Fast Freewrite

I'll make this quick. I have been on the library website making a list of all the books left on my 100 Great Books List. My awesome, best-library-in-the-country has them all in one form or another. So, I have the list printed out. 28 to go, and I am SO ENJOYING this journey. 


So far, I have learned so much through the selections. I haven't necessarily liked all of them (American naturalism/realism is so depressing!), but I have learned from all of them. In addition, they are SO MUCH EASIER than most of the books on The Well-Educated Mind list! I feel like I am breezing through them, but in many ways, I think I can breeze through them because I have that wonderful background from all those "hard books on that list" (as Lisa Cowden so wonderfully put it several years ago).


That is why it was funny for me to have people say that William Wilberforce: Hero for Humanity was hard to get through. It didn't seem hard to me when I compare it to others books I have been reading, but I had a feeling it would be for this group. I want books that may be hard and that call me to action. The goals are different for that group. It is more about reading for pleasure, which I think is a viable and wonderful goal, but is it my goal? Is it the best use of the precious hours of my day? Does it fit into my overall goals and ministry?


Which makes me wonder whether if I am done with the Book Babes. It has been a great season (January 2001 - to now), and I have read all but one of the 134 books (The Wake of the Wind is on my nightstand. It was one I could not get in the library when I was new to the group and didn't know anyone well enough to borrow it from them.). I haven't "liked" all of them, but I have given them all a try. But I have so many other books I like to read rather than the ones selected, and I am seeing that my tastes are so much different (although I really liked Unbroken). In my very positive life, this is somewhat negative right now. I will pray. 


I have all these young people like Cully, Matt, Micah, Elizabeth (if she were still here), Aaron,etc who I talk with about books all the time, and they love the hard, deep ones.  Their thinking blows me away, and I could learn from them. I am still pondering that. They would jump at the opportunity to discuss these books. 


I am such a woman of tradition, but it is OK after 11 1/2 years, isn't it? I took a break from Book Dames because I was teaching American Literature, and that was really healthy for me. Maybe I should just take a break. 


I will definitely pray.


In the meantime, I am at so much peace. I am around such awesome people of peace right now. SO many exciting things are happening in our life and ministry. The boys are doing well (Paul is still figuring out faith right now, but he is verbalizing it so well, and the discussions have been really GOOD). George and I are well (But we have always been well. I don't know why that is so, but I am grateful for it.).  The ministry is going so well. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the balance of writing, counseling, life coaching, discipling, training, co-laboring we are doing with these AWESOME 20-somethings. They are GEMS, GEMS, GEMS. And it is fun to see them get engaged (Two since November and One on the way!).  LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE our life.


I didn't go to Pilates because I needed to do some writing while the kids are in their finals. I will do some at home.


Next books:


Print: Catching Fire (It should be The Wake in the Wind, but I already started drinking the Kool-Aid)
Audio: The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (I think this is a less depressing one, LOL)


God you are SOOO GOOD!