As I've written about before, I've become very interested in the idea of creating my own happiness. I was especially inspired by Gretchen Rubin's book, The Happiness Project. One pattern I've noticed recently in my life is that it's often the things I give up, not the things I do, that contribute significantly to my happiness. This has surprised me, given my focus on setting and achieving goals. So I wanted to share three things that I've given up in the past year.
Running. I set a goal to complete the couch-to-5K program, which I accomplished. I hoped that I would become one of those people who loved to run. I didn't. Yet still I kept forcing myself to run, hating every step of it. Finally I woke up and realized that there are tons of other forms of exercise I actually enjoy (elliptical, yoga, group aerobics classes, walking). Why was I forcing myself to do something I hate? I gave it up about 9 months ago and actually enjoy working out again.
Yard work. Gardening is one of those things that I feel like I should enjoy because so many other people enjoy it. But the truth is, I hate dirt, I hate worms, and I'm not really a fan of being outside. So, I already accepted some time ago that I will not be a gardener. And yet, there was this feeling that it would be shameful to hire someone to take care of our yard. After all, we could do it ourselves. Isn't it a waste of money to pay someone to do it? But, a friend started a lawn care business, so I finally gave myself permission to outsource the job. For the first time in 4 years, our yard looks really nice. I don't get this pit in my stomach when I drive up and see all of the weeds that I know I should be pulling. And I finally got rid of the guilt of not doing it myself. Because honestly, we all could do lots of things ourselves. For example, make our own clothes. But we've decided it's worth it to leave that job to someone else. And I do choose to do things that other people outsource, such as cooking all our meals and filing our taxes. It's just about finding the balance that works for us.
Shopping for clothes. This was a biggie. Recently, I started thinking about how I could free up more money to give to charities. One of the things I immediately thought of was clothes. The more I thought about it, the more important it seemed. Because not only was I investing a lot of money in clothes that I didn't really need, I was also investing a lot of time looking for those clothes. I decided in July that I wouldn't buy any new clothes for the rest of the year. And it has ended up being a great decision. Before, I was always dissatisfied with my closet. I'd think, "If only I had ______, then I'd be happy with my wardrobe." But now, I know I can't buy anything, so I don't even waste time thinking about it. It's forced contentment! And on a less important note, I've been able to see more clearly that I should be focusing on quality, not quantity, with my clothes. When I resume buying clothes, I'm going to stop picking up random shirts here and there and instead only buy pieces that are actually missing from my wardrobe (e.g., a brown belt, black sandals that don't hurt my feet).
Note: Please don't interpret this as judgment on other people buying clothes. This was something I thought was necessary for me personally, but I don't think everyone needs to do it. It would be very hypocritical for me to say it's ok to pay someone to do your yardwork but not ok to spend money on clothes. :)
What about you? Has giving up something made you happier?
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
If you happen to see a gold ring...
My dad had a business meeting in Chicago last week, so he came down to spend the weekend in with us. On Saturday, I thought I had a fun evening planned for us. We would go to our church's tailgate party and then to the football game (which Darby and I had gotten free tickets for). Well, while tossing around a football at the tailgate, my dad's wedding ring fell off. We (and at least 20 other people) searched for it for over an hour to no avail. It was crazy. We knew it could only be in a small area, but it's like it just disappeared. This was my dad's original wedding ring, which he's had for 33 years, so I was really sad for him. We finally gave up the search and went into the game. It was an awful game (we lost 52-24) and really cold on top of that. I felt so bad. What a lame night for my dad!
I haven't given up on the ring. I'm going to continue to call the Assembly Hall lost and found and will probably go back at least one more time to search the grass. It has to be there somewhere! When I was about 10 or so, I took off a ring my grandma had given me and laid it on a bench in my neighbor's yard. When I went to put it back on, it wasn't there. We searched and searched and never found it. Then one day, at least 8 years late, my neighbor rang our doorbell, and he had that ring in his hand! He said he had seen it while mowing and thought he remembered me losing one. Isn't that crazy? I'm hoping it won't be 10 years before I find my dad's ring, though.
Despite the lost ring and disappointing football game, it was a fun weekend. Dad, Darby, and I had a lot of really good conversations. And Darby was happy because I made an apple pie for my dad (I seem to only make apple pies when my parents visit). My mom was planning to come, too, but she was hosting a luncheon on Saturday, so she had to stay home. We missed her, but I know it won't seem very long before Thanksgiving is here. It's already the 5th week of the semester. Whaaattt??
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| Dad still managed to smile after the ring debacle. This was before he bundled himself up in blankets and cinched his hood all the way around his head. Did I mention it was cold? |
Despite the lost ring and disappointing football game, it was a fun weekend. Dad, Darby, and I had a lot of really good conversations. And Darby was happy because I made an apple pie for my dad (I seem to only make apple pies when my parents visit). My mom was planning to come, too, but she was hosting a luncheon on Saturday, so she had to stay home. We missed her, but I know it won't seem very long before Thanksgiving is here. It's already the 5th week of the semester. Whaaattt??
Monday, September 17, 2012
Reality Check
This morning, I started my ESL practicum, in which I spend 100 hours observing/teaching at a local high school. My supervising teacher wanted me to meet her before school, at 7:30. Ouch. I'm used to my grad. school schedule of never having to be anywhere before 9. I survived, thanks to my trusty Hello Kitty travel mug.
I observed three classes: Life Science for ESL students, Physical Science for ESL students, and a regular ESL class. And, wow, I'm exhausted just from watching! Sometimes I get frustrated by the things my students say, their seeming lack of attention, etc. But, after watching these freshmen and sophomores, I will never complain again! I had forgotten how high school students actually act. I blame this on TV shows like "Friday Night Lights" and "Glee," which portray teenagers as basically adults, just with more drama. No, high schoolers are definitely still kids. That being said, the kids are very fun and seem really eager to learn. And my supervising teacher is wonderful. I think it's going to be a great experience.
I observed three classes: Life Science for ESL students, Physical Science for ESL students, and a regular ESL class. And, wow, I'm exhausted just from watching! Sometimes I get frustrated by the things my students say, their seeming lack of attention, etc. But, after watching these freshmen and sophomores, I will never complain again! I had forgotten how high school students actually act. I blame this on TV shows like "Friday Night Lights" and "Glee," which portray teenagers as basically adults, just with more drama. No, high schoolers are definitely still kids. That being said, the kids are very fun and seem really eager to learn. And my supervising teacher is wonderful. I think it's going to be a great experience.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
August Books
Acedia & Me by Kathleen Norris
I'm a big fan of Kathleen Norris's work. This is an interesting look at the history of acedia, which was originally one of the 8 evil thoughts but was subsumed under sloth when the 7 deadly sins were created. It is defined as a spiritual apathy. Norris explains how she has battled acedia in her spiritual life. She points out that many of the feelings we attribute to depression might have a spiritual rather than physical origin (although she is very clear that she does believe in depression as a real illness and believes she has suffered from both clinical depression and acedia). It was interesting to think about the responsibility we have to rouse ourselves from spiritual apathy. The book tended to drag a little in the middle, but I think it was a worthwhile read.
