101 Books of 2022

I made a goal this year to read 100 different books.

I am so excited to announce that I have made and exceeded that goal!

Many on my list are children's books (hey, I have kids!), and some are definitely adult.  Most I would highly recommend and a couple I would most definitely NOT (Summer Sisters).  I tried to get a good variety in my reading this year and not get stuck in a pattern (though series, such as Enola Holmes, are so much fun!).  My list includes a lot of fiction with some non-fiction mixed in.  Some were on the library recommended shelves or app (Walking in Tall Weeds) or had interesting covers (The Tripods) or titles (Fortunately the Milk).  Some I read to the kids as read-alouds (The Green Ember), but most I read on my own.  Several I started reading and thought, "This is weird...  Should I keep going?"  (Snared trilogy)  But most of those ended up being some of my favorites, so don't get stuck on the first few pages or chapters of a new book!  I have to admit, a handful were also prereading before handing to my kids for school (such as Lies Young Women Believe).

Each of these books has made a lasting impact on me.  As I typed up the list for this post, I relived each book in my mind and smiled.  They're not "just" books.  They all are a part of me now - a part of what makes me who I am. Nearly all of these books made me stop and think.  They helped me grow as a person, as a Christian, as a wife and mother, and as a homeschooler.  Charlotte Mason may consider a good portion of them twaddle, but I have learned through this experience that even "twaddle" can be edifying and benefit one's growth.  Getting out of my comfort zone through several of these books has also taught me a lot about what I believe and why and how others see the world and why - even those couple of books I would definitely NOT recommend.

I know you're wondering how I made time to read so many books.  And the answer is, I have no idea!  LOL  I always read during breakfast and lunch and of course read-aloud time with the kids.  But this year I sometimes read during the kids' Quiet Time (this is their Bible, prayer, and reading time).  I also read in the afternoons and evenings, sometimes before bed, and any other little snippets I could grab (like standing in the kitchen waiting for something to boil).  It was challenging to fit it in, but by the end of the year, it is second nature to pull out a book instead of my phone or sitting in front of the computer or TV.  I am well pleased with that outcome of my experiment!

Would I recommend such a lofty goal to others?  For one year, yes, I definitely would!  It was so much fun and a great challenge!  But I do feel very behind this year because I concentrated on reading instead of on other things.  On the other hand, I also believe this stretched me to not overplan or constantly replan.  It forced me to arrange my time to accommodate different priorities.  For that lesson, I am truly thankful!  My kids had a pretty consistent year of school without me constantly trying to make it "better."  Hence I think I have also learned the secret to "However Imperfectly," the title of a book by Andrew Pudewa of Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW).  My kids' education doesn't have to be perfect, or even perfectly consistent.  It just has to be.

Another happy consequence of this venture?  Because they see Mom reading so much, I notice some of the kids reading a little bit more, too.  Now that is something that truly makes my heart sing!

By the way, this list does not include all the magazine & newspaper articles, blog posts, etc that I've read.  All books on my list were chapter books or longer (so no picture books), and I didn't even include a few chapter books because they were SO short.  Yeah, I read a lot...

So without further ado, here are the 101 books I enjoyed in 2022:

1. Lies Young Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth & Dannah Gresh
2. Summer of the Wolves by Polly Carlson-Voiles
3. Socks by Beverly Cleary
4. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
5. Ellen Tebbits by Beverly Cleary
6. Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary
7. Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
8. Gory Deaths by Jonathan Schkade
9. Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
10. The True Story of Noah's Ark by Tom Dooley
11. Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary
12. Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
13. Fifteen by Beverly Cleary
14. Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary
15. The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary
16. On the Wings of a Whisper by Lynnette Bonner
17. A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott
18. Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott
19. Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary
20. A View Most Glorious by Regina Scott
21. Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary
22. Jean and Johnny by Beverly Cleary
23. Leave It to Beaver by Beverly Cleary
24. Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
25. Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep
26. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
27. Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary
28. The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne
29. Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary
30. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
31. Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
32. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary
33. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
34. Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary
35. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
36. Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
37. Blubber by Jude Blume
38. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
39. Fade to Us by Julia Day
40. E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core by William Joyce
41. Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
42. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
43. The Tripods: The White Mountains by John Christopher
44. How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg
45. Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary
46. Strider by Beverly Cleary
47. The Wolf Keepers by Elise Broach
48. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
49. Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman
50. Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall by Emily Bearn
51. Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary
52. The Tripods: The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher
53. Tumtum and Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Adventures by Emily Bearn
54. The Tripods: The Pool of Fire by John Christopher
55. The Tripods: When the Tripods Came by John Christopher
56. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White
57. ADHD & Us by Anita Robertson
58. Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer
59. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
60. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
61. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
62. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer
63. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer
64. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer
65. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Gypsy Good-Bye by Nancy Springer
66. The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
67. Redwall by Brian Jacques
68. Mattimeo by Brian Jacques
69. Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie
70. Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nance Springer
71. Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W. Pearson
72. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
73. Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners by Cindy West
74. Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman
75. Mossflower by Brian Jacques
76. The Bride of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep
77. Bed-knob and Broomstick by Mary Norton
78. The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World by Stephen J. Nichols
79. A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements
80. Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliott
81. Saving Normal by Allen Frances, M.D.
82. The Homeschool Experiment by Charity Hawkins
83. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
84. The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend: The Secret of Bigfoot Valley by Gertrude Chandler Warner
85. Auggie and Me: 3 Wonder Stories by R. J. Palacio
86. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
87. The Green Ember by S. D. Smith
88. The Black Star of Kingston by S. D. Smith
89. Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson
90. Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee
91. Snared: Escape to the Above by Adam Jay Epstein
92. The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
93. Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King
94. Snared: Lair of the Beast by Adam Jay Epstein
95. Snared: Voyage on the Eversteel Sea by Adam Jay Epstein
96. The Other Side of the Wall by Amy Ephron
97. Abel's Island by William Steig
98. Knight's Castle by Edward Eager
99. The Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron
100. Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa de la Cruz
101. Never After: The Stolen Slippers by Melissa de la Cruz

