Books I read in 2020

 

• 01) 'Gregor the Overlander' by Suzanne Collins (audio)1/3
• 02) 'Strands of Truth' by Colleen Coble 1/4
• 03) 'Gregor and the Prophesy of Bane' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 1/9
• 04) 'Glittering Promises' by Lisa Tawn Bergren (audio) 1/12
• 05) 'Unclutter Your Life in One Week' by Erin Rooney Doland 1/13
• 06) 'Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 1/14
• 07) 'How to Pick Up Women with a Drunk Space Ninja' by Jay Key (audio) 1/19
• 08) 'The Door Within' by Wayne Thomas Batson (audio) 1/26
• 09) 'Gregor and the Marks of Secret' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 2/3
• 10) 'The Door in the Wall' by Marguerite de Angeli 2/4
• 11) 'Gregor and the Code of Claw' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 2/7
• 12) 'Will Destroy the Galaxy for Cash' by Yahtzee Croshaw (audio) 2/13
• 13) 'Slaughterhouse Five' by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr (audio) 3/3
• 14) 'Flirtation Walk' by Siri Mitchell 3/3
• 15) 'Submerged' by Dani Pettrey 3/7
• 16) 'I am Number Four' by Pittacus Lore (audio) 3/7
• 17) 'Dad's vs. Zombies' by Benjamin Wallace(audio) 3/10
• 18) 'A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon' by Laurie R King (editor) 3/28
• 19) 'The Cross of Lead' by Avi 4/7
• 20) 'Shattered' by Dani Pettrey 4/16
• 21) 'Your Teenager is Not Crazy: Understanding Your Teen's Brain' by Jeramy & Jerusha Clark 4/16
• 22) 'Stranded' by Dani Pettrey 4/20
• 23) 'Silenced' by Dani Pettrey 4/24
• 24) 'Sabotaged' by Dani Pettrey 5/2
• 25) 'Deadly Intentions' by Lisa Harris 5/9
• 26) 'Mycroft and Sherlock' by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (audio) 5/19
• 27) 'Super Powereds: Year 1' by Drew Hayes (audio) 5/29
• 28) 'Super Powereds: Year 2' by Drew Hayes (audio) 6/5
• 29) 'Super Powereds: Year 3' by Drew Hayes (audio) 6/14
• 30) 'Super Powereds: Year 4' by Drew Hayes (audio) 6/23
• 31) 'The Road Home' by Beverly Lewis 7/5
• 32) 'Forget Nothing' by Jason Anspach (audio) 7/7
• 33) 'The River' by Beverly Lewis 7/10
• 34) 'The Love Letters' by Beverly Lewis 7/18
• 35) 'The Ebb Tide' by Beverly Lewis 7/22
• 36) 'Once More Upon a Time' by Roshani Chokshi (audio) 7/22
• 37) 'Introverts in th Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture' by Adam S McHugh 8/7
• 38) 'Mama Bear Apologetics' by Hillary Morgan Ferrer 8/13
• 39) 'The Phantom Tollbooth' by Norton Juster 8/20
• 40) 'The Pilgrim's Progress' by John Bunyon (audio) 8/24
• 41) 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' by Douglas Adams 9/1
• 42) 'Nameless Queen' by Rebecca McLaughlin (audio) 9/7
• 43) 'The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul' by Douglas Adams 9/15
• 44) 'The Dispatcher' by John Scalzi (audio) 9/18
• 45) 'Taken' by Dee Henderson 9/23
• 46) 'Murder by Other Means' by John Scalzi (audio) 9/21
• 47) 'Murder at Melrose Court' by Karen Baugh Menuhin (audio) 9/25
• 48) 'Blessed are the Misfits' by Brant Hansen 11/5
• 49) 'Didn't See That Coming' by Rachel Hollis 11/
• 50) 'Love & War' by John Eldredge 11/28
• 51) 'In His Image' by Jen Wilkin 12/6
• 52) 'Ready Player Two' by Ernest Cline (audio) 12/14
• 53) 'It's Not Suppose to be this Way' by Lysa Terkeurst 12/16
• 54) 'The Holy Bible' 12/30

