The Messy Middle

where grace and truth reside

You are here: Home / Archives for Summer Reading Challenge

Summer Reading Challenge

Summer Reading Challenge 2019 is Finished!

The day that we have all been longing for is here :)— The end of the Summer 2019 Reading Challenge. Like runners at the end of a race, maybe you have stumbled across the finish line and are now collapsed and gasping for air.

But once you catch your breath, HIGH FIVE TO YOU! You made it! I made it! We made it! On Tuesday as I checked into the gym, I chatted with the front desk gal about what I had going on this week. I mentioned writing this post about the end of our Summer Reading Challenge and told her the goal was 7 books, but that I had read 13 books. A trainer standing next to her looked at me like I am an alien and asked, “Do you have a job?!”

Ha!!! I do. But these challenges help me live into the person I want to be. So, I repeat. HIGH FIVES all around! We made it.

Well, how did it go? Remember, in The Summer Reading Challenge the goal was to read seven books between June 1 and August 16th. You enter for one of the ten $10 Amazon gift cards by leaving a comment on this post. Even if you didn’t read seven, still share what you read! This isn’t really a contest so much as a chance to share and a chance to see how many books we read collectively.

I’m going to put the categories here if you want to cut and paste them into the comments. Also feel free to just list books, whatever works for you.

A Biography
A book I already own
A book a friend recommended
A Young Adult book (YA)
A book with a great cover
A book of poetry
A memoir or autobiography
A graphic novel
A book you might disagree with
A book for professional development (loosely defined)
A book longer than 700 pages (counts as two books)
A book with a verb in the title
A play
A book about a country or culture you have never visite4d
A book about history
A book that won an award
A classic
A novel by an author you have never read before
An audiobook
A book related to a skill
A book with an animal
A book less than 100 pages
A book you want to discuss with others
Self Assigned “Penalty Book” (if you don’t read, subtract two books you read from your total “books read”

A book I already own—The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator by Joakim Palmkvist and translated by Agnes Broomé. I bought this either cheap on Kindle or got it free on some international book day deal. I’m the worst about getting books for free and then never reading them. Glad to have read this true crime story.

A book a friend recommended—Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev. This was recommended by my niece Emily who read it in school and my book group in Denver read it in July. He was a contemporary of Tolstoy and  Dostoevsky, but wrote shorter books than they did! Written in 1862 about the 1859 freeing of the serfs. Very readable and generated a lively discussion.

A book with a great cover—Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness by Leslie Verner

A book of poetry—Lion Island: Cuba’s Warrior of Words by Margarita Engle. This is a young adult “novel” told through poetry, I did not know such a book existed. Cuba in the 1870s was a combo of Chinese indentured servants escpaing from California, African slaves (and former slaves), and those of Spanish descent. I don’t want to give the story away, but read it!

A graphic novel—Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden and illustrated by Brenna Thummler. This is, hands down the best graphic novel every written. Stay tuned for more in another post.

A book for professional development (loosely defined)—Developing Female Leaders: Navigate the Minefields and Release the Potential of Women in Your Church by Kadi Cole

A book with a verb in the title—Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor

A book about history—Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy

A classic—The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The Blue Castle is the only book she wrote for grown-ups. Having read the Anne books in the summer as a child, this was a wonderful summer read.

An audiobook—Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

A book related to a skill—How to Write, Edit, and Publish Your Memoir: Advice from a Best-Selling Memoirist by Carolyn Jourdan. (You might recognize her name from Heart in the Right Place.)

A book with an animal—Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel by Fredrik Bachman has a rat (also made me laugh more than any other book I read this summer!)

Self Assigned “Penalty Book”—Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I think this is my favorite category because it kicks me in the pants to read a book I otherwise my drag my heels on . . . and then I am grateful and proud of myself for reading it.

///

You can see I didn’t read in every category and I’m drawn to non-fiction more than fiction.

I come back to this not being a contest, if you read four books and that was your goal, great! I just find that I’m more likely to accomplish my goals if I tell people what they are. I would not have read the fantastic Anne of Green Gables graphic novel and I’m 99% sure I would still be intending to read Leadership by Goodwin. Thanks to you, I read both of them.

I can’t wait to see what you’ve been reading. I’ll pick winners next Monday so you have time this weekend to leave a comment.

Thank you for joining in!

Amy

Books I've read (or want to read), Cross cultural, Summer Reading Challenge

You are Invited (and a giveaway!)

Hey friends, this is a brief reminder that the Summer Reading Challenge will end this Friday. On Friday I’ll share what I read and you will have four days to leave a comment sharing what you read to be eligible for one of the ten $10 Amazon gift cards. I can’t wait to see what you’ve read!

