thursday's ten: currently

i ran across this post on one of my favorite blogs last week, and just had to use it sometime.  what better time than for thursday's ten?






currently listening on repeat to
mostly pandora stations, but the new Jesus Culture album gets my attention each time.  may have to be my next purchase with those gift cards i got for christmas!

currently planning to cook
in the next two weeks, new (to me) recipes will include slow cooker Thai beef, a stuffed baguette, gyros, bacon and caramelized onion tart, and some sort of garlic cheesy bread

currently reading
the lost symbol (dan brown)
and a book that i'll be reviewing here soon: close enough to hear God breathe (greg paul)

currently discovering
how incredibly handy my food processor is.  i use that thing at LEAST every other day.  love.it.

currently catching up on the trend of
big bang theory.  we started watching season one on new year's eve and are now partly through season 3. if we didn't have to do silly things like sleep we'd probably be caught up to the current season!

currently organizing
guest rooms and closets.  of course, the pantry/kitchen is ever-ongoing

currently dreading
cleaning out the garage and storage room or as they are known around here the "just put it in the..." areas

currently drinking
the usual suspects of water with fresh mint, daily coffee and the occasional stevia sweet tea, soda stream or diet coke.  we've also discovered the carbonated zevia drinks at whole foods are are liking them too

currently desiring
a juicer...a good blender...more toms...uggs...a north face jacket...and lululemon yoga/dance pants

currently creating
mischief?  i've been more creative in the kitchen than with jewelry or other crafting lately, but i think it's time to make a few fun pieces, even if they're just for me :-)


what's currently going on with you?

thursday's ten: the oops, i forgot editio

well, the time change happened, much to my dismay.

i have been a little off-kilter since sunday. we will blame it on the time change at least ;-)

so at approximately 8.29 am, i realized that i forgot to write today's thursdays ten.

oops.

so today is easy :-) please join me and catch me up on your lives! today is ten things that are going on for you right now, ten things you've done this week, or ten upcoming things that you're excited about :-)

i am choosing the first topic: ten things about my life at this moment. in complete and total randomness!



(1) we have been married over a month! in some ways that doesn't seem possible...but in other ways i think i feel more "right" than i ever have in my life. :-)
(2) we are finishing up this week cleaning out grandpas house (where i lived the months between foreclosure and marriage). there's really not that much left to do, which is why we've been putting it off. ha!
(3) i got back from the honeymoon to find out that the office i had been working 10 hours/week in was asking me to work more hours. this was a huge blessing and gift from God...fulfilling my hearts desire. i now have 24 in-office hours and 5 at home hours per week. yep, my hours tripled!
(4) if i haven't mentioned what i actually DO there, the basic rundown is that it's a non-profit online university that literally gives away (to international students and prisoners in the US) a religious studies degree to those who wouldnt ordinarily be able to afford it. i work in student services/registrar most of those hours, but i also get the privilege of grading prisoners work.
(much more about that in another post!)
(5) i hate colder weather, but i do so love dressing in layers and wearing cute scarves and boots. i guess that keeps me sane this time of year?
(6) if i never have to hear the handy manny toolbox toy that baby g plays with again i will be so happy.
(7) next weeks list will be ten things from pinterest i have actually completed! i would LOVE to see lists from those of you who are similarly addicted... :-)
(8) i love children's books and definitely want to get a couple for the kids i nanny for as part of their christmas. do you have any recommendations? (they are 3 and 1)
(9) we have found a church that we LOVE. it's nearly an hour from our house. i have lots of time to apply my makeup and clip each weeks coupons though...
(10) about a month ago, i told A that i was taking him on an "adventure" this saturday--a one day trip out of state. he finally decided this past sunday night that he wanted to know what it was. so we played a (very long) guessing game until he got it. he's really excited about it, and i can't wait to share with you what it is! it's small...but it's one of those little things i can do for him that'll make him happy :-)

(look for a post on it saturday...and i will post pictures next week)

that's not all that's going on, but it covers some serious ground! what about you??

review: Good Morning Lord by Sheila Walsh

So, a long time ago I received another book to review from booksneeze.



Unfortunately, life happened (in the form of getting engaged, switching jobs, moving...again, etc) and I kind of forgot to post the review.

