50 books in 52 weeks

Why is it that people in our culture don't read as often as we used to?  Oh wait, I know the answer to that.  Television, movies, endless soul-sucking posts on social media.  I hate to admit it, but I fit that bill--I spend a lot more time watching screens than I do with my nose in a book, which is an incredibly sad thing to realize.  Well, this year, my goal is to change that.  I have decided to read 50 books in 2015.  Though I'm not entirely sure I can do it, I want to try.  Last year I completed NaNoWriMo, ran a 5k, and did a number of other things I thought I couldn't do until I tried them.  Why not give this a try?

First, let me clarify what I mean by "book."  Reading a children's picture book does not count, and reading short stories doesn't count either.  However, I am open to reading novellas, children's chapter books, plays, and other books that aren't necessarily super thick.  Perhaps next year I will step it up to reading 50 difficult books in a year, but this year I don't think I can accomplish that feat.  

I know for a fact that I will not read one book every week.  It just doesn't happen...especially when you're a full-time college student, part-time babysitter, and part-time photographer.  And church volunteer.  And enjoy watching movies.  Aaaaand try to have a social life...but, I digress.  This week, I have read 5 books (or plays).  5 down, 45 to go!  Depending on the week--and depending on the book--I may actually write reviews for some of them.  For right now, though, I'm just going to give y'all the names of the books (and plays) I read this week. 

1. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
2. The Sea-Gull by Anton Chekhov
3. Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
4. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
5. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov

As always, I am up for any book suggestions people out there may have for me.  Especially with a goal of 50 books in a year on my plate, I am definitely open for recommendations! 

The Ultimate Measure of a Man

For times when you need your life to be put back in perspective-- here's a poem that I wrote a while back. It started out with inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King and it ended up being a reminder of all I have been given by the one, true King. It's funny how God does that...

Some people are born great while others are born greater

But sometimes even the greatest of the great don’t remember the image that they’re made in.

One great person I know of, His name is Dr. Martin Luther King.

He left this Earth, a hero, with a legacy in the making,

He said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.
You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

You only have to put your hope and faith in The King who reigns from above.

“Only?” you ask, “Only put your hope in Him?

You say it like it’s so easy, but I know that the truth lies within because,

That’s like only diving down to the depths of the ocean

because I’ve been hurt so many times I can’t ever let this door open.

No one can get to me, they can’t read what’s on my heart today,

I won’t let them get inside no matter how hard you pray.

I am ME and ME is great, I’m the greatest you’ve ever seen,

And I won’t let anyone, not even God try to take that from ME.

I am strong, I am strong, but I’ve been hurt a lot before,

The difference is that was then but now I am locking the door.”

“ONLY??” you ask, “ONLY trust someone else?

I don’t think you understand, I can ONLY trust myself.

Because I’m the only one who knows, the only one who understands,

The only one who feels my heart beating and I won’t let you screw up my plans.”

But let me tell you, that’s not true, those are lies seared into your brain.

Those are lies that you developed to try to mask all of that pain,

Let me tell you, let me tell you, let me tell you something real,

There is one person in this universe that knows exactly how you feel

And He won’t steal you or reveal you, He will make your whole life new,

He won’t try to change you or rearrange you, He accepts you for you.

“And what makes ‘him’ different?”

What makes HIM different, you ask?

Well let me show you, you need to know too, because His cause is a mighty task.

He is The Creator. He is The Designer.
He is The Healer and Master Diviner.
He made The Heavens, He Made the Earth.
He gave life to the skies, the oceans, and the birds.
He is God. He is Lord. He is everything that is good.

But as He sat there on His Holy throne, He knew that we misunderstood.

So He sent Jesus, He sent Jesus, down to earth as a simple human.

As a baby He was born and later He died to make us new again.

And He was HURT, He was BETRAYED, even though in His friends you’d think He could trust.

HE IS 110% GOD, and yet He chose to live with us.

He came down to the grave and then went back to heaven, in order to restore.

And now we have His word and the Holy Spirit so we can remember that He's walked this road before.