What better way to get ready for the end of summer reading that to have a chance to win a book? Leslie and I met a million miles ago in China. We overlapped for five years as she taught in the program I was the director. She and her teammate taught at one of the most remote schools we had teachers. I remember going over all of the new teacher resumes and praying over placement. Single women were always the last to be placed because they were more moveable in options than say, a family of five.

I can still remember placing her at her school in Guyuan and then submitting her resume to the school. That we both ended up in Colorado and writers? A delightful twist of life paths. I love that Leslie and I are still in each others lives and can support each other. Today her book Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness is born! When she asked me to endorse her book, I jumped at the chance and said:

“I shudder at the word hospitality because it has been weaponized in Christian circles, especially for women. I wondered if Invited was another veiled shame message pointing out how I was failing yet again. It is not; instead, Leslie Verner breathes on the embers of connection we all long for, offering hope and examples of how you can invite others into your real life and forge life-giving relationships.”

If you like memoirs that nudge, dare I say invite you, to be the better version of yourself you know are possible, this is the book for you. Leslie has graciously given me a copy of Invited to give to one of you. Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to receive a physical, signed copy. (I’ll also sign my endorsement as a bonus. Ha!) If you don’t live in North America, you can enter and win it for someone else. Talk about hospitality!

Don’t you love this cover:

To give you a flavor of what you’ll find, here are four simple ways to show hospitality from Leslie:

1. Say no.

“Sorry, I’m too busy/have too much going on/already have plans …” are common refrains in American society. One way to show hospitality is to say no to busyness and frantic living. When we say no to another lesson, sport, or activity for our kids or ourselves, we reserve time in our lives for spontaneous hospitality and unplanned connection with people. 

What happens when we step into slowness and retain a buffer in our schedules reserved for relationship, rest, and wonder? We begin to notice the living, breathing souls right around us. We have time for them. We may even get to know their names, feel known, and start to feel less lonely ourselves. 

2. Say yes.

It’s easier for me to offer hospitality than to receive hospitality from others. As we risk the discomfort of giving up control, we learn the humility necessary for relationships to start. Has someone asked you into their life recently? What did you say? 

When we refuse busyness, we’ll have more opportunities to say yes to pausing on the sidewalk to chat with a neighbor. We might have more energy to invite someone over spontaneously or ask someone to meet us at a park or outdoor concert. Clearing away the extraneous clutter in our lives leaves space for us to say yes when God nudges us to ask, invite, or welcome outside our comfort levels.

3. Respect the Zone of Hospitality.

I stumbled on an article recently meant for hotel staff, but have begun to apply it to my own life. It describes the “10 and 5 Staff Rule.” The rule goes like this: If you pass within ten feet of someone, called the “zone of hospitality,” you make eye contact and “warmly smile” at a person. When you are within five feet of them, this smile is accompanied by a greeting or some kind of gesture of acknowledgment. 

While it seems obvious (and visits to the south prove the regional nature of the head nod, steering-wheel-finger-wave, and vocal greeting), I’ve started doing this here in Colorado. Mostly, I greet the people I pass on my runs. I often think to myself, What if I’m the only person who smiles at them or acknowledges them all day long? Some days, hospitality looks like a simple smile and a head nod to a stranger. 

4. Just Invite.

Admittedly, mustering up the nerve to put ourselves out there and risk rejection is the hardest part of hospitality. But the truth is that it takes very little effort on our part to send a text to someone we’ve been wanting to get to know. We pull out our phones, swipe to our text messaging app, and tap out: “Hey! Can you come over sometime?” And then we worry about the details when “sometime” comes around.

P.S. See you Friday for the Summer Reading Challenge Wrap-up. Don’t forget to leave a comment and you might win Invited!

Book, Summer Reading Challenge

Join “Getting Started” Launch Team

Hello friends and happy August to you!

My book Getting Started: Making the Most of Your Frist Year in Cross-Cultural Service is almost ready for release. (Wild clapping and cheering and tears of joy!)

One of the advantages of being an independent author is that I do not have the same type of pressure that traditionally published authors have for a big push the week their book is released. Best-seller lists and numbers of books sold can mean life or death of a book for traditionally published authors. While my books do not have that kind of pressure, I still need your help.

