Lisa notes

Do You Feel Guilty When You Read?

By LisaNotes July 7, 2021 Book reviews, Reading 35 Comments

Do you feel guilty when you read?

I sometimes feel guilty when I sit and read in the middle of the day.

It feels so unproductive, like I’m doing something solely for my pleasure and not benefiting anyone else. Like a waste.

It’s a bad mindset. I need to change it.

Granted, if there is something that needs to be done, I don’t need to forsake work just for my pleasure.

But if I’m caught up and nothing is pressing, it’s okay to take a little time for myself and read.

It’s often profitable.

  • It teaches me.
  • It changes me.
  • It connects me to others.

These are valuable reasons.

But this is another valuable reason, too: Reading is simply enjoyable to me.

I recently finished the new book, Books Promiscuously Read: Reading as a Way of Life by Heather Cass White. It’s about the pleasure and power of reading.

While I didn’t enjoy all of the book (it felt very disjointed; I give it 3 stars out of 5), I did enjoy enough of it to grab hold of White’s message:

“We should move a step beyond our preoccupation with dissipation and luxury where reading is concerned. The price is too high—it makes us read less. Even the pleasant aura of nocturnal dalliance we get for carving our life into daytime duty and nighttime reading, however attractively naughty it makes reading seem, is a distraction from the challenge of bringing our reading into the daylight. In the daylight we can affirm it, even and perhaps especially if only to ourselves, as a mode of living. We also serve who sit and read.”

I hear her say to bring our books into the daylight.

Reading doesn’t have to be relegated to the last thing we do if we happen to have time left over. (I fall asleep if I wait that late.)

So if you have a spare moment today and you’re off the clock with no child crying for dinner or no emergency calling your name, pick up a book.

Without guilt.

And read.

“Reading is a morning’s work.”

When is your favorite time to read? Do you ever feel guilty about it? Share in the comments. 

MORE ON READING

My thanks to NetGalley + Farrar, Straus
and Giroux for the review copy of this book

You Are Meant to Know God

By LisaNotes July 4, 2021 Book quotes, Trust 27 Comments

I resisted reading Spiritual Depression for awhile because the title sounds, well, depressing.

But the book is anything but depressing. 

The book is actually a collection of sermons that Martyn Lloyd-Jones delivered on consecutive Sunday mornings at Westminster Chapel in response to the need for more joy among Christians. It was originally published in 1965 and has since become a classic among Christian literature.

Enjoy this short excerpt on the connection between joy and knowing God.

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Excerpt from Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure

Man is meant to know God. So the question is: Do you know God?

I am not asking if you believe in God, or if you believe certain things about Him.

To be a Christian is to have eternal life, and as our Lord says in John 17.3: ‘This is life eternal to know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.’

So the test we apply to ourselves is that. Not, `Have I done this or that?’

My test is a positive one: `Do I know God? Is Jesus Christ real to me?’

I am not asking whether you know things about Him but do you know God, are you enjoying God, is God the centre of your life, the soul of your being, the source of your greatest joy? He is meant to be.

He made man in such a way that that was to be the position, that man might dwell in communion with God and enjoy God and walk with God.

You and I are meant to be like that.
– Martyn Lloyd-Jones

: : :

This excerpt originally appeared in the series, 31 Days of Books. Find more excerpts here.

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What’s in a Word? Actually Quite a Lot
—Grace & Truth Linkup

By LisaNotes July 2, 2021 Grace & Truth Link-Up 9 Comments

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What we say and what others hear are often two different things.

We stayed with our grandkids this past Monday and Tuesday. I smile when I hear the words that the 3-year-old uses:

  • going barefoot is “tippy-toe”
  • a Kleenex tissue is a “tennis shoe”
  • a mustache is a “stachio”

Why? Because that’s how she hears us saying those words, even though that’s not what we’re saying.

We mimic what we *think* we hear.

It’s cute when kids do it. They’re just learning.

But it’s not so cute when adults get our words wrong. They’re supposed to know better.

Relationship experts often suggest you ask your partner to mirror your words back to you, to see if you’re being heard correctly.

