2010 Reading Challenges - 3rd quarter update

I meant to post this yesterday, but I didn't finish updating the list soon enough. I'm doing well on some challenges and have even completed a couple. I'm also right on track to read 100 books in 2010.

Unfortunately, there are several challenges I am failing miserably on. It is more difficult than I thought to come up with titles that have colors in them! If anyone has any suggestions, I would be very thankful!

Christian Historical Fiction Challenge - COMPLETE!

1. Distant Dreams (Ribbons of Steel, Book #1) - Pella, Judith
2. The Outsider: A Novel - Gabhart, Ann H.
3. Bachelors Puzzle - Pella, Judith
4. Sister's Choice - Pella, Judith
5. How Do I Love Thee? (Ladies of History, book #4) - Moser, Nancy
6. Just Jane (Ladies of History Series #2) - Moser, Nancy
7. Eighth Shepherd (A. D. Chronicles #8) - Thoene, Bodie
8. Her Mother's Hope (Marta's Legacy, #1) - Rivers, Francine
9. Michal - Smith, Jill Eileen
10. The Apothecary's Daughter - Klassen, Julie
11. Lady of Milkweed Manor - Klassen, Julie
12. The Inheritance - Alexander, Tamera
13. A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance, #1) - Brownley, Margaret
14. The Hope of Refuge: A Novel (An Ada's House Novel, Book #1) - Woodsmall, Cindy
15. A Bride Most Begrudging - Gist, Deeanne
16. A Bride in the Bargain - Gist, Deeanne
17. Queenmaker: A Novel of King David's Queen - Edghill, India
18. The Centurion's Wife (Acts of Faith Series #1) - Bunn, Davis
19. Ninth Witness (A. D. Chronicles, Book 9) - Thoene, Bodie
20. The Hidden Flame - Bunn, Davis
21. The Courteous Cad - Palmer, Catherine
22. All the Way Home - Tatlock, Ann
23. A Measure of Mercy (Home to Blessing, #1) - Snelling, Lauraine
24. Masquerade - Moser, Nancy

Biblical Fiction Challenge

1. Eighth Shepherd (A. D. Chronicles #8) - Thoene, Bodie
2. Michal - Smith, Jill Eileen
3. Queenmaker: A Novel of King David's Queen - Edghill, India
4. Ninth Witness (A. D. Chronicles, Book 9) - Thoene, Bodie
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Christian Non-Fiction Challenge - COMPLETE!

1. How Women Help Men Find God - Murrow, David
2. Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement - Spencer, Irene
3. 3:16: The Numbers of Hope - Lucado, Max
4. Radical: Take Back Your Faith from the American Dream - Platt, David
5. Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex - Dillow, Linda
6. Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment - Osler, Mark
7. Loving Your Man Without Losing Your Mind - Davis, Susie
8. Love Is A Flame: Stories of What Happens When Love Is Rekindled - Bell, James
9. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs - Eggerichs, Emerson
10. The Jesus You Can't Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ - Jr., John F. MacArthur

Jane Austen Challenge

1. Emma
2. Emma & Knightley: The Sequel to Jane Austen's Emma - Billington, Rachel
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma - Birchall, Diana
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Extra - (Related, but doesn't count toward the challenge) Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders - Ross, Josephine
Extra - The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World - Sullivan, Margaret C.
Extra - Just Jane (Ladies of History Series #2) - Moser, Nancy

Colorful Reading Challenge

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Memorable Memoir Challenge - COMPLETE!

1. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia Gilbert, Elizabeth
2. A Year in Provence Mayle, Peter
3. Sweet Mandarin: The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West Tse, Helen
4. Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement Spencer, Irene
Extra - A Thousand Days in Venice - de Blasi, Marlena
Extra - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life - Kingsolver, Barbara
Extra - Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran - Saberi, Roxana
Extra - Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey - Knize, Perri

South Asian Author Challenge

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Chunkster Challenge

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Support Your Local Library Challenge - Almost every book I read is from the local library. If I read one that isn't, I'll mark it with a * in the list below.