I’m excited to share the cover:

For the first time ever, I am organizing a launch team and inviting YOU to help launch Getting Started into the world! You can join the team by answering a few short questions. (Click here)

Here is what on endorser said: “Every person’s first year of transitioning abroad is challenging, full of unexpected cultural, emotional, interpersonal, and spiritual navigation. While it is easy to question your ‘fit’ for the field, Amy’s storytelling and research will affirm that you are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be. Allow Amy to comfort you with her entertaining experiences and her refreshing honesty!” Lauren Pinkston, Cofounder of Wearthy

What’s involved?

If accepted to the launch team, here’s the fun to you get to join in:

  1. You will receive an advanced copy of “Getting Started: Making the Most of Your First Year in Cross-Cultural Service” and will agree to leave an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads (no obligation for five stars!).
  2. You will be added to a closed Facebook group that will be open for four weeks: two weeks before launch, two weeks of launching Getting Started.
  3. Share as you want — on social media, with an organization you know, on your blog, whatever feels right to you.
  4. Share in the joy of helping hundreds (really thousands) get the most out of their first year on the field :).
  5. Have my eternal gratitude!

I am excited to share this journey with YOU! Join now and don’t miss out on the fun.

Thanks! Amy

P.S. The Summer Reading Challenge will end a week from Friday (on August 16th). I have about fifty pages left on Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin, a graphic novel to finish, and a young adult book planned. How’s it going for you?

Books I've read (or want to read), Summer Reading Challenge

It’s here! Summer Reading Challenge 2019

Calling all readers, it is a day of rejoicing because the Summer Reading Challenge 2019 is here! If you can believe it, this is the fourth summer of the challenge.

Like a kid pouring over the toy catalog in days gone by, I’ve chatted with family members, dreamed about books, and looked for ways to expand the reading challenge. Today, I  am excited today to reveal this summer’s reading challenge!

It will start on June 1  and run through August 16, 2010. To enter, read seven books from 24 categories. Along the way, I’ll touch base and have several book giveaways planned.

What is different?

  • For fun, I scrapped the previous reading challenge and created a fresh one for us.
  • Many categories will be similar because reading is reading. But you will notice a few new gems —an audiobook, a book with a verb in the title, a book under 100 pages. People, I love this challenge so much I almost added more book as I wrote this paragraph. I need help!
  • This year if you do not read your “penalty” book, you will subtract two books from your total (last year we were only docked one book).

What is the same?

  • Counting a book of more than 700 pages as two books.
  • Choosing a penalty book within the first week of the year. A penalty book or category you will read or be penalized. Last year I picked The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt and the Golden Age of Journalism, as my penalty book at it worked! I finally read a book I had planned for at least three years to read. My intention is strong and will weak. And I am all the richer for reading it. I even blogged about Ten Takeaways from The Bully Pulpit.
  • More fun categories than ever!

What’s in it for you?

  • All who comment on August 16-19th with the names of the books they read will be entered to win one of ten $10 Amazon gift cards.

Drumroll . . . here are the categories!

  • A Biography
  • A book I already own
  • A book a friend recommended
  • A Young Adult book (YA)
  • A book with a great cover
  • A book of poetry
  • A memoir or autobiography
  • A graphic Novel
  • A book you might disagree with
  • A book for professional development (loosely defined)
  • A book longer than 700 pages (counts as two books)
  • A book with a verb in the title
  • A play
  • A book about a country or culture you have never visited
  • A book about history
  • A book that won an award
  • A classic
  • A novel by an author you have never read before
  • An audiobook
  • A book related to a skill
  • A book recommended by someone you know
  • A book with an animal
  • A book less than 100 pages
  • A book You want to discuss with others

