Books-these are the masters who instruct us with out rods, without hard words and anger, without clothes or money.  If you approach them, they are not asleep; if you interrogate them, they conceal nothing; if you mistake them, they never grumble; if you are ignorant, they cannot laugh at you. 

~R.De Bury

Good morning!  I am up early. . .and just waved my husband down the road.  It’s dark out still, and raining.  But when I opened the door the air was mild.  I can hear the spring birds waking up and singing.  I am munching an apple. 

Today’s post is about books.  As most of you know, I love to read and I do enjoy just about every type of book.  But today I want to share titles that have helped me in my Christian walk.

I truly believe that as Christians, we should be very careful that we put good, wholesome words into our minds.  We have to be very careful about how much “poison” gets in there.  The older I get, the more I know myself and my weaknesses.  I was just sharing with a friend yesterday that I have to be cautious of how much “FOX news” I watch.  The news channels really get me feeling fear at times.  Also, I had to stop reading WW2 Nazi horror story memoirs.  The last one I read was a couple years ago, and that book actually carried me into a depression that lasted several weeks.  I could not read Foxes Book of Martyrs again.  I have studied martyrdom enough to know that God gives grace to His people who are put to death for their faith—I don’t have to fill my head with the details–because I personally can get very morbid about that.

All that to say.. . .reading good, godly, books puts good thoughts in my head. 

The Bible comes first.  Read your Bible more than any book, because that is how God feeds and waters our soul.  The Word of God is ALIVE. . .and able to do so many things. . if only we will pick it up and really study it with interest and longing!  When I read my Bible I like to have a pen or pencil, a stack of index cards, and my journal.  If you only have time to read one book, make it your BIBLE, and STUDY.  Learn of Christ, the Lover of your Soul.

Now, I am just going to type out a list of books that impacted me.  I suppose I could be more organized about it but that would take too much time.  I wish I could link every book to amazon for you, but again, that would just take too much time.  Get a piece of paper and a pencil and jot down any that interest you.  Maybe you could find them at the library, if not, than I will also add a couple of links to online bookstores.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by D Martyn Lloyd-Jones (and all of his books would be good)

Brothers, we are NOT Professionals by John Piper  (This book was actually written for Pastors but if the house burned down and I could only choose 5 books to take with me, this would be one of them.  It has changed my life)

By My Spirit by Jonathan Goforth (his wife, Rosalind, has also written How I know God Answers Prayer, which I also recommend)  Missionary/Christian biographies have been a source of inspiration to me.

A Puritan Golden Treasury I.D.E. Thomas  (for the times when getting through a Puritan book seems overwhelming, this book is crammed FULL of wonderful quotes by all different Puritan men, it’s a keeper for sure)

The Worn out Woman, When Your Life is Full and Your Spirit is Empty, Dr. Steve Stevens, Alice Gray

What Every Mom Needs (can’t remember the author’s name)

Grace Abounding by John Bunyan (honest autobiography)

Little Pilgrim’s Progress and The Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs (Puritan Paperback, I have to really concentrate in order to read the Puritans, but it is well worth it!)

A Lifting up for the Downcast William Bridge (another Puritan book)

The Hidden Art of Homemaking Francis Schaeffer

When You Rise Up, A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling RC Sproul Jr.

In Trouble and in Joy  Sharon James

Patricia St. John Tells her own Story (an autobiography, fun and inspiring)

Singing in the Fire  Faith Cook  (this one is full of stories of Christians who suffered in all different ways, and how God gave them grace to SING during their trials)

Makers of Puritan History Marcus L. Loane

If I Perish Esther Ahn Kim (a biography)

Home-Making J.R. Miller (beautiful book on family, it changed my view of the Christian family)

Anything you can get your hands on by CORRIE TEN BOOM

Anything you can get your hands on by CHARLES SPURGEON

Any good Christian biography that you can get your hands on

Okay, I know I will probably think of several more after I click “save changes” but this should get you started, if you are looking for a good book to read.  And if any of you live near me, you are free to borrow.  And Hannah, if you see anything here that you want me to send you to borrow, let me know.

