My Bible for 2012

Each year I try to read from a different (version) bible for a new perspective.  I'm amazed at the many choices that we have nowadays!  ;-)

This year my dad and step-mom sent us The Expositior's Study Bible (KJV) Crossfire Edition for Christmas.  It's from Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and is actually a teen/young adult bible.

I'm enjoying the commentary as it's directly after the scripture addressed.  Bible and Commentary in one.  It makes for good retention and better understanding all the way around.  Granted, I don't agree with everything the commentary presents but overall it's very informative.  The older kids are impressed with it as well.

As a rule I try to read 3-5 chapters each day.  Our local radio station JoyFM has a nifty little chart that any box checker should love!!  You can find it here.  Print it up if you like and chart your progress.  Or just wing it and read as much as you are able on a daily (or nearly so) basis.  I confess that I've never made it all the way through in one year but I continue to strive for that goal.  :-)

I Will Be Free

I'm re-reading Hinds' Feet On High Places by Hannah Hurnard.

Need to feel loved by our Savior? Want to feel special--that there's no one else like you in the Lord's eyes? Do you need reassurance that you are worthy--that if you were the only soul in the world, Jesus would have still went to the cross just for you? Are you discouraged? Do you need to feel forgiveness and compassion? This is the book for you!!! Oh, to wrap your heart around the Lover of our souls.

As I've been reading, I keep thinking of this song by Cindy Morgan--I Will Be Free.  I don't know whether she wrote it with this book in mind--but it fits so beautifully. 

I Will Be Free

Cindy Morgan

The mountains are steep

And the valleys low

Already I'm weary

But I have so far to go

Oh, and Sorrow holds my hand

And Suffering sings me songs

But when I close my eyes

I know to whom I belong

Who makes me strong

I will be free

I will be free to run the mountains

I will be free

Free to drink from the living fountain

Oh, I'll never turn back

'Cause He waits for me

Oh, I will be free

A wise man, a rich man

In pauper's clothes

A Shepherd to lead us

Through the land of woes

Though many battles I have lost

So many rivers yet to cross

But when my eyes behold the Son

Who bore my loss, who paid the cost

I will be free

I will be free to run the mountains

I will be free

Free to drink from the living fountain

Oh, I'll never turn back

'Cause He waits for me

Oh, I will be free

Oh, and I'll dance on silver moonlight

And I'll walk through velvet fields

Oh, and I'll run into the arms

The arms that set me free

I will be free

I will be free to run the mountains

I will be free

Free to drink from the living fountain

Oh, I'll never turn back

'Cause He waits....

I'll never turn back

Don't you ever turn back

Because someday, someday we're gonna see

That we will be free

How to Handle Adversity

I just finished reading Charles Stanley"s "How to Handle Adversity.  Excellent book!! 

Mind you I am typing this with a very sore finger with a big bandaid on it.  I was using my vegetable slicer similar to this one...

Only with my naivety (read: stupidity!!) and experience using it, I wasn't using the thingie that goes on top to protect your fingers.  You know where this is going right?  Do you know what a 1/8 inch deep cut that's a little longer than 1/4 inch long at the tip of you index finger on the hand you use most feels like???  Not pleasant!!  I'm sure I could have went in and got stitches but, resourceful woman that I am (who really dislikes going to the dr!!), I just mixed up some Tien Chi powder and water to make a paste, globbed it on and wrapped it with a bandaid.  I love that stuff!!  You should check it out!!

Anyway, all that to say that I am no stranger to adversity!!  :-)

This book is an excellent resource in learning some of the reasons for adversity, where adversity comes from and what our attitude should be while we're walking through it. 

Many people assume wrongly that adversity is a punishment for sin (think of Job and of Jesus healing the man born blind in John 9).  I find that it's very ironic how when things are going well and blessings are falling from heaven like rain from a stormcloud people generally don't walk around proclaiming how righteous a person you must be that the Lord would bless you so abundantly!!  But as soon as things go south whispers abound in curiosity (or in downright accusations!) of what sins you must have committed to be treated so poorly by the Lord.  In a way there is blessing because you discover who really loves you and is committed to stick with you through the hard times rather than those going along for the ride during the good times--those fair weather friends, if you will.

