What's He Really Thinking? by Paula Rinehart

Paula Rinehart has attempted a difficult task in her new book, What’s He Really Thinking? She is trying to explain men, what goes on in their heads, what makes them do what they do. Perhaps the only more difficult topic would be to explain women!

First a disclaimer: This book was written for women to help them relate to the men in their lives. I am not a woman. I am the man in a woman’s life.

I found the book to be easy to read and understand. It would have been very easy for Rinehart to get highly technical in explaining the differences between the sexes and how to better relate. I also got the sense that she is qualified to handle that technical conversation. But she successfully avoided that trap.

Most books that deal with the relationships between men and women only consider the marriage (or at least unmarried romantic) relationships. This book is about women understanding men. She applies these principles to husbands, sons, brothers, and other male/female relationships.

At the back of the book is the “Relational Genius Guide”. This is a series of chapter by chapter questions. To me, they seem especially good for groups of women to discuss. The questions appear to be well thought out and well written, leading to fruitful discussion.

As a man reading a relationship book written for women, I have to say it was reasonably accurate in its descriptions of how men think. I would definitely recommend this book.

More information about What’s He Really Thinking can be found at Thomas Nelson’s product page. I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

Rick and Bubba's Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage

Radio comics Rick Burgess and Bill “Bubba” Bussey have returned to the publishing world with their newest release. Rick & Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage is a quick, easy to read collection of topics relevant to most couples. The forty-five chapters read like short humor pieces or columns. In this collection, the authors address such topics as: finding a mate, conflict, shopping, money and debt, respect, pregnancy, and grief and tragedy. They do this with the humor and style they have become known for. This is a pretty funny book.

That being said, the use of the word “guide” in the title should not be taken literally. While the book is funny, the advice is often not quite grounded in reality nor centered in the Word of God. It plays into the cultural stereotype that all wives blame their husbands for everything, thus belittling and devaluing the role and position of the husband as the head of the wife. While the Bible clearly teaches this position, Rick and Bubba do precious little to correct and teach their readers. There are other examples, but this is one of the most glaring.

If you want a decent laugh, I can recommend this book. If you are looking for guidance and advice for your marriage relationship, I think you should look elsewhere.

More information about Rick & Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage can be found at Thomas Nelson’s product page. I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

Just Like Me

i used to listen to country music. a lot. in the last few years, i have listened almost exclusively to christian music of one variety or another. that being said, i still have a soft spot for george strait. that's right, king george. in my large sport utility vehicle, i have xm satellite radio. on xm, they are celebrating the release of king george's latest album, troubador, during the month of april by hosting strait country. this is a channel devoted to george strait music 24/7. it is good. it is very good.

i heard a song today that i had not heard in several years. it is called "the best day". it talks about a father and son. after some particular event, the son declares to the father that this may be the best day of his life. it is a very sentimental lyric, in a very simple way. i do not know why, but the words of the bridge and last chorus really affected me today. they go like this:

Standin' in a little room back of the church with our tuxes on,
Lookin' at him I say, I can't believe, son that you've grown.
He said,

Dad, this could be the best day of my life.
I've been dreamin' day and night of bein' like you.
Now it's me and her, Watchin' you and mom I've learned,
I'm the luckiest man alive, This is the best day of my life.

i want a lot of things for my sons. mostly, i want them to love jesus and serve him. i want them to have wives that are the perfect helpmeet for them. i want them to have wonderful families. i want them to have jobs and/or ministries that god uses in a powerful way. i want them to have a model of the men they should be. i want to be the kind of father for them, that if they are just like me, they will be all that god has for them. i want to be worthy of the words, "i've been dreamin' day and night of bein' like you." how am i doing? i wish you had not asked. i realize i can be pretty tough on myself, but i would have to say mediocre, at best. i have great sons. most of the time, i think it is in spite of their father, not because of him. sometimes i just do not know what to do.

writing to the church in corinth, paul says: "For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me." (1 corinthians 4:15,16) then, a little later, he says: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 corinthians 11:1) according to paul, if i imitate christ, i can safely, and with confidence, urge my sons to imitate me. they will likely try to imitate me anyway, but with christ as my example, imitating me will be a good thing.

The Iron Works

about two and a half years ago, a good friend of mine believed god was leading him to start meeting weekly with a group of men. he had been very positively affected by his own involvement in a men's group and he wanted to have a similar impact in the lives of other men. i absolutely think this is what god would have us to do. this is multiplication of ministry. this is what paul meant when he said to teach faithful men so they may teach others. so a group of us banded together to invest in the lives of one another and we called this group "the iron works". we did a lot of great things together, but i believe god does many or most (maybe all) things in seasons. we have gone through a number of changes recently and the remaining core of us think it is a new season. so we are trying something different. we are trying video driven series. we have started with one called "hostage" produced by craig groeschel and the folks at lifechurch.tv. last week's topic was bitterness. craig did a good job of talking about the causes of bitterness and how to root it out. he pointed out that hanging on to bitterness will ruin your life. tonight, we are looking at worry. there is one line that i particularly like: "worry is the sin of distrusting the promises and power of god." is this really not the point? if we truly trust god, will we worry? i do not mean that nothing will concern us. i am talking about real worry. if we have trust and confidence in the god that created us and saved us, what is there to worry about?

what do you worry about? do you think your worry is caused (or allowed to exist) due to a lack of trust and confidence in god? what can you do about this?