On my chairside table ...

One of these days, I really do intend to post my booklist. Can't do it, though, til I figure out how to deal with such a sizable amount of text -- post all at once, divide into categories, post as a sidebar list, post a book a week, etc. And I'm a slow thinker, remember, so I'm pondering the possibilities.

In honor of those of you who've asked, however, and because I do have a reputation as the book diva, thought I'd let you know what's currently gracing the table beside my favorite chair.

In no certain order:

Lonely Planet Guide to Ireland; Walking Dublin; Eyewitness Dublin; Ireland from $80 a Day -- I'm soaking in these as we prepare for our trip, just over a month away; wanting to be familiar enough with the culture and geography that I won't be such a bumbling foreigner (I know, wishful thinking). We've been encouraged to spend some time walking around Dublin, getting to know the place a bit, so I'm trying to familiarize myself a tad with the layout of the city. The country is rich with history, so of course there are a few sights I'd like to see (St. Patrick's Cathedral, Ha'Penny Bridge, Temple Bar district, and, need I mention, at least a couple o' castles). And the books are chock-ful of useful information (like the fact that all purchases include a 21-PERCENT sales tax -- can you say "ouch"! -- which foreigners can re-coup in the airport as they leave the country). Our trip is not a "sight-seeing vacation," and really I have no desire for it to be (it's an act of grace, surely, that I'm truly most excited about getting to know the teams and the work they do), but I want to know this place to which we're considering moving, and a little study may come in handy for the trip.

Invitation to the Classics: A Guide to the Books You've Always Wanted to Read -- Historical background and commentary on great classic literature (The Iliad, Great Expectations, Utopia, Pride and Prejudice, Heart of Darkness, etc.) as well as selected quotes and passages. Written from a distinctly Christian worldview, this book also includes sections on works by Augustine, John Calvin, Martin Luther, etc.

February issue, Southern Living magazine -- I love magazines, but rarely splurge on them. The exception is my subscription to Southern Living magazine, and after a day of schooling and purging closets/bookshelves (still on my quest to streamline school and life in general), I actually sat down in my comfy green chair with matching ottoman (thanks Boo and Evan) and perused this latest issue. Looking forward to testing recipes for Creole Fried Rice (for my G-love), Pan-Fried Chicken and Spinach Salad (yum, for me) and King Ranch Chicken Casserole (for the fam, and maybe guests).

My bible, and the World Harvest Sonship bible study

DK Great Artists Explained -- an annotated guide to the works of about 100 "great artists". Gives background on the artists, then an image and interesting analysis of one work each.

The Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner's Guide to Finding, Buying and Appreciating Art on a Budget -- A Christmas gift from my hubby, who knows I long to fill the walls of our home not with "canned" art, but with one-of-a-kind originals. (My children's painted canvasses, the seventies-ish needlepoint purchased at a church rummage sale, and my collection of bird nests and other natural objects all have more appeal to me now than most any framed print I find.) The book provides practical information on buying art (even from little local galleries) and a fascinating look at the competitive world of art collecting.

Prayers from the Heart (by Richard Foster) and The Valley of Vision -- So I don't like canned art, but I do love "canned" prayers. They broaden the way I pray, and help me to express myself when I'm struggling to do so.

A Sense of Wonder: On Reading and Writing Books for Children -- Kept this book out of the library so long, it now belongs to me; they billed me for it. It's a book of essays by Katherine Paterson, two-time winner of the National Book Award and Newberry Medal (Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins). The first essay is all about words (which, ironically, I've been planning to use as the subject of a mini-scrapbook -- my love of words, that is.) Anyway, Paterson writes, "I know as you do, that words can be used for evil as well as good. But we must take that risk. We must try as best we are able to give our children words that will shape their minds so they can make those miraculous leaps of imagination that no sinless computer will ever be able to rival -- those connections in science, in art, in the living of this life, that will reveal the little truths. For it is these little truths that point to the awesome, unknowable unity, the Truth, which holds us together and makes us members one of another." Now I don't agree with everything Paterson says -- even parts of that last statement are problematic -- but her storytelling is captivating, and she causes me to think, to ponder words and their power, to draw connections between "words" and the "Word." And I'm only one essay into the book.

Religious Education Through Story-telling; Education Through Story-telling -- two ancient volumes (actually, only about 80 years old) on the know-how and advantages of clothing educational instruction in literary language. Complete with suggested fables, myths and various other stories for the beginning story-teller. Great for anyone who speaks/teaches -- parents, teachers, Sunday School teachers, homeschoolers, public speakers, etc.

Mad Math -- a book my kids discarded, which I'm using to sharpen my mathematical and cricical thinking skills.

A Book Lover's Diary -- provides space for recording books I want to read, books I want to own, books I share, and books I borrow. Also sections for remembering my favorite books and writing down my favorite passages.

Altered Board Book (Basics and Beyond); Faith Books and Spiritual Journaling (Expressions of Faith through Art) -- two books about scrapbooking ... books. One focuses on altering little kids' board books into new books, the other focuses on making books and journals about scripture, prayer, faith.

The Child from the Sea, and The Poet and the Pauper -- novels by one of my all-time favorite authors (Elizabeth Goudge, Scent of Water and Pilgrim's Inn), and a newly-discovered favorite (George MacDonald).

Don't Make Me Count to Three! A Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline -- probably the one I most need to read, but haven't even started yet.

Understanding Your Man in the Mirror -- not because he's tough to understand, but because I I need and want to give him more of myself.

copybook -- Black leather journal embossed with a flower design, where I record scripture, book passages, poetry, song lyrics, quotes -- any words which resonate with me.

The Art of Life (Edith Schaeffer), Ruthless Trust (Brennan Manning) and a host of others (the table's overflowing).

They say you can learn a lot about a person by looking at their bookshelves. I can definitely see the themes of my life running through the pages on my chairside table.