Summer Reading Accomplishments

Before I unintentionally backslid from the blogosphere, I had posted a visual summer reading list. This reading list is partially to blame for my absence. Typically, or so goes the implied blog etiquette, one must apologize profusely for one's virtual absence or confess to one's blogging shortcomings. 

Relaxing with beverage near at hand, while
watching my beleaguered Toronto Blue Jays.

I shall not. My absence was completely enjoyed and without need of excuse. I had an excellent summer that provided opportunity to see my families, preach, lending a helping hand at Community Christian Reformed Church as part of my summer internship (perhaps more on that later), camp and swim around Lake Michigan, and, on a brief occasion, relax with beverage in hand.

I also wedged time into my summer to tackle that visual summer reading list (a guy's gotta have priorities!). While my ambitious goal was not met, I did manage to devour a couple thousand pages worth of reading. 

Here's a visual of what I aimed for versus what I accomplished (left) versus what I had set out to accomplishment (right). I managed to read: 

• The Old Testament in my ESV Study Bible, with introductions 
• The Good News We Almost Forgot by Kevin DeYoung. My wife and I had been reading it together for our devotions and were almost done it when we started the summer. 
• Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore 
• Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson 
• Basics for Believers by D.A. Carson 
• Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer (not pictured)
  
• Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (not pictured) 
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. First time read. 
• Love that Lasts by Gary and Betsy Ricucci
• True Sexual Morality by Daniel Hiembach 
• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt. My wife read this one to me while we drove home. 
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I felt the urge to re-read this classic. 
• The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Also, not quite finished (but nearly) are: 

•  Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark 
• The Christian Lover by Michael Haykin

Hopefully, now that my brain is entering into school mode, I'll take some time to provide short blurbs some of these titles in the days and weeks to come. Stay tuned.