books

March 28, 2016

The Hub’s & My Monthly Mentionables {March}

I invited my smart, talented and geeky-in-a-cool-way hubby, Adam, to join me this month and add some variety since we have pretty different taste when it comes to books and podcasts.

Last month I was beginning to wrestle with my smartphone addiction and this month I took a few steps to try and get that under control, while still enjoying some of the benefits. But in the months to come, I’ll be sharing more about ways I’m hoping to live differently as it comes to clothing, money, relationships, technology & possessions; so sign up for emails to be sure you don’t miss the exploration!

Here’s a compilation of what we’ve been up to media-wise. This month actually marks the first time in my life that I said, “So I heard on this podcast…” Not sure if that makes me nerdier, or more cool…

Books:
Leslie~
Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith, by Sarah Bessey
I’ve had this book on my list since I started stalking the archives of Sarah’s blog. Sarah invites her readers into her journey as she sorts out what to keep and what to dispose of when it comes to church and her spiritual beliefs (spoiler: there’s not much that she throws out that had a right to be there to begin with). But if there’s a single melody to her tune, it‘s her love song to Jesus throughout the entire book. If you need to fall in love with Jesus again, then Out of Sorts is the book for you.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo
You can read my review of this book here, but in a nutshell, it motivated me to declutter, but wasn’t very practical if you have small children.

Adam~
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari
An amazing overview of the entirety of human history, from anthropology to politics to religion, a fascinating read.

A Tale For the Time Being, by Ruth Ozeki
Japanese and American culture, writing, and quantum physics, what more could you want? Great characters and an engrossing story, one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Kiku’s Prayer, by Shusako Endo
A recent translation into English from the writer of Silence and Deep River, this is a great book, but more for big fans of Endo’s work.

Podcasts:
Leslie~
Sorta Awesome
Still working my way through the back episodes of this podcast. I feel like these ladies are becoming my friends and they have some really fabulous and relatable guests on the show.

Shalom in the City
Listened to all three episodes so far and loved them all! Osheta interviews women doing extraordinary things with their lives.

The Minimalists
The first episode wasn’t my favorite, but the one on technology was very helpful.

Adam~
Reveal
“Pumped on Trump” episode – a great look into Trump’s popularity and the people that support him (because I wondered who actually did…).

This American Life
Something Only I Can See episode, a truly amazing story about two women who may or may not share a rare genetic disorder. Also in article form (with pictures!).

Radio Lab
Birth Story episode – absolutely crazy story about surrogate mothers, cross-border adoption, and international absurdities.

Reply All
Milk Wanted episode – the free market (a.k.a. free-for-all) of online breast milk.

Surprisingly Awesome
Broccoli episode – did you know that broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, among others, are all actually the same plant? This episode will blow your mind, like, gray matter will literally leak out your ears.

Recipes:
(All made by Leslie, though enjoyed by Adam. We have a great gig, actually, I get to cook and he does the dishes!)

Spinach Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Bell Pepper (Cookie + Kate)
This was probably my least favorite new recipe this month, though I made at least two of Cookie + Kate’s other recipes that I’ve shared in previous posts. This one just seemed a little like something I could have just thrown together myself (which means that it wasn’t very exciting). Not my fave.

Sunday Frittata (The Pioneer Woman)
I’ve actually made this before, but I think I made it twice this month, so it seemed worth mentioning. I skipped the olives since that seemed like a strange addition (even though I love olives), but pretty much followed the recipe. The only other change was that I cooked the potatoes with the onions since I didn’t have any pre-cooked potatoes. Yum.

Skinny Spinach Lasagna (Pinch of Yum)
I guess I need to try a new lasagna recipe each month. Although I’m usually snobby about not using processed food, I went with the jarred spaghetti sauce in this one and the ease made it that much tastier (and more likely that I will make it again). Very good.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage (All Recipes)
Of course I had to make this, along with a friend’s Irish Soda Bread recipe, for St. Patrick’s Day (though it was mainly because I was having people over and it seemed like a good excuse for a feast!). I would definitely recommend this and the broth with extra veggies was great even after the meat was long gone. I’d make again for sure.

