Aren’t these beautiful! I first saw them in a booth at my favorite flea market. I’ve been watching them and when the seller marked them down to half price, I just had to bring them home. A little birthday present for myself as I am 35 today! I am spending the day pampering myself with chocolate, the Gilmore Girls, and a book or two. See ya later in the week!
Earlier in the year I spoke of intention words. I chose Joy as my word for the year. The idea being to create joy around me, to look for joy and seize it whenever I could, and to share joy with those around me. Well, over the weekend I literally seized the joy with the purchase of this splendid stamp. I even got a good deal in the bargain, having caught a half price sale at Hobby Lobby. As for the joy in my life, I have seen it increase in the last few months and have begun to see a pattern. As I do things that are true to my faith, beliefs, and myself I find more and more joy all around me. This should, I suppose, be perfectly obvious. Somehow, I think, most of us don’t realize just how true this is. I have started to focus more on the things I feel the most passionate about such as bible class and World Bible School. This has meant not participating in some church activities so more time and attention can be spent with these two projects. Another change I’ve made is to read more. Those of you who know me might be a bit surprised by this statement. In truth, however, I had fallen out of the habit of reading as much as I used to do. School had a part in this. Between papers and tests and such there just seemed to be little time for reading. I am making the time once again and keeping the TV turned off more and more. I’ve also found exercise and begun including it in my life as a priority. With this new routine I’ve learned how much better I feel when I exercise. I feel more youthful, slimmer, and more energetic. It’s beginning to be more about the exercise than simply about losing weight. These are the biggest changes I’ve made and they have led to more joy in my life. I encourage all of you to find the things you are passionate about and jump in with both feet. This doesn’t mean being selfish. Remember we must love ourselves before we can “love thy neighbor as thyself.” How can we possibly love ourselves if we don’t know who we are? So, find the things that bring you joy and share that joy with others!
The Body Artist is an odd book. The story was intriguing, yet difficult to understand and follow. Even upon finishing I was left wondering what was real and what was make believe. It is the story of a woman dealing with death and trying to move forward. I wouldn’t recomment this book to the casual reader. This is due to the difficult writing style and puzzling story.
The Body Artist by Don DeLillo
I have heard often about Hitler, Germany and WWII, yet rarely have I heard much of Japan’s actions during the war (except, of course, Pearl Harbor). This book is told by a woman who spent 4 years in a concentration camp on the island of Java. She was Dutch and the Japanese sent the Dutch men to work camps and the women and children to concentration camps. This book captures a time and place in history that shouldn’t be overlooked or forgotten. It also tells of a mother’s love and tireless effort to keep her family together and take care of her children in a most difficult and stressful time. The above sentence really doesn’t begin to describe the conditions in the camp, but it is the best I can do. I highly recommend reading this book. It is a difficult read because of the subject, but well worth the effort.
The Flamboya Tree by Clara Olink Kelly
While perusing my usual blogs I discovered a new, lovely eco-friendly website called Green Cupboards. The people at Green Cupboards review and test products that claim to be earth-friendly. They have done all the research and testing for you. The products that pass the test can be purchased right there on sight. Vintage Indie did a review of their “Kitchen Cupboard” products and are sponsoring a contest. The winner receives the “Kitchen Cupboard.” Please check out the review on Vintage Indie and check out Green Cupboards for yourself.
I have been a fan of Madeleine L’Engle since reading “A Wrinkle in Time” in the 6th grade. This was a wonderful book. It is not your typical autobiography. No names, dates, or events explained in great detail. This is not about Madeleine L’Engle. It is Madeleine L’Engle. It is much like reading a journal and being in someone else’s mind. The book was in fact derived from journals she has kept over the years and in reading you come to know Mrs. L’Engle by what she thinks, believes, and does. It was written in the early 70s and still the book and thoughts expressed within are relevant. Perhaps even more so. This book is full of wonderful thoughts and ideas. It is book one of four. I didn’t realize this until I settled in to read and will now have to go on a treasure hunt for the others. This book was indeed a treasure and will be treasured for years to come.
My new workout routine is going splendidly. I showed great improvement this week. My first workout resulted in a score of B – Professional. I improved in a combat game I had played before and mastered a Mind and Body Zone game that had completely eluded me the first time I played. I am also seeing improvement in the Toning Zone. I am able to do some activities that I was unable to do when I started this program. I am also still losing about a pound a week. At present I have lost 5 lbs. I feel better and happier and am looking forward to week 4.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have read about George Washington many times in history classes over the years. Never has he seemed more real to me than when reading Mount Vernon Love Story by Mary Higgins Clark. Before becoming a famous mystery writer, Ms. Clark wrote a radio series called “Portrait of a Patriot.” This book or “historical novel” came from the research she did for the series. Though it is told in a story form it is based on fact. The story is told through the thoughts and eyes of George Washington himself. It is love story in so much as he loved his wife, family, land, and country. This was a fascinating, interesting, and spell binding read. I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book.
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