Words

Ephesians 4:29 KJV

People often don't fully realize this, but words are very powerful. Whoever came up with the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" was quite wrong. Words can hurt. Who can remember a hurtful thing someone said to them over ten years ago? I think most of us can remember such an instance in vivid detail. It is a compelling testament to the power of words. The amount of words a person has during their lifetime is finite, but the effects of those words have the potential to go on indefinitely to influence countless generations to come.

Proverbs 15:1 KJV

Words have the creative power to build up and the destructive power to tear down. How are you using your words? What impact are you making with the things you say?

It is often prudent to be both tactful and courteous. An 'opinionated' person is another word to describe someone who is tactless and rude. Everyone has opinions; it takes an intelligent person to verbalize their opinions in a useful and constructive manner. Emphasize the positive and minimize or redirect the negative. For example "Your customer service skills are stellar. I bet if you would complete your customer contact reports on time, you would get employee of the month and the bonus!" Temper your criticism with praise. As you will notice from the example, there was nothing negative that was said, but the employee still knew what they needed to improve on in order to succeed. I'm not telling my readers to flatter or coddle people; just accentuate the positive and minimize the negative. Here's a rhetorical question: Are people motivated more by fear or by positive reward? You want people to listen to you? Tell them how important they are in getting the job done.

Proverbs 12:18 (ESV) in the Bible tells us that "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Isn't this the truth? For more about the power of words from the Bible, click here. What I am trying to convey is that words are important. They can even be used to motivate people; either for good like Martin Luther King Jr or for evil like Adolf Hitler.

How do you use words to build people up? Are you tempted to tear people down when they mess up? Or do you tell them how to be better? Here's a concept: People listen more when you're nice to them. Just make sure that when you're complimenting them, that it is truthful.

For your reading pleasure, I have compiled a list of ten positive things you can say:

1. (To a worker): "Thanks for handling that phone call; you're always there when I need you.

2. (To your spouse): "I think you did a great job with the yard work today, you're such a hard worker.

3. Your hair looks great today, what do you use on it?

4. You did a great job feeding me the ball, I couldn't have scored all those points without your assists.

5. You always have such nice things to say, I can't tell you how much your kindness means to me.

6. Thanks for helping me out by working that extra shift; with Jennifer out, I would have had to run reception by myself.

7. You always have such good ideas

8. You're a real asset to this team, it would be hard to replace you.

9. Thanks for refilling our drinks so quickly, you constantly provide good service and we appreciate your helpfulness.

10. I just wanted to thank you for your friendship. It's friends like you who make me enjoy life.

How Much Are You Worth?

The question of this article, "How much are you worth?"has a very subjective answer. Your worth will be different in the minds of different people. If I ask one of your enemies how much you're worth, they might answer 'a nickel' or something like that. If I ask your mom, dad or kid how much you're worth, and they will likely tell me you are priceless or beyond describable value.

Many people, especially men it seems, put a monetary price-tag on their own self-worth. Men are hardwired to be the providers, so they may think of themselves in terms of how much 'bread they win' or how much 'bacon they bring home.' To think of yourself in terms of money, I think, is quite limiting. I challenge you to be more than you do for a living. Your worth is beyond extrinsic value.

How many people can you help with your kindness? How many lives can you improve with your wisdom and guidance? What nice things can you say to brighten another person's day? What can you do for others to improve how much they value themselves? I have found that the more you help others value themselves, the more you value yourself. Help others!

William Penn, the namesake of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania is profoundly quoted as saying something that comes to my mind often: "I expect to pass through this life but once. If therefore there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Be like William Penn in this regard and show kindness to as many people as you can, because truly you only get one chance at this life.

People also incorrectly measure themselves in beauty/good-looks or physical ability. Physical appearance fades. The same can be said about strength and athletic prowess. The real value is the heart.

Christians believe that God valued mankind so much that He sent His Son Jesus (also God) down in the form of man to be tortured and executed painfully for the sins of every man, woman and child who ever lived. This shows that everyone has value to God, who is the ultimate value-giver.

 My message is that everyone is immensely valuable and I want my readers to not undervalue themselves. If we undervalue ourselves, it tends to bring us down into a state of depression and causes us to miss out on opportunities and other good things. If you're feeling low in value, do something kind for someone else. It will not only make you feel more valuable, it will display your value to that person you helped. I remember seeing another quote on someone's wall that said something like "People will forget what you do and say, but will forget the way you make them feel."
 Try also to see yourself in having the value that God sent his Son to die for. If we see ourselves as valuable we will live a happier and more fulfilling life.