St. Patrick’s Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars (All Recipes)
Again, though I was skeptical of using so many prepackaged items (cake mix and frosting, mainly), this was ah-ma-zing. And so worth cutting corners. I couldn’t find mint chips, so I just cut up Andes mints instead and of course they tasted better than fine.

Fascinating Articles (according to Leslie):

America’s Best Food Blogs
(A great list of blogs if you’re looking for motivation in the kitchen!)

Because We’re Too Lazy to Write an Actual Book, by Elizabeth and Jonathan Trotter
(A great list of resources from a husband and wife team of writers/bloggers relating to Christian marriage and missions.)

How White Privilege Affects 8 People of Color on a Day-to-Day Basis, by Paige Tutt for Bustle

Most Emergencies Aren’t, by Joshua Fields Millburn for The Minimalists Blog
(For tips on reining in the smartphone addiction.)

We’re Not Meant to do this alone: American Individualism is Destroying our Families, by Tarja Parssinen for Salon

When You’re Accustomed to Privilege, Equality Feels Like Oppression, by Chris Boeskool for Huffington Post

Why Jesus’ Skin Color Matters, by Christena Cleveland for Christianity Today

Why I Ditched Social Media for Lent, by Cara Meredith for SheLoves Magazine

8 Truths Moms with Little Ones Really Need to Hear, by Melissa L. Fenton for Scary Mommy

New-to-me (Leslie) Blogs:
Esther Emery
I stumbled on this blog and have loved the transparency of Esther’s writing, but also hearing about their fascinating life living in a yurt in Idaho. I especially resonated with the posts listed here. They also do a Youtube channel about homesteading, homestead survival, off–grid solutions and permaculture (I’m honestly not even sure what that is…to google I go…)

Flower Patch Farmgirl
I came across this blog twice this month, so it must have been meant to be. The first time was as a resource about transracial adoption from my friend, Rachel, who I interviewed for this post. Just a day or two later, I heard the blogger, Shannan Martin, interviewed on episode 3 for the podcast Shalom in the City and just had to check out more of her work.

Life Considered/Judy Wu Dominick
Judy has some really great content on her site relating to helping Christians better engage across racial, cultural, religious and socioeconomic lines. The article that caught my attention was this one, called How Talking to Your Kids about Race Helps Fulfill the Great Commission.

From Scraping Raisins:
In case you missed it…

The Ugly Truth about Diversity
“Diversity is what I miss most about living in Chicago.
But though we were exposed to the world’s flavors, colors, textures and sounds, I often felt like an imposter. Was I actually friends with anyone who looked different from me or spoke a different language from me? Had they been to my home or had I been to theirs?

Do we wear diversity as a badge, patting ourselves on the back for being racially diverse without actually entering into any relationships with people of other races and cultures?” Continue reading…

On Race, Rights & Raising a Black Son: An Interview with Rachel Yantis
“I suppose at a base level, many fears are the same as they would be if my son were white. I want him to be a godly man filled with character and living out the gifts God has given him – whatever those end up to be. But, I think about safety. I think about mistaken identity. I think about stop-and-frisk. I think about the white umbrella and wonder how long he will be underneath it with us.” Continue reading…

Friendship through the Layers
“I have layers. You have layers. Our layers usually lie dormant and unseen, though our oldest friends know the former versions of ourselves.

So as each year wraps yet another layer over my past experiences, I’ve found myself wondering how new friends will ever know the true me without knowing all that lies beneath the surface.” Continue reading…

SAHMs and the Need to Create
“I’ve begun to notice a trend. Stay-at-home-moms are creating. In the void left by careers and education, we are given the gift of expanding into our potential as creators. From sheer observation alone, this is the time of life that stay-at-home parents are most likely to begin an Etsy shop, start a non-profit or business, write a blog, explore a new art form or become serious about a hobby. I used to belittle women who would spend hours on Pinterest for their children’s parties when a friend said to me, “Hey, we need to get our creativity out in some way!” Continue reading…

These posts are for a series I’m doing on Thursdays this year for anyone sorting through what it means to be a writer (and specifically a writer who follows Jesus). You’re invited to join me on my journey!

