Out the door--cleaning my office

All these titles looked good at the time, but I haven't read them, probably won't. So I've put them in a plastic bag, and they'll go to the library book sale next trip. It's tough culling books.

And you call yourself a Christian. CCDA. After 2005, but n.d. UALC library freebie box.

The cardiac arrhythmias. 2d ed. 1975. There's a DVM signature on the inside, so I've probably had this one a decade. Anything about A-fib I need to know I can find on the internet.

The Christmas train. by David Baldacci. pb. 2004. Bought at the library sale, but never read it. Fiction.

The complete idiot's guide to football, 2nd ed. 2001. Nothing will ever make me like football, not even reading about it. I bought it used--probably library sale.

Finding common ground. Moody. 1999. UALC library freebie box.

Helping people through grief. Bethany. 1987. UALC library freebie box.

A medical and spiritual guide to living with cancer. 1993. I took out the medical part and just kept the spiritual, so it begins with Ch. 9. New ed. 2004.

Rewriting writing; a rhetoric and handbook. 1987. Probably from an OSU book sale. I've probably used it a few times.

Sharing your life mission every day. Zondervan. 2002. UALC library freebie box.

The sisters have their say. Elm Hill Books. 2005.

1,001 computer hints and tips. Readers Digest. 2001. Gift.

Columbus The Musical Crossroads

David Meyers knows more about the Columbus music scene than anyone I know, and he has a new book in the Arcadia series, Images of America, called Columbus The Musical Crossroads. It follows the usual format of about 130 pages and 2 photos per page with text. That's probably murder for a guy like Dave who has boxes of research and documentation, but it's fun for the reader.

“Columbus has long been known for its musicians. Unlike New York, San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville, or even Cincinnati, however, it has never had a definable “scene.” Still, some truly remarkable music has been made in this musical crossroads by the many outstanding musicians who have called it home. Since 1900, Columbus has grown from the 28th- to the 15th-largest city in the United States. During this period, it has developed into a musically vibrant community that has nurtured the talents of such artists as Elsie Janis, Ted Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dwight Yoakam, Bow Wow, and Rascal Flatts. But, in many instances, those who chose to remain at home were as good and, perhaps, even better.”

I have only leafed through it (my husband brought it back to Lakeside with him), but I think Columbus boomers will get a kick out of Chapter 8, "Out of the Garage," which features the local high school rock and roll bands of the 1960s.

"Every high school had its personal favorite, and at Thomas Worthington it was the Dantes. Anchored by the precocious guitar work of Dave Workman and lead singer Barry Hayden's Mick Jagger-Ray Davies posturing, the quintet, which included Lynn Wehr, Joey Hinton, and Carter Holliday, had the best equipment and dressed in the latest mod clothing purchased on trips to New York.

Within a couple of years, at least one member of the band was earning more than his father playing weekends and holidays from school. The Dantes released three 45s before they found out the hard way that opportunities were limied for a cover band, no matter how good it might be." p. 110

Other Columbus teen bands of the 60s: The Triumphs; Vadicans; The 5th Order (Electras); The Grayps; The Rebounds; The Epics; The Shilohs; The Toads; The Thirteenth Dilemmas; The Dubonnets (Phantom Duck); The Trolls; The Edicates; Lapse of Time; In-Men; Four O'clock Balloon; The Fugitives.

Cross posted at Collecting My Thoughts.

American Shelter; an illustrated encyclopedia of the American house

Today I am the porch hostess at Green Gables, a cottage in Lakeside, Ohio, which is on the 52nd Annual Tour of Homes. I'm supposed to check off tickets and tell the guests, "Green Gables was built as a cottage in 1883 and is Steamboat Gothic style. S.R. Gill, a founder of Lakeside, had hoped that all new buildings would be built in this style, copying the Steamboat Gothic style found in Martha's Vineyard. . . point out the original Gothic windows, ornate bargeboard, gingerbread gable pendant."

Not to be picky, but according to American Shelter (Lester Walker, 1981), a book I bought at the Port Clinton book sale many years ago, Green Gables is actually Carpenter Gothic, not Steamboat Gothic.

The invention of powered saws for cutting wood, and the popularization of the new ballon frame gave the American carpenter the tools he needed. The result was a building phenomenon unique to this country. . . The Carpenter Gothic Style is characterized chiefly by its profusion of decorative sawn details (gingerbread). . . Carpenter Gothic houses were being constructed all over te nation during the mid19th century. Some cities such as Cape May, NJ; OakBluffs, Martha's Venyard, MA; and San Francisco became famous for the whimsical forms the decoration too on their buildings."

American shelter; an illustrated encyclopedia of the American house by Lester Walker, Overlook Press, 1981.
Location: Lakeside, Ohio bookshelf
ISBN 0-87951-131-1

Begins with the American Indians and ends with post-modern. Wonderful illustrations. Purchased as a discard (Ida Rupp Port Clinton) many years ago for $1.

Bride's Bible

Maybe it didn't last. Why would anyone not keep this? I found this (17 x 12.9 cm), 96 pg, Tyndale House book in the freebie box. The intention of the publisher was someone, maybe the mother-in-law or a bridesmaid, was to present it as gift for a bride. It's not really a Bible, but a selection of verses from a variety of translations with a lovely reproduction of a painting. Brides used to carry a small white Bible under their bouquet, but I don't know if that is still the custom. I don't have a white Bible, so I don't think I did this; it sticks in my mind I carried my mother's Bible. Anyway, I sat down and read it this morning during my devotions, and it's a lovely selection to be read any time. Paintings are wonderful too.

