Monday, June 28, 2010

Setting a Reading Goal: 100 Books in 2010

Reading rates are down even as literacy rises. Americans can read; we just don’t.

Harry Potter has at least infused a generation of children with the joy of reading, but it is difficult to know whether that will translate into reading more serious works in future years.

Christians tend to read more than non-Christian counterparts, but a quick glance at the book selection in your local Christian bookstore will deflate your bubble of joy. Serious books for serious minds are usually relegated to the back of the bookstore (or occasionally in the bargain bin!).

I felt an odd mixture of joy and sadness at last year’s Southern Baptist Convention as I came across row after row of great books marked way below their regular price. I was happy for the great deals. I was saddened to know that the reason the greatest books were on sale was because they weren’t selling.

Several years ago, I began setting a goal of reading 100 books a year. That’s roughly two books a week. 2007 was the first year I met the quota. Since then, several people have asked about setting goals for book-reading. Others have asked, Can it really be done? Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Set a reasonable goal.
If you’re not already an avid reader, don’t try for 100. You might try for 40-50 in 2008. Let me encourage you to set the bar high. But don’t make it so high you can never make it.

2. Read everywhere.
Waiting for a haircut? Read. Waiting at the doctor’s office? Read. Going on a trip? Read. Watching TV? Read. Taking a bath? Read. Getting dressed in the morning? Listen to an Audio Book while you’re combing your hair, brushing your teeth, taking a shower. Boring sermon? Read. (Just kidding on that last one… although I will admit that as a kid I used to read Scripture if the preacher was making me sleepy.) Get in the habit of reading anywhere and everywhere.

3. Read faster.
I’ve given some tips on faster reading before on this blog, so let me just summarize them quickly. Don’t read out loud. Use your finger or a bookmark to follow the lines on the page. Pace yourself so that you are forcing your eyes to take in the lines and paragraphs faster than you normally would read. Stop reading word-for-word, and start reading line-by-line.

4. Read smarter.
If you’re reading an intellectual work, read the introduction and conclusion of the chapter first. Glance at the subtitles and get an idea for where the author is going. Then go back and read the chapter quickly. You will be able to fly through the chapter because you’ll already know what the author is saying.

5. Turn off the TV.
Start using your down time to read good magazines and good books. Don’t let entertainment rob you of your brain cells. Wake up a little earlier in the morning to get some reading in (if you can stay awake).

6. Read what you like.
Find books on topics that interest you. Read widely. Don’t get into a rut of only reading one type of book from one theological persuasion. Read some fiction. Read biographies. Read the classics. Mix it up and keep it interesting. If you start a book and don’t like it, put it down. Don’t slow yourself down by sludging through a book. Better to find another book you like more and read it.

7. Stretch yourself.
Don’t read just what you like. Push yourself to read important books and not fluff. Take a look at what great Christian thinkers are reading and read those books too. Read famous authors. Read hard books. Just make sure you read hard books in between more enjoyable books so you don’t lose your passion for reading. Who knows? You might start liking the books that stretch you.

I hope these words of advice inspire you to set a reading goal in 2010. Happy reading!

This post was adapted from an earlier post on January 1, 2008.


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this is my goal for one year:
1.to read 100 books or at LEAST one book a week (thats a bout 50}
2.read 4 chapters of my bible daily
3.45-60 mins of exercise a day
4.saving more money

Monday, June 21, 2010

Just Writting

so how is EVERYONE??? beautiful women of god. imma just tell u about the happening sin my life right now and we can just conversate off of that.

1. i am TOTALLY excited about starting my own little business. i will be making handmade jewelry to sell and half of all proceeds will go to a breast cancer organization or some sort of charity. Also i will be making blankets/ shawls to give to the homeless this winter.

2. Today i restart my exercise rutine. i had to stop for a week or so because i had a UTI that had me sick to my stomach.

3.I LOOOOVE reading. i have FALLEN IN LOVE with the local library. i think this Friday my daughter and i are going to go to the main library downtown. ITS HUGE!!! Right now im reading a book called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. its about how couples express thier love for one another. and how we sometimes miss the mark with each other because your partner's love language ( or the way he recieves/ gives love) may be different then yours. Actually THAT one my best friend gave me

4. My prayer life/ bible reading has GREATLY increased in the past few months. we pray more often together as a family and i do my bible reading ALMOST daily. still working on this. But i am happy its increased as much as it has. and my desire to do it has.