Taming Spaghetti Brain
3 Myths of Perfectionism
The Well is Deep
When’s the Last Time You Did Something Terrifying?

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What about you? Do you have any books, podcasts, articles or blogs to recommend? We’d love to hear them! Have you come across any of the same media as us? What was your take?

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Last post: Taming Spaghetti Brain

Linking up with Leigh Kramer and Emily P. Freeman

Here's a compilation of what we've been up to media-wise. This month actually marks the first time in my life that I said, "So I heard on this podcast..." Not sure if that makes me nerdier, or more cool...

February 26, 2016

Monthly Mentionables {February}

Though I joined the Smartphone World almost two years ago, it’s taken awhile for me to figure out exactly how to use it in the most useful, least annoying way. I’m still learning, and as you’ll see from some of the articles listed, I’ve begun to wonder if the line is beginning to blur between me controlling IT and IT controlling me…but that’s for another day and post. That said, there is a lot that has enriched my life this month that I wanted to share with you and I’d love to hear of any related resources you have found this month. Just leave a comment below the post! Also I’m attempting to figure out Twitter, so if you want to follow me, you can find me here. So far, I mostly feel like a schoolgirl looking in while the cool kids chat 😉

For what it’s worth, this is what I found to be “mentionable” in February:

Books (my goal is to read two a month, so done and done)
Beautiful Ruins: A Novel, by Jess Walter
Read this book to the end and you’ll find yourself in tears–most likely in a public setting, because, of course. The story shifts between present day and the 1940’s to show how the lives of several individuals intertwine. The characters are fascinating, but also believable. My husband and I loved the insider perspective on the entertainment industry.

Favorite quote: “There are only two good outcomes for a quest like this, the hope of the serendipitous savant–sail for Asia and stumble on America–and the hope of scarecrows and tin men: that you find out you had the thing you sought all along” (p. 284).

Looming Transitions, by Amy Young
Written for those either preparing to go abroad or returning home, I actually found so much of this book to be applicable to any of life’s transitions. You can read my review of Looming Transitions here, but this was probably my favorite quote (which I mentioned in my post “Motherhood and the Big Picture”):

“This transition will not become of the sum of your life…It’s natural for people to mark things in terms of before or after events: graduation, marriage, a certain job, a baby, a painful breakup, a big move, or a serious health issue. But those events don’t become the story. They become a page in the story or possibly the beginning of a new chapter. They join a plot larger than the transition each one creates. Part of staying fertile, then, involves reminding yourself of of the bigger picture–the bigger story–that came before and will live on after it” (pg. 37).

Apps/Sites
ThredUp
I haven’t actually used this yet, but ThredUp is an online thrift store/consignment shop that you can buy from and sell to. The great part about it is that unlike a real thrift store, you can do specific searches for exactly what you need. Lately, I’ve been thinking more about possibly buying all of our clothing second hand (though I haven’t actually made the commitment yet…), so this sounds like a great way to shop without having to go to a ton of stores.

Circle (with Disney)
I first heard about this from the podcast I listen to, Sorta Awesome. Though my kids are still young, this sounds like an amazing way for parents to keep track of all the devices in the house. From the site: “Manage all of your home’s connected devices. With Circle, parents can filter content, limit screen time and set a bedtime for every device in the home.” It costs $99, but the downside is that it’s only for Apple.

Oneplace.com
This is a Christian radio directory that a friend told me about where you can listen to sermons from hundreds of different people all in “one place.”

The 30 Second Bible Series
This is the introduction straight from the site: “The #30SecondBible series features dozens of voices reflecting on the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, you will hear summaries of each book and reflections on the good news they contain. Follow along each day to hear progressive and liberal voices claiming the Bible as book that they know and love. This is the Bible for busy people, thirty seconds at a time.” A great resource if you have limited time!

6 Recipes I Tried This Month:
We’ve been trying to be more intentional about having people over (thus the lack of T.V. or movie recommendations this month), so it helped me to stay inspired to try out some new recipes. Here’s my take on the ones I tried (note that I didn’t necessarily LOVE all of these).

