BookPastor >> "Rhythms of Rest" (Shelly Miller)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Jan 9th, 2017.

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TITLE: Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World
AUTHOR: Shelly Miller
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2016, (224 pages).

A lot have already been written about the Sabbath but the need far outstrips the supply. What is the Sabbath? What makes this book unique compared to the other books? For author Shelly Miller, the first thing with regard to taking a rest is her mantra: "I Don't Do Guilt." There is no need to be guilty about taking a day off per week, or to rest where needed. Sabbath rest is about receiving a gift and not an excuse for guilt. While the world teaches us to rely on ourselves and our own abilities, taking a rest is in effect an acknowledgement that things will take care of themselves even as we rest. It requires surrender and deep trust. The way forward is not simply an obligation to force a weekly sabbath but to joyfully discover rhythms in which we can rest well. Sabbath is a gift. It is a reflection of God's creativity. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate to others that rest is not only possible, it is beneficial. Miller goes beyond simply taking a break. Sabbath is a time in which we commune with God in an intentional space. It is an invitation to intimate conversation, unhurried by the hustle and bustle of the world. It is a way in which we say to the world: "You shall have no hold on me."

While the benefits are many, there are also myths and deceptions that threaten to derail our pursuit of Sabbath rest. That is why Miller spends time dispelling myths like doing Church as a form of Sabbath. She writes:

BookPastor >> "The Radical Pursuit of Rest" (John Koessler)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Feb 27th, 2016.

conrade

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TITLE: The Radical Pursuit of Rest: Escaping the Productivity Trap
AUTHOR: John Koessler
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2016, (176 pages).

Is the title of this book an oxymoron? How can an active pursuit in itself be restful in the first place? It's like mixing a bottle of restlessness into a bowl called rest. Which will prevail? According to the author, this book about the "radical pursuit" is not so much about activities and techniques but the meaning of rest is "radical" in itself. In other words, to the perennially busy and constantly preoccupied individual, arriving at the restful disposition is already a radical position in itself. For our day and age, it most certainly require us to be "radical" in our pursuit of rest simply because we have lost the art of rest. The author uses nine chapters to explore the range of rest and restlessness. Beginning with faith, he notices how even the Sunday church services are nowhere near the rest that worship requires. Stuck in the hamster wheel of seeking success, Christian activities are full of advice giving, non-stop working, and wearing soldiering ahead just to do religious stuff. Rest needs to be found and the path to reach that state is not through work but divine rest. The way forward is to depend on the one who knows how best to rest: God. God rests because it is the rest of completion and contentment over the day's work. Remember how God says each day is "good?" Rest is a place where God is present. Rest is dependent not on what we have or not done, but completely on what Christ had done at the cross. Probing the notion of Sundays as that supposedly "day of rest," Koessler laments at the lack of uniformity in the practice of the Lord's Day. Far too often, it has been filled with all kinds of activities. Obviously, with the lack of practicing rest on a Sunday, no wonder the rest of the week is packed with lots of restlessness.

Music for Meditation

This is one of my favourite classical melodies. Written by a French musician named Erik Satie (1866-1925) at the age of 22, the "Trois Gymnopedies" is a series of three piano pieces that have a slow, intentional, and melodious manner that aids reflection and careful thinking.

Here is a Youtube rendition.




Here is a shorter version.





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Midweek Meditation: A Musical Peace in Love's River (Audio)

TITLE: Love's River: Calming Music, Soothing Music, Background Music, Dinner Music, New Age Music, Spa Music, Yoga Music, Relaxing Piano Music, Meditation Music
ARTIST: Laura Sullivan

This is a beautiful album for meditation and reflection, especially after a long day's work or when needing to find space to take a break, to rest, and to let our minds linger on spiritual thoughts. Laura Sullivan is an artist that has won a music emmy back in 2013.

Beginning with "Secrets of the Deep," one finds waves of piano melodies allowing one to swim freely without limit. The next song, "Wishing on a Dandelion" sparkles with ripples of hope and happiness. With the piano leading the way, one can follow the bright melody with lightly spirits. Then comes "Awakening to Love" which slows the mood down. Like waking up in the morning, one slowly allows the sleepy soul to awake, and to welcome the beginning of the day, the start of fresh hope, and to embrace the day or the night that is to come. The song "Blessed" is a nice reminder of how thankful we ought to be, for the ability to exercise our human senses, and to give thanks. "Holding Heaven" is a music of hope that much good and joy will come in due time. In "Moonlight Passage," we travel once again through the moods of ups and downs of life. The melancholic and sometimes haunting melody not only slows us down from the fast-paced lifestyle of the modern world, it gives us room to pace ourselves to human speed rather than technological rush. In "Love's River," Sullivan combines two piano playing styles together that reminds me of two persons in love. Like a flowing river, two persons dance with each other to learn, to move, and to enjoy each other's passions together. The song "Calligraphy" is the longest piece in the entire album. Like a musical poem, it flows like a musical essay with stanzas and choruses.

