twelve years a slave

can't take long to write

i'm sixty-two percent finished

with a book that 

all

humans

should

read - 

twelve years a slave

by soloman northup

who was actually

twelve years a slave

in the 1840's

and

i can't wait to get to the part

where he is 

together

with himself

with his family

with his freedom

gotta go read....

*the book is only $.99 in kindle format and $5.99 paperback over at amazon right now. 

what book do you believe all humans should read?

linking with lisa-jo and barbie 

zuu-zuu and a great book

photo cred

i saw man feet in a public restroom yesterday
i
saw
MAN
feet 
you know,
when i was sitting in my stall
checking out the neighbor's shoes
didn't i check the signs?
the kham-speaking people of nepal
would say that in my moment of realization i heard
zuu-zuu
which means embarrassment
they hear chagrin
was it my heart
zuu-zuu-zuu-zuu
quickening as i realized i would have to walk out of a men's room
and
into a crowded restaurant?
i finally opened my stall door (cautiously)
only sort-of ready to live into the zuu-zuu
and....
a woman smiled at me as she entered the room
(what's the kham sound for relief?)
but what of the man in the stall, you ask
lady's work boots....

*the book, at the foot of the snows, (from which i learned the kham word for embarrassment) is an excellent missionary story that's keeping me from reading blogs, grading papers, listening to my family....i highly recommend it!

what's new with you? any great zuu-zuu stories? good reads?

linking with - 

michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, heather for just write,  joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god, jennifer for tell his story, jen for soli deo gloria, emily for imperfect prose

vietnam, haiti and texas-white-sheet-cake: a list

i'm feeling all sharey tonight, so behold, a list!

1. the book, inside out and back again, is a must-read for all humans. it's short and will slam you to the wall when you realize how refugee children feel.
2. it's september which means it's practically time to wrap christmas gifts. consider researching and patronizing on-line fair-trade stores for your gifts this year. a favorite of mine is haitian creations which not only provides a wide variety of awesome handbags and jewelry, but seeks to empower women to survive in their impoverished country.
3. i have other gifts-that-do-good ideas over at my pinterest account. there is a 72% chance that if you click here  you could see my board!?!?!
4. i've found a dessert that makes people beg for the recipe. beg, people. it's a texas white sheet cake. now, if you click here you will find the recipe. BUT, i highly recommend using a cream cheese icing instead of the one suggested here. and i use vanilla instead of almond extract. and i don't use nuts. 
5. esther. she's rocking my world. again. her willingness to listen to godly counsel, seek the lord and then risk is simply amazing. and so much of what i want to be. oh lord, subdue me, and increase you. amen.

so, what's going on with you? 

linking with -

michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, heather for just write,  joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god, jennifer for tell his story, jen for soli deo gloria, barbie for weekend brew

and i'm reading...

excerpts of Escape from Camp 14
to my students who are jaw-dropped-amazed
by this account of a man
who escaped a north korean gulag
and
Acts 
my favorite image comes from chapter 17 -
(he made the nations) that they should seek God,
and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him
and
i recently finished Lupita Manana
a mexican immigration story for adolescents
a gripping story,
but i was cast-awayed at the end
so only gave it three stars
and
i began hilary mantel's Bring up the Bodies yesterday
i'm determined to persevere through this narrative
on thomas cromwell
despite the
eighty.
other.
characters.

so, what books are on your nightstand?


linking with -

michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god, jennifer for tell his story, jen for soli deo gloria, my freshly brewed life and kat for titus 2 tuesdays

brothels, sunrises & unbelief

over the weekend i read
a new kind of normal
and
god in a brothel
and i have to admit....
they scared me
not the stephen king kind of fear
but the
i-can't-believe-these-things-happen kind
and now i'm sitting on my corner
of the couch
staring out at the sun as she rises,
despite
she rises every.day.
even though people's worlds
turn upside down in an instant
even though children are sold
into slavery every minute
sometimes it's hard to
believe
that god is here
piercing the dark with these
incessant sunrises
so
today i'll borrow the words of a
distraught father speaking to
jesus
i do believe;
help me
overcome
my
unbelief

what about you? what challenges your belief?

