July was insane. Just insane. There was a road trip out west and camogie and serve week and computer camp and days without end where we stayed in pajamas for 24 hours straight (and then some). Summer always knocks me on my rear, and this one appears to be no exception. So before we hop on a plane, leave the kiddos behind with some family, do some more work and prepare for the next school year to start in 29 days (what? I'm not counting!), here's what I'm into:

BOOKS

Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver :: This is the first giant novel I've tackled in a long time and I'm nearly done. Oh, I really like this one, like experiencing the rhythms of nature through the eyes of the Appalachian female and how we're more animal than we realize.

Coming up...

I've checked out The Astronaut Wives Club and Painted Ladies for our trip to Germany next week. And the husband is requesting I attempt to read Tangible Kingdom again. Actually, I've started reading it multiple times, attended the conferences, bought the t-shirt and I'm all-in, I'm just lousy at reading non-fiction, particularly church/work non-fiction. Stay tuned.

TV

We are almost done with Doctor Who! Just three more episodes and we'll be all caught up for the 50th anniversary. Have to tell you, though, not really loving it right now. It's like a first love that you're head over heels for and then you realise he's not funny all the time, and he yells at his sister, and maybe you got too serious too fast... I may be taking this all too seriously.

Other things on the telly/netflix... Portlandia (Season 3), The Americans (it's like Alias, but with Cosby sweaters, 80s music, and a super-mean Felicity), and New Girl (finally watched season finale, and... meh).

MOVIES

Silver Linings Playbook :: Finally got a chance to sit Matt down and force-feed this to him. Like a good man, he loved it just as much as I told him he should.

Saving Private Ryan :: I forgot how every single male actor in Hollywood was in this movie. I also forgot how melodramatic the soundtrack was. And how much I love Tom Hanks.

American Gangster :: Love this movie. Denzel is scary and Russell is the ultimate flawed hero.

MUSIC

On repeat... The Swell Season, Mumford & Sons, Waterdeep Worship.

VIDEO

This video (and article) of The Civil Wars made me feel all sad. Beautiful, haunting, sad.



THINGS I LOVE

Roadtrips
Sunsets over the ocean
Rare thunderstorms
Family coming to visit
Making new friends
Reading in an actual book made of paper
Collecting my happy kids after a day of camp
The "unrelenting sun"
Rain returning
Walks in the evening with our crew
Haircuts
Kiddos stargazing and a crackling fire

ON THE BLOG
We are all so beautiful (most-read)
Roundabout Russian Roulette (my fave)

So how about you? What were you into this month?

Note: links include amazon affiliates. if you click over and purchase, i may get a nickel or two. eventually. :)

Brought to you by the link-up at Hopeful Leigh

What I'm Into (June 2013)

Bloggers like my friend Mary and my pretend friend Sarah have been doing these little monthly round-ups for awhile, so I thought I'd give it a go (and in lieu of actual writing that requires things like effort, tears and focus).



BOOKS

I'm in the process of reading or have very good intentions of reading:

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott :: I previously swore off Lamott for her crazy liberal heretic-type-ness, but all my besties love her and I'm struggling with writers' block and other types of creative crises, so I'm giving her another go. This is her book on writing and it's just so funny, encouraging, realistic and concise. And because of Bird by Bird, I have many, in her words, "shi**y first drafts" pending, so I guess it's working.

Art & Faith, by Jon Bowles :: Matt read this book almost entirely in one sitting and then demanded I read it. He even wrote notes in the margins. That's as good of an endorsement as you'll ever get from him, so this is next on my to-read list. Also, Bowles is a pastor in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, where we left good chunks of our hearts, friends and family.

Mudhouse Sabbath, by Lauren Winner :: I've been reading this book off and on for over six months now, but it's not for lack of enjoyment. This is a wonderful, short, spiritual book about the practices and sacraments of Judaism that could benefit us non-liturgical Gentile believers. I come back to this book when I'm on the bus, have found a quiet moment in bed, or in need of a little spiritual disciplines boost.

TV

Most of our telly time is taken up with watching Doctor Who. We're finally reaching season 7 and look forward with unfathomable amounts of anticipation for the 50th anniversary in November. Also keeping us up late...

Homeland :: Picked up season one at the library and could. not. stop. watching. It was a very intense laundry marathon for me. Damian Lewis is remarkable and a favourite of ours since Band of Brothers and Life. And I am always in for a good spy drama. But viewer beware: it is dark and gritty and graphic. I fast-forward... a lot.

Graham Norton :: He's kinda like a late-night comedian a la Letterman, I think? Actually, I don't really know, but it's a talk show and he's pretty affable, and this episode of Steve Carell, Kristin Wigg and Chris O'Dowd will have you spitting out water. Literally.

