What I’m into in January ’15
AROUND THE WEB
- Why you still need to read real books
- Stop overplanning your time off
- 10 tips for better pictures of your kids (but not just of kids)
- 5 ways you’re unknowingly destroying your marriage
- What “Serial” really taught us
THINGS I LOVE
- Having a new One Word for the year—“now”—what an easier way to keep New Year’s Resolutions (see what it’s about here)
- Creating a new reading list for participating (at least partially) in these 2015 Reading Challenges:
TBR Pile Challenge
Back to the Classics
RTK Classic Book Club
Newbery through the Decades
- Participating in Manna House’s Christmas Give-Away and getting to pray with so many mamas (and as a mama, watching my daughter Jenna pray with them, too, back among the freezers and potato bins filled with mama bags)
FAVES FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
- Fave new app: Duolingo to at least maintain my minimal Spanish (and maybe get better? a girl can dream), in case I go to Guatemala again this year (!)
- Fave pin on Pinterest
- Fave tweet: I’m glad to finally be reading Richard Rohr. His writings are insightful.
- Fave Instagram pic: This is what I learned to type on. I pounded out many high school papers painstakingly on this manual typewriter. We’re planning to clean out my parents’ house soon, so this heavyweight has come home to me. (But what do I do with it now?)
WHAT I’M READING
- In my daily bible reading, I’m up to 1 Chronicles 13 in the Old Testament, John 13 in the New Testament
- “Real” books: The Book Thief and The Secret Life of Pronouns
- From my public library’s Kindle collection: Think Like a Freak; Just Mercy; The Narcissist Next Door; Born to Blog. [This is my first time to “borrow” Kindle books. Here’s to hoping they’re renewable when my 2 weeks are up!]
ON THE BLOG
WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO
- Babies being born! My niece Amanda will have her 2nd daughter any day now and my special friend Victoria will have her 2nd son also this month or early February
- Decluttering more with the help of this book. I’ve made a schedule for a different category each month, including a month for cleaning off files from my computer. Per the author’s suggestion, I’m starting with the easiest category, clothes, and have already gotten rid of LOTS of shirts.
- Centering Prayer retreat this month at the Sacred Heart Monastery
- My baby turns 20 in January—no more teenagers for us! Here are Morgan and Jenna with our 90-yr-old Aunt Nancy.
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What will you be into in January? Please share here.
sharing at Leigh Kramer’s What I’m Into
I loved the picture of the Royal – I learned to type on a portable Royal, brought it to school for the compulsory typing class. Everyone else had Selectrics (it was a rich school).
My January…survival, and trying to keep things moving forward. I’m only looking at one-hour horizons, or sometimes less. It’s a living.
Sorting through old boxes at my parents’ house today, I actually found our old typing book also from my high school days. My class had mostly manual typewriters and only a few electrics. To get to use those was a really lucky day. 🙂
One-hour horizons. Would we all be wiser to stay closer to that time frame? Live on, please, Andrew.
Living on, and living it up. Life is too much for to go just yet.
Heaven can wait.
Love this!! and you!! Girl – you have to come to Guatemala and your hubby. My January is busy planning our Beautiful Event where we go out to the streets and invite the women to come for worship and free hair-do’s, manicures, and make-overs. So fun!! Plus I need to plan for my daughter’s wedding which will be in April. Mercy what a crazy year ahead. Oh yea — and in January I get to go to the baby shower of my first gbaby – little Liam. Exciting stuff.
Your Beautiful Event sounds awesome! Wish I could be there alongside you ministering to those who rarely see their true worth. What a difference you are making in individual lives and in the Kingdom, Alene.
Guatemala isn’t leaving my heart. My Jenna has filled out paperwork (but hasn’t submitted yet) to intern for 6 weeks in Guatemala this summer at Casa Shalom. We’ll see how God works that out….
You have SO many full things ahead in 2015, my friend! Enjoy this to the max. I’m excited for you! And Liam–love that name.
I, too, loved the “Royal” picture.
Off to find out why you chose the word “Now.”
And I love that picture of your daughter praying with the mom.
Aw, I’m sorry to disappoint, Carrie. The link was to the One Word official home page. But I will be sharing on Monday about my “now” choice. It’s been coming for months. Crazy how God works like that. Last year I didn’t settle on one word until a few days before Jan. 1. But “now”, God began preparing me months ago–ironic. ha.
