The end of November finds us in a cold snap transitioning to the Christmas season. Since Thanksgiving was the earliest it can be, it feels like we have a bonus week to get ready for Christmas.

Jim spent most of this month continuing to recover from his surgery in October. He saw both surgeons for post-op visits plus had his yearly physical. He can pretty much do all his usual things, but still tires easily and still has some abdominal pain.

I had my yearly physical and eye exam this month, thankfully with no new issues cropping up except an easily fixed vitamin deficiency.

We enjoyed our annual family costume party at my son and daughter-in-law’s house and Thanksgiving at ours, and everyone pitched in to help us decorate for Christmas last weekend.

Creating

I made one card this month for my friend Melanie‘s birthday.

The “Happy Birthday” was printed from the computer, then I used a rose corner punch on opposing corners. I was going to do all four corners, but the punch was bigger than I had thought. I liked how it turned out, though.

Watching and Listening

As much as I enjoy Elisabeth Elliot, I don’t always hear her radio programs, which now are being re-aired by BBN Radio. However, they do have links to the week’s episodes on their web site, plus a lot of the episodes are on the Elisabeth Elliot web site here. I bypass the ones that don’t apply to me any more, like how to make children mind. 🙂 But last week she had a series on Preparing for Old Age which I enjoyed.

We didn’t watch much of interest this month except one movie called Storming Juno. It’s not the best made film I’ve ever seen, but it was interesting. It’s about Canadian troops that were first to arrive at Normandy on D-Day and first to achieve their objective. At the end they showed actual footage as well as interviews with several of the soldiers who were there.

Reading

Since last time, I finished (titles link back to my reviews):

• Be Exultant (Psalms 90-150): Praising God for His Mighty Works by Warren W. Wiersbe, nonfiction. His commentary on the last sixty psalms.
• As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin, fiction. A young woman about to be forced into an unwanted marriage by her guardian survives an explosion in the munitions factory where she works in 1918. She takes on the identity of her friend who died and leaves the country, with unexpected consequences.
• The Wings of Poppy Pendleton by Melanie Dobson, fiction, audiobook. The young daughter of a Gilded Age couple is abducted from their castle and not heard from again. Decades later, the daughter of the castle’s caretaker first tries to avoid, and then helps a reporter trying to uncover what happened.
• The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate, fiction, audiobook. Dual timeline novel set in 1875, where two half-sisters and a slave set out to find the missing master of the house, and 1987, where a first-year teacher tries to motivate her students to get interested in reading by sharing their families’ stories.
• Someday Is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life by Matthew Dicks, nonfiction. I didn’t review it here but left a few thoughts on GoodReads.
• Elisabeth Elliot: A Life by Lucy S. R. Austen, nonfiction.Just finished, hope to review next week.

Last time, I had finished but had not reviewed yet The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden and Made for More: An Invitation to Live in God’s Image by Hannah Anderson, so I reviewed them both this month.

I’m currently reading:

• Be Skillful (Proverbs): God’s Guidebook to Wise Living by Warren Wiersbe, nonfiction
• Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson, nonfiction
• Being Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn
• How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One by Stanley Fish, fiction
• Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke, fiction
• Crown of Thorns by Sigmund Brouwer, fiction

I’ve completed the workbook and videos in Jen Wilkin’s Abide Bible study course on 1, 2, and 3 John for the ladies’ Bible study at church. I’ve read many of her books but this is the first of her Bible studies I’ve done. It was quite good.

I still haven’t chosen and advent devotional book to read for December . . . which I need to do before tomorrow!

Blogging

Besides the weekly Friday Fave Fives, Saturday Laudable Linkage, and book reviews, I’ve posted these since last time:

• My Nest Is Empty, but My Heart Is Full
• When You’re Not the Chosen One
• A Thanksgiving Lifestyle
• Content Even When in Need?
• Recommended Christmas Devotional Books

Writing

Things will probably be light on that front until December, though I’ve jotted some notes for a couple of articles.

Turning the corner into December, I’m sure we’ll be busy about the same things as many of you: wrapping presents, sending Christmas cards, attending Christmas events, and looking forward to time with the family. My oldest son flies in later in the month, so we have a lot to look forward to.

I hope you had a great November and I wish you a blessed Christmas season!