Even though we’ve only officially been in summer ten days, I think of the whole month of June as summer. We spent more time outside over spring, but it’s getting too hot and humid to be outside much until evening.
Family
Around the house, Jim painted the “guest room” (or spare oom) and a desk and put some shelves and decorations on the walls of the sewing room for me. I finally dug up an aggressive ivy from the front planters and planted a bunch of flowers that are flourishing nicely thanks to my husband remembering to water them. I’ve done some pockets of reorganization—I tend to do just a shelf or corner or box at a time.
Our two main celebrations were Timothy’s finishing first grade and Father’s Day. Everyone helped to bring over the queen-sized bed Jason and Mittu gave us and set it up in our new official guest room, then Mittu made dinner for us all. I had searched for bedspreads and placed the one I liked on Amazon’s wishlist. But when I went to order it, it was “currently unavailable,” and they had no idea when or if they might get more. So I had to start from scratch. The bed is bigger than I was thinking. I realized the futon we had in there before was a full size and therefore smaller. So I don’t think I’ll be able to get an extra chair in there like I wanted. But that’s okay.
Timothyisms
Timothy asked his parents when the next paycheck was coming. When they asked why, he said he was making a list of toys for the next paycheck.
Creating
I didn’t make a Father’s Day card for Jim this year. When I searched for ideas, I found an already-made card that was just perfect, so I got that instead of making one.
The card I made for my step-father draws on his love for a certain sci-fi franchise:
I found a Star Trek font online and then found a template for the badge and colored it in with a gold paint pen.
This was for Jason:
Reading
Since last time, I finished (titles link to my reviews):
- The Sign Painter by Davis Bunn. A young mom fallen on hard times finally gets a job and a place to stay. But a situation in her place of employment puts her in a dangerous moral dilemma. Meanwhile, a former cop tries to help a church deal with a drug house nearby.
- Saving Alice by David Lewis. A young man’s first love is killed in an accident. He eventually marries their mutual friend and has a comfortable life, until he has a falling out with his daughter. Trying to reconcile with his daughter brings a lot of things to light in his life.
- The Orchard House by Heidi Chiavaroli. A time slip novel. One plot line involves Louisa May Alcott and a close friend. The modern story tells of an adopted girl betrayed by her sister who reconciles over the mystery some poems by a friend of Louisa’s discovered in Louisa’s old house.
- Be Counted (Numbers): Living a Life That Counts for God by Warren Wiersbe. Commentary on Numbers.
- Be Diligent (Mark): Serving Others as you Walk with the Master Servant by Warren Wiersbe, commentary on Mark.
- How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren.
- EPIC: An Around-the-World Journey Through Christian History by Tim Challies. A museum in a book! Lots of good information and inspiration.
- A Room with a View by E. M. Forster (audiobook). While traveling in Italy, a girl in a conventional lifestyle meets a free-spirited brooding man who eventually changes her life.
- The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (audiobook). A little darker and more involved than the Disney version we’re used to. But a good moral illustration of what happens when boys don’t heed advice and instruction.
- Our Town by Thornton Wilder. A play about treasuring ordinary life.
- The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep. A woman in hiding has to take in an injured man found on her property, and her anonymity and his safety is threatened.
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (audiobook).
This includes the last few days of May–I had done that monthly round-up a few days early.
I’m currently reading:
- Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin
- Be Equipped (Deuteronomy): Acquiring the Tools for Spiritual Success by Warren Wiersbe
- Three Shall Be One by Francena Arnold
- The Secret War of Charles Fraser-Smith: The “Q” Gadget Wizard of World War II by Charles Fraser-Smith
- Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling (audiobook)
Blogging
Besides the weekly Friday’s Fave Fives and almost weekly Laudable Linkages and book reviews, I’ve shared these posts:
- Is It Wrong to Be Right? We don’t have to set up a false dichotomy between being nice or right. We should strive to be right, but we can be nice about it.
- Giving and Receiving God’s Word. Our hope and comfort come from the Bible, but sometimes we share it in a way that short-circuits its message.
- What Are You Looking For? Nothing in this life will be perfect. Only as we look to God will we find perfect love, peace, justice, and so much more.
- With Jesus in the Kitchen. How remembering Jesus’s ministry helped me when frazzled in the kitchen.