So, here's the really, really late version!

Let me just start off by saying...

Devotional books?  Not (normally) my thing.  Normally I find them a bit trite and simplistic. But when I saw this one was written by Sheila Walsh I decided to take a chance.  And I'm glad I did!  I knew from the subtitle that I was going to at least mildly enjoy this one ;-)

Sheila has such a refreshing voice, such a way of capturing insights.  And at the same time, you can imagine yourself having a conversation with her over a strong cup of coffee.  Nothing in this book is "out of reach", but it is theologically sound and Spirit-breathed. 

There are the expected short (2-3 paragraph) excerpts and questions for each day...but somehow this one doesn't feel trite or too simple.  It is focused and clear, and often spoke to just where I was.

I found myself reading pretty much the entire book in one sitting (perhaps THIS is why devotionals aren't my thing) but I've now tucked it in my laptop bag so that I can take it to work each day and read it as intended.

Thanks (once again) to booksneeze for giving me the chance to read another new favorite :-)

*disclaimer: I received this book free to review.  All opinions expressed in this post are my own.  I was not required to give a positive review.  The gushing is all mine.  ;-)

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .11

hey, it's ok

...to consider your bed and couch a kleenex wasteland when allergies hit hard

...to randomly sing/hum songs from musicals while driving/getting dressed and realize it 5 minutes into "surry with the fringe on top"

...to not get that at ALL.  i mean, when's the last time i watched a musical??

...to be a little proud that your dvr is currently under 20 percent

...to really really really dig your new tervis tumbler

(it has cherry blossoms on it and a lid...so pouring a diet coke into it before getting into the car makes spills much less likely.  and with me, that's important!)

...to be way.too.excited about an idea you've come up with to organize and keep track of what's in your pantry, freezer and fridge at all times.  because you like to coupon but you don't want to hoard.

(and yes, that idea involves a constantly updated spreadsheet.  and yes, that squeal you just heard was me geeking out at the thought)

...to geek out over spreadsheets

...to be really really excited about the 5 bags full of clothes that you FINALLY found in storage.  and to be REALLY excited that some of the clothing in them is (a) in season and (b) looks good

...to have hit the borders store closing sale HARD last weekend.  i ended up getting several berenstein bear books (LOVE them) and a couple of other kids books for under $20.

...to (often) just want a nap.  

(visit amber for the original of this!)

wishing and hoping and planning and dreaming

such a fun song :)

i'm joining in on this one again

a simple wish for me today

that this bookstore

would somehow be saved.

it's nashville's only "local" bookstore

been around for 30 years

and because the company that owns it went bankrupt 

they're closing it

here's wishing and hoping that a wonderful, rich person

(or group of people)

will be able to keep it's doors open!

(i mean, there's a facebook page and everything.  it could happen)

dear.8

dear blog readers,

remember that awesome blog project i told you about a couple of weeks ago?

well, we're doing a book club of sorts, and there's a giveaway involved for one of our readers!
so comment on this post to enter!

signed,
excited about this one!

dear weather,

could you just stay like this until spring? i'm kind of loving it.

signed,
really not looking forward to winter

dear makers of children's shows,

thank you for making some of them bearable. could we chat about the others?

signed,
a desperate nanny

dear eyes,

i'm not really sure what your deal is, but swelling up every few days and making it impossible for me to put my contacts in is not really all that wonderful. i'm just sayin'. and i appreciate you taking turns and all, but come ON.

signed,
squinting in the sun

Outlive Your Life: a review

You know, sometimes you feel like someone has been eavesdropping on your conversations. Reading your journals.
Knowing your inner-most thoughts.

After reading only the first few sentences of his new book Outlive Your Life, I am fully convinced that Max Lucado has been spying on me.

In his latest book, he outlines the practical and Biblically sound answer to the question so many of us are asking: "how can I possibly make a difference?"

Honestly, this is a hard book to put down. I'm a fast reader anyway, but the first time I picked it up I read 5 chapters without even noticing. I devoured every word and scrambled to the next page because Max has hit on one of my most primal cries -- how can I live a God-honoring life that truly matters?

