I just started reading this book called 7 An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. By Jen Hatmaker.
I'm only on page 29 but I love it.
Watch this video below and it will tell you more about the book.
The Journey from Alabama to Oregon
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Living a GREAT life...
"Every life is a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you. People set out with grand dreams of changing the world, falling in love, doing something amazing. But the drift toward the merely acceptable happens almost without notice. That does not have to be our story." -Donald Miller A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
I am at the end of reading this book, A Million Miles In a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller. I love it. It has reminded me of so much of my life and the times in my life where I think, "This is the best day of my life." Do you ever do that? Do you ever have one of those days you don't ever want to forget. One of those days that you are doing the exact thing that you want to do. Most of mine happen outside. I think I'm a little weird about this. I try to explain it to people some times but I'm not sure they quite get what I'm saying but I live for these moments of thinking "this is the best day". I will tell you a few....
One of my younger ones was when my parents dug a pond in our back yard. I remember me, my mom, dad, and both brothers were outside and our parents let us wade out deep in knee high mud. I remember a year or so later going swimming in that pond. I would jump in and the catfish would nibble at my toes. I remember pretending the creek that ran into the pond was a slip-in-slide and sliding in the mud. We found a crawlfish that day...
I remember the first time I slept outside in our fort me and my brothers made. My older brother and cousin slept in their fort and I slept in a tent with my cats. I caught my hair on fire that night...
I remember being on a house boat with friends jumping off the top and being pulled on an inner-tube with all 5 (or 6) of us girls on that intertube at the same time....I remember thinking that was a good day....
I remember spending the day in Mentone with Q before we were dating thinking that I didn't want the day to end. I remember we found a Frisbee on top of a shed and Q held me up to get it. I remember taking a hike though the woods and laying beside Q leaning against a rock talking about life....
I remember playing ball in the streets of Ireland. I remember standing up in front of hundreds in Africa telling people about the time I asked Jesus into my heart. I could go on and on of memories that are the "this is the best day" but the sad thing is the older I get the less I have these days. I need to change that.
In Donald Millers book he talks about people who have made their stories great because they do great things. Their life is not their own. They live for their creator who makes their story what it is if they listen and obey. These people in the book do great things that impact other people. I want to impact other people, positively in a huge way. I borrowed this book but I wish it was mine to highlight parts and underline. I feel like I'm rambling and not making a lot of since. I wish I could share with you every story in the book. I wish I could share with you how he writes and makes me want to have an adventure everyday. I just think that life is worth living... We should have something to live for. I do. Go read the book! A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller
"We have to get up off the couch and turn the television off, we have to bow up the inner-tubes and head to the river. We have to write the poem and deliver it in person. We have to pull the car off the road and hike to the top of the hill. We have to put on our suits, we have to dance at weddings. We have to make altars." -Donald Miller
I am at the end of reading this book, A Million Miles In a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller. I love it. It has reminded me of so much of my life and the times in my life where I think, "This is the best day of my life." Do you ever do that? Do you ever have one of those days you don't ever want to forget. One of those days that you are doing the exact thing that you want to do. Most of mine happen outside. I think I'm a little weird about this. I try to explain it to people some times but I'm not sure they quite get what I'm saying but I live for these moments of thinking "this is the best day". I will tell you a few....
One of my younger ones was when my parents dug a pond in our back yard. I remember me, my mom, dad, and both brothers were outside and our parents let us wade out deep in knee high mud. I remember a year or so later going swimming in that pond. I would jump in and the catfish would nibble at my toes. I remember pretending the creek that ran into the pond was a slip-in-slide and sliding in the mud. We found a crawlfish that day...
I remember the first time I slept outside in our fort me and my brothers made. My older brother and cousin slept in their fort and I slept in a tent with my cats. I caught my hair on fire that night...
I remember being on a house boat with friends jumping off the top and being pulled on an inner-tube with all 5 (or 6) of us girls on that intertube at the same time....I remember thinking that was a good day....
I remember spending the day in Mentone with Q before we were dating thinking that I didn't want the day to end. I remember we found a Frisbee on top of a shed and Q held me up to get it. I remember taking a hike though the woods and laying beside Q leaning against a rock talking about life....
I remember playing ball in the streets of Ireland. I remember standing up in front of hundreds in Africa telling people about the time I asked Jesus into my heart. I could go on and on of memories that are the "this is the best day" but the sad thing is the older I get the less I have these days. I need to change that.