Adversity has many benefits.  It gives you compassion for others in similar circumstances.  And while adversity is not pleasant while you are going through it, many times there is that peace that passes understanding the Lord grants to those who walk through hard times with a humble heart and a longing to do His will--even if it hurts.  Also I have felt the closest to the Lord in the midst of adversity than when blessings are being poured out.  "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

So even if you are not in the middle of adversity, this is a great read and will help you understand much more about adversity than most people know and you can be a blessing to those who are going through tough times.  The Lord calls us to love and support those in need.

Reversing Diabetes

 This is the new book that I am reading.  I'm not seeing real progress with what I was doing with Suzanne Somers Somersizing program and actually feeling worse with my blood sugars falling too low when I take my medicine as prescribed or seeing it creep too high when I "improvise".  My goal has always been to actually reverse the diabetes and get off the medication--so this book is really making me feel like I can do it.  Only thing is that it's the total opposite way that I eat.  It's high carb and low fat and low protein.  For this salt lovin carnivore it's a drastic change.  Conventional wisdom tells me that a high carb diet just isn't for a diabetic but the results that he gets from his patients...  Well I just gotta try it!!

I know it seems like I'm just kind of hopping from one thing to another but when you have a doctor who just tells you to be a good girl and do what he says and don't worry about any of it--when you know that there's a better way...  And I'm not one to go to the doctor anyway!  I've always tended to do things "my way".  So this is me just trying to get everything figured out and get on the path that will take me to my desired destination.  I've just hit some dead ends and construction along the way.

So on the 26th I plan to start this new way of eating and see if it works the way I hope that it will.  I'll be posting updates.

Country Women...

This is the book that I am currently reading.  I checked it out from the library (our library carries lots of older, wonderful, classic books!!).  I'm reading homesteading books right now--you can never know enough, right?!  Anywho...  I love all the information since it's geared toward women and it's not filled with macho-ese (male speak).  ;-)  However, since it was written in the 1970s it's a bit dated.  But the biggest drawback is that it has a lot of feministic viewpoints.  Well, I guess that's a no-brainer!  Written in the 70s by radical homesteading women = feminism. 

The diary that is interspersed throughout the book is written by a young woman who begins homesteading with her husband and then, through much introspection, walks the path of "discovering" herself.  She ends up splitting up with her husband which I find very sad.  (To be fair, I haven't gotten to the end of the book yet so I don't know the end of the whole story yet.) 

She claims that she abdicates herself--gives way to the preferences of others too often--particularly her husband.  In feminism it's all about "how can I best fulfill my potential?"  And while I believe that women should indeed fulfill their potential, the thing that I love most about Christianity is that I don't have to wander around in the dark wondering who I really am and what I'm supposed to be doing with my life.  I don't have to feel ashamed of being a wife, mother and keeper of the home, for these jobs are sacred callings.  I don't have to feel anger when I give of myself to my husband and children by taking care of their needs and neglecting some of my own.  The Lord has given women a deep desire to nurture (people, animals, our homes, etc...) and something dies inside of us when we ignore that desire.  I think that nurturing is a woman's defining characteristic and it's a shame to feel badly about ourselves for displaying that trait.

I believe that a woman can be strong, have a full and productive life, AND fulfill their nurturing desires without getting lost in trying to "find ourselves".  It can be difficult to balance each of these things.  I know I tend toward feminism way more than I would like due to the influences of the world we live in and just plain sinfulness.  But I know that I feel best when a balance is achieved.  And when I count as blessings those things that would seem to be abdication, then I feel joy for being a little bit of Jesus in someone's life.

So that's a few random thoughts on the subject of feminism.  And regarding the book--I'm enjoying the homesteading, pioneering spirit and thanking the Lord for His gift of salvation and direction in my life!!

Full Moon Feast

I'm reading this wonderful book titled "Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection" by Jessica Prentice.

I am really enjoying the stories about how our ancestors ate and the connection to seasonal eating through the "monthly" moons.  In my quest to eat a more traditional diet this is really helping me to feel the passion for growing my own food and preserving our abundance for winter using my dehydrator--a more traditional approach to preservation--rather than canning or freezing.

I am just so loving this book!!!  :-)

Full Moon Feast

I'm reading this wonderful book titled "Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection" by Jessica Prentice.

