Bible Journaling: John 10:11

This Bible Journaling makes me excited because I drew a cute little sheep! Woo-hoo!

This passage is a good reminder about who Jesus is. In John 10, he tells about how the devil is the thief, and that the thief comes to "kill, steal and destroy" (John 10:10). But he goes beyond just telling us about the evil that is out there he reminds us of who he is.

Jesus tells us "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). 

Which is exactly what he did. Jesus did not just go around telling us who was our enemy and all the evils that surrounded us. He did not seek out to put us against each other. Instead he came to save. Just as the shepherd does for his flock. The shepherd protects his flock from, seeks out the lost sheep and saves them from the what is unsafe. Just as he does for us. He protects, seeks and saves.

He is the good shepherd.

Jessica Reads: April

Another month has passed us right by and I didn't read as much as I would've liked. Actually, I read quite a bit, I just didn't read as many books as I would've liked to.

In fact, in April I only read a single book.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

I picked up 11/22/63 by Stephen King because my husband had decided he wanted to read it. We got a really good deal on it from Better World Books (the best place to buy used books online in my opinion) but Michael did not start reading it right away because he is currently too busy reading The Wheel of Time series. And since I was in between books, I picked it up. It literally took me all month to read for two reasons: 

1. I have been incredibly busy all month long. I didn't blog as much as I wanted and I didn't read as much as I wanted because there was just too much going on around here.

2. This book is nearly 900 pages long.

I've read long books in a shorter amount of time, but the combination of busyness and the length is my excuse.

But, I am completely fine with only have read a single book this month because it is SO GOOD.

I was sucked in from the very first page and I kept coming back to it and looking forward to reading it when time allowed.

The basic synopsis is: A man goes back in time with the intent on stopping the assassination of JFK. And really, there is so much more to the story, but I don't want to give too much away. It is really an adventure and very enjoyable. Pick it up, read it, take your time, and love it.

Any books I should pick up for May?

Jessica Reads: March

Man, March is already over. Where February felt like it lasted forever, March flew by and suddenly turned to April. I got some reading done this last month, though for some reason it barely felt like I read at all. Yet, somehow I got through five books and had a pretty good time doing so.

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

I am a fan of Sophie Kinsella. I have been for years and years. While I have read this book before, and knew the ending, I actually forgot a lot of the things that happened in the story. It was almost like reading it again for the first time. Surprise Me is about Sylvie and Dan. They have been together for about 10 years and have a set of twin daughters. They are both in good health which has a doctor tell them that they are likely to live until they are each 100 plus years old. This completely freaks out the couple who know each other so well. Their solution, begin finding ways to surprise each other. However, none of the surprises quite work out as expected and make Sylvie question is she really knows Dan as well as she thought.

While this is not my favorite Kinsella novel (that would be Twenties Girl) she delivers a wonderfully fun story that reminds me the importance of family.

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Now, you would think that since my oldest child is named after a character in this novel that I would have read it before now... but you would be wrong. I saw the movie that was based on The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and fell in love with the name of Sandra Bullock's character. And that was that. I loved the name and have meant to read the book for years but never really gotten around to it until now. And really... it was just ok. The story has it's moments of interest but really, it dragged on and on and on. The movie, while it's not exactly the same as the novel presents the story in a much better format. It may be that this story plays better out on the screen than it does in the pages. But, as much as I did not really enjoy the book I have a love for it because it gave me my daughter's name.

I Owe you One by Sophie Kinsella

Yes, Kinsella is making a second appearance in the month of March. I Owe You One is her latest book that just came out. I am always excited whenever she has a new novel because I love her stories. While this one starts off a little slow at first by the time I reached the middle I was really enjoying it. The story is all about Fixie. Fixie runs her family's shop and struggles with doing so. Her siblings don't help like she wants but they also overwhelm her, so she often gives in to their whims. She also is struggling in love. Fixie is a likeable character, though she can be annoying at times with her need to fix everything (hence the name Fixie). But overall a good quick read.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

What is there really to say about Harry Potter? Everyone knows the story. I picked up the first book in the series because I realized that it had been over six years since the last time I actually read the books. It's even been a couple of years since I've listened to the audiobooks. I'll probably read through the rest of the series in the coming months.

On Writing by Stephen King

I love to write. I'm never writing as much as I really want to, but I love reading about the craft of writing and this has been one of my favorites. I think it really is because King, instead of just offering a bunch of random advice that is regurgitated over and over again, he treated this like a memoir, of his life, his work, and the thing that he loves to do. It's not just a "do this, do that" instruction manual it's the story of his life and how telling stories has contributed to that. I loved, loved, loved it. I'm so happy that I finally took the time to read through it. I highly recommend it. 

And that's it. This is what I have been reading lately. I don't really know what I'll be reading in this next month. I don't really plan it out it advance. I just grab what might pique my interest or what sounds fun or interesting. 

What are you reading lately?

Bible Journaling: Proverbs 16:9

I like to make plans. Lots and lots of plans. I plan out my weeks. When in school I list and play out my assignments. I make weekly menu plans. I also make big plans. Plans about what I want for my future. Plans for my family.

This plays into today's verse.

It says: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." -Proverbs 16:9

I have had a lot of plans in my life. Years ago I had a very clear picture of what my future was going to look like, what kind of friends I would have, the church I would attend, how I would spend my time in full time ministry alongside my husband. 