The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams by Trent A. Hamm
I had heard about this book on one of the personal-finance websites I read, so when it was offered for cheap on the Kindle, I decided to check it out. I mainly read these books for inspiration to keep going with saving. I don't really expect to learn anything new (live below your means, budget, etc.). This book had pretty standard advice. I got a little annoyed by the author's tone, though. He acted like everyone should be striving to earn enough to quit their job and stay home and write, but I don't think that's a desirable goal for everyone. Bottom line: I think there are better personal-finance books out there.
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey
This historical fiction novel is set in World War II. The Mona Lisa has been hidden in a French chateau (this part is true), and a Louvre curator and her French revolutionary boyfriend team up with two Swiss secret agents to recover the painting before a Nazi leader can steal it for his personal collection. This story was fast-paced, and the setting was interesting. I'm not sure exactly how accurate it is in its detail, but it seems to portray WWII-era Paris well. A good, quick read.
Second Honeymoon by Joanna Trollope
This was a Kindle Daily Deal, and I got it on a whim. It's about a British family's struggle to adjust to life after the three kids have left the nest. I thought it portrayed quite realistically the challenges of transitioning into adulthood. The characters were sometimes frustrating in their whininess, but overall, it was a good story.
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
The second of the three free Francis Chan books I got for my Kindle. This one argues that Christianity has moved away from its original purpose and that Christians should stand out in their attitudes and service. I know a lot of people LOVE this book. I thought it was good, but I liked Interrupted (one of my July books) better.
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
A man at church gave me this book to read after I expressed frustration in my sometimes inability to say important things without getting emotional. I really appreciated the practical advice the authors gave. They said that the goal of every crucial conversation should be to be 100% honest and 100% respectful. This is a challenge for me. I worry a lot about offending people, so I end up not being completely honest. I was glad to learn some strategies for telling hard truths in a respectful way. I've also been trying to take their advice to remember the purpose of the conversation. Often, my goal shifts from exchanging ideas with someone to winning some kind of fake debate. I'm trying to curb this. I highly recommend this book.
At the Sign of the Sugared Plum by Mary Hooper
This is a young adult novel about a teenage girl who goes to help in her sister's candy shop in London during the plague of 1665. The main character is a redhead named Hannah, so, of course I loved her. :) It was a great story, and I enjoyed learning about this time period, but it ended rather abruptly. Perhaps there is going to be a sequel?
I'm a big fan of Kathleen Norris's work. This is an interesting look at the history of acedia, which was originally one of the 8 evil thoughts but was subsumed under sloth when the 7 deadly sins were created. It is defined as a spiritual apathy. Norris explains how she has battled acedia in her spiritual life. She points out that many of the feelings we attribute to depression might have a spiritual rather than physical origin (although she is very clear that she does believe in depression as a real illness and believes she has suffered from both clinical depression and acedia). It was interesting to think about the responsibility we have to rouse ourselves from spiritual apathy. The book tended to drag a little in the middle, but I think it was a worthwhile read.
The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams by Trent A. Hamm
I had heard about this book on one of the personal-finance websites I read, so when it was offered for cheap on the Kindle, I decided to check it out. I mainly read these books for inspiration to keep going with saving. I don't really expect to learn anything new (live below your means, budget, etc.). This book had pretty standard advice. I got a little annoyed by the author's tone, though. He acted like everyone should be striving to earn enough to quit their job and stay home and write, but I don't think that's a desirable goal for everyone. Bottom line: I think there are better personal-finance books out there.
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey
This historical fiction novel is set in World War II. The Mona Lisa has been hidden in a French chateau (this part is true), and a Louvre curator and her French revolutionary boyfriend team up with two Swiss secret agents to recover the painting before a Nazi leader can steal it for his personal collection. This story was fast-paced, and the setting was interesting. I'm not sure exactly how accurate it is in its detail, but it seems to portray WWII-era Paris well. A good, quick read.
Second Honeymoon by Joanna Trollope
This was a Kindle Daily Deal, and I got it on a whim. It's about a British family's struggle to adjust to life after the three kids have left the nest. I thought it portrayed quite realistically the challenges of transitioning into adulthood. The characters were sometimes frustrating in their whininess, but overall, it was a good story.
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
The second of the three free Francis Chan books I got for my Kindle. This one argues that Christianity has moved away from its original purpose and that Christians should stand out in their attitudes and service. I know a lot of people LOVE this book. I thought it was good, but I liked Interrupted (one of my July books) better.
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
A man at church gave me this book to read after I expressed frustration in my sometimes inability to say important things without getting emotional. I really appreciated the practical advice the authors gave. They said that the goal of every crucial conversation should be to be 100% honest and 100% respectful. This is a challenge for me. I worry a lot about offending people, so I end up not being completely honest. I was glad to learn some strategies for telling hard truths in a respectful way. I've also been trying to take their advice to remember the purpose of the conversation. Often, my goal shifts from exchanging ideas with someone to winning some kind of fake debate. I'm trying to curb this. I highly recommend this book.
At the Sign of the Sugared Plum by Mary Hooper
This is a young adult novel about a teenage girl who goes to help in her sister's candy shop in London during the plague of 1665. The main character is a redhead named Hannah, so, of course I loved her. :) It was a great story, and I enjoyed learning about this time period, but it ended rather abruptly. Perhaps there is going to be a sequel?
Thursday, September 06, 2012
LABOR DAYYY!
Over the long weekend, several of my friends from Robinson CofC got together for our first (hopefully of many) reunion. We rented a house on Lake Whitney, which is near Waco. It was such a wonderful weekend. I was a little nervous because all of our husbands came and they didn't really know each other, but everyone got along so well. When we were in high school, we used to dream about the day that we'd all go on vacation together with our families. And it finally happened!
We started planning this trip back in November, I think. When we were all at church in Waco over Christmas, Stephanie got really excited and came up to me and Jessica and shouted LABOR DAYYYYY!! So, that has been our constant mantra.
There was (slightly) less silliness than our old slumber parties, and we couldn't really stay up past 1 a.m., but other than that not much had changed. We talked and talked and talked, ate our weight in junk food, and laughed until our sides ached (and Stephanie snorted) playing games. We didn't have karaoke, but we did sing along with Darby on the guitar and Jessica's husband, Chase, on the banjo. And instead of tubing in the river behind Jessica's parents' house, we swam in the lake, sporting our awesome dollar store Disney princess floats.
These girls were such a huge part of my childhood, and I'm so thankful that we're all willing to make an effort to keep up our relationships. We missed Krista, Bobbi, and Adriel. Hopefully they'll be able to join us next year. There will definitely be a next year!
We started planning this trip back in November, I think. When we were all at church in Waco over Christmas, Stephanie got really excited and came up to me and Jessica and shouted LABOR DAYYYYY!! So, that has been our constant mantra.
