Good day, friends! Kansas is showing off beautiful this morning. Blue, blue skies. Rolling out the puffy white clouds because they look so fantastic with the blue as a backdrop. Green wheat waving. Spring blooms swaying. Truly magnificent!
Our world is full of noise, isn’t it? Even in ordinary days, we all have a lot of voices and opinions and news available to us. Right now, it may seem even more that way. Even this post is another added bit to your day, should you choose to read it.
I love and appreciate it much about our online world. Yes, it can become chaotic and overwhelming and we must pause and choose what is filling us and what may be fueling fear or dismay in us.
I appreciate a good sense of humor and believe in the power of a hearty laugh. Sometimes we need to embrace the lighthearted and let it rescue us from the heavy.
Sometimes our hearts and souls need a deep dose of encouragement. Sometimes a calming voice. Sometimes we need an action or a project to create with our hands to bring restfulness to our being. I read words along these lines recently and they resonated with me, “We are human BEINGS, not human DOINGS.” {I don’t remember where I read this.}
I overheard these words in the coffeeshop on my last visit there before the social distancing ensued. I didn’t know at the time I wouldn’t be stepping into the coffee shop again for a while!
As I walked by a table toward the back of the coffee shop, a young woman was expressing to her companions this thought. “When you work with your hands, you Sabbath with your head. When you work with your head, you Sabbath with your hands,” she shared. I wanted to slide right into the extra chair at their table and join in on the conversation.
I refrained, as I didn’t know them, they didn’t know me, it may have been awkward {READ: It WOULD have been awkward} and my friend I was meeting for coffee may have been a bit caddy-wampus-ed. Haha.
However, what I did do was remember the words. {Quite amazing in and of itself. I do not excel at remembering things the way I so deeply would like to. What was I saying????}
Anyhow, I loved this idea and agree with it full-heartedly. I don’t generally love doing dishes, but if I’ve been focusing on something requiring a lot of mental effort, I find routine or mundane tasks feel relaxing. I can do them mindlessly. Ok, it’s not exactly quite the same as a Sabbath rest, but it grabs the idea of head versus hands rest.
When I’ve been doing tasks or chores or activities, it feels so restful to grab a coffee or tea, a favorite blanket, and curl up with a good book or favorite movie.
Head or hands. We need time spent in both pursuits. Rest from one comes from the other. 🙂 Love this idea.
Books and Podcasts:
We’re blessed to live where an abundance and colossal variety of books, movies, studies, and podcasts are available to us. In fact, it can become overwhelming to wade through.
On the bright side, I am truly grateful for the way God has created us each with a unique talent, voice, or gifting. {I confess I often have trouble figuring out what mine is, but I sure appreciate other people’s! 😉
I so appreciate the variety of books and author available to us. I’m glad for each of them. For their angle and insight. The point of view they bring or the subject given to them.
Today, I’m sharing some of them with you. I’m bringing you a few books, older and new. I’m giving a shout-out to a few voices I always like to read and I’m going to link you to some podcasts and fun stuff.
Most of all, it’s a variety.
If you’re looking for light-hearted and need a good giggle, I have that for you.
If you want to ponder, I have that as well.
If you need a kind voice, well, you guessed it! Offering those too.
Let’s get started!!!
I’m Reading:
I’ve been reading Outer Order Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin and The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis.
In Outer Order Inner Calm, Gretchen Rubin walks us through discovering systems and orderliness for our lives and homes. It’s true. Outer order plays largely into how we feel. The trick is discovering how it looks for each of us. Remember how we’re unique? Thus, orderliness isn’t a one size fits all. I’ve always appreciated Gretchen Rubin’s capacity to recognize one checklist or master list doesn’t fit everyone. Rather, she nudges us to examine what we need to apply to our lives and what works or doesn’t.
I’ve loved reading something fun right now. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis is easy and engaging and keeps me turning pages.
I’m also reading Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen. I have a beautiful review copy from B&H/Lifeway. This book is part of an incredible series called A Guide to Reading and Reflecting by Karen Swallow Prior.
Karen Swallow Prior writes an introduction about the author, the background of the work, and the form of the work. She talks about major themes of the book and finishes with a section about reading this book as a Christian today. Further, she has shared footnotes throughout the book, explaining less-than-modern terms or unfamiliar usages of words.
I read and loved Karen Swallow Prior’s book On Reading Well, last year.
As soon as I saw this version of Sense and Sensibility as a review title, I promptly requested it! While I’ve watched the movie a handful of times, I’ve never read the book. I’m completely enjoying it and Karen’s thorough work definitely adds value to it.
Besides the book is gloriously beautiful! Haha. It’s gray linen and has a lovely feel AND a shiny silky gray ribbon bookmarker! Woot! Woot!
