While 2011 has not been without its good moments (I wrote a book!!!), it has been a tough year and I am not sorry to see it go. Here's to 2012! But first, the best of December.
Read and Reading:
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt (Hoffman) was a delightful treat. The rich characterization drew me in to this Southern tale from the start. It's beautiful to watch CeeCee, a precocious 12 year old, go from her mentally ill mother's caretaker to being cared for by her great-aunt.
I finished Metaxas's Bonhoeffer biography! It was a lengthy but worthy read. I knew that Bonhoeffer was involved in the failed plot to assassinate Hitler and that he was a gifted theologian before I read this but little else. Metaxas's research and interviews, along with quotes from Bonhoeffer's letters and sermons draw us in to Bonhoeffer's life, from his upbringing to his reaction to Hitler's ascent to power. As with anything connected to World War II or the Holocaust, it baffles me how many people and countries could have intervened to stop Hitler and didn't. How many lives could have been saved? While it took some time and several failed attempts, Bonhoeffer involved himself in the cause as both a German and a Christian. He's well worth looking up to.
Currently reading Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith From Politics (Harris), Long Walk to Freedom (Mandela) (Um, wow. I'm only 200 pages in but I'm blown away. This autobiography is well written and completely compelling.), When Helping Hurts (Corbett and Fikkert), and The War of Art (Pressfield).
(I only read 4 books this month. But I finished writing my novel and I had a lovely Christmas home so I'm not complaining.)
TV: My must-see TV: Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Parenthood, Parks & Rec, The New Girl.
I am full-on obsessed with Downton Abbey. Obsessed. The second season beginsJanuary 8 and I can't wait.
Movies: Multiple viewings of Elf and White Christmas. Sadly, I didn't get around to watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. What's your favorite Christmas movie?
Music: I finished the Ode to Friendship Collection 2011 mix! Now I can focus on finding artists that will will eventually be on the 2012 mix. Huzzah!
New discoveries: The Head and the Heart, Seryn, Sarah Hart, Among Savages.
Christmas music: Bebo Norman, Over the Rhine, Relient K (I have no idea how this came to be in my possession but I love it), and Hotel Cafe Winter Songs were my primary companions.
Christmas concerts- Ben Rector & Matt Wertz, Mindy Smith, Dave Barnes, Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, and Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God. I could gush about all of these shows. Suffice it to say, I've picked up a few new Christmas traditions.
In the Blogosphere:
"It's Time We Talked About It." Annie Downs wrote about singleness for (in)courage. The site will be intentionally focusing on singles over the next year. Loved reading through the comments for the solidarity alone.
I'm often moved by Sarah's posts at My Tropic of Cancer. Another Chapter was no exception. "That was the last time I asked, Where is God when I’m hurting? Because that day I heard the answer. He’s right here. And He’s been here all along."
This was the best thing I read about the death of Christopher Hitchens, written by his brother no less.
"That's the trick of Advent, the mystery of it, the frustration of it...God is with us. God is absent. God is coming. God is come. God isn't at all what we think or want. God is exactly what we need." Already. Not Yet. fully grasps the difficulty of waiting and why we must.
Our Transient Generation over at Relevant is a call to action for why practicing hospitality and opening our homes is a must, no matter what our circumstances may be.
Loved, loved, loved Preston Yancey's This One's For the Sisters piece. So powerful and moving, along with the follow up posts. I appreciate Preston's willingness to stand up for women, as well as show another way when discussing flawed theology.
What have you been into this month? Hope you have fun celebrating the new year!
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