In the queue... Bono's interview with Gay Byrne for RTÉ1 on faith, music and the meaning of life. Everyone on this island is talking about it... come to think of it, America is talking about Bono, too, but for his interview with Focus on the Family (meh). I'll go with RTÉ1 first. I recommend you do, too.

MOVIES

Ruby Sparks :: My lady friends and I watched this last night and it was funny, poignant, totally existential and a bit dark. Highly recommend. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan are now my favourite in real life celebrity couple, followed closely by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (what? they're not a couple in real life? whatever).

What to Expect When You're Expecting :: I watched this in a moment of weakness. The writing and/or dialog was all off and awkward, and apart from Elizabeth Banks and Ben Falcone, the ensemble vascillated between sleep-acting (Cameron Diaz) and over-acting (Dennis Quaid). I still cried when they all did (or didn't) have their babies, but can only recommend if you want to zone out in a field of nothingness for an hour and a half.

In the queue... Looper, Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook (already a favourite but one Matt hasn't seen yet).

MUSIC

On repeat these days... Josh Garrels, The Flint Hill Fellowship (have you bought it yet?!?!), Coldplay's Mylo Zyloto Live, and the Lumineers.



THINGS I LOVE

Dinner and a movie with friends.
Asher being potty trained. Huzzah!
Ella and Matt woodworking side by side.
How much Jack loves school.
The potted flowers by our front door.
Going through old wedding photos.
Bright mornings by the sea.
Our anniversary.
Friends who prayed for us this week.
Friends who drove us to and fro when we were in need.
Friends who offer to babysit out of the blue.
Instragram for android.

AROUND THE WEB

I covered most of these things in my Five Friday Favourites, but I also mostly love this post by Ed Stetzer and gasped audibly when reading this one from Jamie Wright.

ON THE BLOG

A smile = happy (most-read and my personal favourite)
The Lazy Mom's Guide to Summer (most-pinnable)

Brought to you by the link-up with HopefulLeigh...


Your turn. I would LOVE some recommendations!

Note: links include amazon affiliates. if you click over and purchase, i may get a nickel or two. eventually. :)

Reading equilibrium

A lot of things get put on hold when you move: organizing, cooking, and cleaning, to name just a few. Also on my hold list these past few months? Reading. You know I love to read, whether I finish the book or not, and I've missed these down times of quiet reflection (or late nights of page turning thriller).

But as we've begun to normalize over here, I've found that I have a bit more head space and emotional energy to put into my first love: books. Here's what's gracing my nightstand, nook screen, and library check-out/overdue bill:

Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel // Confession: I've seen several episodes of The Tudors. I'm sorry. It was a moment (month) of weakness (boredom), and I utterly regret it. I do love me some British monarchy historical fiction (go, therefore, and watch Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth) and Cromwell is a fascinating character study. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but Mantel is a beautiful writer and has fleshed out a complicated and cunning Cromwell. And her descriptions of the English countryside in late summer... breathtaking. Fingers crossed I finish it! (ooh, fun fact: Bring Up the Bodies won last year's Man Booker Award. Do you know who was on the judging panel? Matthew Crawley! (may he rest in peace...))

Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young // I was turned on to this devotional (I cringe to even use the word, as I'm notoriously terrible at keeping up with devotionals and moonwalk away from typical women's ministry-type things) by Sarah Bessey, who is a trustworthy reviewer of the legit spiritual genre. A couple of girlfriends and I are reading this together, and so far I am really just loving it. Jesus Calling is written as if Jesus were talking directly to the reader, so when I find a spare moment for the day's reading, I am immediately quieted and stilled (not an easy task for me).

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn // I wanted to love this book. Everyone seemed to love this book. And truth is, I couldn't put it down. It is an utterly engrossing book. But it also left me with a major no feeling, like I was duped into a story I did not want to know about, with characters I did not care to see survive the finale. Flynn has a gift, to be sure. And she's a Kansas City gal, so I do want to support her and her "local art," so to speak. But, no. I hated it.

A Year of Biblical Womanhood, by Rachel Held Evans // Another one of my blogging favourites, Evans spent a year trying out several supposed biblical mandates for us ladies, ranging from covering her head to sitting on her roof. I purchased it on a great Nook sale this weekend and look forward to sharing my thoughts with you after I read it. (Spoiler alert: I may end up being biased, and as I've read a lot of review of this book, have a fairly good idea where I'll stand on it... but I want to actually read it before I rave about it.)

***

What are you reading these days? Any recommendations?

A summer of reading, music, and not much else

Last week I had a fantastic skype with my friend Nicole, updating one another on our lives, our kids, and - what's turned into one of my favorite aspects of our relationship - what we're reading, watching, and learning.

And since it's summer, and our schedule is more relaxed and fluid than it normally is (which for our family isn't saying much), the books and movies and activities to-do list is more fun than obligation.

