A spot I love to go.. Thankful Thursday Week 26.

Between the pages of a book,

Entangled in the story. 

Thought provoking statements 

Or tales of pain and glory.

It's in this place I love to be, 

The learner comes alive

and in me finds a a joy 

that causes me to thrive. 

My bookshelf testifies of my love for the land of reading. I'm a re-reader as well. I don't mind reading the same books over and over. I always discover something new. I think because each time I read a book I'm in a distinct place in life- fresh concepts jump out at me or make me connect to different experiences in my own life. I love when I am challenged to look at life in a varied light. Books give you a chance to look through the eyes of another person. 

Here are a few of my favorite quotes not intended to create a theology as they are only fragments of the thoughts of whole discourses and stories, but intended to make you think anyway: 

"It wasn't such a bad place to be. To be leveled. it might be the only place where my maker could make something of me." -Beth Webb Hart in Adelaide Piper

In all his purposes for the world, the creator allows time to help accomplish them...the best things are never arrive at in haste. God is in no hurry; his plans are never rushed. - Michael Phillips in the Secret of the Rose series. 

There are a number of things worse than dying- disobedience is one of them. -Elisabeth Elliot ( I don't remember which book)

And one from yesterday that really made me think: "Making disciples, as opposed to evangelism, is a journey of relationship that encompasses support, trial and error and difficulty." -Speaking of Jesus by Carl Medearis

Fiction or Nonfiction, I find my heart is challenged, encouraged, provoked, and molded. What we put into or minds shapes our hearts and ultimately it affects the overflow of our lives. It seems have blogged a lot about reading these days, but I think this post is why- it profoundly shapes the way I live life. So when it comes to being thankful-I am thankful for the ability to read. 

Until next time..adios. 

Seriously though...

This blog post is actually not an easy one for me to write. I realize I don't laugh that often. Taking life a little too seriously has always been a characteristic of me. Partly, I don't actually find things funny that a lot of people do-the crude jokes, off color movies, laughing at the expense of others. No, sorry, just not that funny.
I did laugh yesterday morning as I was driving along listening to Graham Cooke talking about our ability to hide in the Lord. Oh what a glorious picture. I did laugh, right out loud. The thought that when we hid in the Lord, the enemy just can't see us. We disappear off his radar. He can not torment us with lies and throw darts at us when we are hiding in Jesus. I pictured sitting there in my chair eating my oatmeal and I wondered..what would it look like if I just disappeared-poof-with my bowl of oatmeal. Now THAT'S what I call a quiet time! How fun is it that when we spend time soaking in the presence of the Lord, that we just go to that secret place, and it's really secret because only Jesus and me are allowed there. I grin at the thought and-yes, I laughed. And then...
Yesterday, Mindy came home with a gift from our sister Christy. in the package was a little sheep with a tag named Relation. If you saw the little stick figures that were going around on Facebook you may know where that one stemmed from. We had a good laugh.

My hippy little heart.

