What I Read in January

When I am writing regularly, this is always one of my favorite posts to write because I LOVE books and I LOVE reading.
This year I set a goal of 150 books a year, meaning I'd need to average 12.5 books a month.
I printed off several reading challenges, and I'll be posting my progress on those periodically.... I know that I won't read all the books on all of the challenges, but following the suggestions will make sure that the 150 books I read will be of a wider variety than what I normally read.
I am reading about 40 books right now.. crazy,  I know! I read in one for a while, then put it down... unless it's one that I have to just keep reading. Part of this is due to me reading series books... as soon as I stop one I'll start the next one.

In January, I finished up several books I carried over from the previous year.

1. 40 Days of Christmas: Celebrating the Glory of Our Savior was a devotional book that started with Advent and went through Epiphany. The devotions were enjoyable and were short enough that I could read them in only a few minutes. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a devotional book around Christmas time!
2. Farming, A Hnad Book by Wendell Berry- I usually don't like poetry, but Berry writes in a way that draws me in. It may also help that he writes about Kentucky, a place I know and love. His Kentucky is different, but still the same. (He's another reason why I'm reading so many books... as I finish one of his, I start another. And he has written a bunch!!!)
3. Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich- I've read everyone in this series. Honestly, they are predictable at times, but they make me laugh out loud sometimes and they are good, light reads if you just want to mindlessly follow a story. (Note- this series does contain some vivid language and violence).
4. The Way of Abundance by Ann Voskamp- I love anything by Ann Voskamp. She writes lyrically, composing beautiful words on the page. This was a series of short devotions that included questions at the end of each.
5. It Could Only Be Jesus- I bought this Bible study from Hello Mornings, a study group I've participated in several times over the year. I fell behind, as it was a Bible study where you had to read Scripture, write Scripture, and answer questions... but it's never too late for Christmas.
6. An Acceptable Time by Madeline L'Engle- This was the closing book of the Wrinkle in Time series and it was great. I enjoyed the whole series, even though it involved fantasy and time travel and other elements I usually don't enjoy that type of literature.
7. Wait for Me by Jo Huddleston- This is a book available on Kindle Unlimited ($10 a month through Amazon- with numerous free reads. I read all of the Harry Potter books free through Kindle Unlimited). This was a sweet love story about a girl from the right side of the tracks and her coal miner love interest, and I thought I would really enjoy it because it was set in West Virginia. It had a nice story line, but at times drug on and the grammar wasn't great. I did start the second book in the series and it seems some better.
8. Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs- LOVED this book. It was placed on my reading list in February of last year, but I didn't really start it until about October. Higgs profiled 10 women in the Bible who were "less than". She placed them in modern terms, then walked through their stories in the Bible, and ended with what we can learn from them. There are discussion questions for each chapter as well. Great way to learn about characters in the Bible (in more ways than one!)
9. Dopesick by Beth Macy- If you live in Eastern Kentucky, you need to read this book. It chronicles the opioid epidemic, mainly focusing in Virginia... but y'all. It's eye-opening.
10. Mary Poppins- I'm not sure how I've lived almost 40 years without reading this series, but I finished book 1 and started book 2. It's delightful.
11. The Accidental Beauty Queen- This was a book I got from net galley and it was great. It's the tale of two twins... one a beauty queen, one who's...well, not. It's funny. It's sweet. It has believable and likeable characters. And the main character is a book nerd. Loved it!!
12. Anne of Green Gables book 1- Again, I'm not sure how I lived this long without reading this book, but it has become one of my favorites. Anne is truly one of my favorite people in a book, and she has some of the most awesome quotes!
0.5- the other 40 books I'm reading...

check back at the end of this month for a list of what I finished. I did complete one this morning so I'm off to a good start =)

Where May Not be the Question

At the beginning of 2019 I chose one word to focus on throughout the year. I've done this for several years... some years I follow through. Some, like last year, I get distracted by my life and lose focus.

For a myriad of reasons, I chose the word "SEEK" to guide me this year.

As I look back on the first month of the year, I'm amazed at how that word appeared in sermons and in passages I've read.

I'm reminded of one verse that I'm paraphrasing, "Seek Him while He still may be found." As I've said before, I don't think God likes hide and seek, but I do know we are told there will come a time when His Spirit will not be found by man. With all of the changes and decisions being made in our society, I can't help but think that will be sooner rather than later.

Seeking someone or something means paying attention. Being observant. It's an action... if I lose my remote, I won't find it if  I just sit on the couch.
If we want to FIND something, we have to actually look... and too often that hasn't been the case for me.

I think that it's never a matter of seeking God as we do someone in hide and seek, because it's not a matter of WHERE He's at.

It's more a matter of where I am in relation to Him.

