Some of these links and topics are a little old, but I still want to share them!
♥ The Lizzie Bennet Diaries rule. Even if you’re not a huge Pride & Prejudice fan, it’s worth getting into just from a modern-adaptation/interactive-story perspective. Bernie Su and co. are doing some revolutionary stuff. I only recently got up to date – it took me three or four hours to watch all the previous episodes. Worth it, though.
♥ This is a couple of weeks old, but here are the Memphis Flyer’s Top 15 Memphis Tigers of All Time. The Commercial Appeal also weighed in a while back, and it was the only time I’ve ever been uplifted by their comments section! CA commenters are notorious for good reason. I always tell myself not to read the comments on the Tiger articles, but I do it anyway and then I have to shake the haters off and the black clouds away from my head.
♥ What’s That Big Thing God Wants You To Do? (It might not be as big as you think.) I had already starred this article when I realized it was written by Susan Isaacs, author of one of my favorite recent reads, Angry Conversations With God. Kindred spirits!
♥ Beautiful Things talks about why she loves Beyonce. Preach it!
♥ Sarah Bessey wrote a heartwarming ode to her dad and other mighty men of valor: Gibor Chayil!
♥ Shauna Niequist recently posted about the evolution of her upcoming book, Bread & Wine. I’m thrilled to announce that I have an advance copy and will be posting extensively about the book in about a month. My first big-time ARC, and what a way to start! :)
♥ Honoring the Wanting, by Kristin Tennant. One of my favorite newly-discovered bloggers.
♥ Post of The Week: On His Affair Being My Fault. Before you judge a divorced Christian, or one having serious marriage problems, READ THIS. I have never related so deeply to an article on this topic.
I’ve started actively praying for this blog and my writing in general, asking God to give me the words He has for me and platforms to share them on. Meanwhile, people have been encouraging me to write more openly about my experiences, and about marriage and singleness. Some of those encouragements have come out of nowhere. Despite my passion for those topics, the thought of cutting myself loose in print terrifies me. I told one friend that publicly airing my revised, informed opinions about marriage and gender roles could get me thrown out of the PCA. :\ Besides, beliefs and convictions evolve over the course of your life, and what if I’m wrong? What if I draw lines in the sand only to jump over them later, and look back and cringe at myself? What if people disapprove? Who’s going to take some random divorced chick seriously anyway? Won’t I look like I’m unhealthily stuck in the past (I’m not)? What if I overshare and get hit with a terrible vulnerability hangover? SCARY STUFF. But I think I’m getting ready to test the waters.
Add a Comment + Posted in: the writing life
I hope everyone had a good Presidents’ Day weekend – or regular weekend for my international readers, or the many Americans who don’t get Presidents’ Day off (I didn’t until a few years ago, so it always feels like a bonus)! I went to a small cookout over the weekend, and the gracious hosts sent me home with what I can only describe as a slab of delicious smoked chicken. The next night, I made Moroccan Chicken with it. I’m surprised I’ve never posted this recipe because it’s been one of my go-tos for years. If you have a rotisserie chicken or other cooked chicken, and want to do something a little different with it, this is a great option. It’s easy and makes a ton of food.
Quick Moroccan Chicken
From Real Simple, January 2007. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 cooked rotisserie chicken (or equivalent), cut in pieces
1 10-oz box couscous
1 15-oz can sliced peaches, drained
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced or minced
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ Tbsp light brown sugar
1 ½ Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup fresh parsley (or just sprinkle some dried)
Pinch ground nutmeg
Directions:
1. Cook the couscous according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 ½ minutes.
3. Add sugar, nutmeg, vinegar, and orange juice and bring to a simmer.
4. Add peaches and continue to simmer until the sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
5. Divide couscous and chicken among individual bowls, top with peach sauce, and sprinkle with parsley.
3 Comments + Posted in: food
I hope everyone had a happy Valentine’s Day yesterday. Mine was great! Honestly, being single on Valentine’s Day doesn’t bother me. I see it as a fun day to celebrate love and express love in general, and I have plenty of non-romantic love in my life. In fact, I know it sounds weird, but I think I enjoy the day more as a single person! No pressure, expectations, or disappointment.
