Summer 2020 Book List

I always look forward to when school lets out and I can begin books I have been desiring to read.  I read so much for school that when I do have free time during the semester I don't feel like using it to read for fun.  Tragic, I know!  This summer will be a bit different as I am taking a research class online and working.  However, I know I will take the time to enjoy some of these books this summer:

1. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller.  Helen Keller was someone who always fascinated me when I was younger.  I read every book the library had about her at the time, and then reread them again and again.  Something about her story and obstacles really caught my attention.  For a while, I was even trying to teach myself to read Braille because of her.

2. Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung.  This tiny little book intrigues me and I now want to read it! 

3. These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I was obsessed with Laura Ingalls and her prairie life when I was younger.  I watched all the TV episodes and read all the books up until this one for some reason.  Though it seems silly, I want to read this one and the last one ("The Last Four Years") for closure all these years later.  This should be a quick read, and everyone needs one of those every once in a while!

4. The Confessions of Saint Augustine.  Interestingly, the back cover of the book notes that this is the first autobiography ever written.  That's pretty neat!

5. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.  I read this book for a Classic Christian Literature class during high school and really enjoyed it.  It is written from such an interesting perspective.  A Bible Study group I'm in mentioned it and it made me want to read it all over again!

6. Love's Unfolding Dream by Janette Oke.  This is the next book in the Love Comes Softly Series for me. These remind me of a grown-ups version of Little House on the Prairie.  They are light reads and very enjoyable.

7. Meeting God at Every Turn by Catherine Marshall.  Catherine Marshall is the author of Christy - one of my favorite books of all time.  The inside cover of the book describes it as a "spiritual autobiography."  I'm excited to dig into this book and see what wisdom can be gleaned from Catherine Marshall's life. 

Time to grab a cool drink and get busy reading!  What does your summer reading list look like this year?

Puzzle Pieces for His Glory

Jigsaw puzzles are incredibly addicting to me.  I love a good challenge, and once I sit down to work on a puzzle I have a hard time peeling myself away from it.  Since I like to feel as if I'm being productive, even when putting together a puzzle, I often listen to an audiobook or something school-related while working with my hands.  However, I often find working on puzzles to be a very reflective time.   A time to slow down and process whatever is in my mind, which got me thinking how very much alike our lives, God's plan, and jigsaw puzzles are.  

Looking at a box of puzzle pieces, it's hard to believe that something beautiful can be made out of them, but sure enough, there is always a rewarding image upon completion.  I prefer the puzzles with at least 1000 pieces - a lot of pieces!  Taking the lid off of the box, there are so. many. pieces. just lying there waiting to be put in their rightful spot.  The sheer number is overwhelming to think about.  Thinking of our lives, there are so many pieces to be put in place.  So many thoughts, dreams, relationships, and a million other components.  Yet we have a Father who lovingly takes every puzzle piece of our lives, expertly putting them together to make something beautiful in the end.  Some pieces are oddly shaped, some may even be broken, yet they are still just as much a part of the finished product as the others.  I often struggle with deciphering where a puzzle piece goes.  I twist it, turn it, hold it up to the light, give up, and throw the piece back in the box when I can't find where it goes.  But God never has this problem with our lives.  He sovereignly knows where each piece will fit together perfectly in a way that will be glorifying to Him.  

Several years ago there was a doctor's office we went to that always had a jigsaw puzzle out for people to work on while they were waiting.  The catch was they never displayed the lid of the puzzle box.  This always frustrated me because I like to see the bigger picture so I can know what I'm working towards.  If each of our lives were a jigsaw puzzle being put together, how we would love to see the “lid” to see what it would look like when finished.  The problem is, if we knew right now what our puzzle would look like, there would be no reason for trust.  If I could see the masterpiece, I would have no need to trust that God knows what He is doing with all the puzzle pieces of my life in His hands.  Praise the Lord that He is putting together a masterpiece with His skillful hands.  Though we cannot see the end result, we can rest in the confidence that He is working everything for our good and His pleasure.  Like King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:11, we can earnestly believe that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”  

"A Family is a Circle of Love" Cross Stitch

This precious little cross-stitch made its way into our hearts the moment we saw the kit at the craft store.  My mom particularly liked this design, so I gave it to her once it was stitched.  It is now the perfect addition to our kitchen!