So here's what we've got going on this summer:

My Books:

Still: Notes on a Mid-faith Crisis, by Lauren Winner : a book on navigating the "middle" of one's faith, Still leads me towards creative inspiration and hallowed prayer. Winner writes of a marriage ended and faith lost not from a place of bitterness, but from profound longing and anguish; a refreshing - though painful - perspective.

Grace-based Parenting, by Dr Tim Kimmel : This book comes recommended by loads of people and I'm averaging about one page of notes per five pages of reading. Confession: I don't read a lot of parenting books, so I don't have much to compare it to, but I feel none of the guilt and frustration I usually feel when I come across a how-to parenting book. Rather, I feel supported in our counter-cultural holistic family lifestyle.

Death Comes to Pemberley, by P.D. James : You know not only am I a fiction girl, but I'm an Austen girl. I was hesitant to pick up this continuation of the Pride & Prejudice story, written by a modern author, but it's a great mystery surrounding one of Austen's most stupefying characters: the sly Mr Wickham.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, by Jen Hatmaker : On date nights, Matt and I usually end up at Barnes & Noble. Sans children, an hour alone with books and coffee is pure heaven for us. I picked up this book, and before I knew it, had read the first 30 pages before closing time. When I shared this with Nicole, she said, "Oh, I just finished it!" Like minds and all that. Thankfully, it was on sale for the Nook so I - gasp - bought it.

Full book reviews - hopefully - will be forthcoming (if I finish them... you know the drill). Stay tuned!

My Kids' Books:

Jack is reading several books by Kate DiCamillo, including his running favorite, The Mysterious Journey of Edward Tulane. I love that my boy loves books. And after months of urging him to try reads outside of Potter and Star Wars and Magic Treehouse, I'm so happy to see him explore new things.

Ella loves Eric Carle. Right now our nighttime favorite is The Very Busy Spider. Asher, who is much too busy for books, even gets in on the mooing and meowing action.

Mad props go to our local library, for loaning me these books and welcoming my rambunctious brood several days a week, and, as always, for being patient with the subsequent fines. Also, honourable mention to Sarah Bessey and her 10 books a day series. My to-read list has never been longer!

Music:

Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay : This album is brilliant. Coldplay seems to be one of the few bands that grows in lyrical content, style experimentation, and musical depth each and every go 'round. Love them. Love this album. Dance, work out, and/or cry to it. Favorite track: Charlie Brown.

The Shelter, Jars of Clay & Various Artists : This is our Sunday morning album. From the back of the car, I hear Ella sweetly singing "Where you lead us, we will follow," and I know she's not just singing the words, but she's singing the story of our family. Favorite track: Out of My Hands.

The Suburbs, Arcade Fire : I was late to the party on Arcade Fire, but I'm so glad I arrived! We have nearly nightly dance parties with the kiddos to this album, and I find that the post-modern-alt-rock arrangements touch my soul in ways not felt since Coldplay's Rush of Blood to the Head. Favorite Track (do I have to pick just one?): Ready to Start. (currently $2.99 on amazon!)

Movies:

The Way. Matt and I have been wanting to watch this film for ages. Several of our friends have walked "El camino de Santiago," or, The Camino, arriving home with stories of God and renewal. The movie is touching and has an internal, brooding kind of way about it. Not bad, but rather contemplative and stirring. And the cinematography! Oh, this film is gorgeous, in vivid European color and texture.

The Ides of March. Beware the film with sketchy protagonists. This film is meaty and fastmoving, and I felt like it was over too soon. As it reaches the climax, you know how it's going to end, but you still want to believe in the goodness of powerful people, even when you realize it's a mirage we're all only too willing to believe.

The Chronicles of Narnia films. This is our go-to cinema party staple. Good, family-fun fantasy, with spiritual depth and many teachable moments. My favorite is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe adaptation; my children's favorite is Prince Caspian. But don't get my husband started on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, unless you want to continually hear sighs and weary proclamations, "That's not how it happens in the book..."



Activities:

A friend of mine recently lamented that she had heard of the lazy days of summer, but with her six children, the concept eluded her (for good reason!). I can't speak for everyone, but somehow we have embraced these so-called lazy days. Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the lack of a yard, maybe it's apartment living or transitional living or the days of waiting we still find ourselves in. Whichever reason, our keys to lazy living are this:

1. Forts. We build a lot of forts. In the living room, in the dining room, in the kids' room. It's messy and things get moved around and usually someone gets milk or food on my favorite quilt, but it keeps all ages occupied and happy for at least an hour or two.

2. TV. Yes, sadly, we watch a lot of TV these days. But I'm trying to mix it up: videos from the library, wii games, Friday night cinema parties, Netflix, and so on. Some days I feel uber guilty about it, this enormous amount of screen time, and other days I'm all like, "It's hot, I'm tired, they'll survive." That, in a nutshell, is my summer motto.

