Books I Love

Ever since I can remember, I have loved to read. My parents love to read and they read to my sisters and I all the time. I thought today I would share some of my favorite books with you. So, in no particular order:(click on the title to get more info)

1. "Redeeming Love" by: Francine Rivers

Oh my word, I love this book. It is a retelling of the book of Hosea in a more modern way. I think I read it in like two or three days. A must, must, must read.

2. "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by: Joshua Harris

I was introduced to this book my senior year in high school in my Marriage and Family class. We read bits and pieces of it and then this past summer I found a copy at half price books for about $5 so I bought it and read the rest. It really was one of the better books I have read. It challenges Believers to look at our dating lives through the eyes of our Creator and shows you practical ways to follow after God in relationships. Also, I have yet to understand the cover image on this book. If you get it, please explain.

3. "So Long Insecurity" by: Beth Moore 

I love Beth Moore. Really, I do. And I really, really loved this book. It discusses the cultural epidemic of insecurity. We live in a world that is so full of messages saying we have to look, act, dress,ect. a certain way and for most of us, we fall incredibly short of 'the standard.' This book address a key issue: who we are in Christ. It challenges you to take back the dignity we, as children of the Most High God, have been given. Its really funny too.

4. "No Sex in the City" by: Lindsey Isham

I picked up this book this summer honestly, because I liked the cover. This is the authors first book and that is fairly evident once you read her work. I really liked the book though. Miss Isham gives an honest look at what its like to make commitment to save oneself for marriage and then sticking to it. She's very grounded in the word and pretty funny too. Warning: this book is not for anyone under the age of 18. or for anyone who cannot handle awkwardness. Its not inappropriate it just doesn't hold anything back.

5. "Not My Daughter" by: Barbara Delinsky

I just recently read this and can honestly say its one of the best books I've read. I have recommended this many times in the last month. It tells the story of four high school seniors who all decide that having a baby would be super fun and so they all plan to get pregnant together. Oh my word, don't even get me started. It makes for a great book though. Hint: the mother of one of the girls who gets pregnant is the high school principle. hmmm....

I hope that maybe I've inspired you to pick up a new read this week. Right now it is cold and rainy outside. The perfect day to be inside with a good book! What are some of your favorite reads?

Enjoy,

Hannah

My Day in Pictures

Here is a look at my Thursday through the eyes of my cell phone camera.



Psychology test:fail.



Elevator fail. I have to take this elevator or walk up six flights of stairs. Major.Fail.



How I got through the day.

 


Emma likes to wear my shoes. But she also likes to wear her own shoes. Here is her solution. The girls a genius.

Powerful Words

I've been thinking a lot lately about the impact of my words. Not just on this blog, but in real life, day-to-day conversations. I don't think its any secret what my religious views are. I am a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. Without His saving grace, God only knows what kind of mess I would be. Since I started blogging, however, I've been asking myself, "Do my words reflect that?" When I speak are my words full of love or condemnation. Do I lift others up or tear them down? Do others hear the voice of Christ coming out of my mouth, or the voice of Hannah(God forbid)?

The book of James goes so far as to call our tongues "fire". they have the power to kill and destroy. The really remarkable thing though, is that they also have the power to lift up and heal. They have the power to share the joy of Salvation with others.

I knew I had a problem with my 'tongue' a few months ago when I started noticing that I was cursing all the time. I could accidently drop my pencil and out would pop a word I didn't even realize I had in me. I'm not sure what started the cursing, but I knew it had to stop. I didn't like the way those words sounded on my lips. I was reminded of a verse in John that talks about the fact that the words that come out of our mouths are a true reflection of our character. I was a little ashamed of the character I had developed.

Thankfully through prayer and God's mercy, I've toned the cursing down considerably. More importantly I've learned that when my heart is not right with God, my words reflect it. When I don't spend time in His presence, I'm short tempered, snappy, impatient, rude, ect... I'm not a reflection of Jesus Christ, which is what we as Believers are called to be here on earth. I pray that I will be able to say the words of King David, who as he was writing his final oracle before death said, "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue."

Hannah

Christmas 2010



Some people have Christmas in July. My family has Christmas in October. My grandparents spend about half of the year in Florida which means they miss almost every holiday. To make up we celebrate Halloween, thanksgiving, and Christmas in October. This year was really fun.

We had an enormous dinner, courtesy of my Grandmother and Momma and I was again reminded of why I love my family.



My beautiful grammy.Notice the pumpkins on her shirt in honor of Halloween.

After the dishes had been cleaned up we all took our places in the family room to open Christmas presents. My grandparents are incredibly thoughtful with their gifts and its always really fun to see what the picked out. Best gift of the night: a pair of monkeys that sing a Sunny and Cher song. I.Love.My.Family



We're a spoiled bunch!

My favorite would have to be two place settings of Fiesta dinner wear for my hopeless chest(we don't have 'hope chests' in our family we have 'hopeless chests.')  The funny part about this particular gift: Everyone in my family got my grandmother a Fiesta place setting this year, and she got me the same color that I got her. So when i opened the present I thought I had mistakenly opened my gift to her.



My uncle Kim and youngest 2nd cousin, Tanner. Its hard work opening all those presents.



Thanks Grammy and Grandpa for such a wonderful Halloween/Thanksgiving/ Christmas!

