Goals Update: September

What?!?!  Tomorrow is October?  As each month passes, I am slowly coming to realize I probably won't accomplish all of my goals this year and that even though I've read well over thirty books already, there are still some books on my 2010 Reading List I most likely won't get to finish.  But that's okay.  I'm okay with not accomplishing a goal- as long as I put worth my absolute best effort.  The thing with which I am not okay is not accomplishing something simply because I'm a slacker.  And while the reasons why I won't accomplish some goals are legitimate, I have been quite the slacker in a few select areas...and I know I can do better.  That is what I find disappointing. 

The year is rapidly drawing to a close, but I still have three solid months.  And I intend to live the heck out of those three solid months and to hopefully come a little bit closer to accomplishing my goals.  Here's an update from September:

Become a faithful member of the 5 am club.  Fail!  But I did at least get up about 6:30 this morning...trust me, when the sun doesn't get out of bed until past 7:30, it's difficult to get yourself out of bed...but my friend Heather called me this morning at 6:36, and I was already up and getting my butt kicked by Jillian Michaels.  So...a teensy weensy bit of progress. 

Memorize 52 verses. You see, this is one of those goals that I know I can accomplish if I would just stop being a slacker.  I'm not sure how this one will play out over the next three months...

Memorize (the first half) of the book of James. Refer to my explanation of the previous goal.  Hmmm...

Continue in the SWI program. Check, check, and check!  I am actually going to my final class of this term tonight (although I am super sad because my new beloved friend Julia will not be in class tonight).  We have a week off, and then we return for next term; I'll be taking Baptist Beliefs.
Read through the Bible. Fail.  Again.  This goes back to the being a wretched slacker.

Continue to think through our family traditions. I'd classify this as a success; it's just difficult to quantify it.  With the holiday season approaching, I am getting more and more excited about traditions; I tend not to think of family traditions throughout the summer, but tradition tends to be a big topic around Thanksgiving and Christmas time.

Communicate with our family (and friends) more. I've done well with the emailing, but I've been a bit out of it since getting back from New York.  I'm still playing catch up on some things, and I realized I am in need of some massive reorganization of some files, etc.

Build up our emergency fund. Nada.

Make a huge dent in our car loan. So.close.

Cut our grocery bill. I have no earthly idea.  I still have to meal plan and shop for October, and we all know how much Jenny *loves* grocery shopping.

Develop a consistent and workable cleaning schedule. I have been most pleased with how we've kept the house recently.  It's not perfect by any means, but neither are we!  I usually try to just pick up in the morning and then again at night; I'll do a thorough cleaning once a week, and that's it.

Read 30 books. I've had a lot of books to review lately, and I've also been focusing on the book about genocide.  However, I can't necessarily sit down and read that one for hours on end because I generally find myself wanting to do one of the following: throw the book across the room, sit down and cry, cuss (out loud), or begin packing my bags to move to another country.  I really would like to (start) and finish A Prayer for Owen Meany and Tess of the D'Urbervilles before the end of the year, however.  I think those two classics will be my focus over the next several weeks.

Scrapbook. Ugh.  This one kind of goes back to the slacker issue, but I also simply don't think about scrapbooking too much.  It's not exactly on the forefront of my mind.  I really, really do want to be consistent in this endeavor.  I know that it will be a joy to go through all our scrapbooks with our children someday, so I really need to get on the ball.

Continue blogging. Not too shabby, my friends.  I apologize for failing to comment for the last two weeks.  As I said, I have been playing catch up since getting back from New York.  I'll see what I can do for you this weekend.

So, there is the ugly (and not-so-ugly) truth.  Even though I've been quite the slacker in some areas, it's nice to look back and see what I have actually accomplished thus far.  And it's good to remind myself that it's okay not to perfect, but to see where I need some improvement.  And it's good to realize that I still have a few more months to work on some of these goals.  And it's good to realize that it's acceptable for me to begin these sentences with a conjunction because this is not formal writing.  Students, for the love of all that is holy, please take note of that.

How have you done this month with your goals?

Would You Like To Know...

