First: TGIF!!!!!
A big thanks to Mark Shea, who runs a very widely-read bog at www.markshea.blogspot.com; check him out, please! He kindly promoted this blog, and answered some of my blogging questions, so go read him asap; it's worth the time. Mark is Catholic, and so am I, and he is interested in writing about the modern-day Catholic. He is also finishing production on a Christian film, so he's a busy dude.
Many visitors of this blog will not be Catholic; even at Opine Books I am the only Catholic. In Christian news this week, many are protesting President Obama's scheduled visit to Notre Dame University on the grounds that his policies are so at odds with the Catholic world view and moral imperatives re: abortion, stem cell research, etc. What do you think? Give us a shout and let us know by posting your comment. Should ND retract their invitation?
Have a great day, and may God reach you in an unexpected way today.
Deirdre
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
No Part-Time God
Hi Everyone,
First off, we have a book going out to our first responder, so congrats to her! We hope she comes back often, and we appreciate the willingness to "jump on in."
Secondly, today I have been thinking about the dual roles some of us (including me!) play in life. How easy it is to believe, and to sense our closeness to God, when we are in church. The music swells, the pastor or priest strikes all the right chords, your children or grandchildren are sitting next to you, quiet and beautiful. "This is the truth," you think to yourself. It has the unmistakeable gut feeling of authenticity; of wonderous reality.
Then, the harsh light of the next day comes, and the overwhelming things begin. The cell phone rings as you are trying to get off to work, CNN blares bad news from the living room, and you realize at least a few bills are overdue. You may get laid off soon, along with the rest of the world, and some of your relationships are strained. Inside, you feel a hollow drop. Where did the peace from yesterday go? Is it only in church? How do you get it to follow you out the church door?
I don't know the answer; one of the great things about a blog is the exchange of ideas. Is it more prayertime, or less self-focus? How do we live like Christians every day, not just in our actions, but in the level of peace in our lives? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, out there in the wilderness. Being Christian seems to be not only in the knowing, but in the searching.
Sincerely,
Deirdre
PS: the first to respond to this post gets a copy of "Exhausted Rapunzel" from Opine Books!
First off, we have a book going out to our first responder, so congrats to her! We hope she comes back often, and we appreciate the willingness to "jump on in."
Secondly, today I have been thinking about the dual roles some of us (including me!) play in life. How easy it is to believe, and to sense our closeness to God, when we are in church. The music swells, the pastor or priest strikes all the right chords, your children or grandchildren are sitting next to you, quiet and beautiful. "This is the truth," you think to yourself. It has the unmistakeable gut feeling of authenticity; of wonderous reality.
Then, the harsh light of the next day comes, and the overwhelming things begin. The cell phone rings as you are trying to get off to work, CNN blares bad news from the living room, and you realize at least a few bills are overdue. You may get laid off soon, along with the rest of the world, and some of your relationships are strained. Inside, you feel a hollow drop. Where did the peace from yesterday go? Is it only in church? How do you get it to follow you out the church door?
I don't know the answer; one of the great things about a blog is the exchange of ideas. Is it more prayertime, or less self-focus? How do we live like Christians every day, not just in our actions, but in the level of peace in our lives? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, out there in the wilderness. Being Christian seems to be not only in the knowing, but in the searching.
Sincerely,
Deirdre
PS: the first to respond to this post gets a copy of "Exhausted Rapunzel" from Opine Books!
Monday, March 30, 2009
These are the owners of Opine Publishing, Jean and Jim Purcell.
They are realizing the dream of a small Christian press that is scripturally
sound, enlightening and helpful to readers around the globe.
They are involved in young couple's groups as facilitators, the writing of books and essays,
and national church leadership.
Jim is the former Director-General of IOM
(International Organization for Migration) in Geneva, Switzerland, and Jean is an editor, speaker, and author. A truly well-traveled couple, they have felt God's presence both at home and in the far reaches of the world, and have worshipped in both grand cathedrals and on bare dirt. God remained the same, and so did they, whether in a church or by the side of the road - faithful, searching, and ageless. Enjoy Opine Books selections, and you are enjoying books that they personally feel very strongly about. That's all the seal of approval that I, as Sales and Marketing Manager - and their oldest daugther - need to move forward with a title!
They are realizing the dream of a small Christian press that is scripturally
sound, enlightening and helpful to readers around the globe.
They are involved in young couple's groups as facilitators, the writing of books and essays,
and national church leadership.
Jim is the former Director-General of IOM(International Organization for Migration) in Geneva, Switzerland, and Jean is an editor, speaker, and author. A truly well-traveled couple, they have felt God's presence both at home and in the far reaches of the world, and have worshipped in both grand cathedrals and on bare dirt. God remained the same, and so did they, whether in a church or by the side of the road - faithful, searching, and ageless. Enjoy Opine Books selections, and you are enjoying books that they personally feel very strongly about. That's all the seal of approval that I, as Sales and Marketing Manager - and their oldest daugther - need to move forward with a title!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Welcome to Your New Blog
Hi Everyone!
Opine is moving into new technology and the new ways in which people communicate by offering the new Opine blog! (Don't expect us to Twiter, though - you won't hear a "tweet" from us...for now.) We want to make our celebration of our shared faith even more accessible and more of a daily habit, so we want you to visit us, and le us know what's on your mind. Please stay and connect no matter what your faith - we want to hear from you!
To start us off, then, I'd like to encourage you to think about your reading choices. What is on your bedside table - a mystery, a vampire novel (why are these so popular??), or a book on the economy? Do you read a prayer book at night, or are you reaching for a new Grisham? What are you feeding your brain? To start the blog off, please respond to this post by telling us what you are reading - and why - and we will send you a free Opine book of your choice if you are the first to respond.
Thanks, and keep visiting. We'll make it worth your time.
Sincerely,
Deirdre Reilly
Sales and Marketing
Opine Books
Opine is moving into new technology and the new ways in which people communicate by offering the new Opine blog! (Don't expect us to Twiter, though - you won't hear a "tweet" from us...for now.) We want to make our celebration of our shared faith even more accessible and more of a daily habit, so we want you to visit us, and le us know what's on your mind. Please stay and connect no matter what your faith - we want to hear from you!
To start us off, then, I'd like to encourage you to think about your reading choices. What is on your bedside table - a mystery, a vampire novel (why are these so popular??), or a book on the economy? Do you read a prayer book at night, or are you reaching for a new Grisham? What are you feeding your brain? To start the blog off, please respond to this post by telling us what you are reading - and why - and we will send you a free Opine book of your choice if you are the first to respond.
Thanks, and keep visiting. We'll make it worth your time.
Sincerely,
Deirdre Reilly
Sales and Marketing
Opine Books
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)