February 19, 2024
Welcome back, friends! Last week I shared how my book basket came to be, and today I will share what is currently in my book basket (minus a few other books, and some of these I recently finished). I love having these books handy for easy reading!
The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
Sarah Mackenzie encourages families to embrace the reading life not just for the brains but for the heart; reading to our kids helps us make heart connections with them. Sarah helps parents to relax and realize it’s okay for kids to pick out books that might not have high literary value. If we can get our children to delight in reading, eventually they may gravitate to the meatier fare.
Another really valuable part to this book is the list of ten open-ended questions that Sarah asks her children about their reading. The book is worth having just to put those ten questions into my teacher arsenal.
The Disciplines of The Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund
Mrs. Anne Ortlund has since gone on to heaven, but what an action-packed life she lived here on this earth! Her husband pastored a church in Pasadena, CA, and with gusto and grace, she served alongside of him and was just as much a part of the ministry as he was.
This book is not about being a pastor’s wife but rather being a diligent lady who accomplishes whatever God has for her to do. In order to maximize our time here on this earth, we need to be self-disciplined and organized, and Mrs. Ortlund gives practical ideas for creating a personal notebook to organize short-term and long-term life goals.
One Thousand Gifts by Anne Voskamp
Syntax rough and rugged, like jagged peaks of mountain. I climb mountain, for beauty is in sight. I find myself straining…hard to understand. At first I don’t like, but in the end I push through. I push through the darkness and into the light, and the light is worth the struggle.
To give God praise, that is joy. To see all through eyes of gratitude, that is spiritual sight and unhindered joy. Gifts, God’s holy gifts, are all around me, but I must look to behold. I must peer, intent on seeing, to notice God’s goodness.
Mother Culture by Karen Andreola
Written by one of my all-time favorite authors, Karen Andreola, Mother Culture offers bite-sized encouragement to the weary-hearted mother. Karen wrote the book in such a way that a reader can start anywhere in the book. This book is all about nourishing the mother’s heart and helping her create a culture for herself of encouragement and refreshment.
Little House Living by Merissa Alink
At our recent library trip, I did a quick catalog search for “homestead” and found this book. Written by Merissa Alink (author of the well-known-but-new-to-me blog, Little House Living), Little House Living is chockfull of recipes both edible and inedible and gives numerous ideas for simple and frugal living.
I felt like a found a friend in Merissa. To quote Merissa’s low-key take on life, “I’m a simple gal…I guess I figure that if you need me to have makeup on to be around you, then I probably don’t really need to be around you. I’m happy with myself just the way I am…” (Little House Living, page 20).
Well, friends, that’s all for today. What are you reading or what is in your “book basket” waiting for you to read?
-Ashley
Personal Disclosure
As the author of Ashley Qurollo Blog, all opinions are my own. Any possible applications are universal in nature, not directed at any one individual or people group. My sincere desire is to help others by sharing what I am learning. Nothing stated on this blog is ever intended to hurt others. Ashley Qurollo, owner of Ashley Qurollo Blog and Website, is not held liable in any way for any application of the ideas and thoughts stated here.
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I haven’t been able to keep up with every Monday email over the holidays, but enjoying these last ones! Thanks for sharing your reading goals and when and how to do it. That encourages me to keep on. I also love your prayer/memory verse journal. I need to start this too.
I love your idea of putting all the books you are reading in a basket! Having my current reads all scattered in different places in the house makes it difficult to make a quick decision on what to read when I have a little time. I think I will copy your idea! Currently in the middle of "The Silmarillion," "The Confessions of St. Augustine," "Mariel of Redwall," "Pilgrim," and probably another one that I'm forgetting at the moment.