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Book Study, friend?

February 11, 2012 by April

perfect place for a friend visit

Friend [frend]

Noun: pal; ally; somebody emotionally close; acquaintance; advocate of cause (from MSWord for Mac) and I just have to add this – it cracked me up!…  “8. Verb: to add (a person) to one’s list of contacts on a social-networking Web site” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/friend)
I have to say I am surprised by the definitions I found.  I expected something along the lines of 
(noun): common interest, spending time together, a person 
you enjoy and choose to spend time with
(verb): be a (friend), to extend kindness, to be gracious to another.
Regardless of my new knowledge on the definition of friend – I consider you, my fellow blogger, a friend – whether you read blogs or have your own blog.  Even though I have never met you.  I do believe I have more in common with many bloggers than I do with most on my facebook friend list.  Interesting.
Anyway, I am going to start a series on Monday sharing, as I would with a friend, one of my all time favorite books.  I love books.  I am one who is usually reading several books and magazines at the same time.  It will be a way for us to enjoy a hot drink and visit together.  I’m going to call it Book Break…
I read mostly historical fiction and books meant to encourage us in our personal walk with our Heavenly Father.  There are two books I consider life-changers for me – Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge and Do You Think I’m Beautiful? By Angela Thomas.
Why all the rambling about friends and books?  {and yes, books are my friends too}  Because I want to share, in detail, about what I have learned about me as a woman from these two books.  I am going to start with the book Captivating, because that is one I am re-reading right now.  I don’t normally re-read a book – however, I have lost track of how many times I’ve read these two.  {I know it is 5+ times over the  last 7 years for Captivating, and 2+ times over the last 3 or 4 years for Do You Think I’m Beautiful?}