...what we had for dinner last night?  Delicious Deutsche food in honor of Oktoberfest's final week.  I told you I was going to enjoy some overly-fattening German cuisine this week!  The hubs took me out to Erika's German Restaurant, where we enjoyed not only delectable food, but also the wonderful hospitality of Erika, the ridiculously cute owner of the restaurant.  Seriously, I wanted to take her home with me.  Erika is originally from Nurnberg (bonus material: I got my elbow x-rayed in Nurnberg when I broke it as a child.  The x-ray machine in Bamberg was broken...) and came to the states twenty-four years ago.  She opened the restaurant seven years ago and has been serving up authentic German dishes ever since.  Behold our meal:

Spatze, made by request.  Oh how I love this concoction.

Schnitzel and spatzel.  To.die.for.

Black Forest Cake- the best I've ever had. 

The best thing is that the portions are huge, so we took home plenty of schnitzel and spatzel.  I am so excited for leftovers!



Oktoberfest

If you weren't aware, 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of the very first Oktoberfest!  In 1810, the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese on October 12th; the citizens of Munich were invited to attend the celebration, which was held over several days.  The tradition has continued over the past two centuries, although Oktoberfest was not held several years due to cholera outbreaks; this year actually marks the 177th Oktoberfest.  While Oktoberfest has definitely changed in its content, going from an agricultural fair to what some deem a simply drunken fest, Oktoberfest is important to Bavarian (southern Germany) culture and is always something I think about when mid-September arrives (Oktoberfest generally runs from mid-September until the beginning of October).  Though I'm unfortunately not in Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest is das Vaterland, I was delighted to see that The Big Picture did not disappoint me and shared some excellent photos from opening weekend (September 18th).  A few of my favourites are below:

So in celebration, I fully intend to enjoy some delicious German food this week: spatzle, schnitzel, potato dumplings...mmm, overly-German food...sehr gut!!!

Within My Heart

I must apologize because I am going to be reviewing quite of few of those silly historical fiction romance novels over the next few days.  You see, what I like about Bethany House's blogger review program is that they send out an email every few months or so with a list of books available for review, and you can request all of them at the same time- and generally receive each and every one.  And you know me, I'm not about to turn down free books...well, sometimes I would.  At any rate, Bethany House sent me five books this round and so I've been working my way through them this week.  Usually, it only takes me a few hours to get through books like these, so it's nice I can whip through them, write the review, and promptly await the next email from Bethany House.

I started and finished Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander last night (this is what happens when your husband works on a Friday night and you have no money to go out gallivanting around town on your own), and I was quite impressed with the story; the book is part of the Timber Ridge Reflections series, which tells the stories of different individuals living in a town of Timber Ridge in the Colorado Rockies.  It's one of those unique series where you can only read one book and not necessarily get lost.  Alexander alludes to the different story lines from other books, but always explains enough of the details so that the reader is not completely confused (but still snagging your interest just enough so you want to go and read the other books).

This particular story in the Timber Ridge series is that of Rachel Boyd, a young widow trying to fulfill her late husband's dream of owning a working and profitable ranch.  She struggles with daily life on the ranch while trying to take care of her too young boys as they still cope with their father's death two years before.  When one of her dearest friends in the town becomes seriously ill, she's forced to trust the town doctor Rand Brookston, a man whom she simply wishes to avoid.  He's a physician- just like her father- and that tells her everything she needs to know about the man.

Dr. Brookston graduated from one of the top medical schools in the east and turning down numerous prestigious job offers at large respected hospitals, ventured west with the dream of bringing modern medicine to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies.  When a patient's life is threatened, Brookston makes the decision to perform a new and complicated surgery, hoping and praying it's the right idea.

I like the stories set on the frontier- something about people leaving behind the 'ease' of life in the east to hack it out where life is difficult and demanding- always seemed rather inspiring to me.  One of the best things about this book was how Alexander described the beauty of the Rockies.  I was fortunate to live there for a few years, and can quite honestly confess it is one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen.  I can only imagine how life would be there without running water, indoor plumbing, or paved roads.  Still, the pristine beauty must have been a fair trade-off for most people.

Of course, you know from the outset what the book's ending will be, but just because you know the ending already doesn't mean you shouldn't go along for the journey, right?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

What's On the Telly?

