Amanda's Birthday Present

Just thought some of you might like to see a picture of it.

December/January Books

December:

Heaven Misplaced - Doug Wilson (for fun)

A fun and challenging take on eschatology. Not buying every bit of it, but it's a worthy read.

Desiring God - John Piper (for D-Group)

A modern classic on practical Christian living. This must be the billionth time I've read it.

2000 Years of Christ's Power, Vol. 2: The Middle Ages - N.R. Needham (for class)

Good, accessible.

Handbook of Church Discipline - Jay Adams (for class)

Very helpful.

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ - Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for sermon prep)

Beautiful, rich.

January:

A Study in Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle (for fun)

Doyle's first Holmes novel. Mine, too. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Sign of Four - Arthur Conan Doyle (for fun)

Pretty good.

Mortification of Sin - John Owen (for class)

Unbelievable. Unparalleled. No one deals with the heart like Owen. No one. Read this book once a year—at the least.

Of Temptation - John Owen (for class)

Excellent. Another must-read. In fact, read the entire volume Crossway published called "Sin & Temptation." You won't regret it.

Christian Unity - Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for sermon prep)

Very good. Lloyd-Jones has been invaluable to me in helping me rapidly process and get to the heart of Ephesians.

Christmas Gifts, Part 3

For those of you that didn't notice, I recently created two Amazon wish-lists for myself—in case you're looking for stocking stuffers. You can find those on the sidebar. Pay no attention to the order the books are in... unless I get around to prioritizing them.

But just so you know, the authors on those lists I'm most interested in right now: Dostoevsky, Solzhenitsyn, Schaeffer, Rand, Van Til, Schlossberg, Blamires.

I'd also be happy to take recommendations. Just drop a note in the comments.

Christmas Gifts, Part 2

A few more considerations for those of you interested in buying gifts for the kids:

1. We need books. Bad. As in, Mama and Papa cringe every time Peter brings us a book to read because we have them all memorized. For our sake, check out the Amazon link on the left-hand column. Amanda's picked out some books that we think would be nice. Keep in mind that the books aren't at all in order of preference on the list.

2. Kid's Music. Peter's just getting to an age where this can get really fun. Amanda has added some children's cds to the same Amazon Wish-List mentioned above. Don't overlook those.

3. Cloth Diapers. A few weeks ago, Amanda wrote about her obsession with these things. If you're interested in nursing strange obsessions and helping weird would-be-hippies save some serious cash at the same time, she's created a registry at The Little Seedling. Just go to http://www.treecitydiapers.com/store/go/registries/, and enter "Amanda Mentzel" into the registry.

4. $$$. For those of you who remember, I opened an account for Peter last year (Read about that here). For those of you who care, the selected fund has given us a 12.5% return so far. Not bad in this climate, eh? If you're interested in contributing, send me an email or give me a call. I'll start a similar account for Lucy, too.

Christmas Gifts, Part 1

For those of you that may be interested in Peter's toy interests as we approach Christmas, here is our assessment of a few of Peter's favorite things.

Peter's Top 10 Favorite Toys (of all-time)

10. Rings. You know, rings. The kind you stack on a stick.

9. The Barn. Its a little barn with animals and other stuffs.

8. George & Frank. A stuffed monkey and a stuffed turtle. We like to pretend they're Kong and Godzilla.

7. The Stick. The child's multi-tool, brought back from Mississippi. Popular uses: Sword, baseball bat, gun, magic wand, etc.

6. Tractor. A John Deere tractor he scoots around on.

5. Blocks. All kinds. He's okay with building, but prefers destroying Papa's feats of engineering genius.

4. Cars, Trucks, Busses, Planes. Loves the stuff.

3. Giant Tonka Truck. Awesome toy. He carts things around, bangs into walls and furniture, etc.

2. Balls. All kinds—and we do have all kinds.

1. Puppy. A stuffed animal he sleeps with and takes pretty much everywhere.

I don't think he's going to be much interested in new stuffed animals. The puppy is pretty much king, and he serves a very specific function. George and Frank have been on their way out for awhile. So have the rings.

