Archive for the 'Recommended Reading' Category

“THE DAY MY FATHER DIED” PRE-PUBLICATION SPECIAL OFFER

August 14, 2010 on 1:49 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Recommended Reading | No Comments

“The Day My Father Died … Was One of the Best Days of My Life.“  That’s the title of my new booklet,  and it’s also a statement of truth. 

The booklet is about to go into production and should be available by October 1st.   This 50-page publication tells the true story of my long journey to build a relationship with my father  … whether he liked it or not.  And it reflects — as I have learned over the years — the all-to-common story of the disconnect between fathers and their children.

“The Day My Father Died” is about healing, and it is dedicated to fathers, “especially those who do not take naturally to the role.”  In addition to a tool you may find of value for yourself and loved ones, it may be appropriate for book clubs and other discussion groups. 

A pre-publication special offer:  This booklet will retail for $4.99 for a single copy, including shipping & handling.  However, if you order prior to August 30th, you can receive an unlimited number of copies for $3.75 per copy, including S & H.  To order your pre-publication copies, send a check to:

John Ingrisano
Director, Family Finances Conference Center
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201 
 

Indicate the quantity desired and if you would like your copies signed.  If you find that “The Day My Father Died” is less than you had hoped, you can return it for a full refund. 

Thank you in advance, and may you enjoy all the peace and joy of the blessings God sends to you each day. — jri

MONDAY THOUGHT 1/11/10

January 11, 2010 on 12:48 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Recommended Reading | No Comments
Recommended Reading
 
I love a good book and tend to recommend my favorites.  Here’s one you might enjoy:
 
The Bible is an old book, though still a best-seller.  Unfortunately, as a lad growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, I was never encouraged to read the Bible.  These days, however, I devote a small amount of time each day — perhaps 10 minutes on average — to Bible study.  (That adds up to just over 60 hours a year.)  I keep a copy beside my bed to peruse during those 3:00 AM awakenings.  I also have a special place in my sunroom where, wrapped in a prayer stole that was a gift from a friend, I read my morning prayers.  And when I travel, I admit that I get a kick out of finding a Gideon Bible in hotel rooms, which leads me to a quick-flash thought of Rocky Raccoon (as in the Beatles song … but never mind) and makes me wonder if some future traveler will come upon and be inspired by the passages I (invariably; I cannot help myself) underline while reading. 
 
Though certainly no Bible scholar, I can turn to favorite Psalm passages in a flash in my marked-up, dog-eared,  underlined and annotated copy; understand why the two books of Samuel come before the two books of Kings; question the author and authenticity of some texts; puzzle over the inclusion of the downright nasty God contained in Ezekiel (my least favorite book); and even understand (sometimes) why, when and by whom the four Gospels were written. 
 
My point:  The Bible has become a favorite, special friend: a companion, a guide, a comfort, an inspiration, and a teacher.  So, if you’re not already doing so, I recommend that you give it some time each day.  I think you’ll find it a darn good book.   
 
“Blessed is the man
    who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
    or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
    Whatever he does prospers.”
        –    Psalm 1:1-3
 
Please keep my brother in your prayers.  He should be in Uganda by now, providing medical care to Congolese refugees, and will not return to his home in Maine until around February 7.  Thanks and may God grant you a day of peace and joy. 
John Ingrisano
DailyConnections
204 Lakeview Drive
Algoma, WI 54201
(920) 559-3722

MONDAY THOUGHT 12/14/09

December 14, 2009 on 12:42 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Faith & Forgiveness, Recommended Reading | No Comments
Stumbling Onto God
 
I was looking for God the other day, when I darn near tripped over Him. 
 
The experience reminded me of the Seinfeld character’s Kramer writing a coffee table book about coffee tables.  I was reading a book about “Godwinks” — moments beyond coincidence that can remind us that God is near and watching over us — when I bumped into two actual Godwinks of my own.  (The book is When God Winks at You, by Squire Rushnell, and I recommend it.) 
 
In the course of about 10 pages, I encountered two Bible verses in box rules that are neither all that common, nor were they totally relevant to the text itself, but which have become very much a part of my soul over the last year.  (One is  Proverbs 3:6: “In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your path.”  The other is Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”‘)
 
When I encountered the first verse, I smiled, as if meeting an old friend.  When I read the second, my soul smiled, then soared, and then began to settle into a deep, warm joyous silence, wrapped in the knowledge that God was close … and always is.
 
My point:  Partially, just sharing of a wondrous moment when God took the time to remind me how much He truly cares (dare I add “about me personally”?).  But also that seekers of truth are finders of God.  And it’s well worth the time and effort.  God bless. – jri
 
“Then you will call upon me and come
and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
You will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart.”
        –    God
               (Jeremiah 29:12)
 

“A Perfect Day” Now Available

April 9, 2008 on 8:04 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Recommended Reading | 1 Comment

In the name of shameless self-promotion, I am pleased (as in, super proud) to announce that my book, A Perfect Day, a collection of my spiritual daily thoughts, is now available and can be purchased online. 

 Here’s one totally unbiased pre-publication review:

Kind Words from Friends About

A Perfect Day

 “Real” is the word that comes to mind when describing John.  By his use of subtle humor, John captures your attention and gives you a glimpse into his life.  Though John’s angels and demons may differ from yours, you can certainly identify with them.  I have witnessed Christ working in John’s life by reading his “Thoughts of the Day.”  They have made me laugh, brought tears to my eyes, encouraged me when lonely, but most importantly, they have given me hope by reminding me of God’s unconditional love.  Thanks John for helping me on my spiritual journey.Louise Andreae

Fellow parishioner and dear friend

Sturgeon Bay, WI     

 If you get a chance, click on the link below and check out the book.  No obligation to buy. 

www.lulu.com/content/2269531.

DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER

January 10, 2008 on 5:31 pm | By John Ingrisano | In Recommended Reading | No Comments

My brother has spoken to me about a standing invitation he has to buy God lunch. He has some pretty tough questions he needs answers to before he can go on. I understand the need.

That was also why I had to giggle when a friend recommended David Gregory’s Dinner With a Perfect Stranger. It was the fulfillment of my brother’s request put down on paper. Dinner is a short read (163 pages), and I breezed through it in two brief sittings. It was delightful and fascinating. My only fear when I cracked the book open was that it would be a preachy, didactic fundamentalist propaganda piece. Far from it. It is a refreshingly honest and enjoyable blend of logic, scripture, and compassion — without any cheap emotional tricks designed to send you on a sappy crying jag.

I like reading a book where I actually learn something, and I did here. For example, a dabbler of eastern religions such as Buddhism, I’d always enjoyed the philosophy, but found that, in the end, they lacked something, but I wasn’t sure what. Our hero in Dinner With a Perfect Stranger (yeah, it’s Jesus, this we know from the very beginning; no suspense) did a pretty good job of explaining why such religions (and this includes Islam, gentle reader) simply don’t do the job.

Most of all, Dinner was an honest treatment of the subject, grappling with the kind of questions I suspect most of us have struggled with. I didn’t see any sleight of hand, dodging of questions, or smoke and mirrors.

What would you ask Jesus if given the opportunity to have a one-on-one dinner with Him? Gregory’s Dinner With a Perfect Stranger may not provide a revelatory transformation (darn, yet another silver bullet gone astray); however, it is a delightful, well-worth-the-read experience. And, yes I have sent a copy to my questing brother. Enjoy. — JRI

“Here I am! I stand at the door and
knock; if anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him
and will dine with him, and he with me.”
– Revelations 3:20

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