Books I Read in 2019

Books I've read in 2019

• 01) 'A Star Curiously Singing" by Kerry Nietz 1/1
• 02) 'The Superlative Stream' by Kerry Nietz 1/5
• 03) 'Wildcard' by Marie Lu (audio) 1/8
• 04) 'Freeheads' by Kerry Nietz 1/12
• 05) 'Outlander' by Diana Gabaldon 1/21
• 06) 'Overwhelmed: How to Quiet the Chaos and Restore Your Sanity" by Kathi Lipp & Cheri Gregory 1/27
• 07) 'The Gender Game" by Bella Forrest 1/27
• 08) "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom 1/28
• 09) 'The Gender Secret' by Bella Forrest 2/2
• 10) 'Rippler" by Cidney Swanson 2/4
• 11) 'Chameleon' by Cidney Swanson 2/6
• 12) 'Unfurl' by Cidney Swanson 2/7
• 13) 'Skyward' by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 2/7
• 14) 'The Gender Lie" by Bella Forest 2/15
• 15) 'Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace' by Sarah Mackenzie 2/18
• 16) 'The Gender War' by Bella Forest 2/21
• 17) 'The Gender Fall' by Bella Forest 2/28
• 18) 'The Gender Plan' by Bella Forest 3/7
• 19) 'Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds' by Philip E. Johnson 3/11
• 20) 'The Gender End' by Bella Forest 3/15
• 21) 'Once Upon A Prince' by Rachel Hauck 3/22
• 22) 'Unlimited' by Davis Bunn 3/25
• 23) 'Mark of the Plague' by Kevin Sands (audio) 3/26
• 24) 'Breathe' by Sarah Crossan 3/28
• 25) "Princess Ever After' by Rachel Hauck 3/30
• 26) 'Man Made Boy' by Jon Skovron (audio) 4/1
• 27) 'Resist' by Sarah Crossan 4/3
• 28) 'Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking' by Susan Cain 4/4
• 29) 'How to Catch a Prince' by Rachel Hauck 4/11
• 30) 'Words Aptly Spoken:Short Stories' by Classical Conversations 4/16
• 31) 'Raising Girls' by Melissa Trevathan 4/25
• 32) 'The Sidekicks Initiative: A Comedy Superhero Adventure' by Barry Hutchinson (audio) 4/26
• 33) 'Post-Apocalyptic Nomadic Warriors' by Benjamin Wallace (audio) 4/30
• 34) 'Knights of the Apocalypse' by Benjamin Wallace (audio) 5/8
• 35) 'Pursuit of the Apocalypse' by Benjamin Wallace (audio) 5/10
• 36) 'Space Team' by Barry J. Hutchison (audio) 5/17
• 37) 'Watch Your Junk and Other Advice for Expectant Fathers' by Benjamin Wallace (audio) 5/17
• 38) 'A Quiet Life in the Country' by T E Kinsey (audio) 5/19
• 39) 'Young Elizabeth: The Making of the Queen' by Kate Williams 5/28
• 40) 'Outside the Jukebox: How I Turned My Vintage Music Obsession Into My Dream Gig' by Scott Bradlee 5/31
• 41) 'The Mystery of Alice' by Lee Bacon (audio) 6/4
• 42) '#IMomSoHard' by Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley (audio) 6/11
• 43) 'The Vexed Generation' by Scott Meyer (audio) 6/20
• 44) 'The Witch of Blackbird Pond' by Elizabeth George Speare 6/22
• 45) 'The Choosing' by Rachelle Dekker 6/24
• 46) 'The Calling' by Rachelle Dekker 7/7
• 47) 'Lock In' by John Scalzi (audio) 7/18
• 48) 'The Returning' by Rachelle Dekker 7/25
• 49) 'The Case of the Damaged Detective' by Drew Hayes (audio) 8/2
• 50) 'Second Hand Curses' by Drew Hayes (audio) 8/9
• 51) 'Head On' by John Scalzi (audio) 8/14
• 52) 'The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimentional Insurance Agent' by Larry Correia (audio) 8/18
• 53) 'Wally Roux, Quantum Mechanic by Nick Carr (audio) 8/19
• 54) 'Patmos Deception' by Davis Bunn 9/1
• 55) 'Capital Gaines: Smart things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff' by Chip Gaines 9/5
• 56) 'Butterfly Palace' by Colleen Coble (audio) 9/10
• 57) 'The Question-Teaching Your Child the Essentials of Classical Education' by Leigh A. Bortins 9/11
• 58) 'The Young Elites' by Marie Lu (audio) 9/23
• 59) 'Agent to the Stars' by John Scalzi (audio) 10/2
• 60) 'The Austen Escape' by Katherine Reay (audio) 10/16
• 61) 'Number the Stars' by Lois Lowry (audio) 10/21
• 62) 'Through Gates of Splendor' by Elisabeth Elliot (audio) 10/28
• 63) 'A Reluctant Bride' by Jody Hedlund (audio) 11/2
• 64) 'Andrea Vernon and the Corporation for UltraHuman Protection' by Alexander C. Kane (audio) 11/17
• 65) 'A Murder of Manatees' by Larry Correia (audio) 11/26
• 66) 'Starsight' by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 12/13
• 67) 'Glamorous Illusions' by Lisa Tawn Bergren (audio)12/25
• 68) 'Best Christmas Pageant Ever' by Barbara Robinson 12/28
• 69) 'Grave Consequences' by Lisa Tawn Bergren (audio) 12/30