- A Better Blade for Killing Sin. Even if we could cut off everything that leads us to sin, we’d still have trouble with our hearts. Only God’s Word pierces there.
As we turn the corner from June to July, we look forward to the Fourth of July weekend. We haven’t made sure plans yet, but they’ll definitely include family and burgers. We also look forward to my son, Jason’s, birthday this month. I hope to finish setting up the guest room in the next few weeks before Jeremy comes in August.
How was your June? Any fun plans for July?
(I often link up with some of these bloggers)
Stray Thoughts 
I really like this monthly review. I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek a few months back and really liked it. I will be interested in your review. It’s great that you read so much. Me too. I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and have lots of interesting things planned. Have a good 4th of July!
Hope you had a good 4th as well!
I know what you mean about a bed looking bigger in a room than you expect. When we moved here, 20 years ago, we got a queen size bed for our then-4-year-old’s room. I almost cried when it was delivered because it just took up too much of the room! Your cards are so neat and I enjoy seeing what you create 🙂
My son and d-i-l did that with my grandson’s room–a queen sized bed took up so much of his room, there was not as much place to play. We ended up getting his bed, and he went back to a twin-sized.
I love the sweet way your family weaves into your month! One of my problems with bed coverings is finding them big enough – regulars really need queen coverings and queens need larger. Hope you find something just right! Wishing you much blessing in your July! (BTW – I love your cards! What a gift you have!)
Thank you! Yes, we’ve had bedspreads that weren’t wide enough, too. Thankfully the one I got for the guest bed worked out just right.
I want to know your opinion of Three Shall Be One. 🙂 I reviewed it on GoodReads. I’d like to know how you think it compares to her other work.
You’ve read Not My Will and The Light in My Window, by the same author, haven’t you? I’m thinking you have. –Ann
I have read both of those, though it’s been a long time. I don’t remember much about the second one. I’ll look up your review after I’m done. I always like to see what friends thought about the same books I’ve read.
Barbara, it sounds like you had a wonderful June! I’m always amazed at how much you’re able to read in a month. Most impressive! 🙂
We are gradually finding our summer groove. My youngest is in an internship he loves. My oldest is working part-time, and I am writing as I’m able. I’m thanking God for a hubs who is wonderful in every way. July has us doing some traveling, which I’m looking forward to.
I hope you have great fun on your travels! It’s great that opportunity is available now.
We need to repaint Jenna’s room and give it a full makeover. It’s become the play room so I need to revamp. 🙂 I remember trying to read How to Read a Book years ago. For some reason, it sticks out as a painful memory. ha. I guess it was harder news to take than I expected to hear. 🙂
I thought about making the guest bedroom into a play room. But Timothy likes to play out where we all are. We have some of his toys in part of a storage closet–thankfully this house has lots of closets.
I’m glad I am not the only one who had trouble with How to Read a Book.
Family and books!
Perfect blogging material here.
July is going to be wedding month here. And then adjusting to the empty nest…
How exciting! And incredibly busy! I hope all goes well with the wedding. And the adjusting afterward.
I am still amazed at how quickly June passed. It sounds like it was a most productive month for you. May you have a wonderful 4th!
Thank you, Joanne. Hope you had a great 4th as well.
I appreciate all the book reviews! I really like Warren Wiersbe’s commentaries. Queen beds are so much more comfortable, but yes, there is a sacrifice to floor space. Can you scoot it more to one side of the room or do it cattycorner to open up more floor space?
There’s something about my brain that gets disturbed when things are catty-corner in a room. I can put a chair in a corner, but bigger things like beds or rugs just leave me with a constant desire to straightness them. 🙂 Thankfully it worked out well to put the desk beside the bed, like and end table on one side. That left more floor space and a better traffic flow than when I had the desk on the adjacent wall.
Barb, your monthly reflections are lovely. I enjoy hearing tidbits about what’s going on in your world and your reading list is wonderful!
Thanks so much, Donna!
What a great list of books, Barbara. I see several on here that I’d love to read! I’m amazed at how much you read in a month. I’m in such a busy season right now, I yearn for more time to read. Blessings!
It sounds like it has been a busy month, Barbara. Your Timothy has some wonderful Timothyisms! He sounds like a really fun character. Love the Star Trek Card, and I definitely need to add The Orchard House to my reading list. Thank you for sharing this little glimpse into your life with Hearth and Soul.