What I've Been Reading Lately

What’s So Amazing about Grace by Philip Yancey- Brittany and I read this together, and were both impressed with the message. Yancey talks about grace as the “the last best word,” one of the only “theological words” we have left that hasn’t been tainted or abused. He also introduced to me the term and concept of “ungrace,” which is basically what it sounds like- the opposite of grace. Yancey’s writing is so interesting, he has so many stories and real-life examples and historical and literary references, I was entertained and challenged at the same time while reading.

The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson- I am still two chapters away from finishing, but this book has been really motivational and inspiring for me. Batterson discusses the importance of deliberate, hard, long, specific, faithful prayer. He also challenges believers to dream big, because it is impossible to outdream God.   I have highlighted so many sections in here, I can’t share them all, but here are a few:

“The sad truth is that most people spend more time planning their summer vacation than they do planning the rest of their life. That’s poor stewardship of right-brain imagination.”

“It’s easy to pray ‘amaze me!’ But I don’t know anyone who prays ‘perplex me!’ But it’s a package deal. If you aren’t willing to be perplexed, you’ll never be amazed.”

“If you are not open to the unprecedented, you will repeat history, if you are open to the unprecedented, you will change history, the difference is prayer.”

I have even made a life-goal list that Batterson encourages in his book, I am still working on it, maybe someday I will share it with you.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo- This is one of those books I knew I needed to read eventually. Enough people have recommended it, and classics are classics for a reason. We are headed to the capital soon for branch meeting, and someone brought over a copy of the newly released movie. I decided I would read the book first- but I decided too late! I won’t finish in time, but that‘s ok. It really is a beautiful story; it has been neat to read it right after finishing What’s so Amazing about Grace, because Hugo does a great job of writing grace before the reader’s eyes in the story.  I have kind of heard the story, and so I am pretty much banking on crying before this book is finished- always a sign of a good book by my standards.

Reconstructing Natalie by Susan May Warren- This is a chick-lit story about a 27 year old woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer. It is funny, inspiring, and insightful all at the same time. It was my second time to read it, so I knew I would like it.

Community is my language classroom!  By Tom and Sherry Brewster- I checked out several language learning books from the PBT library last time we were there. This one was definitely the most enjoyable! Probably because it serves as more of an encouragement than a how-to manual. Actually that is next on my reading list is the accompanying how-to manual by the same authors. But this book is a collection of stories of missionaries around the world who have used living and interacting with the target people group as their language learning- no formal instruction. This method is advantageous in many ways- relationally and even spiritually. This is the method I am attempting to follow as well. This book was just kind of a shot in the arm, a reminder of the rewards at the end of the road, and that other people have hard days too, I am not alone on the language learning road. 

Morning Jogs

I have started jogging three to five mornings a week at the soccer field nearby. This addition to my routine has been really good for me in several ways. Of course physically, then thanks to the resulting endorphines I feel good emotionally. But also for language learning and motivation this trip outside gives me a good start for the day.

Every morning as I walk, I think “I should blog this walk.” I think it is partly because it is in the early morning when I tend to be at my most reflective and feeling poetic. Nevertheless, below is a fairly average account of my average morning.

Sometime between 6:30 and 7:00, about fifteen minutes after the neighbors have begun their day and accompanying noise outside my window, I get up. I shuffle into my sneakers and ridiculous running garb (this huge flowy skirt that is not hard to run in), and try unsuccessfully not to make the door squeak as I open it to the outside world.

The early mornings are always overcast. Sometimes as I walk to the field the sun will begin to peak out from a cloud, but it generally stays hidden. I pass the same people almost every morning- greet in the same way and have the same conversation many times- this is wonderful for language practice. It goes something like this:

 Me: good morning

Other: good morning Massonay! (my name)

Me: how are you?

Other: good. Where are you going?

Me: I am going to go jog at the soccer field

Other: oh you are going to go jog?

Me: yes.

Other: that is good, God bless you.

Me: amen, see you later

Other: see you later.

Sometimes the dialogue is peppered with someone telling me to show them how I run. Sometimes it is peppered with things that I don’t know yet, but will learn one of these days.

At the field I do laps, there is generally a very mean-spirited Guinea that chases me every time I pass it. At first I was scared of it, then I remembered I am a human and it is a bird, so now I chase it right back. If there are bulls there, I deviate from my normal lap if need be to avoid getting too close.

Sometimes kids sit on the wall and watch me run by, but now I think it is becoming less of a novelty and life just goes on around me. Women pass with loads of firewood on their heads, or to get water for the day, kids walk in groups to school. When I get tired or lazy, I take out my ear buds and walk home a different route to see new faces and repeat the same basic conversation.

One neighbor told me I wouldn’t have to run if I worked like the women here do. This is soo true. The women here haul water, firewood, scrub clothes, cook over open fire-they don’t need to go running, they work enough already. Another friend told me it was good that I had started running; he had noticed I was getting fat, and that is not healthy. Wow, every girl’s dream phrase, lol. But he meant it with the very best of intentions, so I took it for what it was- a well-meaning encouragement.  So there you go, a small window into my worldJ