crazy about crazy love

You guys, I started reading a new book over the weekend that is punching me in the guts and making me stop in my tracks to examine my heart.

The book is called, Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

Earlier this year, this book was added to my list of books to eventually read!

Now, when you hear or in this case, read the title, Crazy Love what comes to mind? 
A. a wild romance
B. dating relationship gone wrong
C. a parent's love for their child/children

It's neither of the above but almost close to option C.

It's about God's immense love for us, his children and how he wants us to love him with all our heart, soul & mind. ((matt 22:37-38))

Me & my bff C decided to read it together. She has it on audio I believe. We both have read through chapter 5 (as of last night). It's insane! I love that we are reading this together to help keep each other accountable (something I am not good at alone!) and to spiritually grow with God's help, his grace.

Some people, even Christians may call the ideals in this book, radical, but Chan writes that God wants, deserves and demands our best. Not drawing near to God out of guilt, but out of genuine love.

From the back of the book, I quote, "Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working  harder at a list of do's and dont's-it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything."

WOW!

I've taken some notes from the chapters I've read so far. There is so much to digest. There is so much more I could share. I'll probably pick back up on chapter six tomorrow night.

In one of the chapters, we are reminded from Luke 18:27, "what is impossible with man is possible with God." Amen, right!?

Gosh, I LOVE that! Through God, all things that seem hopeless in our life don't have to be that way. With God, there IS hope, possibilities and opportunities!

Have you heard of Crazy Love? Have you read it or are you reading it? 

What do you think about it?

p.s. if you haven't, check out the current giveaway! :)

over the weekend

my weekend was lovely + laid back minus the fact that my stomach pained me both saturday & sunday mornings! but today, so far so good! I am so relieved!

Friday: my friend Rosa came over and did my toes! Aren't they cheery? They are a hot pink with white polka dots.

My mom called them strawberry cupcakes. Sofia called them Strawberries, just need green for the little vines.

they look orange but are pink

Saturday: I got to see my mom--that day spent with her since we won't get to see each other Mother's Day weekend.

I cannot WAIT for her to open her package this coming sunday. I put the special contents, one being a specially painted birdhouse that she wanted for her frontyard, into a big box. I didn't have enough pretty wrapping paper on hand, so I ended up using kraft paper & drawing flowers on the paper. I then wrapped/tape pink satin ribbon around it tying it with a bow. I also taped her card to the side of the box. that too was also handmade.

I want to post photos of the process of painting the birdhouse the way I did and also the card I made, but we'll have to wait til after the 12th! :D

My mom makes me laugh and is such a beautiful, strong person. I love her mucho!

So what did we do on saturday? We did one thing we do best: SHOPPING! went to TJ Maxx + Barnes & Noble/Starbucks & with a chicken ceasar salad to-go from Paradise Bakery.

Only bloggers would take a photo of their salad before, but i did AFTER I devoured it! yum.

While at B&N I got the updated & revised edition of For Women Only: What you need to know about the inner lives of men by Shaunti Feldhahn. There's also For Men Only: a straightforward guide to the inner lives of women.

Part of me feels like I've read it before in my college days, but reading this book (again?) made me feel like I am reading it for the first time.

view of my exciting saturday night!

It probably has to do with the fact that I am older and wiser. It's also probably because I am more ready & able to understand this book and what Shaunti points out in the "inner lives of men."

I am nearly through with the book but want to go back and take notes on some things. It's not about changing our men [God wired men & women differently for a divine reason], but learning from this book to change us women, if need be, so that our romantic relationships: dating, engagements and marriages are better enhanced and run more smoothly.

Sunday: spent with my stomach hurting so bad! I was wondering if the waves of pain I was experiencing were like those of pregnant women going through contractions? if it's close, good golly I TOTALLY sympathize!

After that went away, i felt so worn out--pain & nausea, I took a almost 3 hour nap. Did some couponing, called one of my besties H and mindlessly enjoyed watching Once Upon A Time, Revenge & Red Widow!

How was your weekend?
Do you watch any of those 3 shows?

I was so into them that I felt compassion for Regina! darn Tamara!, surprised Takeda got cut out & happy that Jack still pines for Emily & nervous of what Nicolae may do to the daughter or Marta!?

Oh the suspense! Can't wait for next sunday night!
 

bookies.

like just how I go through phases of things, like:

1. being on a corn tortilla chip eating kick 
(true story. I have 1.25 opened bags right now.)
2. wearing neutral eyes with a pop of fuchsia on the lips

...i go through reading a book or two or three in a short amount of time.

