5 Favorites: Books I Read in May + great online finds this week

before the book list, here's a a favorite image from our week

My daughter Natalie took and edited this photo of my husband and me for a school project.  Sweet.

5 Favorites: my 2014 reading list

-- 1 --

16  Selected Stories by G.K. Chesterton, edited by Kingsley Amis: (Faber & Faber, 1972. 284 pages which include 13 short stories) 

Oh, Father Brown -- you unassuming and wise detective-priest.  

Best book blurb ever:

"Mr. Amis has chosen well...The result is an attractive, entertaining, and instructive book, packed with little reminders of what a poet Chesterton could be so long as he stuck to prose...And what a pioneering Goon...And above all what a devoted, witty and skillful expositor of reason, reason as a religious principle, reason as a power that will go down to the roots of the world." -- Robert Nye in the Guardian

-- 2 --

17  An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor: (A Tom Doherty Associates Book, New York, 2004. 351 pages including a glossary of Ulster dialect and recipes from the Irish cook Mrs. Kincaid) 

I've been a bit Anglophile in my reading lately.  (also television watching!)  I found this series through the delightful monthly book lists at Cake, Tea and Dreams.   The book jacket says this tale of a young new doctor learning from the wisened country practitioner Fingal O'Reilly in the backwards Ballybucklebo:  "a warm and enchanting novel in the tradition of James Herriot and Jan Karon".  

-- 3 --

18  Hello Goodbye Hello: A Circle of 101 Remarkable Meetings by Craig Brown: (Simon & Schuster, 2012. 332 pages)

I often tell people that I prefer to get my news after enough time has gone by for a balanced, researched perspective published in a variety of sources.  This might just beat all -- celebrity gossip that is in some cases over 100 years old.  And I found this concept a highly entertaining read.   The author gives us the (highly-researched) scoop on 101 celebrity meetings in the fashion of six degrees of separation so Truman Capote meets Peggy Lee, Peggy Lee meets President Richard M. Nixon, President Richard M. Nixon meets Elvis Presley and so on.  Perhaps most telling of the author's wink-and-a-nod approach to celebrity-ism, the book starts and ends with none other than Adolph Hitler.  

Just a fun concept and a guilty-pleasure sort of read.

-- 4 --

19  Henrietta's War: News from the Homefront 199-1942 by Joyce Dennys: (Bloomsbury Group. 1985. 158 pages)

Just plain fun reading!

From Publishers Weekly:

Small wonder that the weekly installments of these endearing letters purportedly written to a friend at the front were eagerly awaited by the British during World War II. For the vignettes of "coping" in Devon are often so hilarious that you are surprised to find yourself wiping away a tear. Henrietta is an engaging character, with a son and a daughter in the services and a doctor husband who gives lectures about the digestive system and snores through air-raid alerts. There's also rotund, indomitable Lady B, ready to plunge into the ocean in pursuit of what looks like a mine; siren-like Faith, growing masses of geraniums to pat on her cheeks in the wartime absence of rouge; Mrs. Savernack, fainting dead away in a first-aid course and nearly killed in the crush of students avid to practice on her.

-- 5 --

20  Booked: literature in the soul of me by Karen Swallow Prior (T.S. Poetry Press, New York, 2012. 199 pages + discussion guide)

I really, really enjoyed this book.  My sister received it for Christmas from her in-laws and recommended it to me.  For one thing I love reading books that are about books.  For another, it's a memoir woven within the framework of a book about books.  My favorite sort of thing.  And Karen Swallow Prior did not disappoint.  There was nothing soporific or too matchy-matchy about the way she wove together her story of growing up formed by good parents, good community, good church and, yes, good books.  

A tiny excerpt:

"I know that spiritual formation is of God, but I also know -- mainly because I learned it from books -- that there are other kinds of formation, too, everyday gifts, and that God uses the things of this earth to teach us and shape us, and to help us find truth."

*Go to my Book Pile page to see my reading lists from previous years.*

.....

Other good words online this week

• Public Schools, Family Schools, Local Schools at The Front Porch Republic:  This author's family chose public school for their children for some of the same reasons I talk about in my Parenting Unrehearsed series:  Why We Send Our Kids to A [Broken] Public School. 

