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Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations with Frederick Buechner
by
Frederick Buechner (Goodreads Author),
George Connor
Daily meditations taken from the works of an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and preacher who has articulated what he sees with a freshness and clarity and energy that hails our stultified imaginations.
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
May 8th 1992
by HarperOne
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This book influenced my faith journey at a crucial time in my life. I wanted to start a prayer-life, didn't fit in with many religious types, and liked the pretty cover of this book. I had no idea I had chosen wisely at all. It was more of a whim. And yet, I couldn't have chosen a better starting place for my spiritual journey than this daily devotional. This is where I was first introduced to Frederick Buechner. And through this collection of writings divided into thought-provoking snippets I w...more
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I used Listening to Your Life several years ago as my daily meditation resource and loved it--I have always found Frederick Buechner's writings to be thought-provoking and touch that part of me that finds literature to be one of the greatest resources for my spiritual growth. Buechner's non-fiction prose still reads like literature without becoming too frothy--I often used quotations from his works in my preaching. I also appreciate daily meditation resources that don't try to tell me what the m...more
Buechner is wonderful. His thoughts are always inspiring, always challenging me to see things in a different way, and always making me feel like it's okay to think outside of the box. He is brilliant. This book is great for short daily insights.
This book has been my companion for 15+ years. One of my favorite entries is August 3, entitled "Wine".
I quote it here:
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Unfermented grape juice is a bland and pleasant drink, especially on a warm afternoon mixed half-and-half with ginger ale. It is a ghastly symbol of the life blood of Jesus Christ, especially when it is served in antiseptic, thimble-sized glasses.
Wine is booze, which means it is dangerous and drunk-making. It makes the timid brave and the reserved am...more
I quote it here:
****************************
Unfermented grape juice is a bland and pleasant drink, especially on a warm afternoon mixed half-and-half with ginger ale. It is a ghastly symbol of the life blood of Jesus Christ, especially when it is served in antiseptic, thimble-sized glasses.
Wine is booze, which means it is dangerous and drunk-making. It makes the timid brave and the reserved am...more
3 likes · like · see review
This book is just what the title says, a daily reader from one of the richest, warmest voices still living in literature. These morsels of solid food for mind and heart will see many days even after the dear man is gone too.
No bones about it, Frederick Buechner is my favorite living author. He simply has a way of putting things that moves me to action and repose at the same time, to both internal contentment and stark rage at the world's pains and injustices. Having his tomes at hand to glance a...more
No bones about it, Frederick Buechner is my favorite living author. He simply has a way of putting things that moves me to action and repose at the same time, to both internal contentment and stark rage at the world's pains and injustices. Having his tomes at hand to glance a...more
I used to be the kind of person that woke up really, really, really early and read things "spiritual" and tried to think about things that mattered to me for a few minutes before the day started. I'd like to be that kind of person again. sometimes i pick up a book like this and try to get there again.
Some of the clips are too out of context for me (snippets from his books), but some a like because he just opens up a big hearken question and lets it sit there.
This book is also somewhat of an anom...more
Some of the clips are too out of context for me (snippets from his books), but some a like because he just opens up a big hearken question and lets it sit there.
This book is also somewhat of an anom...more
Buechner is one of my favorite Christian writers. He is a skilled author who expresses spiritual truth in a fresher and more expressive light than many current writers. You will find yourself resonating with many of the thoughts of this man and you will enjoy his books.
On Jan. 20, you'll hear Pastor Thompson refer to a minister named Frederick Buechner. Dr. Buechner is one of the most extraordinary thinkers in current Christianity. This book -- LISTEN TO YOUR LIFE -- is an accessible introduction to his work.
This is a daily devotional taken from snippets of Buechner's books. I have been reading it for a while. It is Christian based and usually about Christian topics, sometimes vaguely. Todays was linking all weddings to the wedding in Cana.
