Catch up...

I can't believe that it has been nearly two weeks since I last blogged! But I have been reading lots during this time... Here is an overview:

Redemption and Remember - these are the two books at the beginning of the Baxter family saga, written by Karen Kingsbury. I do love a good bit of Christian fiction. They are inoffensive and easy to read, but deal with hard-hitting topics, such as adultery, murder, family issues etc. I was particularly upset to lose Redemption at some point last Wednesday as I was only halfway through. Oh well, I have read it several times before!


Baby-led weaning - As Zoë is now 6 months old we are entering new territory; milk is no longer the only thing she is interested in putting in her mouth! When she nicked some carrots off my plate and started eating them, we decided that it was time for her to go onto solid food. Baby-led weaning may sound new and radical, but when you think about it more carefully, I reckon most babies over the years across different countries follow this method. All that is involved is that Zoë eats the same as what we are eating (though we cut it into finger size strips to make it safer and easier for her to cope with) - simple! One side benefit for me is that I am having to think very carefully about what I want Zoë to eat and am having to adjust my own diet appropriately. Let's hope for radical results for me!!

Morrisons free magazine - I will often pick up the free magazines in supermarkets as they are interesting, but you don't feel that you have to do anything with what you've read as it didn't cost you anything in the first place. It was lovely flicking through this in the garden with my lunch. Maybe I'll even get round to trying some of the recipes from it!

The Bible - I know that I said in my first post that I try to read the Bible regularly, but, being honest, it frequently doesn't happen. Despite enjoying it, I often find other things to read or to do. But this week I have been challenged to try again. In the past I have been an 'all or nothing' type of girl when it comes to studying the Bible, but with a 6 month old daughter it is just not possible to spend hours studying and praying. So, I am dipping in and out when I have the time. I am reading through the book of Daniel at the moment and will tell you what I've read in a separate post!

Claire's Facebook page - This week a friend of ours lost her battle with Cystic Fibrosis. Although from a human perspective it is terribly sad for someone to die in their 30s (indeed at any age), for Claire it is better by far as she is now in heaven, pain-free, enjoying fellowship with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus. Claire's Facebook page is full of memories and comments which are inspiring to read. She touched so many people's lives for good; the main theme seems to be how she was always more interested and concerned in other people despite her own daily struggles.

What have you been reading?

Baby's First Skills: 5-6 months

So, Zoë is now over half way through this month (can't believe she'll be 6 months old on 24 May!)

According to the summary she

"...is beginning to understand that people and things still exist even though she can't see them, follows the pattern of conversation with her wide range of vocal sounds and is beginning to use both hands to co-ordinate the holding and guiding of objects, such as her bottle."

Yet again this does seem to be an accurate summary of our little girl! She is increasingly mobile and is loving rolling around the living room floor. (Time to move stuff out of the way...)

The Golden Hour of activities this month include:
Talking (20 mins)

• Action Nursery Rhymes (#27)
• Hubble bubble (#6)
• Family Favourites (#44)

Moving (7 mins)

• Baby Press-ups (#42
• Baby Ball Games (#41)
• Horsing around (#30)

Hands (8 mins)

• Shake, Rattle and Roll (#28)
• Clapping Games (#11)
• Bricks and Blocks (#12)

Mind (5 mins)

• Puppet Play (#33)
• Introducing Books (#3)

Friendliness (20 mins)

• Laughing Games (#4)
• Peep-Bo (#8)
• Feet and Toes (#29)

Will let you know how they go...

Loving

On Friday I treated myself to a new book and today I have finished it! Loving is the final book in Bailey Flanigan series by Karen Kingsbury. Karen is a popular American author, who is a Christian. Her faith shines through all her books (of which I have most!) and I find them encouraging and challenging.

Bailey Flanigan has appeared in many previous books, but in this series (Leaving, Learning, Longing and Loving) she is the central character. We see how she copes with leaving home, learning many life lessons, longing for a relationship and then loving and committing to her husband. I don't want to share too many details as I want to encourage you to go and read the books yourself!