In His Word, we are told that He is our shield. He covers us with His wings and His angels are camped round about us. He goes before us and is behind us. He basically has us hedged in...and He is always on His throne, sitting next to the one who is advocating for us, our High Priest who, like us, was tempted... but never sinned.

We know where He is...

but I'm not always sure where I am.

So this year I've resolved to keep moving. Not to be stagnant. To open my eyes and my heart (and pray for Him to do so)... because I'm told that if I seek Him, He WILL be found...

wherever I am.

Writing this first post of the #write28day challenge with the prompt provided by Five Minute Fridays, where we write for 5 minutes on one word, unedited.

Going over my 5 minutes to briefly recap my "progress" this year. I set 19 "habits" I wanted to work on in 2019... not resolutions, just stepping stones...

I'll not recap all of them, but in January I walked over 10,000 steps EVERY DAY and walked on the treadmill at least 2 miles MOST days (habit: exercise).
I read my Bible EVERY DAY and worked on a couple of Bible studies (Reading His Word).
I listed over 100 things I was thankful for (1,000 gifts gratitude journal).
I read 12.5 books (keeping on target for my 150 books in 2019 goal)
I hiked to two different places and visited one new Ky county (my bucket list item of visiting all 120 counties in Breathitt county).

February goals are going to be writing more (every day!) and drinking more water (Thanks to my beautiful cups from my cousin at Lady's Lounge  Custom Corner- check her work out !

Self-help

This afternoon as I was finishing up my walk/run I was thinking of the new year.

Here we are 13 days into it and I'm sure many of those new resolutions have fallen by the wayside.

We are gung-ho initially but then daily life hits us right in the face.

I was thinking of all of the ads on Facebook and emails that were in my personal email with plans to help you change and grow as a person...

exercise plans and reading the Bible plans and plans on making goals and plans on follow-through. Lots of self-help.

Make your marriage better!

Be a better Mom!

And here's what I thought... it's kind of like Smoky the Bear. "Only you can prevent forest fires."

Only you...

know what's best for you. For your marriage. For your kids. For your situation.

You can read every self-help book out there and it still may not work...

because your challenges are your challenges. Your life is your life, and it's unique, with a God-given purpose.

Now I'm not saying all those plans and books and blogs are bad... because I do love me a good plan and a good self-help book. I love books on studying the Bible and books on organization and books on leadership...

but I'm just saying that we need to give ourselves some grace.

Learn to look deep at your own problems, and make the decisions that are best for you to improve.

One step at a time.

And above all, know that God's plan is the best plan... and He's better than any self-help out there.

Better... Five Minute Friday

This year I didn't make a resolution.

I did set some goals, but I'm giving myself grace.

I chose one word-seek- and am using (or trying to use) Matthew 6:33 as my guide.

Seek first the kingdom of God, and all those other things will be added to you (My paraphrase).

I'm using that as a filter for my priorities.

Does this seek Him first right now?

I mean, I know that there are things I have to do. Five days a week, I have to work. These first few weeks of the semester, I know I'll also have to put in some hours on the weekend...

but I can't let the tyranny of the urgent- all the rush of the beginning of the semester- dictate my days.

I can't let it take the place of God, or my family, or my personal health.

It's easy to do that, to get distracted...

so SEEK I am.

And I'm finding that it's working, at least thus far.

I've read my Bible every day... not always in the morning, but if I haven't opened it before I leave the house I do it as soon as I get home. I've also been using my app on my phone to read while Caleb drives to school. I know, I'm the adult and I'm supposed to be paying attention... but it sure does help my anxiety!

I've taken at least 10,000 steps everyday, and have exercised most days.

I've jotted down things that I've ben thankful for.

And I've been more pleasant. I've not had that crazy lady feel much...

Because grace truly is the better way...

And I'm better for it.

Today I'm joining (a day late!) Five Minute Friday for their linkup using the prompt "better". Happy to be back in 2019!

If I Were A Care Bear

Today as I was scrolling down my Facebook newsfeed, I got some inspiration.

One of my friends had shared a post that said, "If I were a Care Bear, I'd have a glass of wine on my belly."

Because I loved me some Care Bears growing up, I started thinking of that post.

For anyone who may be unfamiliar with the Care Bears, they were stuffed animals that were sold in the 80s (and are still sold today). They had a cartoon series and some movies and they also had books that we got free from some company when I was little.

I loved the Care Bears... their colors, their emblems, and the the fact that they came from Care-a-Lot... a place we need more of in this world.

I can't remember all of their names and emblems. I know there was one with a sunshine and one with a storm cloud and one with a four leaf clover.

What would my emblem be?

