Vacation Starts Today!

As promised I gave you two new book reviews and here is the last post I said I would leave for you this week. I have had surprisingly more  time to read. Which is amazing to me.  I am excited about that because I start my vacation today. I hope to read a few interesting books and maybe get in some writing too this week. On top of that I am taking two big people, my daughter and son-in-law and three little people, the grand kids, to see Micky Mouse. Technically they invited me to go with them so I could help wrangle the kids and make sure that they leave with the same number of kids they brought . You never know when a grand kid may want to join the pirates of the Caribbean or hide out in the small world. Either way, I am oldest so that makes me in charge. Maybe I will just stay in Cinderella’s castle and not come home. I can dream right?

Anyway, whether I stay in the magic kingdom or come back to reality, I am considering posting a couple of plots for you to look at and maybe get some feed back on from you brilliant reader. If it sounds like I am kissing up to you for your help, well I am!  One of my coworkers told be she is reading my blog (Thanks Suzy!) and then she asked me some questions about what I am writing and how do I choose my topic. I had to think about it for a minute. I am not one to pre-plan writing, I just write what speaks to my soul at the time I sit down to write. Then I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to ask those who read my blogs what the heck they like to read. That may give me a jumping off point for a couple of writing projects. I can hear my writing professors now, “Know your audience”.

So, please comment to this blog what sorts of genre, books, blogs, and articles do you prefer to read. Later next week, during my vacation fun,  I will post a couple of plot ideas and see what y’all think about them. Did I just say y’all? Yes, yes I did.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts. Cheesy unashamed plea for help, I know but it is sincere.

🙂

 

 

A Slow Moon by Elizabeth Cox

The Slow Moon is a sad coming of age story that teaches you about the resiliency of a young girl after she was raped. It is a warped coming of age story that you want to stop reading but can’t. (Like watching a train wreck and not being able to look away.) Even though it was a weird read it has a good plot and I would recommend you reading it. The characters are full and lively. You can easily relate to some of them and others are a bit tricky to figure out. I am not so sure that I like Cox’s style, it is a bit choppy and hard to follow, but the story and characters make up for the awkward flow of the story.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl is an intriguing look at the justice system in small town America. It is a very interesting spin on a missing person’s case that leaves you guessing right to the very last page. Just when you think you have the story figured out there is a twist that leaves you scratching your head. I read this book in three sittings! I couldn’t wait to see what happened next! I think I am going to checkout more of Flynn’s books.

Book Reviews

As promised I will continue to provide book reviews on this blog along with the other types of posts. Look for two reviews to follow this week and a full length post as well.

Till then, what are you reading this week?

Ugh, I don’t Want To See That

I was confronted with the old me the other day. You can read about it here. I was reminded how bad I was, how mean and disrespectful I was of others and of myself. I do not want to see who I was. I want to keep living my happy life without the reminder of my own ugly past. God has a way of showing you those things to remind you of where you came from.

I am simply reminded of that saying by John Bradford, “But for the Grace of God there go I”

I am not the same person, my life is on a different path, because God put that path before me and I chose to follow it. Plan and simple.

What path are you walking?

What Gives Me the Right?

I was walking through a store the other day and a woman I knew when I was in my twenties recognized me. I am not sure how she did since I was a much leaner meaner person then, but she did. As she passed me, under her breath she called me that ugly word that rhymes with witch.   At first I was almost offended, but then I remembered all the hurt I caused her. I was as ugly as that word she called me and I was at that time deserving of that title. I can hear my conscience in my head now,  “I knew you in your twenties, you were bad….wrong…mean…uncaring…among many other things… What gives you the right to post a blog that focuses on God,  that is so Holier than thou, what gives you the right?”

The only reason I can do anything, write, speak, live today is through the Grace of God. I am not deserving of the gift of Christ. I was, am a sinner. The only difference between me in my twenties and me in my forties is one simple God given gift,  I am forgiven. I am no more deserving of forgiveness now than I was then. I was bad and all those other things, but I sat myself down at the foot of the cross. I begged God to forgive me. I believe with faith that He did. I am forever thankful and humbled by the Grace of God thought His gift of Christ.

I was a nasty sinner. Now I do all I can to live as Christ wants me to. That does not mean I am perfect and that I don’t sin. Let me tell you friend, I sin everyday. Being forgiven doesn’t make us less sinful, just more conscience of that sin and more willing to do the right thing.

If I had a chance to see her again I would say, “I am so sorry, please forgive me.” Whether she did or not makes no difference. I am a repented forgiven thankful woman and still a sinner. It is my human nature. Because of God’s Grace,  I am changed, I am different. I don’t need any person’s forgiveness to make that true. All I can do is repent, thank God and praise Him all the more.

