Shelve the Fiction: A Fasting Story.

I love to read. I mean, I’m not one of those fanatical readers who polishes off a few books a week but a short stack a month is my style.

Usually I go for inspiration in the day-time (non-fiction) and entertainment at night with a steady stream of (mostly) historical fiction by my bedside. Reading is my TV and I am never without my bedside novel. In fact, the next one is always waiting in case I finish one before I get to the library.

But not this month.

Our church announced an opportunity to fast from “something” for 33 days to invite God to do something bigger in our national church and in our personal lives. An ancient practice, fasting has been a spiritual discipline for eons for people of all faiths. The idea is to set something you want aside for a period of time for something you want more. Usually it is food of some sort but can also be something else you are particularly attached to.

Like Facebook for some or YouTube or shopping. Or reading novels.

When the idea was first presented, I must admit I thought, “Didn’t we just do this for Lent?” By the next day, though, I was ready to jump in and began to scroll through the usual food give-up list. Frankly, it felt stale. If I am feeling deprived in some way, I want to engage with it, not feel same old/same old.

Brushing my teeth that evening, where many good ideas germinate, I felt a nudge to shelve the fiction for a month. This I knew was not from me.

The night before the fast began, I stayed up late trying to finish my current novel, but sleep took me down. I’ll have to wait until July 1 to find out what happened next. I put a hold on my requested list at the library and gathered up a pile of inspirational books I collected to read “at some point.” I’m on the second one now, it’s going kind of slowly.

Fasting works best when one substitutes prayer for the given-up thing. Sometimes I forget to do that. My long experience with God has taught me that he rarely works according to how I advise him to so I’m trying not to get too specific with an outcome for this fast. It has to be a no strings-attached deal. I’ll give up novels, but you don’t have to reveal all your plans.

Like celebrating at the end of Lent with a chocolate bar or a glass of wine, I’m looking forward to finding out what came next in my novel but I’m OK with waiting. I threw in a bit of the food thing too but find it is easier to do that part. Nine hours on my monthly train ride without a novel is a long ride.

I can say at nearly the halfway point…something’s going on. I hope to define it a little more in the days ahead.

Have you ever fasted from anything?

Hope for the best,

Tish

 

Read More/Scroll Less

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Did you add “Read More” to your New Year’s Resolutions list? How’s that going in these first few weeks?

Somehow I seem to want to read more than I actually do. Books that is, not just Facebook scrolls. My husband might disagree as it seems like I am always commenting on a book but I decided to step up my game.

Here’s what’s working so far…

1. Sign up for a challenge. I chose Goodreads and decided to commit to 50 books this year. About 15 more than last year. As a life coach, I love accountability and can’t wait to list each book as I finish it. It is also fun to see what other friends on the site are also reading.

2. Make a specific goal. “Read more” isn’t really a goal, it is a wish. “Read 4 books a month” is a goal. I’m reaching for that. I finished two books early in the year so I counted those 🙂 This month, I have my four on the crossed off list. 44 books to go.

3) Pick a time and a place. (Sounds like a line from Hamilton.) For me, that time and place has to be in addition to my pillow right before bed. Taking a reading break before noon has worked so far. I leave my desk for a comfortable chair, grab a book and set a timer. I use this time to read mostly non-fiction books that look helpful or fascinating but don’t pull me too far in so I can get back to the work mode.

I save my novels for bedtime which means they sometimes take a long time to finish. If an evening is open, I find I enjoy the reading option more than TV and grab my novel and a hot drink and settle in by my (electric) fireplace.

4) Use your library app. Whenever I hear about some new-to-me book that sounds like a good one, I add it to my “hold” account. I always pick them up from my local branch when I get the notice and usually at least start them. That way, the pile is always ready. If it’s not a good fit after all, I return it quickly to someone else can give it a try.

5. Sign up for Bookbub This can be a little dangerous if you like to buy a lot of books for your e-reader but many are fr*e. Each morning you get a list of the day’s offering of digital books tailored to your tastes (you fill out a form when you sign up.) The books range from $2.99 to fr*e. If one of the higher priced ones looks good, I will add it to my books-to-read section in my NOTES app on the phone and later get it from the library.

Next time I’ll tell you about the books I’m currently reading/finishing.

