Reading

I was in a reading slump for a month there, but no more!

A desperate turn-the-house-inside-out search (for something never found) last week yielded a treasure trove full of books.  I opened up boxes and bins of books that were packed up a few years ago in order to help maximize the small space in which we live.

Now, instead of nothing to read, I have two new piles in each of the kids' rooms, a stack on my night table, and four books I actually carry around the house to read through the day.

What I'm reading:

The Family Idea Book - this is a nifty little collection of small ideas.  Really small - each idea is about three or four sentences.  The thoughts are organized on the page like little bubbles, with only about 5 or 6 on each page.  You can literally open up the book and read for 10 seconds, if you want.  I flew through the whole thing in a day.  Topic headings are Sabbath Day, Family Home Evening, Discipline, Individual Attention, Family Traditions, Organization, Creative Play, and "What shall we do now, Mom?"  What I love most is that it is written by two moms with a whole boat-load of kids (one has 8, the other doesn't mention how many.  But the picture on the front of the book is a mom with 8 kids climbing on all the letters!)  These are real life solutions of things they've done in their homes that actually work.

The New Strong-Willed Child - One day Benjamin will have bloomed into a strong man with bold leadership skills.  Until then, he just might be the end of me.  I bought this book when I thought I was dealing with a strong-willed child.  Then I had Ben.  Now I have this book, again, and I'm seeing things in a whole new light.

Teachings and Commentaries on the Old Testament - I've been falling in love with the ancient lives, rituals, rites, and practices of the Jewish people in Old Testament times.  In our day we are so caught up in making our faith and spiritual worship "real" that we have a hard time understanding the religious rites in ancient times.  But I caught a glimpse of the beauty of it, just a flash in something someone said, and it was like a mystery unlocked.  Now as I read I'm trying to look past the restrictions of it and to see the conduit between God and our spirits.

God's Word (NIV) - Because reading the Old Testament in the King James version can be really tough sometimes.  I love the poetry of the KJV, and I love that it's the most accurately translated, but sometimes I just need to know what the heck they are trying to say.  The NIV is great for that.

Little Women - When the snows falls and covers the ground and all I want to do is curl up with a book and a blanket, the book must be Little Women.  I couldn't count how many times I've read it, but I can add one more to the tally.

(These are in addition to the two book clubs to which I belong, one of which is reading Cutting for Stone and the other Raising up a Family to the Lord.)