5. TOTALLY enjoying the girl time i have been spending with my daughter. shes SOOOOOO much fun. this past wekend she and i took the bus downtown to the African American Heritage festival. we saw Leela James and ate and played games. and got free stuff. HAD A BLAST!! i think this Friday she and i are either going to go downtown to the main library or to the beach. if we go to the beach we are going to take crabs and watermelon and cold subs. YUP all that for just her and i . Daddy will be at work. so we take girl time while he's there.

6. This weekend is my husband's birthday. By his birthday only being one week away from father's i usually ony get him ONE gift. this year he has COMPLETELY fallen in love with bowling and expressed his want of a custom made ball. so i will get him that. he ALSO on the slide brought up that he would like to have a wallet cause he said he feels stupid and immature carrying his stuff around loosly in his pockets. i agree. but he only thinks he's getting the bowling ball. so he is actual birthday isnt until Tuesday, but he will be celebrating it on Saturday of course. I am going to give him his ball on Saturday. But on Tuesday imma surprise him with a nice leather ingraved wallet. loool. HE"S GONNA FLIP!! he deserves it. i LOVE HIM!! and im going to buy him the BIGGEST steak and potatoes and fry it up for him and give him that with some steamed broccoli. i saw these steaks in the grocery store the other day that were the BIGGEST steaks iv EVER seen. JUST HUGE!. loool

Seem like it was something eles i had to say...but i forgot. loool. So thats some of the happenings in my life right now. i cant believe i just wrote all that.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Weekend Foolery: 6/19-6/20

posin like the pretty girl she is!


This weekend poots and i went to the African American Heritage Festival. HAD A BLAST!! We watched Leela James perform. Her hair is sooo glorious in person!! those pictures do her hair NO justice!!!








POOTS AND I !!!

she and i always have a BLAST together!

VACATION PICS

please pardon my lateness. we actually went on this vacation about a month ago. and i lost a lot of the pictures. but this is the gist of our vacation. the only even im missing in picture form that we did was go cart racing We went to a candy warehouse. it was COOL!! We went to play mini golf. and poots wanted her turn Poots and grandma playing in the house. looool.rough housin! we went Paintball shooting. it was a BLAST!!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Took Down the Rihanna video

I didnt like it. it was deamonic in my opinion. So iv decided instead to just write. i have been battling TERRIBLE bouts of depression all week. i have been CRYING,and ANGRY and nauseous. After my breakdown earlier this week, i just cant seem to pull myself together. and its not just this situation with my mom. its MORE then that. its: 1. What if my marriage fails, and i fall flat on my face? 2. would i go back to being a JW? i wouldnt want to but at the same time i would want to go to the same church Devin does. 3.I am soooo tiredof ARGUING and feeling annoyed, and being misunderstood in my marriage. i just REALLY dont know HOW to deal. I know i didnt make a mistake in getting married, i know this is just Satan stressing me out....but im REALLY at my wits end with the preassure of it all. and getting NO relief. My situation with my mom doesnt seem to be getting any better, then i have to deal with Devin's aggrevation ect. JUST EVERYTHING!! i need a break. i REALLY do! i love my husband, bu i need relief. not to mention my back is KILLING me!

Ludacris ft Trey Songz "Sex Room"

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

I had a Nervous Breakdown

Last night i had a nervous break down. Just thinking about my life threw me into a fast panic attack. i was throwing up, and shaking uncontrolably. it was terrible.

Monday, June 7, 2010

So Much

so much is going on in my life right now. its rediculous!! i cant wait to work out in the mornig when i get off. i took the last two days off. i dont want to get lazy and fall off with my workingout.
But i told my mom that i go to church. AND OH GOD! im sure the worst has yet to come. But i actually feel independent and like i am FINALLY on my own. she said that im serving Satan. I dont understand. I could TOTALLY understand thier anger (my parents)if i were doing something COMPLETELY VOID of GOD.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

My Fitness Goals For this Month

1.EveryDay Run 3 mils or the equivalent of cardio for AT LEAST 30 mins : in 6 mos i want to be able to run 3 mils in 30 mins
2.Every OTHER Day: 100 stomach crunches. 20 leg lifts
3.Every Other Day : i do my legs and arms in weights

DIET:::::::::
1.Cut out meat, white flour food, extra salt, sugar, coffee
2.In 6 mos i want to be eatting ONLY fruits, veggies and whole wheat products
3. juicing
i feel sooo FULL and icky when i eat flour products. it makes no sense. but wheni eat wheat...i feel less BULKY and i go to the bathroom more.

i must say that im doing good on my way to these things though. i have more self control tn i thought. my least favorite exercise are abs