What is your value? Who makes you feel valuable?

Ten Ways to Start the Day for Success

Have you ever got up on the wrong side of bed (figuratively) and had it affect the rest of your day for the worse? Here is a list of ten things you can do to get a great start to your day:

1. Get up Early

Wake up at least an hour and a half before you must leave for work. This will give you time to do what you need to in order to start the day out right. Who wants to wake up half an hour before they have to leave, trying to rush out the door unshowered with a bagel stuffed in their mouth as they run to their car? Sounds like a recipe for stress, doesn't it? I don't know of anyone who needs more stress in their lives.

2. Pound the Agua

The first thing I suggest doing after waking up is to drink 5-7 glasses of water. It may feel a little uncomfortable, but do it anyway. You need to replenish your fluids and start the day out hydrated and refreshed. A nice cup of cold water in the morning will wake you up, too. I would say that most people go around dehydrated all day. Don't be one of those people. Bottoms up!

3. Spend Time With God

This may not be popular with some people, but the truth is not always popular. Take a few moments in your earliest hours reading the Bible and praying. Thank God for the good things in your life and cast your burdens upon Him; trust me, He is able to handle it. Today I read Proverbs chapters five and six. What portions of the Bible did you read? What are some things you are thankful for?

4. Enjoy a Cup of your Favorite Warm Drink

If you have a sensitive stomach, you may want to enjoy your drink with a low fat, low sugar, high fiber and/or high protein snack. Whether it be coffee, tea or milk; your favorite heated beverage will make you feel comfortable and happy. 

5. Do Something You Love Before You Start Your Day

You can read a chapter of the book you're on. You can write a journal entry. You can take a short walk to start your day. Right now, I am typing my blog article, which is something I love to do. My wife and kids are still asleep, so this is 'me' time. I get to collect my thoughts and take some quiet time out for myself before I arrive at work at 8:30 A.M. How often do people say "I never have time for myself any more!"? More than necessary. Get that time in early.

6. Sweat before 8:00 AM (From Exertion, not Heat)

If you're feeling hungry at this point, grab a small bowl of oatmeal before exercising. Do some lunges, push-ups, crunches or leg extensions. You can even take a brisk walk around your block or down the road and back. Set your body up to burn calories all day and be warmed up to tackle anything and everything you work has to throw at you that day. It's better than being lethargic and oxygen-starved, right?

7. Eat Protein and Some Complex Carbohydrates for Breakfast

After you exercise, eat a good breakfast with protein such as can be found in a shake or eggs and also something like a bowl of oatmeal to get your complex carbs. Throw in some fresh fruit to refresh and energize you and that is one good breakfast! Have you ever been at work for a couple of hours and suddenly felt like you were going to kiss the floor involuntarily? Chances are you didn't eat a sufficient breakfast. 

8. Do a Full Hygiene Routine

For men, shave those whiskers! For women, use that apricot scrub! Brush your teeth, take a nice hot shower, make your hair look good. Slap on some deodorant and spray some smell-goods. Dress for success. My Uncle Dale always used to say: "You look good, you feel good." Take some pride in your appearance. 

9. Listen to Some Music

When you're about to leave in the mornings, listen to your favorite tunes to get you motivated and inspired for the day. You can even do this during other steps. The right kind of music will lift your mood if you're feeling low or enhance your mood if you're on your way to 'cloud nine'. 

10. Let Your Loved Ones Know How Much They Mean to You

Before you leave in the mornings, tell your spouse, kids, parents, siblings, dog, cat, etc that you love and care about them and make them feel important in your life. You never know which day will be your (or their) last and you will never make your loved ones wonder how you feel (or felt) about them. I meet a lot of people who never knew if their dads loved them because they never (or rarely) expressed any type of good emotions towards them. 

I hope this list of ten things you can do to start your day off right enhances your lives and gives you more success and happiness therein. Let me know if you try them and how they work for you!

Music August 2013 Part III

 This is the final wrap for this month's series on music. Today, I want my readers to think about how much music means to them and to get out some old CDs and listen to songs not heard in awhile. I am sure it will bring back memories.

