On Tattoos and Life Together

May in Michigan has been unspeakably lovely. After the plummeting temperatures and piling snowfall we experienced this winter, the warmth and new life of springtime are especially welcome this year.

I have much to say about the string of lovely moments that were woven throughout the month of May. But for today, I want to capture the memory that was the most precious: our anniversary getaway.

It’s hard to believe that eight years have passed since we said “I do” on a rainy evening in May. The past eight years have taught us much about love and forgiveness, redemption and joy. (For more on that, you can check out our marriage testimony here.) We truly believe our anniversary is an occasion to celebrate! 

This year, we spent a much-needed weekend away in Grand Haven. We stayed up late and slept in. We ate at every delicious restaurant we could find. We watched two movies at the theatre and played some pretty competitive rounds of bowling. We went running on the boardwalk, discovered a kite festival, and nearly bought an adorable yellow lab puppy.

Oh, and I got my first tattoo. :)

For one weekend, we enjoyed being "just the two of us." Together. Best friends.

What I'm Reading

I'm mentioned in previous posts that I love to read, and this year I have been devouring books. While I usually enjoy fiction (especially the classics), God has been using more nonfiction as a tool to promote spiritual discipline in my life. I don't have time to write about each of the books I've read, but I plan to keep a list of all my reading and share a few favorites with you. Here are the books I have read so far in 2014:

• Praying Like Paul by Jonathan Graf
• Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home by Richard Foster
• The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
• The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Praying for Boys by Brooke McGlothlin
• The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
• A Prayer Journal by Flannery O'Connor
• Raising Boys by Design by Gregory L. Jantz and Michael Gurian
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
• The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
• The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
• The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
• The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
• The Entitlement Trap by Richard and Linda Eyre
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
• The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
• Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown
• No More Perfect Kids by Jill Savage
• Living by the Book by Howard G. Hendricks and William D. Hendricks

Favorite Fiction Books:

• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - This is the chilling story of a handsome, innocent Londoner and his moral degeneration. Although the novel's title character, Dorian Gray, descends into depravity, his body retains its youthfulness and allure. His picture, however, betrays the ravages of a lifetime of immorality and indulgence. I enjoyed Oscar Wilde's writing style - it makes the reader feel like an eye-witness to Dorian Gray's moral decline. I also enjoyed the way the text grapples with important themes. 
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - So, I was a little late to the Hobbit party ... but better late than never, right? At this point, most people probably know the basic plot of Tolkien's classic prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so I won't summarize the novel. Although I don't usually enjoy the fantasy genre (with the exceptions of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien), The Hobbit was a truly enjoyable read. I loved Tolkien's use of understated humor as he narrated the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, a rather reluctant hero. This is a novel I can't wait to share with Asher when he is older. 
• Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown - Sensible Shoes narrates the story of four strangers who embark upon a spiritual journey together. Hannah, Meg, Mara, and Charissa are at different points in their lives and faith when they arrive at the New Hope Retreat Center. In the weeks that follow, the women are challenged to embrace new spiritual disciplines, both in class and in their personal lives. Although I am not usually a fan of Christian fiction, I truly enjoyed Sensible Shoes. I found myself identifying with different parts of each woman's story. As I read their stories and witnessed their practice of the spiritual disciplines, my own faith was bolstered. As a result, I have incorporated some of these disciplines in my own faith journey. This book, although fiction, has been a tool of spiritual formation in my life. 
• I also really enjoyed Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I also can't resist anything written by Kate Morton. But I suppose that will have to wait for a later day ...

Favorite Christian Books: 

• The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - This book has influenced my faith more than any other book (excluding the Bible, of course)! In The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer explores what it really means to follow Jesus Christ. I especially enjoyed Bonhoeffer's exploration of cheap grace vs. costly grace. Bonhoeffer describes cheap grace as "the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession ... grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." He contrasts this with costly grace, which he says "is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life." Bonhoeffer's book challenged me to prize my faith and to consider ways in which I can truly follow the example of my gracious Savior. Although I read this book months ago, I still think about it regularly and plan to re-read it often. 
• Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home by Richard Foster - This year, I have committed myself to practicing prayer. Richard Foster's book about prayer is a wonderful primer for those who are interested in understanding and experiencing different forms of prayer. Foster draws from many different traditions in his exploration of how we talk to God. Although this book is considered an introduction to the topic of prayer, it is both profound and practical. Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home will encourage your relationship with God and deepen your prayer life. 

Favorite Nonfiction Book:

• The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth - This memoir became the inspiration for the BBC period series Call the Midwife (which I also love, by the way). Jennifer Worth shares her memories as a young woman who served as a midwife in East London during the late 1950s. I found this memoir fascinating! Worth captures the poverty of East London with vivid detail and compassion. Her writing creates a snapshot of a world in which prenatal care and labor/delivery practices were very different from our own. I was swept away by Worth's story.