The Book of Jonah

A personal reflection about The Book of JONAH

The 32^nd book of the Old Testament

Can you remember the first book you ever read from cover-to-cover? I sure can. I was eight years old and the book was Crackerjack Halfback, by Matt Christopher. The main character (Freddie) loved football, but he was afraid to tackle. In the story he and his football coach went to a football movie, but on their way home they had to swerve out of the way of an oncoming truck and skidded into a river. This experience taught Freddie some lessons and helped him overcome his fears. It was a great book. I even skipped dinner so that I could finish it. I believe that from this point onward, I developed a love of reading books.

A short time after this delightful experience, I decided that I wanted to read a whole book of the Bible in one sitting. I systematically paged through my Bible looking for one that wasn’t too long and stumbled across the book of JONAH. In this book of the Bible, I read about a person who also was afraid, learned a lesson in the water, and ultimately accomplished a victorious feat. As a young boy, I was cut to the heart by the story of Jonah. Reading all four chapters in one sitting was not easy for a child, but it revealed to me the power of God’s Word if I was just willing to read it. I believe that from this point onward, I developed a love of God’s Word.

As an adult, I still love to read the Book of JONAH. It teaches about how our disobedience to God results in consequences. It also shows how God listens to our prayer of repentance and is ready to deliver us from sin and its consequences. Furthermore, it reveals how quickly we forget God’s goodness after He works in our lives and yet He is willing to show us loving kindness.

Whether you are eight or eighty years of age, I encourage you to read the Book of JONAH all in one sitting. May God richly bless you as you do.

“I cried out the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me.”  – Jonah 2:2

meet the reviewer: jon schommer

Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married for 21 years to Lisa and they have two children; Dave aged 16 and Emily 14. Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.

Movie Review: How To Train Your Dragon

Story Overview (no spoilers):

“How to Train Your Dragon” tells the tail of Hiccup the not-so-viking, Viking.  He lacks in every area: no muscle, no beard, no hard head and no heart for killing dragons.  And this reality is not lost on the rest of the Vikings.  More than once when someone mentions his flaws Hiccup observes sadly, “You’re pointing to every part of me.”

Everything changes for Hiccup when he’s given the chance to kill the most mysterious and dangerous dragon of them all, the Night Fury.  How he acts in this moment will change forever the way all the other Vikings see him.  But how that all comes about is not at all what he would have expected.

Rating and Content Review:

The PG rating had me a bit concerned about bringing my 3 small children.  However, I was pleasantly surprised.  From my observation it garnered that rating primarily for its “intense action” sequences and fierce fire breathing dragons.  Some of which my 4 and 5 year old covered their eyes for.  None of which turned out to be “over the top.”  The language was clean and the “adult” humor was thankfully lacking from most of the movie.  Though, there was one scene involving Hiccup’s Viking helmet that slightly crossed that line.

The level of intense action and fighting would be on par with movies like “Kung Fu Panda”.  Though, any parent taking their children to this movie needs to know that the background of the story is a war between the Vikings and dragons and subsequently there are many battle type scenes including one ginormous and intimidating dragon.

Any religious undertones were minimal.  I was pleased to see that this was not a “new age” movie.  It did not appear to have any underlying messages about your inner power or other such empty philosophies.  Occasionally a Viking would say something about the gods or use a nordic god’s name.

Summary:

Overall: the story line was engaging, the message was positive and the 3D movie experience was fun.  On theAlley scale I give it 4 out of 5 bricks.

Photographic Highlights of 2009

Thanking God for a blessed and awesome 2009…

Some highlights…

Thanking Him for new believers in our midst!

Partnership with TST catering to provide weekly meal to the community.

Entered into a new space.

Mission trip to Tanzania.

Many and awesome connections with the Women’s Shelter.

Drama Camp, CD release, Family Fun Nights, Communion Meals, Operation Christmas Child and a thousand others!

I love the way that God continues to work through the people of this church to His glory and to proclaim the name of Jesus.

The following is a sampling of pictures from this last year.  Looking forward to where we’ll be lead in 2010.  Praise to be to God alone!

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