On Monday (3 days ago) my mama bought me a new book from Target( also it's a target book club pick!), called Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield.

I had a $2 off coupon I wanted to take advantage of, assuming I'd even be interested in the book, which I was once I read the back of the book. $11.89-ish plus the $2 off, thank you.

Garden of Stones is a about an embarrassing fact of American History:
the encampment of American Japanese citizens right after Pearl Harbor was attacked in WWII.

Without giving away too much of the story, it follows a widowed mother & teenage daughter as they are torn from their homes and transported to the dusty desert internment camp with thousands of others. There is sadness, despair and confusion yet hope and the will to keep going thrives in young Lucy for herself, for the memory of her dear father and for her withdrawing mom.

Within the first few chapters, I was hooked. {i am at least half through the book.} It's an unfortunate tale of what life was like for Japanese Americans in California at that time, yet Littlefield writes beautifully with sensitivity too.

After I finish this book, I'll move on to The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I rented the movie from redbox with James a few weeks ago and I loved it! It made me want to get the soundtrack and read the book. That night, I texted my sister and a friend this line from the movie, said by Charlie,

"people accept the love they think they deserve."

WOW! It really made me think. Sister J had the book so she brought over for me to read this past sunday.

 

I just love books and seeing them on display on the shelves.

I did some spring cleaning last week and narrowed all of my cd's into one crate to make room for more of my books that I want to hold onto or pass on/give to others.

There's at least one here that I've read, practically NEW, with no pages bent, that I will be giving away in the very near future!

What are you currently reading? Are you going through any quirky phases?

the newest member of the e-reader club

Hi.

My name is Brittany and I am the newest member of the e-reader club.

If you didn't know, I am pretty old-fashioned.

My mama has been trying to convince me to get an e-reader for years. She's even offered to generously gift me a Kindle or Nook  for the past 3 Christmases and or for my birthday! Each time I pleasantly declined.

I didn't want to give into the trend. I didn't want to "have to" get used to a new technological thing.

I felt in some way that if I got an e-reader, I was saying goodbye to actual books. 
I felt that I was helping make printed materials extinct and that really scares me as SO much reading material is on the web now; from newspapers to magazines and of course, books.

About two weeks ago, I justified my purchase of a Nook Simple Touch thanks to birthday money.

My physical being is progressively declining. that's the nature of my muscle disease, SMA-Spinal Muscle Atrophy.

I have a noticed my arms becoming weaker, especially in the last year and the last 5 months I haven't been able to wash the right side of my face, thus needing someone to do it for me.

Because of my arms weakening, I decided to get the Nook, BUT i will still purchase and read physical, thinner paperbacks, like Safe Haven!

Here is the beauty!

Most covers for the Nook are around $30, psshh yeh right, this girl needed  something cheaper.

I then saw online one day shortly after purchasing my Nook that Sew Beastly was offering a coupon code and I totally had to snatch one up! They are just so darling and whimsical. I was a bit concerned with the measurements and if the Nook would fit, but after comparing both, I knew it would. I thought that the wristlet would be able to happily hold & protect my Nook!

When I got Citlalli's pretty package, I put my Nook in there, along with a micro-fibre cloth to clean the screen and they both fit, but just barely. I mean, I CAN zip it up, so that's all that matters.

I could  just tell how much love & care that Citlalli puts into her packaging and product! I love it! I also recently learned from her website that her products contain, "batting/interfacing made from recycled plastic bottles." 
Nice to the environment too? ah :)

I ended up getting this pretty purple & yellow ruffled wristlet. I was contemplating this one too.

I'll mainly use the Nook (for now) for books that are on my running list that  are heavier or only in hardcover. I am really hoping I can keep this system going for years. Transitioning to ALL of my books on the Nook, IF i can no longer hold a book up while laying down will sadden me terribly! BUT i won't dwell on what hasn't even happened.

You see,  97% of the time I read books and magazines at night. Reading at night is so enjoyable to me. There are less distractions and i feel cozy laying in  bed with my 12 pillows surrounding me as I quietly read, either letting my mind be taught and expanded or mindlessly being entertained.

As of now, I have 2 books downloaded: 
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin( currently reading) and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

If anyone wants to get me a Barnes & Noble giftcard for Christmas, I'd love it! haha 

Ok, seriously though, if any of you have a Nook, let me know, because i hear that we can borrow books from each other somehow? Not sure how that works, but I'd definitely be interested!