How does that work for you?

When Jeff and I do it, it’s rarely 100% accurate. When we repeat back what we heard, we usually get something wrong.

We may physically hear each other, but our filters get in the way of understanding each other. 

So we have to try again. And sometimes again and again until we finally understand properly.

I’m guessing God does this with us a lot. He tells us something, then waits to see how we interpret his words.

We probably get it wrong the first several times with him too.

But we need not give up. We can listen again. We interpret again. Repeat. Again and again.

God has all the patience in the world to wait on us as we grasp to understand him. We never get it 100% right. 

I wonder if he smiles at our misinterpretations like I smile at my granddaughter’s. . . .

Featured Post

Barb chose “Abide” as her One Word this year. Each month she has been going hard with God after this word and what it means in her life.

This past month, Barb wrote down many different words regarding Abide. Although her post is short, the meaning is deep.

Take a glance at the picture she shares at her blog, and see which words you most connect with as you abide in God.

“ABIDE—A WORD MAP”

Sometimes one word can explode into many.

Is there a word you often misunderstand? Share your thoughts in the comments. Then link up below.

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1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.   

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

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Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now let’s link up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

On the Blog—June 2021

By LisaNotes June 30, 2021 Archives No Comments

Here are brief summaries and links to all the posts in June 2021.

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7 Books I Recommend—June 2021

By LisaNotes June 30, 2021 Books I Recommend 33 Comments

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
– Stephen King

Below are 7 books I recommend from what I finished reading in June. 

[See previously recommended books here]

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Nonfiction

1. The Making of Biblical Womanhood
How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth
by Beth Allison Barr

making-of-biblical-womanhood

Our pride often tells us *we* understand what the Bible means, not only for today’s audience, but also for its original audience. Including understanding women’s roles. But Beth Allison Barr takes us back through history to show us the path that led us here. Maybe our idea of “biblical womanhood” isn’t so biblical after all? I highly recommend this book. I give it 5 stars.

[My book review here of The Making of Biblical Womanhood]

2. Storyworthy
Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling
by Matthew Dicks

storyworthy

This is another 5 star book. Author Matthew Dicks is an award-winning oral storyteller (and an elementary school teacher, a novelist, a wedding DJ, etc.). This book is a fascinating compilation of how Matthew tells true stories from his life to win storytelling competitions. I have zero plans for that. But I I do want to better write and remember my own stories for myself. I picked up lots of great tips here. (I also love the podcast he hosts with his wife Elysha, Speak Up Storytelling, as well as his daily blog.)

How do you remember the stories of your life? Watch Matthew Dicks TED talk here on Homework for Life. He explains how and why he keeps up with his stories. He also explains it in chapter 3 of Storyworthy. I’ve started doing it myself (but not daily).

3. How to Tell Stories to Children
And Everyone Else Too
by Silk Rose West and Joseph Sarosy

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Not intentionally, this is a second book I read this month on storytelling. But the focus here is totally different from Matthew Dicks’ Storyworthy. How to Tell Stories to Children is about spontaneously telling fiction stories to entertain and engage children in your life. This doesn’t come naturally to me, so I appreciate the encouragement and advice in this book on ways to improve.

[More notes here on How to Tell Stories to Children]

4. Untamed
by Glennon Doyle

untamed

If you like honest and vulnerable memoirs, Glennon Doyle’s books should be on your list. In this one, as in her other books, she explains how she’s choosing to live her life with bravery and authenticity, as a mother, a wife, an activist, a believer, and as just a fellow human being in this world.

5. The Influential Mind
What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others
by Tali Sharot

influential-mind

Do you wish you could change someone’s mind about an issue you disagree on? Likely we all do. This book authored by a neuroscientist explains why some of our first instinct tactics often fail (such as, just show them the data!) because that’s not how our minds works. Fascinating information here.

6. Divine Echoes
Reconciling Prayer With the Uncontrolling Love of God
by Mark Gregory Karris

divine-echoes

How does God actually work in our world? What is the best way to pray to him? What should we ask him for (and not ask for)? Nobody can answer these questions with complete certainty. The author Mark Karris suggests we may be putting too much responsibility on God in our prayers and not enough on ourselves. This book offers interesting insights I hadn’t considered.