My penalty book is: Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Download the 2019 SUMMER READING CHALLENGE, print it off, and track your progress. But most of all, have fun and read books you might not read in other times of the year!

~~~

In short: Read seven books from June 1 to August 16, 2019.

Are you in? What books are you looking forward to reading during the challenge?

Photo by Leah Kelley from Pexels

Learning lessons, Summer Reading Challenge

Ten Takeaways from The Bully Pulpit

Y’all know that I read The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin this summer as part of the Summer Reading Challenge. Several years ago, I read her tome on Lincoln, Team of Rivals. Because of the length, I admit to being a bit proud of myself, but it was the subject matter of building and working with a team who could be classified as “rivals” that made it a must-read. You can read my thoughts on Rivals here.

I wondered if I would feel the same about Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft, and those from “the golden age of journalism.” Would this be a must-read?

The short answer is yes. The Bully Pulpit exemplifies what I love about history. History provides a mirror for the current age. If we think now is a hot mess, we are arrogant and a tad ignorant.

Once again, I am grateful for sitting at the feet of history as I read this page-turner. Generally speaking, you can guess what the book was about, so no surprises there. What I appreciate about Goodwin’s writing is that she honors the complexity of situations and shows enough of the context to help the reader see how various realities interact. Thanks to The Bully Pulpit, I have my own Ten Takeaways from The Bully Pulpit.

Starting with 5 lessons for Every Era:

1. Use the technology of the day. Roosevelt would not start a speech until he knew a stenographer was present. I hadn’t thought of “stenography” as cutting-edge technology, but it was.

2. Know that everyone has an agenda. I don’t mean this is a “the sky is falling!” way, but more of a “we are all wired to care” way. “The policy of the Evening Post is to break down Roosevelt.” (page 257) I am tempted to think there once was a magical era when the media wasn’t biased. While the role of the media in the U.S. ebbs and flows, it’s naïve to think other eras didn’t have their own media issues.

3. Remember that for better or worse, there has always been a relationship between politics and religion. “Roosevelt confided to his newspaper friend Herman Kohlsaat, ‘I am in the worst hole politically I have ever been in my life. The whole Catholic Church is on my back.’” (page 305)

4. Be aware of the relationship between societal changes and mental health. There was a “stunning increase in nervous disorders diagnosed around the turn of the century. Commentators and clinicians cited a number of factors related to the stress of modern civilization: the increased speed of communication facilitated by the telegraph and railroad; the ‘unmelodious’ clamor of city life replacing the ‘rhythmical’ sounds of nature; and the rise of the tabloid press that exploded ‘local horrors’ into national news.” Sounds like today!

5. You will face a Big Issue of the Day. For Roosevelt and Taft it was monopolies and government regulation of industries such as the meat packing industry. Anyone else horrified by The Jungle by Upton Sinclair? I can’t remember if I read The Jungle in high school or college, but I do remember the shock I felt at the working conditions. This book helped to move the hearts of many and paved the way for changes. In the U.S., one of our current Big Issues is health care. But this book reminded me that if it wasn’t health care, it would be something else. Every era has a Big Issue to wrestle with.

Continuing with 3 Lessons for Every Person

6. Value Friendship. Roosevelt and Taft were friends until the election of 1912, and then they weren’t. Reading the disintegration of their friendship was one of the hardest parts to read. Thankfully, seven months before Roosevelt died, they had a chance encounter and mended fences. “Roosevelt confided that at long last they had ‘completely renewed the old friendly relations.’” The Bully Pulpit also highlighted the long-standing friendships between many of the writers for McClure’s Magazine. One lived in Emporia, Kansas and traveled back and forth to NYC. Shout out to Kansas!

7. Be able to laugh at yourself. Roosevelt, in particular, was good at this! “In early December, [Roosevelt] delivered a 500-page manuscript to Putnam’s. Recalling this maiden literary voyage, Roosevelt acknowledged years later that some of the chapters ‘were so dry that they would have made reading a dictionary seem light by comparison.’”

8. They might be strange or unexpected, but be on the lookout for points of connection. Guess what Taft, Roosevelt, and Amy Young have in common? They have all had at least three surgeries on their bottoms for abscesses. And Taft and Young eventually both had fistulas develop that required a surgical solution. I don’t think I’ve ever been in such good “bottom” company before!

And finally, two reminders that parts of history DO show how far we have come.

9. Mentioned above is the rise in “nervous breakdowns.” Want to know a common treatment? “Rest-cure,” which sounds innocent enough. It required patients to remain isolated for weeks or even months at a time, forbidden to read or write, rigidly adhering to a milk-only diet.” No. Thank. You.

10. Think modern politics are crazy? It took 46 ballots and 8 days of voting for Woodrow Wilson to be nominated in 1912! Oh my.

~~~

I am so grateful this book has moved from my “To Read” list to my “Read” list! I might not dive into another tome in the next few months, but when I do, what long book would you recommend I read next?

Photo by John Bakator on Unsplash

Summer Reading Challenge

Summer Reading Challenge 2018 is Over {Enter and win}

The day that we have all been longing for is here :)— The end of the Summer 2018 Reading Challenge. Like runners at the end of a race, maybe you have stumbled across the finish line and are now collapsed and gasping for air.

But once you catch your breath, HIGH FIVE TO YOU! You made it! I made it! We made it! On Tuesday as I checked into the gym, I chatted with the front desk gal about what I had going on this week. I mentioned writing this post about the end of our Summer Reading Challenge and told her the goal was 7 books, but that I had read 13 books. A trainer standing next to her looked at me like I am an alien and asked, “Do you have a job?!”

Ha!!! I do. But these challenges help me live into the person I want to be. So, I repeat. HIGH FIVES all around! We made it.