Also, here are a few websites that I like to order books from:

Grace and Truth Books  (and all the books are neatly organized by topic!  Unlike here!  LOL)

Amazon

More about books:

A Puritan’s Mind, Suggested Books

Have a great day!  And get to reading!

And to all my fellow book-lovers, feel free to add your favorite book in a comment and tell us why you love it.

“An owl swallows its quarry as whole as possible, trusting to its inner organs to do the sifting and selecting.  Later it throws up pellets of the indigestible bones, hair, etc.”  ~Anna Botsford Comstock

After church, we came home and the kids all went to bed for naptime.  Rich was tired so he took a nap in his recliner.  I was tired but I simply had to take advantage of the free time so I bundled up and went outside for a long walk in the woods.  It was much warmer today but I still had to wear a sweater and my coat and my fingerless gloves.

The first place I went to was a big rock at the edge of the woods.  Pastor spoke of Christ being our rock today during his sermon.  It made me think of the verse that I wrote down on an index card a few weeks ago.  I hope that every time I see a big rock, I am reminded of my Savior and the solid foundation He gives me in my life. 

“And the rain descended,
and the floods came,
and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house;
and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock.”
Matthew 7:25

Here in New England, almost everything outside is still a shade of brown, gray, or green.  Any spot of color is an opportunity to bend down and feast my eyes.  The Master Creator has designed so much beauty and I enjoy seeing what colors He puts together.  Here we have a shade of red and a shade of yellow, both sharing the same leaf.

The stream is busier and louder in certain places in the woods.  There are rocks of all sizes in it and next to it, perfect for stepping on or sitting on.  I found one right in the middle of the rushing water and just sat.  I tried to pray, but words didn’t seem adequate so I just sat there and felt happy.  Water is so refreshing. . .to listen to, to watch, to drink. . .Jesus is our living water for our soul.  He is our Rock and He is also our Water.

“Therefore with joy
shall ye draw water
out of the wells of salvation.”
Is. 12:3

“But whosoever drinketh
of the water that I shall give him
shall never thirst;
but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.”

“. . . .And whosoever will,
let him take of the water of life freely.”
Rev. 22:17

I sat there and enjoyed the stream for a while, and then I walked up toward the beaver pond in the woods.  The closer I got, the noisier the air became. . .full of the sounds of singing FROGS.  It was so loud.  I jumped over a small running stream of water and snuck around to try to see what was going on.  These were modest frogs, as soon as they sensed my presence, every one of them stopped their singing.  I sat down in a sunbeam and waited for about 10 minutes (or more) before I started seeing their beady eyes come up from the water.  There were a lot, but I didn’t get to see any of them up close.  What were they doing?  Go ask your mother.

This is a picture of the swampy beaver pond. . .this grass will grow up thick and green over the summer months. . .but at the moment only the tall, dead, brown grass from last season is standing.  There are sections of water that are clear and open (not pictured).

After that interesting episode, I continued walking and started picking up little treasures to take home in my pocket.  I also studied this moss. . .that I had never noticed before. . .(I am a admirer of moss). . when I touched it it was dry, coarse, and wooly! 

Here is a picture of a small clump of moss that was lighter green and much softer:

Rich thought it looked like a little tiny green hedgehog.

The acorns are all opening up, getting ready to send down a root:

More treasures= 

a feather from a blue jay, a piece of wood that I later accidently dropped in the stream, and a dry mass of fur and bones that an owl brought up.  (regurgitated).  They do that you know.  I was excited to find it, in a yuck kind of way.  I took it home and the kids and I picked through it.  They were not as impressed as I was.  I think they thought it was gross.  There were a lot of little jaw bones in it.  With tiny teeth.

I found a stump covered in moss.  Lots of shades of green and brown, lovely for my eyes to see.

Last stop=one more sit by the stream.  This section was very quiet.  I closed my eyes and could not hear any water sounds at all.  It was just flowing along. . . .I sat down on a rock and there was another rock below that I could rest my feet on.  I stuck my feet out to take the picture.  It was a nice place to sit, to say the least.