This book is all about love: not just the love between Bailey and her boyfriend, but also between Bailey and God. The song below is by Francesca Battistelli and features in the novel. This song could be sung from a girl to her man, but the singer is singing to God. Can you say the same thing to God? Would you like to be able to?

Forever love by Francesca Battistelli (click to listen)
(Chorus)
You are my forever love
You are my forever love
You are my forever love
You are my forever love

From the bottom of my heart I’ll sing to You
From the depths of who I am I love You
With everything inside I’ll run to You
‘Cause all that I’ve become I owe to You
(Chorus)

From the bottom of my heart I’ll sing to You
From the depths of who I am I love You
With everything inside I’ll run to You
‘Cause all that I’ve become I owe to You
(Chorus)

Nothing in this world could ever separate us
I will love You more than anyone on earth
Nothing I desire could ever satisfy me the way that You do
(Chorus)

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

By Stuart Townend

To hear the song, click on this link

Mark 6v14-29: Herodias - The Fruit of Bitterness

I regularly meet up with a friend from church to study the Bible together. We are currently working through a study guide looking at Women of the New Testament and have so far studied Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) and Mary (mother of Jesus). Both of these women are Godly women who we should learn from and copy. This week, however, we looked at Herodias.

Herodias was married to her uncle Herod Philip I and then married Heod Antipas, his brother. She had a daughter from her marriage to Herod Philip I who was called Salome. Herodias was not a nice character and she nursed a grudge against John the Baptist, who had said 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' to Herod Antipas (v18). She was so bitter about this, we are told that she wanted to kill him (v 19). This was a serious grudge that she had.

Herodias waited for the opportune moment and then pounces. This moment means that her bitterness spreads and affects Herod Antipas and her daughter Salome. Herod Antipas is so pleased with Salome's dancing at a banquet that he says she can have anything she wants! Herodias tells her daughter to ask for John the Baptist's head on a platter (v25).

Obviously Herodias is not a woman we should look up to and emulate, but we can learn a lot from her. Bitterness can rob people of joy and enjoyment of life. Do you think Herodias suddenly felt better when she received John the Baptist's head on a platter? Did all her resentment dissolve or was she still an angry, bitter woman?

Joanna Weaver, in her book Having a Mary Spirit, says "Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." This is so true; bitterness doesn't acheive anything except twisting ourselves up inside.

According to a recent Newsweek article, scientists are finding that unforgiveness is linked to all kinds of physical problems ranging from increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease to hormonal changes, immune suppression, and possibly impaired neurological function and memory.

(Jordanna Lewis and Jerry Adler, "Forgive and Let Live," Newsweek, 27 September 2004. Quoted in Having a Mary Spirit, Joanna Weaver)

We should make sure that bitterness doesn't reside in our souls. Give the grudge to God and let him deal with it.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Män som hatar kvinnor

Män som hatar kvinnor (literally– men who hate women) is the Swedish title of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I can see why!

The book starts with a hint at a crime within the world of finance, which results in Mikael Blomkvist spending time in prison, then moves onto the crime of a missing person and then on to murder. But the central crimes discovered in the process of investigating the missing person are horrific and I am not sure I want to read about them again! This quote from the book completely sums it up:

Together with Mikael Blomkvist she had taken up the hunt for what they thought was a serial killer from the past. They had found something appallingly different. She could hardly imagine the horror's that must have played out in [spoiler] basement, in the midst of this well-ordered, idyllic spot.

The book also considered the nature of a socially awkward young woman. Does she have Asperger's Syndrome as Blomkvist considers? Or is she just different? I wonder sometimes, with all the 'labels' that we have today, whether we are too quick to give people a label, a reason for their behaviour.

Wikipedia descibes Lisbeth as:

The survivor of a traumatic childhood, Salander is highly introverted, asocial and has difficulty connecting to people and making friends. She is particularly hostile to men who abuse women, and takes special pleasure in exposing and punishing them.

I am still enjoying this book, but, as I said to a friend today, I'm not sure I would want to read the details of the crimes again. I am looking forward to reading The Girl Who Played With Fire in the near future.