to read a book for the first time

is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one.  -Chinese Saying



As 2010 comes to a close, I have been thinking about all the books I have read this year and I am reflecting on them. Some I have to ask myself, “What were you thinking? That was a waste of time!” While others I treasured and wish to read again.

I love books that can speak to me and that I can connect with. I don’t read just for the sake of reading or entertaining my mind. I read because I want to learn more about something I find fascinating. Or I read because I want emotions to be stirred up within me or because I want to find common ground with the characters in the story. I love reading so much that I tend to create attachments to the stories and characters in my favorite books so much that the thought of only reading them once would be likened to meeting an intriguing person, whom you connect with and could see yourself being great friends with, but who you only meet for one conversation and then you never pursue the friendship. That wouldn’t make any sense at all.

My favorite books are dear to me because they have made me feel something, inspired me, brought me great joy, allowed me to live vicariously through another person’s wonderful adventure, taught me about myself, others or the world around me and/or have allowed me to gain new perspective and insight.

I want to blog about books since I love them so much. However, I fear blogging about my favorites will bring about judgment and snickers from much more intellectual readers. You see, I don’t consider myself a literary. I just love reading. I’ve tried reading some of the greats. Some of the classics, and quite frankly, I don’t “get” some of them and others I can’t read without thumbing through the dictionary every few paragraphs (which is laborious when you don’t have the luxury of the iBooks features on the iPad, and sadly I do not). I know I am no scholar, though I would love to be, so forgive me if you’ve read thus far and think that I am going to wow you with my book choices and reviews. That will not happen. But if you love reading like I do and for similar reasons then we could be great book friends.

I’ll come back soon and blog about one of my favorites from this year’s reading list.

In the mean time I will leave you with a great quote that sums up exactly how I feel when I have just finished reading a book that has become one of my favorites.

"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend." -Paul Sweeney

Can you relate to not wanting to finish a book because it is so good?

** I found the image above at ApartmentTherapy.com and have always wanted to use it for something! So glad I could finally share it!

from our table to yours

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

As we prepare for tonight's feast I have been really trying to think about what I am thankful for in my life. Several years ago I began a Thanksgiving Journal. In this journal, I record one liners of the things I am thankful for before drifting off to sleep. I have noticed that the most content seasons of my life have been when I am the most consistent at counting my blessings on the pages of this journal. Some of the lines in that journal read silly things like, "laughing with a dear friend until my cheeks and belly hurt". While others are much more serious like, "the Lord gave me Psalm 25 just when I thought my heart would break from lack of hope". 

I know today means different things for different people. I know some people loathe this holiday for the fact that it really was born during a time of fear and uncertainty and marked the end to life as some people knew it way back in Plimoth in the 1600s. Regardless of how you feel about this day, one thing is certain for all of us...a spirit of Thanksgiving and Gratitude should be one we carry throughout life, day in and day out. 

So today here are the things that are at the top of my Gratitude list that you can find on the pages of my journal:

• I am married to a guy who is awesome and loves me even though I am not always so lovable. 
• 
  
• I have been blessed, encouraged, and supported by that same man to take this year off from teaching, to remember why I loved it in the first place, while I substitute teach and focus my time and energy on our home, my health, and my relationships. 
• 
  
• I have amazing friends stretching from San Francisco to New York City whom I cherish and wish all lived on the same block.
• 
  
• I have a great family, my family and my wonderful in-laws(who I am missing SO MUCH today). 
• 
  
• I have been part of BSF --Bible Study Fellowship-- every Wednesday morning for the last 11 weeks and it has been one of the best experiences of my life to study Isaiah so deeply with such beautiful, godly women! 

I hope you take some time this day and this weekend to reflect on what you are thankful for in your life as well.

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." -Eric Hoffer

since Thanksgiving is tomorrow

I better post the pictures and blog what I've wanted to since Halloween.

About a month ago now I did something I've always wanted to do! I toasted the pumpkin seeds from our carved jack-o-lantern and doing both were SO MUCH FUN!

Here's what you need:

Ingredients:
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

*I used the seeds from our pumpkin, but you can use store bought pre-packaged seeds.

The hubby and I opened up that pumpkin and used an ice cream scoop to get all of the flesh and seeds out.

We filled the sink with a little water and dumped the flesh and seeds in. The seeds float right up to the top.

Allow seeds to dry a bit. Then spread them on a cookie sheet and bake them at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dry and roasted.

In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of white sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet (or in a large wok, since that's what we had handy) over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle the remaining sugar over them. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts, about 45 seconds.

Pour seeds into the bowl with the spiced sugar and stir until coated. Allow to cool before serving.

 
Then eat and share with friends until your heart's content.

I had to post pictures of Trinity checking out the pumpkin Andrew carved in honor of her "halloween" cat pose. She approved.

* I got the pumpkin seed recipe from All Recipes

what type are you?

Please take this quiz and tell me...

http://www.pentagram.com/what-type-are-you/

I am Lettres Ornees.

Oh, how I love the Internet!

this makes me a happy girl

My favorite artist released her third and much anticipated album last week and she did not disappoint! I adore Brooke Fraser for many reasons, but one of them is the fact that she remains true to herself despite the music industry. She is a voice you have heard on many a hillsong album and loves the Lord fervently. But she will not make albums for the Christian music industry because of the commercialism. She is a true musician and songwriter. Every time I listen to her music I come away feeling inspired and challenged. I really appreciate music that makes you feel something. Really feel something. Here is the first single from the album...