My (non-romantic obviously) Valentines are as follows:
My dad took me to lunch at Gus’s and gave me some flowers, balloons, candy, and even some earrings from him and my mom! I know it’s considered lame to get your only Valentine gifts from your parents, but I appreciate it because it means my parents a) love me and b) are still around. That’s a blessing.
In the evening I organized some single girlfriends to see Beautiful Creatures, which was fantastic! They changed a LOT of things from the book (including eliminating half of the supporting characters), which usually drives me nuts, but in this case I loved the movie anyway. I’ve only read the first two books (out of a series of four), so now I’m wondering if the new plot points come into play in the later books. Overall, the movie is very faithful to the spirit and tone of the books, and the actors are just perfect.
After the movie, Elizabeth came with me to Sonic to get my annual Sweetheart Shake! They only have it in February. It’s a cherry shake with chocolate chips. In past years it had brownie pieces, but I guess the recession has affected everything. :P Still delicious. I can usually limit myself to one of these shakes, but when the Shamrock Shakes appear at McDonald’s, it’s a different story. Anyway, it was a perfect ending to the day.
Yay!
2 Comments + Posted in: celebrate, family, movies, winter
I’ve decided to post monthly updates on my One Word for 2013: FOCUS. (My original post about the program and my word choice is here.)
Well, a month in, I’m still figuring out what to Focus ON. My only obvious focus area is my writing and blogging, and I have made a little progress there. I’ve sought out veteran advice about getting more writing experience and exposure, and also done some brainstorming about “personal branding.” I’ve always felt icky about that concept, but a good friend said it’s really helped her Focus her creative endeavors, so I decided to give it a chance. No conclusions yet though.
Spiritually, I think wisdom is a Focus topic because Proverbs 4 came at me repeatedly from all directions during January, to an extent that was impossible to ignore. I also want to increase my awareness of the people and places around me. I bought a new camera shortly after choosing my word, not on purpose. I didn’t realize the irony until later. Last night I thought of a small thing to do for Lent that will free up some mental space and help me concentrate better. I already wanted to Focus on prayer during Lent, and this idea will help with that.
Not having a road map is frustrating, but it’s probably exactly what I need. The whole idea of One Word is that it’s not another to-do list, but clearly I can turn anything into a contest with myself which I will inevitably lose. I don’t want to give myself another checklist – I want this exercise to be AT LEAST as much about what God is doing in me and my life as my own efforts. I don’t need more of me. I’m sick of me. I want more of Him, because I’m not capable of doing it right on my own.
How are your One Words going?
Add a Comment + Posted in: one word 365
Nastya was a piano prodigy, and music was her whole life. Then a violent attack left her crippled physically and emotionally. Two years after the incident, she moves in with her aunt and starts over in a new town for her senior year of high school. Although Nastya doesn’t want anyone infringing on her angry solitude, she finds an unlikely friend in Drew, a known playboy with a heart of gold. At the same time, she’s irresistibly drawn to his best friend, Josh, a quiet, mysterious classmate with a painful past of his own.
I’m attracted to stories of broken people who fall in love, wade through each other’s mess, and help each other find healing. This novel fits the bill. I enjoyed a lot of the little details, like Nastya’s obsession with names (which I share – now I feel less weird!) and the warmth of Drew’s family. I also appreciated that, while we feel the intimacy and coziness of Nastya and Josh’s developing relationship, the story is as much about friendship and family as romance.
Recommended for fans of: Slammed, Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, Sarah Dessen
PS: Because this novel contains a fair amount of language and sexuality, this is a good time for me to directly address the fact that I am a Christian who is okay with reading books containing language and sexuality. I know that many of my blog readers are much more conservative than I am, so I often feel the need to disclaim. I generally don’t have a problem with these aspects of media as long as the overall message is good/redemptive, and/or they flow naturally from the subject matter, are true to the characters, and generally aren’t gratuitous. (Although part of the reason I read so much YA literature is that it’s less harsh than most adult fiction.) But everyone’s judgment is different. So from here on out, just be aware that the books I review (and movies, shows, and music that I recommend) are probably not totally “clean.” I’m not going to apologize for that anymore!
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Add a Comment + Posted in: book reviews, reading