I feel quite pathetic admitting this, but there is something about the anticipation of the season of television show premiers each fall (even though it has most definitely not felt like autumn this week).  Maybe it has something to do with the back-to-school jitters that corresponded with returning shows and new series on the telly.  I don't do the back-to-school jitters anymore, and I honestly don't even watch a lot of television, but I do still feel a twinge of excitement when I realize it's time for the season premiere of a good show. 

So what are my favourite shows currently on television (because if we're discussing all-time favourites, that might be a bit difficult to determine.  After all, I still have much respect for David the Gnome...)?  Here are my top five, in no particular order:

The Amazing Race.  I know it's considered a reality show, but it's worth watching.  Teams (usually in pairs) race around the world for chance to win a million dollars and lots of other cool prizes.  With my perpetual wanderlust, this show is naturally ones of my faves.  However, it's also really cool to see the transformation some contestants make as they experience other cultures and begin to loose their prejudices.  And of course, it always affords some hilarious moments.  We usually have a group of friends that gather with us on Sunday evenings to watch the show and being with loved ones makes the experience even better.

The IT Crowd.  If you've spoken with me at all in the past month, you must have heard me proclaiming from the hilltops this as my new favourite show.  Really, this is by far the funniest show I have ever seen on television.  The series follows three coworkers in the IT department of Reynolm Industries.  Moss is a slightly socially awkward Brit with a side-parted afro (yes, an afro with a side part), and Roy is his sometimes-over-the-top Irishman coworker.  During the first episode, their boss hires Jen, who knows nothing about computers, to become their new supervisor.  What ensues is pure hilarity.  They just wrapped series four across the pond, and series five will begin next summer.  Rumor is that a sixth series has already been commissioned as well.  Apparently, they are also debuting an American version of the show on IFC...but you know the Americans usually muck up a quality British comedy.

The Office.  This is actually one time where we cousins were able to take a British comedy and get it right.  Nothing offers the classic awkward moments, unexpected moments, and pure comical genius like this show.  Admittedly, it was much better before Pam and Jim were actually together.  Their tenuous relationship was the centre of the show, and once it was resolved, the writers seemed to be grasping at straws more often than not.  I hope they actually end the show soon so that they go out on a high note, rather than stretching out the series into the land of low-ratings.  Take a clue from Ricky Gervais, my friends.

Spooks.  Oh goodness.  Nothing satisfies my need for some intense British drama and quick wit like this show.  The show follows Section D of MI-5 as they defend the Britain against domestic and foreign threats.  Be warned, the show is intense and the writers are ruthless.  Believe me, they are not afraid to kill off any of the main characters!  I don't know how many times I've finished an episode with my jaw in my lap as I say to myself, "Did so-and-so really just get shot in the head?" and "Did so-and-so really just fall off the grid like that?"  That's what keeps the show so realistic I suppose- there is no mercy is the world of espionage, friends.  Though Section D has gone through a number of different officers, Harry Pearce remains their faithful leader as the team works to catch terrorists, protect Britons' safety, and enforce security.  Even though the show is a drama, there is still a great bit of comedy throughout the show.  Series nine premieres in Britain this fall, and series eight can be seen on some PBS stations and on BBC America soon.

30 Rock.  This show is fast-becoming my favourite American comedy as The Office fizzles out.  Based loosely on Tina Fey's experience as the head writer of SNL, 30 Rock is the best thirty minutes of comedy on Thursday evenings.  Originally, 30 Rock didn't get very high ratings, but the audience has grown over the past few seasons; tonight is the season five premiere.  The show gets great guest stars, but I am most satisfied with Alec Baldwin's portrayal as Jack, the man sent in to retool the show for which Liz Lemon is head writer.  Tracy Morgan's character has the best one liners ("Live every week like it's Shark Week!"), but Jack McBrayer as the quirky and dedicated NBC page never fails to make me giggle.

To what shows do you look forward?

Would You Like To Know...