Books I read in 2018

Books I've read in 2018

• 01) "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett 1/2
• 02) "Firefight" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 1/6
• 03) "Calamity" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 1/21
• 04) "A Door In the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli 1/30
• 05) "Free of Me" by Sharon Hodde Miller 2/22
• 06) "Will Save Galaxy for Food" by Yahtzee Croshaw (audio) 3/8
• 07) "Snapshot" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 3/9
• 08) "Crispin: Cross of Lead" by Avi 3/18
• 09) "Sweetbriar Cottage" by Denise Hunter 3/19
• 10) "Anabel Lee" by Mike Nappa 3/20
• 11) "Cry in the Night" by Colleen Coble 3/28
• 12) "The Testing" by Joelle Charbonneau 3/29
• 13) "Independent Study" by Joelle Charbonneau 3/31
• 14) "Graduation Day" by Joelle Charbonneau (audio) 4/1
• 15) 'The Lost Husband' by Katherine Center 4/2
• 16) "Love & Respect in the Family" by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs 4/4
• 17) "Where We Belong" by Lynn Austin 4/8
• 18) "The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare 4/12
• 19) "The View from Rainshadow Bay" by Colleen Coble (audio) 4/17
• 20) 'The Raven' by Mike Nappa 4/21
• 21) 'Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish: A Novel by David Rakoff 4/22
• 22) "Love's Pursuit" by Siri Mitchell 4/25
• 23) "Promises to Keep" by Ann Tatlock (audio) 5/3
• 24) "A Murder, A Mystery, and a Marriage" by Mark Twain 5/9
• 25) "Differently Morphous" by Yahtzee Croshaw (audio) 5/24
• 26) 'A Study In Scarlet Women' by Sherry Thomas (audio) 6/16
• 27) "The 49th Mystic" by Ted Dekker 6/27
• 28) "Ascend Online" by Luke Chmilenko (audio) 6/28
• 29) "Out of Spite, Out of Mind" by Scott Meyer (audio) 7/2
• 30) "Because You're Mine" by Colleen Coble 7/12
• 31) "Kill the Farm Boy" by Kevin Hearne & Delilah S. Dawson (audio) 8/8
• 32) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster 8/12
• 33) "Girl, Wash Your Face" by Rachel Hollis 9/20
• 34) "The Introvert's Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone" by Matthew Pollard (audio) 11/3
• 35) "Rise of the Mystics" by Ted Dekker (audio) 11/7
• 36) "Talking As Fast As I Can" by Lauren Graham (audio) 11/8
• 37) "Beyond Belief: My Secret Life inside Scientology and my Harrowing Escape" by Jenna Miscavige Hill with Lisa Pulitzer (audio) 11/14
• 38) "Warcross' by Marie Lu (audio) 12/28

