Books Books Books




















We have a great love affair with books in our house.  Big ones, small ones, hard ones, paper ones, animal ones, Lego ones...and everything in between.  I have always been engrossed in one book or several at once, for as long back as I can remember.  After having kids that kind of dropped off as I read "chicka chicka boom boom" and "goodnight moon" more times than I can count.  But, lately as Kian can read to himself and to Karter, and we're in a good routine during the day, I find I have more time to read stuff for ME.  I love it.

Most recently, I read "The Shack" by William Paul Young.  Check it out here.  My ol' roomie and great friend Jessica had been urging me to read it for awhile. I finally grabbed it and I couldn't put it down. Like, I finished all 256 pages in about 2.5 days, staying up til 2 am to read and absorb it all. I then took about a month to re-read and take notes on it.  Yep, still a nerd.  It's a tragic story turned into grace, forgiveness, redemption, the struggle within ourselves, forgiving yourself, relationship with God, not this religious stuff, etc.  Some people don't like it because of how the author portrays God, and while a bit surprising, it works, and it worked for me.  It's changed my perspective on a lot of things, it's just an amazing book. 

I've also been delving more into my Bible.  As an adult, I know all the Bible stories.  I'm teaching my boys all the Bible stories and verses as well.  But, as an adult, I grasp so much more than I ever did before, even taking two classes at Roberts on the Bible.  Probably because it was required and not on my own doing, for my sake.  And, I'm able to put more together and picture and piece it, and with the knowledge I now have as an adult of world history, various cultures (Greeks, Jewish, Egyptian, etc.) it really helps to understand why so many things were recorded.  For instance, call me stupid, but it took me forever to figure out that Hebrews, Israelites and Jews refer to all the same people (found here).  Or now that I understand various Roman empires and such, it makes sense to why some traditions occurred.  Or, in my research (thanks to good ol' google) I wanted to know why the "Good Samaritan" story was such a big deal.  A guy helps another guy. So much more.  Samaritans were the lowest of the low, they were basically considered a hybrid-mutt scum race.  So for interactions, let alone that kind of help to be occurring between the two races, pretty heavy stuff.  I still have a hard time getting through the old testament stuff, but the new testament stuff is great and really brings Jesus to life.

In reading the books of John, I came across the book "Beloved Disciple" by Beth Moore.  I currently have one from the library and am on my second of 3 renewals, and not even very far through it due to other things. But, I love it.  John calls himself "the one whom Jesus loved".  I  love bringing these people to life. He was very dedicated to Jesus and the calling.  I need to buy this one, because I want to mark it all up, and I can't with the library copy!

Also on my side table is a library copy of "Out of Sync child".  Why? For ideas, for refreshers, because it's super interesting.  We all have our quirks and sensory issues, but some people and kids have more severe ones.  Karter definitely is a 'sensory kid' (label we'd use at work in Early Intervention for those kids who just needed something else, couldn't touch or eat certain things, rocked, hit, etc.). He is a tactile kid, he loves to touch, hair, fuzzy blankets and animals, etc. It calms him and helps him sleep.  And smell, he smells everything!  He will smell an item and tell us who's it is by the smell and he's right.  The other day I hugged him good night and he told me "you smell like NeeNee does".  I realized she'd been wearing one lotion and I had put it on that day also, but that many hours later, I couldn't smell it anymore on me! Crazy kid. So, it's just interesting to have around, great ideas for kids who freak out if you pick them up too high, or won't let you wash their hair, or gag on foods, etc. More of just a book to keep up on things, and feel educated still!

And "The Help" I also borrowed from the library.  Oh that was a great book! Another one that I read way late into the night, or morning? I want to watch the movie now too.  It was a fantastic book, really dug into some hushed topics and made you feel them. I was not, however, a fan of the ending. I wanted more details! I wanted it to go on longer!

I have many more on my list.  And I love that I can just peruse online and one click to hold it at the library to pick up when I get there that week.  Much easier instead of dragging the boys upstairs to the adult floors.

Up next: (and NO, not any Twilight!)

A woman and her God by Beth Moore
another Nora Roberts book, for fun (I love her Irish themed ones)
re-read 'Bringing up boys' by Dr. Dobson as a refresher for my spirited male children
Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst (recommended by a friend, and looks good)
perhaps a Nichols Sparks' book
Shakespeare--the Sonnets I have always loved, and Romeo and Juliet as well (too bad Patrick has my book still from high school!)
Frost, Yeats, and other poetry

And any other I come across in my library perusals. I don't care to get the hype books just because everyone else is, I want substance.  Suggestions are definitely welcome!!

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