Book Club: The Shack

After a couple months of hiatus, our book club met today at lunch to discuss The Shack by William P. Young. This book is a national bestseller, being plucked from bookstore shelves all over the country. I can see how people would find this book inspirational--people who aren't avid readers, people who do not attend church often (or at all), and people who want to believe that there is something magical out there that a lay man can experience at any given moment. Although I did not hate this book, it was not one of my favorites. There were a few bits of the book that I did like, such as the fact that it emphasizes one's individual relationship with God and wrapping your mind around the relationship God has with Himself (a point that I did not see until our discussion today). There was much more about the book that I didn't like such as the fact that God was represented as an African American woman, surrounded by a magical fairy land who answered to the name of 'Papa'. I did not like how God insisted the main character forgive his daughter's killer so that God would be able to redeem this man or how there was not a reason as to WHY God could not stop this man from murdering the young girl, although he watched the entire situation play out. That is the human in me, though--the part of me that has flaws and errors--the part that could not forgive as God does every day, every minute...every second. So, there were good qualities and bad qualities of this book. Another point brought out in book club was that there are times/situations in a person's life where certain books are best read. I suggest reading this book when you are losing faith or just need a quick 'upper'. It isn't a long book and can be read in the span of a weekend.

Below is a picture of the *delicious* dessert that Jennifer made for the group. They are brownies made out of Samoas (aka the bestEST Girl Scout Cookies Ever!!!)

Hmmm...the dessert picture is bigger than the book picture. That makes sense--I liked it WAY more!