1. Eggs Benedict Casserole (Chew Out Loud)
This was amazing. A woman brought this to our Bible study and blew us all away. Just know that the cooking time takes longer than the recipe states and you should probably let it sit for about 10 or 15 minutes after you cook it, thus avoiding the situation I found myself in with 8 of my family members trying to get out the door and waiting on a liquidy casserole, resulting in plan B, bagels;-(

2. Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls (Cookie + Kate)
Though I used butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes, this turned out really great. My only problem was that it took longer than I expected and my kids didn’t want to eat green rice. So sad.

3. Healthy Mexican Casserole (Pinch of Yum)
If I make this again, I will definitely add some kind of meat because it seemed to be missing something. Other than that, it was very colorful and tasted good (enough) and we had lots of leftovers for lunches.

4. Spicy Fish Taco Bowls (Pinch of Yum)
The fish in this was ah-MA-zing. Yum. Pan fried crispy and slightly spicy, it was so delicious. The slaw was okay, though I made the mistake of trying to put the cabbage into the food processor instead of chopping it, so it had a strange consistency. And we noticed that the slaw had a bad odor the next day, though it still tasted fine. But other than that, I’ll be making this again.

5. Easy Crockpot Carnitas (Pinch of Yum)
I made this for a family of 6 who came over for dinner and everyone seemed to enjoy it. It didn’t seem like enough to just have the meat and tortillas, so I combined it with the Sweet Corn and Black Bean Tacos I made last month (from Cookie + Kate) and it was just perfect. Plus, it makes your house smell great all day long as it’s cooking up in the crock pot!

6. Creamy Chicken & Quinoa Broccoli Casserole (Pinch of Yum)
This was probably my least favorite new recipe this month. I didn’t like the texture of the quinoa in the casserole and it had kind of a strange BBQ flavor that clashed with the other ingredients. If I try this again, I may replace the quinoa with rice instead.

7 Articles from the Web:
1. A Stay-at-Home Parent is not a ‘Luxury,’ by Allison B. Carter, The New York Times

“I am not here to argue who works harder: a working mother or a stay-at-home mother. I stand firm on my belief that it is hard for everyone. What goads me are the financial and lifestyle implications this statement carries.”

2. For all the ‘World-Changers’ Now Driving a Mini-Van , by Ashley Hales, The Mudroom

“But what if “vocation” is not booming? What if vocation is small?

And what if, “calling” is actually doing something very tiny, so miniscule that no one even sees? What then? Is it still valuable?”

3. How I Quit My Smartphone Addiction and Really Started Living, by Jenna Woginrich, The Guardian

“I’ve been clean a year and a half now, and I’m doing fine. I get plenty of work, I don’t miss invitations, and I’m no longer scared of my own thoughts. These are not small victories in a world where constant communication isn’t just a convenient accessory – it’s a second skin.”

4. I’m White, but I Married the Son of a Black History Icon–and This Is What I Discovered About Color, by Cara Meredith, For Every Mom

“So, examine your privilege. Turn privilege into understanding, and let understanding guide you toward a desire to learn. Then, when your insides are itching and screaming and thundering for equality, let this desire be funneled into activism.”

5. Series from Christianity Today for women on sex: Why Christian Women Need to Talk About Sex

“Welcome to the first post in a series we’re calling The Sex We Don’t Talk About, exploring elements of female sexuality that rarely come up among Christians. While the church has grown more comfortable with addressing sex in sermons, seminars, and marriage books, rarely do we hear a female perspective on teaching meant for the whole church.”

6. This is actually a video: If This Video Doesn’t Convince You To Put Down Your Smartphone, Nothing Will

7. 60+ Marriage Resources for Christians, Sarah Bessey blog

“Some of these resources are theological in nature, others are more practical application. Some are overtly egalitarian while others simply embrace that theological position without labels. Most are overtly Christian, all are from diverse traditions, some are interfaith while others are appropriate for agnostics and atheists. You’ll have to see what works for you!”

New (to me) Blogs:
The Culture Blend
As someone who thinks and writes about crossing-cultures, this blog is a gem.

