Book Review: Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge

Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus by John Eldredge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read John Eldredge's latest book earlier this spring but am just now getting around to reviewing it.

I know that there are a lot of critics of John's books and his style of writing. However, in my opinion, there isn't another writer out there that makes the heart of Jesus more accessible. Beautiful Outlaw is Eldredge's examination of the personality of Jesus, which he purports often gets overlooked by Christians. I would have to agree, especially in the way that Eldredge presents it. By re-examining passages in the Bible, he points out different aspects of Jesus's personality - his playfulness, cunning, humility, extreme generosity, captivating honesty and authenticity. And best of all, how all of these personality traits are still evident in our own life. Eldredge asserts that if we allow Jesus to live within our lives, these traits become more and more apparent to us.

I really loved this book. It is a very easy read - the writing won't blow you away - but its content is so powerful. You can't read this book and come away without being affected and wanting to know more about this amazing Son of Man, Son of God, Jesus.

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Come On and Kiss De' Girl Ducky! 5 Thoughts for Monday's "Bachelorette"

I know that I haven't been keeping up with the new season of "The Bachelorette" on here, but I have 5 thoughts from this past Monday's episode.

1 - When One F Jef, or "Ducky" as I refer to him, and Emily were in the Eye and all he could keep talking about was kissing Emily and how much he wanted to, but then the moment was passing by, all I could thing of was that if he had had a trusty crustacean to sing "Sha-la-la-la, kiss de' girl", he might have had more confidence to go for it before the ride was over. At least they finally shared a kiss that night.

2 - "I'mma 'bout to go all West Virginia, backwoods, hood rat on his a$$" has got to be one of the best lines uttered on reality television. Ever. Especially since Emily is the furthest thing from a redneck, trailer park, backwoods West Virginian that there could be. Maybe she applies the same logic that I do when singing along with "Redneck Woman" in my car, dressed in pearls and a popped collar. 

3 - One F Jef/Ducky's outfit for the first part of his one-on-one was priceless. Light grey knit blazer. With arm patches. And a skinny tie. And folded square pocket square. Tight khakis/jeans. Wingtip shoes. It was a thing of hipster beauty.

4 - Ryan's scarves were about the most d-bag things I have ever seen. It literally made my skin crawl each time he came on screen wearing a scarf. I mean, really???

Come on, Really??? That scarf?? UGH

5 - I am sad that I will no longer get to sing "Ale-Ale-jandro, Ale-Ale-jandro, Alejandro, Alejandro" every time that the Californian mushroom farmer Alejandro is on screen.

I predict that Sean, Arie, and One F Jef make it to the final Three. I think Doug and Ryan will be in the top five, unless either is surpassed by Travis (which I hope so! Come on Madison, MS!). I believe we'll be saying "Adios" to Wolf Boy and young buck Chris in the next few episodes. What about you? Who do you think will make it to the final three? 

To Brighten Grey Days

Three things to brighten these oppressive grey days that we've been having in Wton:

1 - Rex Grossman's advice to RGIII is enough to fill a whole afternoon - many thanks to The Onion for this hard-hitting piece of news.

2 - John Stewart on the mess in Europe - and how Germany has actually won the war.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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3 - And the last 45 seconds of this Stephen Colbert interview with Andy Cohen is priceless - not a word is said and it's soooo funny!

The Colbert Report
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Ear Candy

I love to spread news about new music loves and these are some that I have downloaded recently that I am playing on constant repeat:

1. Alex Clare - "Too Close"

I came across this song through the new commercial that they are running for Internet Explorer - this guy is kind of really awesome. His album isn't available in the US yet (darn it) but this single is, and I hope that the full album comes soon, because the stuff that I have heard is great.

2. Goyte - "Save Me"

It took me a while to dive in and purchase this album, but after seeing someone Tweet about it, I decided to give it a chance. I am so happy I did - this album hits the perfect mix between alternative/lite rock. As one reviewer said on Amazon, "it's a strangely appealing mix of Beck, George Michael, and Seal".  There are definitely some tracks that I love more than others, but it is all in all a really great album. The song above is one of my favorites so far.

3. Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars - "Safe and Sound"

It's almost sacrilegious for me to post something positive about Taylor Swift - I usually can't stand her music (and I know I'm in the minority there, but I am just. not. a. fan. at. all.). But this song is hauntingly beautiful (which I credit T Bone Burnett and The Civil Wars for). I'm really excited about "The Hunger Games" movie AND soundtrack - there are some really amazing artists (like The Civil Wars) on it and I'm hoping for more of the same along these lines.

4. Starfield - "Innocence and Other Things Lost"

Starfield is a Christian band that I stumbled upon a couple of years ago and I liked them immediately because they actually had good music - not just lyrically, but musically - something that didn't sound like it belonged in a church on a Sunday. That is, until a couple of albums ago in which the whole album bent toward that direction and I was sad because, while there's nothing wrong with that music, it doesn't grab me. Thankfully on this new album, Starfield seems to have found a little bit of that musicality that I loved about them at first place. This is one of the songs that drew me in.

Let me know what you think or if you've come across anything new lately that I need to know about :)

Final Thoughts for the Finale

1. It seems like Lindzi is trying to channel Ben with her grey, neutral outfit choices. Which we all know is to no avail. The Bachelor never picks the one we want him to pick.
   
2. I swear that is not Ben's mom. She was not a blonde on Ashley's season! One of the two is a hired actor, I am sure of it.
   
3. Ben's sister needs to watch all the innuendos that she keeps saying - talking about getting Lindzi to "open up" and "release the floodgates" - I'm not making this up - she really said those things!
   
4. The Matterhorn is really spectacular. I may have to put that on my "leap" list (and by "leap" list, I mean bucket list, because a leap list is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of and I'm convinced was something made up by Honda's marketing department, which also strategically got their Honda's placed on The Bachelor this season, which I'm sure led to a huge spike in sales).
   
5. Ben's sister, who I was hoping would be as awesome and rude (aka, honest) as Ashley's amazing sister was to JP, TOTALLY let me down with how easy she let Courtney off the hook. I mean, really? Not even one little hesitation or inkling that she may not be the most authentic person in the world?
   
6. *Yawn* *Fast Forward* Sorry - that was me fast-forwarding through Ben and Lindzi's date - I'm done listening to Lindzi talk about how she is opening up in this relationship. There's only so many times during a season that I can take that line.
   
7. *Yawwwwnnn* *Fast Forward* Sorry - that was me fast-forwarding through another helicopter ride and how it is symbolic of Ben and Courtney's relationship soaring to new heights - there are only so many times I can take that metaphor - and I am WAY past it this season - seriously, they used that metaphor and scenario SOOOOO MANNYYY TIMES. I'm through with rappelling, jumping out of helicopters, rope courses, and zip lines being used as metaphors for relationships.
   
8. Courtney definitely had the cooler balcony to have a balcony scene on.
   
9. OMG, ABC has incorporated Disney into the series by now having the Bachelorettes dressing as Disney princesses, complete with cloaks (and climbing into helicopters to make them hike in heels up the Swiss Alps)! This is my comparison for each:
   
   
   Poor Lindzi.
   
   
   
   And this would be my depiction of Courtney and Ben.
10. Oh my gosh - so shocking (not) - Ben chose Courtney! Didn't see that one coming!! (see Number 1)

It's been real all my rose-loving friends. Thank goodness this is now over so we can mentally prepare ourselves for Emily Maynard (aka Melanie Wilkes from Gone With the Wind) by watching "The Voice"!

PS - You need to check Jimmy Kimmel Live's spot with Chris Harrison from tonight - priceless!!