Charity is Washing Dishes

I recently received a Thank You card in the mail from my church thanking me for a donation I gave to support a mission group coming to visit my church this Summer. A group of young people, and well they have to eat and we are going feed them. I didn’t give a donation for the thank yous but that was nice to get in the mail, I gave because it is what I do.

My grandfather told me once, “Charity starts where you are If you have time to give, give it. If you have money to share, share it. If you have food to cook, cook it and invite someone who don’t have food to eat with you. If someone else cooks you do the dishes.”  My grandfather was a mechanic with a wife and five kids. I am pretty sure he didn’t have any of those things to spare, but he did give, share and wash a lot of dishes.

Charity doesn’t have to be a big production of looking at your budget of money and time to see if you can manage to get by without it. Charity is action. If you think you should, help then you should do it. It can be a simple as handing someone half of your sandwich or washing a plate.  I have never understood why the words charity, stewardship and tithing scare Christians so much. Or why when those words are spoken in some churches there is a collective groan in the congregation.

Get over it people!

Jesus said to comfort and take care of each other. That is what we should do. Not for the recognition but because it is right. Sure, the thank yous make us feel good but that is not the point. We are to reflect Christ, and he feed, healed, clothed and loved people. Christians, real Christians, do the same and grab the dish towel too.

Summer Summer

Summer is anything but hot and lazy around here. Well, it is hot, but certainly not lazy. From planning a trip to Disney with grandchildren in June, a whirlwind three-day trip to see my best friend just outside of Chicago in July and then there is my master’s program I am still working on, I am one not lazy girl! On top of all that I have church stuff and work.

Somewhere in the midst of all that I still find time to be with God and write. It is very difficult but I make the things I love to do a priority. You have to plan in this life to get through it anymore. I remember my grand parents who seemed so laid back, especially in the Summer time.  They weren’t going going going all Summer. The family come to see them in them. I was fortunate to live with them, so I saw them all the time. Summer was a time to tend the garden in the morning, read or play table games like Gin Rummy or dominoes in the afternoon, sit on the porch and drink iced tea in the evenings. All the while grandchildren playing around them. If it was a really good day, the ice cream churn came out and we, the grand kids, took turns cranking the handle. At night, just after dark, there were fireflies to catch and horn toads to chase. My grandparents did not plan, they just lived.

In the Summer my grandmother would say, it’s too hot to do that, go rest. The sun is too high, go read a book instead of going outside. If she and my grandfather wanted to take a nap they did. If they wanted to play a round or two of dominoes, they did. The seemed to have no pressure or stress. What happened to me? If I lay down to rest I feel guilty that there is something to get finished. Always something to do. I just recently bought a set of dominoes and I can’t find anyone who knows how to play.

Life is so busy when it really should be more fun and slower. Rush here and there, always on some sort of schedule. Granted my life is significantly less stressful than it was, in fact the worse stress I have now is deciding what to wear. I am not near as busy. I am making progress to that life of iced tea porch sits and fireflies in a jar.

My new goal, spend more time in the state of rest and find a domino partner.

 

 

 

Busy Busy Busy

I feel like a Martha. Busy doing things that need doing. I am struggling to find time to stop and rest in the presence of God. I want to. It isn’t that I don’t have the motivation, I am just so busy. I stop to be still and my mind races to work, school,. life….I feel like I am short-changing myself and God with these pitiful displays of obedience.

I have to force myself to stop and just be with God. Just sit still and listen would ya?

I am certain that busy is a distraction meant to pull me away from God. The good thing is that I have the motivation to make it stop. I have to get creative in the things I do to find time to just be with God. I was complaining that I do not have time to read and then I realized the ten minutes I spent complaining I could have been reading the Bible, praying, or just being with God. I am looking for motivation, and inspiration to control my busy life. Maybe I should make a schedule. Carving out appointments for reading and praying. Ugh! I don’t think so.

What are your tactics for finding time to pray, read and just be with God?

 

 

 

Rhythm of a Life with Books

I never knew how busy being a librarian would be for me! I am always working on projects and helping patrons. Then I have class and school work too! Oh, and then there is church and family to spend time with! Whew! I am one busy librarian!

All of my mental pictures of librarians are ladies shhhing people. Not running around busy! Well, I was wrong. I like it though. It is a different kind of busy than what I am used too. A difference kind of rhythm to life. The best part for me, no alarm clocks!

The only problem with all this busy is that I still don’t have time to read. I managed to read two books this month, my first official month as a librarian. That will no do. I have to find time to read. How can I suggest titles when I can’t read any?

I am hoping after I graduate in December that I will have time to read for fun. For now my to be read shelf in my personal library and my to be checked out list for the library is getting crowded and longer!

When do you find time to read? Do you have a unique way of finding time to spend with your book friends?

Maybe you can inspire me to find a few extra minutes a day to feed my bibliophile.