hello again

hey. sorry for the momentary lapse in blogging and blog reading. i've been receiving prods about when i would be back. my absence is partly on purpose and partly not. i realized how much time i was spending in front of the computer screen and how little i was spending on "real books" so i've chosen the "real books" for a while and a blog-fast of sorts. it's not that i don't gain lots of valuable insight from reading your blogs but i love books and needed to refocus. right now i'm reading several things and working through a bible study that is keeping me busy.

here's the rundown:
The Patriarchs by Beth Moore-a study of the book of genesis and the patriarchs. i had begun it earlier this year and never made it past week one of ten so now i'm in week four. it's so good that i catch myself wanting to go ahead and complete more than one lesson a day. i need to slow down and digest it more. lots to learn about obedience to God and living out a faithful(l) life.

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason-stolen from Jeff's coffee table (Carolyn said I could)-ancient wisdom for finances. It's sort of old-timey Babylonian parables. It's really fun to read-I can see the conversations played out in my mind's eye like a play.

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge-WOW! This book is all about women. In fact, the subtitle reads,"Unveiling the mystery of a woman's soul." Although I don't like the normal stereotypes about men and women and squirm at the phrase, "Most women... or most men...." this book was great. I've finished it and will be passing it along to Mike now.

Cultivating Contentment by Luci Swindoll-I'm reading this book for a women's group that meets each week. It's a much needed look at contentment (or lack thereof). A real eye-opener and thought provoker.

Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs-circa 1620. yeah. enough said. it's like reading a dissertation and very challenging. just what i love and need in a good book. if "cultivating contentment" is baby food then this book is the meat and taters. seriously. i've got lots to think about and i'm only on page 9. it takes a lot of thought to just get through sentence by sentence. if you're looking for a literary challenge and a spiritual challenge then this is it, all rolled into one.

In other news, Abigail started preschool a couple of weeks ago and loves it. She enjoys her time there and I wish for time to stand still in more ways than one. We're extremely blessed and extremely proud.