Hello, I'm Grace. I Love to Read

       I've always loved to read.  I wanted to live in a boxcar.  I longed to build my own log cabin.  And I'm pretty sure actual heart felt tears were shed because elves weren't real.

       As a young mom reading was sort of set aside.  I got through quite a few marriage and parenting books and of course The Lord of the Rings beckoned me every few years, but not much else.  As the kiddos got a little older and their attention span lasted longer than "Go Dogs, Go",  I pulled out "Little House in the Big Woods" to read aloud and my world  has never been the same.

      C.S. Lewis said, " A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.", and that has rung so true in our family.  The hours we've spent piled up in a heap, eagerly anticipating what is going to happen next are some of the happiest of my memories.  Reading aloud with my children reminded me of the beauty of stories.  

       And then, another remarkable event happened.  One by one, my girls began to learn to read.  There is nothing like working to inspire a love of reading in your children to awaken that smoldering passion in yourself.  It was around that time we discovered the library.  As lame as that sounds it's pretty much true.  How did we do without the library for so many years I will never know.  Thankfully that's behind us so I don't have to think about it.

       The biggest boost to my reading world recently has been my incredible friend, Anne.  Pretty sure she deserves an entire post of her own so I won't go on too much right now except to say if you want good recommendations or just totally fun book thoughts, check out her blog here or follow here on facebook at ElizabethAnne Reads.

       I'm a bit of an eclectic reader in that I enjoy a bit of everything.  Lord of the Rings are and will forever be my favorites.  It's not even approachable.  I must read Tozer every so often.  My soul just needs it.  I love a good biography, autobiography or memoir, but mostly only if I can approach it, not if it's forced upon me.  I love mysteries, fantasy, classics.  I've dipped my toe into sci-fi with mostly positive reactions.  I still adore children's books and books written by Christian authors that challenge my thoughts and my heart.  I have a very soft spot for what my friend called "eerie" books.  I'm really a very beginning reader.  Until the last year I was about a 95% "re-reader" so I'm really just still splashing around and finding out all that I enjoy!

        I know that everyone has a different standard as to what books they will read (or movies they will watch, or music they will listen to).  I think it can be very hard to convey why effectively.  I won't go into too much depth other than to say, I certainly do not only read Christian books (though I respect those who do).  I do not read purely for enjoyment.  Everything I read challenges how I think, and to me there is great importance in rubbing shoulders with thoughts and ideas that I may have never considered or even completely disagree with.

       Whew.  Pretty sure that's about as condensed as I can get when it comes to this subject!