Random Post // Flat Lay, Cats, Photography, Music, Etc.

I have been collecting a bunch of small, random things for many weeks, so here I am with a Random Post!

~ PHOTOGRAPHY ~

This is one of my kitty cats :)

I saw this on the street and thought it was really sad, so I took a picture. I also think it's kind of gross...

This is a beautiful peach colored sunset I saw in the middle of February.

I was using these three pencils and I just loved the colors together XD

I don't do flat lay photos very often, but this one just fell into place (atleast the pencils did).

I didn't even realize the connection between these two items until after I took the picture??

We made heart and strawberry cookies on Valentine's Day :)

Tea from Starbucks!

My orange kitty-cat! He's such a model :)

~ GOD AND FAITH ~

If you have ever watched Adventures in Editing on YouTube, then you've seen Tracy who makes these videos and plays all the characters in them (acted out versions of Adventures in Odyssey episodes). She recently started a new YouTube channel called "Candid Christianity" where she just talks about things related to Christianity.

I haven't watched them all, but one of her videos is called "The Lamb of God" and she talks about the importance of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice and the history behind it. I think it's really important to understand why Jesus' crucifixion is so important and how it atones for our sins. There's probably videos out there that explain this in more detail and more directly, but this is just something I came across in my normal life and wanted to include it here!

~ MUSIC ~

I got to see the jazz singer Mandy Harvey perform, which was cool! She sang a lot of original songs, including "Try" and "Mara's Song", which she performed on America's Got Talent last season. She is d/Deaf, and it was really interesting to see her use American Sign Language while she was singing. It added a dramatic visual element to her performance. I didn't take my actual camera, so this picture was taken on my iPod :p Also, I reviewed her book here.

I came across the song "Scandal of Grace" by Hillsong on Spotify and I think the words are great. Have you heard it? If not, it's right there ↑ :)

~ Other ~ 

I put up the painting that I made in my last post, and redid my wall a little! The hexagon in the center had mini clothespins at the bottom, so I could attach special cards or notes I've received. There wasn't a lot of space though, so I decided to take the clothespins off.

To create a new place to hang the notes, I used jumbo popsicles sticks, glued together and painted to attach the clothespins to. I painted the clothespins gold, and glued them to the popsicle stick contraption. It's more spread out and looks much better this way, I think.

Well I think that's all the random things I have for you today!

What did you think of the dropped ice cream cone? Do you ever take flat-lay photos? Have you seen an of Tracy's videos? Have you heard the song "Scandal of Grace"?

Recent Reads // Words and Such

I actually wanted to make this a post about my TBR books, but I'm reading them too fast. So instead, I'll talk about/mini review the books I've read recently! Judging by the books in this post, I read a lot of nonfiction, but that's partly because I need to find new material and a niche for fiction (I prefer historical fiction). 

These books are in order of when I read them, with the most recent at the end of the post. Also, these are just my opinions of the books and what they were about from what I understood while reading them.

(all images are from amazon.com unless otherwise stated.)

Nobody's Perfect by Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney

This is a fiction book about a fifth grade girl who thinks the new girl at school is mistreating her because she is Deaf. I found this book interesting (even though it is more for young children) because I want to have a Deaf character in the story I am writing, and thought it would be beneficial to read a book with a Deaf character that was written by a Deaf woman. I recommend this book, especially if you want to learn about Deaf Culture, which is completely and totally unique. It may give you some insight on how to interact with Deaf people you may come across in your life.

 

Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris

I actually discovered this book after reading about it on Allison's blog. I totally recommend this book! If you're a teen (or whatever age you are) and need encouragement and inspiration to do "hard things" every day in order to fulfill your God-given potential despite the various expectations of society, you should definitely read this book. I'm currently reading (well, technically listening since it's an audio book 😁) the follow-up book called Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are.

 

All In by Mark Batterson

This book is thought provoking. However, I feel like it focused on money. I felt that one of the main messages I took away was if you give or are willing to give up all of your money/possessions, then you are a completely committed follower of Jesus. While Jesus should absolutely be first in your life as a Christian, I think more examples of other kinds could have been used in the book. That being said, I'm really glad I read it and it was definitely worth my time! It's a popular book, and I can see why.




not a fan. by Kyle Idleman

Of the books in this post, this one is my favorite. It talks about the costs that come with being a follower of Jesus, as opposed to an interested and adoring fan. The author says that following Jesus means saying no to a lot of things that society may want or push us to do, and making sacrifices. It says that followers "Die Daily" in the world, and sacrifice their worldly life for their eternal life in heaven. I thought it was interesting, because some of the same Bible stories/verses were used in both All In and not a fan.. However, they were used to justify and explain different points. I enjoyed contrasting the two books. There is also a teen version of the book.

photo from simonandschuster.com

Sensing the Rhythm by Mandy Harvey and Mark Atteberry

  

I first heard of Mandy Harvey, the jazz singer, a few months before she was on America's Got Talent. I'd wanted to read her book ever since it came out, and finally got it from the library last week. It's an inspirational type book. She mentions her faith and talks about the trials she's faced. I was interested to read about how she feels vibrations of music through her body in order to stay with the musicians in the band. If you didn't know, she is Deaf. Overall, this was a good book. I will most likely read it again in the future. (I'm a re-reader) I'm looking forward to seeing her perform in person next year.

In summation....

These were my thoughts and opinions of the books I read. I enjoyed writing out these mini reviews. If you've also read these books, you may or may not agree with my thoughts, but that's totally fine! I'm thinking of doing this type of post every two weeks, depending on how many books I read.

So... What's next on my TBR list?

Inside Deaf Culture by Carol Padden and Tom Humphries

This book is used in college courses I guess, but reviews of it suggest that it isn't dry and it is a good informative book about the history of Deaf Culture and American Sign Language. I picked it up at the library and think I will learn a lot while reading it.

What book did you finish reading most recently?