Have you ever read any of the books on my list from this year?  What books would you recommend to me for 2023?

God Asked Me a Question

I've been slowly working my way through the book of Isaiah lately, and as I began chapter 55, I stopped at the second verse, unable to move on because it spoke so clearly to me.  

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?" (NIV84) Isaiah asks.  

"Good question," I replied.  But I found myself pondering my current life.  I have felt behind most of this past year, both with time and with money.  My life is hurried and anxious.  I realize my priorities need to shift, and Isaiah's question prods me to rethink how I'm spending my precious resources with which God has blessed me.

Humans have a sinful tendency to misspend time and money, but in exploring my own personal reasons for doing exactly opposite of my good intentions, I have discovered several habits that need pruning.  Firstly, I am forever seeking satisfaction - perfection, really.  I want things to be "right" and "just so."  It seems that if I could only find the right thing, person, behavior, I can fill the hole in my heart that so desperately needs filling.  Through the process of refining myself, my family, and my home, I convince myself that I will look good, or at least better, to others.  Good impressions are important to me, for better or worse, and perhaps people will like me or accept me if I was more organized, less forgetful, had better behaved or academically brighter children, and the list goes on.  Admittedly, sometimes I do wish my life was different.  I love adventure and "new," and sometimes my life feels dull and repetitive compared to others' Facebook, Pinterest, or fictional book lives.  I get stuck in my favorite pet sins: breaking good habits, overplanning, perfectionism, and forgetting my place in God's hierarchy, all stemming from being caught in Satan's lies, especially, "Did God really say," the same lie he's been telling humans since the Garden of Eden.  Listening to him and his many variations on that lie creates a busy, hurried life, in turn causing anger, hurt, and frustration for everyone in my household.  Misspending my time and money on account of my own sinful flesh hurts more than just myself.  It hurts my family, other relationships beyond my front door, and, most importantly, it destroys my relationship with God.

Am I wasting my life away?  I feel like I am missing my childrens' childhoods, time racing by.  In only five years, more than half my kids will be adults.  That realization hits me hard.  They'll be gone before I know it, and here I am wasting precious time making sure they have a perfect homeschool experience.  Except I can't make it perfect.  I can only aim high, fail, get behind, aim higher, and fail again.  Why am I spending my labor on what does not - cannot - satisfy?  Why am I wasting my life away?

Worse yet, I am missing out on that amazing relationship I could have with my husband, the relationship God intended and purposed for us.  Instead I have put the kids first and, selfishly, myself and my own goals.  I am his helpmeet and no one else's.  God wants me to enjoy the spousal relationship in which He has placed me.  I have so often brushed it aside in favor of other, seemingly more pressing, matters.  Satan's lies have won me on far too many occasions.  The husband-wife relationship I crave is in grasp, if only I would look at what God has placed in front of me.

Still, too, in my busyness I have missed out on fostering relationships outside the four walls of my home, new and old.  Those relationships, fostered or neglected, could have eternal consequences, positive or negative.  I could be making new friends who can teach and encourage me instead of hiding behind my busy to-do list in order to mask my anxiety and fear.  I could be strengthening family and extended family ties.  I could be winning souls for Christ.  I should be busy building friendships that honor Jesus and all He's done for me.

I must turn my attention, my focus, my eyes on what does satisfy.  God's Word fills me, satisfying every desire.  The love of Jesus and His forgiveness of MY sins, MY shortcomings, and MY good I've left undone washes ME clean and leaves me willing to do HIS will.  As God fills the hole in my heart, it spills over into my daily interactions with people - my spouse, my children, and all those beyond my front door, neighbor, friend, family, and stranger - strengthening relationships so that they may see the love of Christ shining like a welcome beacon of light through ME.  Then I use my God-given strengths and talents to do God's good work in my life, whatever He has called me to, daily submitting to Him and His will for me.  All this brings about His peace, love, and joy, growing me into who He wants me to become, preparing me for tomorrow's service, cultivating in me the spiritual growth needed to bring me closer to Him in truth and love.  The fruits of the Spirit are the natural culmination of God's working in and through me.  Satisfaction in this world comes only when I turn my focus and life's work on Him who did it all for me.

God has bestowed on me such amazing blessings and resources.  The blessings of other people in my life should prompt me to spend my precious resources of time, money, and energy on those other humans and especially on the Giver of all.  I must focus on Jesus and the cross in order to keep my priorities in the correct order.  

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?"  

Good question, Lord, and thank You for asking it.