Something Beautiful for God

I recently read the book "Something Beautiful for God" by Malcolm Muggeridge. It is a view into Mother Teresa's life and work. The book is broken into three parts. Part One is the author's view and perspective on Mother Teresa's lifestyle and dedication to her faith. The author is not catholic and doesn't anticipate that he will ever join the church despite his feelings of wanting to belong to something great. There are some very political and religious points the author makes and I was grateful for his willingness to share his own perspective on Mother Teresa's life. While discussing the value of life he states that life is always precious or it is never precious, but it can't be precious some of the time and disregarded other times. People are therefore all precious all of the time or no one is ever precious. Part Two includes Mother Teresa's philosophies on topics such as Service, Prayer, Holiness, Silence, Love, and many other poignant ideas. This is a refreshing look at how intricately her religion is woven into her life. Her love for Christ affects every aspect of her life, as it very well should. I was touched by her dedication to religious services and the strength she drew from worshipping the Lord. She needed Him daily and made prayer and worship the highest priority every day. Part Three is an interview between the author and Mother Teresa. There is only dialog, no fillers or third party interpretations. I could really get a sense of Mother Teresa's simple view on life and how to serve God. Her faith and devotion shine brilliantly and I enjoyed reading her words.

I remember being in high school when she passed away. I did not know very much about Mother Teresa other than she was a nun who received the Noble Peace Prize and was rather old and homely looking. Since reading this book I have come to appreciate the way she lived her life and the philosophies she treasured and shared with the world. Mother Teresa taught school to the poor children in the neighborhood. She also created a place to tend to the unwanted babies (a growing trend among the middle-class youth is to induce early labor and leave the fetus with the midwives). This kind woman found a way to purchase a printing press for the lepers so they would be able to make pamphlets and sell them to the public to provide for their livelihood. I was especially touched by the Home for the Dying. A place of beauty for the homeless and forgotten people to die peacefully. A place for the forsaken to be loved one last time before leaving the cruel world they had known.

I feel the need to follow Christ's example and serve others. Some days I am overwhelmed by the insurmountable task to be Christlike in all things, however, I am filled with hope when I find others who have succeeded and live truly beautiful lives. Mother Teresa speaks volumes when she says the basic need every individual must receive is love. Human love.

August Goals Report

Well, well, well... August goals?! August was a lost cause as far as goals went. It was all I could do to survive it. But we made it out alive and September is looking much more productive! On the bright side of things, we did try two new dessert recipes. Frozen ice cream squares (not so successful at a baby shower) and strawberry freeze crunch were this months tasty treats. I'd post the recipes, but that would require more typing...maybe in the future or if requested. Edwin really enjoyed the strawberry freeze crunch, it was one of his favorite desserts growing up. We were able to share this with several people in our little community. I like dessert groups where we get to know a few new people in the complex! I tried a few new dinner recipes, but I can't even remember which ones I tried....must have had some pretty good food at my place this month, eh? Oh, well. There is always another day for a new recipe! Exercise 3 days a week! Ha! Ha! Ha! I did get a lot of reading done this month thanks to feeding time with Anne. Nothing shouts READ more than being compelled to sit down for 20 min every couple of hours! Here's the list Just Two More Bites-Linda Piette This had some creative ways to help picky toddlers get involved with preparation. Grace now helps make her sandwiches, pudding, and we have lots of dips! Boy do kids like to dip their food! I especially liked the advice to plan meals out monthly (something Edwin and I have been doing for a few years) and make your shopping list as you plan the monthly menu. This is something I'm going to try for September, hopefully it will eliminate the need to look through recipes as often as I do. I devised a worksheet for dinner plans and I already have two weeks put together...wish me luck! The No Cry Sleep Solution- Elizabeth Pantley Grace had a difficult time sleeping since Anne has been home from the hospital. While I was up through the nights with Anne, Edwin was up comforting Grace. We have censored what we watch on television and banished the Incredibles for now. Mostly this book was help me stay calm while we worked on helping Grace to take naps and sleep more at night. She is still waking up sometimes, but there has been a major decline in her terrors. I'm glad she is finally taking naps again! Good Nights- Jay Gordon This book is about co-sleeping and I enjoyed reading it. How Clean is your House?- Kim Woodburn This was something "just for fun". I laughed while taking the "housekeeping test". The way some things were depicted were hilarious to me because I know I would never want to admit some of my bad habits in public but I could admit them while I read them. Now I know "I'm NOT the ONLY one who does THAT!" HA! Cut the Clutter, Stow the Stuff- edited by Lori Baird This was about organization and learning to cut back the clutter that fills our house. Our place is getting smaller as our family is growing, and I'm getting excited about moving. However, I don't want to pack things that we have "just because" and I want to cut back on our clutter! The opening chapter is about cluttering personalities and it was interesting to find out why I do the things I do! I'm a collector-tosser-dropper person. Edwin was perplexed that I can be both a collector of things and a tosser. Thankfully there was a whole section devoted to my type of clutter bugs! I collect things until I get to my breaking point then I go crazy and throw everything away. Usually I end up throwing away Edwin's things...I'm going to have to work on that! I was glad to know that even the people who appear to be most organized are often the rulers of clutter, they are just addicted to storage bins but they have clutter just like everyone else. So there you have it Martha Stewart, the word is out you have clutter too!!! This was a lengthy book, but it was broken up so you could skip the things that don't apply to your house. Since we have a small apartment I was glad I didn't have to think about the garage, the attic, the spare rooms, and the other places you hope no one will ever see! This is one book I would consider owning... with a bigger house in our near future I don't want it to become a bigger place to keep more junk. One thing I really liked about this book was the references it gave to productively and safely get rid of your stuff. For example, all the bath and shower gel you receive that you don't necessary want to use...give to a shelter for battered women. Books and old computers....call the after-school programs to see what they will take. I tend to clean out my stuff one of two ways; trash can or thrift store. This book really opened my eyes for ways to recycle my things that can truly help others. Granted I may have to work a bit harder, but certainly worthwhile. I now have a list of places where I can make donations and provide service as my lifestyle permits. All in all, I liked this book! Word of caution...they have some pretty tacky ways to control clutter too! YIKES! Taunton's Home Storage Idea Book- Joanne Keller Bouknight This is a bit more idealistic in organizing a home. Unlike Cut the Clutter, Stow the Stuff, this book deals more with space and design in your home for the messy comings and goings. I really enjoyed reading it and took some notes for future home plans. I think this really helps to examine how to create a space for your life-style. A good read for those who are planning to build a home in the future. Delicious and Dependable Slow Cooker Recipes- Judith Finlayson Read two books for crock pots and realized....if it's not roast or soup it's not for me and my crock pot. Found a roast recipe that Grace called "Yummy Meat". So I guess I'll keep that recipe for future Sunday dinners. I think crock pots serve a great purpose for Sunday roast. I was hoping to use my slow cooker more than periodically, but I guess Sunday dinner is going to be about it. Oh well, another lesson I learned about me.