Small Town Laowai
In the mood to laugh? If you’ve spent any amount of time in China, this white woman’s take on China and culture clashes is hilarious.

Scraping Raisins:
Top Post in February: White People Are Boring

Thursday Thoughts for Writers Series: When I Forget to Love, Christian Art, 10 Quotes for Writers

4 Bits of Writing News
If you didn’t get a chance, check out some of the articles I got published this month (my second and third EVER).

1. When We Fear, (an article on the theme Hesed) for Velvet Ashes

“Hesed is the “yet” in the middle of our fear.

Hesed is God’s steadfast, loyal, unfailing, unconditional, merciful love. It is an anchor love that roots us solidly within the storm. It is following our headlights straight into the darkness and trusting them to lead us as we drive on. It is the love of Jesus who, like a small child playing hide-and-seek, jumps out of hiding the second we begin to seek Him, crying, “Here I am! Find me!”

2. Dear Single Missionary, for A Life Overseas
(This was actually the first public article I wrote for this blog in August of 2015, so I was so honored to have it published.)

“I write this to my 26 year old self who had just sold her car and possessions, quit her job, and left all her prospects for marriage to go live in the middle of nowhere (only four foreigners in the entire city and an eight-hour bus ride from an airport) and obey the call of her Jesus.”

3. Our love story is now featured at Kindred Grace, a site for Christian women about love and relationships.

4. I’m attending my first writing conference in Denver on February 27, called Writers on the Rock!

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What did you come across in February?

Next Post: When’s the last time you did something terrifying?

Linking up with What I’m Into with Leigh Kramer and Literacy Musing Mondays

January 1, 2016January 13, 2017

(My and My Husband’s) Media Discoveries in 2015: Blogs, Podcasts, Apps, Books and T.V.

My smart and talented husband, Adam, agreed to join me in this post to add a more cool/geeky side to my reflective/analytical recommendations of what we have been reading and listening to this year. We weren’t sure if all of these were discoveries for us in 2015, but they were definitely a part of our lives this year. Please introduce yourself in the comments below and leave us some new recommendations for 2016, we’d love it!

BLOGS
I just joined the blogging world in August of 2015, which is certainly not the solitary endeavor that I once thought. Before I started a blog, I could have probably named two blogs off the top of my head, but I have had the privilege of reading hundreds over the past few months. Here are a few that I’m loving (that are not new to blog lovers, I’m sure):

Spiritual/lifestyle blogs:
Sarah Bessey. Sarah is my new best friend (she just doesn’t know it yet). She has this way of writing that speaks to your soul.
Shelly Miller: Redemption’s Beauty. Shelley now lives in London with her family. Her photos are incredible. She started the Sabbath Society, which is a group of hundreds of women who are committed to observing the Sabbath each week.
My Daily Bread and Butter. I found Devi through writing #Write31Days this year as we were both writing a series on transition (but she was transitioning from Sweden to Australia). Her poignant words are heartfelt and poetic and I think I now count her as my first virtual friend.
Modern Mrs. Darcy. For a book-lover, this site is a must-read. This is a very new one to me, but I was excited to find a site that is dedicated to books.
The Messy Middle. Okay, I’m pretty sure I didn’t discover Amy Young’s blog this year, but as I have started writing more, I have appreciated it more than ever before. I love her perspective on life and how intentional and honest she is in her posts.
Life of a Pilgrim. This is one of the most amazing stories I have been a part of praying for all year. If you want to cry every post, then follow along as Katherine blogs about her journey after her child was given a terminal diagnosis early on in her pregnancy (this links to one of the early posts, but I couldn’t find the first one).

Food Blogs: Cookie and Kate (whole foods and vegetarian recipes) and Pinch of Yum. Both of these sites have healthy, delicious food and I have made several recipes from each.

ONLINE JOURNALS:
For Christian women:
SheLoves and (In)Courage

For Expats/Cross-cultural Perspectives:
Velvet Ashes
A Life Overseas
Rocky Reentry
Taking Route

The Blogs Adam Reads:
Kottke.org
Boing Boing
Damn Interesting
Astronomy Pic of the Day
Space.com
Wired
Slate.com

BOOKS
Check out my post on my favorite books from 2015 here and my husband’s at his blog here. Mine have a definite memoir/historical fiction/spiritual narrative slant and his have a science/science fiction slant, so combined, you could become a very well-balanced reader!