Besides hitting every point solidly and without any hesitation, Lucado continues to write in a voice that is conversational. You can imagine sharing these words over coffee, after a football game, or driving down the road. His gift is his ability to reach people where they are and help us all to understand the simple truths he writes about. Plainly put...I "get it" when Max Lucado writes it. Sometimes it's a new and radical idea...other times, like this one, it's something I've had in my heart for sometime that resonated with every word I read.

I loved that the Scriptural basis for all of this was Acts. In drawing parallels between the disciples and ourselves (because we are to be disciples too!), Lucado brings it home.

I have enjoyed every Max Lucado book I've ever read, and without hesitation I can say that this one is by far my favorite. He's hit a home run with this one, and I think it should be on the required reading for everyone who claims the name of Christ!

now for the disclaimer bit:



I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review from Thomas Nelson publishers and their blogger resource Booksneeze. I was required to write an honest review, and was not required to be positive. The gushing was all.me. :) I was required to give a disclaimer by some sort of law which I would copy and paste into my blog at this point, but I can't find it and I'm sure you get the idea anyway. :)

book review: the voice of psalms

The Voice of Psalms is a daily reading Bible written in literary style. In essence, I saw it as a paraphrase with a bit more attention to staying true to Biblical text. It took me several months after receiving the book to put up this review -- on one hand because of circumstances going on in my life, and on the other so that I could give the Voice of Psalms several reads in order to be a bit more objective and give it an accurate review.

The Voice translation was a bit distracting for me, honestly. In order to stay true to the original (an effort that I applaud and appreciate), the words they have added to enrich the literary and poetic aspects of the Psalms are italicized. It took me several chapters to get used to that, and while I understand the reason for italicizing I can't say I especially enjoyed it. I'm guessing since this is the book of Psalms, it probably isn't so heavily italicized in other books.

There are also devotionals and commentaries every couple of pages. They are great tools, although aesthetically I normally prefer to have devos at the beginning or end of the book -- I don't mind flipping pages if my text isn't interrupted!

As far as other qualities of the Bible, this particular edition is a paperback, so it was easy to toss in a bag when I flew to Delaware and equally easy to cart to babysitting jobs. The print is friendly, fresh and crisp, and I did enjoy the overall styling of the book.

My recommendation is to check this edition out. In no way would I use it to replace my regular edition of the Bible, but it does make a nice addition to the collection--pull it out when you just need a beautiful read. :)

Disclosure of Material Connection:

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com (click the button above) book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

30 before I'm 30

originally i had this scheduled for a few days after my birthday. then came the foreclosure...the packing...the hospital stay...the flood. so i'm just a LITTLE late. :)

here's my 30 before i'm 30 list...30 things i want to accomplish and do before i turn 30 next march! none of these are earth-shattering huge things...but if the last few months have taught me anything it's that even the little things count.

truth be told, i hesitated at even posting this. it seems so...frivolous...after all that's happened just in the last few months. but something my smart boyfriend and his father pointed out to me as we were packing my stuff up for storage and moving is that i need "wins" right now. little ways to smile and acknowledge that i've accomplished *something* no matter how small.

so some of these are silly, some are fun, some are serious, and many are modified because at the time i first wrote this list i had no idea i'd be losing my house.

1. actually run an entire 5K (I've run/walked several now)

*modification due to asthma...run at least HALF a 5K. we'll work on the whole after that.
2. take a trip to Holiday World--i want to introduce A to a place that was fun for me as a kid!
3. visit at least one brand-new-to-me place
4. eat 3 fruits/veggies every day for a full month (0/30)
5. read 20 books (0/20)
6. volunteer at *something* at least 5 hours/month (2/12)
7. take one picture per day of my 29th year

*modification due to foreclosure, moving, hospital and flood...start a 365 photo album on january 1 next year like everyone else...and just attempt to take a picture every day for the remainder of this year to get used to that
8. try 30 new recipes (2/30)
9. fit into the majority of my professional wardrobe. This will require losing another 20ish pounds, but preferably 30-40. (3/20)
10. review 12 books in 12 months for le blog (0/12)
11. find and perfect a mojito recipe
12. grow a container herb garden
13. look into graduate programs and decide what to get my master's in (hopefully to be completed by age 35)
14. play the piano daily for a month (0/30)
15. begin practicing yoga again, up to 3x a week by my 30th birthday
16. have at least one meatless day a week
17. wear more hats because I love them
18. entertain at least once a month, whether that be a big party or another couple (can be at A's place or mine as long as I have at least 1/2 the responsibility) (2/12) *modification...cooking for A's family counts!
19. get my cds organized...oy
20. reorganize kitchen

(uh...does finding all the kitchen boxes and organizing THEM count?