What I’m Listening To:
I’ve been wanting lighthearted. When this is what I’m after, I head directly for the BigBoo podcast. It’s like curling up on the couch with great friends for a conversation about all manner of everday fun and snacks, with a large side of laughter! Sophie Hudson and Melanie Shankle have been blessing my life in a big way with loads of laughter for YEARS. I cannot thank them enough. Though, if the two of you would come to my house, I would gladly fix you chips and queso and chocolate chip cookies! What say ye, Mel and Soph? {Isn’t that the cool thing about the internet??? You can have online besties, even though they have no idea who you are! 😉 }
{I have a post over here about podcast listening and figuring out how to organize my podcasts in a system with accessibility that works for me.}
Another place I’m finding humor right now is from Jennifer Fulwiler. I recently snagged a copy of her book One Beautiful Dream at Mardel and laughed my way through it. And also lamented with her too. Life hasn’t been an easy-peasy walk in the park for Jen, but she presents it all through a wonderful lens of humor. I found myself in some of her scenarios, though my life is very-completely-quite different from hers and I’ve never lived out the exact situations. Ok, it wasn’t the scenarios as much as the emotions and questions that emerge from said scenarios.
Anyway, Jennifer Fulwiler has a new book coming out. She has an e-book she’s offering for FREE when you pre-order. Except now, Coronavirus. SO, she’s offering the e-book for FREE even if you can’t do the pre-order for Your Blue Flame right now.
IF you would like to center on rest and stillness during this time of staying at home, here are several recommendations that might bless you ~
#1 The Fight Hustle End Hurry podcast. This is a series of ten episodes and it’s a collaboration between Jefferson Bethke and John Mark Comer. They take the messages from their books and dig a bit deeper together. Jefferson Bethke release To Hell with the Hustle last year and John Mark Comer has The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. {on my list of favorite reads so far this year} {Fun Fact: Both books have similar orangey-reddish cover colors}
#2. The Jesus Over Everything podcast and book by Lisa Whittle. This book just released and like all the other authors and books right now, book tour events have all become online as in-person gatherings are cancelled.
Lisa Whittle is offering a free online Bible study for her new book and accompanying study. It begins April 6. You can sign up here and you’ll receive the video sessions completely free.
It seems this is a timely message to remind us that Jesus is our All-in-All.
#3. Another new book that seems aptly named is Stay by Anjuli Paschall. It’s an invitation to sit with the goodness of God in the midst of our messy, everyday, mundane lives.
Another review book I’ve had on my shelves is this Bible study, Keeping the Faith, by Lianna Davis. It’s a study on Jude from Moody Publishers.
Here’s a bit about the study that was shared with me from the back cover ~ “In the latest edition to Moody’s excellent line of women’s Bible studies, Lianna Davis takes readers into the heart of the oft-forgotten book of Jude. She looks at why Jude uses metaphors like waterless clouds and wild waves, what was going on in Jude’s time theologically and why it matters, why the warning passages can be a deep comfort to the believer, and how to appreciate new dimensions of your belonging in Christ. Designed as a 6-week study, Lianna leads readers verse-by-verse as they study independently or in a group setting. Interactive questions accompany every chapter.”
I really love the book of Jude and I like Bible studies that take an in-depth look at one book of the Bible. It’s amazing the depth and lessons to be found when we focus in and slowly make our way through over several weeks. Particularly, when it’s a short Bible book. I did a study on Ruth by Kelly Minter several years ago and I loved how much could be pulled out of the book as we went through it a few verses at a time.
If you’ve been seeking a new study, check this one out. Each week has five days of work. Each day centers on a part of a verse, verse, or verses from Jude. It includes cross-reference verses. Each day begins with a little prayer, followed by the text and finishes up with questions for study, reflection, and application. It’s very thoughtful and encourages us to consider, learn, and grow.
Two more podcasts
I will
quickly mention……….
1. That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs
Annie is an Enneagram 7. She loves fun and faith and chatting with friends on her podcast. Her podcasts are fun conversations filled with heart, humor, happy things, deep thoughts, and sometimes, tears. I love to pop in occasionally. {If you’re an Enneagram Enthusiast, she has a whole series from last year called EnneaSummer that I Loved!!!} {Also for Enneagram Enthusiasts or those seeking to learn more, I like to listen to Typology with Ian Morgan Cron.}
2. The Next Right Thing podcast with Emily P. Freeman. “While this is a podcast all about making decisions, it’s also a podcast about making a life…..” Yep. Emily P. Freeman drops a new episode every Tuesday. They’re often about twelve to fifteen minutes long and she “offers a thoughtful reflection, a little prayer, and a simple next right step for anyone struggling with decision fatigue.” She also has a WHOLE book with this same title and I find it to be fantastic!
BOOK PEOPLE:
This podcast is for you…………
This podcast is dedicated to answering the question that plagues every reader!!! What Should I Read Next? podcast with Anne Bogel. It’s all things books and booktalk and book recommendations!
IF you’re looking for kind voices of encouragement ~
Well then, two voices I truly love come from pastors and authors, Max Lucado and Louie Giglio. You can search them on YouTube or find their books wherever books are sold!
I have a small collection of Max Lucado’s books and I was blessed by a neighbor the other day who gifted me an extra copy of And the Angels Were Silent.
I’d love to hear what you’re reading and listening to and what recommendations you’d love to share!
Stay safe and well, comrade friends! Let’s keep looking for beauty and laughter, even among the hard, the questions, the uncertainty and anxiety that may come to call.
Jesus hasn’t missed what’s happening in our world! He says, “Take Heart! I have overcome the world!”
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