Books I read in 2017

Books I've read in 2017

• 01) "Before I Wake" by Dee Henderson 2/26
• 02) "Off to Be the Wizard" by Scott Meyer (audio) 3/6
• 03) "Spell or High Water" by Scott Meyer (audio) 3/16
• 04) "Legend" by Marie Lu (audio) 3/24
• 05) 'Prodigy' by Marie Lu (audio) 3/30
• 06) 'The Mysterious Benedict Society' by Trenton Lee Stewart 4/3
• 07) 'Champion' by Marie Lu (audio) 4/10
• 08) 'An Unwelcome Quest' by Scott Meyer (audio) 4/16
• 09) 'Wonderland Creek' by Lynn Austin (audio) 5/20
• 10) 'The Naked Gospel' by Andrew Farley 6/1
• 11) "Fight and Flight' by Scott Meyer (audio) 6/7
• 12) "The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World" by Sophia Dembling 6/13
• 13) 'We are Legion (We are Bob)' by Dennis E. Taylor (audio) 7/10
• 14) 'The Authorities' by Scott Meyer (audio) 7/15
• 15) 'Caught in the Middle' by Regina Jennings 7/18
• 16) 'Unspoken' by Dee Henderson 7/31
• 17) 'The Blackthorn Key' by Kevin Sands (audio) 8/6
• 18) 'Undetected' by Dee Henderson 8/24
• 19) 'Kidnapped' by Dee Henderson 9/4
• 20) "Run Program" by Scott Meyer (audio) 10/7
• 21) 'The Magician's Nephew' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 10/9
• 22) 'Carry On, Mr. Bowditch' by Jean Lee Latham 10/18
• 23) 'Number the Stars' by Lois Lowry (audio) 11/6
• 24) 'Pirate Latitudes' by Michael Crichton 11/29
• 25) 'Amos Fortune, Free man' by Elizabeth Yates (audio) 12/12
• 26) "Master of Formalities" by Scott Meyer (audio) 12/17
• 27) "Steelheart" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 12/28

Books I read in 2016

Books I've read in 2016

• 1) 'The Westing Game' by Ellen Raskin 1/31
• 2) '7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker 2/21
• 3) 'Waterfall' by Lisa T. Bergren 3/24
• 4) 'Cascade' by Lisa Bergen 4/1
• 5) 'Dad is Fat' by Jim Gaffigan 5/6
• 6) 'The Selection' by Kiera Cass 6/29
• 7) 'The Elite' by Kiera Cass 6/30
• 8) 'The One' by Kiera Cass 7/1
• 9) 'The Heir' by Kiera Cass 7/13
• 10) 'The Crown' by Kiera Cass 7/13
• 11) 'Delrium' by Lauren Oliver 7/19
• 12) 'Pandemonium' by Lauren Oliver 7/19
• 13) 'Requiem' by Lauren Oliver 7/26
• 14) 'Distant Echoes' by Colleen Coble 10/

Books I read in 2015

Books I read in 2015

• 01) 'A Study In Scarlet' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1/15
• 02) 'The Sign of the Four' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1/19
• 03) 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' by Sit Arthur Conan Doyle 1/22
• 04) 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1/29
• 05) 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2/3
• 06) 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2/12
• 07) 'Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity' by Jen Hatmaker 2/18
• 08) 'His Last Bow' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2/24
• 09) 'The Valley of Fear' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2/28
• 10) 'The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 3/8
• 11) 'Matched' by Ally Condie 3/9
• 12) 'Crossed' by Ally Condie 3/12
• 13) 'Reached' by Ally Condie 3/14
• 14) 'Own Your Life' by Sally Clarkson 4/23
• 15) 'In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day' by Mark Batterson 4/24
• 16) 'Operation Tree Roper:An Eye Above' by Robert A. Polk 5/5
• 17) '100 Ways to Motivate Yourself: Change Your Life Forever' by Steve Chandler (audio) 5/17
• 18) 'Soul's Gate' by James L. Rubart 7/18
• 19) 'Memory's Door' by James L. Rubart 7/20
• 20) "Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson (audio) 7/22
• 21) 'Call the Midwife' by Jennifer Worth 8/11
• 22) 'Spirit Bridge' by James L Rubart 9/3
• 23) 'Under the Never Sky' by Veronica Rossi 9/10
• 24) 'Through the Ever Night' by Veronica Rossi 9/12
• 25) 'Into the Still Blue' by Veronica Rossi 9/17
• 26) 'Armada' by Ernest Cline 9/25
• 27) 'The Scent of Lilacs' by Ann H. Gabhart 10/6

Books I've read in 2014

• My reading goal for 2014 was to read more books than I did in 2013.  I succeeded in that goal.  I read a pretty good mix of books this year.  Some christian fiction, biography stories, classics, dystopian YA novels, a few re-reads, lots of good times!
• A couple of the books that really stood out for me among the thirty-two books I happened to finish amid the craziness of life are 'In the Presence of my Enemies' which is the true story of missionaries who were taken hostages by a group of Muslims--very raw and life changing--and "Ready Player One" which is a fiction novel set in the future where people spend a majority of their lives in a virtual world. The main character is on a mission to find an easter egg hidden in the program by its 1980s-obsessed creator.  So fun!  Anyway--here it is--my list...
• 
  

