Friday's Fave Five #276

Well here we are, the first week of March 2014 done and history.  I can't believe how fast this year is going. But I am so ready for spring, that it can't come fast enough,  This has been one long, cold winter!  It's supposed to be a nice weekend but so far this week none of their temperature predictions have come true, it being colder than they predicted.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!  But anyway, onto the business at hand which is looking for the good things in our lives.  The weather may be frigid and uncooperative but there are other things I find that have lifted me.  What about you?  Care to join me in sharing five of your favorite blessings from the week?

1.  Getting caught up on some reading.  The last month I've made a concerted effort to knock some of the books of my reading pile.  Some were due back at the library so if I wanted to read them I had to get to it, one was a review book that I just got behind on because it was non-fiction and those always take me longer, and some have just been lingering in my book bag.  It felt good to get to some of those.

2.  Good discussions at ladies bible study.  This group is a great blessing to me.  They are always really good about jumping into the conversation and sharing their thoughts and/or knowledge.  It's so much better than me babbling on by myself!

3.  Pineapple Tea from Hawaii.  My friend introduced me to some lovely black tea with pineapple.  So delicious and because it's black tea it's providing me with flavinoids which apparently are low my diet.  But I just like that it's delicious.

4.  Good results from a medical test I had to have last week.  Getting that letter saying everything is just fine was a weight off my mind.

5.  My Panini maker.   Man I love panini sandwiches.  Regular sandwiches I can take a pass on but make that sandwich into a panini and it somehow turns into this flattened, toasted, melted  hot bite of flavor.  Pair it with a great soup like this one which I made on Monday to beat the cold and it was one good supper.

My faves this week were just seemingly simple things but they still were good things in my life.  That's the way blessings are:  sometimes simple, sometimes huge but any way they come it's good to look for them, take note of them and be thankful for them.  It's what makes life good!  What are your favorite five blessings from your week?

  

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell ~ A review

 The full name of this book is actually David and Goliath - Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants.

Publisher's Summary (from the inside book flap):

In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about the obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks.  Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy those many years ago.  From there, David and Goliath examines Northern Ireland's troubles, the minds of cancer researchers and civil rights leaders, murder and the high cost of revenge, and the dynamics of successful and unsuccessful classrooms- all to demonstrate how much of what is beautiful and important in the world arises from what looks like suffering and adversity.

My Thoughts:  
This book turned out to be something different than what I was thinking it was going to be.  For some reason I thought it was going to be a indepth study of the biblical story of  David and Goliath but that was my error for not reading the description closely enough.  While the author has started off with the story of David and Goliath he uses that as the diving board to explore many other aspects and more current stories of what the world would call underdogs rising above their circumstances and stations in life to accomplish the seemingly impossible.

While the description on the cover of the book states it he begins with the "real" story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy, David, I found that I could not quite agree that it was the "real" story.  I felt it was more supposition on the author's part.  He breaks it down into a pretty much intellectual breakdown of what might have happened and what might have accounted for David's victory over the Philistine giant.  In my mind, while all that "might" have been true, there is no evidence for it, the story of David and Goliath is so much more than what is seen with the eye.  It is a story of great spiritual significance, of a young boy's deep faith in the greatness and faithfulness of God and his audacity to take God at His word.  It is a story of God's plan and fulfillment of that plan, of David fulfilling what God had called him to in order to change history.

That being said I did find the exploration of the underdog very interesting.  By going into other true to life stories the author takes a look at what we as a society define as handicaps, disabilities and disadvantages and how certain groups and individuals have taken that and turned it around into a victory.  Because non-fiction is always more challenging to me it took me a little longer to make it through to the end but I'm glad I was persistent with it.  Some of the statistics in the book did bog me down but the book is not over done with them.  The questions and arguments the author stated did challenge my thinking and made for some good conversations.

The book being mostly a historical and psycological study, I found it didn't touch on the spiritual at all except to quote a scripture at the beginning of each chapter.  It is interesting to note that in writing this book it kicked off a journey for the author into turning back to his family's Christian faith.  He also on the B& B media blog when discussing this book quoted:

“Believing that the power within us – the Spirit of God – can overcome the powers against us means that we are not the underdog,” explains Gladwell. “We are not as weak as we think we are. Neither is the giant as strong as he seems. This is an important lesson for us to learn in our battles with opponents of all kinds.”

And in essence I think that that is the point that Mr. Gladwell has learned and now speaks about in interviews.  I wish a bit more of that point was made more clear within the book itself.  After all is said and done, I found the book interesting, very readable to even a non-fiction reader such as myself, and challenging to examine my own way of thinking.

Thanks to B&B Media Group for providing the book free for my honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review and all thought are my own.