As far as the stick goes, take this bit of insight from G.K. Chesterton:

Cast your eye round the room in which you sit, and select some three or four things that have been with man almost since his beginning; which at least we hear of early in the centuries and often among the tribes. Let me suppose that you see a knife on the table, a stick in the corner, or a fire on the hearth. About each of these you will notice one speciality; that not one of them is special. Each of these ancestral things is a universal thing; made to supply many different needs; and while tottering pedants nose about to find the cause and origin of some old custom, the truth is that it had fifty causes or a hundred origins. The knife is meant to cut wood, to cut cheese, to cut pencils, to cut throats; for a myriad ingenious or innocent human objects. The stick is meant partly to hold a man up, partly to knock a man down; partly to point with like a finger-post, partly to balance with like a balancing pole, partly to trifle with like a cigarette, partly to kill with like a club of a giant; it is a crutch and a cudgel; an elongated finger and an extra leg. The case is the same, of course, with the fire; about which the strangest modern views have arisen. A queer fancy seems to be current that a fire exists to warm people. It exists to warm people, to light their darkness, to raise their spirits, to toast their muffins, to air their rooms, to cook their chestnuts, to tell stories to their children, to make checkered shadows on their walls, to boil their hurried kettles, and to be the red heart of a man's house and that hearth for which, as the great heathens said, a man should die.

Now it is the great mark of our modernity that people are always proposing substitutes for these old things; and these substitutes always answer one purpose where the old thing answered ten.

Of course, that's not to belittle specialized tools. I wouldn't want my doctor to use the same knife to perform heart surgery as he does to butter his bread (unless he has the strange habit of using scalpels at the dinner table). But it is in praise of the "general." And we find it helpful to transfer the thinking over to toys. Sticks are good toys because they can be whatever they need to be to make the game work—and they can be transformed in an instant. So one good question to ask about a toy is, "How many different awesome things can a little boy transform this into?"

As far as little girls go... well... I have no idea. Just don't make her into too much of a pretty princess, okay?

How sweet it is...

Amanda leads a Bible Study for college women every Thursday night (see the ClearNote Campus Fellowship link on the left). Tonight, the girls came and had their study in the hospital waiting room and took turns visiting Amanda and Lucy.

Do you have any idea how sweet that is for us?

While you're waiting...

...to see whether you need to return that cute, little pink sleeper or buy another, here are some things to consider.

Some have asked if there is anything that we need as we add a second Mentzel kid to the family. Well, I haven't thought of too many specific things, but there are a few things on my list. If the addition is of the girl type, we'll of course need to introduce some pink things to the laundry load. But we'll just have to see about that. We are interested in a double stroller, but not sure what kind. And I'm sure there are other things that will present themselves once the baby comes out to meet us and we get better acquainted.

The main thing I know I would really like to have is diapers. Not disposable, (although we'll be going through lots of those too), but cloth. I know some of you have been probably been a little puzzled since Jake posted the picture of my diapers on the basketball goal clothesline in Mississippi. You're probably also thinking, "People still do that?" Yes. And a lot more than you'd think.

Diapers have come a long way since the pins and folding method, although some still use those. But you'll still probably think I'm a little crazy when I tell you that one of the biggest reasons for doing it is because I actually think it's kind of fun. No, it's not because I'm really interested in being green, that's just a side benefit. But really, between not having a very large stash and Peter being in the nursery or the care of others 3-4 times a week, we use a cloth diaper about half the time.

The biggest limiting factor, though, is our limited supply. I have made some of my own diapers (yes, lots of people do that, too) and repaired others that I have bought used (yes, used), but I haven't made enough adjustments on my own to get a product I really like. And time for that will become even more limited here shortly.

So, if you've been wondering about a gift or a way you can help us with our family expansion, or if you've suddenly become interested upon reading this post, I will tell you what you can do. I have made a little wish list at The Little Seedling where I have selected the exact kind and size of diapers that I would like for our soon-to-be two kids in diapers. I included some for Peter because, you know, he's getting bigger. To find the registry just enter my name. The registry is called "New Babe"—if for some reason you blank on my name. If you browse around the site there are also some pretty cool wooden toys and other things, too. Christmas is coming after all... not that we really need more toys!