Captivating was the first book in my life that helped me understand me.  I understood well having conflicting thoughts and emotions, but I didn’t understand why.  I am someone who likes to understand the big picture – in fact, I have a hard time when I have to operate in a small portion of the whole.  
~~~
This “book study” of sorts will be me pulling several quotes from each chapter, one chapter per week.  I would encourage you to get the book and read the whole thing on your own.  I would LOVE to “discuss” this via comments (unless you would rather a linky party).  By discuss I’m not saying right/wrong, but “what this means to me” type of discussions.  

We are all in different places in our lives, we may not even share the same belief; however, I will be coming from the platform of – we are all women, created individually and uniquely by a loving God to have a personal relationship with Him.  {Note: I’m not trying to be exclusive on the gender of blog readers.  I realize anything online is allowed to be read by anyone.  If you are reading and you are not a woman, then you will learn lots about how we think and feel :-D.} 
A couple parameters for this discussion:
  • First of all – in order to have a discussion, you will have to post what you think.  Otherwise this will be just me posting interesting thoughts & quotes meaningful to me.  Please don’t leave me hanging :-D! {read as: I’m feeling really insecure right now!!}  I know I have read many blogs without ever posting.  I understand, really I do.  I have had reason to not want to be “found” by those I’d rather not be sharing intimate parts of my life with.  If this is a concern for you, please – email me privately and I will post your comment without identifying information.  
  • Secondly, I would imagine just as with anything, we are not all the same.  We have come from different circumstances, life experiences, and have different reasons for reading/participating in blogs.  It may be as simple as this book doesn’t touch you in the way it touched me, or might someone else.  Let’s all remember to be friendly to each other, extend kindness and be gracious to each other.
  • I don’t want to give the impression this is the only way it is, that it is the end all-be all on everything woman.  I’m truly just sharing a book I have found helpful to me in hopes of encouraging you.

Let’s start now…How about you – Do you enjoy reading?  Do you read more than one book at a time?  Do you have a preference –  real books vs. e-books, or real magazines vs. magazines on an e-reader?
My answer to the above :-D:  Right now I am reading three real books, four e-books, two enjoyment magazines, and multiple issues of two magazines for learning.  I am partial to real books.  I love paper.  I love the smell of paper and color, whether on paper or material.  I love colorful, paperback covers.  I like to feel and touch the paper, the covers, and material.  {I thought the Nook Color would help me like the e-book experience…it didn’t, oh well, have to change with the times, I’ll deal. :-D} 

Disclaimer:  I have not been compensated for any of these statements.  I personally own both books, have never been contacted by either author or anyone on their behalf.  I also personally own, by my decision alone, a Nook Color.  All statements made by me are my own belief.   {now I’m taking multiple deep breaths & pushing public, **edited & republished, to add my pretty “perfect place for a friend visit” picture**}
Jeremiah 29:11

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April C Keller
The power is out. Now is when it’s REALLY conven The power is out. Now is when it’s REALLY convenient to read eBooks (& you have fully charged devices). The orange glow to the right is from the collection of candles I had handy. 
Super duper thankful for the gas fireplace!!! The temp was 43° earlier today, has dropped to 15° & supposed to continue dropping thru the night.
#thankfultonotreadbycandlelight
#gasfireplacesareawesome
#eveofchristmaseve2020 #decemberinwi
Dec 22, 2020 at 7:39am😍😍😍 No need to say Dec 22, 2020 at 7:39am😍😍😍
No need to say more.
#decembersunrise #wisconsin #wearegaininglightnow
December 21st is the shortest day of the year. As December 21st is the shortest day of the year. As a lifelong Alaskan my body & mind are very tuned to this date - we now gain daylight each day. Living WI has had many benefits & blessings - the least of which isn’t even how I will see the daylight before I get to work. 😍😍😍 I am not sad about this in the least!

I’m so thankful for this morning’s living/dining/kitchen views. I love the glow of Christmas lights & the way they immediately stop my thoughts in their tracks and cause me to remember to be thankful.
#christmas2020 #ak2co2wi #mondaymornings #thankful #blessed #christmaslights
😍😍😍 Como Park Conservatory = eye candy ev 😍😍😍 Como Park Conservatory = eye candy every time. {{sigh}}
We caught the sun low in the sky & it was simply beautiful! When we walked out it was the setting sun on the glass building & the flag blowing in a lazy breeze. #coldbutbeautiful #perfect 
#comoparkconservatory #midnovember #eyecandy #soulfilling #breathtaking #thankfulfortheopportunity #americanflaginthebreeze
Just a tiny note to share how much I am absolutely Just a tiny note to share how much I am absolutely LOVING the sunrise pink at 7am in mid-November! 😍😍😍
It’s a whole 25° & supposed to start snowing within the hour. (Do you see the neighbor’s pink window reflections?)
#happymonday #blessings #itsanewweek #wintersunrisebefore8
Hi guys! April’s daughter here. Due to an unkind Hi guys! April’s daughter here. Due to an unkind comment and a hard week behind the social media wall she deleted the post. After a good talk and encouragement I am here re-posting with permission. Remember that what’s seen on social media does not reflect what goes on behind the scenes. The intention of the post was to share a personal struggle and encourage others who may feel the same. A difference of opinion does not require a comment. 

The repost:

Are you an American? If so, voting is your civic duty. 
🇺🇸To not vote is the same as voting against your freedom.
🇺🇸To not vote is the same as voting against your right of citizenship. 
🇺🇸To not vote is the same as disregarding every American soldier and his/her family’s sacrifice for you. 
I promise – no matter what you think – YOU ARE NOT TOO BUSY to vote! This year especially, they have made it so easy (not interested in debating the right/wrongness of this, just stating fact) and it’s not as if the deadline has been a surprise date. If you choose to not vote, there is no excuse other than being lulled into apathy by the privilege you take for granted. Don’t be lazy.

For those who think I’m being too harsh – these are the things I had to remind myself of in the not so distant past as I was overwhelmed by figuring out the simple-yet-not-so-simple-process of how to register as a new resident, where to vote, and who to vote for. And then again today as anxiety joined me when I’d parked at my polling place & it was time to actually stand in line with all the others.

Side note, 2020 brought yet another first for me: I’ve never voted on a non-Alaskan ballot. Instead of boroughs & districts, I navigated counties & wards. 
Even so, the ballot looked the same. 😊 

And then I went for a beautiful country drive through harvested fields and looked at barns. Feeling thankful & blessed for the freedom and ability to do so.
A little crisp & foggy outside, but perfectly cozy A little crisp & foggy outside, but perfectly cozy inside.🍂🍁

#september2020 #fall #thankful
So...not exactly a surprise!😊 Take your own qu So...not exactly a surprise!😊

Take your own quiz at holleygerth.com/introvertquiz
 
You definitely should go check out more about The Powerful Purpose if Introverts by @holleygerth 
#introvertpurpose #introvert #godmadeuseachunique
🍂Fall is coming! 🍂 This change of the season 🍂Fall is coming! 🍂
This change of the seasons is the first one I’ve felt alert for since moving here 🍁🍂 & it’s all so pretty (the 5 trees I’ve seen starting to change)! But I’m not in the least ready for it, it’s the 1st time in 18 years I haven’t needed school supplies of some sort - for either of the kids (homeschooling) or myself (college). Now, I just get to enjoy all the school supplies simply because I love them!😊

The first pic is just for enjoyment because I know the majority if you can’t possibly understand what the 2nd & 3rd photos mean to me. 😊

As an introvert who has been transitioning from work-from-home to working-at-the-office-everyday, on a team & working on a variety of projects, I often feel as if I’m majorly failing at simply being nice. 

I’m too often in my head, processing all I’m trying to remember to do/get done & short of smiling in passing, there isn’t a ton of other interaction. BUT the 2nd photo is evidence of while not having more than a handful of non-work related conversations, I have a co-worker who knows me incredible well! On Tues, she brought me one Pantone color book & yesterday she brought me SEVEN more!😍 
I never dreamed I’d get to touch one of these little color charts in real-life, let alone have a set of them living at my desk!!! 

2020 will never be forgotten, for so many reasons. Big & small.
#seen&known #itsthelittlethings #littlethingsadduptobigthings #blessed #thankful
It’s no small secret I’m a hard-core introvert It’s no small secret I’m a hard-core introvert & not by just a little bit. Social distancing has always been my norm. I can’t say I’ve seen this as a blessing in life 🥴. 

Ironically, while 2020 has required so many social appreciators (extroverts) to stay at/work from home, life in 2020 has required me to learn how to work out of the home full-time. After working from home for the last 20 years, this has not been a small adjustment!

I have lived in WI for 8 months now, and I’m just starting to feel semi-human in daily life. I totally & completely underestimated the toll an unexpected 2nd large move, traveling over Christmas, wrapping up my senior year of college/degree, having my oldest graduate college, and working on a team of people out of the house full-time would have on me. #notenoughhourstorecovereachday

You will likely see me in this space more as I’m on the book launch team for The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, the latest book by @holleygerth. I’m really looking forward to learning how being an introvert can be a blessing & strength.

 #introvertpurpose #createdinhisimage #lovedasiam #nothingtoprove #introvert
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