Who knew this would lead to our first family book club?

What I've Learned: 5 Love Languages = A Reading Revolution.
Had I only known, Reader, that a little purple book would inspire my books-are-for-sissies Cousin to spend most of the weekend devouring chapter after chapter while sharing what she's learning with the rest of the family, I'd have brought home Dr. Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages ages ago!

My fabulous fun-friend, K, suggested it to me over the summer back in 2009. After hearing what a difference the book made in her relationships (her entire family read it), I always meant to pick it up and garner some new insight into the love-motivations of the people in my own life.

But it wasn't until just a few weeks ago, after again hearing about the power of this book on K-Love, my favorite Christian radio station, that I stopped by my local Family Christian Bookstore to pick up a copy.

Fast forward to this weekend where Cousin is up for a prolonged stay owing to some medical stuff. While out having lunch yesterday, she and I got to talking about relationships and the importance of showing the people you love how much you care in ways they will really appreciate. The 5 Love Languages immediately popped into my mind. I told her I knew just where to go and we zipped right over to the FCB and bought another copy.

Much to my amazement, Cousin (who I've never seen in close proximity to a book) cracked that book open as soon as we got home. Well, if she was that serious, then I was all in too! So I ran upstairs and got my copy. We've been readin' fools ever since. Cousin reads aloud important parts and after each chapter, we discuss Aunt Chef's favorite question: what have we learned? Who knew this little purple book would start an impromptu family book club? And I'm not naming names but there's definitely some color-coded highlighting of important points going on...


This girl is even taking notes...

Funny stuff aside, Dr. Chapman's book is straight-forward, easy to understand & offers wonderful, practical advice for improving all of your relationships. His concepts of the love languages and the importance of having a full 'love tank' are right-on and simple to execute. Love really is a choice we make each and every day. Highly recommend you check out this book, Reader, as well as the accompanying website (linked above), which offers numerous tools and an online assessment to help you determine your own love language and dialect(s). I'm betting it will revolutionize the way you approach the important relationships in your life.

Shoot, just buying the darn book has turned the literary status quo upside down in our house! I'm so enjoying sharing this knowledge-journey with Cousin, Aunt and (hopefully) the rest of our clan. Thank You, Lord, for this opportunity to better love those around us!

Today's Joy: Finding the Book You Pre-ordered Is Already In Your Mailbox, When It Isn't Even Available In Stores Yet.

Reader, as the days tick by and the first week of October draws near, I find myself suddenly going into Puppy Preparation Mode. Usually, the first week in October finds me contemplating apple picking, fall candle scents and the unpacking of my favorite plaid skirts and cozy sweaters. But this year is different.

If all goes well, a litter of adorable Wire-haired Fox Terriers will be born that week, one of them soon to be mine. So, instead of pumpkins, hayrides and tweed jackets, my mind is full of baby gates, vaccination schedules and pet insurance quotes. Though I had The World's Greatest Cocker Spaniel for 13 years, I'm thinking it's been a while since I raised a puppy and I should brush up on my puppy skills.

I've been watching Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer program on TV and I like a lot of what he has to say--common sense, simple ideas for communicating with your dog on his level. So I went to Amazon.com and viola! There was Cesar's latest book: How to Raise the Perfect Dog. The only problem: it wasn't out yet. Darn. I really needed that book. Really wanted to get my hands on all those words of wisdom.

No problem, says Amazon. Would you like to pre-order a copy? It will arrive at your home on the same day the book is available nationwide in book stores.

Heck yeah, says I! I supplied all the necessary info and then sat down to wait two long weeks.....

Fast forward to today, when I come home from work to find my very own brand-new, sparkly (well, not really sparkly) copy of Cesar's advice shoved as far back in the mailbox as the postal carrier can possibly reach. After a ten minute extraction session that involved a can opener and the Jaws of Life, I got the box out of my mailbox and darted into the house to rip open the packaging and admire my new Holy Grail of puppy training.

Ahhhhhhh. Not only is the book as good as I hoped--chalk full of specific instructions and how-to's (as well as how not-to's) but today is the 13th of September. While I am already 2 chapters in, the rest of America must wait until tomorrow to read Cesar's words of wisdom.

I know, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans and who cares anyway about who gets to read the book first. But in this moment, I feel like an insider--I've got the knowledge in my hands. I'm well on my way to being totally prepared for that darling new puppy to arrive.

Of course, there will be things I don't foresee and puppy training plateaus to overcome, even with the best of dogs. In that moment, when the puppy is chewing on my Holy Grail of puppy training or when I can't find that darn passage I'm looking for, it won't matter at all that I was reading about potty-training 8 hours before everyone else. In that moment, I will simply be wishing I had more wee-wee pads.

God bless you, Cesar Millan. And God bless all the charmingly wonderful and lovable puppies in the world. How blessed are we to have them enriching our lives!

Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message. ~ Malcolm Muggeridge

Today's Joy: Time Spent with God.
Had the day off today, Reader. I fell asleep last night after reading a few chapters of The Shack, by William P. Young. This is my second reading of this amazing book. So it felt only natural, upon waking this morning, to stretch luxuriously in bed and then pick up right where I left off. I read for a bit, absorbed some more deep and wonderful ideas and then got about starting my day.

After attending to the daily duties of living, I found myself drawn back to the book in the afternoon. So, I read some more. And passages that hadn't resonated with me during my first reading popped up like beacons of understanding this time around. There are several questions I've been pondering in regard to faith. Questions that my readings & discussions with spiritual advisors have not entirely answered. I'm sure you have a few such quandaries yourself, Reader. So, you will understand when I say that I really struggle with some of these faith roadblocks.

Mostly, they have to do with the rules of written teachings feeling incongruous with what I know in my heart about God & love.

In The Shack, Sarayu (my favorite character) advises, Don't look for rules and principles. Look for relationship--a way of coming to be with us. She further refers to responsibilities and expectations as subtle forms of these rules--words that were once live verbs (response & expectancy) but which we humans have turned into dead nouns. In essence, routines, rituals & obligations, which take away from our live relationship with God.

God is a verb, not a noun proper or improper. ~ R. Buckminster Fuller, No More Secondhand God, 1963

In The Shack, over and over, Papa, Jesus & Sarayu (the three faces of God in the book) all reiterate that they want to be in relationship with us. They want to live inside us, to be a part of everything we do--not just a chore to be completed on our daily to-do list (did the dishes, picked up the kids, prayed to God, etc).

When I think of the healthy relationships around me, I know a hint of that togetherness & acceptance. That understanding that no matter what your flaws, someone loves you unconditionally. Of course, with God, it's on a scale more infinite than anything I can imagine. But I see snippets of His love in my love for others and in the way they love me. God is the ultimate form of that--more than I can comprehend and more than I'll ever need. I like the idea that he's there with me every moment, seeing all that I do, celebrating triumphs & drawing close in times of sorrow.

The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too. ~Teresa of Avila

I love too, that he has extended this offer of relationship to everyone, regardless of race, color, belief or persuasion. He longs for fellowship with each of us. He is "especially fond" of all his children, whatever their circumstance, wherever they have been. He always offers them the chance to come to him in fellowship. As I progress in my own faith & relationship with Him, I can't imagine life any other way. Tonight, I can't wait to return to my book and see what other revelations I will find. What an amazing journey! Dear Reader, I hope my little musing gets you thinking--maybe even curious enough to pick up Mr. Young's book, or better yet, God's. Or, hit your knees and talk to the Man, Himself. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you. More revelations to come!

People see God every day, they just don't recognize him. ~Pearl Bailey


Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.