.  

    About A Hole in the Gospel. Yes, LeRoy, an amazing story that both inspires and breaks the heart. It's worth the read just to learn of Stearn's testimony.

    Radical, by David Platt, also a must read for every American. It has inspired my husband and I to continue our attempt to thin out belongings and scale down house-wise.

    In Search of Balance by Richard A. Swenson (author of Margin); excellent! Balance is a soapbox of mine.

    An old classic I read the 2nd time this year is Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders; the best book on leadership I've read. Seek the Moody Publishers 2007 edition. Quotes from many missionary greats; challenging; convicting.

    Oh, we also love McManus but haven't read anything of his in years. He's from around here. Did you know?

Could It Be Narnia?

Could it be Narnia?  It certainly has that look. This is the way our front yard looked most of last week.

Thankfully that has gone away. Had great sunshine all day Sunday.  

When you get a good pair of boots, hang on to 'em. These boots were given to me on my birthday in 1995. They were a gift from my sweet wife and lovely children. These boots have walked the streets of Hong Kong and all over China. I have walked many a mile in these. I'm going to have to finally let them go. It's like losing an old friend. They were well worth the money spent. Thank you for such a good gift.

More Book Talk
Just finished Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler.
Interesting look at the Amish community and the struggle between religion and knowing Jesus.

Book It
Good Morning. It's time for some book talk.  


In my search for humorous books [minus the rude, crude and disgusting] someone pointed out that Jan Karon has a good bit of humor in her books.  That is correct.  Sorry I left her out of the last list.


Also, I think I left James Herriot off the list.  Jane and I both have been a fan of his for years. He has some good humor in his tales.


Also, there was a former Dallas area pastor that we discovered some years ago. His stories are snorting good laughs. He is Bruce McIver. The two books we read were  Stories I Couldn't Tell While I Was A Pastor and Just As Long As I'm Riding Up Front   
Anyone, with any other suggestions, please let me know. 


From My Reading Library
I just finished reading Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit
I've decided to reread it as I moseyed through it the 1st time.


Also finished Questions of Life by Nicky Gumbel.  You should definitely have a look at this one.


Have also started The Sacred Romance; Drawing Close to the Heart of God by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge


I have been doing a lot of sampling through Kindle. A good way to find whether I want a book or not.


From The Word
Got stalled in Leviticus. That ever happen to you?
So moved on to Jeremiah. Seeing too much of modern day America in that. Gets you praying for the US of A.
Continuing with Psalms before bedtime. Into John in the NT.  Still keep going to Isaiah as The Lord seems to draw me back to it. 


Whatcha Reading?
How about you?  What are you reading that you'd like to share with the customers here.
Share here or at ramsey@solic.net


I am always glad to hear what others are reading.


Thanks for joining in - LeRoy

Contemplating a name change

Since entering the computer/cyberspace era I have struggled with trying to get my named spelled correctly.
I have about decided to give it up and just change my name to George.  I don't think that can get messed up too much by the computer.

When I entered the Army, the administrators there didn't like my name. They thought there was something amiss that I didn't have a middle name, so they gave me one. I was LeRoy Nmni Ramsey in the Army.  I still use it some time.

For about the last 10 years I have been downgraded by most computers to a small king.  So, people writing to me on a computer have my name corrected if they do spell it correctly.  I tried to get a bank to spell my name correctly and they said, "that's the way the computer spells it" as if they were completely controlled by the computer.  They still haven't changed it.

I tell people now, "My mama spelled my name LeRoy and I'm sticking with it, no matter how many people spell it wrong."

Sheriff Micah explaining things to Kaitlyn

Testimony from Rick at the Bethel prayer room in Redding, CA.
Bethel has people on duty to pray whenever you arrive. How wonderful is the Great Family of God.
Before we prayed together, Rick briefly shared his testimony with us.  Rick is in his late 40s/early 50s.

"I didn't believe in God at all. I was happily doing my own thing.  Then, I was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus.  There were two cancerous tumors and docs told me there was nothing  they could do.  My son tried to talk me into going to Bethel to be prayed for.
I told him, 'I don't want to. I don't believe in any of that.' He kept asking.  He lives in PA. He told me he'd meet me in Redding with my grandkids. 
Well, I wanted to see my grandkids again before I died, so I met them there.  After we got to Redding, he got me to a service at Bethel.  I was prayed for by a ten-year-old boy and was healed. The tumors were gone.  It was a week or two later before I gave my life to Jesus."