Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven

...But Nobody Wants To Die or (the eschatology of bluegrass).

I was tracking through some blogs I follow a while back trying to find my next read. It's such a great thing to ask people you know what they are reading. And in this age of the Internet you could see what others you respect are reading and recommending (and you probably have never met them!). Anywho, my friend/mentor, Marko, does some serious reading (I mean SERIOUS). So I thought what better way to find a really good read than see what he likes.

He pointed out on his blog that this was the best book he read in 2006 (click here where he first post about the book). I was really excited about what he wrote and what other commented on about how great the book was. So...i jumped at it.

Here's my take: it's a really good book. Well worth the read and insight. But I didn't get it. I mean it was really well crafted as a piece of literature (written by band mates David Crowder and Mike Hogan), with amazing info, and really funny at times, but here's why it fell short to me. I don't have the life experience or emotional capacity to get it...yet. You see, I think you need to have someone close to you die. The authors did. Marko did. And it was profound and devastating for them both. But I haven't. And so I missed some (maybe most of it). My brother Blane and his girlfriend would probably understand it. My parents would understand it. Some friends, students, and families that I have done life and ministry with would understand it. But not me. Not yet.

So if you are in that place...get it. You'll love it. If you aren't in that place, but are seeking to understand those in that place...get it. If you are looking for a great book on the soul and death...get it (but be prepared not to get it).

One day I'll be coming back to this book for it's insight at a whole new level. I'm not looking forward to it, but I'm more prepared than before and I'll need it.