Dec 28, 2009

Books

I've been reading a lot lately.

Recently, a friend told me about this book:

It arrived on Christmas Eve so I've not opened it yet, but it's in the queue to be read.

While on christianbook.com a couple of weeks ago, I found this book:
The author, Kelly Minter, also wrote a Bible study that goes along with the book. I actually thought I was buying the Bible study, but realized I goofed when I opened the box. Oh well! I'd printed the first week of the Bible study from the website and wow - it's good! I love the format too, it makes me wish my Bible study girls were in my living room!
I don't remember who recommended this book, but it's become one of my favorites. I feel like I'm always falling asleep during my prayers or I forget to pray for things. Not only does this book talk about those things, it takes it a step further and has some great insight. I'm reading it slowly, chapter by chapter instead of all at once.
Chandler got this book for me for Christmas this year:

I told him I felt like I needed a little guidance in the cooking department and that every woman has this book. :) I hope he's not expecting much now.... I can bake but I'm no dinner chef!
When my sweet friend and her MIL surprised me with this book, all I wanted to do was read it! We don't use the Bible much in church, or at home really - so I was a little lost. It had a lot of great footnotes, but I still needed a little more help! I found this book:
So far, so good! I love the pages and the additional insight it offers with photographs. The more I read my Bible though, the more I realized that even the NIV was a little too much for me. I got a copy (tiny!) of The Message and started reading from the beginning. I paralleled with my NIV Bible and have really been enjoying the learning. I was hoping to finish by the end of the year, but I don't think that will happen. It will be close! I need to read Isaiah, Lamentations, and Ezekial - and all of the new testament. It's possible.... :)

Mom surprised me with this on Christmas Eve:
I'd mentioned that I was looking through it during one of our trips to the bookstore and she got it for me! Chandler thinks I'm crazy for the number of Bibles I now have... but I like that this one poses questions after some of the readings. It's challenging and I like that it makes me think. I don't always understand what I read and the questions often get my attention and I realize the deeper meaning of what I just read.

About that collection...
When I started reading the Bible through, confused is not even the word I'd go for... I had no idea how much was repeated. Someone suggested that I read a chronological version. What? They have that? Yep indeed. So, I found a cheap paperback copy and I'll start on Friday.
I'm really lucky that our insurance company has points we can earn by logging health and wellness activities. So far, I've used all of my points to order books from Amazon.
These are just a few of my current books. I have another stack that consists of some novels, other nonfiction, and then a stack of magazines that date back to August that I still haven't gotten around to reading. Can one be a stay at home reader? I could write some mad reviews!
What books are you reading?

2 comments:

Jill Foley said...

I'm putting some of these on my list! I, too, was wanting to read through the Bible this next year and was thinking about grabbing a Chronological one. Want to be my "Bible read-through buddy"? It helps me to be accountable to someone.

GinSpaghetti said...

Absolutely, let's do it! I'm worried I'll end up skipping ahead when I have more time, which might be okay as I know there will be other days that I don't have as much time. Accountability will definitely be helpful!

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it, but I'm afraid God would ask me the same question."
-Anonymous
You don't change the world by trying to change the world; you change the world by changing yourself.
-Gerry Straub