PODCASTS
This is probably my weakest category as I haven’t joined the Podcast craze yet, but I did listen to Serial this year on our overnight drives between Colorado and Chicago. And I just recently started listening to the podcast, Sorta Awesome, because it was mentioned by several bloggers I’m following. Other than that, I wanted to put a plug in for the podcast, Sexy Marriage Radio, which all married couples should listen to for some really great discussions on married sex.

Adam, on the other hand, is definitely that person you know who starts sentences with, “I heard on this Podcast…” Annoyingly smart and one of those people who remembers everything he reads and hears, podcasts are just fuel for his knack for trivia.

Here are some of his recommendations for podcasts:
RadioLab, This American Life, Reply All, Mystery Show, Reveal, Lore, Surprisingly Awesome, Snap Judgement, Arrvls, StartUp, Note to Self, Love and Radio, 99% Invisible, Hidden Brain

PHONE APPS
I have been in the Smartphone world less than two years, so I’m probably the last person to recommend apps to anyone, but for what it’s worth, here are the apps on my Android phone right now:

YouVersion, Gas Guru, Maps, Pandora, Pocket Casts, Feedly (for viewing multiple blogs), Pocket (for saving articles), our public library app, Audible, Kindle, White Noise Free, Goodreads,
Skype, BBC News, CNN news, Line Dictionary (Chinese/English Dictionary), Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram

Adam’s Apps:
He has many of the same ones I do, but also uses: Flipboard (for viewing news), Play Newstand, Quora, Dropbox, and Adblock Browser

T.V.
This was not a year for movies for us since we go to the theater about four times a year and are usually too tired to watch more than a 45 minute T.V. show in the evenings. We really enjoyed watching Orphan Black (on Amazon) and Blacklist (Netflix). We also watched Madame Secretary, but weren’t really in love with it (I call it “Madame Sex” because Tea Leoni is so stinkin sexy).

But if we happen to have an evening alone, we watch our own shows.

For Adam, that included: Walking Dead, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Better Call Saul

For me: Downtown Abby, Parenthood, Call the Midwife, and re-watching Gilmore Girls (obviously)

And though we didn’t discover it this year, we really love Raising Hope, which is probably the goofiest show you can watch (perfect for for us since we are award-winning goofballs).

For my three-year-old son, the shows I’ve settled on for him (all on Netflix and less than 30 minutes long) are: Daniel Tiger, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, Dinosaur Train and Super Why. (Though I’m certainly not a stranger to letting him watch a 45 minute Bob the Builder or 1-hour Winne the Pooh movie, just for the sake of full-disclosure).

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I mean it when I say I’d love to meet you in the comments and read some recommendations for any of the above categories! I’m sure with our diverse interests they are bound to appeal to one of us!

Soon, I’ll be posting some of the more personal and spiritual discoveries I made in 2015, so check back in!

What were you into media-wise in 2015?

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Linking up with Emily P. Freeman: What I Learned in 2015

December 19, 2015January 13, 2017

Favorite Books in 2014 & 2015

Here are a few of my recommendations from what little I have read over the past two years. (Since I didn't begin blogging until this year and I read some really fantastic books last year that I'd like to mention).

My husband reads about seventy books a year, so I am always a little embarrassed about how little I read in comparison (though, to be fair, he IS an audio book narrator, so he counts those books as well). But for what it’s worth, here are a few of my recommendations from what little I have read over the past two years. (Since I didn’t begin blogging until this year and I read some really fantastic books last year that I’d like to mention).

Books I Loved Best:

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
I can’t believe it took me so long to read this incredible book. I first tried to read this in college before well, life, and I just wasn’t ready for it. The characters, imagery, themes, style, and depth of research were amazing (she spent 10 years researching for it!). Loved it. I feel like this is a book everyone who wants to go into missions should read as a manual of what not to do.