There was (slightly) less silliness than our old slumber parties, and we couldn't really stay up past 1 a.m., but other than that not much had changed. We talked and talked and talked, ate our weight in junk food, and laughed until our sides ached (and Stephanie snorted) playing games. We didn't have karaoke, but we did sing along with Darby on the guitar and Jessica's husband, Chase, on the banjo. And instead of tubing in the river behind Jessica's parents' house, we swam in the lake, sporting our awesome dollar store Disney princess floats.
These girls were such a huge part of my childhood, and I'm so thankful that we're all willing to make an effort to keep up our relationships. We missed Krista, Bobbi, and Adriel. Hopefully they'll be able to join us next year. There will definitely be a next year!
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| Whitney, Jessica, and Stephanie getting ready to make s'mores on the grill. |
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| Whitney's baby, Finn. Despite what it looks like from the mess in this picture, he was one of the most well-behaved toddlers ever. It was so much fun getting to spend time with him. Whitney is one of my oldest friends, and it is so fun to see her as a mom. She and Clint are great parents . |
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| Jon and Stephanie |
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| Jessica and Chase |
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| The view from our patio. We were very close to the lake, but there was about a 20-foot dropoff to actually get to the water. So, we rode in the back of Darby's parents' pick-up truck down this tiny gravel path. Classy. |
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
A very old freshman
Monday was my last first day of school (probably). Of course, I
thought the same thing last August. :) I definitely won't be staying
another year, so I'm pretty sure this is it. I'll never say never to the
possibility of getting a Ph.D., but as of now, I just don't see it. My
enthusiasm for school has waned quite a bit since my freshman year of
college nine (how can that be?) years ago.
Today, I was running to my Spanish class (love it when the bus is late), and a girl I was walking beside asked me what class I was going to. It turned out we were headed for the same class. She said, "Are you a freshman, too?" It's a comfort to know that, even though I sometimes feel like a senior citizen compared to the college kids I see every day, I still look like an 18-year-old.
I feel like I look a little older, but I guess I haven't changed that much. What do you think? I'm getting very mixed messages. The other day I got off the elevator in my building and a student came up to me and said, "Excuse me, ma'am. Can you tell me where room 4002 is?" So, she obviously thought I was an instructor. And when I was interviewing incoming international students, two of them called me "madam." Ha!
Today, I was running to my Spanish class (love it when the bus is late), and a girl I was walking beside asked me what class I was going to. It turned out we were headed for the same class. She said, "Are you a freshman, too?" It's a comfort to know that, even though I sometimes feel like a senior citizen compared to the college kids I see every day, I still look like an 18-year-old.
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| Here I am during my freshman year at ACU (with my sweet roommate, Jeanine). |
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| And this is me a couple of months ago (with Katy's baby, Ansley, and Darby's thumb) |
Monday, August 20, 2012
Meant to Be
This weekend, I met Brittany and Erin, two of my Fat Tuesday girlfriends, in Las Vegas for a mini reunion. We had tons of fun exploring all of the hotels, seeing Cirque du Soleil, eating our weight in ice cream and cake, and playing penny slots.
It was so great to spend time with these girls. Our similarities really came out this weekend. To name a few:
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| The GIANT sundae that Britt and I split. Shamefully, we ate less than half of it. If only you could get ice cream to go . . . |
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| Me and Erin playing the part of cute couple |
It was so great to spend time with these girls. Our similarities really came out this weekend. To name a few:
- Our religious application of sunscreen in the land of extreme tans
- Our excitement over the Titanic exhibit at the Luxor
- Our inability to stay out past midnight
- Our belief that no meal is complete without dessert
- Our disdain for facebook oversharing
- Our function over fashion approach to shoes. No traipsing around in 6-inch heels for these girls!
- Our baby faces. We were asked by many club promoters if we were over 21. Yes - the reason we won't be going to your club is not because we're too young but because we prefer to go back to our hotel room and play Skip-Bo.
Monday, August 13, 2012
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .
In my quest for a stress-free (or at least stress-minimum) Christmas, I decided to make my Christmas cards this summer. I enjoyed it so much more than I have in the past because I wasn't rushing. There was only one downside: As I was working on them, I kept getting really excited thinking that Christmas was just around the corner. Then, I'd remember it's August and I still have an entire semester of school to complete before Christmas. Very sad. I resisted turning on the Christmas music while I was working, but it was very tempting. I love Christmas!
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
My newest hobby
As many of you know, Mica taught me how to knit in March. I thought I would enjoy it, but I had no idea how much I would love it. It's very addicting. Even so, my first project took quite some time. I started a scarf but ran out of yarn before it was long enough. When I went to the yarn store to buy a new skein, they were out of that color and wouldn't order any more. I was so dejected. I left the store crying, and put my scarf away for about a month. My sister convinced me to just continue it with a contrasting color. So, off I went. I figured out how to join the skein, but I realized I wasn't going to like how it looked. So, even though it pained me, I ripped the entire thing out and started over, this time making it narrower. It went much faster the second time around and looked more consistent.
For my second project, I decided to go up one level of difficulty and do a ribbed headband. After much trial and error, I figured out how to do ribbing, and I'm loving the way it looks. I think I'm about halfway done. As with most of my crafty projects, I am perhaps more proud of this than is appropriate. Ribbed fabric is so cool because it's very stretchy.
Knitting fits in very well with my other favorite pastime: watching the Olympics. I've been happy as a clam for the past week sitting on the couch all evening long. Now, I just have to decide what project to do next!
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| Modeling my work. It was about 100 degrees that day, so the last thing I wanted to do was put on a scarf, but I suffered through it. |
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| It's stacked on top of itself in this picture, so the edges aren't actually that uneven. It's definitely not perfect, but I guess that's part of the charm. |
Friday, August 03, 2012
July books
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Darby read this book a couple of years ago, and I asked him to hang on to it so I could read it. Although it starts out a little slow, this story of two cousins who create a famous comic book series in WWII-era New York picks up in the middle and then veers off into an absurd side plot before the touching ending. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters, but the book was about 200 pages too long. Further evidence that I don't enjoy Pulitzer-prize-winning books. Why do I never learn?
Interrupted: An Adventure in Relearning the Essentials of Faith by Jen Hatmaker
I had heard good things about this author/blogger, so when one of her books was offered cheap on the Kindle, I decided to try it. This woman and her husband worked for an unspecified mega-church when they felt that God was calling them to completely change directions and start a church that would focus on reaching out to the "unchurched" in Austin and becoming an integral part of their community. This book really resonates with where I am in my spiritual journey right now, as I think that most Christians (myself included) are doing a poor job of "loving our neighbor." One point that really hit home with me was that many Christians are so burned out on church because we're constantly "blessing blessed people who should be on the giving side of the equation by now." Yes. I think, in general, the church has become very inwardly-focused. We're more concerned about making sure that everyone believes the same thing and policing morality than forming relationships and serving others. This was a very convicting read.
Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach
Kalyn highly recommended this book, and I had some Amazon birthday gift cards, so I ordered it. It's a combination cookbook/memoir (my absolute favorite genre) about the joys of family dinner. The author writes about how dinner has evolved as she and her husband have moved from childless couple to parents of two children under two to parents of school-age children. She encourages readers to make home-cooked dinners a priority even when work and other commitments take up time. Jenny is very funny and not at all preachy. This book just makes you feel good about cooking.
The Land of Later On by Anthony Weller
In this small, strange book, a man commits suicide and finds that there is indeed an afterlife, but it's nothing like anyone expected. With the help of Walt Whitman(!), he embarks on a time-traveling, continent-jumping journey to find his recently-deceased girlfriend before she gives in to pressure and chooses to be reincarnated. It is a weird story, but I found it quite engrossing.
A Heart for Freedom by Chai Ling
This memoir was written by one of the student leaders of the Tiananmen Square protest. I was woefully ignorant of this event. Now that I teach mainly Chinese students, I've become more interested in China's history. It was very interesting to read about the events that led up to the massacre from someone who was in the center of it all. Chai Ling escaped political retribution in China and moved to the U.S., where she married an American. There is a lot of controversy surrounding her role in the protest. Many argue that she saved her own life at the expense of the students who were under her leadership. She wrote this book to tell her side of the story and to share about her conversion to Christianity. Now, she runs a non-profit organization dedicated to stopping child sex trafficking and forced abortions and gender-selection abortion under China's one-child policy. Chai Ling's story is very interesting, but the book is a little disjointed. At the end, in the acknowledgments, Chai Ling thanks her editor who helped cut almost half of the book. I think the editing job was rushed, and some necessary sections were cut. This was a good introduction to recent Chinese history, but I'll definitely read other perspectives.
Darby read this book a couple of years ago, and I asked him to hang on to it so I could read it. Although it starts out a little slow, this story of two cousins who create a famous comic book series in WWII-era New York picks up in the middle and then veers off into an absurd side plot before the touching ending. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters, but the book was about 200 pages too long. Further evidence that I don't enjoy Pulitzer-prize-winning books. Why do I never learn?
Interrupted: An Adventure in Relearning the Essentials of Faith by Jen Hatmaker
I had heard good things about this author/blogger, so when one of her books was offered cheap on the Kindle, I decided to try it. This woman and her husband worked for an unspecified mega-church when they felt that God was calling them to completely change directions and start a church that would focus on reaching out to the "unchurched" in Austin and becoming an integral part of their community. This book really resonates with where I am in my spiritual journey right now, as I think that most Christians (myself included) are doing a poor job of "loving our neighbor." One point that really hit home with me was that many Christians are so burned out on church because we're constantly "blessing blessed people who should be on the giving side of the equation by now." Yes. I think, in general, the church has become very inwardly-focused. We're more concerned about making sure that everyone believes the same thing and policing morality than forming relationships and serving others. This was a very convicting read.
Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach
Kalyn highly recommended this book, and I had some Amazon birthday gift cards, so I ordered it. It's a combination cookbook/memoir (my absolute favorite genre) about the joys of family dinner. The author writes about how dinner has evolved as she and her husband have moved from childless couple to parents of two children under two to parents of school-age children. She encourages readers to make home-cooked dinners a priority even when work and other commitments take up time. Jenny is very funny and not at all preachy. This book just makes you feel good about cooking.
The Land of Later On by Anthony Weller
In this small, strange book, a man commits suicide and finds that there is indeed an afterlife, but it's nothing like anyone expected. With the help of Walt Whitman(!), he embarks on a time-traveling, continent-jumping journey to find his recently-deceased girlfriend before she gives in to pressure and chooses to be reincarnated. It is a weird story, but I found it quite engrossing.
A Heart for Freedom by Chai Ling
This memoir was written by one of the student leaders of the Tiananmen Square protest. I was woefully ignorant of this event. Now that I teach mainly Chinese students, I've become more interested in China's history. It was very interesting to read about the events that led up to the massacre from someone who was in the center of it all. Chai Ling escaped political retribution in China and moved to the U.S., where she married an American. There is a lot of controversy surrounding her role in the protest. Many argue that she saved her own life at the expense of the students who were under her leadership. She wrote this book to tell her side of the story and to share about her conversion to Christianity. Now, she runs a non-profit organization dedicated to stopping child sex trafficking and forced abortions and gender-selection abortion under China's one-child policy. Chai Ling's story is very interesting, but the book is a little disjointed. At the end, in the acknowledgments, Chai Ling thanks her editor who helped cut almost half of the book. I think the editing job was rushed, and some necessary sections were cut. This was a good introduction to recent Chinese history, but I'll definitely read other perspectives.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Why I Love the Olympics
- Reminiscing about the many hours spent watching gymnastics during the 1996 and 2000 summer games with my mom and sister.
- The heartwarming commercials. Have you seen the Target commercial that shows kids' reactions when they open their college acceptance letters? I teared up.
- Making fun of the announcers, especially the gymnastics guy. I love to hate him.
- Not hearing anything about Suri Cruise or the Jackson family on the Today Show.
- And, most importantly, not only do I not have to feel guilty for watching 12 hours of TV in one day, I can actually feel virtuous about it.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Small love
After brushing my teeth, I walk to the bed and start throwing the decorative pillows on the floor. Darby likes to lay his towel out on the bed to dry, and since he goes to bed later than me me, the towel's usually there when I get in bed. Like always, I turn down my half of the covers, scooting his towel to the edge of the bed. But, for some reason, on this night, I am struck by my own selfishness. Couldn't I just hang up the towel?
When we got married, I put a ring on his finger and said "with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you." I often think about that vow in terms of some grand gesture of love, some big sacrifice on my part. And if I'm faced with a situation like that in the future, I hope that I'll rise to the challenge. But I have dozens of chances every day to honor him with "all that I am," and that includes something as simple as taking 2 seconds to hang up his towel instead of kicking it to the side.
This incident really troubled me, as I got to thinking how often selfishness prevents me from doing good things, even simple good things. How many times have I put off calling a friend I know could use encouragement because I'm "too busy"? How many times have I searched for an excuse not to help someone with an unappealing task?
When I hear about situations like the recent shooting in Colorado, I feel so helpless. And the truth is, much of life is completely out of my control. But, certain situations are under my control. The absolute least I can do is to choose love in those situations. I might only have a handful of chances to do some grand good deed in my life. But every day, I have the opportunity to practice "small love" towards those around me. I pray that I'll see those opportunities and take advantage of them.
When we got married, I put a ring on his finger and said "with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you." I often think about that vow in terms of some grand gesture of love, some big sacrifice on my part. And if I'm faced with a situation like that in the future, I hope that I'll rise to the challenge. But I have dozens of chances every day to honor him with "all that I am," and that includes something as simple as taking 2 seconds to hang up his towel instead of kicking it to the side.
