What I've Been Reading

I promise, I WILL get back to pictures! Today, I thought I'd write about the books I've been reading this year. What have you been reading? Leave a comment. I'd love to hear about the books you've been feasting on (feasting...that's kind of how I read!)

Baby Care Books:

*On Becoming Baby Wise by Robert Bucknam
This has probably been the most helpful of the baby books we've read in terms of understanding sleeping/feeding schedules. I have to confess that we don't follow it exactly. It's a little more of a strict schedule than we like - we need a flexible baby for our lifestyle. But, it was invaluable in helping us create good eating and sleeping habits from the get-go with Grace and has been a constant resource since then.

*Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth
This is another helpful resource. Dr. Weissbluth's methods are pretty different than the Baby Wise ones and it was really good to read a different opinion. This book helped me understand how much sleep Grace would need and also learn how to pick up on her sleepy cues to put her down at the right time. I continue to pick it up as a resource.

Other Secular Non-Fiction:

*Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
Yup, we are into the "natural" form of birth control. As evidenced by our adorable baby, we didn't practice it perfectly :o). Actually, this book has been a huge help. When I got off the pill, I did some research online but have learned SO much more from this book.

Christian Non-Fiction:

*The Bible (ESV) via Tommy Nelson's 1 Year Chronological Bible Reading Plan
I have just LOVED reading the Bible chronologically. It's really cool to read the history books side by side with the prophetic books/wisdom books etc written at the same time. I just loved reading the Psalms of David along with the stories of what he was going through when he wrote them! I'm still on track for the year (this is the longest I've ever made it in a one-year reading plan) and hope I can keep up.

*A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
I just loved this book. It starts as a pretty sappy love story and, to be honest, I wasn't sure I could stick with it. But I did and it was well worth it. It's the story of the lives of Sheldon and Davy Vanauken - how they met, fell in love, came to know the Lord and lived for Him. The Vanaukens became close friends of C.S. Lewis while they lived and studied at Oxford. The book has a bunch of letters between them and Lewis. I highly recommend this one. It's a wonderful portrait of evangelism through friendship and community.

*Crazy Love by Francis Chan
I initially started reading this book as we were considering doing a study on it with our youth group. It's one of those very challenging books! I can't think of what else to say other than that I was convicted.

*Restoring the Ministry of Jesus by Jake Kail
Zane and I went to college with Jake and were on the leadership team of our Bible Study group with him. He's been working on this book, if only in his mind, since then and many of the things he writes about are things he would passionately talk about at Hopkins.

*I Dared to Call Him Father by Bilquis Sheikh
Mrs. Hayes gave me this book for my birthday (Mrs. Hayes and I are birthday buddies and we got to spend the morning of our birthday together this year). It's a compelling story of how God revealed himself to a Muslim woman and how she walked closely with Him.

Fiction

*Unveiled: Tamar by Francine Rivers
It was cool to read this book while I was reading through the story of Tamar in the Old Testament. Francine Rivers obviously takes some creative license and expands the story, but it doesn't seem like she goes too far. More than anything, she makes a Bible story come alive and reminds her readers that the Bible is full of real stories of real people.

*Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Finishing this book was quite an accomplishment as it is almost a thousand pages! Plus, it is one of those exciting stories that makes you feel captive to the book. Although I was sad to leave that other world I have lived in in my imagination for a week or so through the book, I did feel a degree of freedom when I finally finished it. I could finally get on with my life! I will say that being secular non-fiction, there were times where I wish Follett hadn't been quite so graphic. It wasn't necessary to the story. He's a great story-teller!

*Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Another very well-written and interesting story, but again, I wish the author hadn't been quite so graphic. I really didn't know much about circus life and found it fascinating.

*The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers
I loved this story and Francine Rivers had me in tears! It's a beautiful depiction of how God pursues us to heal us from the hurt and pain of our own mistakes and the mistakes of others.

*Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Need I say anything? I just finished listening to it yesterday. For any of you (still reading at this point) in Arlington, if you have a Arlington library card, you can access a bunch of ebooks online and listen straight from your computer!

Blogs

I regularly read a bunch of blogs. Here's the list of them in the categories I have set up in Google Reader. I've love to hear about any other good ones you recommend!

Friends' Blogs
my Table, their Table
Humblebee
Cooking in Clarendon
In case something exciting happens...
Adventure: Laura's Travel Blog
moon to come is it middle?
Kristin Solomon Photography
What the blog?

Homemaking
Wholesome Goodness
Nourishing Days
Keeper of the Home
Heavenly Homemakers
Passionate Homemaking
Sew Mama, Sew!
Sew Chic
The Pioneer Woman

Christian Women
girl talk
Radical Womanhood
Bring the Rain
Revive Our Hearts Radio
Molly Piper

Other Christian Blogs
22 words
Al Mohler