3. Occasional Outings. We are a one-car family, and with the heat, we really don't do many outings. Usually just one or two big ones a week. And by big I mean walking all three kids to the library or local playground before it hits 90 degrees at 9am. We alternate library outings with splash park outings and trips to the farmer's market, depending on the car situation.

4. Quiet times. By lunchtime, we all - kids and mom included - need a break from each other, so I make everyone take a non-negotiable quiet time in his or her (or our) room. Ash usually (still, but not for long!) naps, but Jack reads and Ella plays with Legos. Quietly. Sequestered. Away from Mom. Even if just a half hour, this helps us all slow down, recalibrate and face the rest of the day.

These things aren't much, but it's just about all I can do to keep the sanity around here. Our life is unorthodox, our near-future ambiguous, and I'm trying to not take it so seriously or, conversely, treat it too mundanely. We spend our days together, we laugh, we bodyslam, we jump for joy when daddy comes home, and - sometimes - we chew on the television remote. 

Ok, that's just the toddler. 

So.... what are YOU doing this summer? Any ideas for beating the heat in tight living quarters? Potty-training tips? Book suggestions for kiddos or adults? Summer recipes you want me to have my husband try?

[disclaimer: book/music suggestions contain affiliate links]

Bookstore Confessions, on the Sabbath

I observed the Sabbath today. Four precious hours, armed with an oversized Fossil bag filled with library books and chapstick (my bricks and mortar), an iced coffee, and a cool summer breeze shocking the system, giving me unmatched, unanticipated pleasure after ten days of 100 degree heat.

A comfy chair is not so important to me as a beautiful view.

My intention was to read uninterrupted, but more often than not, I found myself writing. In my head, on my phone, in the pink journal gifted to me by the Thursday morning mums from Donabate. I write them letters here, prayers and questions, updates from a life in exile (or in my case, two years in my homeland; not exactly exile, but not wholly benign, either).

I think the city is beautiful.
Bricks and wrought iron.
Ivy and concrete.
Trees lining a busy boulevard.
Flip-flops on hot pavement.
It seems the city speaks to me, sometimes more than people do.

I recently told someone (ok, fair disclosure: commented on a blog) that The Confessions of St Augustine was "one of my favourite memoirs." 

Oh my, who even says that?!

Truth be told, this is mostly a lie. I have read it and I did love it, but I don't remember it, don't remember why I loved it. I don't recall the words or the voice, or the rush in my brain when I closed it and felt I understood it, felt it speak to me.

Where does one find The Confessions of St Augustine in a bookstore? In Christianity? Alphabetical by Author? Au for Augustine? He's certainly no Dr for Driscoll.

Then today, in the book I'm reading, a quote:

God is He Who gives God.

I remember you.

Ah, here he is. Philosophy. Obviously.

***

I have a love/hate relationship with bookstores. I love the smell, the mature scent of a thickly turned page, the world written out and displayed for my hungry eyes, the cover art and the panelled walls.

I hesitate. Should I really post all these existential gems on my blog? What if I write a book one day and all material must be unpublished, virgin, the rights of first refusal and all that?

Yet I hate the excess, too many options, so many possibilities but so little time and money, the bad cover art and - when it comes right down to it -  the words written that I might want to write someday, inscriptions to other people's loved ones and not my own. They have written books, and I have not. Not even a novella.



I am afraid I have next to nothing to offer. No skill, no trade, no big words made fancy by pedigree or experience. Time is all I have to offer the world. And my children; they are perhaps my true offering to the betterment of society. Though now, more than ever, I am less inclined to part with them.

I do have Jesus to offer the world, but He's difficult to market and impossible to replicate.

I covet their words, their bylines, and their cover art. I covet my need for them, our communal need to read, to learn, to grow through and from them. I wish I had something to say.

My time... and my children... and my Jesus...

But other than that, I mostly love bookstores.

What Peeta and Bill Self have in common

I'm a little behind this week and still dealing with a minorly sick kiddo (should I be concerned about a lingering low-grade fever 2 weeks after croup attack?) and also watching a lot of basketball (Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!), as well as seeing this little unknown indie movie called The Hunger Games. In between all that, here's what got me thinking this week:

Amy Simpson :: What The Hunger Games Taught Me (and the Church Should Have) about Men

Why was Peeta’s love so compelling? Partly because he’s a wonderful character, partly because love is always compelling, and partly because I have issues. I have a hard time believing that men have the capacity to be genuinely loving.

The Kansas City Star :: Self has shaped the Jayhawks into muscle

Bill Self took this job only after his father called him soft. There is so much of the coach in this story. Nine years ago, with Roy Williams’ shadow still very much engulfing Kansas basketball, Self was unsure he wanted to deal with all of that.

