"When God Was a Bird" by Mark I Wallace

Wowza, did this book really impact me!  I was a bit skeptical when I picked this book up, thinking it'd be some hippy pagan crossover with people worshipping birds.  However, I was wrong.  As I began to turn the pages, I discovered a whole new paradigm that was in the Bible all along but which had gone under my radar for years.  Wallace points out various scriptures where God takes on physical form--from the Old Testament burning bush to the New Testament Holy Spirit dove.  Wallace argues that since everything God created is good and full of a divine spirit, we should respect all of creation.  There are several chapters that go into environmentalism, the wonder of flight, and how ancient peoples viewed birds.  Also fascinating is the concept of creating animal images in the Bible.  While there are commandments against making images of creatures, there are the cherubs on the ark of the covenant, as well as the bronze serpent in the Exodus.  Wallace argues that honoring creatures is not unholy...except when there is no divine cause.  This is why it was wrong to make the golden calf but not wrong to make other objects that look like animals.  I urge readers to take this book on for themselves and see how their perspective changes.  Neither I nor Wallace are pagans.  We believe in one God.  However, we believe God can inhabit whatever creature God wants and that, as such, all creation is worthy of care, honor, and respect.

"The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne

I listened to this book as an audio book CD while driving around in my vehicle.  Rhonda takes readers through her massive journey to discover what she calls "the secret".  She references PhDs, researchers, philosophers, and even particle physicists.  Her journey takes her thousands of years in the past and right up to our current day.  The secret is that one's thoughts determine one's outcomes in life.  Rhonda explains how people need to ask, believe, and think about what they want in life.  People are energy with frequency and will get back in life what they emit into the universe (their thoughts).  Rhonda emphasizes that people need to think about what they do want instead of what they don't want.  In a fascinating example, it is noted that someone who thinks "I am healthy" will tend to be healthy while someone who thinks "I need to lose weight" will tend to be overweight so that statement is always true (they are heavy so they can be always needing to lose weight and fulfilling that thought).  While I don't think that life is some big magic game where we can just wish fantasy into existence, I do believe that the thinking has a huge impact on reality.  Those who focus on what they want will likely be more focused on their goals and be more optimistic about reaching them.  Good vibes only!

"The Lipstick Gospel" by Stephanie May Wilson

This book follows the story of a college-aged Stephanie.  Readers go thru sororities with her, thru boyfriends and breakups, thru study aboard cultural exchange programs, and thru missions trips.  Stephanie starts out as an ordinary girl who wants to fit in and find her dream boy.  Over time, though, life hits hard and Stephanie starts to feel empty.  The boyfriend dumps her, the friends abandon her, and nothing is certain.  Stephanie sees God as boring and old-fashioned until she finds spirituality for herself in Europe with friends.  Stephanie comes to understand that God is wild and adventurous, accepting and kind.  Most importantly, Stephanie discovers that God loves her just the way she is.  This book is written from a Christian perspective but is an interesting story nonetheless,

"Living a Life you Love" by Joyce Meyer

I listened to this book as an audio book CD while driving around in my car.  It is both positive and uplifting.  While geared towards woman, the lessons taught in the book apply to everybody.  Meyer emphasizes how all people are created equal, regardless of age, weight, race, ethnicity, and so on.  She also notes that God loves all people.  Thus, all people deserve to be happy and love their life.  There are many examples in the book, from donating to charity to calling up a friend.  Meyer goes on about the delight found in helping others and fostering friendships.  This book is written from a Christian perspective, so be aware of that.  Religion aside, Meyer makes a very good case for not only why people should love their lives but also how to go about doing so.

"Start Here: Master the Lifelong Habit of Well-Being" by Eric Langshur & Nate Klemp, PhD

I listened to this book as an audio book CD while driving to and from work.  Much to my surprise, this was not a book about nutrition, diet, and exercise, but rather a book about mindfulness, meditation, and tranquility.  The authors combat stress, anxiety, worry, anger, and other sour emotions by encouraging listeners to stop, notice, and rewire.  Stop the negative emotion and calm down.  Notice where one's thoughts are directed.  Rewire thoughts to align more closely with reality and peace.  A common phrase used in the book is the question "is it true?".  All too often, we make up stories in our heads about ourselves and others that are simply not true.  For instance, if a boss is moody at work, that doesn't mean the boss hates us.  Perhaps the boss has a stomach ache or didn't get enough sleep the night before or is having family troubles.  Who knows.  It does no good to jump to conclusions, especially if those conclusions do more harm than good for our well being.