Well, how did it go? Remember, in The Summer Reading Challenge the goal was to read seven books between June 1 and August 17th. You enter for one of the ten $10 Amazon gift cards by leaving a comment on this post. Even if you didn’t read seven, still share what you read! This isn’t really a contest so much as a chance to share and a chance to see how many books we read collectively.

I’m going to put the categories here if you want to cut and paste them into the comments. Also feel free to just list books, whatever works for you.

  1. A book related to professional development (can be loosely interpreted)—
  1. A book related to history—
  1. A book placed in a country I’m not familiar with OR about a country I’m not familiar with—
  1. A young adult (YA) book—
  1. A book recommended by a friend—
  1. A graphic novel—
  1. A book you’ve been meaning to read—
  1. A book published more than 100 years ago—
  1. A book recommended by a teenager—
  1. A biography—
  1. A play—
  1. A memoir—
  1. A book by someone you might not spiritually agree with—
  1. A book that won an award—
  1. A book you read years ago and have meant to reread—
  1. A book that has been translated into English—
  1. A book that is more than 700 pages (counts for two books!)—
  1. A mystery—
  1. A book related to a skill (like cooking, writing, photography, or web-design)—
  1. A book by an author you know—
  1. Fiction (if you tend to read non-fiction) or Non-fiction (if you tend to read fiction)—
  1. Penalty: subtract one book from the total. (You potentially could lose two book points if you select a long one)—

 

///

1. A book related to professional development (can be loosely interpreted)—

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter Drucker. A must read for every organization.

3. A book placed in a country I’m not familiar with OR about a country I’m not familiar with

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon takes place in Afghanistan and, as the title says, shows women entrepreneurs (actually they started as teens!).

4. A young adult (YA) book—

Hope Was Hereby Joan Bauer is a delightful book that is not your normal angsty YA novel. Add this to your “to read” list

6. A graphic novel—

The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds . . . this is the way to read The Odyssey.

7. A book you’ve been meaning to read—

Can you believe I had never read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn? I can see why it’s a classic and I’m all the better for reading it, but I don’t think it should be required reading for high schoolers.

8. A book published more than 100 years ago— 

Here is another book I hadn’t heard of: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Written in the 1850s, the title refers to the North and South in England. If you like Dickens or books that were originally published in serial fashion, you’ll enjoy reading this. If you like BBC, Mom and I enjoyed watching too. Both are good! I blogged through reading this at Velvet Ashes.

12. A memoir—

I listened to So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta. I’m a fan of the TV show Parks and Rec, so I enjoyed hearing more about Retta’s job. But the language, people. I’m not around folks who that use that much profanity and for that reason, I can’t recommend it. Maybe it would be different to read it than to listen to it, I don’t know. She is funny! And I still love Parks and Rec.

15. A book you read years ago and have meant to reread—

Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr. I first read this soon after I turned 40 and was living in Beijing, now at age 50 and after many changes, I think I got even more out of it than I did the first time.

16. A book that has been translated into English—

Laurusby Eugene Vodolazkin (Author), Lisa C. Hayden (Translator) wasn’t quite my cup of tea, but this is why I love (and need) reading challenges. Were it not for the challenge I wouldn’t have pushed myself to read this medieval Russian novel, and I’m glad I did.

17. A book that is more than 700 pages (counts for two books!)—

The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin. By far my crowning jewel book of the summer! I will forever associate this book with the summer of 2018 and reading with you. I’m going to write a separate post about this book. I’m so grateful I read it.

18. A mystery—

Not a traditional mystery, but My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman took a while to get into, but so worth it! Brilliant writing and translating into English. I’m blogging through it right now at Velvet Ashes.

19. A book related to a skill (like cooking, writing, photography, or web-design)—Is understanding yourself a skill? Okay, maybe I’m being fast and loose with this one. I read The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth by Christopher L. Heuertz. If you are new to the Enneagram, don’t start with this book, but if you are looking to take the next step in understanding harmony triads and (as the subtitle suggests) ways to grow as a Christian and enhance your prayer life, this is the book for you.

20. A book by an author you know—I was asked to endorse The Seven Deadly Friendships by Mary DeMuth so read an advanced copy. Mark your calendars for October 2nd when this book releases!

22. Penalty: subtract one book from the total. (You potentially could lose two book points if you select a long one)—The Bully Pulpit, thanks to this category, you have moved from my “to read” list to my “read!” Take that and no points lost!

I have no category that fits with Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf, but that’s my fault, not the books! Haruf is a master at powerful storytelling with sparse prose. If you want a quick read that will stay with your long after, this is your book.

