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Category Archives: Favorite Places to Read
FAVORITE PLACES TO READ #5: STARBUCKS
I have spent many hours in various Starbucks. My favorites are in Manhattan, Charlottesville, VA, and yes, here in Austin.
For those of you old enough to remember the TV show Get Smart, you will recall the infamous “cone of silence.” Instead of keeping those on the outside from hearing top secrets, it was those on the inside who could not hear each other!
I have found too many folks in Starbucks acting as if their conversations could not be heard. Over the years, I have heard couples discussing delicate details of their relationship, questionable business practices, and I recently had someone drop some F-bombs on me when I disagreed with their understanding of the New Testament.
Third places like Starbucks are wonderful, but let’s remember that other people are there!
FAVORITE PLACES TO READ #4: OUR LIBRARY
Professor John Wilsey of Southwestern Seminary solicited pictures of home libraries/studies. One of our bookshelves got lopped off, but this panoramic picture shows most of it. I wish I could magically stretch the room like the camera is able.
Soon, I will give tips for how to build a great library at a very reasonable cost.
FAVORITE PLACES TO READ #3
Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. When we lived in the Bay Area we regularly took advantage of the seminary library. Believe it or not, this picture does not do justice to the unbelievable beauty.
As an added bonus, the best McDonalds burger we ever had was near the seminary on a rainy day.
FAVORITE PLACES TO READ #2
During the summer of 1986, it was my great privilege to study at L’Abri in Switzerland. Francis Schaeffer had died two years earlier, but his wife Edith, was there. Not only did I get to hear Edith Schaeffer lecture, but one of the Schaeffer’s son-in-laws, Ranald, was my mentor. Ranald Macaulay co-authored a book with Jerram Barrs which had a big influence on me. The book was Being Human: the Nature of Spiritual Experience.
It is hard to describe the beauty of lush green rolling hills surrounded by the awesome Alps of Switzerland, but it is definitely one of my favorite places to read!
HOW AND WHAT I READ…AND WHERE! FAVORITE PLACES TO READ #1
This introduces a series on reading. Among other things, I will share a picture of one of my favorite places to read. In no clear order, one of my favorite places is The New York Public Library in the very room you see before you. I have read there on various occasions. I still fondly recall the elderly woman taking copious notes from an art history book. Wonderful!
My own reading is summarized by the acrostic GROWTH.
G: Greats which right now is a reread of The Taming of the Shrew by Mr. Shakespeare. And I did not start reading Shakespeare until my early forties. There is hope for anyone!
R: Reviews I need to write or books for upcoming interviews. I have already read many terrific things for my show, “Moore Engaging,” and will be sharing those in the months ahead.
O: Other reading that doesn’t neatly fit in the five main categories. It is only as time permits which is rare! These kinds of books might find their way on vacation…which has also been rare these past several years.
W: Word of God. Commentaries and any book which helps me know the Bible better. And yes, I like to read commentaries cover to cover like real books.
T: Teaching preparation which can be just about anything.
H: History which I am regularly reading.