...one of my (not so) secret ambitions?  To be on NPR's Sunday Morning Puzzles.  Isaac and I listen usually listen to the show on the way to church, and I always imagine being on air and brilliantly answering all of Will Shortz's tricky puzzles.  But then the enthusiasm is usually dampened by the realization that I would probably make a complete idiot of myself on national radio.

Oh well.  A girl can dream, can't she?

An Education

I saw this brilliant film last night while my husband was locked away in another room studying for hours on end.  The entire piece was excellently done- the screenplay, acting, directing, score.  I wish all those Twilight-crazy teenagers would watch this movie instead.



"Action is character.  If we never did anything, we wouldn't be anybody."

Love's First Bloom

We're back from our fabulous mini-break to New York!  We met Mumsy at the airport and helped her complete her five items on her "New York Must Do" list between Thursday and Saturday before we attended the astronomically brilliant wedding of my lifelong childhood friend Laina.  Seriously, we met the first day of seventh grade.  And she was wearing pink overalls, for which we still poke fun at her.  Pictures, stories, and more details are forthcoming, so calm down a bit (Tracie, I'm talking to you specifically here).

We had a 6:00 am flight out of Laguardia today, and after a few minor mishaps (thank you Gypsy cab for taking us to the wrong terminal at 4:45 in the morning), we made it back to Louisville to the smiling faces of our good friends the Pascarellas who drove us home.  Fortunately, we walked in our door by 11:30 in the morning; unfortunately, I decided against taking a nap and instead opened the box of books waiting for me.  Bethany House sent me more of those cheesy historical fiction books, and the timing was impeccable since my brain was not functioning at its highest level after only acquiring approximately three hours of sleep the night before and riding the emotional roller coaster of watching one of my best friends marry the love of her life while getting to see some amazing 'family' (I am obsessed with Laina's family) and friends (No No and Jenny Mac, to be specific).

Love's First Bloom tells the story of Ruth Livingstone, the daughter of a minister in New York.  Ruth's father leads a controversial ministry reaching out to the 'fallen angels' of the city.  He visits brothels and tries to encourage the women to leave their lifestyle of prostitution; though he had many partners and supporters in this ministry, there were also many people who spoke against his activities.  When the Reverend is accused of murdering one of the young women whom he tried to help, he sends his daughter away to a nearby village and places a young child- the child of the murdered woman- in her arms.  Ruth must live the lie that she is Ruth Malloy, a widow who sought help from distant family in the small town in New Jersey.  As the suspense and drama of her father's trial heightens to a pitch, Ruth realizes that several reporters are diligently searching for her in order to determine the truth behind her disappearance.  All the while, Ruth must maintain her identity as the widow and hope her father is acquitted and can send for her soon.

Of course, this book is typical no-brainer read, but I did like the fact that Delia Parr drew attention to the issue of prostitution and ministering to those who are 'fallen' in the eyes of society and the world.  The book has a solid foundation of faith, and it is really much more than a sappy love story; in fact, I though the love story played a very minor role.  The book deals with issues in parenting, forgiveness, and the need to strive for truthfulness.  I read the book in one day- even running on my extreme lack sleep- and still enjoyed the story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Behtny House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Would You Like To Know...

...what I'm doing today?  The hubs and I are flying here:

to meet her:

Not your fairy godmother, by the one and only Mumsy.

so we can attend the wedding of her:

Beloved childhood friend in incredibly embarrassing picture from our New Year's Eve adventure...

And while we're there, we're going to see this:

Only my favourite Broadway show of all time...

Could I be anymore excited?  Let me check...No.

Immanuel's Veins

I've never actually read anything by famed author Ted Dekker, so when Thomas Nelson gave me the chance to review a new book of his, I jumped at the chance.  I've heard nothing but good things about his writing from various different people, but they all agree on one thing: it can be intense.

When I first looked at Immanuel's Veins, I could not figure out what the storyline was; the back of the book and the inside of the flap jacket weren't too forthcoming about the actual plot, and even the reviews were somewhat vague.  No character names were mentioned, not particular time...nothing.  Just some tidbit about love, evil, blood, and sacrifice.  Friends, I had no idea what that meant, but I decided to give it a try anyway.