In Donald Millers book he talks about people who have made their stories great because they do great things. Their life is not their own. They live for their creator who makes their story what it is if they listen and obey. These people in the book do great things that impact other people. I want to impact other people, positively in a huge way. I borrowed this book but I wish it was mine to highlight parts and underline. I feel like I'm rambling and not making a lot of since. I wish I could share with you every story in the book. I wish I could share with you how he writes and makes me want to have an adventure everyday. I just think that life is worth living... We should have something to live for. I do. Go read the book! A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller
"I like those scenes in the Bible where God stops people and asks them to build an altar. You'd think He was making them do that for Himself, but I don't think God really gets much from looking at a pile of rocks. Instead, I think God wanted his people to build altars for their sake, something that would help them remember, something they could look back on and remember the time when they were rescued, or they were given grace." -Donald Miller
"We have to get up off the couch and turn the television off, we have to bow up the inner-tubes and head to the river. We have to write the poem and deliver it in person. We have to pull the car off the road and hike to the top of the hill. We have to put on our suits, we have to dance at weddings. We have to make altars." -Donald Miller
Friday, November 27, 2009
Fall Reads!
It's been a while since I've posted anything. I've enjoyed not having the computer home the past week or so and I've picked up more books while Deci is asleep instead of spending all my time on the Internet. It's been quite nice and I'm really in a reading mood now so why not post my fall books...even though I guess Winter doesn't literally start for a while...you know me and my seasons. It's almost December and It just seems like in my mind December is Winter. :)
1. Just Beyond The Clouds By: Karen Kingsbury
This was one of the first one's I read this fall. It wasn't one from a book club or anything. I just Love Karen Kingsbury and wanted to read more of hers but this book is probably my least favorite of any I had read of her books. I think maybe the main thing is that I couldn't relate to the book. It was about a girl that had a down syndrome brother who was a teacher. She fell in love with someone who has a down syndrome sister. Very predicable ending.
2. A time to Dance By: Karen Kingsbury
This one was good. I recommend it if you are are struggling in your marriage and thinking about divorce. It starts off with a couple with kids that have lived together for years and they are wanting a divorce. It's sad because they really are in love but over the course of their life they start putting other things between their marriage and looking to feel loved by other things and then one day they wake up and realize they don't love each other anymore. It was good to read and remember not to let my marriage get to that place.
3. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God By: Francis Chan
This was one of my Favorite books I read this fall. It's about the Love God has for us and how we are to have that love for other people in our life. Very convicting.
4. Murder on the Orient Express By: Agatha Christie
This was a book club book. I meet with a group of girls that have been my friends since high school once a month to have book club. I LOVE this time with them and it forces me to read books I wouldn't pick for myself. This one was pretty good. It wasn't predictable at all which I like. I was surprised by the ending.
5. True Believer By: Nicholas Sparks
This one I listened to on the way to the beach. It was insanely hard to listen to. It was my least favorite by Nicholas Sparks. I usually love his books but this one was sooooo slow! Very predictable. I didn't like the story line. I guess it didn't help that it was my first book to listen to.
6. Through Painted Desserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road. By: Donald Miller
I liked this book..but that's about it. This book is about Donald Miller and his road trip. He tells some interesting stories but the whole time I'm wondering who this guy is to think that people want to read about his life. My husband loves him and has read most of his books and says this one he didn't like. This was my first one of Donald Miller books so I'm hoping that I'll like the next one.
7. South of Broad By: Pat Conroy
Oh, I feel so negative about my Fall reads but I have to say that this one was VERY disturbing. It bothered me for at least a week after I read it. I'm very sheltered I guess you can say and things bother me. I loved the characters and I liked the story line for the most part. There were just a few surprises in the book that took me for a loop! This was another book club pick.
8. The Rescuer (O'Malley #6) By: Dee Henderson
This one I wanted to read because it finished the O'Malley series for me that I struggled to read. The first 2 books I really liked but after that they were pretty much the same. A Christian character falls in love with a non-christian character and by the end of the book they are both Christians and they live happily ever after. I do love the other story line besides the romance part. The characters all have very important jobs and something is always going on and you can never predict whats going to happen with their jobs. Glad to be done with that Series!
9. Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America By: Mike Yankoski
Ok, now to the positive! This is my favorite book from the Fall! My sister-in-law recommended this one to me and I'm so glad. It really changed the way I look at homeless people, well, people in general. It broke my heart to have more compassion. To really treat people the way they deserve. To try to see people like Jesus sees people. To see inside their heart. To take time and care, to really care for people. Man, I have a long way to go. I probably should read this again and again and again.
10. Shades of Blue By: Karen Kingsbury
This was my pick for book club and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Maybe because all the reviews were giving this one a 5 out of 5. Saying it was Karen Kingsburys best book. I personally like The Redemption series by her. This one was slow and very predictable. I was on edge too because it was my pick and I wanted it to be good and my expectations were not met. I did cry though in this book. It's about a guy about to get married realizes that he needs to go back to his high school girlfriend and ask forgiveness for somethings in his past. I won't give too much away. I know some of my book club girls are still reading.
Currently Reading:
11. A million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller
I actually just picked this one up today. I can't wait to start...my second Donald Miller book.
12. Hoping for Something Better By: Nancy Guthrie
This is one that I'm doing with My mentor Lisa (www.lisa_writes.blogspot.com) and my friend Jenifer. We are a little over 1/2 way. It's a study of Hebrews. It's been challenging and the questions are sometimes hard to figure out what exactly she is asking but it's been good to be challenged and to dig deeper into the Bible.
1. Just Beyond The Clouds By: Karen Kingsbury
This was one of the first one's I read this fall. It wasn't one from a book club or anything. I just Love Karen Kingsbury and wanted to read more of hers but this book is probably my least favorite of any I had read of her books. I think maybe the main thing is that I couldn't relate to the book. It was about a girl that had a down syndrome brother who was a teacher. She fell in love with someone who has a down syndrome sister. Very predicable ending.
2. A time to Dance By: Karen Kingsbury
This one was good. I recommend it if you are are struggling in your marriage and thinking about divorce. It starts off with a couple with kids that have lived together for years and they are wanting a divorce. It's sad because they really are in love but over the course of their life they start putting other things between their marriage and looking to feel loved by other things and then one day they wake up and realize they don't love each other anymore. It was good to read and remember not to let my marriage get to that place.
3. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God By: Francis Chan
This was one of my Favorite books I read this fall. It's about the Love God has for us and how we are to have that love for other people in our life. Very convicting.
4. Murder on the Orient Express By: Agatha Christie
This was a book club book. I meet with a group of girls that have been my friends since high school once a month to have book club. I LOVE this time with them and it forces me to read books I wouldn't pick for myself. This one was pretty good. It wasn't predictable at all which I like. I was surprised by the ending.
5. True Believer By: Nicholas Sparks
This one I listened to on the way to the beach. It was insanely hard to listen to. It was my least favorite by Nicholas Sparks. I usually love his books but this one was sooooo slow! Very predictable. I didn't like the story line. I guess it didn't help that it was my first book to listen to.
6. Through Painted Desserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road. By: Donald Miller
I liked this book..but that's about it. This book is about Donald Miller and his road trip. He tells some interesting stories but the whole time I'm wondering who this guy is to think that people want to read about his life. My husband loves him and has read most of his books and says this one he didn't like. This was my first one of Donald Miller books so I'm hoping that I'll like the next one.
7. South of Broad By: Pat Conroy
Oh, I feel so negative about my Fall reads but I have to say that this one was VERY disturbing. It bothered me for at least a week after I read it. I'm very sheltered I guess you can say and things bother me. I loved the characters and I liked the story line for the most part. There were just a few surprises in the book that took me for a loop! This was another book club pick.
8. The Rescuer (O'Malley #6) By: Dee Henderson
This one I wanted to read because it finished the O'Malley series for me that I struggled to read. The first 2 books I really liked but after that they were pretty much the same. A Christian character falls in love with a non-christian character and by the end of the book they are both Christians and they live happily ever after. I do love the other story line besides the romance part. The characters all have very important jobs and something is always going on and you can never predict whats going to happen with their jobs. Glad to be done with that Series!
9. Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America By: Mike Yankoski
Ok, now to the positive! This is my favorite book from the Fall! My sister-in-law recommended this one to me and I'm so glad. It really changed the way I look at homeless people, well, people in general. It broke my heart to have more compassion. To really treat people the way they deserve. To try to see people like Jesus sees people. To see inside their heart. To take time and care, to really care for people. Man, I have a long way to go. I probably should read this again and again and again.
