rainy night

It's a rainy day, It's a rainy day
Its raining outside and I can't go out to play
Why do we need the rain, anyway?

We need rain because my tulips and daffodils started coming up the first weekend in February. Saturday I bought 8 or so packets of seeds to start the garden. They haven't gone down yet, but the rain is just preparing the ground.

I also love rainy days and nights because it just makes for coziness.

Last night I wanted to have a night in with pizza, a glass of wine, and a chick flick- Pride and Prejudice specifically- but all o' my friends were busy tonight and I couldn't find Pride and Predjuice andywhere. Womp womp. So pup and I ended up cuddling on the couch with banana pancakes and hot tea. This is his "can we go plaaaaay nooooww???" face. I thought about opening the bottle of wine for myself, but decided that might be too pathetic.

Then I started in on the Hunger Games. I had to give up on Water for Elephants halfway through. It was just not for me. I read the Kindle "sample" (first 20 pages) and ordered it in the mail. The paperback was cheaper than the eBook so I'll be waiting for the mail man tomorrow.

Missing my bestie...

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learning to read

When did you learn to read? What made you learn to read?

No no no, I'm not talking about the "See Spot Run" kind of reading, I'm talking about what taught you to read. Was it an interest in your city so you started reading the newspaper? Was it a love for God so you just couldn't get enough of the Bible and commentaries? Was it an interest in sports so you started reading blogs? Was it one particular book or series where you had an "aha moment and needed to read more?

That one. That last one. That's my story. I'm sure I liked to read as a 3 year old, but then I decided to skip 14 or so years before I wanted to read a book. Why? Because I was on vacation in Cancun and needed something to do other than lay on the beach and try to sleep. That actually gets really old. I started to read that day because I have this thing built into me where if I stop moving for more than 15 minutes I start to twitch. No biggie.

Anyway, I was 17 when I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Loved it. Couldn't put it down. Weird.

I came home from the trip, bought Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, devoured it also, and so on with the remainder of the series. I even tried to read the first one in spanish, but I don't think I got past page 40 or so. Maybe I should pick that back up... Anywho, to all you people who think I'm crazy for raving about a book that is mainstream, about wizards, and written for children/teens, psahw on you! HP taught me to read!

However, I still don't read often. And non-fiction is still a challenge for me (although there are some wonderful reads out there). But few weeks ago I had several people going on-and-on about how great The Help is so I bought it. started in on it this week, and am loving it. I decided you have to be able to hear the voices as you read it so that can make it challenging for some, but I hear the voices in my head... the voices from the characters in the book, not just random voices, don't worry... anyway, it works for me.

 

So there you have it. That is what taught me to read AND that is why I've been neglecting my blog all week. Forgive me?

Your turn. Answer either one or the other or both:
What taught you to read?
What are you currently reading?

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the sun stops shining

it's very fitting that the they are calling for rain for the next three days here. the sun will stop shining for a few days and will carry us through Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and into Easter.

Sometimes at night when my brain is lazy I like to pick up the Jesus Storybook Bible instead of my ESV version and just read the stories of Jesus as they are told to children. If you haven't heard of the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones, you should do yourself a favor and get a copy. Go to their website and download a few stories to read it on your own. Keep it on your own shelf, or give it to a child near you. Cause it is wonderful.

A few nights ago, Brett and I read "The Sun Stops Shining" and it was good for me to remember from a true, historical perpective, not just a theological one, what happened with Jesus on the cross. Amazing.

If you have the book walk away from the computer and go read this story. If you dont, take 5 minutes and watch this video that the company put out on their Facebook page.

Love you all.

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"The Litany of Everyday Life"

While flowers I love dearly, I do not love reading or cleaning. I'll do both simply because I love having done it- both the sense of accomplishment and the end result. Last week I was sweeping aagggaaaiiin and noticed that the piles I sweep up on a regular basis really are just enormous. I stopped to take a pic:

No. Our dog is not a lab or a golden. That is pure muck. And we had the ducts cleaned two months ago. And this was from one room. After two days of not being swept. Two.

This got me thinking. I hate the repetition and tediousness of housework. I wonder if there are any good books out there that will teach me how to do it efficiently and effectively (yes, those are the kinds of words that come to my mind on a regular basis. odd, I know)?

Well I found this book called "Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House." One of the reviews says "Home Comforts is to the house what Joy of Cooking is to food." I was instantly interested and yet intimidated at the same time. In the "customers who viewed this item bought..." section, I saw this book called "Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life." While the efficient and effectiveness will come from the former, I've begun reading the later and it is very good for my heart.

A few quotes to leave you with:

"Of course housework is about making a home, but a Christian home, properly understood, is never just for one's own family. A Christian home overflows its boundaries; it is an outpost of the kingdom of God, where the hungry are fed and the naked are clothes and there is room enough for everyone."

"Housework is repetitive, as well. You cannot pick up a room once and be done with it forever. Every time you cook a meal, it disappears shortly thereafter; a few hours later everyone is hungry again. Clothes laundered today will be in the hamper tomorrow... But repetition, in itself, is not equivalent to oppresive futility. The sun comes up every morning... Housework is akin to these natural and human rhythms of the day, the week, the year... As we engage with the litany of everyday life, we engage with life itself."

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