Enjoying… / View from the Prairie Box

Elisabeth Elliot’s A Chance to Die: I started off not enjoying this book at all. Elliot’s verbose descriptions, perhaps encouraged after reading so many of Carmichael’s no-doubt wordy paragraphs, and the slow pace almost shut down my efforts. But I was very interested in the subject matter and eager to learn about the work of Amy Carmichael in India. I ended the biography impressed, and more than a little bit challenged, by the missionary’s all-consuming desire to serve the Lord.
Dancing with the Stars: I missed the summer installment of this show but, in a tired moment last night at 8pm, caught the new season premiere. Ballroom alone can’t hold my attention; pairing a “celebrity” novice with a professional however can. Livia even caught the excitement and swayed and clapped with vigor on my knees. Who knows? Maybe she’ll be a dancer someday. If she is, we’ll put Nana in charge costuming in order to maintain a proper level of conservative dress. (I discovered in a phone call that Mom didn’t so much like some of the skimpy outfits.)
Drunkard’s Prayer, Over the Rhine: This album is so so good, so so rich and full of beauty. Almost everything on my iPod is getting ignored for OTR these days.
Sleep: Thanks to Baby Tylenol Cough and Cold, Sesame Street (which got me about 15 desperately needed snooze minutes yesterday morning), my mom (who graciously provided about an hour of naptime yesterday afternoon), and God (who answered prayers in the affirmative last night). Yup, my poor babycakes has a yucko cold.
The Broker, John Grisham: Andrew left this one behind at my folks’ house, so I snagged it and read it voraciously in about three days. Intellectuals can poo-poo Grisham all they want—I love his stuff. For me it’s the novel equivalent of watching the DVD version of LOST. I get so far in mentally that I end up falling asleep at night rethinking that evening’s adventures. Good stuff.