100+ Reading Challenge

1. All Through the Night - Bunn, Davis
2. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia - Gilbert, Elizabeth
3. Distant Dreams (Ribbons of Steel, Book #1) - Pella, Judith
4. A Year in Provence - Mayle, Peter
5. The Outsider: A Novel - Gabhart, Ann H.
6. Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders - Ross, Josephine
7. The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World - Sullivan, Margaret C.
8. The Swiss Family Robinson - Wyss, Johann D.
9. Bachelors Puzzle - Pella, Judith
10. In the Time of the Butterflies - Alvarez, Julia
11. Sister's Choice - Pella, Judith
12. Shanghai Girls - See, Lisa
13. June Bug - Fabry, Chris
14. How Do I Love Thee? (Ladies of History, book #4) - Moser, Nancy
15. The Wisdom Of Eleanor Roosevelt - Wigal, Donald
16. Sweet Mandarin: The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West - Tse, Helen
17. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto - Pollan, Michael
18. How Women Help Men Find God - Murrow, David
19. Mona Lisa in Camelot: Jacqueline Kennedy and the True Story of the Painting's High-Stakes Journey to America - Davis, Margaret Leslie
20. Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage - Andersen, Christopher P.
21. Now and Always - Copeland, Lori
22. Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement - Spencer, Irene
23. Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel - Jacobs, Kate
24. Emma - Jane Austen
25. Emma & Knightley: The Sequel to Jane Austen's Emma - Billington, Rachel
26. Just Jane (Ladies of History Series #2) - Moser, Nancy
27. A Thousand Days in Venice - de Blasi, Marlena
28. Beguiled* - Gist, Deeanne and Bertrand, J. Mark
29. The Silent Gift - Landon, Michael
30. 3:16: The Numbers of Hope - Lucado, Max
31. Radical: Take Back Your Faith from the American Dream* - Platt, David
32. Pride and Prejudice - Austen, Jane
33. Eighth Shepherd (A. D. Chronicles #8) - Thoene, Bodie
34. Intimate Issues: Twenty-One Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex - Dillow, Linda
35. Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma - Birchall, Diana
36. Her Mother's Hope (Marta's Legacy, #1) - Rivers, Francine
37. Michal - Smith, Jill Eileen
38. The Apothecary's Daughter - Klassen, Julie
39. Lady of Milkweed Manor - Klassen, Julie
40. The Perfect Match (Deep Haven Series #3) - Warren, Susan May
41. The Inheritance - Alexander, Tamera
42. Jesus on Death Row: The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment - Osler, Mark
43. The Inheritance - Alexander, Tamera
44. A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance, #1) - Brownley, Margaret
45. The Hope of Refuge: A Novel (An Ada's House Novel, Book #1) - Woodsmall, Cindy
46. A Bride Most Begrudging* - Gist, Deeanne
47. A Bride in the Bargain* - Gist, Deeanne
48. Loving Your Man Without Losing Your Mind - Davis, Susie
49. An Amish Gathering: Life in Lancaster County - Wiseman, Beth
50. Sarah's Garden (Patch of Heaven Novel) - Long, Kelly
51. Queenmaker: A Novel of King David's Queen - Edghill, India
52. Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued* - Meeder, Kim
53. Love Is A Flame: Stories of What Happens When Love Is Rekindled* - Bell, James
54. The Centurion's Wife (Acts of Faith Series #1) - Bunn, Davis
55. How Sweet It Is - Wisler, Alice J.
56. How to Read a Book - Adler, Mortimer J.
57. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life - Kingsolver, Barbara
58. Leah's Choice: Pleasant Valley Book One - Perry, Marta
59. The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment - Jacobs, A.J.
60. Ninth Witness (A. D. Chronicles, Book 9) - Thoene, Bodie
61. The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had - Bauer, Susan Wise
62. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs - Eggerichs, Emerson
63. Cooking Basics for Dummies - Miller, Bryan
64. The Hidden Flame - Bunn, Davis
65. Real-Life Homeschooling: The Stories of 21 Families Who Teach Their Children at Home - Barfield, Rhonda
66. The Courteous Cad - Palmer, Catherine
67. All the Way Home - Tatlock, Ann
68. Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran - Saberi, Roxana
69. The Jesus You Can't Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ* - Jr., John F. MacArthur
70. A Measure of Mercy (Home to Blessing, #1) - Snelling, Lauraine
71. Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey - Knize, Perri
72. Masquerade* - Moser, Nancy
73. The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands - Schlessinger, Laura
74. The Great Conversation: The Substance Of A Liberal Education (Great Books Of The Western World, Volume 1) - Hutchins, Robert Maynard
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A couple random thoughts