10. Shades of Blue By: Karen Kingsbury
This was my pick for book club and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Maybe because all the reviews were giving this one a 5 out of 5. Saying it was Karen Kingsburys best book. I personally like The Redemption series by her. This one was slow and very predictable. I was on edge too because it was my pick and I wanted it to be good and my expectations were not met. I did cry though in this book. It's about a guy about to get married realizes that he needs to go back to his high school girlfriend and ask forgiveness for somethings in his past. I won't give too much away. I know some of my book club girls are still reading.
Currently Reading:
11. A million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller
I actually just picked this one up today. I can't wait to start...my second Donald Miller book.
12. Hoping for Something Better By: Nancy Guthrie
This is one that I'm doing with My mentor Lisa (www.lisa_writes.blogspot.com) and my friend Jenifer. We are a little over 1/2 way. It's a study of Hebrews. It's been challenging and the questions are sometimes hard to figure out what exactly she is asking but it's been good to be challenged and to dig deeper into the Bible.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
My Summer Reads!
I thought our 7 blog followers maybe getting tired of pictures so I thought I would do a blog with no pictures. As school is starting back I feel like Summer is officially over...although it's not really...it's just always seemed like that to me. Soooo... I thought y'all might be interested in what I've read this summer. Ok, maybe not but I am going stir crazy to write a blog and this was the first things that came to mind. :)
Books I've read this summer (ish...some I may have read before Summer actually started, when school ended.)
1. The Time Traveler's Wife By: Audrey Niffenegger
This one probably wasn't summer but it was the starting book of a book club I'm in and I know I can go from there of the other books I've read this summer. This book was a little..umm...whats the word....Vulger...maybe. Some say I'm too sheltered but it had cussing and descriptive scenes...if you know what I mean. I'm going to see the movie tonight and I can't wait. The movie is PG13 so It should be clean. The book wasn't one of my favorites but it had a good storyline.
2.Firefly Lane By: Kristin Hannah
Great Girlfriend book about two friends growing up to be adults who take two different paths in life but fight to stay connected.
3.Love Starts With Elle By: Rachel Hauck
This one is a Christian fiction. It sounds cheesy but I thought it was good. It was a romance book. I hesitate to say that because every time I do my husband has to explain to whomever I'm talking to that I don't read those "trashy" Romance novels with the people half naked on the front cover.
4.The Healer By: Dee Henderson
This is book 5 in a series of 7 I think. The first few of this series I loved but after the first 2 they were Very predictable and harder for me to read because of that reason. I have the last one that I will read just to finish the series. They are about a family of 6 I believe who are orphans who adopt each other when they are kids. They all have very fascinating jobs and each book involved a love story.
5.The Host By: Stephenie Meyer
This was by the same woman that wrote the Twilight Saga. It wasn't as good as the Twilight books but I did enjoy reading this one. It's hard for me to even explain this book in a way that will make you want to read it. When I read the back of the book I didn't want to read it really. The main reason I wanted to read it was because I loved the Twilight books so much.
6.The irresistible Revolution: Living as an ordinary Radical. By: Shane Claiborne
I LOVED this book. Changed the way me and Q want to live our lives. I didn't agree with everything he believes or does. He is a man who lives in a colony type environment with others. They don't live on much and really try to live like Jesus lived. They hang out with the poor. They sleep on the streets with them and throw them pizza parties.
7.Every Now and Then By: Karen Kingsbury
This was also another book of a series I read a while back and just discovered this book was book 3 of that series. I enjoyed this book but like the first and second one better. She is a great christian author. I've read almost all of her books. This series deals with 9-11 and a wife who loses her husband on that day.
8.Jane Eyre By: Charlotte Bronte
This is a classic and some of you may hate me for this but I didn't enjoy this book much. First off it was hard to read. It took me the whole month of July to read this book. Most everyone else in my book club loved this book. I'm just weird.
9.The Hunger Games By: Suzanne Collins
This may be the best book I've read all summer. In the book these districts have 2 people each year to fight in the hunger games, which is a big arena where they fight until only one is left. (22 start off I believe) So, this 12 year old girls name gets drawn to fight and her older sister volunteers to go into the arena for her. It's sounds crazy gorey (my spell check says thats not a word...but you know what I mean right?) but it's not really. It's a very easy read. I couldn't put the book down.