I read the book in one sitting.  I kid you not, I picked up the book, and did not put it down until my husband made me by bringing home pizza and insisting it was time to eat.  I ate my dinner, and went back to finish the forty or so pages I had left.  I'm not going to lie, it was definitely intense at times.  It was an interesting story through and through, partly because going into the book you were completely clueless as to what to expect.  I'm not sure I should give any of the plot away either because then the story wouldn't be the same for you...

I will say it does have a vampire-like theme (okay, really, you can figure that out just by looking at the cover and title), but there is definitely a twist.  I'm not really a fan of vampire-themed books- remember when I was reading Dracula in the middle of the day and got freaked out?  Yeah, the same sort of thing almost happened at a few points in this book too.  However, I thought this story was well-written and engaging.  Toward the end of the book though, I started to get confused about the message Dekker was trying to convey.  All the ends just didn't tie together nicely.  When Isaac asked me what I thought of the book considering I read it in its entirety in just a few hours, I stumbled over my words.  "Well...I mean, yeah it was good...the story was interesting up to a certain point...I...I'm just not sure....not sure what Dekker to trying to say theologically."

And it's true; I'm still confused as to what Dekker was trying to convey in terms of Christ and love and just about everything else in between.  In fact, the end of the novel and the confusion surrounding just what the message was supposed to be muddled up the whole thing for me.  I agree that we need to live our lives in such as way that people see Christ in us, but not is such a way that people think we are Christ.  One of the characters kept saying, "Be her Immanuel."  Well, that's all nice and lovely, but really if you or I died for someone we love, that is admirable and shows no greater love...but that person isn't necessarily going to be brought back to life if they're already dead.  And neither are we.  Because we're not God.  We can make sacrifices and even die, but once we're dead...well, we're dead unless God Himself decides otherwise, and there really wasn't any mention of God playing a role in the whole dying and being brought back to life because of sacrificial love.  The whole God thing seemed more of an afterthought of anything else.

The book will keep you engaged, but you just might be scratching your head at the end.  In fact, I would really like it if someone else- preferably someone more intelligent then me- would read this book and give me their opinion.  Am I just missing something?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A More Vacation Nation?

As I'm preparing to go on a short mini-break this weekend, I thought about an article from the BBC I read recently.  The article discussed vacation time and referenced a 2007 study conducted by the Center for Economic and Policy Research in DC concerning the amount of paid vacation time the typical employee in most industrialized nations receives.

What they found was the the amount varied widely, but that by far and away, employers in the United States offered the least amount of paid time off to their employees.  In fact, the United States is the only advanced economy in the world that does not guarantee some amount of paid vacation to its workers.  Most European countries mandate at least twenty paid holidays per year, and Japan and Canada require ten days each year.  While most full-time workers in the United States may say they receive the typical holidays each year (Presidents' Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc), there is actually no law which mandates these days as paid holidays for all Americans.  Think about the typical part-time job; vacation time doesn't accrue and there is no guarantee you're going to get to actually enjoy the federal holidays either.

If you're at all familiar with the European workforce, you know that's it's a totally different game on the other side of the pond.  In Belgium, we joked that the entire country shut down for the months of July, August, and September.  In July, everyone is preparing to go on holiday; in August, everyone is on holiday, and in September, we're all recovering from holiday.  

To most Americans, a full two weeks of vacation seems like a dream.  To most Europeans (and a good deal of the rest of the world), two weeks of vacation is simply unacceptable.  Below is a chart which details the amount of paid annual leave and holiday time required by the national governments of the respective nations:

And it's not just holiday time which is different; the average American work week is a full forty hours, much the same as other European nations (although France's is currently 35), but studies have indicated that Europeans (including the French) are actually more productive than the average American. Americans pride themselves on hard work and dedicating much of their time and energy to their employers, but are lucky if they are able to take a full week of vacation to spend time with their families during the summer or holiday season.

I'm still sorting out my thoughts on this matter, but I do believe that many employers take advantage of their employees, especially in difficult economic times.  How many times have you heard someone say, "I should be thankful to have a job in this economy"?  Yes, we should be thankful for the work the Lord provided for us (for work is good), but the overwhelming attitude is quickly becoming that work should be the primary priority in our lives.  I love my job, and I'm extremely grateful to be working in a field which I absolutely adore (burned out as I may get at times), but one of the best things about my job is our vacation package.  It's not much compared to Europe, but it's a great deal better than most Americans receive; and honestly, having a good vacation package entices me to work harder for my agency.

