What I've Been Doing Lately

This won't be another to-do post.  That's for later this week.  I really haven't done much to knock stuff off my to-do list.  I keep adding stuff, but not striking others off.  However I do feel like I've gotten a good bit accomplished.  I feel like I'm on a good path forward, though my to-do list doesn't look like it. 

So, instead of worrying about my shop and sewing and such while I'm at work, I've been reading.  I love reading.  And I want to tell you about what I've been reading.

For Christmas last year, Hubs gave me a book that was the first in a series that I had had my eye on.  It was The Centurion's Wife by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke.

And on a recent trip to Lifeway, I looked at the Bargain Books and found the next two books in the series for only about $6 each!

I've gotten a little over halfway through The Hidden Flame, and it keeps me wanting to read more.  So far I've really enjoyed these books.  They do take a few liberties with characters in the Bible.  A few background stories are made up (the Centurion in the first book is the Centurion who asks Jesus to heal his servant, Ananias and Saphira are in the second and Saphira's brother is a major character), so if you are someone who would consider this blasphemey, you may not want to read these books.  Although some stories are written for Biblical characters, there is nothing that goes against the Bible.  There is actually a good bit of scripture throughout and the characters who are in the Bible are all well represented when it comes to what we know of their personalities from the Bible (Martha is always busy working, Herod was a character you loved to hate).  And then because they are written for us ladies, there is of course a bit of a love story woven through them, but you don't have to worry about a really smart young'un finding the book and reading any...ahem...love scenes.  I think anyone, whether they have extensive Biblical knowledge or not, would at least enjoy the books. 

What I love most about these books, though, is getting a glimpse of Christianity at its youngest.  They take place right after Jesus has ascended to heaven.  Growing up in the Bible Belt, I've never really felt a sense of persecution or even doubt that what I believe is really true.  Even if they don't believe it, a majority of the people around here have been inside a Christian church, or at least know the story of Jesus and don't really care one way or another if I believe.  I never really thought about what it would be like to talk to someone who actually knew Jesus, but set him aside as just another crazy man who said he was the Messiah but is now dead.  I've also never really thought about the leap of faith that it takes to for someone whose background says they should believe something else, to trust Jesus.  I grew up in a Christian home, I know nothing else.  But for a Roman soldier, or a Pharisee to change his mind would be a totally different story.

So there's what I've been doing lately.  I encourage you, whether you are a Christian or not, to just go and check these books out.  If nothing else, you've come away with a good read.