7. The Biggest Bluff
How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win
by Maria Konnikova

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Because my One Word this year is Uncertainty, I was drawn to this book. It’s written by a journalist who took a year to become a professional poker player. She wanted to learn how uncertainty, chance, skill, etc., intersect not only in poker, but also in life. Her journey is interesting, even if you’re like me and know absolutely nothing about poker.

Reading Now

  • Think Again
    The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know
    by Adam M. Grant
  • Kent State
    by Deborah Wiles
  • White Awake
    An Honest Look at What It Means to Be White
    by Daniel Hill
  • We Need to Talk
    How to Have Conversations that Matter
    by Celeste Headlee
  • Noise
    A Flaw in Human Judgment
    by Daniel Kahneman
  • Black Buck
    by Mateo Askaripour
  • The Book of Longings
    by Sue Monk Kidd

What good book are YOU reading this month? Please share in the comments.

My books on Goodreads
More books I recommend

sharing with Modern Mrs. Darcy

Share Four Somethings—June 2021

By LisaNotes June 28, 2021 Life updates 18 Comments

Here are my “four somethings” from June. I’m sharing at Heather’s.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Loved

  • CALCULATOR APP 

This may seem silly, but I love this free calculator app, Numerical. I downloaded it a couple years ago. I highly prefer it over the standard calculator app that comes pre-loaded with the iPhone.

numerical-app

Why is Numerical better? It does lots of things. But my favorite thing is it shows the history of your whole transaction, i.e., you can catch your typos.

If you’re adding a long string of numbers, with this calculator you can actually SEE that whole string of numbers as you go, instead of just the most recent number. If you make a mistake, you can easily find and correct it instead of having to start all over. 

Even though we use online banking, I can’t sleep at night unless my checkbook is balanced by hand every month. (I’m not the only one left, right?) So having a good phone calculator makes the job easier. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Read 

  • ALL THE BOOK OPTIONS

This is more about HOW I prefer to read instead of WHAT I’m reading. It’s how I’m currently reading The Book of Longings, the latest novel from Sue Monk Kidd.

Thanks to public libraries, my very favorite way to experience books is to have all three options for the same book at the same time:

1) the hardcopy when I want to see and turn pages,
2) the ebook version on my kindle when I want to read in bed or on my phone  
3) the audio version when I’m driving or doing chores around the house

book options

And all of these three are free with a library card (aren’t public libraries the best?!!).

It’s not always easy to stay synced when I switch back and forth, but it usually only takes a second. It’s worth that.

Rarely does this line up at the same time with one book. But for this book, I’m enjoying that I have all three options together for two weeks.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Treasured

  • AN INSIDE VIEW

Thanks to covid vaccines, we’ve been getting inside views again: of restaurants, church services, public events, etc.

It’s been refreshing to meet friends again for a meal without having to choose only places with outside patios and decent weather; to sing beside fellow believers and take communion together inside our church building; to visit inside people’s homes again without wearing masks.

May I never take these things for granted.

And may the rest of the world find themselves in this place sooner rather than later. My heart and prayers go out to those countries who are still in the fight of their lives.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Ahead

  • ANOTHER SHOT AT A SHOT

Since our third grandchild arrived on May 4, we’ve only had one weekend so far with all three grandkids in the same place at the same time. We did take a photo of Jeff and I with all the grandkids together that weekend, but as is typical, I really hated the way my hair looked that day (it’s an ongoing problem, I confess), along with other things I don’t like about my photos.

I’m trying to squash my pride so I’ll show you (but I’m also showing you because I think the grandkids are so adorable!):

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I’m hoping they’ll all be here together this weekend for July 4, mainly because I want to have them all together!, but also (vainly) so we can take a new photo. (Even though I probably won’t like my hair that day either; how frivolous to be concerned about hair this summer instead of covid.)

previous Share Four Somethings

What’s a highlight from your June? What are you looking forward to in July? Share in the comments.