So when you think you’re all alone and you’re afraid to trust other people,

Remember that the Cross means more than a friendly welcome sign on a church steeple.

It means HOPE, it means PEACE, it means LOVE, it means PERFECTION,

But not perfection in who we are-- in His death and resurrection.
So find Him sons and daughters. Find Him to live life True.
Find him and in him rest your hope, because He will always find you.

And on days when you’re lost and lonely and you think that you are done,

Read His word, and remember that the battle has already been won.

And He cares for you and He loves you and He will never let you go

Because the Lord Jesus Christ, oh He loves me, I

know because the Bible tells me so.

Dr. King was a really great person, I admire Him a lot.

And as he sits face to face with Jesus, I hope he is saving my spot

So I could ask Him a few simple questions and congratulate him on winning the cause,

The cause for the Kingdom of Christ, because that’s the greatest cause for applause.

“I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land,”

Just as the Bible commands,

Martin Luther King put his faith in Jesus, and that is the ultimate measure of a man.

Things girls should NOT do, unless you like the guy...

Finding the line between being nice and appearing flirtatious is a very real struggle, and as girls, we probably won't ever get it completely right (unless one of our male friends would be so kind as to give us some more specific tips?). However, there are a few things we have learned about male-female friendships, that have taught us what NOT to do, if you don't like a guy, and don't want him to think that you do. Don't...

1. Give him gifts.
Just don't do it. You're thinking, "Oh, this reminds me of my friend (insert name here) and it's (insert holiday, birthday, or big accomplishment here), I should get this for him." But often times, he's thinking, "Dude, she went out of her way to get this for me and spent her money on this for me, obviously she likes me." Every time I've given a guy an (unsolicited) gift, he's ended up assuming that I have a thing for him, when the reality is, I was just trying to be nice. I've seen other girls give their guy-friends gifts and it didn't seem like a big deal to me but the last few times I gave a guy something, they took it wrong, so I'd say that as a general rule, just don't give him stuff. Unless of course, you're going to a party or event where gifts are socially implied (i.e. birthday party, graduation party, etc.).

2. Share all your internal struggles and deep thoughts.
Ladies, let's be honest.  We love to talk!  And we love to share our lives with others; it's how we work.  But when we open up to the point of telling guys all about the deeper parts of ourselves, it's sending them the wrong message. For us, the ability to share deep feelings and thoughts is somewhat a right of passage in friendship. When we feel comfortable enough to open up with someone, we take that as a sign of true friendship, but for guys, this can be a true sign that you are interested in more than friendship. Now, we're not saying this means you have to be on verbal lock-down, limiting yourself to conversation about the weather, we're just saying, keep tabs on what and how much information you disclose.

3. Text him all the time.
Again, we girls like to talk a lot.  And for a lot of women, we'll talk to anyone who wants to talk and can go on for hours, no problem!  But since guys aren't generally seen as big texters or even just talkers as we are, it's a good idea to limit the amount of texting you do.  If a guy is interested, often times he'll take you texting him as a sign.  He may think, "Wow!  She keeps talking to me, which must mean she's totally interested."  So to avoid this awkwardness, just don't do it too often!

4. Hang out one-on-one.
Most girls tend to disagree with this.  They think, "I'm super good friends with this guy, and it's totally platonic.  We're just friends, there's no issue of him thinking I like him!"  Uh huh, and that's part of the problem.  Trust us when we tell you this; it's happened to a lot of us girls!  If you want to keep your friendship with a guy, hanging out one-on-one is not a smart idea.  Going out somewhere with a guy, just the two of you, can come across as a precursor for dating.  Now, in certain situations, hanging out with your guy friend when it's just the two of you can be okay, I'll admit that.  But by and large, this sends a signal to a guy.  A very strong signal.  If you don't want him to pick up that signal, don't do it!  If you're going to go somewhere and hang out with your guy friend one-on-one, you should be open to the possibility of having the "more than friends" talk sometime in the future.  Because it probably will.

So there you have it!  Our opinions on what girls should avoid doing, unless they are interested in a guy.  Girls: what do you think of these?  Guys: anything else we need to be aware of?  What are some of your experiences?