• Ages and Ages: A Tiny Desk Concert at  NPR:  I totally enjoyed this mini-concert at my desk this week

• Lowland Hum: A Tiny Desk Concert at NPR: Another great beauty-break at work.  If all singer/songwriters would take note and provide lyric books like this lovely, earnest couple I'd be one happy concert fan.  Also, listen to the song Lowland Hum wrote for their commission on the theme of poverty from the creative curator Spark & Echo Arts.

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A book and music-filled weekend for us all, dear ones.

For more Five Favorites, visit Moxie Wife!

Celebrating Ascension Day (again) with Tintoretto, Austin's Blue Lapis Light and a Shaker hymn

Sharing again a post from last year's Ascension Day.  I find such hope in this celebration.  See two other years:  and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father (2012) & making space to wait (2011)

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Meditating this week on the beautiful feet of our risen, ascended, reigning Christ.

The Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father, 

the whole earth a footstool for his (resurrected) human feet.

The Ascension, detail
Tintoretto, 1579-81

Read:  Acts 1:1-11  

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

Dance: Austin's Blue Lapis Light, Heaven ~ Earth ~ One , Septembe 2012 at the Long Center.  (This video shows rehearsal, go here to see video of the actual performance.)

Sing a hymn: Lord of the Dance written by English songwriter Sydney Carter , to the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" (listen to the Choristers of Wells Cathedral Choir)

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,

And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,

And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth;

At Bethlehem I had my birth.

(Refrain)

Dance then wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced for the scribe and the pharisee,

But they wouldn't dance, and they wouldn't follow me;

I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;

They came with me and the dance went on.

(Refrain)

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;

The holy people said it was a shame.

they whipped and they stripped and they hung me high,

And left me there on a cross to die.

(Refrain)

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;

It's hard to dance with the devil on your back.

They buried my body and they thought I'd gone;

But I am the dance and I still go on.

(Refrain)

They cut me down and I leap up high;

I am the life that'll never, never die;

I'll live in you if you'll live in me:

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

(Refrain)

Dance, then wherever you may be;

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

(found via The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter, and Pentecost by Wendy M. Wright)

5 favorites: surprise discoveries in 2014 + good words online this week

--1--

Paleo diet

Believe it or not, eating from a Paleo menu has been a game-changer for us.  My daughter Kendra led the way and, thanks to the beautiful inspiration from Rachel Brown, we've been discovering a way of eating that fits our need for health and simplicity.

I should add that we are quite gentle with ourselves in this pursuit.  I'm not interested in legalism when it comes to food, and thankfully, none of us have the sort of illness that requires strict food observance.  The truth is, though, that my body feels best when I limit grains, dairy, sugar and processed foods from my daily meals.

--2--

Emeals Paleo menu plan

I am not a confident cook.  Not only that, it's not really a priority for me to master cooking, baking or food preparation.  Still, I value healthy food and dinner together.  When we were exploring Paleo, I had one deal-breaker for our family.  I needed it to be OK for us to use emeals to plan our shopping and cooking.  I've loved emeals for a long time -- thanks to my sister, Kaley.  

Emeals benefits anyone who wants an organized, simple, cost-effective tool for planning meals, grocery shopping and cooking.  It's just an added bonus that one of their 14 meal plans is for Paleo families like ours.

Do me a favor?  If you decide to sign up for emeals use my sister's referral link?  It helps me show her how much I love her!

--3--

Lucy Wainwright Roche

We saw Lucy Wainwright Roche open for Over the Rhine a few years back in New York and loved her.  Then somehow, just forgot to follow her after that.  A fun surprise then to discover she was opening for Over the Rhine again as they visited Austin a few weeks back. 

Here's the thing:  you listen to her music and enjoy her voice and her sweet, intelligent lyrics a lot.  But if you can ever see her live, it's the way she tells stories and connects with the room that is downright charming.  Or should I say -- down-Wright-- charming.  (Also if the name Wainwright sounds familiar, you'd be correct.  She's related.)

Enjoy this cover of Robyn's hit "Call Your Girlfriend".  See what I mean about Lucy??

--4--

Chiropractic Massage

Someday I'm pretty sure I'll look back at this season of me trying to re-find my true physical self and I'll say it wasn't the exercise or the food I ate (or didn't eat) that made the difference.  It was the chiropractor and massage therapist that were the catalyst. 

I'm not intelligent enough -- nor do I have the time to tell you statistics or medical proofs.  I just know it's working for me.  And, if you live in Austin you couldn't find a friendlier place than the hospitality Dr. Michelle and her staff offer at Rosewood Chiropractic and Massage Therapy.  (p.s., if you visit them, tell 'em I sent you!)

