Books

I am back at work after the almost 3 week Easter Holidays here in Victoria (Oh the perks of working in a school!) and these holidays were pretty unproductive. I usually like to clean the house from top to bottom the first week I have off, but our vacuum cleaner broke, so I waited until my parents went out of town and borrowed theirs for the second week but I just never really got around to using it!

Dave also suffered the loss of his boss the first week of the break and the funeral was held the following Monday, so I think that may have had an effect on my unproductiveness and lack of motivation.

I did however get a fair bit of reading done. I started with “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. It was the second time I have read it and I liked it so much more this time! The first time I read it, it actually made me a little angry! I was not really in a place where I wanted to hear what he was saying. Even as little as 6 months ago I was still caught in the trap of ‘wanting it all.’ I was consumed with saving up for a house, and a baby, and a car. I watched every cent we spent and was frustrated when the bank accounts didn’t grow fast enough, so reading “Crazy Love” was like someone was shining a bright light on all my skewed ideas.

Of course now I have just let go of my desire to control our money (which really was controlling me) and I am now trying to focus more on God and His will and plans for our lives. So this time I loved reading “Crazy Love”.

I then followed that book with “The Hole in Our Gospel” by Richard Stearns. Wow, he just slaps you in the face with Scripture and the Gospel, but in the most gentle and gracious way. Stearns weaves his testimony and continual faith journey with God’s plan for all of us in such an enthralling, captivating way that if you read this book and aren’t changed by it, you might want to start praying! 

Finally, to cap off my light-hearted reading choices for the month I read “Once an Arafat Man” the story of Tass Saada, a Palestinian refugee, who becomes Yasser Arafat’s chauffeur and a member of Palestinian Liberation Organization, and how his life is transformed by an encounter with a Christian man, and with Jesus Christ.

Crazy, crazy story!

Since being back at work for a week now and I miss my leisurely mornings. I miss getting my cup of tea and sitting at the dining table with my Bible, notebook and these books and reading, taking notes, mulling over what I have read, getting lost in ideas and my thoughts.

At least there are still Saturday mornings. Although the alternative is getting up earlier (like 6am!!). I might just have to start to do that!

When do you get in your time with God?

Happy Friday!