• Books I've read in 2014

  • 01) 'A Promise For Tomorrow' by Judith Pella & Tracie Peterson 1/3
  • 02) 'Good, Clean Murder' by Traci Tyne Hilton 1/6
  • 03) 'In the Shadow of Lions' by Ginger Garrett 1/11
  • 04) 'Small Town Girl' by Ann H Gabhart 2/4
  • 05) 'In the Presence of My Enemies' by Gracia Burnham 2/7
  • 06) 'The Noticer' by Andy Andrews 2/15
  • 07) 'The Noticer Returns' by Andy Andrews 2/19
  • 08) 'Made to Crave' by Lysa Terkeurst 2/20
  • 09) 'My Story' by Elizabeth Smart 2/21
  • 10) 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams (audio) 2/27
  • 11) 'The Restaurant at the End of the Universe' by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/2
  • 12) 'Life, the Universe and Everything' by Douglas Adams (audio) 2/7
  • 13) 'Hands Free Mama"' by Rachel Macy Stafford 3/17
  • 14) 'Mostly Harmless' by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/18
  • 15) 'Divergent' by Veronica Roth 3/21
  • 16) 'Insurgent' by Veronica Roth 3/22
  • 17) 'Allegiant' by Veronica Roth 3/24
  • 18) 'The Giver' by Lois Lowry 3/31
  • 19) 'The Husband's Secret' by Liane Moriarty 4/3
  • 20) 'Beautiful Outlaw' by John Eldredge 4/14
  • 21) 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald 4/22
  • 22) 'Stepping Heavenward' by Elizabeth Prentiss 7/21
  • 23) 'The Maze Runner' by James Dashner 9/14
  • 24) 'The Scorch Trials' by James Dashner 9/19
  • 25) 'The Death Cure' by James Dashner 9/20
  • 26) 'Indivisible' by Kristen Heitzmann 9/27
  • 27) 'The Kill Order' by James Dashner 10/6
  • 28) 'Uglies' by Scott Westerfeld 10/21
  • 29) 'Pretties' by Scott Westerfeld 10/23
  • 30) 'Specials' by Scott Westerfeld 10/25
  • 31) 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline 11/10
  • 32) 'Same Kind of Different as Me' by Ron Hall & Denver Moore 11/18

A list of semi-Interesting facts about my week

I don't think my life is very interesting but I have been challenged to come up with a list of interesting facts about my week...I think I'll break it down by days...starting with last Friday.

Friday--Felt like Saturday, all day.
--Spent most of the day reading "Divergent" and "Insurgent"
--Didn't care that I was being lazy because I had hurt my back Thursday afternoon and it was still sore.

Saturday--I facilitated my first Wildtree Freezer Meal Workshop at a friend's house.

--Made a trip to Walmart for the sole purpose of buying a book.
--Felt like Friday

Sunday--I spent a large portion of my afternoon riding around town hacking portals with my family.
--Picked up our Bountiful Basket a day later than usual.
--Sat in the van drinking pink lemonade out of a mason jar and sneaking Salt & Pepper Kettle chips and read 'Allegiant' while Russ & the kids played at the park.

Monday--Balanced my check book and realized that we only had $5 left until payday.
--Watched Eden earn $30 selling tutus she made.

--Finally made it to the chiropractor for Thursday's injury.
--Thought it was Tuesday most of the day.

Tuesday--Stayed up later than Russ for a change, editing pictures on my computer.

Wednesday--Returned a $1.00 board book to the library that was almost 2 months late and had a $25 fine on it.  But it was fine-free day so I got off the hook, and didn't get sent to collections.
--Had a clock randomly fall off the wall and hit me in the head.
--Wasted a lot of time on Pinterest affirming my love for nerd-culture and everything bookish.

--It was 75 degrees outside

Thursday--It was snowing
--Relaxed on my kids' pillow bed in the middle of the living room floor and started re-reading 'The Giver'
--Made homemade butter in my Kitchen-aid mixer out of our raw cream.
--Watched my 1 year old draw a Hitler mustache on herself with a marker.

