Upcoming Reads

In the few days since school ended I've done a bit of reading.  A brain candy novel, and a fascinating memoir about a young woman who converted to Islam, moved to Egypt, and married an Egyptian man.  Seriously, if you're into memoirs, travel, and spiritual themes, you need to read G. Willow Wilson's "The Butterfly Mosque".  It was perhaps the best description of the process of being completely transplanted into another culture, and the challenges that come with that that I have ever read.  I borrowed the copy I read from the local public library, but I think I'm going to order myself a copy for re-reading.  It contributed to all of the reading I've been doing on experiences with Islam lately and left me with fascinating questions to mull over.  My only criticism is that the ending felt abrupt - I wanted more.  I want to know what happened when she and her husband relocated to the US for a time, and how their journey continued, past the early newlywed days.

I still find myself exhausted and struggling to form coherent thoughts, but I'm planning to spend the next week looking for work, catching up with a few friends, and reading, maybe even bus reading.

On my list for the days and weeks to come:

• Chasing the Dragon (Jackie Pullinger)
• Love Wins (Rob Bell)  (yep, I'm going to read the book that there's been all the controversy, not because of the controversy, but because I read all of Rob Bell's books)
• Sabbath (Dan Allender)  (my next booksneeze review title)
• Sisters in War (Christina Asquith)
• The Bookseller of Kabul (Asne Seirstad)
• Between Two Worlds (Zainab Salbi)
• Reconstructing Natalie (Laura Jensen Walker)
• Murder, Mayhem & a Fine Man (Claudia Mair Burney)

Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 256

Today's Daily 5:

1. A good appointment this morning
2. the sense of a growing awareness of the moments God is speaking
3. a growing awareness, too, of my own needs, and how to acknowledge them
4. training for the job I'm doing for a day for the federal election on Monday was an hour shorter than expected
5. I made a new recipe tonight.  My favorite soup (and I'm not a big soup person) comes from a local prepared foods store called M & M.  It's their version of Italian wedding soup, and I recently found out that they're discontinuing it.  Tonight I made a recipe for Italian wedding soup online that I made, and it turned out fabulous.  I'm quite excited to have a homemade replacement for my soup.

Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 255

Today's Daily 5:
(an introduction to the Daily 5 can be found by clicking the link in the sidebar, on the left)

1. Laughing at my slightly odd, very old eyedoctor, who has been exactly the same combination of slightly odd and seemingly old for all eighteen years I've been seeing him.  I swear he hasn't changed at all.
2. a clean bill of health for my eyes for another year
3. that the worst of today's snowstorm held off until I was indoors for the remainder of the day
4. a banana with peanut butter
5. pizza and conversation at house church
6. emails from several friends over the last few days
7. having friends who I can bounce ideas off of
8. the good kind of sore feeling that comes the day after my first long yoga class in ages
9. reading a fascinating book about a young woman who converted to Islam
10. a long, hot bath

A Few More Days of Quiet

I'm in the hazy land of days immediately following the end of a semester.  The days where my brain refuses to form many conscious thoughts.

On Tuesday I completed my last two final exams.  I celebrated with a late evening dose of Macdonalds, my trashy "treat" comfort food of choice.

I spent Wednesday resting, watching mindless television, reading something other than textbooks, shopping for skinny jeans with my brother's girlfriend,  and attending a 90 minute yoga class for the first time in a couple weeks.

Today is starting with an appointment with my eye doctor, and then continuing in yesterday's pattern, and ending tonight with house church, where I'm teaching again.  I'm actually looking forward to that.

In the meantime, I'm still in the post school, can't quite form deep, reflective thoughts stage, so you'll have to forgive me if there are a few more days of quiet around this space.  I'll be back as soon as I've had a bit of rest.

Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 254

Today's Daily 5:

1. Brightly painted toenails
2. shopping with J's girlfriend, R, and finding a great pair of skinny jeans
3. Chinese dumplings
4. a great yoga class
5. picking up a book and diving into reading.