I am really enjoying the stories about how our ancestors ate and the connection to seasonal eating through the "monthly" moons. In my quest to eat a more traditional diet this is really helping me to feel the passion for growing my own food and preserving our abundance for winter using my dehydrator--a more traditional approach to preservation--rather than canning or freezing.

I am just so loving this book!!! :-)

The Schwarzbein Principle

Does anyone else find dietary advice on healthful eating confusing?  So many conflicting opinions on what is good and bad--to eat or not eat protein, which oils are good for your body and which aren't, who's diet plan to follow...  The list goes on and on.

Right now I am reading the book The Schwarzbein Principal: The Program

My goal, whenever I read a book, is to glean the information that is relevant to my situation and that matches up to the ideals that I hold to be true.

Much of this program speaks to my "traditional foods" frame of mind by encouraging you to eat foods that you can "pick, gather, milk, fish or hunt".  I believe that there is wisdom in living and eating as close to nature as possible.  My heart's desire is to prepare foods in the ways that our ancestors did before all of our modern convenience foods and gadgets.

However, I find that the recommended amounts of food to be a bit too high.  I cannot eat that much food and to "gag it down" seems like an affront to my body's wisdom.  As always I come back to the "moderation in all things" philosophy.  I'm not afraid to eat--and eat a lot.  I just have a hard time digesting so much food.

I bought the accompanying cookbook and look forward to using many of the recipes in the future.

I'm going to be a Reviewer for Book Sneeze

I love books!! I feel very much like the Dutch priest Desiderius Erasmus when he said, "When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.” A friend once told me that she wished she had all of the money that I've spent on books. (blush) I know that there are many others who own way more than I do though!!

So now, thanks to reading over at Moo said the moma, I'm going to review books for Thomas Nelson like Kari does. :-) Actually I had wanted to do something like that for quite some time and I decided to just sign up and do it. My first book will be the revised and expanded edition of John Eldredge's "Wild At Heart". Ooooo I can't wait!! :-)

Of Books and Beauty

After years of waiting to have some extra money to buy new bookshelves (or have DH build me some), Sons #1 & 3 scrounged around in our barn and dug out on of my old (particle board WalMart special) bookshelves to add to our bedroom. I have one in there already that's keeping my more recent (past 2 or 3 years worth) book purchases but I really want to get my boxes of books out of the storage buckets that I've been storing for some time now. I've missed them so much. We boxed them up while doing some remodeling and I just never brought them back in. Out of sight but never out of mind!!

I confess, I am an official bookaholic. Don't worry about finding a recovery group for me 'cause I'm perfectly happy wallowing in my addiction!! When I buy a book, I always try to buy a used one first--one small way of living "green". Mostly I buy from eBay, Amazon or Half.com but I love looking in thrift stores or at yardsales too. Even better are ones that are given to us!!

When I became a Christian (nearly 21 years ago) we had three small children and very little spare cash. One day I discovered a beautiful blue velvet covered book at our Christian book store and just had to have it. It was by Anne Ortlund and titled, "Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman". I am ever so glad that I bought that book. Even though I hadn't been a Christian for long, that book was water for my thirsty soul. Oh how I longed to be beautiful and feel approval!!

One of the first teachings I learned through Anne was to "practice the presence of Christ". I am so thankful that I learned this principle early on. Not only did I learn that He would never leave me or forsake me but that I could speak my heart to Him at any point during the day--or the night--because I was always in His presence. My good deeds were before Him (loving my husband and children, running my home in a pleasing manner, etc...) as well as my bad ones (saying hurtful things, thinking bad thoughts, having a tantrum, etc...). It's always been easier for me to repent and seek forgiveness when I know that God is not pleased with my behavior. It helps me to be real and genuine when I understand that nothing can be hidden from His eyes. And though He desires that I do my best, I know He loves me even when I'm acting my worst. He patiently waits for me to come to my senses, suck it up and ask for His help and forgiveness.

This same wonderful book is not in my posession any longer since it was a victim of the flood we lost everything to in 1993. I have replaced it with another copy and it is in one of those storage buckets that I'm eagerly waiting to empty. I want, no NEED to read it again!! It's been many years since I last read it but I know that the Lord will speak to me again through it. So much time has passed since I first read it but the desire to be beautiful and approved is still there and maybe even stronger than ever!!