Books I read in 2013

2013 was an off year for my reading...I didn't reach my potential in this area of my life.  I could blame it on homeschooling or the 4th child.  Fairly valid excuses.  But it really probably had a lot more to do with laziness and choosing to play games on my cell phone and watch tv instead.  At any rate here are books I did read.

• 01) 'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy 1/10
• 02) 'Invitation to a Journey' by M. Robert Mulholland Jr 6/4
• 03) 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 6/20
• 04) 'Catching Fire' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 6/25
• 05) 'Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins (audio) 6/28
• 06) 'Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breath" by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson 7/1
• 07) 'The Secret Lives of Dresses' by Erin McKean 8/19
• 08) 'Kisses from Katie' by Katie Davis 9/8
• 09) 'Distant Dreams' by Judith Pella & Tracie Peterson 10/25
• 10) 'A Hope Beyond' by Judith Pella & Tracie Peterson 10/27

Here's hoping that 2014 is a better year for my books.  :)

Books I Read in 2012

Every year since I've started this blog, I've posted the books I've read.  This year I didn't get as many read as I would have liked (I was hoping to read more than last year) and I spent the last two months of the year working on 'Anna Karenina' which I didn't finish until today.  But anyway, I have been kinda slacking here lately.  Getting a smartphone has been keeping off the computer and having 4 kids has been keeping me busy but I wanted to post this list for my own future amusement.  

Books I read in 2012

• 31) 'A Heart Revealed' by Julie Lessman 9/9
• 30) 'Love on the Line' by Deeanne Gist 8/23
• 29) 'Grace for the Good Girl' by Emily P Freeman 8/19
• 28) 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' by JK Rowling (audio) 8/14
• 27) 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' by JK Rowling (audio) 8/5
• 26) 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' by JK Rowling (audio) 7/27
• 25) 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' by JK Rowling (audio)
• 24) 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' by JK Rowling (audio) 7/12
• 23) 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' by JK Rowling (audio) 7/5
• 22) 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' by JK Rowling (audio) 6/22
• 21) 'Like Dandelion Dust' by Karen Kingsbury 5/24
• 20) 'For Women Only: What you need to know about the inner lives of men' by Shaunti Feldhahn 5/16
• 19) 'Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins 5/4
• 18) 'Catching Fire' by Suzanne Collins 5/2
• 17) 'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins 5/1
• 16) 'Forevermore' by Cathy Marie Hake 4/28
• 15) 'Love and War" by John & Stasi Eldredge (audio) 4/24
• 14) 'The Choice' by Suzanne Woods Fisher 4/20
• 13) 'The One-Minute Cure: The Secret to Healing Virtually All Diseases' by Madison Cavanaugh 4/9
• 12) 'Beguiled' by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand 3/28
• 11) 'The Mercy' by Beverly Lewis 3/22
• 10) 'The Judgement' by Beverly Lewis 3/21
• 9) 'The Thorn' by Beverly Lewis 3/21
• 8) 'Lady in the Mist' by Laurie Alice Eakes 2/27
• 7) 'Maid to Match' by Deeanne Gist 2/21
• 6) 'That Certain Spark' by Cathy Marie Hake 2/19
• 5) 'Echoes' by Kristen Heitzmann 2/16
• 4) 'Unforgotten' by Kristen Heitzmann 2/13
• 3) 'Secrets' by Kristen Heitzmann 2/10
• 2) 'Sacred Trust' by Hannah Alexander 1/26
• 1) 'Beautiful Outlaw' by John Eldredge 1/17

I Heart Faces: "By the Book"

I absolutely LOVE books and am an avid reader.  When I saw this week's theme I was so excited.  But choosing a photo was not easy.  I settled on this photo of my daughter "reading" a book to my dad.  I love the expression on her face and the relationship you can see between them.  Hope you like it too.  :)

