Meme

Taken from Tale of a Kansas Girl and modified slightly to suit my needs. ;) Feel free to play along. I tag everyone. It's easier.

This started out as "25 Things that Inspire Me" which is also a great idea. However, since this is a book blog, well, I'm going to make it "25 Book Related Type Things Which Inspire Me" which, of course, is very vague but makes it easier to play.

Without further ado . . .

1. The Bible. The most inspiring book a Christian could have a copy of. The living word that never dies and breathes new life into people constantly. No other book has the power to give life like the Bible.

2. The feel of a never-been-opened-brand-spanking-new book. Brand new book territory that begs for a conqueror.

3. Books so good and so long that you feel like you can never get enough. Books that make you grateful for their length. (Les Miserables, for example.)

4. Imagination.

5. Books that make you argue with yourself.

6. Anne of Green Gables because it transports you and makes wind that doesn't currently exist blow through your hair as you stand at the top of a cliff overlooking an ocean you can't physically see.

7. Emotions clearly evoked by another person's choice of words. The power of words to make you laugh, cry, be angry and smile enthusiastically. Sometimes simultaneously.

8. Books that make you want to consciously change who you are to better display God's glory.

9. Any book a friend recommends because it speaks of them and allows me to know them better. I devour books given to me or recommend by close friends. Those books represent a piece of their heart, whether they know it or not, and tell me how they view the world. A recommended book (by a close friend) is a very special thing indeed. (Which probably means I SHOULD make an effort to plow through A Tale of Two Cities because my husband loved it so. I DID read The Count of Monte Cristo at his recommendation and loved it. Does that count?! Sigh.)

10. Safely Home, because it made me think "outside the box" and made me conscious of people who suffer more than I do. (Which, for the record, I don't suffer much. I just think I do.)

11. Any book that inspires a shift in the thought of a large majority of the population - secular and/or Christian. I may not agree with the theme or idea that the author is presenting to the public, but I will be inspired to think about it and respond to it. I like that. (For example: Blue Like Jazz or The Year of Living Biblically.)

12. Books that I think my son will like because it means that I get to spend time cuddling with him while he's focused on something other than the fact that mommy is cuddling with him.

13. In a People House, by Dr. Suess, because it's a book my son has memorized enough of to read bits and pieces along with me.

14. IF by Amy Carmichael because I will never be that good and so it gives me a constant goal to work on. Plus, it was a birthday gift from my birthday pal, Kristin. It's essentially a piece of my past which haunts my future.

15. Any book written well enough that I look forward to the theatrical release of said story.

16. Bookstores. Oh, the endless possibilities!!!

17. Book blogs. I can never cover all the ground myself and I appreciate the time and effort other people spend in recommending the best reads. Book blogs (and the people behind them) really are a helpful lot. So Many Books, So Little Time. So many helpful people.

18. A husband who also likes to read. (An extreme blessing. He should probably go up higher on this list, huh?)

19. The ABILITY to read!

20. ABeka Books which were tools in teaching me how to read.

21. Libraries.

22. Authors and authoresses who keep writing even though the public critiques their work like crazy. (Myself included.)

23. Sentences that describe me. "She thought in exclamation points!" (Montgomery, of course.)

24. Graced Based Parenting which helped to shape my view of parenting.

25. Readers of this blog who keep me blogging about books. Thanks!

Leave me a note and let me know if you played too and I'll come check out your list.