scared

seems strange for me to be sharing book recommendations.  i read like four books a year.  seriously.  pathetic, i know...i love to read, it's not that....the reality is that often sleep trumps reading when i'm afforded the blissful quiet time to do either....or when i actually start to read i simply don't last more than a few chapters at a time before my eyelids protest and drop.  someday that will change (and i'll miss the chaos busyness)....at the moment, however, i need my book choices to have substance.  naturally i was drawn to "Scared", by Tom Davis after following his blog and orphan care ministry (in case you hadn't noticed, i'm a bit passionate about this topic), and seeing a timely facebook reminder after a dear friend read the novel and raved.  it is fiction, but tragically based on very real and devastating stories coming from Africa.  stories of pain, loss, violence, resilience, sacrifice, enduring love and faith.  woven through the novel is an inspiring call to action.  I brought it with me on our recent trip to Ethiopia, but didn't get as far into it as i'd hoped.  i was a bit caught off guard by my own emotions tied to meeting our son, his family and the court process.  the book wasn't on the radar much that week...tonight i finished it, and it left me with a deeper desire to give of my abundance.  not to wallow in guilt, but to remember those all around me and across the globe who are without.  if you get a chance, scoop it up at a library or add it to a Christmas list.  so worth the read.  and yes, i'll be returning the copy i have to the church library tomorrow! ;)  next up on the list: "The Color of Water" by James McBride and "The Connected Child" by Karyn B. Purvis.  not necessarily in that order.  see you in about six to eight months for the reviews.  try to contain your anticipation without holding your breath. k?