Jamie the Very Worst Missionary :: Hugs for Jesus

Eventually, one of them found her way over to where we were sitting to offer a Jesus hug. Being a non-toucher, in general, I quickly declined. “No, thank you. I'm....I'm good.” And when my sweet, affection-loving friend finally relented to the poor girl's persistent (insistent?) offer to give her a hug from Jesus, I knew immediately that I had made the right decision.

The Tiny Twig :: How to Have Awesome Bangs

Oh! And, Megan said not to wear heavy bangs with a side-part…it’s just too much going on. It’s best to have your heavy bangs and then let your hair fall naturally from the crown of your head. [me: this bit of advice will change my life!]

 Rachel Held Evans :: "Will you always believe in Jesus, Mama?"

I paused, trying to decide how much of my backstory would be helpful. How could I explain that the doubts that had once made me an agnostic hadn’t completely resolved, but that I’d instead learned to embrace mystery and ambiguity? How could I tell him that sometimes it still felt to me that God wasn’t there either?

In the end, I chose a simple response. “Yes, buddy. Always. I’m in this for good. I don’t always understand everything, but I’ve chosen to follow Jesus.”

So did you see the Hunger Games? Did your favorite basketball team win or lose? What have you been reading?

10 books I'm currently not finishing, part 3

Well, we have finally (after much procrastination) reached the stunning conclusion of my groundbreaking series, 10 books I'm currently not finishing. Oh, I made a button!

My nightstand is getting pretty full these days with books I want to read, have just started, or am on the cusp of finishing. Still gracing my shelf: Culture Making by Andy Crouch, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller, and Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I fully intend on finishing these, but... well... you know the drill.

Anyway, I've added a few to this collection, thanks to dear friends who pass on their favorites or online giveaways or library binges. So without further ado...

How We Are Hungry, by Dave Eggers :: Our friend Tom, in Ireland, sent this to me. He heaps love on our little family by surprising us with paperback packages on our doorstep every few of months, and this one is no different. It's been ages since I've read a book of short-stories and I nearly forgot how much I love them, ruminate on them, and come back to them. I'm three stories in and am finding that Eggers is as much versatile in prose as he is relevant (the most haunting so far: What It Means When a Crowd in a Faraway Nation Takes a Soldier Representing Your Own Nation, Shoots Him, Drags Him from His Vehicle and Then Mutilates Him in the Dust). When I have a few minutes of solitude or a hungry heart, I find myself picking this little book up again and spending a few minutes with Dave, and by extension, with Tom.

The Money Saving Mom's Budget, by Crystal Paine :: I was so excited to win this in a giveaway on Homemade Ginger. My friend Megan runs the show over there and is amazing at passing on frugal tips and creative homemaking adventures. Seeing as how I'm not super awesome at the homemaking thing yet, but how we are pursuing to live simply on less in transition and beyond, this book came at the perfect time. After reading the first chapter, I've been skimming through some of her lists and tips and am happy to see we've already made some budget-friendly changes, while still being challenged to try more (this has gone hand-in-hand with my new venture in menu planning).

You Can't Make Me [but I can be persuaded], by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias :: I'm not sure if you've realized this yet, but 2 out of 3 of my children are strong-willed. With this book I'm learning more how to interact with them instead of yelling at or crying with them. I've been hop-skipping through chapters depending on what the current need or issue is, and while Cynthia talks a lot about older strong-willed children, I think I can glean a thing or two about training the younger ones in the ways they should go. I think I'll be keeping this book with me for a long time as the girl veers towards eventual scary tweendom... oh, how I fear those days!

And there you have it, the 10 books I'm currently not finishing! I hope you've discovered something that you can... wait, that's not 10? That's only 9 books? So it's actually the 9 books I'm currently not finishing... Hmm... well... I guess that's par for the course.

What are you currently not finishing?

For your reading pleasure...

What I've found, read, and learned from this week:

Jamie the Very Worst Missionary :: The Tourist Gospel (from February, but I'm counting it)

So, all of this has got me thinking about what happens when, as Christians, we let ourselves be so far “set apart” from the world that we end up looking like a bunch of tourists, instead of the ones with the answers.

Her.Meneutics :: The Best Naked Pregnant Woman on a Magazine Cover

I bet that plenty of readers will see this cover and still think Jessica Simpson should be ashamed. Certainly some will read this piece and believe that I should be ashamed! But I choose to see this cover—this beautiful picture of a naked and pregnant woman—as an Edenic reprieve from the shame that women are saddled with.

Olive Tree :: Birthday Suit in a Turkish Bath (another oldie from February, but so good)

When it was our turn we laid our towels on the slab.  My bath attendant came up and motioned for me to take off my bathing suit. 

“I can’t do the body scrub with your bathing top on,” she said. Scary. 