1. Led Zeppelin- D'yer Mak'er

This song is an interesting foray by Led Zeppelin into a different type of sound than they usually had. Most people I meet call the song "Dire Maker" which is an incorrect pronunciation. It is correctly pronounced "Jer Maker" based off a caricature of an accent where 'Jamaica' and 'Did you make her' sound the same. This comes from an old joke between two friends where one says "My wife has left and gone off to the West Indies," to which his friend asks "D'yer Mak'er (Jer Maker)?" and the original speaker says "No, she left of her own accord." This is comical because the friend of the person whose wife left him was actually asking if she went off to Jamaica.

This song got me through a rough summer and helped motivate me when working out at the gym. Whenever I listen to it and my hands aren't occupied, I find myself hitting invisible drum sticks on drums, pretending I'm John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. The drum work in this song is phenomenal. 

2. Herman's Hermits- Wonderful World

Ahh, good ole Herman's Hermits. 'Wonderful World' is one of the band's most popular songs and it's reminiscent of a high school boy in love, trying to impress a lovely girl he has a crush on. I believe I received my Herman's Hermits CD from my parents between the summer of 8th and 9th grade. We took a trip to Kaneta in 1999 from the mid-Willamette Valley and I listened to Herman's Hermits all the way there. Listening to The Hermits brings back good memories for me. What does it do for you?

3. Todd Agnew- Grace Like Rain

Sung by Todd Agnew, 'Grace Like Rain' seems like an earnest proclamation of what God had done for the singer through grace. It reminds me of the old hymn 'Amazing Grace' but it's much different. I first discovered this song when I was deployed to Iraq in 2006. 

4. Elvis Presley- Suspicious Minds

I put this song by 'The King' on the blog in honor of my brother Kenton who is a Bering Sea fisherman and is there right now earning his living. This is by far his favorite Elvis Presley song. It appeals to me also. I am huge Elvis fan. It always makes me feel happy to listen to one of his songs.

5. Marines Hymn

When the Marine Corps Hymn started playing when I was in uniform, I snapped to attention and felt the goosebumps form as I proudly listened to the proud tune of the hymn play. It's a great feeling to be part of such an elite organization with all the history and valor that is a part of the United States Marine Corps. The Marines Hymn reminds us (Marines) of that feeling, even in the most horrible of times. It picks us up and reminds us who we are.                  

Short Intro (Instruments Only)

                                                                                Full Marine Corps Hymn with Words

6. Feelin' Groovy- Harper's Bizarre & Simon and Garfunkel

In high school, I liked the Harper's Bizarre version of this song better, but as an adult, I lean toward Simon and Garfunkel's. Any way you spin it, Feelin' Groovy is a cool song. It's also called the 59th Street Bridge Song. I remember driving to school in my upperclassman years bobbing my head to the song as I drove. Which version do you prefer?

The Harper's Bizarre Version

The Simon and Garfunkel Version

What songs inspire and encourage you? Leave some Youtube links in the comments for your favorite songs. How do you like my song selection for this short series on music? I plan to do more music articles in the future.

Part Two in an August 2013 Series on Music

Here is part two of my series on music. I hope you enjoy my selections for today's blog. Each song, it seems, is a part of my history. Music brings out feelings and emotions and can paint a day a million different colors, where once there was merely gray. Music is art; instead of using paints, the artists use words and melodies. How does music make you feel? What is your favorite song and why?

 

1. Johann Pachelbel- Canon

I discovered this brilliant piece by Pachelbel on Grandma Mary's keyboard in the summer of 2000 while working at Enchanted Forest--between my sophomore and junior years of high school. This is the type of music I think would be similar to what is played in heaven. From my perspective, 'Canon' is best when played on a harp, but the whole orchestra version sounds is good, too. When I listen to Canon by Pachelbel, it reminds me of that summer when I was in high school with my whole life ahead of  me with the sun shining brightly. It reminds me of love, happiness and adventures galore. How does Canon make YOU feel?

 2. Buddy Holly- Words of Love

I just want to throw this out there: Buddy Holly was a genius. He was truly a pioneer in modern music and provided many other bands and artists with inspiration for their sounds and style. Buddy Holly and the Crickets had many hits before that fateful night of February 3rd, 1959 when the plane he was flying in crashed and killed Holly, along with other notable musicians Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson AKA the Big Bopper. Don McClean wrote a song about "the day the music died" in his 1971 song "American Pie." In any case "Words of Love" is my favorite Buddy Holly song followed closely by "Maybe Baby."

