Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Something new in the works...

Despite the fact that graduate school is very time-consuming, I've been encouraged (or dare I say instructed?) to continue to find time for myself to do things that are non-stressful and not related to school or church. In the spirit of relaxation, I've lauched a new project!!! I'm really excited about using this fabric creatively & learning new techniques. The major wrench in the plan is that I don't have a sewing machine (yet.) Anyone have one to spare or one I could borrow??

Monday, September 12, 2011

A Memoir

I have to confess that I have a weakness for Christian fiction. Despite the fact that I spend much of my work life reading huge tomes, I also spend my free time reading!!!! Reading is a great way to adventure into another world without having to worry about time travel or anachronisms. In addition, if something bothers you or annoys you, you can instantly leave (without offending anyone.)

I had the opportunity to read an interesting & very personal memoir of a young Canadian who went to Oxford in England to pursue her graduate studies in English. Little did she know that her quest for academic knowledge would morph into a quest for spiritual experience. Reading Carolyn Weber's Surprised by Oxford was an amazing way to gain insight into the complexities of graduate study and the ways in which God can still have a place in your time, in your heart, and in your living. I was definitely very impressed by the character of TDH and his Christian testimony. Furthermore, Carolyn's details regarding the questionings that led to her ultimate salvation choice were described quite poignantly. Drawing from her own memories and studies, she lays out the process by which God draws her to know Him.

This is definitely a spiritual memoir worth reading!! Many conversion narratives can over-emphasize the supernatural or give a run-of-the-mill telling. Surprised by Oxford grants the reader a personal look into a very real and rather unique experience of a modern woman searching for meaning in the middle of her career. However, I found that the last third of the book did seem to drag a bit. The book itself is 440 pages, and perhaps some of the final part could have been condensed.

I received a free copy of this book to review through Book Sneeze. I would recommend this as a definite book to check out from the library; however, I would hesitate to purchase this book myself.

Changes in my life = changes to this blog

To my faithful readers (I'm not sure there are any),

As I have moved to a new state & gone back to school, I'm expanding the parameters of this blog a bit. I'm still taking violin lessons, so I'll continue to write about those adventures. But I also need an outlet to write about those things in life that have nothing to do with school!!!!

So, I'm adding things like thoughts on crafts, reviews of cool books, observations on teaching, and more!!! Let me know if you want to know about something in particular.