Lenten Reading Project

Ok, so Easter is a short 5 days away and I’m only halfway through my stack of reading material for my Lenten reading project.  ACK!  I’m pretty sure there’s no way I’m going to finish 10 books in 5 days, unless I take the rest of the week off from work, which is decidedly impossible.

Although I’m disappointed that I will not meet my “goal”, I’ve had a great time reading different authors and genres than I normally do.  I’m close to finishing two books right now, and am hopeful that I’ll make it to #12 on my list by Sunday.  I’ve decided to continue with this project past Easter, until every book in my stack is read (or until my friends start demanding their books back, whichever comes first)

I’m currently wrapping up an excellent book that I would never have picked up on my own (Thank you Julie-via-Mandi, for the recommendation!)  Man’s Unconquerable Mind by Gilbert Highet reminds me of watching a Discovery Channel special about some remote part of the world.  You know, the kind that leaves you awestruck that a place so beautiful and fascinating even exists on this planet.  That is how I feel about the human mind – awestruck and fascinated (and determined to keep reading and expanding my knowledge!)

Another excellent, fabulous, I-can’t-believe-it-took-me-this-long-to-read-it, book that I finished last week was The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis.  A short story about the afterlife that is full of theological truths and can’t help but cause one to stop and examine just what their life’s focus is.  Please read this book.  You will not regret it.

Other titles I have “conquered” over the last few weeks: “Making More of Life With Less by Rick Mathis, Marriage Poems from Everyman’s Library, Confessions by Saint Augustine (almost finished!), Lent and Easter; Wisdom from Thomas Merton, and No Man is an Island also by Thomas Merton.  They have all been worthy reads.  It’s been so gratifying to finally read books that have been on my “list” (not to mention my shelves!) for several years now. 

I’ll keep you all posted as I work my way through the rest of the stack.  I’m looking forward to tackling a few more titles from the proverbial “list” in the coming weeks.