--5--

Broadchurch 

Lately I can't get enough of British drama.  Also, this is David Tennant and Olivia Colman.  I watched this mini-series on Amazon Prime, but I'm guessing you can find it other places too, because the show just won a BAFTA.

Related link:  Murder, Secrets And Lies By The Seaside In 'Broadchurch'

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Other good words online this week

• The Definitive Manifesto for Handling Haters: Anne Lamott on Priorities and How We Keep Ourselves Small by People-Pleasing

  at Brain Pickings: “What if you wake up some day, and you’re 65… and you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life?”

• An Anglican Pastor's Grief by David Roseberry at  Anglican Pastor: "I need to find a time when I can stop speaking my words and instead, experience and pray at a personal level. I find that I need to wait for God to speak His healing Word to me. Enough of my words, Lord. Speak Your Word to me. Only say Your Word…and it is I who shall be healed…” as the Centurion might have asked."

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A good-find week for us all, dear ones.

For more Five Favorites, visit Moxie Wife!!

A Chronology of Paying Attention (18): winning the Brian Murphy lottery

In this chronological remembrance, we're in the newlywed years.  Lord, have mercy (and thankfully He did!)  Today I'm re-sharing a poem I wrote for my husband's 43rd birthday last year. ...............................

43 years

A poem* for my husband on his birthday

Ninety-two, ninety-three, I most remember   

As the winter a blizzard shut us in and we are   

Broke from a hard two years as newly wed  

Where the meager provision of being   

Student, employee, father for our first born

Son and now another one on the way, we've

Neither a degree nor cash. Dreams die in   

Fatigue and bank accounts give way as you and your    

Muscle and sweat and hope fall in to make   

A loss. We lived in two bedrooms down the   

Hallway from kind friends in their nice  

Neighborhood. Or that has all really   

Happened and we go to Johnson City where,   

Thanks to Rick Jindra and Steve Conroy,   

You get a job cleaning cars at Dependable   

Auto Sales. It’s all a backwards dream, a slog

To get a life and home before the next

Arrival of another son, your dogged days 

Of honor. A church acquaintance  

Has encouraged us that giving when we   

Don't think we have anything to give keeps the   

Scarcity of our mindset overwhelmed by

The bounty. I love the mentors, at least I   

Think I do, in their wisdom, their attempt   

To find ways for us to find a living from the WIC   

Office. Otherwise the early years seem   

Like a country music ballad. A stunned   

Twenty-something man runs from school to work   

And home up three floors of the apartment house on Frederick Street,

Chasing a toddler with the second-born in hot

Pursuit where otherwise you sat up late writing  

Required lines, planning for your next degree  

And child, a daughter. We were waiting to get our   

First salary and listening to the Yankees win the pennant

On the radio. You worked, you dreamed, you wrote the   

Fifty-two pages of your thesis, the new baby  

Arriving near the end. I slept on the couch and  

healed and nursed and cried while you stayed up

Thirty-six hours straight, determined. Then that   

Summer there is the day of the great Teaching Job   

Offer, we move to Conklin -- Richard T. Stank

Middle School, beloved George Schuster  

Down the hall. You read “Goodnight   

Moon” to your children and Teddy Roosevelt

To your students, and Rick Patino for the team.   

Then it’s winter again. My water breaks   

And we head back to Lourde's Hospital   

And we welcome another daughter, and   

Sometime just about then you must have almost   

Seen yourself as others see or saw you,   

people like Dr. Jagger and Scott Gravelding, but could not quite   

Accept either their affirmation

Or their equally anointed naming. Uncertain,   

Afraid, you kept at it. A few years later
Crisis and pain and forgiveness fall in to make   
A calling. You lived into yourself, a man named.   

You are still the father, student, teacher, much the same,
but now also mentor, pastor, friend.
Now you are happier, I think, and older.
Those of us lucky enough to know you say
That we have won the Brian Murphy lottery.

*ADAPTED FROM "YESTERDAYS", 

A POEM BY ROBERT CREELEY

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In this season that I do not have time to write, this is the idea God gave me:  For me to ponder and notice again the words I've already written once, to keep praying the beads of memory to discover this sacramental life.

Won't you join me?  

I'd welcome your company along the way.