Your Sista's Havin' a Hysta - Part 7

Post-op Week 4: Great Reads

While recovery from surgery has been taxing on the body, it's been a wonderful vacation for my brain. I've had opportunity to learn how to navigate Netflix, write blogs to my heart's content, and read some really terrific books. It's been such a blessing too because every book I've picked up has taken me to another place or time, all to drop me back home with a boat load of things to ponder in my heart and mind. Here's a few choice picks.

Scarlet Thread, by Francine Rivers - I began reading this before my surgery because I couldn't wait. It had been sitting on my "yet to read" shelf for about a year, then suddenly the urge to pick it up struck. It's a great story about following God when and where you might not want to go, the tough but rewarding lesson of submission, and the deep healing and restoration that only God can accomplish in stubborn sinful hearts.

Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo - One day, about three months ago, Jimmy told me he'd recorded a short interview he thought I'd enjoy. Having no idea what I was in for, I perched my patooty on the edge of the couch, thinking "this better be good", and commenced watching an interview of a four year old boy who had visited heaven during an extremely serious surgery. No longer teetering at the rim of my seat, I settled back and listened to this boy's testimony which gave me goose bumps. With my own surgery pending in the wings, I knew I wanted this one on my list, not because I thought I'd die on the table, visit heaven, and be able to compare stories, but to add to my collection of post surgery to do's. I read this little gem in two days and have to say it's changed me in a good and eternal way. It's a superb read and great gift idea.

Riding the Bus With My Sister, by Rachel Simon - I was exposed to Rachel on Family Network TV and knew instantly hers was a story I wanted to read. She writes of her endeavor of riding the city bus for a year with her high functioning special needs sister, who spends each week day riding the city bus transit system. While most of us load into planes, trains, buses, and cars to get from point A to point B, Rachel's sister does it for sheer entertainment.

Rachel is a clever and gifted writer who had me laughing and crying often in the same sentence. She has a new book out called The Story of a Beautiful Girl, which now sits on my "yet to read" shelf for the not so distant future.

Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers - This is one my sister-in-law gave me and one I just started. While the cover didn't look familiar, the title sounded oddly familiar. I honestly thought I'd read it before, but a quick scan of the back cover revealed I either have read the book and have no recall of that time spent or the title simply resembles another and it will indeed be a new read.

I'm happy to say that even though the title seemed to ring a rather loud bell, I'm half way through this novel and can attest to the fact my eyes have never passed over this particular sequence of words. Bases on the Bible's book of Hosea, it's a touching story of an example of God's unfailing love lived out through a man named Michael Hosea. Taking place in the mid 1800's, this one is a great escape as it takes the reader back in time to another place far different than our modern day.

I can tell I'm getting better because yesterday I didn't get a chance to read anything. My day included lunch with a dear friend for a few hours followed by a quick run through Macy's and Penny's to see summer's newest selections. It was my first stab at driving since the surgery and it felt great to get out. Once home I had enough energy to bathe Dani and wash a few dishes, a far cry from even a week ago.

I have two more week off before returning to work and still have several books to be read, a few movies waiting in queue, and several department stores yet to trod. Countless people advised me before hand to take the time to recover slowly and not push too hard or too fast during the first month. So far the tips have worked and now I'm strong enough to begin truly enjoy my last days off.

I hope you are getting your well deserved rest as needed too. Summer is a great time to stop and smell the roses. Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

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