Sweet Dreams by Carla Stewart ~ Book Review

Dusty Fairchild has grown up in Texas with her self made oil millionaire father and a loving housekeeper.  Her mother passed away when she was very little and from her funeral gravesite Dusty pocketed some rocks that she found appealing.  Fast forward to her graduation party and Dusty still has a passion for rocks and her dream is to go to college and study geology.  But it is 1962 and her father feels she will be better off attending a finishing school.  It is the last thing she wants to do but her father insists and in trying to bargain going to college afterwards, she agrees to go to the finishing school.  And besides, in trying to sway her in that direction her father paid for her cousin Paisley to attend with her.  Paisley is the same age as Dusty but couldn't have lived a life more different than her.  While Dusty has been sheltered and brought up quite strict Paisley has traveled all over the U.S. with her hippie mom and already has had a life time of adventures.  The cousins are close friends and this is making the year of finishing school tolerable for Dusty.  Paisley on the other hand is thrilled to have the chance to attend finishing school and embraces it wholeheartedly.  She's had enough of the vagabond lifestyle that her mother so embraces.  She wants stability and some roots.  But there are secrets swirling around the two of them that threatens to destroy their bond, secrets concerning Paisley's mom and the deep dislike Dusty's dad has towards her.  And then there is the little matter of Paisley falling in love with a young man she has met on the first day of finishing school.  A young man whom she later finds out is non other than Dusty's boyfriend from back home.    But when a life threatening accident happens back on the ranch, it brings out what really matters to each girl's heart.

This was a nice read from Carla Stewart.  While it didn't grab me in quite the same way as the others I have read from her did, it still was a wonderful read that drew me into the story and the characters.  There is a bit of mystery with family secrets and issues along several fronts and a theme of  following one's dreams and talents and of learning to forgive.   I love how the author develops her stories and characters, like a slow simmer, and it really keeps the pages turning for me.  Her characters are so relatable and I get really attached to them as the story progresses.  I loved the setting for the book, the early '60's and the finishing school.  I can't say I have read a whole lot of books with that setting.  Class systems, bullying, abuse,trying to fit in and societal expectations are all explored through the story of these two cousins.  I have so far not been disappointed in any of this author's novels.  She's one I keep on my watch list for new stories coming.

Friday's Fave Five #272

Welcome to the last Fave Five of February.  Hard to believe, isn't it?  This month just zoomed by so I'm glad I have a purposeful exercise to help me to focus on some blessings otherwise they might just have zoomed by without me even noticing.  Please join me in looking for the good things in life by finding five favorites from your last week.

1.  Coffee break with my beloved.  What's nicer than having a coffee break with my hubby on a busy Saturday afternoon?    It was nice just to come to a stop and enjoy a Starbucks and a heart shaped cookie together in the midst of our running around.

2.  A nice wrap up to the Olympics.  I love watching the Olympics and though I'm all about cheering loud and strong for the Canadians, I love watching all the competitors and see them reach their goals, whether that is making it to the medal podium or not.  I love when I see good sportsmanship displayed no matter what country colors are represented.  My favorite moment from the closing ceremonies was watching dancers recreate the now infamous Olympic ring malfunction from the opening ceremonies.

3.  Watching a fun movie with a couple of friends.  Monday night for whatever reasons only 3 of us made our ladies bible study.  Lots of colds going around here.  Anyway, the 3 of  us who did make it made it a fun movie night instead.  It was a nice change of pace and it was fun to just relax and watch a favorite movie, Cool Runnings, with a couple friends, one of whom who had never seen it.  It was also fun to see all the familiar landmarks and scenes from Calgary, Alberta where the the movie was filmed.

4.  Voltaren.  This week I have had major shoulder and neck and upper back tightness.  Being a topical anti inflammatory, Voltaren helped to ease the aching a bit so that I could at least get to sleep and function in the day.  I'm thankful there is over the counter products that do help when I'm experiencing this kind of stuff.

5.  It's Friday.  I'm just plain thankful it is Friday and I'm looking forward to a relaxed weekend.

What have been your favorites from the week?

Friday's Fave Five #271

My goodness, Friday crept up on me here.  I got my days all mixed up and woke up this morning with a start realizing it was Friday and I didn't do my FFF post.  So I'll put up the Linky and come back with my own FFF post in a little bit after I get ready for work.

Whew, what a mix-up.  I think the long weekend must have thrown me for a loop and totally got my days mixed up.  But here I am and totally ready to celebrate the blessings in our lives.  Hopefully you didn't all ditch me when I didn't show up on time this morning.  :D

1. & 2.    Leisure Time in a Book Store and A New Book Bag. One of my dayhome families had graciously gifted me with a gift card to Chapters for Christmas.  Do they know me or what?  I finally took a Saturday afternoon when I knew I'd have time to wander and look at my leisure.  I love book stores and, like the library, can totally lose track of time in there.  I spent a lovely hour or so just browsing and looking  which is my first fave.  That time to myself doing something I love.  So grateful that came my way this week.  And my second was what I found.  A lovely book tote.  I had really wanted something other than the basket I had on my floor in my bedroom for my books.  I don't like piling them on my nightstand but neither was I liking the basket.  I had tried different kinds and didn't like any of them.  I found the books were getting bent and it always looked messy.  But now I have this lovely bag that has a nice clasp at the top so it keeps the books in shape.  And best of all it was half price so I still have some money to spend in the book store another day!  I did take a pic but I guess hubby forgot to install the camera software on this laptop.  Oops.  I'll have to show ya another day.

