My Book Recommendations

Recently someone asked me whether a certain book review I had posted recommended a book appropriate for Christians.  I had to think about it for a while and I'm not quite sure how to respond.  

Christianity encompasses a large and diverse group of people; from extremely conservative denominations to extremely liberal denominations.  Even within each denomination each church varies in it's accepted practices.  

As an anabaptist Mennonite I can tell you that Mennonite communities have very different rules to live by known as Ordnung.  If you move from one community to another the Ordnung changes and you adjust your behavior, dress and worship to fit the new community.  Or if you are like me and live in an area without a community you adjust your life to fit your personal and family's beliefs.

I don't choose to censor myself or other Christians.  We have to abide by the rules that are set by our personal Christian beliefs or those of our community.  However, I have put warning notices at the end of my reviews when a book contains graphic sex, violence, etc.

I will endeavor in the future to also include triggers for rape, child abuse, etc. that may cause distress to a reader.  I am going to allow my readers to choose books based on their self knowledge and consciences.

God bless,

Pam

Weight Loss and Other Horror Stories

Last weekend I stepped on the scale and realized that I had done something that I always swore I would never do:  I now weigh more than 200 pounds.  I didn't get here quickly, rather it was a slow process over 16 years of one physical illness after another.  Forced inactivity morphed into voluntary inactivity.

I have every reason to want to lose weight.  It will certainly help with my blood pressure and joint issues.  But I also have medical problems to work around.  A combination of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis make exercise a win/lose proposition.  It's hard to motivate yourself to exercise when you know the result will be later pain and a wrong move will result in joint damage.

But it's time.  So, I'm setting Pam style goals for myself.  I want to walk into Target and buy something off the rack.  I figure I need to lose 80 pounds to reach my fighting weight, but have set a goal of weighing 155 pounds by the end of August.  That's about 10 pounds a month, but I'll be happy with 2 pounds a week.

I need weight loss buddies, so I will be posting updates and venting about my progress or lack thereof during the upcoming months.

Next week my daughter is going on her sixth grade trip to St. Augustine, Florida and I am going along as a chaperone.  Please pray for me to have physical strength and endurance.  I love history and am looking forward to seeing the historical sites, but being with a group of hormone surging preteens, not so much.

You have probably noticed the book reviews I have been posting lately.  As I find books that I can recommend as uplifting, educational, amusing and lacking overt sexual acts, I will be sharing them with you.  This may lead into a second blog, but we will see.

Take care.

God bless,
Pam