Reading update

I am happy to say that I have been keeping up with my reading so far this summer.  My greatest triumph is the completion of Don Quixote!  I found the first half to be the most interesting with the second half not as funny or interesting, but I made it through.  I did look for the story that is used primarily in the ballet, Don Quixote, and amazingly the story of Basillio and Kitri, (her name in the ballet) was only a few pages of the over 900.  It was fun to find it though.

I also read and finished two theological books, The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArther, and Absolutely Free by Zane Hodges.  They were opposing views, but helpful as I continue to study salvation, by grace, through faith alone.  More posts on this hopefully soon.  It's been a busy summer!

I read Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul Tripp.  We have been in a class at church over the summer which has been teaching basic counseling and the call that God has placed on all believers to counsel one another.  Sometimes it will be in a more formal setting, and sometimes in less formal settings as friends.  This book is excellent on many levels, and I highly recommend it!  It really helped me to understand more where I come from, (my humanness) which contrasts so clearly from the grace-filled God who pours out His love on me!

I finished Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.  I read a kid's version as a child many times, and I watched a corresponding video many times, but I don't think I'd ever read the original.  It was dry at times, and very fascinating at others.  And, I also read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.  This is not a long book, but it is an excellent read!

I am currently reading Gulliver's Travels by Johnathan Swift.  It's a little dry and harder to get going, but I am learning to push my way through even books that I don't enjoy as much.  The story is entertaining, and in the book's defense, I have read it the last several nights when I was pretty exhausted and nearly fell asleep reading it.

I am also nearly through Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.  I honestly don't remember reading this book growing up, but I know the movies pretty much by heart!  I am loving this book! What's been really interesting is observing that my son, Sam, has some things in his imaginative, talkative, all-in emotionally, personality that is like Anne.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this series.

There you have it.  For me, this is a great deal more reading than I have done over the past several years.  I'm glad to be back reading more again.  I usually read before bed or when I'm nursing the baby.  It works most of the time.  It's been good for me, and I feel like my brain is getting more exercise these days.  My husband's started reading more, too, and it's fun to have something to talk about other than say....politics!