*modification: find some space saving solutions at IKEA and implement them. Atlanta trip coming up in June)
21. go through wardrobe as I lose the weight and toss clothing that no longer fits into a box for clothing exchange/donation
22. have fresh flowers in the house weekly (from my own garden or an inexpensive bouquet from TJ's)
23. find a wreath for the front door that I love

(ok it's now a side door, but still)
24. once I get it, use the WiiFit at least 3x per week (usually more, especially once it gets cold!)
25. put at least 3 new pieces of jewelry in my Etsy shop per month
26. try at least one new ethnic food group
27. visit NYC
28. unless i'm out of town, keep up with the blogs in my google reader...because 300 unread blogs is NOT a good normal
29. take Emi to the vet for a check-up. it's been awhile...
30. complete a 30 in 30 list (because that's an accomplishment in itself--it's hard!)

Thursday's Ten: Warmer Weather Edition

it's finally getting to be the time of year that makes living in middle tennessee completely worth it.

warm

not yet too humid

(although give it a couple of weeks)

and not over 100 degrees just yet

perfection

well, without a beach

THAT would be perfection

:)

here's my list of ten things i love to do around town when it starts warming up :)

1. go for a hike or a walk. besides the greenway, radnor lake is a favorite place. and amazingly enough i have just moved within a few moments of the trails there!

2. visit the zoo. anthony and i joined last year and i'm totally renewing my membership. with my new nanny gig(s) (more about that later...) and friends who love animals as much as we do it's pretty much a necessity. plus the reciprocal membership with zoos around the country is fantastic!

3. lay out. i know, i know, sun damage...skin cancer...but i CRAVE the sun. i'm never out THAT long...

4. eat. which kind of doesn't seem to fit with the above, but shall i explain? fresh fruits and veggies straight from the garden, avocados sliced up on a sandwich, organic stuff--just anything! i feel like eating so healthily during these summer months--which is probably why i don't have a problem with the diet and exercise routine!

5. garden. i'm excited because this year i'll be planting tomatoes in the ground, plus reviving my herb garden in containers!

6. head to the park--grown-up park with friends, playground park with kids. they're all fun, and everyone feels like a kid when we just play!

7. read. on a rainy or cloudy day, curling up in a chair. when it's nice outside, taking a book and a blanket to the yard and just hanging out with the characters for awhile.

8. take a nap. there's something about coming home on a sunday afternoon...opening the curtains...putting a comfy robe or pj set on...and laying down in the sunlight. it's my inner cat, i suppose--emi and i usually jostle for the most sunny area to sleep in!

9. have a popsicle. those fla-vor-ice pops from when you were a kid? yeah, i totally keep a box on hand at all times. pure sugar...pure fun

10. get a pedicure. ok, so this one is a self-done pedi lately...just can't justify the expense for myself at the moment! but there's something about walking around in flip-flops with pretty feet that makes life a little sunnier :)

what about you? as it warms up, what do you like to do?

Review: The Search for God and Guinness

As soon as this book popped up for review on Thomas Nelson's blogger book review site (now booksneeze.com), I knew I had to read it.

A book about alcohol (even beer) and spirituality was too intriguing to pass up.

I have long known that my views on alcohol consumption differ from most of those of my Protestant friends. Perhaps that's why I'm so drawn to the Catholic church (among other reasons!)...they have no issue with drinking in moderation!

Plus, because of my ancestry I'm interested in all things Irish.

So I ordered this book and it did not disappoint.

The Search for God and Guinness begins with the history of beer and weaves in the story of the Guinness brand in particular with the amazing members of the family who created it. From the very first Guinness, the family has been involved in spiritual formation, unification of Catholic and Protestants in Ireland of all places, and humanitarian efforts. Members of the family that were not involved in the company have been clergymen, members of government, and highly respected members of society. However, the book mainly focused on the family members who became the acting head of the Guinness brand and how their spiritual journey corresponded with their passion for their life's work.