The first thing I thought of seems pretty obvious... a book... because y'all know I love to read. Maybe a stethoscope, because of nursing... or the state of Kentucky because I'm a proud Kentucky girl.

I'd like to think I'd have a sunshine, but we all know I'm not known for my sunny disposition. Chances are, I'd be more likely to have that storm cloud, because I can be gloom and doom and downright grumpy.

Here's the thing. We don't have an emblem that lets the world know who or what we are... but we can do that by our words and deeds. We are told by His Word "By their fruits you shall know them."

I sure don't want to be a rotten apple...

Dreams

Every morning I hit the snooze button...

usually more than once.

This morning, I hit it twice... only to turn the alarm off and almost over sleep.

I was dreaming of travel the first time... members of my high school class and I and our families had traveled somewhere (I can't remember where). We had flown, though, and we went up an escalator to get to the boarding gate. The airport had a Kelsey's, and even a sidewalk set up like Jackson... crazy, y'all. I'm not sure why I dreamed about the class of '97, except that I've been seeing a lot of them post on facebook... some with accomplishments, some with family illness, others just everyday life. I just know there were a bunch of us in that airport, and it was good to reconnect.

The second time, I was dreaming of travel again. (or maybe I had those dreams earlier in the night. I don't know. I don't usually remember my dreams). My family was at Walt Disney World. Kami and I were in the gift shop picking out Beauty and the Beast memorabilia for our own Belle, Melody, when I turned to Kami and said, "We have to go ride It's a Small World... NOW."

I do love me some It's a Small World, even if it's been almost ten years since I've been to Disney World.

Dreams are funny things. Sometimes they can seem so real, and you wake up and it almost hurts. Other times they can make you angry, or sad.

Dreaming while you're awake can be that way, too... we are often afraid, or doubt ourselves, or don't want to put into words what we dream about.

Not every dream will come true... obviously, all of my 1997 classmates and I aren't going to be in an airport together, and I don't think Kelsey's will become an airport franchise (although those Blondies would sure taste awfully good while you're sitting on a layover).

But the right dreams will.

If we purpose our lives for what God wants, setting our thoughts on high and allowing Him to guide us, He will give us the desires of our heart... our dreams.

There has to be a little work there, too.

At the beginning of the year, it's a good time to reflect on your dreams. What do you want out of life? What do you envision yourself doing? How can you do that?

Now go... stop hitting the snooze button on life and get out and make that dream a reality... after all... dreams don't work unless you do.

Now I'm off to bed to see where I'll be traveling tonight.

Game Show Contestant

One of my goals for the new year was to write as much as I can. I am a feelings hoarder... I hoard up my feelings until they overwhelm me... and journaling is one way to get rid of some of the chaos that is my mind.

There are lots of things that I like to write about. Caleb is one of my favorite subjects, although I've found myself not sharing as much about him now that he is older.

I love to write about my interests- books and reading, hiking and outdoor adventures, and the great state of Kentucky (y'all! I'm going to write a travel book. Really, I am. It just may take me a few years... but you heard it here first!)

I love to write about Bible studies and time in His Word and what He's saying to me... if I listen.

Tonight, though, on this first Monday of 2019, I just wasn't inspired...

but I was determined. And that's what really makes a writer... writers write.

Even if they don't always have something to say.

So I googled "writing prompts" and liked this one: If you could be on any game show, what would it be? Describe what happens when you're on the show.

Now I love game shows... I always have. Whammy. Price is Right. $20,000 Pyramid. Win, Lose, or Draw. Family Fued.

But I have two all time favorites... and I come by these honestly.

About once a week (give or take), I spend the night with Mamaw Bert. She has a routine downpat. I'd say it's the same routine she's had since she retired.

At 7 PM every weekday, Wheel of Fortune is playing on that TV, followed by Jeopardy.

My Papaw Paul especially liked Jeopardy...and he's the only person I know who caught a mistake in an answer. It was something about a mule, I think. (What is it about my grandparents and mules?)

Anyway, I love those two shows. Grandma will always say, "Watch what you want." but I wouldn't change it for the world.

For that hour, I don't read on my Kindle or play on my computer.

I pretend like I'm a contestant.

If I could go on any show, it'd be Wheel of Fortune. I'd get every puzzle right and not go bankrupt once (even though the wheel seems rigged). I'd go to the final round and my letters would be MCB A.

And I'd win a new car! Not because my old one is bad, but as a young girl those new cars always fascinated me.

(Not as much as the showcase showdown on Price is Right when there was a theme and the girls dressed up as detectives... or did I make that up?)

I'd love to go on Jeopardy... but I'm no good at quick recall, and let's face it. I'm not a genius.

Although I do love me some literature categories.

Good night, Pat and Vanna. Maybe I'll see you someday.