This incident really troubled me, as I got to thinking how often selfishness prevents me from doing good things, even simple good things. How many times have I put off calling a friend I know could use encouragement because I'm "too busy"? How many times have I searched for an excuse not to help someone with an unappealing task?
When I hear about situations like the recent shooting in Colorado, I feel so helpless. And the truth is, much of life is completely out of my control. But, certain situations are under my control. The absolute least I can do is to choose love in those situations. I might only have a handful of chances to do some grand good deed in my life. But every day, I have the opportunity to practice "small love" towards those around me. I pray that I'll see those opportunities and take advantage of them.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
On listening to my food conscience
So, in my June Books post, I left out The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan because I knew I wanted to do a separate post about it. Without being overly dramatic, I have to say that this book changed my life. Of course, I've read other books and articles and seen documentaries about the startling lack of diversity in the American diet and the cruel treatment of livestock, but for some reason, this one hit home with me quite a bit more. It's beautifully written and, for the most part, not too over-the top. (Although it does target McDonald's as pure evil. I don't get this. There are tons of fast food restaurants. And, confession, I love McDonald's.)
I've known for a long time that I need to make changes in the animal products I buy. But I'm so used to trying to save money on groceries that it seemed daunting to begin paying over $3 for a dozen eggs or $10/lb. grass-fed beef. So, I did basically nothing, except trying to cut back on my meat consumption in general. After reading this book, I decided I had to do something more. I had convinced myself that it was all or nothing, but I realized I could make changes gradually. So, I started buying milk from grass-fed cows and free-range eggs, both of which are available at Meijer. And I made a compromise on the meat. The University of Illinois sells beef and pork in its "Meat Science Lab." It sounds really scary, but basically its a butcher shop staffed by students. The animals are not grass-fed, but they are raised locally. I am assuming that conditions on the smaller university-owned farms are better than the giant slaughterhouses. And the prices are not too much higher than Meijer. I still want to switch to grass-fed beef at some point, but I think this is a step in the right direction.
Besides the meat issue, this book also convicted me of the need to avoid processed foods. I've always known non-processed foods were generally healthier (less sugar, preservatives, etc.), but I never realized how much of what we eat is basically corn. This lack of variety is troubling for economic as well as dietary reasons. Avoiding processed foods helps fight against the overproduction of corn. I feel like I do ok, as I don't eat frozen dinners and prefer homemade treats to storebought cookies and candy. But, I definitely have a long way to go. I've given up my flavored creamer in favor of half-and-half and milk. And I'm trying to switch from diet soda to water flavored with pure fruit juice. Eventually, I'd like to make my own granola, granola bars, and tortillas, which I consume regularly. Of course, I won't ever completely get rid of processed foods, but if I eat well most of the time, I won't have to feel guilty about my indulgences.
Anyway, I never want to be one of those preachy people who tells others how horrible their food choices are or doesn't let their kid drink Kool-Aid at a friend's house. So, I'm definitely not judging anyone who makes different food choices than I do. Obviously, I'm not doing everything right. But I feel good that I'm not ignoring my conscience so much anymore. And it might be years before I'm where I want to be, but at least I'm moving in the right direction.
I highly recommend the book, but be prepared: If you read it, you might become one of those hippie food people you've always ridiculed. It happened to me.
I've known for a long time that I need to make changes in the animal products I buy. But I'm so used to trying to save money on groceries that it seemed daunting to begin paying over $3 for a dozen eggs or $10/lb. grass-fed beef. So, I did basically nothing, except trying to cut back on my meat consumption in general. After reading this book, I decided I had to do something more. I had convinced myself that it was all or nothing, but I realized I could make changes gradually. So, I started buying milk from grass-fed cows and free-range eggs, both of which are available at Meijer. And I made a compromise on the meat. The University of Illinois sells beef and pork in its "Meat Science Lab." It sounds really scary, but basically its a butcher shop staffed by students. The animals are not grass-fed, but they are raised locally. I am assuming that conditions on the smaller university-owned farms are better than the giant slaughterhouses. And the prices are not too much higher than Meijer. I still want to switch to grass-fed beef at some point, but I think this is a step in the right direction.
Besides the meat issue, this book also convicted me of the need to avoid processed foods. I've always known non-processed foods were generally healthier (less sugar, preservatives, etc.), but I never realized how much of what we eat is basically corn. This lack of variety is troubling for economic as well as dietary reasons. Avoiding processed foods helps fight against the overproduction of corn. I feel like I do ok, as I don't eat frozen dinners and prefer homemade treats to storebought cookies and candy. But, I definitely have a long way to go. I've given up my flavored creamer in favor of half-and-half and milk. And I'm trying to switch from diet soda to water flavored with pure fruit juice. Eventually, I'd like to make my own granola, granola bars, and tortillas, which I consume regularly. Of course, I won't ever completely get rid of processed foods, but if I eat well most of the time, I won't have to feel guilty about my indulgences.
Anyway, I never want to be one of those preachy people who tells others how horrible their food choices are or doesn't let their kid drink Kool-Aid at a friend's house. So, I'm definitely not judging anyone who makes different food choices than I do. Obviously, I'm not doing everything right. But I feel good that I'm not ignoring my conscience so much anymore. And it might be years before I'm where I want to be, but at least I'm moving in the right direction.
I highly recommend the book, but be prepared: If you read it, you might become one of those hippie food people you've always ridiculed. It happened to me.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
A Happy "Hannahversary"
My sister came to visit last week. Immediately after she left, Darby and I left for a family trip to Wisconsin, so I didn't get a chance to post. We had such a great time. Since she happened to be here on mine and Darby's 5th anniversary, my mom coined the term "Hannahversary." We had fun playing board games, Mario Kart, and Just Dance 3, baking red velvet cheesecake brownies, and eating at some of our favorite Champaign restaurants.
But, hands-down my favorite activity was karaoke. A little back story: a few months ago, I went to "Korean karaoke" for the first time (where you sing in a room with only your friends, not in front of a crowd). I loved it so much and really wanted Darby to experience it, so we did it again a couple of weeks ago. Darby liked it, but he said he preferred regular karaoke because he likes to perform. This is kind of hilarious to me, as it doesn't really seem like his personality, but it's true. Hannah is a natural performer herself, so we decided to go while she was here. We met a couple of friends at Memphis on Main in downtown Champaign. Darby and Hannah broke the ice by each singing a song by themselves. Then, Hannah, Jin, Cassandra, and I sang "Lady Marmalade." I am very good at that song, having sung it about 3,000 times in high school. (I was always Li'l Kim, of course.) Later, Hannah and I sang "Man, I Feel Like a Woman," which was one of our middle school specialties. And Cass wowed us with "I Will Survive." But the undeniable star of the show was Darby. He sang 4 songs, and everyone LOVED him. He was such a great performer. Considering that he was in a band when we first started dating, it was a perfect way to spend our anniversary. Brought back a lot of memories of my "groupie" days. :)
I'm so glad Hannah took the time to come visit us. It was great to have some sister time. We've started planning our sister trip for next summer. I can't wait!