I was especially intrigued by the story of one of the descendants who upon receiving his wedding gift of 5 million pounds, took his new bride and went to live in the slums in order to best serve the people there. Amazing.

Guinness is one of the more recognizable brands around the world, and there is a reason for that. I'm not going to share much more of the story, because I truly feel it's a read that will be more fascinating if you discover the little treasures for yourself.

The book stressed that for those members of the family who took on the company, beer making was their passion. And that's something we can all learn from. In the eyes of this particular reader, though the point was never stressed in the book, I truly think that the author was trying to convey that there really IS no separation between the sacred and the secular. So many of us try to create a chasm between the two...but it is God who gives us our passions, talents and gifts, and I think He blesses us when we choose to live out those passions.

To give a fair and honest review, although I was fascinated by this book, I couldn't read it in one sitting. The names, dates, and details sort of swirl around in my mind so that I would have to take a bit of a break (of a few days normally) between stretches of reading. However, it is a wonderful read and I highly, highly recommend it.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: Beautiful Mess

When I signed up to review books at Thomas Nelson, I had a few ideas in mind of what I would like to review. Honestly a book about business, even the music business, did not appeal.

However, when I saw that Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio was up for review, I jumped at it. You see, I live in Nashville. I happen to go to church with the lead singer of the band and his amazing family. I babysat his children before his oldest daughter could drive (actually, my first introduction to him was when he and his wife, who I knew fairly well, walked into their house from an awards show and I stuck out my hand and said "I'm Lora. I've been watching your kids for the last few hours." :-)

So with that personal history, and knowing that the band had some rocky times right about the time I was getting to know them...I decided to pick this as my first review.

A Beautiful Mess is written in an engaging and story-like narrative. From the first word I was drawn into the story of Diamond Rio--a story I thought I knew quite a bit of. In the first few chapters we are introduced to the band from the beginning of their story. Time is also taken out for biographical chapters of each of the band members. I honestly found that part to be a little tedious, and perhaps not placed well in the flow of the book, but each of the band member's story is important to the story as a whole. All in all, I would have kept the biographical information in the book.

Some of the other statistics in the book that dealt with the band and their career were a little too much for me personally, but I can understand and appreciate that true fans of the band would want all of that information and the extra insight it provides.

Overall, the book kept my attention and was well-written. I would recommend it first for true-blue fans of Diamond Rio, as it is centered on the band. However, it's also a wonderful story of how God can work in the messes we make out of our lives--and how He is working through every situation, threading each piece carefully into the next. And because of that, I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to read about how God can work in ordinary lives and make them extraordinary.

Happy Reading!

Free Books!

I can't believe I've never noticed this before...but I hadn't!

I read 3 great reviews: here, here and here
And I thought
"I want to review a Max Lucado book TOO!"

So, I clicked on a button just like this one:


and waited patiently to hear whether I had been accepted to review for Thomas Nelson Publishers.
(they are, after all, less than a mile from my house. Support the locals and all)

I didn't have to be TOO patient, for just a few minutes later I got an email stating that I had been accepted.

I should receive my first book soon...
But before that, I'll be reading Max Lucado's book as a PDF format. Stay tuned for the review!

Thursday's Ten

Ten Books You Probably Should Read...or at least that I recommend you read!

1. The Shack (William P Young)
i know. it's becoming cliche. but there's a reason for that. I thought I had a pretty open view of God...and after a few pages into this book I realized how much room for growth I had in that area. Amazing piece of work.

2. Girl Meets God (Lauren Winner)
amazing story of one woman's faith journey...that turns out to reflect many of our stories

3. The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Kim Edwards)

4. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)

5. Real Sex (Lauren Winner)
yes, I'm single. it isn't REALLY about sex. well, it is. just not in that way.

6. The Five Love Languages (Gary Chapman)
I learned a LOT about myself from this book

7. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

8. The Book of Uncommon Prayer (edited by Constance Pollock and Daniel Pollock)
this is an amazing collection of writings from well-known authors throughout the ages that all reflect on their picture of God. I love it.

9. Blue Like Jazz (Donald Miller)
amazing, honest and direct look at faith

10. Grace For the Moment (Max Lucado)