Box of Books

While we were in Minnesota last month we got to visit with some friends who have recently moved out there. We've known them, worked with them, kind of lived with them a long time and it was good to see them again- and good to NOT be all alone out there.

Bryan officially has one of the greatest jobs EVER. Well, maybe his job isn't the greatest but his employer is. The day they came to visit with us was his official first day of work at...dum-dah-dah-dum....Desiring God Ministries! And the best part is...they brought us prizes! Two books by John Piper and a conference on DVD. We were so excited!

A couple of weeks ago Bryan had asked me if I'd ever heard of Helen Roseveare. I emailed him back and went on and on and on about how I LOVE her. While we worked in Pennsylvania the director had brought me a book from his personal library that he wanted me to order for the team. It was Living Sacrifice by Helen Roseveare. I went online and searched for it and discovered it was out of print. I contacted the publisher and got permission to make copies. The woman I spoke to at the publisher told me that Helen Roseveare "was no longer living and it was such a shame because she had heard her speak once and it was wonderful." I tried to copy the book on the copy machine but it wasn't turning out very well. So, I decided to try and type it out. The book wasn't that long and I could type pretty fast so I tried it.

I didn't like biographies much and I especially didn't like missionary biographies. They were all the same and all boring (I think at that point I had read maybe two biographies so clearly I hadn't read enough to know what I was talking about). No kidding, Living Sacrifice changed my life. I've actually read it three times. I never finished typing it because it was taking forever but I added that book to my mental list of favorites.

After I sent the email back to Bryan he replied that the publisher must have been mistaken because Helen Roseveare was speaking at the Desiring God conference in September! I was so excited because maybe that would mean she would have books there! I told Bryan the title of the one I loved so much and asked him to keep his eyes open. A few days later I received this book from him by Noel Piper. Awesome! It wasn't Living Sacrifice but she was still in there!

A couple of days after the conference Sarah emailed me the link to watch Miss Roseveare speak. She is a tiny British woman who has such passion for the Lord and she's very witty! It was kind of neat to put a face and a personality with the stories I'd read.

Yesterday when I got home from work there was a package in the mail. I never get packages so I was surprised. I saw Bryan and Sarah's name in the corner so I KNEW it was going to be books. When I opened the box I nearly had a heart attack.

That's six books by Helen Roseveare! There is also a DVD of John Piper's sermons on Romans. I think there were 5 more DVD's and two more books but my husband ran off with those. I'm already a couple chapters into the first book and I can't wait to read them all! Aren't friends the best??? Especially kindred spirits! Hooray for fellow booklovers!

The Book

I am a closet Harry Potter fan. And by closet I mean I actually hide the books in my closet so that I don't upset any extended family members. He's a touchy subject, that Harry Potter, and I'm not much of a fighter. I'd rather not make waves and mostly try and avoid the subject altogether. I'd just like to read my books in peace, thankyouverymuch.

My sister in law (who worked at the library for a few years and is a true book lover) preordered the new book for me for my birthday. I have big plans for tomorrow that include pacing in the front window until the mailman comes and maybe or maybe not giving him a big hug or (at the very least) a squeal of glee when he hands me the book. I have finished all my housework (and banished the boys to the backyard so my house stays clean), paid the bills, balanced the checkbook, and bought groceries. Chad is taking the boys out for the afternoon and I plan on reading, reading, reading, until I'm done. I'm not turning on the TV, reading the paper, or even getting on the computer for fear I'll hear how the book ends. BIG plans.

This morning when I woke up I noticed my eyes were a little dry and scratchy. I stumbled into the shower without actually attempting to open them (I'm not a morning person so I've mastered the art of getting out of bed and getting into the shower without ever opening my eyes). I rubbed them with my fists under the spray of hot water and OUCH!!! that really hurt. There is a little mirror in the shower that Chad uses for shaving so I rubbed the steam off and looked at my eyes. They are almost swollen shut. They are puffy and watery and a reddish-purple color. As the morning progresses they are getting worse. I called in sick to work because it's way to embarrassing to go out in public like this.

All my plans of reading and reading I fear are being replaced with ice packs on my eyes and Benadryl naps (because I'm not really sure what caused the swelling and allergy medicine seems like a good plan).

I'm fairly sure that the arrival of my controversial book and my swollen eyes are unrelated. Please don't tell any of my extended family about my eyes. Just in case.

On being organized...

I decided to start reading Survival for Busy Women first out of my pile of library books. It's full of organizing tips and time savers. I'm having a little trouble getting started. For example- she recommends I actually use my planner. I'm more of a "I've got all the information up here in my head" kind of girl. Which hasn't been working out so well.

Yesterday I thought since it was Monday it would be a great time to fill in my planner with all the things I have going on this week. Oh my word. I've never been more overwhelmed than to see my week FULL. I'd forgotten I had to babysit the twins this afternoon (two year old boys) and there is some serious prep time that goes into watching those two. I'd also forgotten I have MOPS Thursday morning and I'm helping at preschool in the afternoon. I would have remembered these things eventually and scrambled to get them done but now I know about them ahead of time and (hopefully) can be a little better prepared.

I think where I'm running into trouble is this "being prepared ahead of time" thing doesn't come naturally to me. At all. It feels uncomfortable. I'm not good with trying new things and I don't adapt well to change. I don't like being uncomfortable! The motivation I have is the way I'm doing things now is stressing everyone out. Once I become a little better organized I'll be glad I did it but for now....it's killing me.

Oh, to learn more stuff...

Okay, I'm really frustrated. I've read about bloggers who have lost a post and I just lost my first one. I worked really hard on it and it had lots of links. I was very proud of myself and well, pride cometh before the fall. I wasn't that proud...my hand slipped and however these things happen this thing happened. So here is my second attempt at my post about "Things I want to learn..." (and losing a post isn't one of them).

I've been a blog reader for about 5 months and like most readers my list of favorites varies greatly (they aren't all on my blogroll yet!). There are the mom's of young kids, the pastor's wives, the frugal ones, the ones that make me think, and the one's that make me want to learn. Because reading blogs is fun but learning something new is so much better!

Lately I've been reading different posts about books bloggers are reading, going to read, or recommend. When I go to the library it generally consists of thirty minutes in the kids section and a quick glance at the new books for me. I blindly grab one and hope it's good. I don't have that much time to read so I really don't have time to read something that isn't very good. So tonight I went on a solo trip to the library. And I was armed with a list! Here are the books I brought back and the blogs where I found them:

1. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss - Saw it mentioned here.
2. Reading like a Writer by Francine Prose - Read about it at this blog I think but I can't find where. I may have seen it somewhere else but this blog is still pretty great.
3. Survival for Busy Women by Emilie Barnes - Read about her here (June 23, 2005 entry) but our library didn't have that book only this one.

The good thing is I'm really excited about these books. That means I'll read them every chance I get! Although, I'm thinking book #3 should be first....