Books I read in 2011

• 61) 'A Heart for Home' by Lauraine Snelling 12/22
• 60) 'No Distance to Far' by Lauraine Snelling 12/20
• 59) 'Note of Peril' by Hannah Alexander 12/14
• 58) 'A Measure of Mercy' by Lauraine Snelling 12/6
• 57) 'Ereth's Birthday' by Avi 12/2
• 56) 'Freefall' by Kristen Heitzman 11/8
• 55) 'Recovering Charles' by Jason F. Wright 11/3
• 54) 'The Lightkeeper's Daughter' by Colleen Coble 10/20
• 53) 'Heaven is For Real' by Todd Burpo 10/13
• 52) 'The Blessed' by Ann H. Gabhart 10/12
• 51) 'Edge of Eternity' by Randy Alcorn 9/7
• 50) 'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett 8/25
• 49) 'Falconer's Quest' by T. Davis Bunn & Isabella Bunn 8/22
• 48) 'Dancing with My Father' by Sally Clarkson 8/21
• 47) 'Flabbergasted' by Ray Blackston 8/2
• 46) 'Bittersweet' by Cathy Marie Hake 7/25
• 45) 'Candle in the Darkness' by Lynn Austin 6/24
• 44) 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen 6/12
• 43) 'The Falcon and the Sparrow' by M.L. Tyndall 6/7
• 42) 'Soul Surfer' by Bethany Hamilton 6/2
• 41) 'Sun Stand Still' by Steven Furtick 6/2
• 40) 'The Light Princess' by George Macdonald (audio) 6/1
• 39) 'The Last Battle' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 5/23
• 38) 'The Silver Chair' by C.S. Lewis (audio)
• 37) 'Health and Wholeness Through the Holy Communion' by Joseph Prince 5/10
• 36) 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 5/8
• 35) 'At the Scent of Water' by Linda Nichols 4/28
• 34) 'Prince Caspian' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 4/25
• 33) 'The Horse and His Boy' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 4/20
• 32) 'Here's the Story' by Maureen McCormick 4/18
• 31) 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 4/17
• 30) 'The Magician's Nephew' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 4/13
• 29) 'Elyon' by Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill 4/13
• 28) 'Lunatic' by Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill 4/11
• 27) 'Chaos' by Ted Dekker 4/8
• 26) 'Renegade' by Ted Dekker 4/6
• 25) 'Infidel' by Ted Dekker 4/2
• 24) 'Chosen' by Ted Dekker 3/31
• 23) 'Sinner' by Ted Dekker 3/26
• 22) 'Mostly Harmless' by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/25
• 21) 'So Long and Thanks for all the Fish" by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/18
• 20) 'Life, the Universe, and Everything' by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/16
• 19) 'Saint' by Ted Dekker 3/15
• 18) 'Showdown' by Ted Dekker 3/10
• 17) 'The Restaurant at the End of the Universe' by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/10
• 16) 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams (audio) 3/3
• 15) 'A Touch of Grace' by Lauraine Snelling 3/1
• 14) 'Hidden Gifts' by Rick Hamlin 2/26
• 13) 'Sophie's Dilemma' by Lauraine Snelling 2/21
• 12) 'Whirlwind' by Cathy Marie Hake 2/10
• 11) 'When God Winks at You' by SQuire Rushnell 2/7
• 10) 'Green' by Ted Dekker 2/2
• 9) 'The Chocolate War' by Robert Cormier 1/24
• 8) 'White' by Ted Dekker 1/20
• 7) 'Red' by Ted Dekker 1/18
• 6) 'Black' by Ted Dekker 1/16
• 5) 'A Constant Heart' by Siri Mitchell 1/12
• 4) 'The Return of the King' by J.R.R. Tolkien 1/11
• 3) 'The Two Towers' by J.R.R. Tolkien 1/8
• 2) 'The Fellowship of the Ring' by J.R.R. Tolkien 1/5
• 1) 'The Facts of Life and other lessons my Father taught me' by Lisa Whelchel 1/3

"I sit beside the fire and think": Rereading 'Lord of the Rings'

I have been re-reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy this week and so have had the great themes that it holds heavy on my mind as of late...thoughts of great evil and great fear, of bravery & valor in times of doubt, of keeping faith when all that remains is but a fool's hope.  I have been pondering how I would stack up next to Frodo's determination, Sam's faithfulness, Gandolf's wisdom, Aragorn's leadership, and Pippin's resilience.  I have cried for them as they fight a seemingly hopeless fight, I have wept for them as they grow nearer & nearer to danger but go on because they must.  And my heart breaks because I know that while their journey is just a fantasy of words on a page...their story is full of truth.

