Thought of the Day

Saw this quote on my Facebook today that was posted by one of my favorite organizations, ImagineGoods. At some point, when I'm able to breathe in the midst of all the hecticness that is my life right now, I will write an entire post on this awesome company. But for today, I want you to just ponder and reflect on the weight of this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

What's in my Reading Nook?

A running joke in the Anderson family is that none of us can read one book at a time. I love to read, but lately I haven't had much time to leisurely sit in my reading nook with my book and tea and relax. Here's the books that are waiting for me there:

1) The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien: I'm about half way through this one. Of course I already knew the story-line, and knew the books were going to be great. I just haven't gotten around to finishing the trilogy yet.


2) The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel: I picked this book up solely based on the subtitle "Believing in God, but living as if He doesn't exist." So far it's a really good read, and he brings up a lot of great points. I just bought if a few weeks ago, so I'm not very far, but I have this problem where I buy a new book and immediately have to start reading it regardless of how many other books I'm reading at the time.


3. Pursuing Justice by Ken Wystma: This book is all about how justice is an integral part in the Christian life. Any of you who know me know that I am a HUGE advocate of Social Justice, so when I saw this book in the bookstore, I just knew it had to be mine.


4. Guerilla Lovers by Vince Antonucci: I got this book on sale for $4. I liked the concept of "changing the world with revolutionary compassion". I'm about half way through this book, but it's really hit or miss for me meshing with what he's saying.


5. Worship the Ultimate Priority by John MacArthur: I'm not very far into this book. This is one that you need to concentrate while you read, as most MacArthur books are, and by the end of my day, I just don't have the brain power.


6. Love Wins by Rob Bell: We were studying this book in light of what the Bible says about Hell in our Sunday School class. We're about 3/4 of the way through the book, but put it aside to study something else while the college kids were home.


7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: I love reading classics. I'm about a quarter of the way through this one.


8. Revolution in World Missions by K. P. Yonnahan

9. Rock-solid Volunteers by Larry Fowler: As one of the co-directors of our children's ministries at church, I am trying to educate myself on working with volunteers, and how to make the ministry the best it can be. This book is written specially for children's ministries, so It has a lot of good advice.


10. Energizing Children's Ministry in the Smaller Church by Rick Chromey: Again, this book comes from a desire to give my all the children's ministry now that I'm in the directing position. This book has had a TON of really helpful ideas and I'm excited to discuss it with the other director. We both have the same vision for the ministry, and it's really excited to see what God has in store for us.


Are you a multiple-book-at-a-time reader? Do you prefer to just read one at a time?  Do you just prefer not to read?

Hoping for more reading nook time,

A.A.

Short People Problems

Ever wonder what it's like for those of us who are, maybe, a little vertically challenged? Well never fear. I am here to share with you some of my real life short people problems.


(disclaimer 1: all of these things have actually happened to me. I am not making any of them up.
 disclaimer 2: None of these pictures are of me. The internet is a magical place where you can find pictures of basically anything you could possibly want.)

1. Having to look to everyone but those who are also vertically challenged. Including the 5th graders at your church. Who like to ask you how tall you are, only to tell you that they are 2 inches taller.

2. Getting sat upon. Think Princess Diaries esque "oh, sorry didn't see you there". 

3. AND I've gotten stepped on. With the same reason as #2.

4. Ever gotten lost in a crowd? Or lost whomever you're with because you just can't see over everyone else's heads to find him or her? Yeah. That happens like every time I'm in a crowded place.

5. Learning how to sneakily climb the shelves in a grocery store because it is INEVITABLE that you need something on the top shelf, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to reach. 

6. Being asked if you're "even tall enough to ride all of the rides at an amusement park?"

7. Getting asked your height on an all too frequent basis, only to be followed with a "wow. I'm [insert number] inches taller than you." Cool. What do you want? A Medal? Congratulations. You're taller than a short person!

8. Never EVER in the history of everdom being able to buy pants that aren't too long. Even the pants that are marketed for short people. Nope. Still too long.

9. Being able to wear whatever heel height you want because 5 inch heels mean you'll finally be of average height!

10. Pretty sure this is one of my favorite hysterical things that have happened to me. I was at a Civil Wars show (the band, not the actual war. If you don't know who they are, you should TOTALLY check them out. Their harmonies are AMAZING. And they have a new album coming out today! Listen to their first single from their new album here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnkM_ebv9BI )

Anyway, so we were at this show, and we were like 2 rows from touching the stage. It was a pretty packed show. And I learned an important lesson that night. Apparently short people double as camera tripods. No joke, some man I did not know proceeded to rest his camera on my head to take pictures. 

So now that you know some of my short people problems, tell me yours!

-A.A.