I can't believe September is almost over. Even being a homemaker, time seems to fly. There are so many things I want to do but only so much time in a day. I guess that means prioritizing the things I do, deciding what is truly important and what I shouldn't waste my time on.

These days, I spend most of my productive time cleaning the house, studying Japanese, and exercising. My quilting has taken the back burner as has most of my reading. I think I need to limit my internet time so that I can tackle some of the other things I wish I had time for. There's really no reason for me not to get everything done.

Today has not been so productive, which is party my fault and partly out of my control. I have spent too much time on the internet plus hubby and I watched the first episode of The Biggest Loser while we were eating lunch. There's nothing like watching people eat greasy food and reap the results to prevent me from going back for seconds (even of my fairly healthy food)!

But, hubby's phone has been ringing all day long with clients and coworkers calling. When that happens, I have to be quiet and there goes most of my housework! At least I was able to fold all of the laundry. Now I need to finish washing the dishes and start making dinner.

What's On My Nightstand - October

I've read quite a bit this month but most of the books are more challenging than my normal reading. Thus, I've not read quite as many titles. I have a feel October will be like that as well.


This is what I'm going to attempt in October, but I know I will not complete all of these.



These are not all of my books. The open book is my husbands as he is learning C#. No idea what that is, but he calls it "light reading!" He also has a couple of other art and computer books in that stack, so I'm not completely insane!

My priority books:
The Importance of Being Earnest - I have seen two movie adaptations of this play and I loved them both. It's time I read the play!

How to Read and Why - I've read How to Read a Book and I've heard How to Read and Why is also very good.

The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome - I don't plan on reading this entire book, but I do want to start it. Even though I progressed through the normal history classes in elementary and high school, plus another year or so in college, I feel ignorant. I want to match up Biblical history with the rest of the world, to gain an idea of what else is going on during the time of Abraham, David, and Christ. I want to put the Bible in context!

First day back at work!

I'm so excited to be "back" from vacation, though I didn't leave the city. I took a break from almost everything productive for an entire week. Very little cleaning or laundry, no Japanese, no shopping, nothing. It was nice but by Thursday morning I was actually starting to miss a nice clean house!

Now I have tons to do to catch back up. Today I exercised, studied Japanese for an hour, ran a load of dishes (still more to do), washed and dried 2 loads of laundry (I have a huge pile to iron), and caught up on some emails that desperately needed to be sent.

Tomorrow I'll be finishing up the kitchen, ironing a LOT of clothes, and whatever else I have time for. I know I'm not going to catch up in one day as it took more than one day to make a mess. But it's nice to see some progress being made!

I've resolved that next time we take time off from work, I'll spend an hour a day to keep the very basics of cleaning up to date. Yup.

Mid vacation update

Before my husband's vacation started, I thought I would want to be productive this week as normal. Ha! I'm not used to taking vacations. When I worked full time, I would take two vacations a year, each one a full week long. During that week, I was a full time housewife! Those week long vacations were a chance for me to make great meals, scrub the house from top to bottom, and catch up on things I didn't normally have time to do. I've never just stayed home and relaxed.

