Arnica Anonymous

I just wanted to drop in and quickly make an announcement: From now on I plan on expanding the content of this blog a little. I'm thinking of adding in some life updates, book reviews, pictures, etc. Hopefully it will make the content lighter, less daunting for me to consider writing, and more interesting for you to read! For a first step in that direction you can see that I have added a new page: So Many Books. This is a list of books I would recommend from non-fiction to biographies to secular fiction and more. If you are a fellow bibliophile be sure to check it out!

When I started volunteering at the local crisis pregnancy center in April of this year my plan was to do all their behind the scenes work. Counting money, cleaning, making copies, etc. I was good with but nothing directly involving the clients. I knew dealing with them would drive me nuts. And then a child, pregnant with a middle aged man's baby, walked in the door and looked me in the eyes.

Throughout my sporadic and fickle blogging years I have noticed that the posts in which I share a struggle or a difficult life event are always my most popular. Why is this? Let me suggest it is for the same reason that we find solace in books and movies. We want to know that we are not alone.

I have not had much time for breathing this week much less blogging. I had orchestra practice, put in my weekly hours volunteering at the local crisis pregnancy center, spent two evenings getting involved with a local churches' (not mine) outreach to internationals, went hiking with an old high school friend, and attended a meet and greet for the Master Gardeners Class that I am planning on attending in April. Every evening I was home, and many of the evenings I was not, my family had company. I cooked three suppers out of the five week day ones, made bread, and cleaned in between waves of over night guests. To top it off I had signed up for a three day online class complete with lectures and handouts which occurred in the latter half of this week. Oh, and how could I forget?? I jammed my left thumb playing volleyball last night and it is now both painful and immobile from swelling.  Like I said, it has been a busy week! But it has also been one of the most satisfying wee...

I am an avid reader. As in, I-read-an-average-of-100-books-a-year avid. And, I-have-miscellaneous-books-stacked-on-every-surface-in-my-room avid. Because of this habit I frequently get asked how, as a Christian, I choose books worth reading. My methods have evolved over the years but his past summer was the first time I actually wrote down some guidelines. They were primarily inspired by a book called Set-Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy (a book I would recommend for any single Christian young woman over the age of 16). When I skim the back cover or inside flap of a book at the library I ask myself the beginning questions. If I think the novel passes inspection I will take it home but as I read it I keep these questions in mind. When I am done reading the book I ask myself the questions at the end of this list. Before/during a book: Will this book glorify darkness, perversion, mock God or make sin seem noble even in subtle ways? Will this book influence me toward materi...

Since I am blogging anonymously* I don't see much point in introducing myself. Let's skip that and dive right in to what I have been thinking about a learning lately as it relates to my life and the Bible.  My Grandma moved recently into an independent living center. In order to fit into her new apartment she had to severely downsize which was sad for a book lover like herself. "Arnica," she called me over to the box she was packing one snowy afternoon. "I wish you would take this book. It is very good but I don't think I need it any more." She held out a fuzzy blue copy of Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund. "Thanks Grandma!" I smiled and took it from her. "Mom and I read one of her other books together when I was in high school and I learned a lot from it. I'll enjoy this one." And I have.