Oh, ok. I went to look but I still don’t know why you chose the word “Now.” 😀 (I can make a stab at good guess but I’m also assuming you’ll talk more about that soon.)
Wonderful post, Lisa – full of rich variety in your life and encouraging “us” to look more intentionally at what is “full” in our lives.
My word for 2015 fell into my lap last week when I was doing a morning mediation.
Word: BELIEVE
My cousin gave me a Richard Rohr book for Christmas – do love him but only have a couple of his books.
The new one ( new to me ) is “Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self”. Looks to have some helpful insights in it. First I am going to finish “The Pastor” which is a memoir written by Eugene Peterson.
This year holds the potential for my devotional book to be self published. How that is coming about is truly a story of God’s timing and grace-filled wonder! It could be a book in itself the way it has unfolded. When the process begins, I plan to document the background and then all the steps on my blog. Stay tuned.
xo Lynn
I love this–believe. It’s so perfect for you (and for any of us!). I know you are such a strong believer as it is. God will tap into it in newer and more amazing ways in 2015, I’m sure. Please do keep us all posted on the journey of your book to publication. So excited for you and for all who will read it! I’ll definitely stay tuned.
I read Richard Rohr’s “Everything Belongs” this year (oops–make that LAST year now, ha) and was amazed by it. I get his daily devotionals via email and look forward to each one. My library has a couple of his books that I’m going to borrow soon (Simplicity and Falling Upward), then I want to read Immortal Diamond too.
I still need to sort out what reading challenges to join. I’m definitely reading many on Carrie’s list. I’m hoping to sort it all out next week when everyone is back at work and I have more quiet time to think. 🙂
Had to smile at the comic about the run – definitely my type. 🙂
I know I had a manual typewrite in college before getting an electric one, but I don’t remember what kind. Computers are such a blessing!
Yes, next week. I’m going to get lots of things done next week too when things return to normal. It’s fun to kick back and not do as much during these weeks surrounding Christmas, but I do look forward to getting back in a routine as well.
Computers are indeed a blessing! So thankful I don’t have to use that typewriter anymore. One mistake and it was trouble. Get out the white-out. 🙂
That tidying-up book looks essential …here’s to simplifying in the new year!
I have so much more breathing space in my closet just from changes I made this week, so I hope I can keep it up in other areas of the house over the year. 🙂 I’ll keep referring back to the book for inspiration.
You look very busy Lisa and you read like i do, several books at a time :). My January is full of rolling changes for me, all i can do is allow myself to feel the peace within and wait upon God’s guidance and assurance that what i am doing is right.
Yes, I find it much more interesting to read several books at a time too. That way if you’re not in the mood for one book, just reach for another. 🙂 Sounds like you have an interesting month….
I have busy reading too. Lisa. How was your Holiday.
I believe God to achieve more this new year by His Grace.
Our holidays were wonderful. Hope yours were too. Yes, by his grace…yesterday, today, tomorrow!
I love the picture of your daughter praying. Sounds like a full but good start to the New Year for you, Lisa. I am looking forward to getting to know you better this coming year. Blessings. xoxo
Thanks, Beth. I look forward to hearing more too what the Lord is going to be doing and changing in your life as well.
Love how you categorize your reading lists. No wonder you get so much reading done. One goal I have this year is to spend more time reading. I do love to but often feel rushed or let it go until I am too tired to enjoy it. Bring on the books!! Your centering prayer retreat sounds wonderful. will hold you up in prayer for a fruitful time with God. I am hoping to do my annual silent retreat either in Feb or March and did sign up for a week long directed retreat in June based on Savary’s new book The New Spiritual Exercises. When I called the retreat center, all the rooms were booked already so thinking this must be really good to be filled so quickly. I am on the waiting list for a room but can stay at a nearby hotel if one doesn’t open up. lots of time year. Hope your Jan is opening up well for you.
I really enjoyed the different categories of books with those challenges in 2014, so I need to finalize my list again for this year. I do seriously love books.
Thanks for your prayers for my time with God. I’m so looking forward to it, even though I’m not sure what to expect. I just know it’ll be good. 🙂 It’s awesome that you do an annual silent retreat. I hope to continue to learn more from you this year, Jean.
Oh, love those links for book clubs. I’m trying to think now of my reading list for the rest of 2015.
Those reading challenges really helped me get some hefty books read last year, like Les Mis and The Brothers Karamazov. I’ve wanted to read both of those for years, but I just needed an extra nudge, and the book challenges gave it to me. Hope they encourage you too.