“He leads me beside the still waters”

“He restoreth my soul”

Psalm 23

When I went inside, Rich was on the phone and the kids were watching a video.  Caleb was ready and waiting with a couple of books for me to read.  We sat on the couch and ate leftover Easter candy instead.

Hope you are all having a pleasant evening.  God loves you.

What a week.  Rich worked about 60 hours (72 considering travel time.  He just figured these numbers out for me).  He’s my emotion-regulator.  For some reason, I need to spend a certain amount of time with him in the house for me to feel calm and secure.  Yesterday was awful, I was crying and nervous most of the day.  I’m not saying it was all because of Rich not being home much, poor guy, I just know that it did play a part.  Sometimes I wonder just how I can survive mothering/homeschooling five children, keeping the housework together, and doing all the other 101 other things I do in a week.  I’m not complaining, mind you, I totally love my life, and yet how can anyone keep on top of things all the time?  Not possible.  So yesterday was a crash day for me.

I am feeling much better today (except my eyes still feel funny from all the crying yesterday).  It took the whole morning before I relaxed, though.  Rich took us to Crackerbarrel for breakfast again.  Thankfully the sun was shining, the sunlight being the only good thing about the weather—-it is SO SO COLD outside.  We actually saw some snow flurries (very light).  I denied it, but Jacob INSISTED that he saw them so I gave in and admitted it too.

We also went shopping.  Rich was looking for shoes which came to nothing but of course I was able to find plenty of things to purchase, including a stack of books, a new camera, and some seeds.  David had a craving for ice cream and looking into his big huge gorgeous eyes I could not say no. . .so that is what we had for a light lunch.  Ice cream cones!

When we got home we went for a walk (the dog needed some exercise).  There is a freezing cold wind today.  Jacob made me laugh when after a while I said dramatically, “I’m TOO COLD” and turned around to go back to the house.  He said to his Dad, “She’s a natural __________.”  (my maiden name)  “She sounded just like Grandma when she said that!”

It is cozy, so cozy in the house.  We have a fire going in the livingroom but right now Rich and I are in our bedroom.  David is snoring in our bed, Rich is sitting in the rocking chair and looking at stuff that has to do with the garage we want to build this spring, and I’m enjoying myself on the computer.

I took my camera along today. . . .

Big Daddy passing out candy . . . .I think David looks so handsome in his coat and hat.  I call his coat the “puffy coat”.  I think David is concerned here, about getting the exact piece of candy that he picked out in the store.  Rich is probably saying something like, “You’ll get what I give you”.  (don’t worry, he did get the right one eventually!)

All the candy sticks.  Caleb had his hair buzzed (by mommy) last Friday.  He’s got his baby face back.  I like to kiss those cheeks. 

Stuff to keep me busy in the van.  The book is about homesteading, the Country Living magazine is an issue from 1989, and the cup has Crackerbarrel coffee it.

Back at home, on our walk.  Jacob took these next two pictures.

Jacob, Grace, and Ethan couldn’t stay out of the pond.  On the way home Grace asked if today could be the first day they went swimming.  I was going to let her but Rich said no.  LOL

Our biggest boy and our littlest boy.  Jacob was helping Caleb along and found a ball for him in the bushes.

This is the last picture I took before I ran home because of the cold.  Caleb is sitting on a little bridge that a road-biker-man made so that he could get up into the woods to ride his bike on the trails.

Rich brought me home these roses last night.

I plan on planting some seeds.  Should I let the kids help?  The thought sort of scares me.  Maybe I’ll try to do it with one child at a time.  It’ll take 5 times as long, but will be much more controlled. 

My new camera!  I bought this because I need a little one
for our vacation next month.  I don’t want to carry Howard (my big camera is named Howard) around all over the place. . .he’s way too heavy, valuable, and cumbersome.

I love this little tiny Nikon!  And IT’S PURPLE!!!  Is that perfect for me, or what?

It’s about the size of a pack of cards!

This is an idea of a photo that I’ve been wanting to take for a few days.  After the children’s maple syrup field trip on Thursday we went to Walmart and I bought them each a pair of these awesome rubber boots. 

“If you want to feel rich,
just count all the things you have
that money can’t buy.”

Have a wonderful afternoon!