Hubby encouraged me to take a vacation with him. So far I've done grocery shopping and we took the car in for some maintenance work. That's it! I'm not staying on top of the dishes, I'm not doing regular housework, and I haven't studied a single minute of Japanese this week. It's very weird! I'm behind in my email correspondence and this is the first blog post I've written in almost a week. I'm actually taking a vacation.

We're not doing much. I've been exercising like normal, training for a 5k on Thanksgiving. I've also been finishing a few books on my to-read list and have spent hours talking to my mom. Hubby and I have played a couple board games, watched a couple movies, and just relaxed! It does feel like we're farther along in the week than Tuesday so I might find myself being productive later this week. We'll see! I know I have to do a couple loads of laundry tomorrow as the basket is overflowing. Other than that, I plan on doing very little!

The Jesus You Can't Ignore - A Book Review

I received The Jesus You Can't Ignore (John MacArthur) awhile ago for review but it took me weeks to finish it. There is so much information packed into the book that I kept stopping to take notes or ponder what had been written.

The introduction states why this book is so important.

"Of all the things you might ever study or reflect on, nothing could possibly be greater than God. So your view of Him automatically has more far-reaching ramifications than anything else in your belief system. What you think of God will automatically color how you think about everything else - especially how you prioritize values; how you determine right and wrong; and what you think of your own place in the universe. That in turn will surely determine how you act" (xvii-xviii, emphasis his).

With this view in mind, that our beliefs about God have the farthest reaching ramifications in our lives, it is very important to have an accurate picture of Christ. This book tackles a side of Christ not often portrayed, presented by the subtitle what you must learn from the bold confrontations of Christ.

Chapter 1 is titled "When It's Wrong to be 'Nice.'" This chapter covers why Christ had so many confrontations with the Pharisees. During Christ's ministry, not much is said about political power. Instead, Christ attacks the religious power of the day. MacArthur writes about the Pharisees: "Their religion was their whole life. It even took precedence over God Himself" (10). The Pharisees were teaching that their views of religion had more authority than God Himself. MacArthur warns that:

"Enemies of the gospel have always been (and still are) most formidable when they are religious. The more successful they are at convincing people they are within the circle of orthodoxy, the more effective they will be at undermining the truth. The more deeply they can infiltrate the community of true believers, the more damage they can do with their lies. The closer they can get to the sheep and gain their trust, the more easily they can devour the flock" (13-14).

I can't even begin to cover the depth of material presented about Christ's ministry and how He dealt with those who opposed Him. Instead, I'm going to share two more quotes that really spoke to me.

Toward the end of the book, MacArthur says:

"That's why Jesus' preaching heads the list of things that make Him impossible to ignore. No preacher has ever been more bold, prophetic, or provocative. No style of public ministry could possibly be more irksome to those who prefer a comfortable religion. Jesus makes it impossible for any hearer to walk away indifferent. Some left angry; some were deeply troubled by what He had to say; many had their eyes opened; and many more hardened their hearts against His message. Some became His disciples, and others became His adversaries. But no one who listened to Him preach for very long could possibly remain unchanged or apathetic" (162).

The book concludes by sharing this advice:

"If Christ Himself devoted so much of His time and energy during His earthly ministry to the task of confronting and refuting false teachers, surely that must be high on our agenda as well. His style of ministry ought to be the model for ours, and His zeal against false religion ought to fill our hearts and minds as well" (208).

This book is worth the time to read and really contemplate the image of Christ that is presented. The image of God presented here does not jive with the image that is commonly presented, of a meek and mild Christ who only spoke words of love. One reading is not enough; I want to set this book down for awhile, then return to it later to study it in depth.

Disclaimer - I did receive a free copy of this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Vacation countdown: V minus 3 days

I have so many things I want to post about but I can't put together a coherent thought to save my life! Hubby has three crazy days of work left and then Vacation Time! We are both extremely excited.

Hubby will be spending the majority of the next three days in the office so it'll be quiet around here. I'm going to try to muster a bunch of energy and have the house spotless before Friday afternoon so that we can relax when he gets off work that day. That's the plan, at least!