Last week I pondered how books had impacted my life and wound up going a little further back than I had anticipated in my library of life. This week I am going to continue in the book vein since the Gratitude challenge topic is "Being Married" and I already did blog a while back when the topic was "Spouse" regarding things I was thankful for regarding being single.
If you read my book review on the book The Meaning of Marriage, it wasn't the last book I read in the past year on the topic. Some of the best I have ever read. I grew up in the days of I Kissed Dating Goodbye. (No, not one of the best I ever read). The book took the high school age group by storm and we all threw traditional dating to the side and determined to surrender our love lives to God and wait for "the one".  In some ways for me this saved me heart ache, but in others ways it created it. Some of this had to do with not knowing proper boundaries for "just friends" and...well, long story short, I had my heart broken a few times because I hid my hopes in the ground and tried to ignore my heart.
Anyway, enough about that.
There are two other books that came across my path this previous year. Both I highly recommend. I found Lisa Anderson's Dating Manifesto highly amusing, and relatable. I connected a lot with her experiences in the un-dating world of "friendlationships". Ugh, those are awful. Just say what your intentions are..right?! It would save a lot of wading through murky waters. Risky. Yup.
The other book was The Sacred Search by Gary Thomas.
I feel like I have been having some of my thinking rewired, in the best of ways. Gary Thomas really unpacked the whole idea of "Just one" and caused me to have to evaluate what God's word reflects in this regard, only to be reminded once again of the beauty of the freewill He has given us to choose and how valuable those choices are in our lives.
 I was forced to ask myself some tough questions and reminded to risk and to keep being vulnerable. I have had this weird lie that I believe that if I ever was saying I'd like to get married or that I'd like to meet someone, get to know a specific guy, or anything in that way that some how I was being desperate and discontent. Sorry, but that's a lie I am done believing and I am glad to be away with it. Desperation is compromising on what you value and just settling for anybody even if they are not the best fit.
I'm really thankful for all the experiences I have had and the life I have lived. It doesn't mean I need to stay single forever. So, here is where I am... :) Single, learning to risk so here is to not being single forever.
My other single friends have all had me recommend The Sacred Search to them I think. Hahah. One of my cousin's recommended it to me. I'm so thankful! One of my favorite chapters was this list of different types of marriages, something that I had never really even considered. It opened my eyes to the reality that a lot of marriage conflict comes from two people having entirely different expectations for marriage but then never actually discussing them. My favorite description was "Bohemian buddies"-marked by travel, books, fulfilling vocations(in my heart this means the ability to impact through missions)...tie that with a "Spiritual Soul mate" and yes, that's what I had always thought would be the best, just had never put words to it. I'm not much of a Kids are Us or House and Home person-not that I don't like kids, because I do, and I want to have some-and adopt some....or that I don't want a house, because I do, so I can be hospitable. Those just aren't what I want to center married life around. It was just good for me to realize that it's ok if that isn't my number one priority. Anyway, there you have it..my hippy [unconventional] little heart. Know any awesome single Jesus loving man who might be a bit "bohemian"? :).
Until Next time....

Bookworm here, checking in.

Week #23 of the Gratitude Challenge...
When it comes to books I am kind of like a kid in a Candy Store. I'm not really into the sour ones or black licorice..but even those ones-I can say there is usually something to glean. Ok, maybe not licorice books (aka-nothing light or good or sweet in them, unless maybe its dutch) but the rest...
Sometimes I think particularly in the midst of a good story I would not even realize I was learning keys to life. That is always a sign of a good author when someone can weave in life lessons and keep you enthralled at the same time. It might be argued that some books are written purely for entertainment purposes and perhaps should have no deeper meaning at all. That's fine I suppose..but today I am thinking about ones I read from which I have learned..starting with the early days :).
I learned to read via book called Tom and Susan. This is Tom. See Tom run. Run Tom run.
The Berenstain bears taught me about sharing, friends, organizing, being prepared, and going to school..
Laura Ingalls Wilder taught me to love the "olden" days- her books kindled in me a pioneer spirit. I became familiar with the making of butter, the trapping of animals, not feeding taffy to pigs, what it was like to teach in a one room school house, scarlet fever, sod houses, early encounters with natives, the skinny little man who drank whey and grew so thin he blew away (his name escapes me), how to make maple syrup and maple syrup candy...I am not sure how many times I read her books. I first picked them up on my own in second grade and I can't remember if mom and dad had already read them all aloud to us at the point or if that came later.
The Mandie books taught me that it was exciting to have Cherokee blood, find runaways in your attic, look for buried treasure, find secret passageways and forgive, love your neighbor, and "When I am afraid I will put my trust in Thee O God".
There was a book that came into my possession that profoundly shaped me as a young girl called Falling off Cloud Nine and Other High Places. It was a devotional that I did around 12 or 13. When I was looking back in my journal I see a very distinct transition take place as I pondered the messages and read the scriptures and prayed for God to change my life.
I have read countless books that have impacted my life! In 2015 I kept a book list (here). Some I enjoyed more than others. I think all in some way taught me something. I'm so glad I learned to read. What are some of your recommendations? I already have a list of "I'd like to read at some point" books....and I always enjoy more to add to it!
Currently...I am reading:

Speaking of Jesus- Carl Medearis
Growing in Prayer- Mike Bickle
And..the books that has influenced my life the most: The Word of God. My Bible. It never gets old, it's worth being read over and over..and every time I get more insight. More wisdom. More Jesus. If you have yet to read it cover to cover..Over come Bible poverty by doing it. And at the same time..let it read you. you will never be the same. I promise.