I took a deep breath, and actually took off my top.  Amazingly I didn’t die from embarrassment. 

mama:monk :: Because grace is brave and it always wins

You’re 16-years-old and the boy who kisses you beside the light blue Chevy Spectrum under the moon has berry-thick boy lips, his knuckles rough and cut from punching walls. He is all man, you think. And somewhat good. Becoming better.

-----------------

What did you read and discover this week?

The week(ish) in review

this picture is unrelated to anything below, but i like it. the end.

Here's what's been keeping me up late at night, bringing some tears, making me eat ice cream, and growing my heart:

so much shouting, so much laughter :: words like weapons (forget not your name)

A porn-soaked culture values
sexy, submissive, and available;
a bar set canyon low and
unreachable all the same. 

He hated her more than he loved her

Her.meneutics :: What the 'After-Birth Abortion' and 'Personhood' Debates Have in Common

However, chief among the satire’s many objects of correction (for correction is the purpose of true satire) is rationalism, a worldview that depends entirely—like the journal article—on human reason at the expense of human emotion, human spirit, and human love—let alone eternal principles that transcend even these.

IRL* in real life with Jamie Jo :: Furlough Boot Camp: Getting the Lil' Soldiers Ready

I'll never forget the time we went up with one teen and his big ol' afro, and other teen with his long stringy hair. It was still a struggle to not consider "What will people think?" but I forced myself to look at it from God's standpoint. No sin was being committed. Their hearts were good. Why should I require a haircut just to please our conservative support base?

Rachel Held Evans :: Rush Limbaugh and three evangelical blindspots

This is the blind spot that allows some of the same Christians who refuse to watch R-rated movies to suspend their judgment as Rush Limbaugh makes crass, vulgar, racist, misogynistic, and homophobic remarks on his radio show. So long as he’s speaking the truth about politics, they seem to reason, it doesn’t matter how he delivers it. So long as he is right, it doesn’t matter whether he is decent or kind.

Goins, Writer :: The Best Way to Pursue Your Life’s Work

The only other option is to kid yourself. To create a lofty goal or aspiration and never practice, only dream. This will leave you (and others) feeling disillusioned. 

Don’t do this. Your passion deserves better. Instead of going big, go small —really small.

I was also going to post a link regarding Kony2012 (which has been lighting up my twitter and facebook feeds), but the post has since been taken down. Loads of controversy lingering over this...

All in all, this was a good week on the interwebs. Anything going on in the real world I should know about?

Upon reading "One Thousand Gifts"

I have finally picked it up, the book nearly every girlfriend of mine both online and off has read and sworn by this past year. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I will admit it, I was - and still am - a bit antsy. Keep reading...

Good for a giggle

Fun to see who read what this year, at least on this here humble blog:

Top read : 31 Days of Living in Transition {day 1}
Runner up : My Beef with Stuff Christians Like (special thanks to Jon Acuff for all the traffic)
Honorable mentions : 31 Days of Living in Transition : Love the one you're with {day 9} (and other 31 days posts)
Honorable mentions :  Quick, before you miss it!
Honorable mentions : Must-have Easter playlist

Thanks for joining me here friends. It's not much, but it's enabled me to think, grow, create, write and mother better throughout the year. Maybe it's done a tiny bit of the same for you...

Here's to 2012.

31 days of LIVING in transition :: resources {day 30}

Ah! We're almost done with these 31 days! And I feel like I haven't been super great at sharing much wisdom or offering much camaraderie. So on this day, I wanted to point you toward some blogs and resources where I find such things like wisdom and camaraderie and other ideas for living with intention while permanently living in transition. (If you've been around, these links probably aren't new to you, but want to make sure and draw attention to these fabulous women.) Enjoy!

the experts
The Missional Mom
Simple Mom
GypsyMama
Nesting Place

friends working or living in similar contexts
The Task at Hand
Branson Family Blog
9,000 miles from Kansas
On the Far Side of the Sea

Now, back to loving on the wee sick one, prepping for some kiddo halloween fun (I usually start the preparations one whole day before), and worshiping with our church family this morning. Oh, and hanging some curtains! More on that tomorrow... 

10 books I'm currently not finishing, part 2

Part Two of my ground-breaking series, 10 Books I'm Currently Not Finishing...

The Missional Mom, by Helen Lee :: I love this book. Love. This. Book. Truth be told, though, I'm halfway through four months after starting it. I suppose it's taking me so long due to the fact that I have to sit with it, mull over it, and read it aloud to the husband. Lee is a fabulous writer, a growing mom, and a practitioner of missional living. The stories she tells, the women she introduces, and the truly inspired notion that our highest calling is not motherhood after all, but being with God, capture my heart in a way that tells me: this is possible. And this is life to the full. 