Then that picture changed. All my plans went out the window. I really had to lean into and trust God with my future because I could no longer see my life clearly anymore. The last several years have really pushed my to remember that God guides my steps. No matter the plans that I have, God knows the way and His plans are better than mine. Even when I thought my whole world was falling apart and my future was ruined God was making plans for me. He knew of something better and has guided me toward a future that I never knew was possible. I am grateful for him establishing my steps. 

Jessica Reads: February

I did not read as much as I planned for February. Sometimes life really does just get in the way. I spent most of the month preparing for a presentation that I was making at conference for a paper that I had written last semester.

Also, I spent an entire week of February fighting some kind of weird cold that zapped me of all of my energy. I basically sat around binge watching This Is Us, a show that I just discovered and super sucked me in.

But, I did manage to read a little. I wish it was more, but I will share with you what I did get through.

The first book I got through in February was The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.

Well, actually, I listened to this one. Michael asked me to give The Eye of the World at shot. And so I listened to the audiobook. I'll be honest... it is not my cup of tea. I wish I could, since there are 14 books in the series and Michael is currently on book 12, and really wants to talk about the story with someone. So, I tried. I got all the way through the first book, and I had to ask a lot of questions and have Michael explain so many things. I felt lost so much of the time. It could be that I really don't really enjoy the fantasy genre, at least not one that describes everything in such minute detail. I had a big interest in the characters and their emotions and relationships, but I didn't really care about the rest, and so much of the book was the rest.

Michael, as you know, I did get through it, and when you finish the series you can tell me everything that happened.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I have read Ready Player One before. It was a couple years ago. I don't know why this was one that I decided to go through again, maybe because of the movie that came out last year. We did see the movie, and I didn't think it lived up to the novel, but was a fun story. And then I realized, as I was reading through it again, that the movie changed so much of the story and the contest within the novel. I do recommend it if you have a love of video games, trivia from the 1980's and angst ridden teenagers. I do love the puzzle solving dynamic of the story, though I am not a fan of the main character. It could be that I just do not understand the mind of an 18 year-old boy. It was a fun quick read.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda has been one of my favorite books since I was about 8 years old. I have read it multiple times over the years. But this time was different. My daughter Anya asked me to read to her. I was excited to do this. Although she has seen the movie that came out in the 90s, it cannot stand up to the awesomeness of the book. The movie was just plain terrible. I spent a lot of time laughing with Anya, and enjoying her shocked face at the actions of The Trunchbull. It is a fun story and I believe that every child should read it, or have it read to them at some point in their lives. 

And that's it. A mere three books for the entire month of February. Hopefully March I will dedicate more time like I intended this last month. I am in the middle of several books, so maybe I will start finishing them up. 

What have you been reading? Let me know in the comments.

Discovering Me A to Z: C

I like a good cup of coffee, but I am in no way a coffee snob. I'm actually not too picky about it at all. Basically, when it comes to coffee, I know what I like and what works for me on my Keto Diet.

In the past my typical coffee was from donut shop K-cups, with Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Creamer. When I started keto last summer this would no longer work because it was 5 carbs per tablespoon. 

PER TABLESPOON!

Do you think I was only putting a single tablespoon in my cup of coffee? Ha! It was more like 1/4 cup. Do you know how many tablespoons are in a 1/4 cup? 

Four.

If I would've stuck to my normal coffee routine I would use my daily carb allotment on a single cup of coffee. And I drink more than a cup of coffee a day.

So instead, Michael and I had to change. At first we went cold turkey, no coffee. We were tea drinkers now. But tea, while good, is not as good as coffee. So back to coffee. But I can not drink black coffee. It just don't have it in me. No matter how much I have tried over the years, it feels like torture.

So, here in this lovely photo you see all that it takes to make my perfect cup of coffee. We have made the choice to switch to instant coffee because its cheaper than k-cups and to us, honestly doesn't taste any different and it just makes it all come together that much faster. My Keurig is basically a hot water producer now. We use it for coffee, hot chocolate, and oatmeal for the kids.

EASY KETO COFFEE RECIPE

2 tsp instant coffee (or any coffee you like)

10 oz. hot water

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tbsp sugar free syrup (this time I used Vanilla Bean)

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy.

All calories, fat and carbs come from the heavy cream. Sometimes I only put in one tablespoon and that cuts everything in half.

Nutrition Facts: Cal: 100, Fat 10g, Carbs: 0.8g Protein: 0

Less than one carb per serving. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Finding Torani sugar free syrups has been a life saver. It sweetens coffee just enough to not be bitter and has so many different flavors there is always some kind of variety. My favorites are S'mores, White Chocolate, and Vanilla.

And I can't have coffee without books. Here is my coffee with a stack of some of the books on my currently reading list. These are my nonfiction books I am reading. Once I finish them I will write about them later.

Do you have a favorite way to make coffee? Have you tried Torani's sugar-free syrups?

Bible Journaling: James 1:23-24

Here is my latest Bible Journaling attempt.

The verse here states: "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like" -James 1:23-24

The Word of God is a call to action. We are to take God's word and allow it to be a guide and instruction to our lives. If we remain stagnant and don't move when we are given God's instruction it is like forgetting our own face. We listen, then forget, making God's word worthless to us.