Reading Update

Here's an update on books I've read so far in 2012...

and a list of what I'm currently reading.

Books I've Read

• Born to Run by Christopher McDougall - I've heard a couple of people talk about how this book has changed their idea of running, and I see why. While at first the book appeared to simple be a chronicle of McDougall's journey to uncover a hidden tribe of Tarahumara Indian ultra-runners in the Copper Canyons of Mexico, it slowly becomes a critique of everything we know today about running, from shoes to posture to the proper fueling of your body. He invites the reader along as he trains for a 50-mile trail run against some of America's best ultra-runners and members of the Tarahumara Indian tribe. In between chapters on the progressing tension of the race, he also researches the habits of the best runners in history, analyzing the philosophy of barefoot racing, the evolution of running, and the hidden levels of endurance most people never realize they can reach. It's a good read, especially for anyone interested in running or running methodology. 

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I read this book when it first came out back in 2009, and re-read it during the week between Christmas and New Year since my husband bought me the trilogy for Christmas. In 2009, when I was still an English teacher, my students and I loved this book. I had multiple copies in my classroom library, and I could not keep them on the shelves for more than a day. The students absolutely loved the story, and all the English teachers were reading right along with them. I even used portions of the book to teach tone, sentence structure, and word choice. So re-reading it brought back a lot of great memories of my teaching days, and reminded me of all the wonderful co-workers I've been blessed to work alongside. It's so easy to get caught up in the plot of this book, to take an entire day snuggled up in a blanket with Katniss and Peeta saying just one more chapter until you've finished the entire book in a single sitting and stare longingly at Catching Fire until your husband says it's time for bed. Hypothetically speaking, of course. 

• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - Yep, read this one too. Some say it's the strongest of the series, and I might agree. The plot definitely strengthens and the character development is much stronger in this second book. I don't want to give too much away lest someone be in the midst of reading the first book, but this is where you really struggle with the Peeta vs Gale issue. At first, I was all for Peeta. Who wouldn't love a baker's son who risks his life (literally) for a girl who doesn't really seem to love him or really even care for him deeply at all? I can see why any girl age 12-25 would fall madly in fiction-love with Peeta. But then there's Gale, the handsome, rugged, brooding teenage boy who comes back to challenge the feelings of his childhood friend and risk his own life in the process. And so the fun begins.

 

• The History of Love by Nicole Krauss - This was our January book club read. It's got a plot line that's eerily similar to Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in that both novels star curious adolescents who set out on an adventure in New York City to discover hidden family truths and, along the way, meet old men with memories of WWII who have suffered the deaths of long-lost sons. Oh, and both are set to be released as movies in 2012. Oh, and Foer married Krauss just before publication of her book. As for the book itself, I was immediately drawn to the writing style, which shifts dramatically between chapters as multiple perspectives move the plot along. If you aren't paying close attention it's easy to get lost in the shifting stories, but it's also easy to float through the chapters, eating up the curious details of Alma Singer and Leo Gursky's seemingly unrelated lives. 

• Food Rules by Michael Pollan - I read this on a road trip to Dallas a few weekends ago. It's got a pretty simple premise: eat food, not too much, mostly plants. But Pollan fleshes out the meaning behind eat statement, explaining what "food" is and is not, underscoring the importance of plants and plant-based foods, and identifying ways to stay in tune with your body's true hunger cues. Really good read. 

Books I'm Reading

• Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart by Heather Arnel Paulsen - I'm reading this with a fantastic college student who is seeking to understand how she can become a stronger woman of God. I am so blessed to know her and walk through this book with her!

• The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis - This is our community group book for the next month or so. Each week we read over a chapter and discuss it together over a great meal. So far I've been blown away by the connections Lewis makes between our worldly desires and our innate need for God. When we walk further from God, we fill the void with things of this world, and yet, those things can never replace our need for God. So we find more and more things to fill our time and our thoughts with: politics, food, people, nature, etc. We try to control, manipulate, and draw affection out of them in the hopes that they'll make us feel good and happy. But it doesn't work, and we're left frustrated. Lewis is an amazing writer, and I am excited to continue working through the book with my community group.

• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - This fun young adult novel is our February book club choice. I've only just started on it, but I can already tell it's going to be a good read. 

