FINDING TIME FOR THE TIMELESS: Spirituality in the Workweek

An eloquent reply to the modern mantra "I don't have time for spiritual practices," McQuiston presents—in minimalist fashion—42 vignettes describing people who find some way in their ordinary day to spend time with the Divine. Interspersed between stories about how Jack, Alice, Nabil and others live out their faith are McQuiston's own journal-style entries expressing his Christian mysticism. McQuiston, a Memphis attorney and author of Always We Begin Again , includes practices from a wide range of faith traditions. His subjects talk about the spiritual aspects of fishing, singing, meditation, walking and giving away their wealth. They also speak from the heart about prayer. Bhaskar, a Hindu surgeon, couldn't answer McQuiston's question about how his lifelong practice of prayer had shaped him "because there was no way to imagine the kind of person he would have been without prayer." Following the vignettes and personal reflections are two practical chapters—a suggested "menu" of practices and McQuiston's recommended reading list. Crystalline in focus and written in a style so straightforward that reading it slowly and meditatively over time could easily become part of one's spiritual practice, this small book is a precious gift that busy people, considering new ways of being with God, will likely want to carry around with them for inspiration. (Dec.)