I was giddy...
Books have that kind of power over me.
Are you a book-lover, too? I try to use the library to satisfy my hunger for good reading material, but that’s not practical when it comes to reading scripture. I’ll admit it: I own quite a few Bibles. I won’t say how many, but it’s a lot. Various translations, formats, features. There are a few I always return to and a couple that I’ve put in a stack to pass on to others. But the one translation I’ve been yearning for just seemed like one Bible too many. And besides, my searches weren’t turning up a Bible in the format I wanted — flexible cover, one column with a wide margin for notes and no commentary (at least within the pages of the Bible).
And then I found it: The New Living Translation from Tyndale House Publishers with gold-edged, thick bright white pages and tabbed indents for books of the Bible —not to mention the fact it’s filament enabled (which means I can access study notes and maps online). The bonus is a beautiful, soft, leather-like palm leaf engraved cover.
My new Bible arrived this week and, like I said, I was giddy!
Honestly, books in certain genres on particular topics can push me into a stupor that’s matched only by discovering the perfect planner and new Pilot pens (found those, too). There is more to life than reading and writing so I try to use discretion when choosing how to spend my reading time. Here’s what is currently in my reading stack. I can wholeheartedly recommend each title.
If we’ve communicated in the past you may know that I usually read from at least three categories at once. The perfect reading day for me would be a spiritual book in the morning, educational or instructive in the afternoon and fiction at night. The spiritual title may be a faith-based memoir or a deep dive into one of the spiritual practices. Educational is almost always writing-related, and fiction can be anything from historical fiction to classic to contemporary new releases by authors I enjoy. Poetry also slips into the mix from time to time.
I’ve left brief reviews of all four books pictured above on my website (https://ingridlochamire.com/books/). One of these I’ve read before and one figures into the novel I’m writing. Can you guess which is a reread and which one shows up in my story?
Summer highlights
When we’re paying attention we find that every season has something new to offer. Here are a few fun things I’ve latched onto so far this summer:
Homemade cold brew coffee. I’ve been drinking cold brew coffee during warm weather for awhile but I usually buy it at one of my favorite coffee shops (foam cream is a game-changer). I like cold brew partly because it’s easier on my stomach than espresso or regular brewed coffee. A friend (who is a coffee connoisseur) pointed me toward a very simple process for making cold brew at home. He suggested I order this on Amazon. I did and I’m enjoying a glass of lovely cold brew with cream, agave and vanilla nearly every day.
Farm Dust. I came across this tasty local spice concoction at a local grocer and we’ve found that during grilling season it is a must-have. The spice blend is made by Weavers Dutch Country, a small company near Shipshewana, Indiana. I buy it at a great Amish-run grocery outlet called E&S Sales, but you can also find it on Amazon. It’s especially good on chicken, pork and beef, but I also sprinkle it on vegetables and use it in dips. YUM!
Raised garden beds in a culvert. You may not know what a culvert is unless you live in a rural area. It’s a large circular piece of corrugated drainage pipe used to divert water away from roads or fields. Anyway, we had an 8-foot piece of culvert laying around in the barn and my husband suggested he cut it in two pieces so we could use them to make raised garden beds. So we did! When our family was young, we tilled up a plot and planted large gardens, row by row. Now that it’s just the two of us, we still want the fresh veggies, we just don’t want the abundance or the work. So far, cucumbers have been plentiful and tomatoes are coming on. I’ve harvested enough cukes to make refrigerator pickles using this simple recipe.
Beyond VanGogh: The Immersive Experience
This incredible multi-media event is showing in a city near us so I had to go. A friend and I spent over an hour truly immersed in the work of the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. VanGogh is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade he created approximately 2100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life. The experience truly is a sensory delight. While VanGogh’s beautiful work floats larger than life across the ceiling, walls and floor of the venue, music provides the perfect backdrop. It’s important to read the provided information about the artist at the beginning of the display to truly appreciate his work. I hope to visit the event one more time before it leaves our area. Enjoy these larger-than-life photos I took at the experience (non-flash photography is allowed). If this event comes to your area, I recommend you check it out!
Words that stopped me in my tracks
“Stillness makes for a capable mirror. Look down in a rough and fast current and you won’t see a thing. Still water allows you to lean in without danger and really see yourself.”
I was scrolling on Instagram when I saw this quote. The words weren’t from the author and influencer I follow on social media (though she is quote-worthy). They were the words of Cole Arthur Riley in her book This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories That Make Us. Declared one of the best books of 2022, it is a debut work for this young woman of color. Reviewers call it “an indelible work of contemplative storytelling. At once a compelling spiritual meditation, a powerful intergenerational account, and a tender coming-of-age narrative, This Here Flesh speaks potently to anyone who suspects that our stories might have something to say to us.”
This quote alone spoke to me as I’ve been intentional about peering into the “still water” of my life. I have a copy and it’s been on my To Be Read List for some time. I’m certain I’ll have more to share from this beautiful book.