How do you fit reading in?

Hope for the Best,

Tish

 

What’s In My Book Pile?

This winter has brought a delicious crop of books to my pile! I am in the middle of all of these but couldn’t wait to share so hoping they end as well as they started 🙂

I love asking friends (and strangers!) what they are reading as well as politely snooping on bookshelves. Thought you might be curious too so here’s what I’m reading now:

Morning reading, along with prayers, journal and Bible reading:

I heard about this book at my cousin’s church and the sermon itself was enough to lead me right to purchasing this challenging book. My favorite line so far: “Living with compassion is a different story. It requires action. it compels us to get up close and personal with people. We can’t practice presence from a distance. And we can’t outsource presence to God – because he has already assigned it to us. No Easy Jesus

Also in the morning pile is this reading-for-every-day book, “Younger by the Day: 365 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body and Revitalize Your Spirit” by Victoria Moran. Some years back I had the privilege of participating in the pre-publication focus group for this inspiring book. I loved it then and am savoring it each day once again. Timeless wisdom from someone who lives what she teaches. Younger by the Day

Late afternoon end-of-work day reading with a cup of tea:

I read about this book in the Tribune and was immediately hooked by the inside cover: ..”explores why certain brief experiences can jolt us and elevate us and change us – and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work.” Doesn’t this sound right up my alley? I borrowed it from the local library but needed to own it so I could mark it up! The Power of Moments

Nightstand reading for a few moments before falling to sleep:  (Also good for a train ride!)

This is my second  Susan Meissner novel and I absolutely loved A Fall of Marigolds (recommended by my friend) so I decided to check this one out too. Historical fiction, my favorite genre, covering the Spanish Flu and WW1 times with a lot of family stories. I have another one of hers on reserve at the library. So fun to find a new-to-me-author! As Bright as Heaven.

One more that was on the pile until I finished it: Couldn’t put it down! Historical fiction with back and forth past/present.  Before We Were Yours

What’s in your book pile?

Hope for the best,

Tish

Book Report: January-March 2017

I never got around to setting reading goals for this year but I finished ten books since January so let’s say I’m on target 😊 My stack of ‘to-reads” keeps growing but there are a few titles that got crossed off along with my Amazon reviews.

Non-Fiction:

1. The Pie Life: A Guilt-Free Recipe For Success and Satisfaction by Samantha Ettus I am a life coach and always looking for new principles to recommend to keep life in balance. I ended up liking it very much for my own needs, especially the second half of the book. I will not only recommend it but keep reviewing my own ” pie slices.”

2. Heartbeat of a Mother: Encouragement for the Lifelong Journey by Jane Rubietta. Well done, Jane, you never disappoint! With an authentic voice and a plethora of personal stories, this book invites you into a place of reflection, wonder, delight and hope. Easy to read for the busy younger mom yet full of insight for those of us who have been engaging in this precious role for a long time. Here is my promo video for this book:

 

3. When Strangers Meet: How People You Don’t Know Can Transform You (TED Books)  by Kio Stark. I was attracted to this small book as I am a hospital chaplain and talk to strangers all the time. The first few chapters were especially fascinating. I was inspired to continue to initiate conversation with strangers outside of work as some amazing counters have occurred.

4. Blessed Are You: Finding Inspiration from Our Sisters in Faith by Melanie Rigney. I decided to read this for Lent and liked it so much I finished it well before Easter. I was so inspired by these women! Each one’s story opened up a bigger worldview of living a life devoted to God while serving as many as possible. Some well-known, many I was unfamiliar with but now have been touched by each of their lives.

Fiction:

1,2, 3: The Wedding Dress, The Wedding Chapel, The Wedding Shop, by Rachel Hauck.

I loved this series and so did many others with over 4000 reviews for the three combined. Romantic, faith based but not cheesy, captivating stories that kept me turning the pages.

4. A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller.

I am stingy with five stars but really liked this one! A murder mystery but not a scary one which is an important distinction for me. Beautiful use of descriptive words, I felt like I could see what she was describing. Well done!

Stay tuned in a few months for the next Book Report. maybe I will finish “A Man Called Ove” by then!

Hope for the Best,

Tish

PS My book, Getaway with God: The Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat is doing well!