For we too live in evil times but I fear that for the moment I am living on the fringe here in middle America just as the hobbit's were before they left the Shire...but evil will not always be far off and the day will come when I too am called to play a part in this tale. I know that each hour that passes brings us nearer to the end of this age...and while I do not grieve as one that has no hope,  I know that as the days grow darker it will be harder & harder to hold on to the hope that is within us.  But I know that even in the darkest hours Christ's purposes prevail and He will come out victorious.  It is just so hard in the meantime to keep from growing weary.  Just like the ring on Frodo's neck was a weight & burden he bore to the end not knowing whether his personal end be good or bad...the evil of this world (the violence, the sickness, the deceptions, the death)  is so often as heavy as lead on my shoulders and its power (if not kept in check by the Holy Word) wearies me considerably and I see how I could so easily despair of the journey to which God has appointed me and fall into despondency & apathetic behaviors just as Lord Denathor does in 'Return of the King'.

I pray that in the interim between the coming darkness & the Return of our king, Jesus Christ, that I would not lose sight of the part I have to play, that I would remain faithful to the end, that I would be able to discern between what is good & what is not, that I would cling to hope when all hope seems to be lost...that though a fool's hope it may seem, that I would remember that God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise...sometimes someone as unexpected as a small hobbit can be the very vessel needed to destroy the power of Sauron.

Bilbo's Song in Rivendell

I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been;

Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring
that I shall ever see.

For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know.

But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door.

Books I read in 2010

List of Books I read in 2010

 

  46) 'Sunrise' by Karen Kingsbury 12/30

45) 'Always Grace' by Tim LaHaye and Gregory S Dinallo 12/13

44) 'Halos' by Kristen Heitzmann 12/8

43) 'Safe Haven' by Hannah Alexander 11/29

42) 'Saving Alice' by David Lewis 11/21

41) 'False Witness' by Randy Singer 11/10

40) 'This Fine Life' by Eva Marie Everson 11/3

39) 'Fancy Pants' by Cathy Marie Hake 11/1

38) 'Last Resort" by Hannah Alexander 10/27

37) 'A Great and Terrible Beauty' by Libba Bray 10/24

36) 'A Lady of High Regard' by Tracie Peterson 10/18

35) 'A Rush of Wings' by Kristen Heitzmann 10/12

34) 'Dear John' by Nicholas Sparks 9/22

33) 'The Total Money Makeover' by Dave Ramsey 9/4

32) 'Friends: A Love Story' by Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance 9/1

31) 'A Sounding Brass' by Shelley Bates 8/28

30) 'The Edge of Recall' by Kristen Heitzmann 7/29

29) 'Hideaway' by Hannah Alexander 7/12

28) 'Traveling Light' by Max Lucado 6/23

27) 'The Pull of the Moon' by Elizabeth Berg 6/21

26) 'The Wednesday Sisters' by Meg Waite Clayton 6/5

25) 'She Walks in Beauty' by Siri Mitchell 5/16

24) 'You Don't Know Jack' by Erin McCarthy 5/7

23) 'Barefoot' by Elin Hilderbrand 4/30

22) 'Bloopers, Blunders, Jokes, Quips & Quotes" by Jim Kraus 4/21

21) 'O For a Thousand Nights to Sleep' by Lorilee Craker 4/15

20) 'The Telling' by Beverly Lewis 4/11

19) 'The Penny' by Joyce Meyer & Deborah Bedford 4/10

18) 'Courting Trouble' by Deeanne Gist 4/1

17) 'How the Irish Saved Civilization' by Thomas Cahill 3/31

16) 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte 3/22

15) 'Sandpebbles' by Patricia Hickman 3/15

14) 'The Measure of a Lady' by Deeanne Gist 2/19

13) 'The Outsider' by Ann H Grabhart 2/15

12) 'Letter Perfect' by Cathy Marie Hake 2/10

11) 'The Five Love Languages' by Gary Chapman 2/7

10) 'The Still of Night' by Kristen Heitzmann 2/6

9) 'The Smart One and the Pretty One' by Claire LaZebnik 2/2

8) 'Fahrenheit 451' by Ray Bradbury 1/29

7) 'A Promise for Ellie' by Lauraine Snelling 1/28

6) 'The Mermaid Chair' by Sue Monk Kidd 1/25

5) 'The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul' by Douglas Adams 1/19

4) 'House of Daughters' by Sarah-Kate Lynch 1/18

3) 'a Time to Embrace' by Karen Kingsbury 1/14

2) 'Been There, Done That' by Carol Snow 1/12

1) 'The Girlfriend's Guide to Toddlers' by Vicki Iovine 1/12