Quirey Life

Jackson and I have been dying to go to the zoo but it’s been scorching hot so we’ve been putting it off. With only a week and a half left of summer vacation, the time had finally come, no matter the weather. We invited three of our little friends with us. Jackson and Estefane are brother and sister and Joice (the shortest one) is their aunt, who is younger than Estefane but older than Jackson. We have a lot of fun when we hang out with them coming up with names to distinguish the two Jacksons, like Chocolate Jackson and Vanilla Jackson, Coffee Jackson and Milk Jackson or (most commonly) Big Jackson and Little Jackson. The kids have pretty tough lives and they’re at a pretty critical age so we try to shower them with unconditional love as much as we can.

After the zoo and a stop at our favorite Scottish restaurant we came home and introduced the kids to Jackson’s current favorite videogame–Just Dance Kids. All four kids played for hours and even convinced Russ and me to have a couple of showdowns. I love having these kids over because unlike me at that (or any) age, they actually go to bed. I don’t even have to TELL them to do it, they just get themselves ready and get in bed. So by about 9:30 everyone was either asleep or in bed and I was bored out of my mind! We had an early start this morning, I made a zillion pieces of toast (it’s challenging to keep kids this age fed!) and we headed off to church.

Now it’s post-church, post-nap and Jackson is begging for them to come back. I, on the other hand, am enjoying the break and trying not to count the dirty towels awaiting me.

(In unrelated news, Jackson is looking over my shoulder, reading some of my words back to me. Yeah, Vanilla Jackson. He’s crazy smart and scares me sometimes!)

I’m a little late for end-of-year introspection but I’m trying to get blogging more. And there is a post or two that I really need to write that I’m putting off so I thought I’d try to at least keep writing…

So here are some of my favorite reads of 2011 (in no particular order):

1. God Smuggler by Brother Andrew — This book has literally been on my shelf for years. I have a bit of a book addiction and the time I spent working at a used bookstore didn’t help. I don’t know what made me pick it up one day a few months ago, but I read it and then passed it on to my teammates, who read it and bought their own copy. It’s a relatively short book but I found that sometimes I could only read a few pages before I had to put it down and mourn for the people living under communist rule (yeah, it’s a little dated. You should see my copy–it’s not a first edition, but it’s close!) Brother Andrew’s testimony is one of total reliance on God’s provision, even in the face of persecution. A beautiful book.

2. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas — As my study has deepened in the past couple of years Bonhoeffer’s name kept coming up. When I saw this biography on for half-price I grabbed it. Technically I started reading it in 2010 but it took me forever to get through. For starters, it’s 624 pages. But beyond that, as I got to descriptions of Nazi atrocities, I could only read a little bit before I would get overwhelmed. Bonhoeffer was such an interesting guy–it’s about about discipleship AND double espionage!

**A word before I go on–I know I’ve said that while reading the first two books I became overwhelmed with emotion and had to put it down. I promise that it’s the subject matter itself and not me. I’m not usually so emotionally affected by books and I tend to speed read. These books were different.**

3. The Coffee Cup Bible Study Series by Sandra Glahn — Our team meets once a week for study and prayer. We’ve worked through two of these books and are now on our third. It would have been really easy to dismiss them–they have kind of cheesy names like “Java with the Judges” or “Mocha on the Mount” and they have pictures of women with coffee on the front. But we’ve been working through the studies <i>as a team</i>, men included, because the material is so good. They’re 6-8 weeks of daily study. We’re currently working through Sumatra with the Seven Churches and are loving it.

4. Savoring God’s Word: Cultivating the Soul-Transforming Practice of Scripture Meditation by Jan Johnson — Meditation doesn’t come easily to me. I tend to lack focus. This was another one we worked through as a team and really enjoyed. There were so many practical techniques, as well as a good discussion at the beginning about the validity of and need for scripture meditation.

5. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins — I really enjoy a good fiction fix from time to time and everyone was talking about it so I had to check it out. I couldn’t put it down. I don’t know if I can count it as escapist because the world it describes is so bleak and violent but it certainly transported me to another place and time for several days.

Those are the ones off the top of my head. Here are a few more I read and enjoyed:

• Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me: A Memoir…of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron
• Evolving in Monkey Town: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions by Rachel Held Evans
• Bossypants by Tina Fey

I hope I don’t need to say it, but just in case I do–I read a lot. I like to read things that inspire me and challenge me. If I only ever read things I knew about and agreed with, I’d never grow and I’d never learn. I’m telling you I liked these books but it doesn’t mean that I believe they’re infallible or my new personal philosophy or even what you may need to read.

So now it’s 2012 and I’m digging into my new to-read pile. Any recommendations?

In the last few days of December, I wondered why I was so tired. December is traditionally one of our quietest months and we usually take a little time getting back into the swing of things after furlough.

But then I thought back to all we had done in December and considered that we hadn’t even been back from furlough for four weeks and I understood.

So here’s a quick peek at our December:

• We had our annual church Christmas barbecue.

(I have missed it the past three years for various reasons so I was really glad to get to go!)

• The “girls” and I went down to the lighthouse to watch the sunset and worship.

• We celebrated Russell’s birthday.

• We had an afternoon of games and desserts with the ladies.

• We had our team Christmas party at the beach. (When you’re down to two families you can pretty much celebrate however you want!)

• We celebrated Christmas Eve “Brazilian-style” at a midnight supper.

• We celebrated Christmas Day “North American-style” with an early morning and a big lunch.

(I don’t recommend the whole midnight supper/early morning presents thing! We were so tired!)

• We hosted a New Year’s Eve sleepover and worship the next morning.

And those are just the “formal” events! We’ve had lunches and sleepovers, our twelfth anniversary, Jackson has been out of school all month, and we’ve had all kinds of opportunities for informal fellowship with our members and friends. The end of 2011 was a lot of fun and we can’t wait to see what God does in 2012!