I must be an idiot

Really?

Book Review: Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, by Anne Fadiman

As I was perusing the bulletin from my parents' church recently, I noticed that they have a book club. I glanced at their book list, looking to see if there was anything interesting, and I found, "Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader." It's basically the ramblings of a woman who is in love with reading. Naturally I had to read it.

It was good; not spectacular, but a fun, light read, and one in which I saw some shades of myself. (Although there were some points on which she and I differ considerably, such as taking care of books. Fadiman's all for dog-earing the pages, lying it open and face-down on a table, and other such things. She says that shows that they're loved. I say you use bookmarks, don't break the spine, and other such things. This shows they're cared for.)

One of my favorite parts was her chapter on how much she loves to proofread (to the point where it's almost an affliction). “Alas, there is no twelve-step program for [chronic proofreaders]. We must learn to live with our affliction. Perhaps we could even attempt to extract some social benefit from it by offering our faultfinding services on a pro-bono basis…had we been present last year at the Tattoo Shoppe in Carlstadt, New Jersey, we could have saved Dan O’Connor, a twenty-two-year-old Notre Dame fan, from having Fighing Irish tattooed on his right arm. He has sued the employer of the tattooist who omitted the t for $250,000 in damages. I hope O’Connor wins. I can imagine few worse fates than walking around for the rest of one’s life wearing a typo.” I must agree.

Overall, I would say this is a decent book for those of us who love reading. It's not one I would rush out to get, but if you happen upon it at the library, it's worth reading.

"All I Have is Christ" - Jordan Kauflin

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

Love it

So there I am, innocently trying to drive home from my friend's house, needing to get into the other lane, when the person next to me decides to be evil and not let me over. I try speeding up, try slowing down, try giving the guy dirty looks - nothing works. He will not let me over. Finally we get to a stoplight, and as I'm stuck behind him (but in the lane next to him - he never did let me over) I can't help noticing his bumper sticker:
"Be Kind: Think Green."

My continued dilemma

I wasn't convinced of the title of this blog when I started it a couple years ago, and I'm still not convinced. But I can't figure out what else to call it. "These mashed potatoes are so creamy," "What are you, the Happiness Guru?", or "Elsie made the eggnog," don't sound right either. And so, while I really want to change the title, this is what I've got.

May God bless you

Sometimes, when we don't know what to pray for someone, we just say 'God bless ___.' It kind of feels like a cop-out, but we don't know what else to say, and that sounds like a nice thing to pray for someone, so that's what we do.
How on earth can we think of that as a cop-out prayer? Is there anything more amazing that we could ask for someone? Blessings from God. Blessings from the Creator and Lord of the universe. Blessings from the King of kings. Blessings from the One who upholds the earth by His mighty Power.
Wow. What more could anyone ask for? What more could we ask for someone? If you pray for me and that's all you say, I know I'll be eternally grateful!
And so I pray God's blessing on you. Whatever that may be, whatever that may look like, I pray it for you. God is good.