So, my fellow hard-working Americans, what do you think about this? It's so easy for us to slip into our sense of entitlement and feel as though we are being cheated for not receiving as much vacation as our cousins and the Continent, but maybe there is something to this understanding of enjoying life instead of working, working, working...

Would You Like To Know...

...my new favourite music-makers?  It's the chaps from Mumford and Sons.  Isaac introduced me to this band a few weeks ago (This is how our marriage works: he finds the good music, I find the good television shows, and we both find the good books.  This way, we ensure quality entertainment for our life together), and I can't get their music out of my head- which I feel is a good thing, I might add.

I can't really decide which is my favourite song of theirs; basically, I think it's whichever song to which I'm listening at that moment.  Isaac decided his favourite is The Cave:



Little Lion Man is probably their most famous song; apparently the Aussies especially love it (I'm showing you a clip of them playing on Letterman several months ago instead of the official video, which is super amazing and will blow your mind, but unfortunately has a pretty severe curse word in the chorus):



Several of their songs are simply haunting beautiful: Timshel and Awake My Soul.  Others are more intense: I Gave You All and Dust Bowl Dance.  All of them are amazing and pure.musical.genius.  What also is incredible is that the guys all play multiple instruments; apparently, they often switch instruments during the show according to what is convenient for the song or set.  And did you notice him playing the guitar and the bass drum at the same time?  Um, hello.  I wish I possessed some fraction of talent like that!  Now, their musical genius aside, my other favourite bit about these guys is their lead singer.  Isaac and I decided that if comical geniuses Ricky Gervais and Stephen Fry were to have a child together, Marcus Mumford just might be the result.  I present to you the evidence below:

What do you think?  Of course, I mean no disrespect to Ricky Gervais, Stephen Fry, and Marcus Mumford in making this connection.  Because really, they are all phenomenally talented in their trade.  So, show them some respect and go watch some of The Office, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and then listen to Sigh No More ...and allow yourself to be amazed.

And I'm going to help you do just that: if I could, I would seriously post every single one of their songs, but since I can't, you'll just have to settle for one more song from Mumford and Sons.  Right now, I think this song- Dust Bowl Dance- is actually my favourite.  Thanks to the students who filmed this last year for a student project (don't they sound amazing live?!?): 

The Boy Who Changed The World

Thomas Nelson sent me this fabulous children's book by Andy Andrews.  The Boy Who Changed the World begins with the story of Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug- as a child.  Norman grew up on a farm in Iowa and played in the fields of corn with his sisters nearly every day; his family loved their farm and the delicious corn it produced, and Norman's father was always sure to offer thanks for the food the Lord provided them.  One day, Norman wondered what it would be like to not have enough food to eat, and that day he decided to change the world by figuring out a way to feed all the hungry people in the world.  As he grew up, Norma learned everything he could about plants, and when he was an adult, a man named Henry Wallace gave him a job.  Mr. Wallace told him he wanted Norman to develop a special seed which would produce a super plant, able to feed more people than a regular plant.  Norman worked hard for many years and eventually developed the super plants that would help keep over two billion people from starving.

So you see, Norman really did change the world.  But he wouldn't have been able to change the world unless Mr. Wallace had given him a job.  So maybe it was really Henry Wallace who changed the world...

Andrews goes on to tell the story of Henry Wallace and of his connection with George Washington Carver and of George's father, Moses.  Each person in the story was influenced by another, and because of the other people in their lives, they were all able to help change the world.  Andrews explains that everything we do in this life matters; we probably won't see all the results from our actions- both good and bad- but it still matters, and we could still help to change the world!

This book is simply a delightful book for children- and adults too!  It encourages you to realize you and your actions matter and to strive to make a difference in the world.  I heartily recommend this book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

You Changed My Life

You Changed My Life was sent to me by mistake by Thomas Nelson, but they allowed me to review it for them anyway.  I would never have chosen to read this book on my own; I'm not big into gift books.  I find people generally don't actually read the book itself; they may place it on the coffee table or beside their bed, but they don't actually sit down to read it in its entirety.

