Quiet and common notions...shared here...with you! Of life ~ our hearts and our home.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Summer Reading {dilemma}

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Humor me!  Just for fun...let's take a poll.  Shall we?


This is my stack of books...waiting to be read.  My summer reading pile, if you will?  They've all been recently gifted to me - since Mother's Day or before. Two of them (belonging to a series of three...) I won in a recent giveaway, via Ink Dots (* a new favorite blog I like to read every now and again)!!

Here is the problem.  I don't have much time to just sit and read - a book.  I guess I could take "the time"... (a bit more intentionally), but usually life (which includes home-making, and sewing, and friends over and babysitting, etc.) is happening far too busily for me to do that. Plus, I have a hard time with being distracted.  However, I do like to read at night - right before falling asleep..



The only book I have cracked open so far, from this pile, is one that I have been enjoying/devouring.  It is the one on top entitled, My Praying Life - and that's because I'm in a group/book study with this one, right now.  However, we're taking three chapters per month to discuss...albeit to say, it could take awhile.  I could read ahead but then... I sorta want to.  It's that good!  Except.  What would the point of that be? Then I would be backtracking and trying to remember what I read when it comes time to discuss...

Here is the deal.  Here is the poll.  Here's the scenario.

Your list looks alot like mine. Maybe it's longer.  Maybe not.  The books on your pile; they ALL look good (too!)  and you can hardly wait to read each one.  You...

1.) close your eyes and pull one from the pile...

2.) whichever one is lying on top is the one you finish  first - systematically, you follow through from there on out...

3.) read a chapter from one, each night, until they're all read at once...  (the one I'm most tempted to feat)

4.) skim through, each one, to catch its rough draft (calling it "a read book")...

5.) or, subsequently, read the last chapter of each book and then decide.

6.) you take them either alphabetically by title or author or by how they've been gifted...

7.) which one has the least amount of pages - knocking out the smallest to the largest...

8.) the best cover wins!

I don't know.  Help me out!  How would you decide which book to read first?

By the way.  Actual books with their pages in hand are far more appealing to me then anything kindle-like. Then again, I wouldn't know..

Here, let's add that one to the poll...shall we?

9.) hardcover and/or paperback with real pages

10.) you like would rather use a kindle or other device...and why?

Thanks so much for "playing along"... I can't wait to read your takes on this poll.  Maybe you have another solution to this dilemma..?

***
You know, what has been really fun?  Is, watching my 7 year old just pick up a book, from around the house and find a corner and read.  Not perfect.  But he's reading...

He's reading!!  and he's already told me that he's missing school! :)  But, one thing I will tell you (and I'm proud about this!) is that he finished up a through-the-mail 6-week course of Bible Lessons with CEF - Truth Chasers Club.  And he's earned his very own Bible.  It came in the mail yesterday.  You should have heard him squeal with delight at having his very own Bible come to him.  It's a beautiful ESV, thinline style, with his name engraved, in gold,  on the front.  He is so super excited.

I am too!  I hope and pray he'll always be Truth- Chaser.

15 comments:

  1. you could always loan them out to a friend and have her read them for you... then have her give you a book report! that might be another option..?
    ha!
    ~ you know me

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha I love this.
    In the case of books like "A Praying Life", "Because He Loves Me", "Feminine Appeal", etc, I read a bunch at the same time. Once, I had like 5 books I was reading at the same time. In the morning, with my devotions, I would read a section out of each. It was actually really helpful! The hard part was when I finished them all at the same time. Then I was like "Now what do I read??" But that didn't last long - I quickly found more good books. :)
    I really enjoy doing it that way. :)
    However, If it's just a good novel from the library, that is harder... I usually try to read one at a time. Except, right now I AM reading 3 at the same time because they are all so different, there is no chance of me getting confused, haha. So what I am doing is just reading whichever one I am in the mood for at the time. One of the books I am reading is a funny Christian chick-flick book. The other 2 are by Francine Rivers. I go back and forth between them all haha. :)
    Usually, I just pick a few, start reading one, and if it doesn't capture me right away I set it aside and try a different one lol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In reality... this is really me!!

      Thanks for commenting here, Monica. Love it!!