///

You can see I didn’t read in every category and I’m drawn to non-fiction more than fiction.

I come back to this not being a contest, if you read four books and that was your goal, great! I just find that I’m more likely to accomplish my goals if I tell people what they are.

I can’t wait to see what you’ve been reading. I’ll pick winners next Monday so you have time this weekend to leave a comment.

Thank you for joining in!

Amy

Summer Reading Challenge

Summer Reading Challenge Check-In

Yesterday Kate messaged me on Facebook. She said, “Just wanted to say I’m loving the reading challenge, just tucking into book number 6! I did realize however that I’m participating in isolation. could you remind me how we are supposed to be corporate about it all, is it just Instagram?”

First of all, six books? You go, girl! (Note to self: Next year find a way to make the Summer Reading Challenge more communal).)

This year more and more people are participating and I know many of you are isolated. So, let’s do a roll call. Where in the world are you? What number book are you on? Needing any suggestions for a category?

I’ll start:

I’m currently located in Denver, Colorado (in the U.S.). This summer I’ve read mostly in Denver but also a bit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on planes to and from Philly, and in the mountains of Colorado.

I’ve read eight books . . . but that’s going to be about it because of my dear Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft, and the Muckrakers’ book (my penalty book, which I’ve realized is a horrible name. Okay, so branding is not my strong suit. How about my “I will read this!” book?)

I am on page 202 of 752, not that I”m counting, of The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt and the Golden Age of Journalism, by Dorris Kearns Goodwin. I’m loving it and am proud of myself and am learning lots. (Think your own time period is a hot mess? Read history and remember that every time period is a hot mess and they survived so you will too.)

No massive surprise, my heart would read mostly non-fiction. But minor surprise? I’m reading more fiction this year and may only end up with two memoirs on my summer reading. Sacrificing comes in all forms. Ha!

One book I’d recommend if you need a graphic novel is The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds. I found it by poking around in my local library’s graphic novel section. While I am not drawn to 99% of graphic novels because they are series that go on and on about stories I do no give a hoot about, I have found through this reading challenge that I like historical graphic novels. One caveat is that it helps to have some frame of reference. Last summer, my family was fairly confused in Boxers and Saints by Gene Yang since it was their first exposure to The Boxer Rebellion in Chinese History. 

I have never read The Odyssey and am weak on Greek mythology, but if you want to read the Odyssey? This is the way to do it!

If you are feeling behind, don’t sweat it. Be creative. My sister Elizabeth discovered a book by Jhumpa Lahiri, author of The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies, written half in English and half in Italian! In Other Words Lahiri moves her family to Italy to master Italian, which she had studied for many years, but never quite mastered. If you love language, culture, and travel this book is for you. 

(Unless you are reading about Roosevelt, Taft, and journalism, then stay in your lane Missy. I’m looking at you in the mirror.)

Over to you. Where are you reading these days (I love how international this is)? What book are you “just tucking into?” (I love that phrase!)

Turning pages with you,

Amy

Community, Summer Reading Challenge

Little of this, Little of that, and a Sports Injury

Hello friends,

How’s your June going? Hard to believe that the longest day of the year was yesterday. Say what?

I know. I’m feeling a bit random these days, so here are three short random updates:

1. This week I updated the emails that are sent if someone signs up to receive these blog posts or the occasional letters. I have no idea why, but after d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g my heels on the project, it ended up being fun and I’m proud of myself. You can see the first one here.

2. I hurt my hip over a week ago at the gym. My first sports injury! I’m healing and will return to the risky sport of Zumba, but until then I have been shocked by how much you do NOT get done even when handed supposed “extra time.” Staring into space takes a lot more time than you might think. Sigh, no, I haven’t started my “penalty book” for the Summer Reading Challenge. I will, people, I will!

3. Given my sports injury, preaching the last two Sundays, and having fun playing around with MailChimp sign-up emails (I wrote five), the post I’m working on for today isn’t ready. So, below is what is something  I wrote for Velvet Ashes this week.  The theme this week is alien (how timely!) and tied it into my sermon topic on belonging.

Have you ever had a sports injury? I’m mostly kidding, but also kinda not! Would be curious to hear.
Happy long days of sunshine,

Amy

 

Language can be tricky and fluid. When I was a Resident Assistant in college, we were told to call residents from other countries “international students” instead of “foreign students.” International sounded inclusive and welcoming, it was explained, unlike foreign.

I could see the point.

Then I moved to China, a country whose very name in Chinese means “The Middle of the World,” with Chinese being “insiders” and the entire rest of the globe being “outsiders.” Apparently taking the feelings of the world into account was not a high priority.

