Half Price Bookstore

Words cannot express how much I love this store; because words cannot express how much I love books. 

I found myself with time to myself today — DS actually had a playdate at someone else’s home.  I am too nice sometimes, yes I am. 

Anyway, I had a coupon burning a hole in my coupon holder.  I had used one yesterday and got this book that I love and had been wanting to find in the hardbound edition.  I had never seen it that way; only in paperback.  Then, there it was!  I quickly and gleefully snatched it off the shelf and it was mine for less than $7.00!

 Today, I went to the other Half Price Bookstore near me to look for another specific book that an author I previously enjoyed had written. Off I marched to the H section of Fiction Literature hardbound and there it was.  No, not the book I was looking for but the book that had originally led me to that author. . .and it was hardbound and in great condition. My copy was an old crappy paperback.   I was so excited; but I played it cool.  I slid the book off the shelf like I knew it would be there and purposefully walked to the children’s section of the store where I found this book for my son.  He has been reading these books about the Presidents (very enjoyable and informative I might add - easy reading with some funny thrown in), anyway I found a book about first ladies that has interesting information about them that I thought would go right along with what he was currently reading. 

I paid for DS book with his gift certificate from the store’s reading program and paid for my discounted used book.  Two books for under $7.00 priceless and it works for me.  Plus, I will add my crappy paperback copy of Isabel’s Daughter and my not so crappy paperback copy of The Secret Lifes of Bees to my bag of books to sell back to the Half Price Bookstore and make a little money to indulge in my not so secret passion with books.  Now that really works for me!

I’m Reflective

You Are Best Described By…

From the Lake, No. 1 by Georgia O’Keeffe

 

What Famous Work of Art Are You?

A Profound Line

I realised that life is as delicate as a butterfly’s wings. It clings to us like a fine spider web that is gone in a breath of wind. Yet we treat it like it is permanent, like it is set in stone, that somehow it is our right to have it for as long as we demand. Truth is, it can be blown away with any breath of wind like a dandelion seed. “

 

I found the above thought in this blog entry and just loved what it said; the honest, truthful simplicity of it struck me in a major way.

 

An idea from WWFM about audiobooks

Carol said…

I love books on tape! I check them out of the library, u/l them into my computer, d/l them into my iPod, listen while I do chores and yardwork then delete them when I’m done.

Now why didn’t I think of that!  I’ll have to ask DH if he can teach me how to do it.  Off to thank Carol.

Goodsearch, Have you heard of it?

The next time you need to do a search, consider using goodsearch.com.  It will donate a penny per search to your charity of choice or to their charity of the day.  It is a good thing an it works for me.

My First Novena

We had friends visit for a few days the first part of the month.  It was great to see them; they will be moving back here next June.  After they left, DH told me he had been contacted about a possible job in Cedar Rapids.  It has taken me until today to come to peace with that possibility.  I thought the job situation was resolved and had already settled in.  Since I’ve been busy with the friends, then the fourth coupled with all my wasted time worries I hadn’t checked my e-mail for my saints studies, etc.  Today I read an entry from July 2nd that proposed a Novena to St. Benedict for Pope Benedict.  How oddly interesting.  When I needed something to cling to; something to change my focus from worry to peaceful acceptance there was an opportunity just waiting for me. 

Now, I’ve never done a Novena but as I understand it I am to pray the same prayer daily until the 11th.  There was even the option of “if you missed starting on the 1st, just say it a few additional times until the 11th!”  I can do this.  The prayer makes you insert in your personal intention and at first I selfishly thought of my weight problem but soon God whispered to me “Julie, it’s about the job, your husband and peaceful acceptance of my will”.  Got it.  So here it goes:

Dear Glorious Saint Benedict, sublime model of virture, pure vessel of God’s grace

I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God.  To you I

have recourse in the dangers that daily surround me.  Shield me against my selfishness

and my indifference to God and to my neighbor.  May your blessing be with me always, so that

I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His Kingdom.  Graciously obtain for me from

God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions

of life.  Your heart was always full of love, compassion and mercy toward

those who were afflicted or trouble in any way.  You never dismissed without

consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to you.  I therefore invoke your powerful

intercessions, confident in the hope that you will hear my prayers and obtain for me the

special grace and favors I earnestly implore.  For the successful reign of Pope Benedict may he

lead the people of the United States to you and for the quick, happy and peaceful resolution of Greg’s job

search.  Help me, oh great Saint Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run

in the sweetness of His loving will, and to attain the eternal happiness

of heaven.  Amen

Homeschooling

A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Demille find book at Amazon.com.

A Good Day

Today’s Regnum Christi reading included the resolution to go receive the Eucharist today.  I had already decided when we woke up that we would be going to Mass today.  I love how God works. 

Afterwards we ran errands including dropping off a donation to Goodwill, shopping in Goodwill (purchased an unusual small brown ceramic lamp and a small rectangular bowl that was also brown ceramic); then on to the Half Price Bookstore where I finally found a hardback copy of Nora Roberts Montana Sky.  I have been looking for this for probably six years.  That was the very first Nora Roberts book I read and I really enjoyed it — it was a very different read than what I had been reading at the time.  Since then, I’ve read some of her other books but none of them have impacted me like this one.  I also found a Kids Concordance which Rob and I will greatly enjoy as well as a biography on John F Kennedy by Kaplan that I think Rob will enjoy.  After that it was on to Lifeway Bookstore — I had never been there and will probably not ever go again but I did find the book I was looking for in the bargain section (Praying the Bible with Your Family by David and Heather Kopp).  Again I think Rob an I will really enjoy this.  About Lifeway Bookstore, as well as any other Christian bookstore that totally ignores Mary.  You know Mary (not the Mary who annoyed Martha and not Mary Magdelene) but Mary; the MOTHER of Jesus.  Having come from the Baptist faith converting to the Catholic faith and finally understanding the devotion Catholics have to Mary I just think shame, shame on those who ignore the mother of Jesus.  What is God going to say to those who have neglected his mother so?  I don’t know but I am very glad that I won’t have to find out first hand.  I could really go on and on about this but I will stop here.  I am very grateful to have learned that this store might be selling this book in their bargain center and I am sure Rob and I will benefit greatly from it; for that I am grateful.

A Daily Must Read

Everyday I read this blog.  I am a subscriber to the Regnum Christi site but this blog has that plus much more.  I highly recommend you checking it out.

From Regnum Christi

2. God First
“I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” We can teach catechism, join a religious movement, be on the parish council, help at soup kitchens, or even be ordained a priest; but, do we know Christ? Are we striving to have a true, personal, intimate friendship with Jesus? Are we allowing Christ’s teaching to soak into every fiber of our life? This passage is a wake-up call to all of us involved in good works. We need to be on guard never to neglect God because of the work we do for God: that is, subtly allow what we do to become more important than the one we do it for.

3. Building on Solid Ground
“The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.” Christ is the true foundation of our life; yet this is a foundation we ourselves have to lay by maintaining a constant prayer life, finding time for silence and reflection on Scripture, going to the Sacraments, and strengthening our will through small sacrifices. This foundation is laid in the peace before the storm. When the ferocious floods, rains and winds arrive, it’s too late to lay a foundation—what has been built is all we have to rely on for safety. Christ reminds us to build on solid ground now so as to be prepared for the storms that lie ahead.