The Bride's Bible
Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL
A Dorline Kindersley Book, London
First American edition 1999
Color reproduction in Italy by GRB
Manufactured in China by Imago
Contents:

Marriage
Love
A Life of Contentment
Children
Living a Godly Life
Facing Life's Difficultires

ISBN-10: 0842336508

God's Gift for Mothers

My husband was listening to me complain, for the umpteenth time, that so many Christian Life (a subject category) books are about 80% fluff and cotton candy. I showed him "God's Gift for Mothers" a Thomas Nelson (2008) inspirational paperback. It has about 100 meditations on marriage, parenting, friendships, careers, children, etc. arranged by subject, beginning with ABIDE and ending with WITNESS. Very little about Jesus except in the most generic, general way, not even in the Preface, where the Good News might have been a foundation for building on other topics. I read to him the LOVE passage--it's not untrue, it's just not the TRUTH about love as revealed in Jesus:

"Poets have tried for centuries to capture the essence of love. The Bible tells us quite simply that real love is caring more about others than we care about ourselves and our own needs. Be a model of selfless love in your relationships. It will be contagious." p. 75 (John 13:34)

My husband said no daily meditation book could include the Gospel in every selection. But there is one that hits the mark about 99%. Concordia Publishing (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) manages to produce 4 times a year a daily meditation pocket or purse size booklet, Portals of Prayer, a serial not a book, where the three authors of most entries begin with a scripture, then 1) introduce the day's topic with an anecdote, 2) move to application in your life, then 3) close with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in some form--usually in two sentences. Sometimes the authors will switch the template around a bit, but usually this is the pattern. I mean, how hard can it be to say, You are a sinner unable to please God, but Jesus has died on the cross for your sins and risen from the grave, and you will too as a believer? Yet, that powerful message, the theme of the Bible from the fall to the 2nd coming, seems to be the toughest for Christian writers and publishers to either quote directly or paraphrase!

Here's April 2, 2008 (which begins with the role of an architect in construction)

"Regardless of our diligence, we cannot earn favor with God. But Jesus earned God’s favor on our behalf. Christ accomplished the work of our salvation when He carried our sins on the cross. His resurrection was God’s mark of approval that proclaims Christ’s victory over our sin. We cannot add to His gift, but daily work, done in faith, can be a grateful response that honors our Master Architect."

But the price was right. I picked it up from the freebie box at church to read as I do my morning walk.

Communicating with Hispanic Workers; Contractor's edition

I've seen a lot of language books, and I think this one is terrific. The price was right too. I found it for $1.00 at the Discovery Shop (benefits cancer research) on Kenney Rd. in Columbus. And there are several more copies there, if you think you might need one. The author, Trish Rodriguez, has a B.A. in Spanish and International Studies and an M.A. in International Training and Education and is married to a contractor. There are also other titles for dry wall, masonry, landscaping, etc. The format is an easy to use, flip chart style, that would fit easily into a pair of coveralls or jeans.

One of the key chapters, which I might have put at the beginning, includes interview questions, paperwork phrases, such as Complete esta solicitud and Necesito ver su identificacion. In the introduction Ms. Rodriguez includes a few tips on basic communication such as, be polite, and remember, not everyone is from Mexico. She also points out that many of the Spanish speakers may not know the Spanish words in the construction trades.

When I checked this book title at the various book selling sites I was a bit surprised to see speakers of English referred to as "Anglo-Saxons." Didn't they die off about 1,000 years ago? Millions of Americans have no direct descent from the British Isles or England--English is our language, not our ethnicity.

The parent company of Cool Springs Press is Thomas Nelson, a Christian publisher. In her acknowledgments Ms. Rodriguez thanks God and gives him the glory. Nice touch in a well written language guide. I hope there are similar books for nurses, hospitality managers, and city workers.

Communicating with Hispanic workers; contractor's edition. Trish Rodriguez, Cool Springs Press, 2005, 160 p. ISBN 1-59186-232-9. Spiral bound. PB.

Keep a quiet heart

Liberated from the freebie box at the church library, Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot may be one of the best devotional titles I've ever read. I try to spend about 30 minutes in the morning reading either scripture, or a short meditative selection, or both. This title is a collection of her essays from her newsletter (The Elisabeth Elliot Newsletter, published 6 times a year, Ann Arbor, MI, 1982-2003). My paperback was published in 1995 by Vine Books, an imprint of Servant Publications. There are 104 selections, arranged by 5 topics, but including small excerpts from other authors (verses from poetry or hymns usually) there may be a total of 120-130.

The most amazing entry in my opinion is pp. 118-120, "Lost and found," which is about an answer to prayer. I've told this story to anyone who will listen, and photocopied it to give away. I love it. I've enjoyed this title so much, I'm rereading it. The newer editions of this book have a different cover.

Elizabeth Elliot, widowed twice, is 81 and has been married 30 years to Lars Gren. Her webpage is here. Lars and Elizabeth keep an update going called Ramblings from the Cove, and here's December 2007, quite lively and filled with humor.