I’ve become one of those people. Those people who read in bed before turning out the light. I love to read in bed and before Owen, you could find me in bed with a book on any given day, at any given time. Bed and books go together. But now I’ve become a before going to sleep bed reader. I usually have about an hour between putting Owen down and turning off the lights. I read for this hour while my hubby plays Words with Friends on his iPad. He also checks the weather and news. But I read. It’s become my most productive reading time.
I just finished Carry on Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed by Glennon Doyle Melton and I really enjoyed it. I love Glennon’s honesty. The whole book is essays about her life. It’s real and extremely refreshing to see someone put it all out there. The book really addresses that parenting is hard and I love that. She wrote an essay saying that just because parenting is hard doesn’t mean your doing it wrong. Thank you, Glennon, you made my day! She also said that she was going to start telling everyone the whole truth about herself just as her introduction. Her sister discouraged this and told her that she needs to use a filter. By a filter, do you mean lying she asked. In way, yes. I love that she sees using a filter as lying! That’s honestly how I feel! Now I don’t lie on here. I just don’t always include the whole story… which can feel a bit like lying. I know you can’t necessarily trust the whole world with every detail of your life and that filters are necessary, but I love that Glennon has chosen a life where she filters very little. I was relived to see I’m not alone. Her words of truth were freeing to me.
Because it’s a book of essays on parenting, marriage and honesty, I found there was a lot that I could relate to. I also laughed out loud a lot while reading this book. I’ve really needed a good laugh these days and this book provided many. While, I think Glennon and I might differ on a few matters of faith and doctrine (and swearing), I was inspired to see someone living their faith so wide and open, so free. I love that she can’t cook and that she finds hospitality stressful. She meets life’s challenges with a laugh and love. I think that I’m learning a lot about love right now. If I love well, isn’t that enough? If my life isn’t perfect, but I’m investing in and loving others, isn’t that what it’s really supposed to be about? Makes me think about where I spend my energy.
If this wasn’t a library book, there would be highlight marks all over it! I wanted to include a quote from the book in this post, but there are just too many to choose from. I highly recommend this book to any mama, especially those who are doing the hard work right now. Carry on warrior!
Amy Scott's Thoughts 