"Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16: 3
One of my most important reflections about the last year has been in the area of self care.
Which, if I'm being honest, is an area of my life that is not only lacking, but that I totally and completely suck at. You know when you look at before and after photos of our Presidents?
Yeah. Sometimes I feel a little like that when I see myself in recent years. I'm looking and feeling much more on the after side of things than any person should - and I don't get to tap out after 8 years.
So, in the spirit of doing a better job of taking care of myself - since, let's be honest, retiring to Hawaii to make a million dollars per speaking engagement and enjoying lifetime salary and health care are not on the agenda - I have made a commitment that is absolutely huge for me: getting back to my once-upon-a-time English-major-roots by reading.
Not just a little, either. I've decided to read 25 books this year - 25 books that are for me. That I desire to read for one reason or another. Because it's fun. And because I matter!
If you are a seasoned reader, 25 books in a year probably doesn't seem like much to you. For me, though, to actually commit and take the time to read a book - let alone 25 - is a huge, giant, gargantuan step. Big. Think King Kong climbing the Empire State Building. There is a good chance that reading 25 books of my choosing for my pleasure may be more than I've read in the six and a half years since I got pregnant with Leah.
No joke.
So, mostly for the record, but also in case anyone else loves to read and is interested, here are the books I'm going to tackle. In absolutely no particular order, except that in which my library can get these holds in for me:
- Future Men by Doug Wilson
- God Rest Ye Merry by Doug Wilson
- My Life for Yours by Doug Wilson
- One Thousand Gifts by Anne Voskamp
- Messy Church by Ross Parsley
- Searching for Sanity by Lindsey Bell
- Strong and Kind by Korie Robertson
- The Life Giving Home by Sally Clarkson
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- God Help the Child by Toni Morrison
- Paper Towns by John Green
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
- Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
- Things You Won't Say by Sarah Pekkanen
- Beautiful Womanhood by Sandy Ralya
- Be Still my Soul by Elisabeth Elliot
- Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Daylight by Heidi St. John
- Educating the Whole Hearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson
- Mom Needs Chocolate by Debora M. Coty
- Soundbites from Heaven by Rachel Carman
- The Daily Five by Gail Boushey
- Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman
- Learning to Read: Lessons from Exemplary 1st Grade Classrooms by Richard Allington
- Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson
- Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
John 10:10, My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
Wish me luck... I'm going for it!
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