I was going to lament on my terrible Saturday, where the harder I tried to do better the worse it got. I just wanted to go to bed and hope the next day would be better. But I don’t like to complain (much) and try to be positive. (It’s hard some times.) So, I’m turning my back on the bad day to look toward the good.
On Sunday, our almost-eight-year-old granddaughter sang Happy Birthday to her grandpa over FaceTime. So stinking adorable!!! If that don’t make you smile, nothing will. I can’t wait until we can visit and hug her and her younger sister and brother. My grandma heart aches to hold them.
In other good news, I have found several nonfiction books that are helping me in various areas of my emotional, mental, and spiritual life. Some times with nonfiction I nodded in agreement all through the book, feel enriched, and move on. Three of these that I have read over the past six-ish weeks are ones I want to re-read, do some in-depth studying on them, and put stuff into practice.
One of the books is A Grace Disguised: How the Souls Grows Through Loss by Jerry Sittser. This one is helping me with my grief over losing my son eight years ago. He lost his three-year battle with cancer. I still miss him but will see him again in heaven. But I haven’t fully grieved because I felt I would have a melt down I wouldn’t be able to recover from. Couple that with several other incredibly depressing and huge, hard things as well as depression and I’ve been struggling on many fronts. With the encouragement and strength I found in this book, I think I’m ready to tackle this area.
Next is The 10 Best Anxiety Busters: Simple Strategies to Take Control of Your Worry by Dr. Margaret Wehrenberg. I like that she describes three different types of anxiety so the reader can figure out which kind they are dealing with. Then she gives the 10 anxiety busters with examples and which busters work best for which type of anxiety. I need to go back and learn, in depth, each buster so I am prepared when the anxiety and panic attacks so that I can deal with it. I have been battling a generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks for many, many years. It is overwhelming and debilitating. Often the struggle is daily even when there isn’t anything to be anxious about. Generalized anxiety routinely doesn’t make any sense, even to me. This book gives me hope to be able to cope better with my anxiety and panic attacks.
The third is Glory Days: Living Your Promised Land Life Now by Max Lucado. I love Max’s books and have read many, many. There isn’t a Max book I’ve read that I haven’t loved. This one goes through the book of Joshua. As I read, I saw how it paralleled my life. The fears I have and needing to cross the Jordon and enter the promised land the Lord has for me. I’m tired of wandering in this desert. The time has come. It might not be smooth and there might be some set backs, but working through my grief and anxiety gives me hope that I’m ready. I can almost hear the Lord giving a great big sigh. “It’s about time. I have been waiting for you, My child.”
I’m currently read, yet another non fiction book, called The Path of Celtic Prayer: An Ancient Way to Everyday Joy by Calvin Miller. I want to be better at praying but have snippets floating around in my head that religious people have said about how to pray the right way, and they have been hampering me. If there is a “right” way to pray, then that means there is a “wrong” way. The only wrong way is to not pray at all. I hope this book will help. However, my interest in this book is two fold, it seems to be one part prayer and one part learning more about my heritage. I’m Scottish, English, Irish, and other, lots of Celtic in me. So this book is helping me connect to my ancestors.
After that, I hope to return to my to-be-read fiction pile. Or perhaps, I’ll dive into one or two of the historical research books I have checked out from the library. So much interesting stuff.
Have read any interesting non-fiction books lately?
COMING SOON!!!!
THE LADY’S MISSION (Quilting Circle 5)
Will Cordelia abandon her calling for love?
Cordelia
Armstrong wants nothing more than to escape the social norms for her station in
society. Unless she can skillfully maneuver her father into giving up control
of her trust fund, she might have to concede defeat—as well as her freedom—and
marry. Every time Lamar Kesner finds a fascinating lady, her heart belongs to
another. When a vapid socialite is offered up as a prospective bride, he
contemplates flying off in his hot air balloon instead. Is Lamar the one to
finally break the determination of Cordelia’s parents to marry her off? Or will
this charming bachelor fly away with her heart?
Available for pre-order on Amazon. (Releases October 5, 2022)
