I do not like to waste daylight, especially at the beach. I awoke crazy early chasing the sunrise every morning. Unfortunately the sun did not rise on the beach.
That time proved to be valuable anyway. I spent it walking in the cool breeze, reading Romans, and often I returned to the house to find that Tiffany and Danielle were the only ones awake, so I got some time to hang out with them.
Andy is not an early riser. I think if he had had this kind of alone time, he would have returned rejuvenated. I think it is the only reason I feel like I received what I needed to on vacation.
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| One morning I found two sand dollars. They were each the size of a quarter and were still alive, so I tossed them back into the ocean. |
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| My morning view |
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| a great place to sit and read while facing the surf |
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For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:20 NLT
I started reading through Romans on vacation, and this verse was pertinent to my view. |
As I've been reading through Romans, I have used two translations. For vacation, I used a print copy of the NIV
Life Application Study Bible, and I used an app on my phone to use the NLT (I use a print copy at home). For years I have enjoyed bible studies, but I have never been one to read much on my own. This year during a study, someone mentioned how the book
Women of the Word changed her approach to study. I have not finished reading the book, but I have taken some advice to read looking specifically for the characteristics of God. As I have done that, I have written them down on sticky notes and placed them on the corresponding pages of my bible. It's messy (my handwriting), and I now have three NT books in my bible covered in sticky notes, but it has made me more disciplined in my reading, and I have enjoyed it more. It has also given me a great tool for praise as I can just read those notes back to God in prayer. My birthday is coming up, and I am considering treating myself to a journaling bible (specifically this one
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1496413741/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER) and actually writing my notes in the journaling part of the bible. Note: I have looked at this journaling bible in a bookstore. The pages are too thin on the paperback version, so I will likely get the hardback and hope it holds up, and I will still probably have to purchase specialized pens that won't bleed through pages.
Since I brought this up, I will share some of my favorite tools. Of course I love the sticky notes. I also prefer a mechanical pencil. Mechanical pencils are nice because they do not have to be sharpened, but you do have to find a style you like. I don't like side clicks and prefer a substantial pencil in my hand, so the Pentel Twist eraser III is my favorite pencil. I do not currently have this particular pencil because I have gone through so many in my search for one I really like that I have several pencils to use up before I buy one. I do use these at work, so that's how I know about them. I did recently see a very similar pencil in the back to school stuff at Target for a good price. I prefer a mechanical pencil for the ease of erasing mistakes and because I feel like my handwriting is better when using a pencil. If I want to actually write in my bible, I prefer pencil to pen so that nothing bleeds through the pages. (Side note - I also prefer a mechanical pencil for the family calendar on the fridge. Writing sideways with a pen just does not go so well as the ink does not flow like it should);
If you have not yet met the magnet bookmarks, let me make the introduction. I have used receipts, traditional bookmarks, scraps of paper, fancy metal bookmarks, paperclips, and have folded page corners to mark my spot in any given book. I am so very glad that I have found the magnetic bookmarks. They don't get lost. They don't indent the paper like a paperclip would, but if you choose the right size, they will hold a note or notecard in a book. My preference is the size shown in the photo below. They generally come in affordable packs of four or six. I've seen them at Michael's and in Christian bookstores. I've used the smaller ones, and they are fine just not likely to hold anything more than your place in a book. I have learned that choosing dark colored ones work best as the lighter colors often blend in with the pages which kind of defeats the purpose.
...and this happened - true story
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| This is not a health and wealth book. It's about spiritual disciplines, and the author is very practical and funny. I started it as part of a summer book club. There are discussion questions in the back, but I have not found them to be helpful - in fact, quite the opposite. I am enjoying the book and getting more out of it without the questions. |
I found the sunrise - just not over the beach. Still pretty though.