I agree with him on some things, think he often writes very thoughtfully, and love the way that he writes non-fiction like it could belong in a novel. Sometimes I think he is a little pretentious. The first day I read, it had some negative over-generalization abo...more
I agree with him on some things, think he often writes very thoughtfully, and love the way that he writes non-fiction like it could belong in a novel. Sometimes I think he is a little pretentious. The first day I read, it had some negative over-generalization abo...more
This will always be in my "currently reading" book list! It's a daily read, little excerpts from Buechner's other works. I love Buechner.
If you are a person of faith, I highly encourage you to get journey through a year with these devotions. Buechner's wise reflections are an amazing way to start each day, and you will find your brain bringing his words back again and again. . . .
A book I can always return to. It will produce a chuckle, speak to my heart and rattle my paradigms.
Excellent "greatest quotes" book. Be sure to read February 28. Also see www.frederickbuechner.com.
One of my favorite authors, and this is a great selection of his best writing. Deeply meaningful and thought-provoking.
This book lives in my kitchen so I can grab it when the notion strikes. Great food for thought!
One of my favorite devotionals. I always go back to it year in & year out.
One of my all-time favorite Buechner books.
This book touched my heart deeply. There were moments when I was reading and I was suddenly swept into an emotional and personal reminder of things long buried. Frederick Buechner has the blessed ability to put faith, doubt, hurt, suffering, jubilation and those 'aha' moments into words that pierce your heart. Several times I was moved to cleansing tears...other times moved to solid strength and faith. A beautiful book...you will carry a copy of it with you all through life...mine is tattered, u...more
Wonderful introduction to Buechner.
Frederick Buechner is great!
Jul 30, 2011
Allison Thompson
added it
Always like this one.
great meditation book
I'm already rating it because I've read it before. It was a while ago, though, and I was in a different place both literally and metaphorically, and I think I'll get a lot more from it this year.
Update: I read it through again in 2012. I like pertinent quotes, although on the other hand with many of them you do feel like the context would have been helpful.
Update: I read it through again in 2012. I like pertinent quotes, although on the other hand with many of them you do feel like the context would have been helpful.
I've used this as a daily meditation/reflection guide for the better part of 8 years, and it still speaks new things to me. When asked to comment on this gem, Maya Angelou said "This book is meant to possess, and at the same time liberate, the heart. I'm happy to report it succeeds."
these daily devotionals by buechner are short enough to easily swallow whenever you have a few spare moments during the day. i've never been one to sink easily into the routine of devotions, but this book caught my eye and has continued to hold my attention.
Arranged as a daily devotional, I am enjoying selected highlights from many of Buechner's writings for each day. Most are very good. Some are very, very good. A couple are fantastic!
buechner is a master. he can make the most mundane circumstances spiritual. i'll read him before anyone else when i need a change in perspective.
I read this a lot during college. It's an anthology that takes excerpts from Buechner's writings and uses them as daily reflections for the calendar year.
the snippets from his random fiction don't usually work, but esp. stuff from *gospel as fairy tale* are still so insightful and excellent . .
Daily devotions for 2008 and again 2009. Much food for thought.
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Frederick Buechner is a highly influential writer and theologian who has won awards for his poetry, short stories, novels and theological writings. His work pioneered the genre of spiritual memoir, laying the groundwork for writers such as Anne Lamott, Rob Bell and Lauren Winner.
His first book, A Long Day's Dying, was published to acclaim just two years after he graduated from Princeton. He entere...more
More about Frederick Buechner...
His first book, A Long Day's Dying, was published to acclaim just two years after he graduated from Princeton. He entere...more
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“Let him tell them the truth. Before the Gospel is a word, it is silence. It is the silence of their own lives and of his life. It is life with the sound turned off so that for a moment or two you can experience it not in terms of the words you make it bearable by but for the unutterable mystery that it is. Let him say, "Be silent and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Be silent and know that even by my silence and absence I am known. Be silent and listen to the stones cry out.
Out of the silence let the only real news comes, which is sad news before it is glad news and that is fairy tale last of all.”
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6 people liked it
Out of the silence let the only real news comes, which is sad news before it is glad news and that is fairy tale last of all.”
“If we are a people who pray, darkness is apt to be a lot of what our prayers are about. If we are people who do not pray, it is apt to be darkness in one form or another that has stopped our mouths.”
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3 people liked it
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