So what are you reading?

Thankful

In times like these, I need to remember all the things I'm thankful for. Here's a list, in no particular order:

• long-sleeved shirts
• birthday cake
• lentils, cooked to perfection
• the new BBC series, Sherlock 
• my husband
• Pinterest
• The Hunger Games series
• really good friends
• Pilot Precise V5 pens
• the free gym at our apartment
• cookie dough ice cream
• enamel cookware
• garam marsala
• pink sunsets
• my community group
• lattes
• Good Morning America
• blogs
• Gungor
• apples
• fast wifi access
• iPhones
• How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
• warm chai
• sleep
• iMessaging
• my parents
• sweaters
• oatmeal
• Sunday movie and pizza nights
• Fage all natural Greek yogurt
• rainy weekday afternoons

Walking on water

So today I was preparing the lesson for the two-year-olds on Sunday. This month's theme is "Jesus can do anything," so they have been studying the miracles of Jesus. On January 1st, they learned about Jesus turning water into a "very special drink" (it was adorable). The next week, they heard about Jesus filling nets with fish. Last week, they listened to the story about the loaves and fishes feeding 5,000 men (plus women and children, mind you). Today, I made last-minute touches to the story of Jesus walking on water. I copied the coloring page, checked for supplies, ordered more BabyGanics wipes and foamy hand sanitizer, and was about to call it a day when I looked over at the neatly stacked lessons and coloring pages.

And it hit me. 

I read over it again and again. Jesus can do what's impossible...like walking on water! 

He can do what's impossible. 

I'm glad no one was in the office at that point, because I sat in what appeared to be a rather unproductive daze for several minutes. Jesus walked on water, I thought to myself, and yet, why do I refuse to trust Him with my life?

It seems like in these last few weeks, I've been struggling to give all of myself to a Savior who was sent down from Heaven to die for my sins and, along the way, fed over 5,000 people on one boy's lunch, walked on water, calmed stormy seas, brought people back from the dead, and rose from the dead himself after being nailed to a cross. I don't know about you, but I would fall pitifully short if tasked with the same responsibilities. And yet, I don't fully trust that everything will work out for me.

It's funny how I'd rather just do it myself, because for some reason I feel that I could do it better. Me, a girl who is 29 and still afraid of spiders. Who constantly misspells vacuum, intimidate, and thief (all of those had to be auto-corrected, by the way). Who won't eat raw bell peppers because "they're icky." Yes, somehow it "makes sense" to trust my life to myself, having failed miserably on numerous occasions, rather than give it over to Jesus, who can do the impossible.

Does anyone else ever feel this way?

I should know that God can do a much better job than me. I should let it go, realizing that this is all bigger than me and I am just privileged to play a tiny role. In Phillipians, Paul said, " it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (2:13). He will take care of me because it's part of His plan. It has been all along. I just need to remember that Jesus can do what's impossible. I can't.

So it's probably best to leave the job to the expert.

Guest Post: The Busy Nothings

Hey! I did a guest post!

Check it out over at The Busy Nothings :)

Butternut Squash Soup

I've made this soup about three times, switching out ingredients and changing up spices to see how everything works together. I feel like I finally got it right this last time, and it was so good I wanted to share it with you. It packs A TON of vitamin A and C, and is gluten-free, dairy-free, and can be easily modified for vegan/vegetarian diets by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. It's seriously my favorite soup ever. Maybe next time I'll actually remember to take a picture...


This recipe serves 4-6 people, and the soup freezes and refrigerates well. 


1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 small zucchini, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth to make it vegan)
salt and pepper to taste




Bring 1/2 cup water to simmer in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and cook until translucent (about 6-7 minutes). 


Add in the stock, water, squash, onion, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Add the zucchini and continue simmering for 15-20 minutes, until all vegetables are fork tender. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for a few minutes (also, remove the bay leaf). Pour half of the soup mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth (about 2 minutes), then pour into a serving dish and repeat with the second half of the mixture. Alternately, use an immersion blender. 


Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.


Nutritional Information (for 4 servings):
Calories: 157, Carbs: 37g, Fat: 1g, Protein: 5g, Fiber: 3g