Well, current favorites, mind you.
September has been such a whirlwind. We’ve been burning up the roads every weekend, and in between, I feel like I’m spending quite a bit of time unpacking, washing, and repacking. Have you ever traveled with two kids two and under? Packing for two days is like packing for a month. All that to say, I feel like I haven’t had much time to slow down and smell the roses. Or the mums, if you will. BUT, here are a few things I’m loving even in the midst of the hurry scurry:
1. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert
I just finished this, and I have to say, it’s probably the best book I’ve read in a while. Rosaria Butterfield’s story of her conversion from a lesbian, feminist, english professor to a follower of Jesus (now adoptive parent and homeschool mom) is intriguing, eye-opening, and God-exalting. It demonstrates the grace and power of God to change the heart of the most unlikely person. It also painfully exposes our (scary) tendency in the church to “water-down” the conversion process by reducing it to a simple formula or common cliche’. Pray this prayer. Walk the aisle. Sign this card. Your eternal destiny is secure. Rosaria’s writing is real. Raw, even. You may not agree with everything she writes (I don’t), but Rosaria is the real deal. She will make you think, and if your own heart has been changed by Christ, her story will cause you to praise God for his grace and goodness in drawing rebellious people to Himself. Here is an excerpt from a review I found online:
How do I tell you about my conversion to Christianity without making it sound like an alien abduction or a train wreck? Truth be told, it felt like a little of both.” You won’t find any happy little stories about “making a decision for Christ” or “finding Jesus.” Those may be true stories for others, but Rosaria hated the name of Jesus and was so far from the Christian worldview that she was indeed an “unlikely convert.” Her narrative begins with an important piece of information: When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. As a tenured professor in English at Syracuse University, on the cutting edge of Women’s Studies and Queer Studies Rosaria was no fan of Christianity. But “Christ claimed” her for Himself just the same.
2. Fall is in the air. . . or on the table, at least.
Highs may still be in the 80’s around here, but I’m loving all the pumpkins, mums, and fall decor everywhere! Besides Christmas, I think this is the most wonderful time of the year. I found these adorable little burlap pumpkins at, the one and only, Target for $9.99. Hard to beat.
3. avocado and grilled corn salad with cilantro vinaigrette 
While this is not a particularly “fall-ish” dish, it’s been one of our favorites lately. Corn, avocado, tomato, and feta are just a “magical little combination, ” as my dad would say. And I bake my corn in the oven if we don’t have time to fire up the grill.
4. I’m loving this post (What Should I Wear? By Nora Allison) over at Gospel Taboo. Nora does a great job explaining an often misinterpreted passage of Scripture, and she leads women to focus on more than just the externals by examining the heart.
5. Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers series
There are four little books in this series: The Trinity, The Gospel, The Scripture, and The Mission. Currently, we have The Gospel and The Scripture, and they are amazing tools to use with children! We are big fans of children’s books around our house….everything from Goodnight Moon to Where the Wild Things Are. But, I’m always looking for helpful resources to use in my quest to teach my children biblical truth, and these were a great find by my husband.
Happy (almost) weekend!
Gospel-Shaped Womanhood 