Merry Christmas,

Hannah

Date Night Numero Uno: I went out with a Fairy

I have two dates this week and will be sharing the highlights of both here. Look for date number two on Sunday.
Have you ever eaten in a public place? with a child? by yourself? It's exhausting.



My thoughts exactly, Emma.

                                               
I decided to take Emma out for little date night, because who wouldn't want to take a three year old to a restaurant? When I arrived to pick her up she was, I kid you not, in a fairy costume. I forgot to take a picture of her whole outfit, but it was so cute. A pink fairy costume(complete with wings), pink turtleneck, pink tights, and white sparkly shoes. Adorable.

We went to Bob Evans and had a really fun time. Emma of course enjoyed her coloring book while we awaited our "cancakes". Please stop for a moment and notice how she has her tongue between her teeth. Such serious business, coloring is.

After dinner I decided to take emma by my work to show her off  take emma shopping for a few things. We had a splendid time. My little fashionista got a cute little fleece pullover and I got some comfy tees to sleep in. It was an all around pleasent evening....until Emma started crying on the way home because she wanted to sleep at my house. Poor thing was sooo tuckered out. I have to say though, I do it again in a heartbeat.



See you Sunday for date night number two!


Hannah

My Personal Stylist

For the past year, I have had the incredible blessing of getting to take care of the most amazing little girl(not that I'm biased). Emma is three and is just the coolest little person you'll ever meet. I thought I would pass on a bit of fashion advice that Emma gave me one night while getting ready for bed.


Three or so weeks ago I had given miss Emma her bath and put her pj's on her. She went over to the bookshelf to get a book and on the way there somehow stumbled upon her favorite Dora the Explorer night gown. She of course starts ripping her clothing off and putting on the Dora nightgown. I, being the wonderful babysitter that I am, told her that no, she could not in fact change pj's she had the wear the ones she had on. Her response? "I don't LOVE those ones!" I kid you not, she actually said that. Since then, whenever I'm shopping and considering buying something, I ask myself, "Do i love this?" These words have saved me a bit of cash, I must admit. Good advice, Emma.



Fashionably,
Hannah

Shameless Self-Promotion

This is a friend of mine. Her name is Bayley.Here we are at our high school graduation.Bayley, like myself, is a college student living in a super cold city. She is also, like myself, a blogger. Just a few days before I launched this site Bayley launched her own blog. Here's another thing about Bayley the blogger, she's an amazing blogger. She's funny and insightful and creative. I wanna be Bayley when I grow up.

Bayley is also, much to my great delight, a shameless promoter of her own blog. Every time she writes a new blog post, she tweets it. I love this! I want people to read my blog(obviously) but wasn't sure how to even let people know I was writing one. Then along came Bayley. She has given me the courage to be a shameless promoter of my blog. Thanks, Bayley!

I'd also like to take a moment to(shamelessly) promote Bayley's blog. There is an anchor for my soul is her beautiful blog. She is truly a woman after the heart of God and that comes through spectacularly in her writing. She's also hysterical. Seriously, she's one of the funniest people I know. It would lovely use of your time to take a moment and visit her site. After you read mine of course... :)

Shameless,
Hannah

Making the Connections

I have been incredibly blessed over the last three years to be a member of an all women's Bible study at my church. There are women from all ages and several different churches who come together to just seek the Lord. We have tended to do studies written by a popular women's Bible study author, but this year we decided to do a study by a pastor named Henry Blackaby. The study is entitled "Experiencing God" and focuses on experiencing God in every aspect of your life.

Today in the lesson I was doing it talked about how when we ask God to show us where He is at work around us, we should then look for His answer to our prayers in our lives. God answers prayers. There is no question there, but how often do we actually then take a step back and look for the answers to those prayers. In the study, Mr. Blackaby gave the example of the executive of a company who asked God why he had been placed in such a high position within this particular company. God then started bringing him hurting people within his office. One man came and shared some family troubles, another starting asking spiritual questions. This man then realized that this was God's answer to his prayer. He made the connection between his prayers and the answers in his daily life.

I cannot begin to share the number of times I have gone to God in prayer over something and after praying about it, I went and tried to solve the problem myself. I feel like God just looks at me with a confused look on His face during these times. I'm certain He's thinking, "Well, why did she come to me if she thought she knew the answer already?"

I am not God. Neither are you. When we go to God in prayer, we can know, without a shadow of a doubt, that He will answer it. He might not answer it on our timetable, but He will answer it. Abraham had to wait 25 years for the son God promised him, but God did fulfill His promise to Abraham.

My encouragement to you today is to submit your requests to God and then wait patiently for His response. He will not disappoint.

Hannah

Always Read the Direction. Always.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist so when I decided to create this blog as part of a school project, I knew that I wanted it to look unique. I found this great website thecutestblogontheblock.com that offers free backgrounds for your blog, myspace, twitter, ect. I was thrilled! Not only were the uber cute, but they were FREE! A college students favorite word. I found the one I liked and read the instructions on how to install it. Well, almost all of them. I skipped a step because I thought I knew what I was doing. I didn't. Five hours later(literally) I went back and read the directions. After hitting myself upside the head I went back and made a few clicks and the backgrounds installed perfectly. Always read the directions. Lesson learned.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blog world. Please be patient as I continue to work out the kinks and get my blogging feet wet.

Hannah