But, hands-down my favorite activity was karaoke. A little back story: a few months ago, I went to "Korean karaoke" for the first time (where you sing in a room with only your friends, not in front of a crowd). I loved it so much and really wanted Darby to experience it, so we did it again a couple of weeks ago. Darby liked it, but he said he preferred regular karaoke because he likes to perform. This is kind of hilarious to me, as it doesn't really seem like his personality, but it's true. Hannah is a natural performer herself, so we decided to go while she was here. We met a couple of friends at Memphis on Main in downtown Champaign. Darby and Hannah broke the ice by each singing a song by themselves. Then, Hannah, Jin, Cassandra, and I sang "Lady Marmalade." I am very good at that song, having sung it about 3,000 times in high school. (I was always Li'l Kim, of course.) Later, Hannah and I sang "Man, I Feel Like a Woman," which was one of our middle school specialties. And Cass wowed us with "I Will Survive." But the undeniable star of the show was Darby. He sang 4 songs, and everyone LOVED him. He was such a great performer. Considering that he was in a band when we first started dating, it was a perfect way to spend our anniversary. Brought back a lot of memories of my "groupie" days. :)
I'm so glad Hannah took the time to come visit us. It was great to have some sister time. We've started planning our sister trip for next summer. I can't wait!
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| Excited after our successful performance |
Friday, July 06, 2012
June Books
Breathless by Jessica Warman
This young adult novel is about a girl who is sent to boarding school after her brother's mental illness destroys her family. As you can imagine, it was a bit of a downer. And the main character's high school experience was so different from mine that it was hard to relate to. But, the characters were interesting, and I like that it didn't gloss over real issues as many teen books do.
Winning the Clutter War by Sandra Felton
This was offered for free on the Kindle, and I got it because I like to motivate myself by reading books about organizing. I was not the target audience for this book, which is directed at people who have serious clutter issues (not just laziness, like me). But, I did find some of the tips useful. One thing I'm really trying to be better at is doing all of the little things like closing cabinet doors, pushing in drawers, hanging clothes back in the closet, etc. It takes hardly any time and it really does make a big difference in how the house looks.
A Drowned Maiden's Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz
This is another young adult novel. I knew it was going to be good when I read the first sentence: "On the morning of the best day of her life, Maud Flynn was locked in the outhouse, singing 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic.'" I mean, come on, how could that not be great? I wasn't disappointed. Maud, a precocious orphan who's adopted by three spinsters with ulterior motives, is so likeable, and her story is very intriguing, if a little predictable at the very end. Highly recommend.
The Crux of the Matter: Crisis, Tradition, and the Future of Churches of Christ by Jeff W. Childers, Douglas A. Foster, and Jack R. Reese
Darby and I bought this book to prepare for the class we're going to teach in the fall. It was a very interesting read. The authors argue that the CofC needs to stop denying its history (e.g., saying that we are the continuation of the Jerusalem church in Acts) and acknowledge that, for both good and ill, we are a product of the cultural climate at the time of the Restoration movement. They also emphasize the importance of refocusing on the cross (the crux of the matter) rather than issues of worship style and other less important matters. I think this is a great book for anyone who's concerned about the future of the churches of Christ. The authors are very honest about the challenges ahead but also very optimistic. Additionally, the book includes a paraphrase of the book of 1 Corinthians in more modern language, which I found very powerful.
This young adult novel is about a girl who is sent to boarding school after her brother's mental illness destroys her family. As you can imagine, it was a bit of a downer. And the main character's high school experience was so different from mine that it was hard to relate to. But, the characters were interesting, and I like that it didn't gloss over real issues as many teen books do.
Winning the Clutter War by Sandra Felton
This was offered for free on the Kindle, and I got it because I like to motivate myself by reading books about organizing. I was not the target audience for this book, which is directed at people who have serious clutter issues (not just laziness, like me). But, I did find some of the tips useful. One thing I'm really trying to be better at is doing all of the little things like closing cabinet doors, pushing in drawers, hanging clothes back in the closet, etc. It takes hardly any time and it really does make a big difference in how the house looks.
A Drowned Maiden's Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz
This is another young adult novel. I knew it was going to be good when I read the first sentence: "On the morning of the best day of her life, Maud Flynn was locked in the outhouse, singing 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic.'" I mean, come on, how could that not be great? I wasn't disappointed. Maud, a precocious orphan who's adopted by three spinsters with ulterior motives, is so likeable, and her story is very intriguing, if a little predictable at the very end. Highly recommend.
The Crux of the Matter: Crisis, Tradition, and the Future of Churches of Christ by Jeff W. Childers, Douglas A. Foster, and Jack R. Reese
Darby and I bought this book to prepare for the class we're going to teach in the fall. It was a very interesting read. The authors argue that the CofC needs to stop denying its history (e.g., saying that we are the continuation of the Jerusalem church in Acts) and acknowledge that, for both good and ill, we are a product of the cultural climate at the time of the Restoration movement. They also emphasize the importance of refocusing on the cross (the crux of the matter) rather than issues of worship style and other less important matters. I think this is a great book for anyone who's concerned about the future of the churches of Christ. The authors are very honest about the challenges ahead but also very optimistic. Additionally, the book includes a paraphrase of the book of 1 Corinthians in more modern language, which I found very powerful.
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
The beginning
11 years ago today, I offered to give Darby a ride to watch the fireworks with a group of friends from church. He brought his huge binder full of CDs and played different songs for me in the car. Now, Darby feels like that was hugely pretentious, but, at the time, I thought he was so cool.
We stood together on top of the Baylor parking garage, watching the show. I wanted desperately for him to hold my hand---I even did that thing where I rested my arm right next to his on the railing, but he didn't do it.
After the show, we went over to our friend Daniel's house where some of the guys set off their own fireworks. I have always had a fear of fireworks, especially when they're being set off by teenage boys. But I might have played up my fear just a little bit, so that Darby would comfort me. It worked. :) He finally held my hand. Now, he tells me that he saw through my act all along. Oh well.
I think we've only spent one 4th of July apart since then (when I was in Mexico). We've watched fireworks on the suspension bridge in Waco, at Nelson Park in Abilene, in downtown Nashville, on the beach in Florida, in tiny Monticello, and in Champaign. Every year, I think back to that first 4th of July. Both of us were so nervous. I'm so glad Darby took the plunge and reached for my hand. Neither of us had any idea that, 11 years later, we'd still be watching the fireworks together, holding hands.
We stood together on top of the Baylor parking garage, watching the show. I wanted desperately for him to hold my hand---I even did that thing where I rested my arm right next to his on the railing, but he didn't do it.
After the show, we went over to our friend Daniel's house where some of the guys set off their own fireworks. I have always had a fear of fireworks, especially when they're being set off by teenage boys. But I might have played up my fear just a little bit, so that Darby would comfort me. It worked. :) He finally held my hand. Now, he tells me that he saw through my act all along. Oh well.
