Fabric and Books

Seeing that Josh and I were on the road for our 2nd anniversary AND packed only necessities into the butt of our hatchback- we decided to wait on getting anniversary gifts until after we arrived in Seattle.  Call me old fashioned but I like following the "traditional wedding gift" ideas you find online.  The first year's theme is something paper- which we both did without realizing that was the traditional first year gift.  The second year is cotton.  We decided to adapt that a little bit to be fabric/cloth/cotton.  Shortly after we got here Josh picked a Seattle Mariners hat which he now proudly wears.  Me being me decided to shop around a little bit before making a decision.  After we saw all the Sounders fans in Pioneer Square that one day and really digging the logo- I decided on a Sounders scarf.  Apparently scarfs are a BIG thing with soccer teams.  All the fans have them and they are many different styles.  Personally, I think I picked the best one!  Can't wait until winter when I can wear it on a regular basis- but for now is displayed across our couch :)  

  

  

Within the past week I finished the 3 books I was reading.  Yes, I have the bad habit of reading too many books at once- can I get a witness on that?!?!  I think I have mentioned them before in previous blogs but will give you the brief low down.

  

Deep Like Me: This book we picked up at the Northwest Ministry Conference we attended right when we got here to Seattle.  We met the author at a BBQ and he is a pastor in Hawaii, originally from Cali- hang loose man.  You can tell he is very laid back in his writing and not looking to ruffle any feathers but desires to share some things from his life.  Each chapter is an independent story- so it is an easy one to pick up, read a chapter and put down for a few days or weeks before reading again.  They all are stories from his life that either share a truth or give you something to chew on.  Here is a little excerpt from the last chapter that I found to oddly summarize the whole book, 

The question each of us needs to ask ourselves at the end of the day is not, "Did I achieve something great today?" or "How far did I get in my spiritual journey?" but rather, "Did I go forward or backward?"  Did I inch toward Jesus in my thoughts and actions?  Have I responded to the people God has put in my life in such a way that God is pleased? 

The Circle Maker: Josh and I bought this book after the author, Mark Batterson, spoke at River Valley Church.  It is exactly as the sub title reads of a book on praying circles around your dreams and fears.  It is really an encouraging book that makes you re-think your prayer "posture".  He puts action to prayer and urges you to never stop praying/praising but waiting expectantly.  He also has a great chapter on goal setting that got me really excited to set some of my own!  He constantly reminds the reader the God is FOR you.  He also presented an idea I had never thought about,

Our prayers exit our own reality of space and time.  They have no time or space restrictions because the God who answers them exists outside of the space and time He created...Our prayers don't dissipate over time; our prayers accumulate through eternity.  

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey:  This is the second book in the series of three.  It runs along the same lines as Lemony Snicket in that it is not fantasy, but it is fantastical.  There is not magic in these books, but definitely situations and characteristics that would not be seen in real life.  This series is also about 4 orphans that each have a unique "gift".  They are all very intelligent children and therefore are sought after by Mr. Benedict to help "save the world" from the evil Mr. Curtain.  A great before bed read :)   

My map quiz mentioned in a previous post.