3. The Beatles- Words of Love

Speaking of bands that were influenced by Buddy Holly and The Crickets, The Beatles were wildly popular during the sixties when they came on the scene and remain popular to this day. They put together their own rendition of "Words of Love" which is actually really good, but still doesn't beat the original by Buddy Holly. The Beatles remain one of my all time favorite bands and I'm sure many people include them in the top ten bands of all time.

4. The Beatles- I Want to Hold Your Hand

While we're talking about The Beatles, the song that really introduced me to The Beatles was "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Its upbeat tune and lyrics of hopeful young love really appealed to me at the time and described how I felt when I was around a gal that I liked. The teenage years were quite topsy-turvy for me, but I look back on them now and smile.

5. Sonicflood- Everyday 

This is a quick Christian song with a good tune and excellent lyrics. It seems to motivate me regardless of what kind of mood I am in. It's hard to listen to this song with a frown and I can't help but smile when it comes on. It's a good song to workout to, and just makes a person happy.


Music has always had a prominent place in my life, as I'm sure it holds that same respect in the lives of millions of others. Music can make us motivated, can make us move, can make us happy, can make us calm, can make us inspired and can even enhance an enjoyable experience.

Can you think of any accomplishments music has helped you attain? I know music has helped me during exercising, writing and spurring creativity. What music, band or song most inspires you?

Five Inspiring Songs for Today- Part One of a Series on Music

I supremely enjoy listening to music. There's music for every occasion; when you're happy, when you're sad, when you're thoughtful, when you're tired, when you need to get pumped up or basically anything you can think of. I personally believe that music is powerful and there's no denying the fact that it is moving.

I would like to now move on to share some of my favorite songs. They are in no particular order.

1. Antonio Vivaldi-The Four Seasons Concerto (Spring)

I enjoy classical music like this, especially because it is lively and elegant. Besides that, who hasn't dreamed of owning a mansion with this blasting through the house? The Four Seasons in total has a play time of about 42 minutes, but the Spring Concerto is my favorite and doesn't require such a time commitment. Spring is also the most well-known. I think you will notice the tune right away.

2. The Vogues-You're the One

I discovered this song while I was in high school when listening to the now defunct local oldies radio station 97.1 KISN. It has a quick tune and back then it appealed to my romantic little teenage heart. I remember being inspired and blissful while listening to this song back in the early 2000's. I hope you enjoy it, too.

3. Matt Redman-10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord Oh My Soul)

I am sure that if Matt Redman was not a multimillionaire before he came out with this song, he must be now. Tons of churches and Christian organizations are now in-love with this song and so am I. It seems to combine the strength and steadfastness of the old hymns with the emotion and catchiness of modern Christian music for an overall incredible effect.

4. Chris Tomlin-Our God

This song worshiping the Creator really appeals to me. The verses are slow, but the chorus picks up. It reminds me of the confidence we can have trusting in God.

5. Mozart- Sonata No. 16 K. 545

I don't doubt that many of you will recognize this fun, plucky little tune by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I have found that listening to it makes me think better afterwards. Mozart really was a great composer and I recommend his work enthusiastically.

My tastes in music are quite eclectic and I think you will enjoy more songs on my playlist in the future when I continue my series on music. In the meantime, enjoy this link I was required to do an assignment on when I was pursuing my MBA:

What kind of music do you enjoy? Do you like classical, oldies or modern? Music improves the quality of your life, so make sure you listen to music you love at least once daily.

The Proper Lunge

How many of you have done lunges before? Most of us probably have at one point or another if we've played sports. Lunges are an incredible leg strengthener, stamina builder, balance developer and fat burner. However, they can be quite challenging and can lead to injury for the unwary. I would encourage anyone thinking about incorporating lunges into their workouts to do a small set one day and see how they feel the next----especially if they have knee or hip problems. 

I started out doing 30 reps in a set of lunges when I was a big boy (266+ lbs.). As I became lighter and in better shape, I eventually was able to execute 150 repetitions in one set of lunges consecutively. Like many things in life, to get good at it, it takes practice.

Starting Position

You can start with feet together or shoulder-width apart

Drop down placing one leg forward

Place one leg forward and drop your body down as shown
***Caution*** Do not allow your knee to go past your toes as it is a recipe for injury

 Some people like to place their hands on their hips or the backs of their heads while executing lunges. I like to flex my muscles. I have found it is the most convenient thing to do with my hands while lunging.

