For the Somewhat Stir-Crazy

After four days of being cooped up due to Snowpocalpyse/Snowmageddon 2011 (whichever you prefer), I've begun to envision Oklahoma as own huge ski town -- minus, you know, the whole skiing thing.  No big deal.  Nonetheless, all this free time has allowed for some serious blog creeping, music listening, movie watching, and lots of loungin' around.  While I've accomplished very little, I have had quite a bit of fun updating my iCal -- making plans to be productive.

Amidst my lack of actual productivity, I have done a few things...

Discovered my favorite new blog ... Today's Letters.  Written by a couple who I'm just going to go out on a limb and admit, I would love to be like one day.  Just give 'em a visit.  You'll see why.  One reason of many, they refer to the bed as 'the biscuit.'  Hello, cutest... Just bein' real with yaaaaaaa.

Dreamt of sunshine and warm weather.  Missing Nicaragua and kamp besties...

Checked out the new J. Crew spring line.  Sassy.  I'm feeling my faves are #18 and #19.  Just in case you were wondering... :)

Briefly thought about what I want to do with the rest of my life.  I'll get back to you on that one.  Can I get an amen?

Decided to train for a half-marathon.  In all actuality, one of my friends and I decided to do it a few weeks ago, but I actually mentally committed today.  Now I just have the task of convincing some besties to do it with me... (Cough, cough Kitty.  Cough, cough Meg.)  I recently heard if you run in the cold, running in the heat is much easier.  But for some reason, I just can't convince myself to put on some tennis shoes (or snow boots?) and go for a little jaunt outside.  That might be because the sidewalks are still slightly icy.  Or because these snow days have literally transformed me into the laziest person alive.  I hate it.  Well it's a love/hate relationship.  No, I hate it.  Yep, glad we figured that one out.

Read some of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  I'm not quite finished yet, but I adore it thus far.  Preview: "Perhaps there is some sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true."

Toured some pretty cool apartments via Apartment Therapy...

 Photo above from Lisa and Dan's Curated Family Farmhouse.

Photo above from Susan and Ryan's Less-is-More Farmhouse.

Some words of encouragement that have been blessin' my week... "Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'" -Matthew 11:28-30

"Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.  Cheerfully share your home with those in who need a meal or a place to stay.  God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.  Use them to serve one another.  Do you have the gift of speaking?  Than speak as though God himself were speaking through you.  Do you have the gift of helping others?  Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies.  Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.  All the glory and power to him forever and ever!  Amen." -1 Peter 4:8-11

Finally, I discovered some new favorite jams thanks to one of my coolest friends ever.  Many thank yous to Ganga for blessing my life with this Jimmy Needham/John Legend sounding artist, Andy Grammer.

Not to be forward or anything, but let's just say if he loves Jesus, I'd love to chat with him over a cup of coffee and you know ...  live happily ever after.  Either way.  I'm flexible.

That's all for now.  May we enjoy all our snow days to the fullest!  More to come.  All my love!

For the Readers

Now that final examinations have come to a completion, and Christmas Break is officially underway (all the glory to God, I might add), I admit I am rather excited to resume a schedule of normalcy.  Finals week is a combination of both freedom and captivity.  Perhaps that is a bit of an extreme comparison, but I'm willing to take that risk.

There are so many things running through my mind at the moment that I would love to discuss, but I suppose I will just have to pick one or two in order to prevent the inordinate length that could otherwise possibly result from this posting.  Let's see here...

Recipes?  City Rescue Mission?  Christmas Present Ideas?  Christmas Lights?  Christmas Playlists?  Poems?  Prayers?  Rhyming Words?  Babies?  Puppies?  Books?  Besties?  Dream Vacations?  Education for Women in Yemen and Iran?  (I wrote a 20-page paper comparing the differences in educational opportunities for Iranian and Yemeni women for one of my final research papers this semester. I so loved researching and writing it.  So now I am just anxiously awaiting my grade...)

Thanks to the beautiful fact that I have quite a bit of free time on my hands the next few days, perhaps I will just have to find time to write about a combination of all of them!

Today we'll go with books, as I possess a deep affinity for reading.  These are a few books that I highly recommend for your winter break reading pleasure.  Some of these I read this semester for class, others for pleasure, and others over the years but will always rank among my most favorite works.

Mantle of the Prophet by Roy Mottahedeh -- A somewhat lengthy read, but definitely worth your time.  Mottahedeh depicts the Shi'ite faction of the Islamic faith through the eyes of a mullah, or cleric, in Iran.  Very interesting.  I actually reviewed this book earlier in the semester.  Find my summary/review here.

Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble -- Just a fun, girly read.  Very cutesy.  If you're interested in a relaxing, care-free read, I recommend you pick up a copy.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver -- Must read.  Perfect depiction of the dichotomy of purity and impurity.  A picture of what can occur when religion becomes evil.

Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell -- Favorite thought from the book... Far too many times we ask why our world is so dark, but instead we should ask ourselves why the light is not bright enough.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan -- One of the most challenging books I've ever read.  READ IT.  Be prepared.  You may be uncomfortable at times, but it is so worth it.  In this book, Chan sheds light on the power of the Spirit -- a power far beyond our comprehension. 

Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality by Rob Bell -- I read this in high school, but it has always been one of my favorites.  Very challenging and many an incredible story.  

Paradise Beneath Her Feet by Isobel Coleman -- I read this this past semester for a research paper and loved it.  Full of stories on how women are transforming the Middle East.  One of my favorite quotes from the book came right at the opening, "Education is like sun and water.  Without it, you can't grow anything.  But if girls are educated, they can change our whole society." -Afghan mullah (2004)

Voices From Iran by Mahnaz Kousha -- I also read this this past semester for my research paper.  Features the lives of Iranian women and how they view their roles in Iranian society.  Very interesting.  Look inside...  “A woman is somebody who takes care of herself, who plays music, who dance.  I like these things, but I can’t be that person. [...] I wanted to be a university professor and at the same time a woman who is happy taking care of herself, her house, and the family.  But that is impossible.  Everything seems halfhearted, half-done.”  

The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne -- One of my favorites.  Always and forever.  One of the most challenging pieces of literature I've ever read.  Not in that the text is challenging or anything like that, but the content provided is inspiring, heartbreaking, and surges an energy inside of you that makes you want to take action against the injustices of the world.  Seriously.  Read it.  

The Christmas Bear by Henrietta Strickland -- My favorite book as a child.  One of, at least.  Beautiful illustrations and a wonderful read on Christmas Eve.  Or in July, for that matter.

Things I'm adding to my reading list over the break...:)

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safranfoer

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Radical by David Platt

Mere Christianity by CS Lewis

That's all for now.  If you have any reading recommendations, let me know!  I would love any and all suggestions.  More to come.  All my LOVE.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!