despite the really yucky stuff in the world, i believe that all good gifts come down from heaven. and so i'm continuing to count them to 1000 -

693. time with relatives on the chickahominy river
694. coming home to garden, kitty, chickens and dog
695. books that challenge me
696. a new curriculum for next year
697. my girl, the one i mentor. thankful for the cheer in her texts yesterday
698. my husband's opportunity for travel to papua new guinea
699. getting together with friends
700. a seventeenth birthday for my son

linking with -
michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays

joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god jen for soli deo gloria shanda for on your heart tuesdays and kat for titus 2 tuesdays

on where i read and a list for martha

summer mornings find me
curled up on the north corner
of my couch
coffee mug and book in hand
a deep pleasure
i came home from my school year
with a red tub of books -
mostly literature for adolescents
and i will immerse myself
in story as the days pass by
my friend, martha,
who knows this about me
asked for a list
books? a list?
of course!!

so here are five i've read and enjoyed recently -

blue nights - joan didion
look me in the eye: my life with aspergers - john elder robison
outrageous grace - grace fabian
the zookeeper's wife - diane akerman
escape from camp 14 - blaine harden

and a few i plan to read this summer -

operating instructions - anne lammot
the book thief - markus zusak
monster - walter dean myers
riot - walter dean myers
reading lolita in tehran - azar nafisi

how about you? what are you reading? where do you like to read?

linking with -

emily for imperfect prose
jen for god bumps
joy for life:unmasked

choosing safe

warm day at the soccer field

and
little sisters played up high in
gray-bark trees
i wanted to climb too
but
i followed social norms
and
didn't become the soccer mom
who climbs trees during halftime
now, sitting here in my
usual place
typing on my
usual computer
watching my
usual news
i kind of regret it

do you ever wish you took more risks? or fewer risks?

continuing to count his gifts to 1000 -

541. outrageous grace by grace fabian - check out this incredible book
542. great books to read while home sick from church
543. my girl, the one i mentor, i am so proud of her
544. my husband's desire to serve me
545. my boys playing "basketball" together upstairs
546. talk of college with older boy
547. the chance to write for my teachers lounge
548. reading a new book with my students

linking with

michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays

joan for sharing his beauty, richella for grace imparted, laura for playdates with god

jen for soli deo gloria and shanda for on your heart tuesdays

four smiles

1. a great read: Burning Bright, short stories by ron rash. north carolina mountains author. north carolina mountains stories. loved it. you should read it. just saying.
2. another great read: Three Little Words, a memoir by ashley rhodes-courter. a little ouchie and a lot hopeful, this is a story about a young girl's life in foster care.
3. i'm kind of mentoring (?) a young lady as she battles anorexia. she gave me a painting she did just for me for christmas. hopeful colors. hopeful verse. she is beautiful
4. my brother climbed this tree to hang this star in remembrance of his son and the son. i'm so proud to be his sister.

saturday minutiae

1. i enjoyed quality time with my husband today, then with myself, then with hank, then with jack. in the reverie of my alone-time, i missed an exit!
2. jack's soccer team looked GREAT in their tournament. Not sure what those kids who actually passed the ball did with our children....
3. i saw a wizened old couple driving a bright blue subaru - hauling a small sailboat. made me smile.
4. jack is watching a harry potter film right now. i am not a fan. loved the books, though.
5. i've been quite slack on a few things of late: cleaning, grading, planning a bible study, taking proper care of myself. i wish i had remembered to buy some gumption while i shopped this afternoon.
6. my favorite book of late? A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Abeah.
7. websites that i will visit for christmas shopping? The Rusted Chain and Beads for Life.
8. i've read the same verse four days in a row this week - Ephesians 3:16-17a.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. So, i require power from the spirit to have faith. Freeing knowledge. i continually live as if i have to drum up this faith. and when i can't do it, i feel like a lousy christian. i'm not moving on from this verse anytime soon.