Bringing up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting, by Pamela Druckerman
I’m a sucker for a good book on cultural differences and this book has had a huge influence on my parenting, from what I feed my babies (anything I eat) to helping them sleep through the night (if they can do it in France…). But it mostly just gave me peace of mind that there is not only ONE way to parent because someone somewhere in the world is doing it differently than I am and their kids become responsible members of society (as an aside, watch the documentary Babies to help you feel better as a mom–you can always tell yourself, In some countries, kids eat dirt and they still grow up into healthy adults).

Practicing the Presence of People: How We Learn to Love, by Mike Mason
Mike wrote one of my husband and I’s favorite books on marriage, The Mystery of Marriage, so we knew we wanted to read any other books he has written. This book has sat on our shelf for over a year and it wasn’t until this season where I am trying to figure out how to make new friends in my 30’s after moving to a new place that I finally picked it up. I underlined over fifty percent of the book, so apt were his words, as if he were speaking right to my soul. His writing style is beautiful and so profound that you feel deeper just by reading it.

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, More Secure Kids, by Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross
This book has also been a major shaper of my parenting style and after reading it I promptly got rid of over half of our toys (so beware!). But I loved how scientific it was and the ways it illuminated much of what our society deems as needs for kids are actually wants.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, by Jen Hatmaker
Similar to Simplicity Parenting, this book challenged much of my thinking about the sheer amount of stuff we have in our house. I love Jen’s hilarious writing style and relatability. I can’t say that I actually did everything that she suggested, but it caused me to take stock of my life and all that might be excessive about it.

Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
I can’t believe I never read this before. I loved the lyrical style and timeless essays on womanhood. Her writing reminded me of Annie Dillard, but with fewer descriptions of bugs;-)

Family on Mission, by Mike Breen
This book was recommended to me by a friend who is trying to put this style of ministry into practice. This year, I feel that it has shaped my perception of ministry as the Breens encourage people to invite people into your life and come alongside your family instead of having ministry be compartmentalized from your real life.

Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
A fiction novel, this book was beautifully written and had characters that you could truly fall in love with. It touches on the possibility of miracles and rings with themes of redemption and forgiveness. I was swept into the story immediately and couldn’t put it down.

Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy (sequel), by Lisa See
While I was living in China, I wasn’t as interested in reading books about China, but since I’ve been back for five years, I find I’m growing nostalgic. I loved this book and its sequel as it was well-written and spanned many years of Chinese culture including Shanghai during the dawn of the cultural revolution, immigration to the U.S. and later life back in China in a labor camp. Having actual characters in a story always helps me to better understand history, so I appreciated these books and feel they were very accurate to what I have read and experienced of Chinese history.

Also Worth the Read:

Non-fiction:
Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem and the Joys of Motherhood, by Rachel Jankovic

Mom Enough: The Fearless Mother’s Heart and Hope, by multiple contributors from Desiring God

Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, by Madeleine L’Engle (this was the fourth time I’ve read this–one of my all time favorites)

Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God, by Margaret Feinberg

How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm and Other Adventures in Parenting (From Argentina to Tanzania and Everywhere in Between), by Mei-Ling Hopgood

Sacred Parenting: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls, by Gary Thomas

The Friendships of Women: The Beauty and Power of God’s Plan for Us, by Dee Brestin

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin

Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds, by Cynthia Gabriel

Fiction:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows

Some Kind of Fairy Tale, by Graham Joyce

Among Others, by Jo Walton

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand

(For those who don’t know about it, I would highly recommend using the website Goodreads to keep track of what books you have read, want to read and are currently reading. It connects you to other friends and I often get my book recommendations from there.)

I have about 100 books on my list of books to read, which at this rate is going to take me about 10 years! My goal this year? Read 20 minutes (at least!) a day. We’ll see if I can do it…

What were your favorite books this year (or last)? I’d love to get some new recommendations!
Do you have any reading goals this year?

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Linking up with: Literacy Musing Mondays and Booknificent Thursday

Category: books

The Hub’s & My Monthly Mentionables {March}

Monthly Mentionables {February}

(My and My Husband’s) Media Discoveries in 2015: Blogs, Podcasts, Apps, Books and T.V.

Favorite Books in 2014 & 2015

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