 Then alternate legs

Alternate by lunging with the other leg and dropping your body weight down

For a real challenge, do a set of 100 lunges and then do a set of 100 Body Weight Squats. I did this last night and I indeed felt the burn.

There's nothing like lunges in the morning. I hope the readers of this article will incorporate lunges into their fitness routine and see how they work. How many can you do in a set?

Happy Lunging

Allocating Your Resources

You may already be aware of this, but your resources extend to more than just money. Resources also include time, energy, ideas, motivation, zeal and land, to name a few. These different resources have different values for people, according to their socioeconomic status or rather, their station in life. To the average teenager during summer break, time is lower in value relative to money. Why? Because their perception is usually that they have a lot of time, but not a lot of money. This is one reason why so many teenagers work at minimum wage jobs during the summer---because their time is not occupied by school, giving an abundance of time; but in order to pay for such things as gas, insurance, dates, movies, snacks, make-up, you name it, they must work a job to pay for the things they want/need. Thus, working a minimum wage job during summer break increases the value of their free time because they will have the money to do the things they want during that free time.

For an executive who makes over $1.2 million a year, time may have more value relative to monetary resources. Their lives are filled with board meetings, teleconferences and constant crisis situations that pop up and seem to keep them at work late every day. They may be willing to sacrifice money for the sake of spending more time with family or even more time doing things they enjoy.

Some people think they have boundless energy, but the cold fact of it is that energy is a resource which is also limited. You only have so much energy in a day. People who are in-shape and put healthy things into their bodies will generally have more energy than those who are obese and eat unhealthy foods. I have seen people spend the majority of their energy in the day too soon and don't have energy enough for more meaningful activities later on in the day. It would benefit people to spend their energy wisely.

How much is an idea worth? Idea worth is often measured in the amount of time or money you can save in implementing a particular idea. Some people make ridiculous amounts of money with their ideas. How much are your ideas worth? This is an important question to ponder from time to time.

Motivation is a valuable resources because it has to do with one's personal drive. Your level of motivation depends on my factors; one of them being the value of the carrot in front of you. I use the term 'carrot' for a reward that someone is motivated by to work towards. Motivation also depends on the power of a person's drive. What motivates you? How powerful is your drive? How can you become more motivated?

In this picture, I was motivated to do some pull-ups

Zeal has to do with something one believes in very strongly and cannot contain their excitement about. I remember times of zeal in my life and it is exhilarating. Zeal can be someone's strong belief and excitement about their cause or spiritual beliefs and can also have to do with organizational zeal, which I like to refer to as esprit de corps. Zeal makes motivation stronger, because zeal goes deeper than just motivation.

The Marine Corps is one organization whose members have a lot of esprit de corps. The leadership of this organization fosters this esprit de corps and translates it into motivation for Marines to train hard, work hard and fight heroically.

Land, like money, is a tangible resource. Back when my ancestors lived in Wisconsin, they referred to themselves as 'land poor'. They had a ton of land, but not the money to work it. They decided to sell their land and move out west nearly a hundred years ago where they eventually became more prosperous. In the city where lots are generally smaller, a person's yard has more value per square foot because their space is limited. In the backyard, they have to choose between getting the kids a trampoline or a swing-set while also making enough room for their fire pit and lawn chairs. Out in the country where someone owns, say, seven acres, their space is not at such a premium and they will have plenty of room to add virtually whatever they want. Are you maximizing the space you have to ensure you get the most enjoyment from the land you live on?

I have written on this topic to show my readers that resources are limited, and that you should allocate your resources where they can do the most good. It may benefit you to plan your day for better use of resources. Some people are averse to this because they think it takes the serendipity and spontaneous joys out of their day, when in fact it might allow them the time and resources to have more moments of spontaneous fun or enjoyment. How can you optimize the use of your limited resources? What are some ways you can conserve or increase your resources? I have found that staying healthy is a force multiplier of resources.
 

Awesome Ab Exercise: Leg Extensions!

Hello readers! Boy, are you in for a treat today. In this blog article, I will be sharing arguably the best exercise I have in my abdominal arsenal. My memory on how I learned about it is a little hazy, but I first remember doing it when I was deployed to Iraq in 2005. Behold! I give you the amazing leg extension!

