Here is part two of my October reads. =) In case you missed it- Part 1 is -->HERE<--
6- Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving Gospel-Centered Marriage by Beth McCord, Jeff McCord
I've wanted to read this book since before it was released last July. I purchased the Kindle version back in August when it was on sale or something- I started it, read a chapter or two and of course got distracted by many other books. Sometimes I have a really hard time staying focused on non-fiction.
This week I committed to finishing it before the month was out- reading a chapter or so a day. I really enjoyed this book and I am sure I will refer back to it. I really liked reading about the Enneagram (which fascinates me) and marriage through the lens of the Gospel.
The first part of the book was more general on how the enneagram can be a helpful tool in relating to your spouse.
Funny side note- as I was reading Party of Two - I kept thinking if only he understood her Type- all this conflict could be avoided! :P
The 2nd half of the book goes through each of the different Types. I am a Type 9, the very last chapter in the book. I found myself feeling teary at how much it resonated with my spirit.
My biggest takeaways from this book- ask clarifying questions- do not just assume (or wallow in uncertainty in my case). Its ok to state my opinion, to have an opinion and ask for what I need. Everyone sees things from a different perspective- not wrong... just different.
"As I began to understand the Enneagram, I often said to myself, “Oh, that’s why I do that!” And equally as often I’d think, “Oh, that’s why he does that!"
"These dots represent us, the church. We are all different, yet we are all uniquely who God made us to be. When we unify in our diversity, we glorify God and bless others."
7- The Faith of Mike Pence by Leslie Montgomery
I really enjoyed listening to this book. In fact I wouldn't mind starting over and listening to it all over again. It was so nice to read something from a faith based perspective.
Unfortunately the book returned to the library before I got around to writing down any of the quotes I bookmarked. But I found this an inspiring listen, gave me hope for a very personal prayer request as well as life, politics and America in general.
I realize this book was written from a Christian faith based perspective and therefore is probably biased. But nonetheless it spoke to my heart. The familiar language of faith and prayer. <3
8- The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams
There's something about a story centering around a small town bookstore that makes me happy. A mystery at that. A story woven as 4 unlikely, lonely and solitary women partner to solve the mystery of a murder. Each woman has wounds and secrets of her own, which are reveal as their friendship deepens. My only disappointment is there was not a scone recipe to try- I guess I'll have to find one on my own. :P I'm looking forward to reading the next installment- once I finish the current "stack" of library books on my kindle.
"That’s my main priority when it comes to food. Other people are obsessed with calories, nutritional value, antioxidants. I look at food and wonder: Can I eat that without having to put my book down?”
“If it wants a soul, then yes. Every town needs a bookstore.”
"It doesn’t matter if they’ve lost all their hair because of chemo or if they have wrinkles or a double chin. I’ve yet to meet a woman who isn’t beautiful as long as she believes she’s beautiful.”
9- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
This was on
MMD SRG- also it is one of those books that got a lot of hype this summer. I kept hearing about it over and over again. How it was so great...every should read it. It was just ok for me- the story was good, but it doesn't really stand out for me as spectacular. Parts of it were thought provoking. I don't know- maybe I need to read it again. Maybe I need to slow down. I just feel like there are too many books out there I want to read.
The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?
I think Stella must have been awful lonely. No one in her life knew the real her and she was terrified of anyone finding out. Even her husband? What must it have been like to live with that kind of secret? It makes me incredibly sad to think about. Also sad that its even a thing-
“Instead, after a year, the twins scattered, their lives splitting as evenly as their shared egg. Stella became white and Desiree married the darkest man she could find.”
“Her death hit in waves. Not a flood, but water lapping steadily at her ankles. You could drown in two inches of water. Maybe grief was the same.”
10- Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel
I could be the poster child for this book. I overthink everything- usually focusing on the worst case scenarios...
I purchased this book for my birthday and it took me about 6 months to finally get it read. It has sat on my nightstand for weeks and weeks.
"Even taking baby steps forward can shift your momentum and get you unstuck. Your options are numerous, and we'll cover more of them in this book: take a small step, set a deadline, make a list, or consult a friend"
"Pay attention to your thoughts, including how you talk to yourself both out loud and in your own head."
"While you can't perfectly control what your mind dwells on, you have a great deal of freedom to choose your thoughts-- and that control will grow stronger with practice as you establish new mental habits and neural pathways."
Still plugging away at Anna Karenina- maybe I'll finish by the end of 2020- we'll see... I might need to focus a little more attention there to get it done, a worthy project for the next few weeks I suppose.
This month: 10Total read in 2020: 84
Kindle: 5 Print: 3 Audio: 2
Library: 7 Owned: 3
Unread Shelf: 2 print - 1 Kindle Purchased: 1
Favorite this month is probably A Woman is No Man- (the review is back in part one). In part because it surprised me. It was not at all what I expected. The characters felt very real, as well as their struggles. Books with middle eastern threads seem to intrigue me- I'm not sure what it is. Maybe because it is so different from my own life. This one was an audio book and I also liked how there were three different voices for the chapters told from the the three different perspectives. My other favorite was The Last Train to Key West. Very much enjoyed this story too.
