ONE WORD 365 // Week 23, Book 18

I have a new hero, Lilias Trotter....

Parables of the Cross
By I. Lilias Trotter

I've been helping my brother-in-law edit his tutorials for his PhD. His last paper included the stories of missionaries to Egypt and Sudan, of which Lilias Trotter was one. (My sister and brother-in-law also recommended her biography, A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter. After reading about her in Dick's paper and this book, I ordered it straightaway.)

This book (or long essay), and another called Parables of the Christ-Life, were both free for Kindle on Amazon. This one read quickly but it is also a book that will take time and multiple reads to fully digest. I intend to re-read it, take notes, share it, quote it, etc.

The gist of the book explains the process of dying to your old ways so that God can bring about the new life of the believer. The seed has to die in order for the new plant to grow. It's all very Live Dead.

ONE WORD 365 // Week 22, Book 17

So I missed weeks 20 and 21, but now I'm getting back into the swing of things (and catching up on my blog).....

Axe to Grind: Double Barrel Vol. 1
By Grey West

Was this free for Kindle on Amazon? That's the only way I can explain my reason for downloading it. That and it was about zombies and parallel timelines.

And since it was there, I had to read it.

I actually enjoyed it. A fast read, generally decent story with good pacing. And since it's the first volume, it had the cliffhanger ending. Which led me to promptly look up the next issue on Amazon to see how much it cost. I haven't bought it yet, but I can get the full six volumes for $2.99 or something like that. I gotta find out how it ends....

ONE WORD 365 // Week 19, Book 16

I started this last year but only got through the first two months....

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
By Gretchen Rubin
New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009

This time I finished the book. And really enjoyed it.

There is some practical stuff in here, and a few chapters/principles that I really want to implement.

The biggest one that I want to work on now comes from Chapter 6 or June: "Make Time for Friends: Friendship."

Being in a new city and starting over means making new friends and keeping in touch with old ones. Thankfully, I've been practicing my cards and treats by mail for the past couple years, so staying in touch with old friends already has a good start. And now my friends in Nashville will benefit from this more since I moved. Now, I need to bribe some new friends with treats and cards.....

Rubin makes five points in the chapter on friendship: remember birthdays, be generous, show up, don't gossip, and make three new friends.

Remember birthdays. Facebook and the birthdays app on the iPad have helped here. I need to get in a better routine of actually planning ahead, so it's not the actual day before I jump on Facebook to write on someone's wall real quick. I want to be more intentional and better prepared to wish a friend a happy birthday. And I've grown tired of just wishing people happy birthday via Facebook. I've decided that if I can't get a card in the mail on time, I'm going to email or text or maybe even call (gasp!) my friend on their birthday.

And make three new friends. This is a good one for me right now. Rubin talks about making three new friends in whatever new situation she found herself in. The tips that she gives freak me, the introvert, out a little bit (smile more frequently, open a conversation, try to look accessible and warm) but she admits to being a bit calculating about the process and pushing herself to do something different. I think I just need to keep this mind as I start to find a new community in my new hometown.

So, yes, I would recommend this book. It's very practical and encourages you to make your own list of principles and ideas to pursue in a happiness project. I like the one month chunks of time to focus on a new idea. It's enough time to form a habit before moving on to the next one. Pick it up -- or ask to borrow my copy. I'd loan it to you.

ONE WORD 365 // Weeks 15-18, Book 15

I got this book free on Amazon, and I was finally inspired to read it. In honor of Season 2 of "Sherlock" on PBS. Love me some Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock....

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

It's a classic. And a fun read of short stories. There's not much more than that to say. Each chapter is another mystery and they aren't necessarily chronological.

I can recommend this book for those weeks when you're packing a house and moving, because it's the book that entertained me during the month of April as I was preparing to sell my house and move.