3.  Maple yogurt.  Found it at the grocery store this week.  It is delicious and I've been enjoying it everyday for breakfast.  With some Organic pumpkin seed granola.  This is good because I'm not a good breakfast eater (unless I'm on vacation and then for some reason I can eat like a horse at breakfast).  Anyway hopefully, I'll get in a routine of starting my day with some kind of nutrition.

4.  Lunch with a friend.  On Saturday I was able to share a nice lunch with a good friend.  I treasure times I can get out for an hour or two with a friend and just eat and laugh and share life.  I'm so thankful to have a couple of good friends in my life that I can do this with.

5.  This heart.  Again a lovely gift from my hubby for valentines day.  My favorite chocolates and I've enjoyed a few every day!  There is one of every kind they make in that heart and the heart is chocolate too.  Chocolate nirvana for many days to come around here!

What are your favorite blessings and good things from your life last week?

The Pendulum...it is swinging around here

After 3 or 4 days of crazy wind that warmed our temperatures and melted our snows, we woke up to ... you guessed it, more snow.  Such is Southern Alberta weather in the winter.   This year especially there just doesn't seem to be a happy medium.  We either swing from frigid to down right balmy.  A real swinging pendulum.  It's odd this year to me.

 It got me to thinking about my relationship with Jesus. (I know that's a crazy jump but it's how my brain works so I roll with it).   I wonder if He thinks it's odd how my pendulum with Him swings.  From cold to hot.  Hot to cold.  I had such a great goal at the beginning of the year to start the day with scripture and end the day with scripture.  I was all gung ho and oh, so disciplined.  In the first month.  And then I got busy.  And then I got tired.  And then the Olympics came.  And my pursuit of Him went from hot to cool as my pursuit of the couch and Olympic coverage took precedence.  Why oh why do I allow that to happen?  Why am I so unstable and unfaithful and, dare I say, fickle?   I don't want it to be like that... and yet it does happen.  While I desire and admire the disciplined Christian life, all too often the apathetic and lazy and distracted Christian life rears it's head.

Yet I know His grace allows me to start again.  His mercy takes my repentance and encourages me to pick myself up and start running again.  Because He knows.  He knows me inside and out, better than I know myself.  He knows my strengths and weaknesses and He calls to my heart through them.  And it's amazing how He sends just the right person with the right set of words, whether they know it or not, to speak directly to me.  It's amazing how the perfect scripture at the perfect time will jump out at me.  And it's really amazing how He uses the weather of all things to get my attention.  Oh how I love Him for His pursuit of me and you.

" But this I recall and therefore I have hope and expectation:

 It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness

that we are not consumed,

because His [tender] compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness."

   Lamentations 3:21 - 23 Amplified Bible

Friday's Fave Five #270

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!   May you all celebrate a little love in your life today.  Thanks for joining me in looking back over the week and looking for the blessings in our weeks.  What has lifted you up this week?

1.  Amazing photos.  I came across these amazing daily photos from the Olympics.  I love looking at the amazing perspectives that these photographers have caught.  You can look all the way back to the opening ceremonies and they add to it daily.

2.  Proud Canadian Moment in true Olympic spirit.  There have been tons of moments for Canadians to be proud of so far at the Sochi games but this one was amazing and totally selfless.  There is huge twitter outpouring in support of the young skater to be chosen to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies...started by the skater who was the beneficiary of his kindness and generosity and who went on to win the silver.



3. A wonderful date with my hubby.  A spur of the moment dinner date with my hubby paid for with a gift card received for Christmas.  What could be better?  Great company of the man I love, and absolutely delicious dinner (I had the best chicken parmigana that I have ever had!) and the tab paid by someone else.  I love these dates and we make a point of having them regularly.  These are our points of real connection as I am a night owl and Hubby is an early to bed/early to rise guy so needless to say when I'm energized he's wiped and visa versa and therefore we don't have a lot of time to really connect during the week.  Our dinner dates are wanted and needed!

4.  Encouragement when needed.  Sometimes I get very unsure of myself in different areas.  I lack confidence.  This week I received encouragement from several different sources.  One of them I don't even think the person realized they were really encouraging me.  But I am very grateful for each one because it  has given me courage and let me know I'm on the right track.  I pray I would also be an encouragement to someone else.

5.  Warming trend.  We have been in a deep freeze for a couple of weeks so it's been wonderful for the warmth to come back.  The snow is once again melting, the air is getting warmer, and it's been wonderful feeling the warmth of the sun a bit.  It hasn't been quite as windy as they predicted, so weather wise it's been a great couple of days.  My heart goes out to the southern USA who experienced the wicked winter storm this past week.

What have been your favorite blessings this week?