Max Lucado can be a bit on the fluffy side anyway, and I figured this gift book would be the same, especially since all of the content was taken from his previously published books.  This book is intended to provide several different encouraging and uplifting short stories, and surprisingly some of them are actually very good.  Others are just downright corny, and didn't really necessarily provide any encouragement to me specifically.  While most of the stories had a spiritual overtone, they mostly focused on how good people are instead of Jesus providing us with the ability to do good.  There were definitely some interesting stories from history throughout the tiny read, and I found those the most interesting.  It's definitely a fluffy read, but I guess fluffy reads have their place- just most likely not on my coffee table.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How We Spent Independence Day

So now that a full two months have passed, I think now would be the appropriate time to relay how we spent our Independence Day.  We happened to be in DC for the weekend of the fourth because a friend who lives there was getting married; since Isaac and I have both wanted to spend the Fourth of July in our nation's capital at some point in our lives, we decided now would be the perfect opportunity.  Thanks to our gracious hostess Laura, we were able to enjoy a lovely day in DC as we celebrated Independence Day.  Even though I had sprained my ankle pretty badly while in Philadelphia two days earlier, we were determined to take in as much of the atmosphere as possible. 

We spent a good portion of our time at the Archives, looking at the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.  Seeing those historical documents was an incredible experience.  Being the history geek that I am, I love visiting places like the Archives, the Smithsonian, and the like which have historical significance.  We wandered around the city for a while, taking in the atmosphere.  I thought the Fourth in DC might be a bit more intense, but it looked to be mostly tourists (like yours truly).  At any rate, it was a great time; we eventually ended up on the steps of the Library of Congress to watch the fireworks show with our friends.  It was great time, even though my ankle was swollen to about five times its size by the end of the day!

"That's a Fantastic Word"

It is no secret I should have been born British;  I believe living in England would be delightful for the simple fact I could use the word 'queue' without people assuming I'm talking about the letter which comes after 'p', could more easily keep up with Spooks, and could spell the following words properly: colour, favourite, programmes, and centre.  Aren't those spellings lovely?  I think so.

This clip from the Ellen show ranks right up there with the classic "I love Jesus, but I drink a little" indicent.

I can't believe I have not shared it with you yet!  I offer my sincerest apologies and hope you enjoy this fun little game played between Ellen and Hugh Laurie:

September's Focus: International Justice Mission

Isaac determined our focus for September and he came up with the wonderful idea of supporting the International Justic Mission, a human rights agency based in Washington DC but with field offices all over the world. IJM is a relatively new organization; it was founded in 1997 and offers a unique perspective to serving those who have been oppressed. Here is an excerpt from their website explaining their history and approach:

Historically, humanitarian and missions organizations worked faithfully and courageously to bring healthcare, education, food and other vital services to those who needed them. But little had been done to actually restrain the oppressors who are a source of great harm to the vulnerable.

Concerned by this need, a group of lawyers, human rights professionals and public officials launched an extensive study of the injustices witnessed by overseas missionaries and relief and development workers. This study, surveying more than 65 organizations and representing 40,000 overseas workers, uncovered a nearly unanimous awareness of abuses of power by police and other authorities in the communities where they served. Without the resources or expertise to confront the abuse and to bring rescue to the victims, these overseas workers required the assistance of trained public justice professionals.

Gary Haugen, working as a lawyer at the U.S. Department of Justice and as the United Nations’ Investigator in Charge in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, founded International Justice Mission as a response to this massive need. Today, IJM has grown to more than 300 professionals working in their own communities to fight injustice.

IJM works in over twelve countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to "secure tangible and sustainable protection of national laws through local court systems." IJM not only works to bring justice to the perpetrators of violence, but also to restore dignity to those who were abused or oppressed. Ultimately, IJM hopes their work in protecting individual human rights will transmute to a larger, community, national, and even global level. IJM staff seek to obey the biblical call found in Isaiah 1:17. Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Go check out IJM's website; they have a ton of great information and resources!