The ASEAN Hive Community Challenge's theme this week is totally up my alley, My Favorite Books. Oh my, I don't even know where to begin! As a bibliophile since eight, books are a huge part of my life. Ask my family and friends, and they would say my most treasured material possessions would be my extensive collections of books stored in various places - my parents' house, my sisters' houses, my own house, and of course, the apartment we are currently occupying. I have collected hundreds (or thousands?) of books throughout my life and donated many of them to charities and friends.
Unfortunately, I can't show you my full collections because, liked I mentioned, they are kept in different houses. We moved multiple times throughout the years, and it was impossible to bring every book with us; thus, I had to leave them behind. However, I have a shelve full of books in this apartment that I would like to show you. For the past several years, I have been practicing minimalism, reducing my book-buying compulsion by 80%. And to curb that urge, I have been a loyal subscriber of Scribd for the past 4 years. Scribd subscription (USD9/month) has reduced my book-buying habit but still quenches my thirst for reading. By the way, if you sign up for Scribd using my link, you will get 60 days of free reading 😆.
❤️ My Desk ❤️
Before I talk about my favorite books, please indulge me a moment to show you some of the books I have on my desk. When talking about my interest, I tend to go off on a tangent, so please forgive me 😁.
I have my Bible, and some of my current reads, including a couple of books by two of my favorite writers, Anne Lamott and Elizabeth Gilbert.
And my latest purchase was a couple of books by Dr. Dan Zachary, a scientist and biblical apologist. I had the privilege to virtually attend Dr. Zachary's talk in July. I was completely blown away by the things he shared. I love to read stuff related to astronomy and evolution, a couple of hard or, shall I say, sensitive topics for Christians. We frequently see believers and non-believers engage in heated debates about issues related to science vs faith. It can be a huge "stumbling block" for those still immature in their faith, but I love to read such topics because it challenges and strengthens my faith in God.
And here's the link to Dr. Zachary's talk that I attended in July. His topic was "The Uniqueness of Our Planet Earth and the Evidence For God".
❤️ My Bookshelf ❤️
And that's my bookshelf. When we moved to this apartment in May, I donated some of my books because I did not want to clutter the new apartment. I love my books, but I won't hesitate to part ways with some of them if they get to a point where I can't keep all of them on the shelf.
I read a lot of fiction when I was younger, but my interest changed throughout the years, especially after having my kids. I just don't have much time to devote to reading like I used to. My mindset and attitude have changed tremendously in the past couple of decades, and I need to constantly educate myself to face different stages of life and parenting. Thus, reading non-fiction on various topics like Christian spirituality, parenting and self-improvement has been a worthwhile transition from reading fiction.
And some of the ebooks in my Scribd subscription. Reading in Scribd is like descending into the rabbit hole. There are literally 1 million titles to choose from, and you just keep adding ebooks to your reading list without knowing when you will get to read them.
❤️ Favorite Book #1: The Holy Bible ❤️
My faith is a big part of my life though I hardly talk about it on Hive. There are too many prejudices against Christianity, and I don't blame people for that. I mean, look at the church's history throughout the ages 🤦♀. Please, I am not looking for a debate in this post. If you hate my spiritual belief, that is your choice, and I am in no position to change anyone's opinion. I just want to share why the Bible is my most favorite book 😍.
I had to wrap the cover because the original cover was tattered. I have been using this Bible for 15 years.
I read my Bible almost daily, mostly in the morning when everyone has left for school or work. This is when I can be still and meditate on the Word without distractions. Sometimes it's hard to focus because my mind wanders to the tasks I need to do that day. Sometimes my mind is cluttered or filled with worries and concerns about life. In those times, the wisdom from the Bible never fails to refresh and shift my perspective. Sometimes, the verses I read reveal what's in my heart. I often dread those moments because it means that I need to confront my weaknesses or sins. And as a Christian, I am called to obey the Word and not just read it for the sake of reading. And obedience requires me to repent and amend my sinful ways.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12 NIV
Many people believe that the Bible is an outdated book that is not applicable to modern living. But as a believer, I disagree. I believe in the power of God that works through His Spirit to teach and guide me in life. It literally is the "lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). Every value I hold dear in life comes from the Bible; how I react or respond to situations in life is deeply rooted in my Biblical convictions.
The Bible is more than a book to me. It is the ultimate guide and anchor as I navigate this life. I can read and learn thousands of new information and gain new knowledge, but they are pale in comparison to the wisdom I gained from the Bible.
❤️ Favorite Book #2: Big Magic - Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert❤️
I have so many things to say about this terrific book! I have many favorite books but this one tops the rest. There are so many insightful nuggets I learned from this powerful book, I just don't know where to start. I will just share one thing below, but before that, here's the description on the back cover:
Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert's books for years. Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the "strange jewels" that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
This book is geared toward those who lead a creative life - artists, writers, actors etc but even if you are not one, don't let it stop you from reading it because we are all creatives in one way or another. The author opens up an entirely new way of finding inspiration and building your relationship with your craft.
You can learn so many things from this book, but let's not bore you with too many details. Here's one precious insight I learned about perfectionism.
Perfectionism is a particularly evil lure for women, who, I believe, hold themselves to an even higher standard of performance than do men. There are many reasons why women's voices and visions are not more widely represented today in creative fields. Some of that exclusion is due to regular old misogyny, but it's also true that—all too often—women are the ones holding themselves back from participating in the first place. Holding back their ideas, holding back their contributions, holding back their leadership and their talents. Too many women still seem to believe that they are not allowed to put themselves forward at all, until both they and their work are perfect and beyond criticism. ~ Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic
Isn't that true? At least, that is true for me because everywhere I look, I can see more men dominating the creative fields than women. I am sure women are equally capable, but why are women not widely represented? Prejudice against women may be one contributing factor, but I am sure there is more to it. Our perfectionist tendency could hold us back more than we like to admit. And I say this from my personal experience; being a mother does keep me from achieving my full potential as an artist. I love my kids, but I can't deny that raising kids takes most of my time away from working on my art. I would love to spend all day, every day, drawing, working on projects, and achieving dreams. But the reality is a huge chunk of my day is spent with the kids, mentoring and catering to their needs. Don't get me wrong. No one holds a gun to my head and forces me to be a mother. I decided to be a mom and a very responsible one. This is just the reality of my life, and I believe it holds me back from using my talent to its fullest.
I hope I am making sense here 😆
Here's another gem from the book. "Nobody is thinking about you"...yet we spend so much time worrying about what others might think of us 😏
Okay that is all from me. This post is way too long, but I can't help talking about something I love. Please feel free to comment if you have read Big Magic or any other books by Elizabeth Gilbert or if you are a Christian; which book of the Bible do you love the most?
That's it for now. If you read this far, thank you. I appreciate it so much! Kindly give me a follow if you like my content. I mostly write about making art, life musing, and our mundane yet charming family life here in Klang Valley, Malaysia.
Note: All images used belong to me unless stated otherwise.
Thank you for visiting and reading my post. I hope you like it!
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