Starting Position

 

1. Balance on your upper buttocks and hold your hands out in front of you as shown for balance.When you are balanced, lift your feet off the ground.

Legs Out

2. Keeping your feet lifted off the ground, extend them out all the way.

Back to the Start

3. Keeping your feet off the ground, go back to the starting position

To start out, I suggest you try to get at least 25-30 repetitions. My record is 75 consecutive repetitions. You may think they look easy, but once you try them, it may seem otherwise.

If you are having a hard time with balancing on your buttocks/tailbone, try putting you hands behind to keep steady while you punish your abs. This is demonstrated below:

Starting Position

Tip: Lean back and rest on your hands

Legs Out!

Tip: You may have to lean further back if you have longer legs

Back to Starting Position, Repeat for Desired Amount of Reps

 

I demonstrated this exercise in slacks, button-up, and tie because I wanted to show you that these can be done anywhere. In this case, I was on one my breaks and performed these behind the building. You don't have any excuses not to exercise because you don't have time or don't have a place to work out.

Demonstration Video:

Leg Extension Video With James

How many reps of these can you do? Do you feel the burn?

!Caution! These exercises can really tax the hip flexor muscles. You might want to stretch them out beforehand.

 

I Found an Old Video of Me in Iraq

I was doing some research online to make sure my blog is good to go in the area of Search Engine Optimization and I came across a video of myself in Iraq in 2006 giving a shout out to people back home. Check out a much younger me: Corporal James Majors, Iraq 2006

This deployment was probably my most successful deployment. It was when I was first awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, got promoted to Sergeant, became a collateral duty inspector and established myself as a leader in  my unit.

On this trip, I got to take a short R&R trip to Qatar where I got to ride a jet ski (Wave Runner) in the Persian Gulf. 


This deployment was a culmination of hard work and waiting for my time to shine, coming to fruition,
When have you experienced the positive fruits of your labor?

Building Erudition

Erudition is a word that basically means the knowledge one gets from reading books. Keeping this definition in mind, an erudite individual would be one who possesses vast amounts of knowledge derived from delving into books with a voracious appetite and hunger to learn. If you'd like a dictionary definition of erudition, one can be found at Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary.

I think erudition is an important thing to possess. You not only learn the information that is in the books you read, but the books also teach you grammar, punctuation, spelling, syntax and word choice; among other such things. Book learning introduces you to the wonders of other civilizations, philosophy, science, history and basically anything you can think of. This may seem like a no-brainer, but reading quality books builds one's reading comprehension. In an education seminar I recently attended with my wife, one of the speakers told the audience "Three years from now, you will be the same, except for the people you meet and the books you read." I agree with this to a certain degree, but it does illustrate how extremely important it is to read.

Without further ado, I would like to talk about some of my favorite books and why I think they're worth reading. I have so many favorites, but these are the ones I saw first on my bookshelf and grabbed in order to write about:

The Holy Bible

                             

I have read the Bible from cover to cover and found it to be fascinating. Even if you're an unbeliever or 'skeptic', there is still much you can appreciate about it such as the wisdom found in the Psalms and Proverbs and the history that can be found throughout. Of course this book bears special significance to me, as I identify myself as a Christian, but I think anybody reading it would walk away a better and more learned person afterward. It's also important to become familiar with the Bible because it is the basis of belief for billions of people worldwide and you can likely become better at understanding people if you know what's in this book. 

One thing off the top of my head that I find exceedingly interesting in the Bible is the description of how Christianity was founded. First of all, Jesus picked His disciples from a group of men who seemed to be largely uneducated and in many cases, bumbling. The Bible doesn't paint a very flattering picture of the disciples, but Jesus used them to convey his message to the world. When Jesus was crucified, many of his disciples abandoned him; they were scared and confused. They thought he was going to be a great leader and overthrow Rome's control of the Jews. After Jesus was executed,  their hopes and dreams were crushed---they thought the party was over. Even one of his closest friends/disciples, Peter, denied ever knowing Him the night of Jesus' trial because he was ashamed. Yet when Jesus had risen from the dead on the third day, it started a process where the disciples were so emboldened, they spread Jesus' message all over the world. How did the scared group of disciples before Jesus' resurrection become the bold, die-for-Jesus-fanatics they became after they saw him in the flesh after watching him previously being crucified and buried. I'm betting that the Bible is true and Jesus really did come back to life in light of this evidence. 

