Awesome Reads. . . . .

We're still @ the beginning of a new week & I'm so EXCITED 4 everything that's going on in my life. :D I'm reading 3 books simultaneously right now & I love it. I'm rereading Eclipse 4 the 3rd time as part of my preparations 4 when the movie comes out in 2010. :D I so can't wait!! :D Taking my time on it moreso so that I can really SOAK up everything in this book. :D



2nd book up is 'The Undaunted' by Gerald N. Lund. Wow!! In this story, he 'transports readers first to the coal mines of Yorkshire, & then across the ocean & the plains to the territory of Utah, where, even in 1879, there is pioneering to be done.' This book is AMAZING & gives readers such an inside look into the happening that occured when the saints were 'called to create a settlement to serve as a buffer between the established communities of Utah & the lawless frontier of the Four Corners area.' I definitely recommend this book 2 all who want a GREAT read during these winter months. :D



3rd book up is 'A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose' by Eckhart Tolle. I just started reading this book yesterday. I bought it when it 1st appeared on Oprah's book of the month & started 2 read it, but didn't really grasp it's concept in the 1st page & stopped. I've owned it 4 over a year, I think, & just barely picked it back up 2 start reading it again. :D And boy am I glad I did. I guess @ the time that I bought it, I truly wasn't ready 4 it. It really is the type of book that makes you really THINK about what you're reading. It's very DEEP. :D I started out my morning 2day w/this book in tow & came across something that I just read & it really described my view on things/people as well. It states:

'When you don't cover up the world with words & labels, a sense of the miraculous returns to your life that was lost a long time ago when humanity, instead of using thought, became possessed by thought. A depth returns to your life. Things regain their newness, their freshness. And the greatest miracle is the experiencing of your essential self as prior to any words, thoughts, mental labels, & images. For this to happen, you need to disentangle your sense of I, of Beingness, from all the things it has become mixed up with, that is to say, identified with.
The quicker you are in attaching a verbal or mental label to things, people, or situations, the more shallow your reality becomes, & the more deadened you become to reality, the miracle of life that continuously unfolds within & around you. In this way, cleverness may be gained, but wisdom is lost, & so are joy, love, creativity, & aliveness. They are concealed in the still gap between the perception & the interpretation. Of course we have to use words & thoughts. They have their own beauty -- but do we need to become imprisoned in them?'

How deep is that?? It put into perspective exactly how I've always felt & viewed things in life!! :D I love it so much. It's so TRUE. It's definitely human nature to naturally attach verbal or mental labels to things, people, or situations & the outcome to such actions?? The more shallow & lifeless your reality becomes. I've always thought it a scary thing when people get so easily caught up in labeling things, people, or situations because right away. . . .they show the exact part of themselves that isn't very pretty. Who wants to come off as 'shallow & lifeless?' But it's the very thing that we have been warned about through the counsels of our leaders. Not to get ourselves entangled in acts of being judgemental because the sin lies upon our own heads.

These were just my thoughts this morning & I had 2 blog about those 2 paragraphs that I came across this morning cause I've never seen them so perfectly worded as they are in this AWESOME book. I love it so much!! Wish I could've caught onto it while it was the book of the month in Oprah's book club so I can join her live webcasts when they were airing, but I'll just have 2 pull up her archives & go over the webcasts. They went through chapter by chapter discussing the different views of the readers from all the around the world. So AMAZING. :D I'm definitely tuning in. :D As you can see, I'm kinda all over the place in the different types of genres I'm interested in. :D There's wayyyy too many things in this world 2 learn about & discover & I must say that books are definitely @ the top of my list of things that I'm so so GRATEFUL 4. It brings knowledge & meaning into a world that otherwise would just be cold & meaningless. These were my thoughts this morning & I wanted 2 be able 2 share some WONDERFUL reads with all of you. :D Enjoy. . . .