My 2015 Bucket List

I've never been much of a "bucket list" person, or the type of person who makes New Year resolutions...but this year, I'm giving it a try.  In 2015, I want to take more chances, try new things, and experience life in new ways.  (Don't we all?)  So here are my top 10 goals for the year of 2015:

1. Run a 10k. 
In 2014, I ran my first 5k.  I plan to do a 10k in May!  Originally, I wanted to try a 1/2 marathon, but some issues have blockaded my ability to prepare for something that large.
2. Climb the incline.  
Between unknown knee pains, knee surgery, and other medical issues in the last few years, I've somehow never gotten around to this one.
3. Finish writing another book. 
After writing it for 4 years, I finished my first novella in 2014 with over 65,000 words!  This year, I plan to finish the one I'm currently working on.  Shouldn't be too hard.
4. Compete in NaNoWriMo again.
For anyone who likes writing, this is such a fun and worthwhile challenge!  I didn't think I could do it because I write incredibly slowly.  But, amazingly, I finished it!  And it feels so great.
5. Make a documentary.
I am saving up to substantially upgrade my camera, and the one I'm buying has great film capabilities.  I have several ideas that have always sounded like fun, and why not give 'em a try!
6. Record a set of songs.
As a musician, I have often played around with random melodies, making up my own songs and such.  Why not record a couple of them for fun, to have for future years?  Another fun thing to try out!
7. Read 50 books.
Eventually I want to be reading more than this, but I think 50 books in 52 weeks sounds daunting enough for me to give it a try.
8. Go camping.
This may not sound like a bucket list item, but I haven't been camping since I was a kid and I have been wanting to do it again for a long time!
9. Finish my "Hipster Princes" photo project.
For those of you who know what this is, you'll know that I have been working on it since August and only have two of the princes done!  For those of you who don't know what it is...well, you can ask me and I'll gladly divulge all the details.
10. Read through the Old Testament for the purpose of finding Christophanies.
This is something my pastor suggested to the congregation recently, and I love the idea.  Jesus Christ walked on the pages of the Old Testament, whether literally or in foreshadowing, and reading through the O.T. for that purpose sounds so great!

Anything exciting on your bucket list for 2015?

5 reasons you should read literature more often

I love and appreciate books of all (or, most) forms.  When I'm feeling like an easy, fun read, I'll pick up a book like "The Giver."  When I feel like something deep, I'll turn to old classics like "Great Expectations."  And, when I and struggling with something in my life, I'll often pick up a book like "Mere Christianity."  While many books are enjoyable, they aren't all the same.  Here are some reasons why literature, specifically, is a good idea to get in the habit of reading often.

1. It will expand your horizons.
Reading all sorts of books is a good thing.  But reading literature, more specifically, is important.  What sets literature apart from the vast majority of books out there, is that literature refers to a book that meets higher standards.  Literature can be thought of as a superior option to other types of reading materials.  Literary works are thought-provoking and stimulating, and often turn into classics (like works by Shakespeare, Austen, Homer, and so on).  These types of books cover a variety of life issues, theoretical ideas, and quite often pose intriguing questions that the reader is encouraged to answer for himself/herself.  So not only do you read a good book, you also come away with something more than you had when you started reading.

2. You will know more about the world.
Literally.  Literature comes from all over the place.  Not all literature is written in the US, or in England, or wherever you think it comes from.  People of all walks of life, both men and women, young and old, have contributed to the hefty pool of literature we have to choose from.  And we also have literature from quite some time ago.  When reading books written by a variety of people for a variety of people, you may just find that your eyes are opened to new things.  You can learn what a culture is/was like by reading literature that comes from/is based on that particular culture.

3. People associate reading with intelligence.
This is not to say that if you do not read, you are not intelligent...and it's also not saying that you are intelligent, simply because you read.  But it is true that many people associate a person's level of intelligence with reading.  For example, if you are talking to two complete strangers and one mentions he just read War and Peace, and the other states he hasn't read a book in 5 years, which one would you be more likely to think is intelligent?  Come on.  It's true.  And it is also true that the more you read, the more you learn.  So if you're reading good quality books, you will probably learn good quality things.  Win/win.

