Amy Scott's Thoughts

It’s been a while since I posted anything about the books I have been reading. I’ve certainly been reading a diverse mix these days. Some books are by beloved and favorite authors and some are new finds. I’m really enjoying downloading eBooks from the library, but sometimes that means hunting down the right book and waiting for it to be available. Overall, I’m trying to spend less money on books so the library is a great option. Also, in a day of instant gratification, eBooks get me what I want, when I want it. I do miss making my bookshelf look impressive as I fill it up, but lately Owen has taken to pulling my books off the shelf. Maybe eBooks are safer for a while!

• Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker – This book started off really funny. My favorite quote was one she wrote about looking back on mothering and saying she wishes she would have eaten more chocolate cake. This deeply resonated with me because I was in an intense chocolate phase at the time. However, the book took on a more serious tone as it went on. It’s about a woman who lost her mom and in turn decided she never wanted to be a mother. However, three kids later, she is learning and growing in motherhood despite the pain of her past. It was a good read, but more serious than I expected.
• Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin – I found this book on the library website. I knew that some of my favorite authors really liked Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project, so of course, I started with the squeal. Makes sense? The book is all about investing in home because it’s an important place and it greatly affects our happiness. Rubin did various things to improve how she felt about her home. It’s more of a philosophy and mind set take on home. It’s not a DIY and spend money kind of book. It was interesting, but didn’t move me to do much around my house. I figured that now that I’m a stay at home mom, I might want to invest more in the environment I’m in most of the time. Turns out my house is pretty functional for me.
• Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers – I like Francine Rivers as an author because she knows how to write a love story. It’s a romance novel and I liked it a lot because I like romance. It’s not my favorite book by her, but it is still pretty good. Worth the read for those who like her work.
• Help. Thanks. Wow. by Anne Lamott – A lot of people have mentioned Anne Lamott as a favorite author. This book probably wasn’t the best one to start with. I’m currently reading Traveling Mercies by her and it’s much better. Help.Thanks. Wow. is a book about prayer. I almost skim read it because I didn’t find it super moving. But reading about prayer always sounds like a good and holy endeavor so I did finish it.
• Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery-  I loved it! Every book by L.M. Montgomery makes me want to read more by her. I really should make it a personal goal to read all her works. I’ve yet to be disappointed.
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin – Since I read the squeal, I thought I should go back and read the original.  Gretchen Rubin spent a year improving and investing in her happiness. I loved insights like “Be Gretchen” and “What makes other people happy, doesn’t make me happy.” It was empowering to focus on being yourself and do what makes you happy without shame. So often we try to fit into other people’s boxes, I am grateful for authors who embrace who they are and encourage you to be yourself as well. I can see why this book became so popular.
• Forever with You by Robin Jones Gunn – I grew up reading about Todd and Christy through the many books of Robin Jones Gunn. After a decade of only glimpses of  Todd and Christy through her other stories, Robin Jones Gunn has started another series dedicated to my two favorite characters of all time. I felt like a teenage girl when I heard she was writing about them again. This book as an excellent addition to the love story I have loved since middle school!
• The Nesting Place by Myquilyn Smith – Again, my interest was peaked by a book about home. The premise of this book is that home doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. I don’t have a huge interest in home decor, but lately, I’ve been thinking more about the home I am creating.  This is a great book about creating a space that works for you and showcases what is important to your family. I’m thinking a lot about not just having a functional home, but a warm and inviting home. This house will be the place that Owen remembers his childhood. This will be the place that he invites friends over to. What kind of home am I creating? As a result of this book, I have the strong desire to paint and buy new throw pillows.

I’ve been reading a new genre these days – mommy lit. I’m not really interested in parenting how-to books because every kid is different. There are no formulas in relationships and that includes babies. Or so I have observed. I have a small group of authors that I love and trust. I found a new book this week through Sarah Bessey’s newsletter. The forward to the book was written by Ann Voskamp and the there was a short review in the first few pages by Shauna Niequist. If Sarah, Ann, and Shauna liked it, I assumed it must be a good read. The book that I am referring to is Found: Questions, Grace & Everyday Prayer by Micha Boyett. I love reading books like this because I am reminded that I am not alone and I am not the only person who thinks these things. Micha used to be in full-time ministry before she became a stay at home mom. Motherhood interrupted her flow of spirituality. Suddenly she wasn’t praying the way she used and she felt like it was her fault. She thought that the life of a stay at home mom wasn’t impressive enough to God. She felt like she was disappointing him by no longer doing the “holy” work of ministry. Micha wrestles with the holiness of mothering and the worthiness of this calling. She validates that eternal significance of investing in your family. She is honest about the raw, hard moments that motherhood can bring.  Micha leans towards the liturgical church calendar and she loves the monastic order of Benedict. She likes the flow, the purpose and the stability of their prayer lifestyle. I have not been drawn this particular way, but I love getting the perspective of another frame work of faith. It was very calming and purposeful.