We'll let you know once the waiting is over!

September & October Reading

Because I know how much you all appreciate having the most awesome posts obstructed by worthless mementos of my reading habits, here's what I read in September and October.

September:

The Reformed Pastor - Richard Baxter (for class)

Reformed, as in, changed for the better. If you're a pastor or an elder, training to be one, or thinking about becoming one, you should read this book. And then reread it. You know, like... once a year or so. It's a tough read (a little archaic) but well worth it. I say, (from my vast experience, of course), this is the single most important read for any pastor, anywhere. I say that without hesitation, without equivocation, and without doubt.

2000 Years of Christ's Power (Vol. 1) - N.R. Needham (for class)

Big volume. Whirlwind tour of the early church. Easy read. Very helpful. I especially appreciated the extended excerpts from pertinent primary sources (key works of church fathers, for example) at the end of each chapter. That was wonderful. I only wish he footnoted more extensively within the chapters.

Orthodoxy - G.K. Chesterton (for fun)

An absolute blast. Chesterton is loads of fun and is absolutely hilarious. He's a Roman Catholic, so you have to get over his distaste for, you know, BIBLICAL DOCTRINE, but looking past all of that, there's hardly anyone from the 20th century that's more worthy of your attention. Absolutely brilliant.

Living the Cross-Centered Life - C.J. Mahaney (for the discipleship group I teach)

It's okay. I wish there was something better, but it's definitely a helpful. Recommended as a tool to use with high school students, some college students, and most new believers that need a good foundational understanding of applying the gospel to their lives.

October:

Lectures to My Students - C.H. Spurgeon (for class)

Spurgeon is a hero. I don't know that any dead man feeds my soul, equips me for my work as a college minister, and spurs me on to faithfulness than this guy. I heartily recommend this book to anyone involved in ministry. Because of this book, I'll likely always have some piece of work by Spurgeon I'm chewing on.

Persecution in the Early Church - Herbert Workman (for class)

Heart-rending. Stunning. Convicting. I'd call it a must-read, but I've already done that 3 times so far.

God's Ultimate Purpose - Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for the Fold)

Lloyd-Jones' sermons on Ephesians 1. Read, skimmed, and referenced as I was preaching through Eph. 1 at our weekly meeting. Very helpful.

God's Way of Reconciliation - Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for the Fold)

Lloyd-Jones' sermons on Ephesians 2. See above.

There are other books I've been reading for class and for fun through September and October, but I'll comment on them in the months I finish them.

What I Read This Summer

(Jake) I thought it might be fun to start sharing some of my reading with you guys and a one line review or so. Plus, I figured you'd rather read that than see the pictures of Amanda's awesome pregnant-on-Halloween costume (not).

I'll start with this past summer (June-August), but first a word about C.S. Lewis.

Lewis is one of those authors I have a visceral reaction to just because so many people love him--especially evangelical Christians. I know, I know... how pretentious, right? However, I loved reading The Chronicles of Narnia as a kid, and I jumped into rereading them with Amanda. So, as an act of faith (repentance, maybe?), this summer became what might best be called "The Summer of C.S. Lewis."

The Chronicles of Narnia:

Prince Caspian - C.S. Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis

The Silver Chair - C.S. Lewis

The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis

If you haven't read these, you should. These books are fun and fun is good.

Everything That Rises Must Converge - Flannery O'Connor

Excellent. O'Connor gets at the heart of southern hypocrisy. These short stories are somewhat morose and depressing, but always in a good, wholesome way--if you ask me.

A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking

Brilliant, accessible, humble, and often funny. Very good writing from a very brilliant dude. He's clearly one of the most strident worshipers of the Cosmos you'll ever find. If you ever thought reading theoretical physics could be fun, this is the book for you.

Lectures to My Students - C.H. Spurgeon

Perhaps the best and most helpful book I read this summer--although I stopped reading it when I realized it was in my fall curriculum. Spurgeon is a hero.

