Year 3, week 45: The Ministry of Ordinary Places / Tattoos on the Heart

Two books this week:

The Ministry of Ordinary Places: Waking Up to God's Goodness Around You

By Shannan Martin

This book is the second book by Shannon Martin. I had read her first book (Falling Free) earlier this year because it had been a pick for my book group, and I enjoyed it. I did struggle with her huge sacrifices she makes for others, as described in her first book. Her ability to give everything up made me feel like I wasn't doing enough for others. This book was easier to digest because she explains that service to others can be the smallest thing. She says she makes a big dinner on Sundays, and even though she isn't that great of a cook, her door is always open for anyone to come over and dig in. Helping people doesn't always have to be an earth shattering task; it can be sharing a pot of coffee and talking to someone. Of course, Martin does amazing things throughout the book and is an inspiration, but this book seemed like it something I could really implement. 

I would recommend this book for more manageable inspiration to help others. 

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

By Greg Boyle

This book was the first book of Father Greg Boyle. I read his other book last year at some point. If you are not aware of who Father Greg Boyle is, he is a Jesuit minister that runs a whole collection of businesses that include bakeries and screenprinting and tattoo removal places for former gang members in California. The company is called the Homeboy and Homegirl Industries. Both Al Gore and Laura Bush have visited there, along with many celebrities. I think Greg Boyle is doing amazing work, but hearing all the stories of young black men and women who have either never felt the love that everyone deserves and the fact that a lot of the stories that he tells end up with someone either dying or getting shot after they have made great strides to better their lives, is just so down right heartbreaking. 

I would suggest the book full heartedly, just know it might give you the feels. 

Year 3, week 44: The Hate U Give / On the Come Up

Two books this week by Angie Thomas.

The Hate U Give

By Angie Thomas

After all the outcry of police brutality and the killing of many African Americans in the last few weeks, which have led to many protests and marches, I decided to try to read more books about racism and more books by African American authors. The first book I dove into was The Hate U Give, which was made into a movie a while back. It's a young adult novel that isn't young adultish. It seems like YA is so hard hitting now a days with The Hunger Games and the other series about everyone killing each other. Regardless, this book was very engaging and drew me in right away. 

The story is of Starr, a sixteen-year-old girl that lives in a rough part of town. She lives with her father who is a former gang member, mother who is a nurse, older half brother who is a computer nerd and product of their father having an ill fated one-night-stand with the main drug dealer/gang leader's girlfriend, and her little brother. When she was about nine or so, she saw her best friend killed by a drive-by shooter. After that, her brothers and her start going to a private school outside of their neighborhood. Starr is essentially torn into two Starrs; the Starr at this insanely nice school and the Starr that lives in her neighborhood, and neither of them seem like 100% her. 

After a party one night, her best friend is driving her home, and when he is stopped by a police officer for a traffic violation he is shot and killed by the police officer. When the murder goes public all hell breaks loose, with protests, marches and more violence. Starr doesn't know what to do, does she take the stand or stay quiet? Starr is torn again to be true to herself. 

I would definitely recommend the book. My husband and I watched the film adaptation last night and the film isn't bad, they threw in WAY more drama and cut out a lot of my favorite parts of the book, but still worth a watch.

On the Come Up

By Angie Thomas

This book is kinda a sequel to The Hate U Give in the way that this book is based in the same neighborhood, but we don't see the same characters as the first book. This story also follows a strong sixteen old girl. 

Bri is an inspiring rapper. Her father, who Bri only barely remembers, was a semi-famous rapper before he was killed. Bri lives with her mother, a former addict and her older brother who dreams of going to grad school, but feels like he needs to take care of his mother and sister. Bri's family struggles with severe poverty. One day at school, the security guards think Bri is selling drugs at school (it's actually candy) and forces her to the ground. The school doesn't do anything to stop it from happening again, which causes protest and uprising at the school. Bri does a song and a few rap battles that people flip over. She has a couple of guy friends and one of them is even gay, which I was glad to read. There was even some budding romance as well for Bri. She is faced with her rap making her sound more street and "hood" then she really is, which one should she go with? 

I would recommend the book, I enjoyed it. 

Year 3, week 43: Falling Free

This week's book:

Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted

By Shannan Martin

This week's book is another book group book. The woman that pitched the book and led the discussion wasn’t quite sure how to lead the discussion, so she asked the author via Instagram what she should ask the group, and the author actually responded with different questions she might ask. 

It was a good book and it was written by one of those women all good women want to be. After the author and her husband both lost their jobs, they were called to sell their farm in a small town and move into a poorer neighborhood. The couple then donates most of their time and money and adopts three children, including a young man that went to prison for two years. She throws picnics for the whole neighborhood and they budget like crazy and probably makes their own bread. The author's husband is the chaplain at a jail, and they both sound like amazing people. 

The first two thirds of the book really spoke to me. I really enjoyed how inspirational she was and how she is trying to do good for the world. I did struggle with the fact that it seems like I am never doing enough for others. As a Christian, a Methodist to be even more accurate, we are told to serve others before we serve ourselves. There are always services that our congregation is doing at our church and there are so many causes and people in need and I feel like I can't do anything. I have three kids that depend on me and they take up most of my time. Most recently all of the marches and protests are so important and I wanted to be there, but I have a little girl that has been literally unable to not be touching me for a few weeks now, and I was afraid of "the germies" (as my kids say) that are still infecting/killing people. I felt this book was another voice in my head telling me I wasn't doing enough. Turns out the author has said that just because she and her husband have taken the path they have, it's not for everyone. Maybe giving so much of your money to different causes isn't feasible; sometimes it's your time or your knowledge. I admitted to my book group that I just struggled with what I could be doing and literally everyone in the Zoom meeting told me I was already doing what I needed to be doing. I am working my tail off by raising my kids and that in itself is pretty selfless. 

I would suggest the book if you are trying to better yourself. I'm going to try to listen to another one of her books that is apparently more about small acts of caring versus ginormous acts of servitude.

Year 3, week 42: X-Files Origins

Two books this week, both are based on X-Files!

The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos

By Kami Garcia

This book was suggested by one of my English teachers from middle/highschool on Facebook last week. She has been posting different books that she has enjoyed and this just happened to be one of the books she posted about. The library had the audiobook so I thought I would give it a shot. 

The book is a bit of an origin story of Fox Mulder from The X-Files. I liked The X-Files when I was younger, but my sister was obsessed with the show. My sister had a "the truth is out there" poster on the wall and taped seasons of the show right from the TV because one channel was showing them in order. Her passion for David Duchovny knew no bounds. In fact, when the hubby and I were video chatting with her and my brother-in-law the other day, when my hubby told her that Hulu has the complete series she lost her mind. You know what she will be binge watching over the next few days/weeks/months. 

Back to the book, it's not bad. I don't know if it would stand alone if you haven't watched the show first, but if you are a fan of the show, I would definitely check it out. 

Devil's Advocate (The X-Files: Origins #2)

by Jonathan Maberry

This book is the second origin story for the X-Files Origins universe (is that a thing?). This is Dana Scully's back story. I was always more of a Mulder fan and always felt like Scully was a stick in the mud. When I think back now it's a bit sexist that she was always kind of mothering him. She was always the scientific mind where Mulder would always think it was aliens. 

Scully's back story was interesting, but I don't know if it was as connected to the Scully of the television show. There were a lot of religious motifs and such, which I don't completely remember from the show, but I might be wrong about that. I think the book would have been a good stand alone young adult book, I just happened to like the Mulder book better. If you are a fan of the show and want an origin story for your other favorite FBI agent, give it a try.