In those early days, it caught me off guard when I was asked to stand in the alien line or stay in the barbarian guesthouse. While alien and barbarian and outsider can be legitimate translations of “foreigner,” they point to a more profound construct: who belongs.

As cross-cultural workers, it can be confusing to figure out where we belong. Some of you serve in lands that gladly would let you switch citizenship; others live in countries that will allow you in and out on tourist visas for years without question; while still others have to have an apparent and obvious contribution you offer to a country, and even then, they may ask you to leave at any moment.

We are in the middle of a two-sided coin when it comes to belonging. One side labeled “alien,” the other “citizen.” Where does God say we belong? Here is the beautiful mystery of the Bible: we see both aliens and nations woven in. As I have worked on this post and next week’s Grove, I feel the tension of the “right” answer is that we are citizens of heaven. And it is true, we are. But God also seems taken with the here and now of this world. Instead of shifting to auto-pilot and just waiting for the ultimate stamp in my passport, we are invited to wrestle with belonging and helping others around us to belong.

Today we will look at the side of the coin labeled “alien.” As I consider the entirety of the Bible and what God included about foreigners, I noticed:

1. God has a soft spot for the alien. Again, and again Israel was told to “show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19) Or “Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you.” (Leviticus 25:35)

Aliens and foreigners and barbarians all have their place in God’s heart. You are not merely sent out to be used by God as you struggled with the language, the weather, your project, the hours spent keeping a home. You hold a soft spot in His heart.

2. God gives a face to the alien. In the Bible God does not merely talk about “the foreigners in your midst,” He names them and shares their stories, showing the breadth and depth of being foreign.

—Joseph was foreign through being sold, later his whole family through famine.

—Esther was foreign in what may be the first example of BAM (Business as M). She was in the business of royal service.

—Naomi was foreign through famine, and then widowed and became childless in a foreign land. She returned home bitter, but not alone.

—Ruth was foreign through marriage and then serving her widowed mother-in-law.

—Moses was foreign through adoption, through relocation and political asylum, and leading a people who had a different story than he did.

—Abraham and Sarah were foreign through God’s calling, leaving aging parents.

—Daniel was foreign though captivity.

—Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were foreign for a season, due to political danger.

—Paul was foreign through religious conversion and traveling.

—Barnabas was foreign through traveling.

3. Though foreignness takes on many faces and paths, it always points to a bigger story.“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in.” (Matthew 25:35). Being foreign or alien or a barbarian isn’t the destination, but it can be a path to see God at work in the world. In this verse in Matthew, it was the outsider being shown God’s love and provision.

Paul pointed to the bigger story as the reason for his foreignness when he said, “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles” in Ephesians 3:1.

We are aliens, it is true. How does God’s soft spot for and the inclusion of the outside in the Bible spur you on to “work and good deeds?”

 

Photo by Pierre Châtel-Innocenti on Unsplash and Design by Karen Huber

Summer Reading Challenge

Calling All Readers: Summer Reading Challenge 2018

Several summers ago my predominant emotion was resentment because I was in the throes of learning a new work rhythm. After years of being tied to a school calendar when it came to work, I no longer was. And resenting it. Aren’t summers for downtime and relaxing and recharging?

Resentment, no surprise, is a terrible bedfellow. I love this part of the Summer Reading Challenge: it was born in a garden. Aren’t most of the best ideas born around flowers and dirt? The mix of beauty and mess. I associate “Summer” and “Reading” so strongly, I wanted a way to help “I’m busy” not be a reason to keep me (and you) from the joys of summer reading.

I love my local library, but I fail at their summer reading program. You need to have a user name, password, and then daily (or weekly) log your reading. Turns out it is a few too many steps for me. When I googled “summer reading challenges” most results were suggestions for libraries to host a reading program. Exit Plan B.

Like a kid pouring over the toy catalog in days gone by, I’ve chatted with family members, dreamed about books, and looked for ways to expand the reading challenge. Today, I  am excited today to reveal this summer’s reading challenge!

It will start on June 1  and run through August 17, 2018. To enter, read seven books from 22 categories. Along the way, I’ll have encouraging posts. If you would like to write a guest post, contact me.

What’s different? Two categories have been added, one of which has a twist! You can now be penalized (self-enforced). The penalty was born because I need it. For a full TWO YEARS, I have planned to read The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt and the Golden Age of Journalism, but it is long. Last year I even added the “get two points for books longer than 700 pages” just to get this book read. It did not work. So I’ve upped the ante. At the start of the challenge choose a book or category you will read or be penalized. (Obviously, you know my pick.)