This book got me thinking about my prayer life and spiritual life. Motherhood has definitely changed how I do things. I used to keep a prayer journal. Writing my thoughts helped me get them out of my head. But now sitting down to journal isn’t as easy was a it once was. I find though that in each new season of my life I need Jesus just as much as before. There is no walking this life alone. My prayer life has changed and it has deepened as a mother. I talk to God a lot. Staying home with a baby takes prayer! I’ve never been a list person. I don’t go down a sheet paper with a list of requests that I daily take to the Lord. I do think about my friends and loved ones. In those moments when they come to my mind, I say a prayer for them. If I know someone has a job interview or a doctor’s appointment, I try to say a prayer for them. I know those things are important. Even if someone randomly comes to mind, I try to say a prayer of blessing over them.  My prayer life feels like a relationship. I chat with God often. I tell him how I really feel. I ask that he act on behalf of others. It’s never been rigid thing. I love to pray. However, I would not label myself as great prayer warrior or an intercessor. I don’t spend hours on my knees petitioning heaven. I just don’t have hours at my disposal these days. I believe that you should the best you can with that you got. I believe that talking to God shouldn’t be formal and something you check off your list of things to do.

I’ve also been thinking about the discipline of Bible reading. I love reading my Bible. It’s a really good book! I don’t read my Bible everyday. I do use a Bible reading plan, but I’m the kind of person that gets ahead so I don’t fall behind. Right now I am one month ahead in my reading. If I miss a day or two, it’s no big deal. If I have time and I’m engaged then I will read more than one day at a time. I’m getting to that place where I’ve read the Bible in a year for a few years now and I think that it’s time to challenge myself in a new way. Once I finish this current plan, I think I’m going to camp out in a certain book of the Bible for a year. I’m not quite sure what book that will be yet. Instead of reading all of my Bible, I want to go deep with a part of it. I want to live in that book for a while and really get to know. I want to move into it and make it my neighborhood. I’ll keep you posted as I figure this out more. I’m ready for something different. I’m great at checking boxes and following plans. I’m curious to see how I do getting off the marked path. I think experimenting is always eye opening.

Sooo… Anyway, back to mommy literature, I’m grateful for the discovery of a new author and a book that made me think about my own mothering and my own faith. Motherhood and faith are so linked. It really is important work and my faith keeps me going through it. Next on my list of mommy books is Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker. Can’t wait!

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!

The Pioneer Woman jump started my desire to read again, so January must have been a fluke. Yay! Over the last month, I’ve hit the books again. It’s been a mix of using my Kindle app and hard copy books. When Owen was first born, hard copy books just seemed to complicated and eBooks came into my life and saved the day. Nowadays, it doesn’t really matter which format I use. If I’m buying a book for myself, I download it so that way I don’t have to wait for it to come in the mail. Anyway, here’s what I’ve been reading lately and what I hope to read soon.

Recent Reads:

• Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist – This was a reread from my bookshelf. Shauna’s essays about life and food are amazing, plus she includes some of her favorite recipes. I’m not as big of a foodie as Shauna, but it’s still comforting to know that someone else thinks about food as much as I do. I haven’t developed taste buds for fancy food yet. Maybe in my thirties I will… when I’m officially an adult…. maybe. Shauna writes about body image and doing life in community and motherhood. I love her writing style so revisiting her books is like catching up with a good friend.
• The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins – I am one of those Hunger Games fans. I really love the books and have started reading them about twice a year. They are a good story and I love getting lost in a different world for a while. They are also an easy and exciting read so it’s a nice brain break. My goal was to reread the series before Catching Fire (the movie) came out. I was successful in my goal. I finished Mockingjay the day the movie arrived.
• Growing Up Duggar By Jana, Jill, Jessa & Jinger Duggar – My fascination with the Duggar family is no secret. I in no way plan on having 19 kids, but I am very interested in how their large family operates. I love that they share their faith in everything they do. I will admit that I was a little disappointed with this book. I’ve read the two books by their mother, Michelle, and really liked them, but this book seemed to lack the same level of voice that Michelle’s books have. The girls shared their own personal stories but a lot of it came across as “This is what our parents have set-up and we agree with it and accept it.” Whereas, Michelle’s books have more depth because of the process involved with making these decisions for their family. The four oldest Duggar girls are exceptional people with a passion to make a difference in the world. I applaud them for writing a book and sharing their heart.
• Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute – I’m going to be honest and say I’m a little over leadership books these days. Especially ones that take place in a corporate setting. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because I’ve read so many in the last decade or so. Anyway, this book was handed to me on Tuesday as a staff read at work. The upside of this book is that the leadership principle is conveyed through a story. The story format helped it to be a quick read which I was grateful for. The concepts in this book are best explained by just suggesting you read the book, but let me try to break it down a bit. The whole premises is about if you are “in” or “out” of the box. When you are in the box, you see people as objects. There is a lot of blame and self-justification. You are thinking selfishly about your world and what is best for you. When you are outside of the box, you see others as people. You are selfless for the good of the whole group and you have a better self-perception all around. The concept in this book about seeing people as people and breaking the cycle of self-justification were good, but like I said, I’m having a harder time swallowing the corporate America pill these days. As I was reading this book, I thought to myself, I wonder what Jesus would think of this book. What points would he highlight? Would he recommend it? Hmm. Just wondering what his take on the book would be if we were in a book club together. Random, I know.

Next on the List:

• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver – I’ve had this novel recommended to me by a couple people over the years so I decided to go for it. This is also the first book that I have borrowed from the library in eBook format. Very exciting! It’s a story about a missionary family in the Congo. I have no clue what I’m getting into, but I am excited to find out.
• Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown – This comes at the recommendation of my friend and mentor, Vicki. The title certainly has me intrigued!
• Carry On, Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed by Glennon Doyle Melton – This book came by the recommendation of my favorite blogger, Sarah Bessey. The book description on Amazon.com has me excited for this one. Sounds freeing!