What's on my bookshelf right now?

I know this is the question that you've all been dying for me to answer right?? Anywho, I have a couple of books that I've been working on for the past little while that I think are pretty good and worth sharing.

So you know how sometimes when you read something it really gives you what you need at the time? That's how I feel about these two books. BK and I were just talking about how when you're searching for something you can make things fit. I'm not sure if this qualifies, but I liked them both and picked up some good tidbits. As a note, I'm pretty happy that I have been able to figure out how to start finishing actual books these days, as it feels like I took a significant hiatus from reading for pleasure.

More Than Words

Okay, so I LOVE this book. It was recommended for our Sunday school class by one of our ministers as a book that might be good for all of us wading through life with young kids and trying to figure out how to shape our tiny humans into good humans. 

I relate to it and told one of my high school/college/now friends that I felt like it was the church we grew up with- not the church that can be so ridiculously divisive in our world today. She's not convinced yet, but I sent her a copy for good measure. You know I love you MW. 

It is written by a Disciples minister, Erin Wathen, and she gives such a great real-life perspective on things- it's not any kind of preachy, holier than thou book, but real life perspective on how we live our lives. 

The 10 values are: Compassion: Love in Action; Abundance: The Root of Gratitude and Generosity; Sabbath: Reclaiming Time to Be and Be Together; Nonviolence: Beyond Turning the Other Cheek; Joy: Living with Creativity and Purpose; Justice: More than Mercy; Community: The Art of Neighboring; Forgiveness: The Daily Bread of Relationships; Equality: Made in God's Image; and Authenticity: Being Who You Are.

Each chapter includes a personal story/antidote, practicing the value at home, the value in scripture and round table discussion questions. I would give you some tidbits that I really like, but that's pretty much the whole book. I often go back to it when I feel like I need some direction or grounding. Read it. It's good.

Of Mess and Moxie

A close friend gave me this book a few months ago and I recently got around to reading it. Some people have strong feelings about Jen Hatmaker. If you like her, read it. If not, don't. No that hard, and don't take offense to the fact that I enjoyed it. 

Again, this book kind of gave me what I needed to read when I needed to read it. Of course lots of tales about how no one sails through marriage, kids can take you to the brink and how figuring out what you want to do with yourself in this world can be much messier than anyone anticipates. But I don't know, like I said- it gave me what I needed when I needed it.

It probably boils down to something that I also say when people can't relate to homelessness or gasp at the thought of something not perfect in their world, and that is: everybody has their stuff (it's typically a stronger word, but it's the blog, so I'll leave it at that). No matter how perfect people or a situation looks like from the outside, there's always something under the surface. And that's okay. I think it's what makes us human.

Somehow now I've managed to move on to one of Brene Brown's books: Daring Greatly. BK and I have a long international flight coming up and I'm hopeful I'll get some reading time in during the trek to South America. And...I won't even try to cover it up here, I LOVE that Brene Brown is a social worker. It makes me feel like OMG you're like me! 

That's all for now. It's been a while, but hopefully I'll be back soon. I have high hopes of blogging while we're in Argentina, but we'll see what happens. If you're reading this from Fort Worth, good luck on surviving the ridiculous heat happening right now. BK and I are really looking forward to highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s!