My Epic Journey

Well, it is the end of DAY 3 of Anna being away.  I am not going to lie–it is REALLY tough not having her here.  She has gone away on mission trips before and every October I send her to Chicago to spend an extended weekend with her aunt, but for some reason, this time is really hard.  Perhaps it is because we can’t hear her voice by talking on the phone.

As I sit her I have come up with some other reasons why:

1.  We miss Mom most at bedtime.  It is hard for me to put the kids to bed and hear them ask if Mommy can tuck them in.  Every time I hear that, my heart just breaks for them.

2.  We miss Mom when we pray.  When the kids pray, either at meal times or at bedtime, they always pray for Mommy and that she will tell people about how much God loves them.

3.  We miss Mom when we eat.  Really no need for explanation on this one!!

Overall, Mom brings such a smile and joy around here and to not have her here just makes the house feel just like that–a house and not a home.

We are all anxiously anticipating Mom coming home.

Here are two books that I am currently reading.  After I get done with them I will share my thoughts.

Non-Fiction:  Wide Awake by Erwin McManus

Synopsis

Renowned speaker and church visionary Erwin McManus unfolds the eight essential attributes needed to achieve the life of your dreams.

Shuffling and half asleep, so many people coast through the day. From class to class, home to work, and stuck in traffic in between, many have yet to tap into a passionate reason for living. It’s not that this life is bad, but it’s not the life of their dreams.

In Wide Awake, Erwin McManus opens readers’ eyes to see the eight crucial attributes of those who achieve the life of their dreams. It is every person’s responsibility to discover and develop the gifts given to them by God. McManus writes, "The future is not waiting for us, it is waiting within us." The world is desperate for the best each person can offer-if they would only relentlessly pursue and achieve it.

The eight characteristics are: Dream, Explore, Adapt, Create, Invest, Enjoy, Focus, and Expect.

Fiction:  The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher

Synopsis (Publishers Weekly)

Screenwriter Stennett offers a satirical look at a non-Christian’s ascent to pastor of a megachurch in this engaging, highly readable novel. Ryan Fisher is a 28-year-old real estate agent who doesn’t believe in God, but lists himself in the Christian Business Directory (along with a Jesus fish symbol) to beef up sales. He and his wife, Katherine, attend church to validate his new religious image, where he sees the possibilities of utilizing business principles to create his own megachurch. They move to Bartlesville, Okla., and create "The People’s Church" where Ryan preaches a feel-good, do-good gospel ("I’m not encumbered by things like the Bible and Jesus"). As church numbers swell, Oprah calls, local pastors are on the warpath, a religious fanatic plots Ryan’s assassination, and Katherine is smitten with Cowboy Jack, a karaoke singer-turned-worship leader who pens Christian lyrics to popular radio tunes. Is Ryan in over his head? Interesting narration and Dave Barryesque footnotes make this humorous entertainment with a faith-based message.