The Man Who Was Called Thursday: A Nightmare - G.K. Chesterton

Exhilarating. Chesterton is always a ton of fun. Read everything he's ever written.

Outgrowing the Ingrown Church - Jack Miller

Not ground-breaking by any stretch, but certainly helpful.

How to Read a Book - Mortimer Adler

Helpful. Very intuitive. Everyone should at least skim it once. It convinced me to mark up my books.

The Mortification of Sin - John Owen

Killer good, and a must read.

Shepherding a Child's Heart - Tedd Tripp

A helpful guide to getting at the root of your kid's behavior.

God the Redeemer - James Boice

Eh... Just read Calvin.

Sermons on Ephesians - John Calvin

Good, but not as helpful as I'd hoped. Probably because I rarely sat down and gave it the time I should have. Oh yeah, and never actually finished...

The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis

Overrated. But not without merit.

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle

Read this one as a kid and wanted to reread it. Kind of gross, actually--not nearly as fun as I remembered.

The Space Trilogy:

Out of the Silent Planet - C.S. Lewis

Perelandra - C.S. Lewis

That Hideous Strength - C.S. Lewis

Absolutely brilliant. Adult fiction that couldn't be farther removed from Narnia in terms of writing style and content. If you don't read anything else I read this summer, read That Hideous Strength. Very insightful. Lewis' strengths in fiction lie largely in integrating cultural commentary into the plot, and this book is masterful.

Defending the Faith - D.G. Hart

Biography of J. Gresham Machen, Princeton professor at the turn of the last century. Pretentious author, helpful content. Wasn't able to finish, but definitely intend to when things slow down. Probably not worth your time, though.

ClearNote Conference

Many of you have probably noticed the links on the right-hand sidebar to websites that have the word(s) "ClearNote" in them. ClearNote Pastors College (CNPC) is where I'm going to school. ClearNote Campus Fellowship (CNCF) is the campus ministry that I started (and now lead) with a couple fellow pastors college students to minister to students at Indiana University. ClearNote Fellowship is the umbrella organization that oversees all of it.

In addition to overseeing the pastors college, ClearNote Fellowship plants churches, provides pastors and missionaries with accountability, and produces resources for God's people—including books and music (like the free Good Shepherd Band cd we linked to a couple of months ago).

This weekend ClearNote Fellowship is hosting its first annual conference, "Standing in the Gap." Andy and I are heading up to Bloomington early tomorrow morning for the Friday and Saturday sessions. You should come if you can make it. The conference is cheap—only $10.

Brutus, the Bold yet Blundering Buck

Meet Brutus. Everyone say, "Hi, Brutus!" Very good.

If Peter were older, Brutus would have funny stories told about him all the time. There would be all kinds of stories of his days out in the wild. Perhaps he was a deer of great courage and valor. Perhaps he made a habit of fighting off wild beasts and crazed bucks of a very dangerous sort to protect many does and fawns. Then again, perhaps he was a great bumbling doofus. You never know.

There would definitely be stories about what he does at night when we're asleep and stories of what he does when we're not looking. That goes without saying.

And of course, there would be the best story of all: How Brutus came to be stuck in our wall. I bet I'd hold off on that story for a long, long time. Meaning, I'd never tell it and always leave it hanging over the kids' heads.

Now go ahead and ask the question: "Why Brutus?" And, of course, prepare to be dazzled:

1. Because it had to start with "B," duh.
2. Because "Buckshot," "Bucko," and "Buckethead" were all too obvious and one-dimensional.
3. Because "Bluto" just didn't seem to work, unless we're going to work Popeye into every story.
4. A Brutus could have some awesome stories told about him.
5. Because it happened to be the first thing that popped out of my mouth, so it's what we're stuck with.

Unfortunately, Peter doesn't get it yet, so there are no Brutus stories to be told. Aren't you sad? Okay, okay, you win. There's one story to be told:

Brutus is the stupid name we gave the antlered fraction of stuffed carcass hanging on our cabin wall. Surprise!

Finis.

And now for something completely different...

A good friend sent me this link, and it was so hysterical I had to pass it on. Here's the plug:

Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.