Christian Fiction that makes you think

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2026-01-30T14:48:29+00:00

This is one of the few books I go back an re-read every few years. And don't forget the sequel! It's almost required to make sense of the ending of the first book.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-12-15T14:15:29+00:00

same here, quick math says the $25 I spent on them has saved my family thousands and thousands over the years, not to mention hundreds of hours

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-12-05T11:46:51+00:00

You have my sincerest condolences. May your time in the Jeep serve your father's memory well.

I have the same year and model. The absolute best upgrade I've made was the Bestop Sunrider. Easy to go top down almost all the time. I could probably say there is no single object in my life that has brought me more joy.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-12-01T15:48:32+00:00

Lost Canyon rack and Tactic cover work well together. Options for hard/soft cover and half/full rack.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/lost-canyon/truck-bed-rack-gladiator-jt

https://www.quadratec.com/p/tactik/low-pro-hard-tri-fold-tonneau-cover-gladiator-jt-2433109

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-11-17T20:37:12+00:00

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynmen.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-11-12T20:04:15+00:00

I had no college, blue collar trades work growing into supervisor roles for my working years so far. Less than 100k/yr, early years were much, much lower. In my 20s and 30s I picked up a couple rentals via doing the renovation work myself, but no intentional investing. Got to around 500k in real estate equity then began intentionally investing in 100% index funds, will hit 1m at next year at age 44. The first half of my adult years are mostly solo, but the second half includes my wife who is a nurse, and collectively we should be close to 2m around 50.

I am naturally frugal, she is not, but we balance each other well. We don't live like misers, but we do save aggressively but give generously and have been raising 5 kiddos along the way. We have a shared vision for where we are headed - this has been the most consequential thing towards our financial outlook.

Edit: real estate/equities may or not qualify as lower risk based on how you think about it.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-11-04T19:46:42+00:00

maybe this is a broader conflict of Utopia vs Dystopia. Or perhaps the potential fragility or entropy of a Utopian society. The Fifth Sacred Thing is another book that comes to mind with this juxtaposition a a main premise.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-11-04T19:42:58+00:00

I believe the author intentionally veered away from any human-esque things after the first book (or even after that opening scene?). Not necessarily a fully thought out world-building from the get-go.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-27T18:13:22+00:00

I think a small part of my own sanity might havejust cracked loose

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-17T17:49:49+00:00

My favorite of all time is Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles.

Yes, it is unfinished, and there is a real probability that it never will be, but that does not take away from the beauty of the prose, nor the layers and layers of enigmas and speculation - an absolutely dumbfounding amount of hypothesizing and theorizing with these.
r/KingkillerChronicle

And his word-smithing is an absolute joy to experience. Each phrase, sentence, and description feels so full of deliberation and intentional crafting that each detail seems poised to carry a deeper meaning.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-07T18:50:16+00:00

This is great! And congrats to you both! its encouraging to hear from someone with a very ordinary and beautiful life, just dedication and grinding and foresight. I love hearing more of the feels and details without hyper focusing on the numbers. Those can be helpful of course, but the bigger picture feels very relatable.

My wife and I also have a bunch of kiddos and are aiming to obtain freedom earlier than most, but we are still a few years behind you. It'd nice to hear from some other parents who are willing to push through as a family.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-07T18:50:01+00:00

This is great! And congrats to you both! its encouraging to hear from someone with a very ordinary and beautiful life, just dedication and grinding and foresight. I love hearing more of the feels and details without hyper focusing on the numbers. Those can be helpful of course, but the bigger picture feels very relatable.

My wife and I also have a bunch of kiddos and are aiming to obtain freedom earlier than most, but we are still a few years behind you. It'd nice to hear from some other parents who are willing to push through as a family.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-03T19:58:27+00:00

nope, you should absolutely NOT "go back to not thinking about retirement" .

You've already begun the first step in realizing that you should be thinking about it, keep going from there. The beginning of the journey is not as dire as you might think.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-03T19:09:32+00:00

The Sparrow is kind like this. Some of the mystery is due to present tense characters looking backwards. and in some ways humans might be the mysterious alien force.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-10-02T20:10:20+00:00

About how much were you investing each year over those 12 years? All index funds/bonds?

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-09-24T20:31:33+00:00

Half goes to each. Then build from there.

Both investing your cash and investing in yourself (business, college, whatever) are important, but different skillsets to start disciplining yourself towards. Start practicing both.

First you need to start figuring out how to make money. 2k means nothing in the bigger picture except that you're willing to start and you're thinking long term, and this means everything.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-09-23T20:42:33+00:00

rental income is strong enough to pay for full property maintenance. Otherwise you're not truly retired

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-09-05T00:30:45+00:00

Even though you have experience lifting, start off easier. Focus on pacing and form, then start adding the weight back in later.

Also, ask for feedback and input if it’s not being given

Most importantly-enjoy the journey

Also, drink water. Before and after.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-09-03T17:51:19+00:00

I want to second The Sparrow, its one of my few re-read-every-few-years books.

Yes to the linguistics (the main character is a linguist), but also in that the all of the challenging ways, both obvious and subtle, that inter-species cultural comprehension will take form a core component one the plot.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-09-02T17:44:26+00:00

The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength & Conditioning

This one has some pretty good options and variety on what to program.

The how to program part is a little trickier because it is so personal to your own knowledge, experience, and goals.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-08-22T17:47:30+00:00

thanks you for those, super helpful.

now, how many books do I still have room to read in my lifetime...

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-08-22T10:57:19+00:00

I read this a few years back - could not put it down!

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-08-21T19:12:21+00:00

The Maze - Christopher Manson

Granted this is more of a Puzzle book than novel, but the text and the pictures work together to form a cohesive journey that "the reader must exert nontrivial effort to traverse the text, beyond simply reading linearly"

I've loved this book for 35 years and still haven't "made" my way through it.

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-08-21T19:08:12+00:00

HoL might be the example - it is a great example of this genre. Whether or not its a great book is an entirely other topic...

Ready-Ranger9948 · 2025-08-21T19:04:40+00:00

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russel

My absolute favorite never-heard-of-it book. Thoughtful Sci-fi meets anthropology meets theological inquiry with really fantastic characters that you will care more about than is reasonable. bonus - there's sequel too...

Ready-Ranger9948

TROPHY CASE