                                                  The Good Earth

Pearl S. Buck

I read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck for pleasure reading when I was an upperclassman in high school. The setting of this book takes place in a China that Communism had not yet ensnared in its loathsome clutches, when the emperor still was in power. It follows the life of a Chinese farmer and it is what I believe to be an honest look at Chinese culture in the early part of the 20th century. I got attached to the characters and the book impacted me in a profound way, largely because it was a gritty and not-always-pleasant look of what Wang-Lung and his wife, O-Lan, had to go through on their journey in life.
I don't think I would have read it, had it not been for Grandma Mary, who bought me an exquisite hardback edition of the book for me. I remember in high school, my stringent, hard-nosed English teacher, Mr. H. required us to do show and tell. I tried to share the beautiful hardbound edition of The Good Earth my grandma had got me, but Mr. H. stopped me and made me sit down, saying "That's what book reports are for." I learned a lot from good ole Mr. H.
In any case, I strongly recommend The Good Earth as superior reading to build erudition. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's a strong story nonetheless. You will be glad you read it if you do.

Frank Peretti Books

I basically like anything Frank Peretti writes. In my personal library, these are the only books of his that I found at the moment: Piercing the Darkness and The Prophet. These two books came as a set along with a third, This Present Darkness, which was unfortunately borrowed by one of my Marine Corps buddies in Iraq and never returned. I'm sure it was not intentional. The books were sent to me while I was on my third deployment to Iraq by my wife's aunt and uncle. It was my parents, however, that got me hooked on Peretti's writing when I was just a boy; they bought me a set of The Cooper Kids Adventure series and I would stay up til' crazy early hours of the morning reading those books. Each one was so suspenseful, I couldn't put it down. 

Peretti is a skilled suspense-builder. He gets you so wrapped up in the story and with the characters that it's hard not to finish any of his books without doing so in one sitting. In his books, he writes about some pretty creepy stuff that I found fascinating. Peretti usually makes the villains in his book exceedingly evil; so evil in fact, that it's otherworldly.  If you decide to read any Peretti books, I suggest starting with This Present Darkness. I don't think you'll be disappointed when you finish. 

Pilgrim's Progress

John Bunyan

This confirmed classic by John Bunyan (Not to be confused with Paul Bunyan) is a rich allegory in which the pilgrim named 'Christian' is confronted by the obstacles encountered in the life of an actual Christian person on their journey/walk through this temporal world we live in. Part two of the book is about Christian's wife, Christiana's journey through life as a Christ-follower.

The book was very popular in its day and still remains popular over 300 years later. It is an unusual way to describe what the Christian encounters through life because it personifies adjectives of challenges and types of people a person will run into. I remember it being a captivating piece of literature; reading it for the first time as a child and the second time as an adolescent. I am due to read it again soon.

I also read a biography of the author of Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan, and it was fascinating.  I would suggest Pilgrim's Progress and a biography of John Bunyan to anyone. 

Contours of Christian Philosophy Series

Edited by C. Stephen Evans

This series of books were the required reading materials for the Philosophy 201 class I took at Liberty University while pursuing my baccalaureate. The philosophical content of these books blew my mind at first because it taught me to think a way I hadn't before. The books not only instruct the reader on Ethics, Metaphysics, Epistemology and Philosophy of Religion, but teaches the reader Christian Apologetics: How to defend the Christian Faith in philosophical discussions. It really opened up my eyes to the reasons of why I believe the way I do. Even if you're not a Christian, it's still an educational, informative read. Some of the concepts are harder to grasp for younger people and I would not recommend these books to children simply because of that fact. Philosophy 201 was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken, but I was able to get an 'A' because it was so interesting that I soaked up the knowledge contained in the course material like a sponge- much of it being in the "Contours of Christian Philosophy" series.

I had originally planned to write about more books and authors in this blog article, but that will have to be saved for a different time because this article is getting quite long. The important take-away for my readers is to be well-read. It will increase your critical thinking-ability as well as your level of erudition. In our society, it is very useful to be well-read; it helps a person know and understand history, to relate well with others and have a knowledge and understanding of important literature. All of these things contribute to the erudite individual living a better and more fulfilling life. 

What books have you read that have had an impact on your thinking and/or worldview? Which books from the ones I presented to you in this article look interesting? Please leave your comments in the section below.