Undistracted (& More May Reads)
I finished seven books during the month of May: Undistracted by Bob Goff plus six others. Read on for my impressions of each:
6 Books I Read in May
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Subtitled How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, The Anxious Generation takes a scientific look at how digital devices in general and social media in particular have damaged our children and robbed them of the carefree childhoods that were so much more typical before eyes were glued to screens for so many hours a day.
Bleak though the statistics are, the author outlines a way back to sanity. Individuals, families, and schools who’ve adopted his simple, straight-forward suggestions for restricting smart phone until children are older and less impressionable, have seen noticeable improvement in mental health and stability, as well as greater engagement in real-world activities and face-to-face interactions.
Love Not the World by Watchman Nee
Love Not the World by Watchman Nee is a brief but challenging book that is well worth the read.
One of my favorite quotes from this work:
“Every glory that is not glory to God is vain glory, and it is amazing what paltry successes can produce vain glory. Wherever we meet pride, we meet the world. And there is an immediate leakage in our fellowship with God. O, that God would open our eyes to see clearly what the world is. Not only evil things but all those things that draw us ever so gently away from God are units of that system that is antagonistic to Him.”
Watchman Nee
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The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man by Lloyd Alexander
We have lots of longtime Lloyd Alexander fans in our family, including me, but this was my first reading of The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man.
Tired of his cat begging relentlessly to be turned into a man, a wizard finally grants Lionel’s request, giving him strict instructions to come straight home after he’s had a chance to explore the nearby town.
Lionel gets into all kinds of trouble when he reaches his destination and his return home is inevitably delayed. But he makes a few new friends, and when they too get into trouble, he feels obliged to stay and do what he can to help. Will Lionel ever make it back to the wizard’s cottage? And will he be content to resume his life as a cat if and when he finally does make it home?
Stuart Little by E.B. White
My daughter and I finished E.B. White’s children’s classic Stuart Little last month. She’d read a page, then I would read a page.
Neither of us liked it as much as Charlotte’s Web, but the book still holds a special place in my heart. It’s the book I was reading to our first couple of children 30+ years ago when my husband came home early from work and got so drawn into this tale about a meticulous little mouse born into a loving human family that he asked us to wait to read more chapters until he got home from work each evening, so he could hear them, too.
By the time we finished the story, he took over the nightly read-alouds and a wonderful family tradition was begun of sharing great books together, which we’ve continued to this day.
Undistracted by Bob Goff
IBob Goff’s newest book, Undistracted, was a timely read, as I’ve been contemplating and praying about ways to improve my focus on the things that matter most by laying aside, at least for a time, things that are not as vital.
Bob’s quirky sense of humor and surprising stories have gently prodded me in the direction I know I need to go. I’ll share more about what an undistracted life is going to look like for me in coming months, after I wrap us a few more loose ends. 😊
If you’ve found your attention fragmented more often than you’d like, consider reading Bob’s book. It may be just the shot in the arm you need.
City of Death by Ephraim Mattos
Writing with New York Times bestselling author, Scott McEwan, a former navy seal by the name Ephraim Mattos recounts the incredible true story of the time he spent serving as a frontline medic with the Free Burma Rangers.
This group voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way to rescue wounded civilians from behind enemy lines during a deadly urban combat mission to retake Mosul from Isis.
God Bless America by Jennifer Flanders
This patriotic primer is another in my series of devotional journals. I pull my own copy of God Bless America off the shelf about this time every year and re-read it cover-to-cover.
Each time I go through it, I respond to a few more writing prompts and complete a few more pages. It’s a fun way to reflect on what a wonderful blessing it is to live in the US of A.
Packed with vintage artwork, relevant Bible verses, and inspiring quotes from our founding fathers, this journal paints a beautiful picture of the rich heritage we enjoy as Americans.
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