by Julia Graves

I had an interesting conversation with several close friends this week. The conversation was about saying no.

Have you ever been asked to volunteer to do something and found your hand automatically going up? Why? Would you feel guilt if you didn’t volunteer? Of course if you didn’t volunteer quite possibly no one else would. Then the job would not get done, or maybe not done as well as you could. And surely you could make the time.

I know how it feels when someone says no to me when I want something. I would not want to cause someone else to experience this uncomfortable feeling by me not answering their request. Is this why I feel guilty if I don’t volunteer? Is it to protect other people’s feelings or is it for the gratification I experience from helping out? If it was because of the feeling of gratification, why then don’t more people volunteer so they too can get some gratification too?

I then began to ponder about how many times we pray to God asking for something. Sometimes it appears our prayers go unanswered. But are they really going unanswered or is God saying no to us? Could it possibly be that God is pondering a bit before saying yes? Giving us time to grow, gain more understanding, perhaps becomes wiser. Maybe an answer of no is more like pause, look, listen, explore other options?

So when I say no it could be proving others the opportunity for growth. This allows me the opportunity to give quality time to the projects I truly have time for. In doing so I am healthier both physically and mentally because of this decision.

A Year in Books

by Ian Doescher

Since we're at the start of the new year (or close), I thought I would share ten of the best books I read in 2009. Enjoy!

10. Another Country, by Mary Pipher. Pipher, a well-known psychologist

and author of Reviving Ophelia, takes on issues of old age and the issues faced by the elderly in this excellent book.

9. Shakespeare: The Biography, by Peter Ackroyd. If you like the Bard, Acroyd’s biography is clearly written and gives a good sense of Shakespeare’s historical setting.

8. No Impact Man, by Colin Beavan. In this often humorous and always thoughtful book,

Beaven tells the story of his attempt to live life for one year with almost no environmental impact at all. No trash, no plastic dishes, and yes, no toilet paper. The result is an effective example of environmental stewardship.

7. Godric, by Frederick Buechner. The life of an unusual (not to mention unorthodox and irreverent) saint is told compellingly by Buechner. It’s a short book and a quick read.

6. Pilate’s Wife, by Antoinette May. May’s novel imagines what the life of Pilate’s wife --

mentioned only once in the Bible, in Matthew 27 -- was like. In the novel, Jesus is a revolutionary figure who is killed for his radical ideas. Probably not far from the truth!

5. Prayers for a Privileged People by Walter Brueggemann and Prayers Plainly Spoken by Stanley Hauerwas. Okay, this is two books, but they are both excellent collections of prayers by two of the twentieth century’s most prominent theologians.

4. Colonies of Heaven, by Ian Bradley. Bradley explains what is true and what

isn’t about our notions of Celtic spirituality, popping some myths and putting historical precedent behind some modern ideas. More importantly, Bradley shows how authentic Celtic spirituality and practices can be brought into congregations and communities (one example he refers to regularly is the Iona Community in Scotland).

3. Craddock Stories, by Fred Craddock. Fred Craddock is a preacher well-known for the stories he told. This book includes plenty of modern parables that hook you and then often convict you with a clever conclusion. His ability as a master storyteller leaps off the page.

2. Good Poems, edited by Garrison Keillor. The poems in this volume are

thought-provoking and often very moving. Poems can be found for all life occasions, and often just put a satisfying smile on your face.

1. The Irresistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne. I’m in the middle of this book right now, and already I’m calling it the most important book I’ll have read in the past year. Claiborne has really taken Jesus’ words to heart and has tried to live them as authentically as possible. Highly recommended for anyone who is frustrated with mainstream Christianity and looking for new ways to serve.