The whole album deals with the journey metaphor of life. Like waters reflecting light, the music reflects what life is essentially about. We need to take stock of what we can do and cannot do. We must learn from our mistakes, and celebrate our victories. In between is where most of us live in. The period of waiting can be a hauntingly anxious time of nothingness. During such times, we need help to be patient and to wait. Learning to rest and relax is becoming very challenging in our world of results and high expectations. We need to learn to slow down so that we can catch a breath. This kind of music ushers us into a mood of meditation and thankfulness.

I warmly recommend this album for your reflection. Though it is considered as "New Age," I would prefer to call it, meditative music for the soul. Learn to distinguish between good music and bad music, rather than all other kinds of differentiation. This album is good music.

conrade

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This album was provided to be free by the producer in exchange for an honest review. 

BookPastor >> "Mudhouse Sabbath" (Lauren Winner)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on August 6th, 2015.

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TITLE: Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline - Study Edition
AUTHOR: Lauren Winner
PUBLISHER: Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2015, (224 pages).

Christianity have roots in Judaism. They read the Torah or Pentateuch. They celebrate the Tehillim, (songs of praise), also known as Psalms.  Like the Proverbs and Jobs, the Psalms are part of the wisdom writings called the Ketuvim. As a convert to evangelical Christianity, the author often reflects back on her Jewish upbringing and fondly cherishes the rituals, the rules, and the meaning behind the Jewish spiritual practices. Out of that fond reflection comes the writing of this book which gives her a chance to revisit the riches of the Old Testament practices and how many of them can be appreciated in our modern world. In this updated edition, Winner adds in a greater awareness of pursuing God's justice in this world on top of just enjoying our spiritual life. She helps us reflect on how fasting can be related to caring for the poor, and how Sabbath keeping is to be integrated into the whole week by virtue of Sabbath not being at the beginning or end of the week, but the middle. She weaves into this book her own personal journey through experiencing her mum's passing, her broken marriage, a little older and wiser too. Having moved from Virginia to North Carolina, she has also moved from outside coffee shops to having coffee at home instead. In a way, this book is about moving from one place to another, in particular from Judaism to Christianity, and in the process trying to make sense of the commonality between the two. Perhaps, it is to expand the common space of understanding and to help those of us without a Jewish background to better appreciate the practices of Sabbath keeping and other important rituals. It helps us to go beyond the outer display of religiosity toward an inner appreciation of the essence of Jewish spirituality. The "study edition" format is about a twelfth chapter scattered throughout the other eleven in the form of study questions. For me, reading through this book is like eavesdropping the author's appreciation of her Jewish heritage from a Christian perspective.

BookPastor >> "Finding Spiritual Whitespace" (Bonnie Gray)

What we need most is not more technology, more time, more work, or more stuff. What we need most is space to determine what all these mean and to discern when to do and when NOT to do them. This review was first published on August 1st, 2014 at Panorama of a Book Saint.

conrade

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TITLE: Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest
AUTHOR: Bonnie Gray
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 2014, (272 pages).

We are all busy. We all have our own things to do. Packed calenders, filled schedules, you name it, we are all stretched to maximize all of our time and to minimize wastage. We have become so proficient in filling up all of our spaces but often paying a heavy price: We do not know how to rest. As Sabbath beckons each week, sometimes, we wonder whether we are able to find a place and means to rest. We need help. we need a way to recuperate from the madness of busyness. In the words of Bonnie Gray, we need to find "spiritual whitespace" which is her way of saying "we need to find a place to rest."

Bonnie Gray has personally heard stories and experienced her own trauma about needing to find spaces to rest when the demands are high and the energy levels are low. With a constant drive to get things done, she allowed the demands of work to dominate, resulting in severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Rather than a book that talks about rest from an expert, this book is about one person's journey of recovery from PTSD to restfulness. It comes out of a deep search for newer places of rest. It invites readers to come alongside and share the search process. It is a spiritual journey that breaks new ground for the author and hopefully for readers. More importantly, it reminds us that just because there is a blank space or empty schedule does not mean we need to straightaway fill it up. Some things are meant to be cherished as blank spaces so that it can spur creativity and beauty, not cluttering with work or accumulating stuff. Five "whitespaces" of rest are described.