I think we've only spent one 4th of July apart since then (when I was in Mexico). We've watched fireworks on the suspension bridge in Waco, at Nelson Park in Abilene, in downtown Nashville, on the beach in Florida, in tiny Monticello, and in Champaign. Every year, I think back to that first 4th of July. Both of us were so nervous. I'm so glad Darby took the plunge and reached for my hand. Neither of us had any idea that, 11 years later, we'd still be watching the fireworks together, holding hands.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
What Makes My World Go 'Round
My friend Kalyn was recently asked, "What makes your world go 'round?" for an art show application. She encouraged her blog readers to answer the same question. So, here's my list:
What makes your world go 'round?
What makes your world go 'round?
- The 15 minutes Darby and I spend catching up on our days after I pick him up from the lab
- Holding babies
- Playing games with my parents, brother, and sister
- Eating cookie dough from the bowl
- The bittersweet feeling of finishing a good book
- Remembering silly inside jokes from high school
- Custard Cup - duh!
- Sunday afternoon naps
- Long talks with friends
- The excitement of the first day of school
- My grandma's homemade Chex Mix and strawberry bread and Christmas candy . . .
- Exploring new cities
- Monthly e-mails from my college girlfriends
- The first cool day of fall
- Frousin "taditions"
- Enjoying my daily bowl of oatmeal and cup of coffee with Darby
- Real mail in the mailbox
- Fields of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush (miss this so much)
- Trying new recipes
- Being called by one of my nicknames - KK, KJ, Kaykey
Thursday, June 21, 2012
30 before 30 update
I had a wonderful 27th birthday that started off right with a French toast breakfast prepared by Darby and included phone calls, cards, and Facebook messages from so many friends and family, a delicious dinner at Destihl, and, of course, presents. I'm not ashamed to admit that I still get really excited about opening birthday presents. I was good this year and waited to open (almost) all of them until my actual birthday. Perhaps the best gift I received was the news that my sister is coming to visit in a couple of weeks! This is such a welcome surprise; I'm happy I don't have to wait too long for her to get here!
I feel like my birthday is a good time to give an update on my 30 before 30 goals. Completed goals are in bold, and in progress goals are in italics. With 3 years left, I feel like I'm doing pretty well.
Education
1. Get my master's degree
2. Earn a graduate teacher certificate
3. Take at least two Spanish classes
4. Begin studying two other languages (Started Italian)
Hobbies
5. Learn to sew
6. Create a card stockpile
7. Start a successful container garden
8. Take piano lessons
Finances
9. Save 10% down for a house
10. Increase retirement savings to 10% of our income per month (I'm up to about 5% from nothing.)
11. Increase percent saved on groceries each month to 40% (I'm up to 35%).
12. Get life insurance for both Darby and me
Travel
13. Go to Italy
14. Visit 3 new states (We're going to Iowa for a wedding in July.)
15. Go camping
Cooking
16. Learn how to cook steak (This was easier than I thought. The secret: buy a good steak. :) Who knew?)
17. Take a cake decorating class
18. Completely replace 3 storebought staples with homemade versions (I've replaced salsa, and I'm working on chicken broth.)
19. Whittle "to try" recipes to under 100 (I feel like this is one step forward and two steps back sometimes.)
Health
20. Switch to antibiotic-free animal products (I've switched to organic milk and eggs, and I'm working on beef. I'll post more about this sometime.)
21. Maintain my goal weight (except, see 23 below)
22. Take four different fitness classes (I did KickFit with Mica last semester. It was awesome!)
Family
23. Have a baby (I know this is really weird to put at as a "goal," but it is one major thing I hope to do before I turn 30, so it's in.)
24. Go on a trip with my sister
Spiritual
25. Create two new units for the Cradle Roll class
26. Teach an older children/adult Bible class (Darby and I are teaching an adult Bible class in the fall. I'm still a little shocked that someone okayed our plan, but we're going for it. We'll see what happens . . . )
27. Read 18 spiritual books.
Friendship
28. Plan/attend three Fat Tuesday reunions (We have one planned for SingSong in February.)
29. Plan/attend at least two reunions with my high school friends (We have one planned for September!)
30. Start/join a book club
I feel like my birthday is a good time to give an update on my 30 before 30 goals. Completed goals are in bold, and in progress goals are in italics. With 3 years left, I feel like I'm doing pretty well.
Education
1. Get my master's degree
2. Earn a graduate teacher certificate
3. Take at least two Spanish classes
4. Begin studying two other languages (Started Italian)
Hobbies
5. Learn to sew
6. Create a card stockpile
7. Start a successful container garden
8. Take piano lessons
Finances
9. Save 10% down for a house
10. Increase retirement savings to 10% of our income per month (I'm up to about 5% from nothing.)
11. Increase percent saved on groceries each month to 40% (I'm up to 35%).
12. Get life insurance for both Darby and me
Travel
13. Go to Italy
14. Visit 3 new states (We're going to Iowa for a wedding in July.)
15. Go camping
Cooking
16. Learn how to cook steak (This was easier than I thought. The secret: buy a good steak. :) Who knew?)
17. Take a cake decorating class
18. Completely replace 3 storebought staples with homemade versions (I've replaced salsa, and I'm working on chicken broth.)
19. Whittle "to try" recipes to under 100 (I feel like this is one step forward and two steps back sometimes.)
Health
20. Switch to antibiotic-free animal products (I've switched to organic milk and eggs, and I'm working on beef. I'll post more about this sometime.)
21. Maintain my goal weight (except, see 23 below)
22. Take four different fitness classes (I did KickFit with Mica last semester. It was awesome!)
Family
23. Have a baby (I know this is really weird to put at as a "goal," but it is one major thing I hope to do before I turn 30, so it's in.)
24. Go on a trip with my sister
Spiritual
25. Create two new units for the Cradle Roll class
26. Teach an older children/adult Bible class (Darby and I are teaching an adult Bible class in the fall. I'm still a little shocked that someone okayed our plan, but we're going for it. We'll see what happens . . . )
27. Read 18 spiritual books.
Friendship
28. Plan/attend three Fat Tuesday reunions (We have one planned for SingSong in February.)
29. Plan/attend at least two reunions with my high school friends (We have one planned for September!)
30. Start/join a book club
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Why I'm Not Daddy's Little Princess
I really dislike the term that you often see emblazoned on onesies and bibs: "Daddy's little princess." I love my dad, but I've just never related to that stereotypical representation of the father/daughter relationship.
My dad didn't give me everything I wanted. He gave me a lot, and then he sat down with me and taught me how to budget and save for everything else.
My dad didn't rescue me from every difficult situation. Instead, he gave me advice about what I could do to solve the problem. When I needed to learn the hard way, he let me.
My dad didn't emphasize appearance. I believe that he thinks I'm beautiful. But it's much more important to me that he thinks I'm smart, capable, and talented.