10.Becoming the Woman God Wants me to be: A 90 Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 life By: Donna Partow
This book I'm actually 1 and 1/2 weeks away from finishing. It's a book I've been doing with some ladies from church. This book has been good for me to help me to take action in growing closer to be the woman I want to be. Although, like most books, I didn't agree with everything she writes about. It was hard to do Everything in the book but I just took what I could and over all it was a good read.
I am also currently reading Just Beyond the Clouds By: Karen Kingsbury. I'm only on the 2nd chapter so I don't have much to say about that one.
Please Share With Me Books You've Read this Summer! I read most of the books I read because someone recommends them to me.
Books I've read this summer (ish...some I may have read before Summer actually started, when school ended.)
1. The Time Traveler's Wife By: Audrey Niffenegger
This one probably wasn't summer but it was the starting book of a book club I'm in and I know I can go from there of the other books I've read this summer. This book was a little..umm...whats the word....Vulger...maybe. Some say I'm too sheltered but it had cussing and descriptive scenes...if you know what I mean. I'm going to see the movie tonight and I can't wait. The movie is PG13 so It should be clean. The book wasn't one of my favorites but it had a good storyline.
2.Firefly Lane By: Kristin Hannah
Great Girlfriend book about two friends growing up to be adults who take two different paths in life but fight to stay connected.
3.Love Starts With Elle By: Rachel Hauck
This one is a Christian fiction. It sounds cheesy but I thought it was good. It was a romance book. I hesitate to say that because every time I do my husband has to explain to whomever I'm talking to that I don't read those "trashy" Romance novels with the people half naked on the front cover.
4.The Healer By: Dee Henderson
This is book 5 in a series of 7 I think. The first few of this series I loved but after the first 2 they were Very predictable and harder for me to read because of that reason. I have the last one that I will read just to finish the series. They are about a family of 6 I believe who are orphans who adopt each other when they are kids. They all have very fascinating jobs and each book involved a love story.
5.The Host By: Stephenie Meyer
This was by the same woman that wrote the Twilight Saga. It wasn't as good as the Twilight books but I did enjoy reading this one. It's hard for me to even explain this book in a way that will make you want to read it. When I read the back of the book I didn't want to read it really. The main reason I wanted to read it was because I loved the Twilight books so much.
6.The irresistible Revolution: Living as an ordinary Radical. By: Shane Claiborne
I LOVED this book. Changed the way me and Q want to live our lives. I didn't agree with everything he believes or does. He is a man who lives in a colony type environment with others. They don't live on much and really try to live like Jesus lived. They hang out with the poor. They sleep on the streets with them and throw them pizza parties.
7.Every Now and Then By: Karen Kingsbury
This was also another book of a series I read a while back and just discovered this book was book 3 of that series. I enjoyed this book but like the first and second one better. She is a great christian author. I've read almost all of her books. This series deals with 9-11 and a wife who loses her husband on that day.
8.Jane Eyre By: Charlotte Bronte
This is a classic and some of you may hate me for this but I didn't enjoy this book much. First off it was hard to read. It took me the whole month of July to read this book. Most everyone else in my book club loved this book. I'm just weird.
9.The Hunger Games By: Suzanne Collins
This may be the best book I've read all summer. In the book these districts have 2 people each year to fight in the hunger games, which is a big arena where they fight until only one is left. (22 start off I believe) So, this 12 year old girls name gets drawn to fight and her older sister volunteers to go into the arena for her. It's sounds crazy gorey (my spell check says thats not a word...but you know what I mean right?) but it's not really. It's a very easy read. I couldn't put the book down.
10.Becoming the Woman God Wants me to be: A 90 Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 life By: Donna Partow
This book I'm actually 1 and 1/2 weeks away from finishing. It's a book I've been doing with some ladies from church. This book has been good for me to help me to take action in growing closer to be the woman I want to be. Although, like most books, I didn't agree with everything she writes about. It was hard to do Everything in the book but I just took what I could and over all it was a good read.
I am also currently reading Just Beyond the Clouds By: Karen Kingsbury. I'm only on the 2nd chapter so I don't have much to say about that one.
Please Share With Me Books You've Read this Summer! I read most of the books I read because someone recommends them to me.
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