4. Your creativity will skyrocket.
Okay, so this hasn't been scientifically proven or anything, but in my experience, it's true.  The more often I read, the more ideas I have for my own writing or for an art project or for a new song.  When I read an excellent book, it makes me want to go do something productive (and creative) that matches that book's level of beauty.  After reading about a beautiful scene of a lake sitting at the edge of a forest, I want to go out and find someplace like that and photograph it.  Basically, reading and creativity are very closely tied!  In my opinion.

5. There are books out there for everyone.
No, "Fifty Shades of Grey" does not count as literature.  And reading a graphic novel doesn't exactly count, either.  But no matter what you're into, whether you're a math-lover or you can't get enough history in your life; whether you are into music or want to be an engineer, there is literature out there for you.  Reading a good book, one that has substance and meaning behind it, can inspire us to do better things in the area we love.  Literature helps us learn more about a subject we love, discover new things about ourselves, and feel like we belong.

Some of my top recommended pieces of literature are: "Macbeth" by Shakespeare, "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury, "Emma" by Jane Austen, and basically anything by C.S. Lewis.

What are yours?

You are BEAUTIFUL.

This is a message to all the girls out there, young and old.

Just in case you didn't know this about yourself...you are beautiful.  Yes, you, reading this right now. Why is it that when people tell us this, we either find it surprising, or we assume they're just saying that either out of kindness or because they're biased?  Could it be possible that it is a truth--that we are all beautiful? To answer simply, yes.
 
No two people look exactly the same.  No matter how hard you try, you'll never look exactly like someone else.  There's a reason for that--we're created differently on purpose, so embrace it!  You are unique, just like every other girl out there.  And that is a really cool thing, actually.  

Your friends will love you no matter what you look like.  And honestly, if you're happy with how you look and are comfortable in your own skin, it gives you greater confidence and that makes for better relationships.  Most people think they have to look nice all the time, but true friends can look like a hot mess around each other and no one cares.  Heck, if you have friends like mine, they may even tease you (lovingly) when you do put effort into how you look!  The point is, great friends think you are beautiful no matter what, and they're right.  You are.

Your future husband is going to LOVE the way you look.  Just the way you are.  No add-ins, no take-outs.  Your size, height, hair and eye color--all of it, he'll love.  My sister once told me that a girl's future husband is going to be designed to love her the way she is naturally.  God has created that guy to love everything about you, including what you look like.  So don't try to cover up who you are with layers of masks and makeup.  (Besides, the more makeup you wear, the more your face will break out anyway.  And guys like natural beauty anyway!)

God doesn't make mistakes.  If God wanted you to have a different hair color, a smaller or larger waist, or different eyebrows, He'd have made you with those.  Now, I'm not opposed to putting effort into looking nice--I put on mascara most days, and have no problems with experimenting and having fun with hair colors!  But it's important that we know that our beauty doesn't come from how much makeup we use or how "put together" and "fashionable" we stay.  God created us beautiful naturally, and when you embrace it, it shows.  Many girls who go without makeup find that they feel stronger and more confident in their own skin--they also have been known to get more compliments on their beauty because others can see they are okay with how they look!

Would you want to change the way your best friend looks?  Odds are, you love her freckles and dimples, her eye color and her cool/crazy hair.  You want her to know that she's beautiful inside and out!  It works both ways--so are you.  Really, you are.

You are beautiful.

5 things NOT to do if you want to ask out a girl!

Boys--believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about asking out a girl.  In a collaboration by Emma and Laurel, here are things you should NOT do if you want to ask a girl out.  Do not...

