Book Review: Island of the Blue Dolphins

I recently finished reading "Island of the Blue Dolphins" as part of my Decades challenge. I had read the book in elementary school, but hadn't thought much about it since then. In fact, it had been so long ago and I had read so many other things, I didn't remember much of the story.

The book is a Newberry winner, and has a certain sense of mystery and empowerment that I think the Newberry committee tends to choose for their highest awards. I enjoyed "Island of the Blue Dolphins" because, with the exception of a few pages at the beginning and the end, it is a book about one girl coming to grips with her isolation and learning to survive on her own. She also learns that not all things that appear evil really are, just as not all things that at first to appear to be good turn out that way.

The most interesting part of "Island of the Blue Dolphins" is that it is based loosely on the real-life story of a woman whose entire tribe leaves her behind. She is the sole survivor of her culture and is honored is California.

Overall, this is a quality Newberry book. Enough action to appeal to children; enough story to engage adults reading along with them.

A Minor Accomplishment

Yesterday I did something I haven't done since high school. I ran, well jogged, one mile on a treadmill. I have thought about trying it for awhile, and I have jogged off and on, but would get exhausted after just a couple minutes, so I stopped trying...well, I've been wanting a good cardio workout, so I thought I would try jogging again. I figured it would take me a few months to work up to a mile. I started with three minutes, then five, then ten. Last night for some reason I decided to just keep going until I didn't think I physically could do it. I hid the timer and the distance markers behind a magazine and watched the NCAA game on at the gym. When I thought I was done, I looked. I had gone .86 of a mile...so I found a little more energy and pushed to the 1.1 mark.

Granted, it's not a big deal, and probably not even blog worthy, but considering it's something I haven't done in a long time and I'm proud of myself for doing, I thought I would write it here.

It's the little things that make the biggest difference in the long run, right?

Tired. So Very Tired.

Easter is over. The weekend was wonderful, if exhausting. Over 4,000 people attended one of our 6 services and I truly hope their lives were touched and enhanced by the experience. My prayer is that they felt the love of God and understood the sacrifice He was willing to make for them in a deeper way.

That being said, that many services in that short of an amount of time is a killer! I so appreciated everyone on staff that I saw this weekend - so many of them were there for most, if not all, of the services, whether they had an assigned task or not. For them to be willing to sacrifice their weekend with their family to be on hand for all those services was humbling to watch.

I know I griped and complained a lot last week...and I know Saturday I hit a wall...but I am so glad we did what we did, that my husband worked as hard as he worked, and that lives were touched.

I'm also really ready for a nap.

Sunshine & Raindrops

Today is the first day of spring. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Seriously. The long winter that we just experienced is finally over. It seems like it's been going on forever and a day, and it feels good to know that the days are getting longer, the sun will be out more, and the temperature may actually get into something higher than 40 for more than just a day! So, let me say it again, Hallelujah!

This week is one of those weeks - not a bad week, just a busy week. It's Easter, which means everything is a little crazy around the church. I know that I can get overwhelmed with the schedules and the busyness, but I got a wonderful email from a great friend that put it all in perspective. Here's what she said...

"The investment of time and energy into volunteers now would pay off later! In the meantime, don't be annoyed that it is Easter! :) (Easier said than done, I know. But it IS the best part of life! The whole reason we have faith! The whole reason Tim even has that job!) Maybe try to view all of the Easter business and work as fragrant offerings to God?"

I've read her email a few times this week. And while I'm not saying I haven't been annoyed (I have, just ask my husband) and I haven't been dealt a handful of frustrating circumstances, I am excited that it's Easter. I am reminded of the promise and the love that God has for me, even when I'm not the best person, not in the best mood, or just plain annoyed!

The weekend is just going to keep getting busier - so my prayer is this - that all of it is a fragrant offering to God - and that He sees my heart through the mess!

Still here...

I'm still here. Just haven't had much to say lately, which is REALLY annoying when you try and start a devotional blog. I am working on a couple new things to post there, and hoping for something new to post here.

In the meantime...I'm still here! Just a tad bit quieter than normal....

Ironic...

so blogger decided my new devotional blog was spam. i will update to it as soon as they unlock it...


silly blogger.

a small step toward a big dream...

For years, I have had one dream that just keeps coming back to me over and over again. I long to write, but not just to write anything. I long to write devotions. I have a dream of having a devotional business someday where I am contacted to write a specific devotional for a mission trip, youth retreat, women's weekend, family vacation, whatever...and I write a devotional completely tailored to those needs.

Since college I have longed to write these kind of devotions, and grabbed quickly at any opportunity, no matter how large or how small...and my desire to do it more just continued to grow. Even now, I find myself thinking of devotions, of small thoughts that are encouraging, challenging and hopefully spiritually relevant to the people in my world and the people that read the words.

Why am I telling you all this? To tell you I've finally decided to do something about it.

Resting Thoughts is my new online devotional.

I am hoping to post a devotion and prayer every day. Some will be old ones I have written, many will be new. I hope you stop by and read them. I hope they make a difference. I hope you know you're cherished and loved by God, even when you're having a very bad, no good, rotten kind of day.