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch :: I saw Andy Crouch speak at the conference I attended last month. Not only is he super smart, but he's a musician, a writer, a ministry leader, and an artist. Two chapters in and this book is already challenging pre-formed ideas of who creates culture, where it came from, how we contribute and partake in it everyday. Are Christians supposed to only critique culture, or can we also be cultivators of it? According to Crouch and the stories I've already heard him tell, the answer to the latter is yes! But I'll keep reading and let you know for sure.

Crazy Love, by Francis Chan :: Two pages in. It looks pretty good. Everyone says it's good. I'm just late (and slow) to the party. The subtitle in particular speaks to me: "Overwhelmed by a relentless God." Actual review forthcoming sometime in the somewhat distant future. (this isn't a library book, but on loaner from good friend N, so I can keep this as long as I like without paying a nickel!)

Stay tuned for the stunning conclusion to this provocative series!

10 books I'm currently not finishing, part 1

Confession: I'm not a good book-finisher. Oh, I love reading books, devouring the first few chapters and reading aloud to the man all the new quote-worthy things I discover...

And then I move on to the next.

It's all unintentional, really. Nonfiction books just don't really do it for me, even though I so want to learn and grow and talk about things of importance in an intelligible manner. And a novel's got to be good - like this girl is gonna die in a game show war type of good - in order for me to persevere to the end.

But I do try. And here's proof:

10 books I'm currently not finishing

Real Sex, by Lauren F. Winner :: Four chapters in, and I think it could be a valuable textbook if you are single, minister to singles, or just want to understand and appreciate God's intentions for chastity and sexuality. Winner is brilliant. She's funny, intelligent, and doubtful. As in, if she has doubts or concerns about something (like abstinence), she's sure as you-know-what gonna investigate, interview, and write until she knows where she stands and has faith in God's best for her (and us).

Jesus for President, by Shane Claiborne & Chris Haw :: Approximately 1.5 sections in, and this one is a doozy. It's kinda like a literary WWJD bracelet for post-modern Christian hippies. I'm drawn to the design of the book, which has no uniformity whatsoever apart from being grungy or typefacetastic (a word I just invented). I'm a little afraid to finish it, as the ideas Claiborne and Haw present - whether it be about man-made empires or freedom fighters (Jesus being much more like the latter than the former) - can be difficult to digest. But I think it's worth digesting. Did I mention it's so pretty?

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller :: Seven chapters in and I'm stuck (be warned: there are a lot of chapters). I started reading this when we were still in Ireland, loaned it out, read everyone else's take on the book (all of it glowingly positive), and thought I might be missing something. So I'm giving it another go. Truth be told, I think it was Anne Lamott's recommendation that scared me - on the cover, no less. Sheesh! I will tell you what I have loved so far: his description of the filmmakers made me fall in love with the whole lot of them. Apart from being a fly on the wall, Miller's narration is the next best thing.

to be continued... hopefully... next week...

Child prodigy

My only piece of writing for today is to reflect on this:

After a protracted bedtime battle - of getting up and laying down, of asking for water or milk or any form of nightly thirst-quenchers, of chatting and laughing and climbing, of toys repossessed and blankets redistributed - I find the boy asleep (finally!), nearly upright in bed, with The Magician's Nephew laying on chest, safely cuddled by a protective arm.

I heart that kid.

Literary overload

I've become addicted to the library, which in theory is really very good, and in practicality is really very overwhelming. There's an ever-increasing tower of books on my nightstand that beckon to me daily, each with a three-week expiration date (give or take a renewal). So I'm feeling no small amount of pressure to be reading - a lot - every day. Don't get me wrong, I love to read. Love it. I would do it all day if my children could feed and clothe themselves. And I really, really want to read all these books - they've all been carefully chosen, placed on hold, and then brought home for me to pore through and feed my soul. But... I'm not sure they'll all get read, and in reality, I'm pretty sure one or two will go back to the library without ever getting to the title page.

So in case you're wondering, my nightstand book list, in no particular order (notwithstanding the cookery books in the cupboard in the kitchen):

Simplicity Parenting, Kim John Payne
Freedom, Jonathan Franzen
Thinking Write, Kelly L. Stone
"You Can't Make Me," Cynthia Ulrich Tobias
Acedia & me, Kathleen Norris
Barron's Essential Words for the GRE
The Portable MFA in Creative Writing

Don't ask me what the MFA books are doing on this list... I don't really know yet, myself.

Coda: After soldiering halfway through Freedom, I've decided to close the book permanently. I don't consider myself particularly judgmental when it comes to literature, but surely there are better, more edifying and life-affirming things to spend my time on. Sorry, Franzen. It may have been Oprah-endorsed, but it has most definitely been Karen-rejected.

Onto the next...

To live to read another day

It's raining now, and I'm partially in bed. Feet over the covers, back against the pillows. A tower of library books sits on my nighstand (the telephone desk, a gem of a find at the flea market). It is the perfect time to start, crack open the cover and dive brain first into a parenting book (re: the strong-willed child) or the epic fiction (Franzen's ironic Oprah pick) or the cookery book (anything Jamie Oliver).