She also has a series of videos on her website in which she shares the writing process for this album and I really liked getting a glimpse into the process.

http://www.brookefraser.com/

I so hope you will become a fan if you aren't already!

when God breaks hearts

I used to be the type of girl who sought after and longed for God with all of her heart. He was always on my mind. I loved reading His Word and I hid it in my heart as I treasured and pondered the things He said to me. I saw Him in everything…blue skies, a friend’s embrace, a great quote that struck to my core, smiling eyes on a stranger’s face, pink sunsets. I could list how He revealed Himself for days and not come close to giving you the full picture. I talked to Him all the time…on the pages of my journal, in the car driving to class, on the phone with a friend in need, before I even opened my eyes in the morning. We were that close. Have you ever woken up already praying? It’s amazing to feel that connected to your Creator; for it to be so natural to speak with Him that you are uttering your praises and fears before your eyelashes flutter open. I talked about Him all of the time…with my family, my dearest friends, people I met in the bookstore, and classmates. I sang to Him all of the time too…there were times I felt that I said it best when I sang it because I could express more vividly how much I felt it. I sang with the throng on Sundays and Wednesdays, at the top of my lungs in my room and in the bathroom where the acoustics were forgiving.


There came a time in my life when I literally knocked on death’s store, but he didn’t answer. During that time the pages of my Bible became a bit more worn and tattered, not to mention colorful as I love to highlight the sweetest words to me at a particular moment. I couldn’t sing anymore, but I could listen to music and I would just sit and listen and smile or cry as the melodies and lyrics tugged at my heart. There were moments that the only prayer that could escape from my lips was Jesus name alone because the pain and exhaustion were so heavy upon me. I made new friends as God provided me with new faces and new lives to pour into and allow to overflow into mine. My strength faded in body, but my Spirit soared. He never let go of my hand as I trusted His promise, that His strength would be made perfect in my weakness.


Since God was so incredibly good to me during this time, I felt like there was just nothing He wouldn’t do for me if I only asked for it. He was just lavishing me with His love day in and day out and I was truly amazed. So I began to pray for That One Thing, fully expecting Him to give it to me the way that I wanted it and sooner than later too. But That One Thing never came. So the girl who I once was seemed to fade away. I was still the girl who loved and longed for God, but not with her whole heart because it felt broken and somehow betrayed. Not at the hands of some foolish boy this time, this time it felt like my heart had been broken by the One Guy I placed all of my hope in. God Himself.


That was 6 years ago. Six years of not feeling like myself because it felt rehearsed and forced to pray. Six years of not feeling like myself because I no longer saw God in the grand and simple things so easily anymore. Six years of not feeling like myself because when I got my voice back I found that it did not return with sincerity. Six years of not feeling like myself because I could no longer talk about God and trust that I meant what I said.


And now I am beginning to see why He did not give me That One Thing six years ago when I first asked. I am beginning to understand how foolish I was for treating my precious Lord and Savior as though He were a trite genie in a bottle waiting for my requests. God knows a whole lot more than I ever will and He knew that it was not time for That One Thing. He also knew I needed to learn that He is in control, not me. He had to teach me to trust Him. Although we had gone through so much, I still did not trust Him completely.


God is so good. Despite my foolish anger with Him for unmet requests, despite my unfaithfulness, despite my lack of trust, He has spent the last six years drawing me back in time and time again. He reminds me all of the time that He loves me and that He misses me. I know the sound of His voice. You can’t be a girl so deeply in love and then forget the sound of His voice. He’s let me know of His commitment to me via the fellowship of Believers, a friend’s sweet smile, my husband’s gentleness and patience, and many pink sunsets, to name just a few. But my favorite is that quiet, still voice…the One I hear recalling back to me those Words I treasured up in my heart years and years ago.


So six years later I have begun praying for That One Thing again. The format of my prayers has changed. More Him focused. More other focused. You’ll find less of me in there now. And I know there will be days I struggle and begin to lose faith again. But those will be the days that I stop looking for Him and listening for His voice because He will continue revealing Himself regardless of my seeking. Truth be told…I don’t know if I will ever see That One Thing happen or not, but I do know that His ways are not my ways and that His thoughts are higher than my own.


That One Thing or not…God loves me. And while He may be in the business of breaking hearts for our own good, He is also in the business of mending them. And half the battle here is knowing when to let Him do both.

empty

Touch screens and social networks
Jealous eyes and a wounded heart
That girl is prettier than me
What is he up to these days
I should get up, do something
Lazy tonight, productive tomorrow
Celebrity gossip blogs
Waste of time
Stupidity on a screen
Eyes stuck on images
I can’t believe how ridiculous he is
She’s such a mess
Brain doesn’t have to work
Easy, but dumb
Interesting for no good reason
Foolishness
Books sit on the shelf
Thoughts float somewhere in the back
Wishing for a pen and blank page
Life put on hold to unwind
Conversation for another time
We can just veg now
What’s on next?
Reality t.v. and a screaming match
Real pain, less reality
Train wreck
He's such an arrogant jerk
She really needs to get some help
Airing dirty laundry for all to see
Ruined lives for some cash and fame
Just before bed