The Year in Books, Part 1: An Overview

Given that next year is only a few hours away, I think it's safe to say that my book reading for this year is done. I read a lot (110 books), and enjoyed most of them. To answer the most frequently asked question: by reading all the time. I read on the bus, I read on breaks, I read in the evenings... I read wherever and whenever I can. There are advantages to living alone and taking public transportation!

I also often read just to read, not necessarily for huge insights. Some books stick better than others, and some I just read quickly to get the main ideas. When I really want to study a topic, I read more carefully and more slowly. I'm also not trying to memorize everything I read, but to know where to find more information on a topic when it comes up in conversation or reading. I have been told that "quality is better than quantity" to discourage me from reading so much instead of focusing on a few good books, but I think that varies between people. I read a lot of "good" books (read: deep, insightful, not just fluff), and given the speed at which I read, it's actually amazing how much information sticks in my head to pop up at the right moment.

I divided the books into 2 sets of categories:

Fiction: nonfiction = 36:74 (which is what I aim for: around 2 nonfiction for every fiction)
Adult: youth/child = 82:28 (which is not to say that none of them could appeal to the other category)

I did try the Challies 2017 reading challenge. I made it through the Light Reader (13 books), Avid Reader (13 more books), and Committed Reader (26 more books). I read enough books to include the Obsessed Reader (52 more books), but did not fulfill all the categories (I came up 3 categories short). I did much better than last year, where I missed around 16 categories; this year's was more flexible. I haven't decided if I'll try next year's challenge. I'm interested in brushing up on history next year, and reading various books that I have lying around the house waiting to be read.

Over the next couple days or so, I'll bring you my best in fiction and non-fiction. I haven't figured those out yet.

Merry Christmas

Yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening with friends from church. They let me be part of their families, and we just had a nice time together, and while the crazy ones went caroling in the very cold, I stayed in to watch the little ones. I read them stories, and when the baby woke up, I got to hold him and tell him how adorable and wonderful he is. It was a good day.

Later today I will join other friends for Christmas dinner and a long afternoon and evening of fun and togetherness. It will be a good day.

What I am remembering right now:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not, cannot, will not overcome it.

Merry Christmas, my friends.

Sunday Notes

Yesterday was Christmas Concert day (which is why I'm a day late again; there was enough to do yesterday). We had rehearsal in the morning, then the service, then home for lunch with friends, then a short break, then back to the church to do a dozen or so things before the concert started.

The concert itself went really well. Everyone did his or her part well, the children sang their hearts out (and looked adorable), and the candle-lit singing of Silent Night did not result in any fires. It was fun, and I'm very thankful for the entire team who made it happen.

I'm still tired this morning (I was awake a couple times in the night), and I'm happy that I don't have to think about the concert for another 10 months (that's my recovery period).

There are only a few days left of work, and then it's Christmas!

Sunday Stuff

Today we learned that if you have a couple boxes of candles that you want to use for the Christmas concert, and if these candles were in storage (inside and outside) for a couple years, they may have softened and hardened just enough to fuse many of them together. We also learned that if you drop them on an un-carpeted floor, it will help them separate, or at least loosed up enough to pull them apart. I'm glad we learned that this week instead of the night of the concert.

We got new books for the library today. There was a stack of commentaries, some for the children (fiction and nonfiction) and a mix of others. New book day is always a good day. My assistant library was extra happy because we got one that he was wanting to read, so he entered it into the system and then checked it out.

It was a good Sunday. In Sunday school, we're learning systematic theology. It's been mostly introduction stuff last week and today. In the new year we'll get into it more, starting with soteriology. Pastor Mike was concerned last week that he was too technical, but I wasn't the best one to ask that; I like the technical stuff. Adult Sunday school makes me happy. It's like being back in school, only without the papers or exams.

Your Christmas song for this week:

Sunday Notes

I did not yell at anyone during concert practice yesterday, which is amazing because I have my voice back and could yell now. I did smack them with a rolled up script on occasion. They wouldn't stop playing with the baby in the manger (and getting straw everywhere). They poked it and flipped it around (because it looked better the other way) and asked if it was necessary to change the baby's diaper. The chief angel tried to convince the other angels that they had to do what he did, the shepherds kept poking each other, and one of the Scripture readers wouldn't slow down (it was actually funny because he kept insisting that he was slowing down, but he kept reading at the same pace). I'm pretty sure they were all determined to drive me crazy, but somehow we made it through. Next week there is no practice, and then the weekend after we have the big dress rehearsal, the final rehearsal, and the performance.

In other news, life is pretty normal. I had lunch with my nephew and my brother on Friday. This is first nephew, the one in the Navy. He taught me about his job and how his training will look long-term. My other nephew is joining the Air Force next year (I think he's due to be at training in February or something close to that). This has already led to some good-natured rivalry between the two branches.

I had friends join me for dinner on Friday. They have a tall son, a small son, and a baby son. It was fun, especially since I got to hold spend the evening telling the baby son how adorable he is (he is very, very adorable).

Beyond that, life is moving along normally. It's only 3 weeks until Christmas, and I'll have a few days off then to relax.

Happy December!!!!!!