But it's ten till midnight. And spring break officially starts tomorrow. And the man is away. And there's a winter advisory. And I'm exhausted.

Surely, those are the makings of an adventure.

God and books and stuff

So I've been reading this book, Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller. Now Miller is the same guy who wrote Blue Like Jazz, which everyone I know has read, and either a) adored it and are obsessed with it, or b) hated it and are obsessed with trashing it. Either way, you gotta admit a guy who can write a book that elicits responses like that must be just shy of genius.

Anyway, so as I wait for this baby to be born, I've been reading this book. And I've been reading not just because I don't have much else to do besides wait for the baby, but also because lately I've found myself really thirsty for some spiritual conundrums. Church hasn't quite been doing it for me lately, which I feel really guilty about considering that one big reason we're here is to do "church". And really, that's probably not very accurate, we're here to follow and try to be Jesus as best we can. It just so happens, that more often than not, those notions get intertwined with attending church.

It could be that I'm not really getting much out of church because I've only been able to go about twice a month. The truth is, I've not been well. Besides being ginormously with child, I've been living with daily migraines. I wake up in the morning, and it's there. I drink water, I drink juice, I intake caffeine, I refrain from caffeine, I push tylenol, I try to nap... you get the picture. These migraines last until early evening, when strangely I'm finally given a reprieve. After spending all day in bed with blinding pain behind my eyes, missing my children and begging God to take it away, I'm able to eat dinner with my family, play a bit with my kids, get a bit of work/cleaning/baby prep done, and then spend the rest of the night trying to prepare for sleep, which I know will only end in me waking up, yet again, with another migraine. (It should be noted that I have mentioned this to the doctors/midwives I see when I go in for my antenatal appointments, but they don't seem to be really concerned...).

So, yeah, I've missed a bit of church. But even when I've been there, I'm not really paying attention. Or I'm confused. Or I get frustrated (which, as you know, is a common Pregnant Karen symptom). In all honesty, this happened probably just as frequently in our churches in the States, so perhaps it really is me and not the church... at least, that's what I'm starting to get a handle on.

So I decided to pick up Miller's book because Blue Like Jazz moved me so deeply and I thought, if I'm having a hard time at church, if I'm having a hard time concentrating on prayer, if I'm struggling with studying the Bible, and if I've got these horrible headaches which keep me bed-bound most days, I need to read something that might open the window and let a little fresh air in. Or I need to read something that makes me feel less crazy and less out-of-control. (The end of pregnancy does have a habit of reminding you how freaking little you control in the first place.)

I thought that perhaps I should just share a little bit of this book with you, not in a review-y sort of way, but in quotes and small morsels. Miller reminds me a lot of my sister, Jessica, who knows that there are no easy answers and really thinks it valuable to spend a good, hard time figuring out just who Jesus is, just what the Bible is talking about, and just exactly what we are to do with our lives, knowing that information. So when I read Miller, I kinda feel like she and I are having a conversation, like we used to do in my living room in KC, with our anarchist cousin, and my husband keeping us all grounded (and trying to keep us quiet so we wouldn't wake the children with our shouting).

So here are some quotes from Searching for God Knows What. They are tidbits of thought that I have read at the doctor's office, in the bath, laying in bed with a fan directly on my face, or on that one sunny day where I could read in a chair in the back garden (with a hat on, mind you, so that the sun wouldn't aggravate the migraine). No matter where I was when I read them, I either laughed or cried, out loud. Sometimes I gasped. And occasionally I would pray and thank God for blowing my mind, or at least touching my heart just a wee bit.

(at this point, I hope you're still with me...)

About God, the creator:

Whatever it is that understands the physics of this thing that is happening to us would have to be quite remarkable, with giant oaks for feet, perhaps, and a voice like wind through a forest and a mind that creates creations of which it might ponder in a way of learning what it already knows.

About us and what we believe about God:

In my opinion, there are two essential problems with believing God is something He isn't. The first problem is that it wrecks your life, and the second is that it makes God look like an idiot.

About Jesus, and John the Evangelist:

The way John writes about Jesus makes you feel like the sum of our faith is a kind of constant dialog with Jesus about whether or not we love Him... John seemed to embrace the relational dynamic of our faith... He revealed how none of the disciples truly understood Jesus and how they were all screwups, and he didn't make himself look good, either... That's guts, if you ask me.

About nudity and the Fall:

I wondered why it was that when people talked about the fall of man, about the Garden of Eden, they never talked about how people went around naked. If you ask me, the most obvious thing that happened after the Fall was that people started wearing all kinds of clothes... I mean, evolution may explain how we came from apes, but it does nothing to explain why we wear clothes.

And that's just all in the first 70 pages...