      Delete
  3. I have found that there are *seasons* for books. Certain ones for certain times. I agree with Monica...read the spiritual encouragement ones slowly and simultaneously with your Bible reading. As for novels...I also agree that if you read them all at once you could get the plots/characters mixed up. I vote for reading one of them at a time...but, just read the first chapter of each and see which one captures you after that one chapter. Pick the novels randomly. :) I am definitely a paper/hardcover...turn the pages kind of girl. Two of my kids got e-readers and like them...but, not me! I like my library of *real* books. Hugs to you! Happy reading! Camille

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am one of those that tend to have several books going at once...but they are generally spiritual books, so I don't have to keep track of plot lines.(and I tend to like to go through them slower) When I do read novels, I usually read it all before starting something new. I prefer books over kindles, I just like the feel of turning a page...my age is showing :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think Camille's idea of reading the first chapter of each one and going with whichever pulls at you. Or I would just look at the titles and covers and go with whichever one beckoned me the most. If you're reading one book but another one is calling to you, you'll not give the fist book all the attention it deserves and it will take you longer to read it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd probably go with the whole - judge a book by it's cover and choose whatever one looks best! Or stick with the fiction because that's all my brain can handle most days - easy plot lines - nothing to challenging to remember...or apply! ;) I really like 'real' books - I tried to download a book to read on my iPhone/Pod thing (figured it would be easy to read while nursing the baby - even at night - no extra light required) but I haven't gotten past the first couple of "pages" - I just like a physical book it seems!!

    That's great news about Caleb! My Olivia is coming along very well- better then I expected!! It's so neat to see them learning, growing and gaining new skills - especially reading!! I'll have to look into that Truth-Chaser thing - sounds neat!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. First I want to say congratulations to Caleb!!!!! I can imagine how excited he was...I can still remember as a little girl getting my first Bible. Keep up the good work and enjoy your reading and growing in the Lord. I LOVE reading...I read any chance I get. I don't know why but over the summer I love to read things that are a little on the lighter side. I love to sit on the porch reading and enjoying the outdoors. The problem with lighter reading though is when I start a book I don't want to put it down until I'm down. I've been known to even stand at the stove cooking with my book in my hand. Yes I must have a "real" book with pages...nothing else. Happy reading!!!!! Melanie P.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm a member of a 250+ group of Christian writers in the PNW and I have tried to buy every book in the past two years my friends have published. I have PILES! on the bedside, desk, bookshelves, by bookshelves. I choose according to mood and need. Something also gets bumped to the top if I promised to do a book review.

    I added a Kindle reader app to my notebook computer because very often authors give away their books for free if you get the ebook. I've downloaded a lot of Christian fiction and Biblical books that way. These are the books I read when I'm traveling. With weight restrictions, packing books has become almost impossible.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I could never pick just one...

    The wisest woman I ever knew, the best wife, the best mother, the best mistress, the best friend told me once, when I asked her how, with her weak health and many calls upon her time, she managed to read so much. "I always keep three books going- a stiff book, a moderately easy book and a novel. And I always take up the one I feel fit for!" That is the secret. To always have something "going" to grow by." CREDIT: ~momentswithmotherculture.blogspot.com

    I realize I'm no help for you today, but it sure makes life sweeter to have something fun to grow by depending on the mood I'm in. And by your stack, your praying book looks like the easy book, down the stack, you have two novels to begin, now you'll need a stiff book. One that will grow you deeply with the Lord and give you new ideas to feed and chew on bit by bit.

    Happy Summer Reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that stiff book might be the second one on the pile, by Elyse Fitzpatrick. In all honesty... I have another book by the same author that was gifted to me several years ago - I could have added this on to the pile, too! It's one that I'm still trying to get through - because it is so challenging to the heart. The title of it is; Give them Grace. Great book! It's one... where I'm in need of learning "grace" - understanding "grace" - and therefore until I do, I find it a struggle to filter that down to my children, etc. It's coming... but, ever so slowly.
      Because He Loves Me - appears to be along the same path... GREAT! but I don't know - I've only thumbed through. I personally do go for these sorts of books over novels...that is true!

      Oh, and Amanda. As soon as I read what your friend advised - I immediately knew who that came from. :) Good stuff.

      Delete
    2. I agree with Amanda and Mrs. Andreola. I always have several going at one time, and sometimes read a little out of each one in the same sitting. They look like nice books, enjoy Bevy

      Delete
  10. First off, way to go Caleb! Loves school and reading, get role model for his sisters.

    Reading your list, I"d #8, but I love the idea of passing some off to friends and have them read them, with a book report.

    ReplyDelete

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