Summer Goals and Falling Short
Happy Fall Y’all,
Too soon? The Autumn Equinox isn’t until September 23rd this year, which the experts say is the official start of Fall. You can bet I’ve already had a Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) and enjoyed every ounce of it. I have also watched a few episodes of Gilmore Girls, and I’m already itching to make a fire. I know - I know it’s not cold enough, and as my husband says, “It’s pointless to start a fire when you are still running the A/C.” Okay, fair enough. I just love the moodiness of Fall and the leaves changing color. Oh, and let’s not forget the magic of Fall Fashion and layering outfits.
The changing of the season brings to the forefront of my mind that I have entirely FAILED to check off the books on my Summer Reading list. :(
As you may recall, I had these books on my list:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
And you know what? Life Happens! Am I a goal-orientated person? Yes, absolutely, but I dedicated my time to other passions this summer. Does it burn a little that I can’t check these books off my list yet? Sure, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter.
I started with the Last House Guest, and maybe that was my first mistake. I did not enjoy this book - very slow build and truly anti-climatic. I couldn’t “bond” with the characters, and that’s my first step to being truly engrossed in a book.
From there, I shifted to Pride and Prejudice, and if I am being totally honest, I only made it halfway through the book. I truly thought I would obsess over the book, and it was the exact opposite for me. I could not force myself to read any more of it, and it’s deemed a “classic”! If I had a dollar for every time another book I read mentioned Mr. Darcy, I would at least have enough money to buy a large PSL latte. :) So, if you have ideas for how I should approach reading Pride and Prejudice, let me know.
I started Killers of the Flower Moon while catching some sun and vitamin D in my backyard. And wouldn’t you know that I left the book outside on my lounge chair, and it rained that evening, entirely soaking my book..haha? I have dried the book out and will hopefully circle back to reading it before the movie comes out in late October.
I have previewed a couple of chapters of The Screwtape Letters, and it’s a very intellectual read. I plan to split it up and read chapters in the morning while my brain is freshest. It’s not a come home and read countless chapters book after working all day (in my opinion)!
And that’s it - that’s as far as I got on my list. It truly is amazing how God redirects us towards something greater than what we planned for ourselves. I follow @findingphilothea on Instagram, and she shared this book that all engaged/married/desiring married-life women should read. She was correct - “By Love Refined, Letters to a Young Bride,” by Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, is an absolute gift!
Here are some of her quotes and my key takeaways from the book:
Throw the words always and never out of your vocabulary. They always cause problems.
Let criticism be done in love. Oof - this is a good one. Are you concerned for them out of love? Or are you stating, “That’s not the way I would have done it.”
Fusion and UNION are two vastly different things. Aim for union.
“Unfortunately, the equal dignity of a person is often misinterpreted as identity, i.e., people think it means that “all persons are equal in all things.” “But equality of DIGNITY is obviously not the same as equality of talents or physical capacity.”
“But to choose freely to serve others is a sign of love and the triumph of freedom over petty pride.”
“Most of us must toil by the sweat of our brow, planting, sowing, threshing, cleaning, and repairing…until we die. This is inescapable but not a reason for discouragement, for the art of living consists in finding the meaning in these small tasks by relating them to love. This is the secret of marriage (and of sanctity).”
Lack of reverence is an epidemic. A lack of reverence for one’s spouse can crash a marriage in no time.
“We have a deep responsibility to “recognize the inner nobility and worth of persons and things which leads us to the failure to treat them with the deep, tender respect that is due to them.”
A woman is tasked with making a house a home. “Woman’s true mission is to create a place of love and joy - which no one can find [solely] in professional work.”
“Peace only comes when we’re primarily concerned about our own faults, not those of others.”
“However important we may be in a worldly sense; it must never blind us to the human persons we’re dealing with.”
“Not all flowers bloom simultaneously.”
This book has easily made it into my top 10 list, and that is saying something! If any friends or blog supporters want to borrow my copy, please let me know! I am happy to share!
Lady K’s One Thing:
Amarillo local friends - my new drink of choice this Fall from Roasters has been a “Poor Man’s Cold Brew.” It is so yummy! I order mine with ½ syrup/sweeteners, and it hits the spot every time. Don’t forget to grab a stamp card to earn a free coffee!
Blessings for a Fabulous Week,
Lady K
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