Midweek Meditation: "Prayer of Rest" (Richard Foster)

"Blessed Savior, I am not good at resting in the hollow of your hand. Nothing in my experience has taught me this resting. I have been taught how to take charge. I have been taught how to be in control. But how to rest? No, I have no models, no paradigms for resting. This is not exactly right.

Jesus, when you walked among the Jerusalem crowds and in the Judean hills, you pioneered this way of living. You were always alert and alive. You lived utterly responsive to the will of the Father. Manifold demands were placed upon you, and still you walked in unhurried peace and power.

Help me to walk in your steps. Teach me to see only what you see, to say only what you say, to do only what you do. Help me, Lord, to work resting and to pray resting.

I ask this in your good and strong name. Amen."

Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, HarperCollins, p103)

BookPastor >> "Rest" (Siang-Yang Tan)

We have often told one another that we live in such a busy world. We have not enough time and too much to do. We love our families but we still are not able to spend enough time with them. The reason is most likely our inability to appropriately be at rest. Our hearts are often way too restless for our own good.


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TITLE: Rest: Experiencing God's Peace in a Restless World
AUTHOR: Siang-Yang Tan
PUBLISHER: Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing, 2000, (228 pages).

This book is written by one who is a professor, a pastor, as well as a licensed psychologist. As a professor, Tan brings together a wealth of scholarship resources surrounding what spiritual rest entails. He describes rest as "a state of peace, contentment, serenity, refreshment, stillness, tranquility, or calm." Some of the qualities of rest includes a quieted heart, a "sober awareness" of God's presence, an ability to know the limits of self, to enjoy nature, to reflect, trust, and not rush through life. Like a skilled surgeon, Tan approaches rest from many angles, namely, physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.

In Part Two, Tan shines as an experienced pastor who hones his scholarship with a shepherd's heart. Through Psalm 23, readers are urged to begin with "Shepherd-Centeredness" to draw near and abide with the Source of True Rest: God. True rest requires a "Spirit-filled surrender" that helps one to move away from self toward others.In solitude and silence, Tan brings together many of the teachings from spiritual masters like Dallas Willard, Jan Johnson, Doug Gregg, Henri Nouwen, and A.W.Tozer to guide readers toward developing a state of sensing God. We are also reminded on the need to cultivate simplicity in living. Sabbath is a crucial part of rest. As a trained psychologist, we note how Tan shines in his exposition on sleep. Cultivating a spiritual community and serving one another are also other nuances surrounding rest. Tan does not stop at the present state. He points readers to an eternal rest

There are so many gems and helpful practical tips on how to rest. In one book, we are given a taste of the many different ways in which rest can be cultivated, developed, and practised. Tan has done all the hard work for us in bringing together a wealth of resources at our own disposal. With this book, we need not ask how then do we rest. We will not be telling ourselves "we need to rest," or "we have to rest." Instead, we will be saying, "Wow! I want to rest."


Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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Ruthlessly Eliminate Hurry

Hurry up?

One of the biggest modern problems in our culture is busyness. It has become a norm everywhere we go. At work we are busy. In Church we are busy. At home, we too live like busy people. The fact is that we have become so accustomed to our busyness that we have taken it to be something we can do nothing about. I believe that one reason why we are perpetually busy people is because our hearts are not at peace. Our hearts are restless. Our hearts are constantly looking for things in this world to satisfy our wants. Truth is, our hearts are God-shaped hearts, and until we let God fill us, we will always be restless. We will always be unsatisfied. Our busyness will never fill us. Our hearts have been tainted by sin such that it is like a broken cistern. No amount of busy pouring of water (or search for satisfaction) will be able to keep it filled. After a while, all the water will leak out, leaving our vessels empty. Unfulfilled. Dissatisfied. Lacking.

John Ortberg, in his early years as a pastor at Willow Creek Community Church shares about his learning from his spiritual mentor. He asks about how to be spiritually healthy in the light of pastoral work and busyness. Back comes the reply: "You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life."

Like a typical high achiever, Ortberg, like an obedient student puts this as point #1 and asks "Now, what else is there?"

The reply is classic. "There is nothing else. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life."

That's right. One trait of restlessness is how easy we are distracting ourselves from the main thing. We have compartmentalized life in such a way that anything we have received, we imagine to be only a partial delivery. Isn't this the way we treat God's grace? Are we not guilty of trying to add to what God has already done? Instead of appreciating and enjoying what God has given us, we are so apt to ask the second question, "What's next?" or "What else?" or "Is there more?"

This is the key to good rest. Learn to pay attention to first things first. Learn to be busy when absolutely necessary. Learn to trust God for each step of the way, leaving the subsequent steps to God to initiate.

Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives. This is key to resting well.

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday." (Winnie the Pooh)

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