Years ago when my nieces were young and my sister wearied over the nightly whining over who didn’t like this or that, she had them each make a no-eat list. They could choose five items that they would not have to eat without parental requirement or pushback. Viola, meals were more pleasant. I’m hoping the penalty rule is the Summer Reading Challenge version of “no eat list.” Viola, book read.

What’s in it for you? All who comment on August 17-19th with the names of the books they read will be entered to win one of ten $10 Amazon gift cards.

Sound like fun?!

  1. A book related to professional development (can be loosely interpreted).
  1. A book related to history.
  1. A book placed in a country I’m not familiar with OR about a country I’m not familiar with.
  1. A young adult (YA) book.
  1. A book recommended by a friend.
  1. A graphic novel.
  1. A book you’ve been meaning to read.
  1. A book published more than 100 years ago.
  1. A book recommended by a teenager.
  1. A biography.
  1. A play. 
  1. A memoir.
  1. A book by someone you might not spiritually agree with.
  1. A book that won an award.
  1. A book you read years ago and have meant to reread.
  1. A book that has been translated into English.
  1. A book that is more than 700 pages (counts for two books!)
  1. A mystery. 
  1. A book related to a skill (like cooking, writing, photography, or web-design).
  1. A book by an author you know. Fiction (if you tend to read non-fiction) or Non-fiction (if you tend to read fiction).
  1. Penalty: subtract one book from the total. (You potentially could lose two book points if you select a long one)

Download the challenge and print it off to track your progress. I’ll be posting on Instagram the books I read. Post pictures of yourself reading or the books you read and use #SRC18. I can’t wait to get ideas from you!

~~~

In short: Seven books from June 1 to August 17.

Are you in? Pick a couple of categories and share a recommendation or a book you plan to read for that category.

Personality, Summer Reading Challenge

4 ways to respond to criticism

Thank you to all who participated in the Summer 2017 Reading Challenge! This year, we were international baby. People participated from Africa, Asia, Central America, all around the U.S. Maybe more. We clocked over 150 books. Good jus us! Winners have been notified; if you didn’t win, Summer 2018 with new categories will be here before you know it. I had so much fun!

///

Last week a friend emailed me this question:

So writer question for you. I am thinking and praying about writing eventually, like as a career or side job, but aside from the fact that I have no idea if I have the talent of course, I am super sensitive to criticism. Not out of ego, more like I just take everything personally, I’m way too insecure! I’m working on it. How do or did you handle rejection as a writer? Or do you have any words of wisdom on that, if you haven’t faced rejection?

If only! Criticism is a part of life. But not all criticism is the same. Part of living well in the messy middle is to create enough space for your brain to kick in and evaluate which type it is so you can respond accordingly.

1. The criticism that is more like indifference. You aren’t important enough to even engage. Some people never respond to something I have written . . . I’ll submit a post or a book proposal and then — crickets. It stings a little, but not too bad.

2. The criticism that is points out a truth I know, but in a humorous way. Not that the critic means to be funny, but I take it that way. Some people will comment on something I’ve written, something like, “Amy, you are a little too . . . “ whatever for that post. Usually, there is something funny about it. Because, yes, yes I am a bit over the top at times, or whatever. These I can shrug off. Larry, will always stand out as my first critic I didn’t know. In response to The Mother’s Day Post he emphatically ended with “My dear, Life is not about YOU.” Um, newsflash Larry, I know that :).

Oh, and on Looming Transitions? The person who said it should be called Transitions for Dummies, not sure why, but this cracks me up.

3. But then, sometimes pa critic hits below the belt. I have been called very selfish, ungrateful, mean, not Godly, and other things that in the context of the comment really hurt. And they bounced around inside of me. On one blog, where I was a guest post, the host did not stand by me while her people treated me like crap. After replying to about 200 comments and taking hit after hit, God said, “Okay, that is enough, you don’t have to engage any more.” I’m working on these voices having less space in my head :). Working on it!!

4. The final category those who give feedback out of support for me or a project. My editor BLEEDS on my work. Oh my word. Everytime I am shocked how many errors or suggestions there are :). With her, I remind myself that every cut or comment is motivated out of love for me and the desire for my writing to be the best it can be. She says nothing out of malice or to hurt me. She is for me and the project and is helping to make it better. When I listen to her, I end up sounding more like me. This is the paradox of criticism.

So, I wrote back to my friend, this is a long answer that not all criticism is the same :). I try to step back and see which bucket it is in and to not give all criticism equal weight.

How do you handle criticism? 

get updates