My Reading List
I thought I'd share what kind of written words I'm ingesting these days, as it's been some pretty good stuff.
Just finished:
Three Cups of Tea (One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School At a Time) by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
I'm sure you've heard about this one. Greg Mortenson is a mountain climber who, upon a failed attempt at K2, got lost on a glacier and saved by people in a remote village in Pakistan. Once he saw their living conditions, and that their school consisted of children sitting in the dirt, he vowed to come back and build them a school. He not only succeeded in raising funds for that school, but he ended up building 64 more, and bridges, water systems, and women's vocation centers all throughout some of the most remote regions of Pakistan and Afganistan. Truly inspiring and makes you believe that a) we Americans live in way too much luxury and b) one person can really make a huge difference if properly motivated. The other take-away I got from this is to not overlook your God-given talents and to ask yourself how they may serve those in need - and pray for guidance!
In the middle of:
The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People by John Ortberg
I was a huge fan of Ortberg's other book "If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat". He's a good, down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is kind of writer. The best point in this book thus far has been is that it's God's command to slow down and experience joy. Our culture has us running around and constantly preparing for the next thing until we're frazzled and irritated. We need to just stop functioning this way, and take a page from our children's lifestyle - every moment is worth enjoying. Kids have fun with even the most mundane parts of the day - sitting on the toilet, taking a bath, riding in the car, waiting in line - for some reason, these are all times to sing and play. I think adults would gain a lot from not viewing these events as tasks, and just part of the day that God gave us - remember "This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad!".
The Dummies Guide to Yoga
Okay, sounds silly, but I just wanted a quick overview. I tried yoga ten years ago and found the pace too slow. Well, now that life is moving a little faster, and I have some friends who love it, it seems a little more appealing. I think I'll either take a DVD out of the library or try a class to give it a try.
Next in line:
Peony in Love by Lisa See
I loved "Snowflower and the Secret Fan", so I thought I'd give this one a try since my mother-in-law brought it over.
The Dummies Guide to Islam
After reading "Three Cups of Tea", I feel the need to do a little research on this subject. Islam has gotten a bad rap with those extremist groups, and I think Americans are vastly uneducated on other cultures. We draw our conclusions based on what the media tells us, and it is often very far from the truth. (I have a huge distrust of the media) Anyway, I think it will be interesting.
And this should keep me busy until the end of the month!
Just finished:
Three Cups of Tea (One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School At a Time) by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
I'm sure you've heard about this one. Greg Mortenson is a mountain climber who, upon a failed attempt at K2, got lost on a glacier and saved by people in a remote village in Pakistan. Once he saw their living conditions, and that their school consisted of children sitting in the dirt, he vowed to come back and build them a school. He not only succeeded in raising funds for that school, but he ended up building 64 more, and bridges, water systems, and women's vocation centers all throughout some of the most remote regions of Pakistan and Afganistan. Truly inspiring and makes you believe that a) we Americans live in way too much luxury and b) one person can really make a huge difference if properly motivated. The other take-away I got from this is to not overlook your God-given talents and to ask yourself how they may serve those in need - and pray for guidance!
In the middle of:
The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People by John Ortberg
I was a huge fan of Ortberg's other book "If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat". He's a good, down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is kind of writer. The best point in this book thus far has been is that it's God's command to slow down and experience joy. Our culture has us running around and constantly preparing for the next thing until we're frazzled and irritated. We need to just stop functioning this way, and take a page from our children's lifestyle - every moment is worth enjoying. Kids have fun with even the most mundane parts of the day - sitting on the toilet, taking a bath, riding in the car, waiting in line - for some reason, these are all times to sing and play. I think adults would gain a lot from not viewing these events as tasks, and just part of the day that God gave us - remember "This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad!".
The Dummies Guide to Yoga
Okay, sounds silly, but I just wanted a quick overview. I tried yoga ten years ago and found the pace too slow. Well, now that life is moving a little faster, and I have some friends who love it, it seems a little more appealing. I think I'll either take a DVD out of the library or try a class to give it a try.
Next in line:
Peony in Love by Lisa See
I loved "Snowflower and the Secret Fan", so I thought I'd give this one a try since my mother-in-law brought it over.
The Dummies Guide to Islam
After reading "Three Cups of Tea", I feel the need to do a little research on this subject. Islam has gotten a bad rap with those extremist groups, and I think Americans are vastly uneducated on other cultures. We draw our conclusions based on what the media tells us, and it is often very far from the truth. (I have a huge distrust of the media) Anyway, I think it will be interesting.
And this should keep me busy until the end of the month!
