The Pilgrim's Progress

This is my weekly update on my 50 in 52 challenge...comin' to you one day late, because I'm lazy.  And yes, I did skip last week, because I didn't read any books last week. 

As the post title may imply, I read Pilgrim's Progress this week.  I also got halfway through The Book Thief, but that doesn't count [yet].  I have my friend Amber, who is also doing the 50 in 52 challenge, to thank for me reading this book.  For years, I've heard about this book--and I always thought it must be a boring book about American pilgrims or whatever.  I don't know.  I'm not one for American history or anything like that, so I never had any interest in reading it.

Then I talked to Amber, and realized I was dead wrong!  So reading this book was a really fun thing for me because on every page, my former expectations of what the story was about were completely shattered.  It was a really fun book.  And according to the preface written by the publishers, Pilgrim's Progress has apparently been read by more people in the English language than any book--with the exception of the Bible.  Which is pretty cool.  This book was a fun way of interpreting a Christian's journey through life, and I definitely enjoyed it.

So my current list is at 8 books, with a whopping 42 left to read.  48 weeks to go.

This week I'm hoping to finish up The Book Thief and also read Daughters of Mars...or possibly Beowulf.  Or any of the other books sitting on my nightstand, waiting to be read.  We'll see!

Keep the book suggests coming, people!

The never-ending list

Found on victorienvannes.tumblr.com.

It seems like just when I think I've made some headway, I realize there are another 100 titles to add to my list.  No matter how hard I try, I can never keep up--let alone make progress!  There is a never-ending list of books to read, and I'm sure other bibliophiles can relate.  This year, I intend to make a dent in the list, to the best of my ability.

But really, what is 50 books when there are millions out there for us to read?  Granted, many books are not the sort I would enjoy reading.  You will never find a Stephen King suspense/mystery thriller on my nightstand, nor will you find 50 Shades of Grey or anything by Stephanie Meyer in my possession.  Even with filters like these, there are so many books out there I want to read.  Sometimes I wonder if there will be libraries in heaven.  That would be such a magnificent sight!  And I wonder, if there were libraries in heaven, what sort of books would fill the shelves.  I suppose I will just have to wait and see. =)

So!  Here are the books I read this week.  I am somewhat disappointed with myself that I have only accomplished to read two, but at least it's something--and it's definitely more than nothing.

1. Lord Tophet by Gregory Frost
Mostly good book but one part in the middle completely ruined it for me with incredibly vulgar humor that was taken way too far...wouldn't recommend.
2. The Veritas Conflict by Shaunti Feldhahn
Switches between the perspectives of the main human characters and the main characters in the spiritual realm.  Good read.

I am also going through The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan, but I started reading it in 2014 so it doesn't count as part of the "50 in 52" list.  Oh well! 

7 down, and only 43 to go!

Have you read any good books this week?  I am always looking for recommendations!

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?