I heart books

I love books!  I love the way the pages feel when I turn them.  I love the way they smell (I know, weird), and I love talking about books with others.  Mostly I love it when a book touches me personally and profoundly.  I share my love of books with my mother, who might just love books and reading a wee bit more than me (it's true).  I don't think I'll ever forget the season of our life this fall (right before Mike lost his job) when she and I would spend 30 minutes a day talking about "The Unlikely Disciple."  We were completely engrossed with that book.  We laugh that my mom and sister have teaching in common and my mom and I have our books!  Praise be to God for that.  However, lately I haven't read any book that's just "taken me in."  I must admit this saddens me and frustrates me, especially since I'm a member of a book club.  Last month my book club read, "A Man Called Ove."  My book club loved it, except for me and one other woman.  I always berate myself when I don't like a book.  I find that if a book doesn't "grab" me fairly quickly then I lose interest.  The beauty of good friends is they get you!  For my birthday, Sarah and Jenny presented me with the book "Hope Heals."  It's a true story written by Jay and Katherine Wolf.  When 26 year old Katherine was a new wife and mother she suffered a massive stroke.  All the odds were stacked against Katherine and Jay.  I've asked myself if my marriage would have survived such a catastrophe at such a young age and I simply don't know the answer to that.  I'm more than half way through the book and I've laughed but mostly I've cried.  Their story is so profound.  As I'm reaching the end of the story I find myself saying to myself how much I'd love to be Katherine's friend - not in a weird stalking way (ha).  I want to hug her and tell her how much her story touched me, how much I appreciated her honesty and Jay's too.  When I think of how hard her recovery was and then to write their story in such a beautiful, honest, raw way, I am truly amazed.  If anyone is looking for encouragement or going through a tough time I highly recommend "Hope Heals," it will completely change the way you look at your own challenges.