I didn't have my dad "wrapped around my finger." My dad didn't (and doesn't) always agree with me. He taught me that it was ok to disagree and showed how to disagree in a loving way (I'm still working on that one...).
In many ways, I am a lot like my dad. And in many other ways, I hope to be like him. He has been a great example throughout my life. He doesn't treat me like a delicate princess. He loves me unconditionally, but he also challenges me and respects me. And I am so grateful for that.
My dad didn't give me everything I wanted. He gave me a lot, and then he sat down with me and taught me how to budget and save for everything else.
My dad didn't rescue me from every difficult situation. Instead, he gave me advice about what I could do to solve the problem. When I needed to learn the hard way, he let me.
My dad didn't emphasize appearance. I believe that he thinks I'm beautiful. But it's much more important to me that he thinks I'm smart, capable, and talented.
I didn't have my dad "wrapped around my finger." My dad didn't (and doesn't) always agree with me. He taught me that it was ok to disagree and showed how to disagree in a loving way (I'm still working on that one...).
In many ways, I am a lot like my dad. And in many other ways, I hope to be like him. He has been a great example throughout my life. He doesn't treat me like a delicate princess. He loves me unconditionally, but he also challenges me and respects me. And I am so grateful for that.
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| Me looking like a munchkin in Dad's shirt. |
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| Playing with the girls. Ah, the good old days before Matt was born. Kidding!! |
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| All the kiddos |
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| Me and Dad in May 2011 |
Monday, June 11, 2012
May Books
I'm a little late with this update because there was just too much other fun stuff to post about. :) I didn't get as much reading done as I thought I would this month because the flight to Italy had tons of movies and TV shows to watch.
Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We've Made Up by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle
This book (and two others by Chan) was offered for free on the Kindle, and the title intrigued me, so I decided to try it out. It is a response to the book Love Wins by Rob Bell, which caused quite a stir in the Christian community because of its support of the universalist view of salvation. I haven't read Bell's book, but I intend to. I thought this book made some good points; however, I did not like the premise. Chan (who did all of the writing) pretends that he is approaching the topic of hell (its existence and nature) from a completely unbiased perspective, simply looking at what is said about it in the Bible. However, it is impossible to read any text (including the Bible) free of bias. Your beliefs, life experience, and previous reading of the text will always influence your view. This is why 100 different people can read the same passage of Scripture and come up with different interpretations. Chan also admits that Sprinkle did almost all of the research for the book, but they agreed to write it in Chan's "voice." This seems suspicious to me. If you're not going to do the research, I don't believe you should write the book.
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
This coming-of-age story about a precocious 13-year-old boy who becomes famous after a series of marine biology discoveries was quite heartwarming, if a little bit strange. The main character was very likable, and I particularly enjoyed reading about his friendship with his elderly neighbor. A sweet, pretty quick read.
Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love by Dava Sobel
This was another Kindle Daily Deal, and my reading of it coincided nicely with our trip to Italy. We went to a museum devoted to Galileo, and it was so cool to see some of the stuff I had read about. The book gives an overview of Galileo's life but focuses especially on his relationship with his eldest daughter (Suor Maria Celeste, a nun), who he kept up very regular correspondence with throughout his life. The devotion of Maria Celeste to her father was touching. It was sad to read about the punishment Galileo endured from the church for his writings, when he actually was a faithful believer. Unlike many in his day (and ours), he did not believe science and faith were in opposition, and his view of the role of the Bible as a spiritual guide rather than scientific document was ahead of its time. I really enjoyed finding out more about a person that I had only been introduced to briefly in high school history classes.
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
I had heard a lot of good things about this book, and I've seen quotes from it everywhere. So when it was offered for $2.99 on the Kindle, I decided to get it. The author was challenged by a friend to make a list of 1,000 blessings, and this book is her meditation on that process. The blessings she records are not the "big" things (family, health, etc.) but the seemingly ordinary things (e.g., "morning shadows across old floors," "jam piled high on the toast," "mail in the mailbox"). She comes to the conclusion that the only way to live fully in the moment is to recognize each moment for what it is---a blessing, She also finds that thankfulness helps her overcome her doubts and gives her greater ability to accept the difficult things in life. This was a very inspirational book. Ann's writing style is incredibly lyrical, and I found that I didn't want to put the book down. I highly recommend it.
Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity, and the Things We've Made Up by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle
This book (and two others by Chan) was offered for free on the Kindle, and the title intrigued me, so I decided to try it out. It is a response to the book Love Wins by Rob Bell, which caused quite a stir in the Christian community because of its support of the universalist view of salvation. I haven't read Bell's book, but I intend to. I thought this book made some good points; however, I did not like the premise. Chan (who did all of the writing) pretends that he is approaching the topic of hell (its existence and nature) from a completely unbiased perspective, simply looking at what is said about it in the Bible. However, it is impossible to read any text (including the Bible) free of bias. Your beliefs, life experience, and previous reading of the text will always influence your view. This is why 100 different people can read the same passage of Scripture and come up with different interpretations. Chan also admits that Sprinkle did almost all of the research for the book, but they agreed to write it in Chan's "voice." This seems suspicious to me. If you're not going to do the research, I don't believe you should write the book.
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
This coming-of-age story about a precocious 13-year-old boy who becomes famous after a series of marine biology discoveries was quite heartwarming, if a little bit strange. The main character was very likable, and I particularly enjoyed reading about his friendship with his elderly neighbor. A sweet, pretty quick read.
Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love by Dava Sobel
This was another Kindle Daily Deal, and my reading of it coincided nicely with our trip to Italy. We went to a museum devoted to Galileo, and it was so cool to see some of the stuff I had read about. The book gives an overview of Galileo's life but focuses especially on his relationship with his eldest daughter (Suor Maria Celeste, a nun), who he kept up very regular correspondence with throughout his life. The devotion of Maria Celeste to her father was touching. It was sad to read about the punishment Galileo endured from the church for his writings, when he actually was a faithful believer. Unlike many in his day (and ours), he did not believe science and faith were in opposition, and his view of the role of the Bible as a spiritual guide rather than scientific document was ahead of its time. I really enjoyed finding out more about a person that I had only been introduced to briefly in high school history classes.
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
I had heard a lot of good things about this book, and I've seen quotes from it everywhere. So when it was offered for $2.99 on the Kindle, I decided to get it. The author was challenged by a friend to make a list of 1,000 blessings, and this book is her meditation on that process. The blessings she records are not the "big" things (family, health, etc.) but the seemingly ordinary things (e.g., "morning shadows across old floors," "jam piled high on the toast," "mail in the mailbox"). She comes to the conclusion that the only way to live fully in the moment is to recognize each moment for what it is---a blessing, She also finds that thankfulness helps her overcome her doubts and gives her greater ability to accept the difficult things in life. This was a very inspirational book. Ann's writing style is incredibly lyrical, and I found that I didn't want to put the book down. I highly recommend it.
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