Reading is Fundamental…

Reading is Fundamental…

Do you remember the RIF commercial when you were a kid? I remember the big van and the people in the commercial giving books away to kids. Imangine that! Free books! I have always loved reading, but actually being intentional about what I read only began when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter. I bought What to Expect When You’re Expecting and read it cover to cover. It was my mothering manual along with You are Your Child’s First Teacher (Rahima Baldwin) back in the early Mommy Years. I really wanted to be a good mommy and then in 1993 after I began following Christ, I really, really wanted to be a good mommy so the book reading about parenting exploded.I still love to read non-fiction. I am a pretty practical person, so if I am going to burn daylight reading I had better be able to actually use the information I am consuming. You will notice my NF list is about twice as long as my fiction list. I have chosen my fiction books with great intention, hoping they will also have a utilitarian, usefulness about them. I also hope they are entertaining, I can certainly use a little less utilitarianism in my life, too.

So, in no particular order, here is my Spring Reading Thing 2007 reading list…

Non Fiction

The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
My husband and I are just finishing a Crown Study and this book seems like a perfect way to end the course.The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
I have had this book on my shelf for a long time and am more convicted than ever to F.I.N.I.S.H. it!

Crazy Horse by Mari Sandoz
Because I want to learn more about Nebraska and the people who live here.

The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children by David Elkind
This book looked interesting to me. Our philosophical approach, I guess, is that our girls have as much free time as possible to enjoy playing with each other and their friends. We provide a rich environment with dress up stuff, dolls, trucks, boxes, rocks, dirt and open space and let them fill in the blanks.

Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman
Being the mother of three girls, this book looked like it could provide some insight into the world of girls and their relationships with others.

12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Woman by Lane P. Jordan
I love reading books on organizing and I have been slugging through this very handy book for a while.

The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene
I am choosing to live in a more healthy way…after having the babies I have slipped in my healthy habits…this book seemed honest and refreshing. I just wish the D word wasn’t in the title. I don’t believe in diets.

Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us from the Inside Out by Joanna Weaver
The back of the book reads: “You long to serve God with grace and strength, to reflect Christ in every word and action. Yet you find yourself continually struggling to bring that vision to life in your daily walk. At our very core, every one of us is a “twisted sister” within whom the flesh and disconnect between our good-girl desire to put Jesus first and our bad-girl realities that crowd our thoughts and push Him out of the way.” Yup…that sounds like me.

Body Clutter: Love Your Body, Body Yourself by Marla Cilley and Leanne Ely
I have followed Marla and the FlyLady Routines for years, she has been a wonderful blessing to our family!

To Know Him by Name by Kay Arthur and Timothy Botts
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it an is safe. Proverbs 18:10

I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail are favorite chick flicks of mine…as a woman of a certain age as well, this book seems very entertaining.

Fiction

The Giver by Lois Lowry
I have a friend who asked me to read this with her. I guess it is a banned book in many schools. I feel kind of like a rebel reading a banned book.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patersen
I am intrigued by the movie, but I want to read the book first.

Light from Heaven by Jan Karon
I have read the Mitford series and enjoyed it immensely. I look forward to reading this in early June, just after the school year ends.

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
The New York Times Book Review comment: “as comforting as a mug of chamomile tea on a rainy Sunday” and USA Today writes: “BIG STONE GAP is as comforting as a patchwork quilt, as charming as a country cottage. Readers would do well to fall into the nearest easy chair, cup of tea in hand, and savor the story of Ave Maria Mulligan.” Sounds like my kind of story.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A classic I haven’t read but am looking forward to devouring over the next few weeks.

I wanted to, but I didn’t. We just moved to Nebra…

I wanted to, but I didn’t. We just moved to Nebraska and my basement is filled with boxes. Specifically boxes of books. Good books. Like Sense & Sensibility, Core 5 readers from Sonlight, my journals, nursing textbooks. There’s at least 20 small boxes of books lovingly packed by the movers just waiting to be liberated from their corrugated jail. Last night I was looking for The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik…I want/need to get back to running & this book is awesome encouragement. I eagerly ripped the tape off two boxes, briefly poked around and set them aside. I began to eye a third box when common sense took hold and I stopped. It was 2300 at night…I can’t run at 0530 if I stay up much later no matter how motivated I am. I briefly calculated the odds of actually finding said book and concluded I had better odds at winning the lottery. So, I packed it in. I did find The Complete Guide to Pilates, Yoga, Meditation and Stress Relief, no doubt a bargain from the Dusty Bookshelf and one of my favorite books Celebrating the Christian Year by Martha Zimmerman. I was content with these two treasures so I lumbered quietly up the stairs looking through the pages. As I slipped under the covers to read, I promised myself I would launch into the rest of the boxes tomorrow.