1)  Send her anonymous gifts. 
You're thinking, "Hey, she likes flowers!  I'll send her flowers.  But I'll keep it anonymous."  The girl is thinking, "Uhmm, some random person sent me flowers and I have no clue who...that's creepy... Is this a serial killer signal? Do I need to hire body guards?" Gifts are cool, but just put your name on the dang tag. Actually, having said that, if we don't know you well, that's going to be creepy whether it's anonymous or not... So rephrase to, only send her a gift if you know her pretty well and are going somewhere with it.
Key tip: Hopefully you know her well enough to be aware of what her love languages are, because for some people who aren't super huge gift people *ahem both of us,* asking her out by giving her something will just freak her out in general.  She may not even like gifts, unless it's Christmas or a birthday or something. And on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are those girls who are just plain gold diggers who will only stick around because you gave them a gift. Bottom line-- tread softly with gifts.

2) Pour out your soul to her.
This is something that, while we love to grow in deeper relationships with people, you should really save until after you two are dating. Opening up with someone by telling them everything you feel about them is kind of a big deal. I mean, it takes a lot of guts to open up such personal information to somebody, so pouring out your soul (in conversation, in an email, in a letter, etc.) is ultimately a way of trusting part of your heart to someone. Unfortunately, if you're not dating, she might not be ready to be put in such an intimate situation. Once you tell someone every lingering detail of how you feel about them, there's no turning back, and it's a lot of pressure to figure out how to deal with the information, even if she likes you back. If you're asking her out or letting her know you view her as more than a friend, just tell her those facts and leave it at that. If the feeling is mutual and you end up in a relationship, then and only then can you proceed and give more details about "the longing of your soul," and whatever else you have to say that would otherwise sound creepy.

3) Talk to her via electronics when you don't know her well.
This sounds a bit weird; most people talk via texting, facebook, or other social media nowadays.  But to a girl, if you're consistently trying to talk to her online when she hardly knows you in person, it'll freak her out.  When you want to get to know her better, try doing so through face-to-face communication. Then, once you have a pretty basic friendship (i.e. you know the basis of her family, education/work, living situation, and vice versa) it probably wouldn't be creepy to go for electronic conversation, but even then, don't be that person that texts her every waking moment. And a key tip: if you keep sending messages, and she doesn't respond, it's because she doesn't want to-- you probably need to keep working on that "getting-to-know-you-in-person" thing.  Also, keep in mind that if she wants to talk to you, she will.  You don't have to force a conversation. 

4) Talk about her to everyone you know (except her)!
Okay, this is a major NO.  Seriously, guys.  If you like a girl, you're free and welcome to tell her.  The worst she'll say is that she's not interested in you in that way, and if you really care about each other otherwise, you can still be friends.  When you talk to everybody who'll listen and tell the whole world you are in love with this girl but never even tell her this information, it's going to send her running for the hills! It's almost like that "pouring-of-your-soul" incident--in her mind, you went from "Wow! I'm so happy I have this great friend," to "Oh my gosh, he was planning to have my children!!" in 0-3 seconds. It can come off almost predatory at this time because it seems like you've had intentions for her that everyone else knew about and expected, but she had no say in the matter. Also, girls can get offended that you are essentially sharing this deep information with everyone except her.  Uh, hello?  Is there a reason you told some random guy you're in love with me while keeping me in the dark?  Just keep your feelings of love between you and your best bros, rather than everyone you know...

5) Call it "hanging out." 
If you want to hang out, cool!  Girls will, in their minds, see it as just that.  Two friends hanging out, nothing going on between you.  If you want to ask her out, ask her out.  On a date.  Don't think we're joking when we say this. We have both experienced this for ourselves, and it just doesn't end well... ever! In this day and age where it is socially acceptable for girls and guys to be "just friends" (supposedly), even if we're attracted to you, we will see you as a friend until you mention otherwise, and all friends "hang out." So if we're just friends, let's "hang out," but if this is something more in your mind, you. must. call. it. a. date. And don't try to find loopholes by saying,  "Fine, I'll ask her to 'chill' instead," there are no loopholes, and you're deceiving yourself if you think you can find one. Don't be afraid to ask; it'll mean less confusion and better communication, which is a big plus for girls.

To the ladies out there...did we miss anything? What things should guys not do if they are interested in asking you out?