My 2011 Reading List...So Far

2011

þ Developing the Leader Within -John Maxwell

þ Motherhood the Guilt that Keeps on Giving

þ The Girl…books – Steig Larsson

þ Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne

¨ Three Cups of Tea - David Relin

þ Pagan Christianity- Frank Viola &George Barna

¨ The Pursuit of God – A W Tozer

þ Blue Like Jazz – Donald Miller

¨ Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell

þ Love Wins – Rob Bell

¨ Jesus for President – Shane Claiborne

þ And the Shofar Blew – Francine Rivers

þ The Bonsai Conspiracy – Paul Anderson-Walsh

þ A New Kind of Christianity – Brian D McLaren

þ Chazown – Craig Groeschel

¨ Weird – Craig Groeschel

þ The Well Trained Mind – Wise-Bauer

þ Billy -

¨ Just As I Am – Billy Graham

þ Homeschooling Companion

¨ Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

¨ Crazy Love – Francis Chan

þ Revolution – George Barna

¨ A Charlotte Mason Companion

¨ The Power of a Whisper – Bill Hybels

¨ Choosing to See – Mary Beth Chapman

¨ Love Revolution – Joyce Meyer

þ Large Family Logistics

þ Homewarming – Emilie Barnes

þ Driven By Eternity - John Bevere

þ Coaching Your Kids to Be Leaders

¨ Finding Organic Church – Frank Viola

þ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis

¨ The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness

þ Inside My Heart - Robin McGraw

¨ King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table - Roger Lancelyn Green

¨ My Hearts Cry - Anne Graham Lotz

¨ The Power of Respect - Deborah Norville

¨ Free - the Future of a Radical Price - Chris Anderson

¨ Pursuing More of Jesus - Anne Graham Lotz

¨ The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell

Possibilities

¨ The Starfish and the Spider - Ori Brafman

¨ Organic Disciplemaking - Dennis McCallum

¨ The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

¨ A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

¨ Not for Sale - David Batsone

¨ While Europe Slept - Bruce Bawer

¨ Einstein - Walter Isaacson

¨ 5 Dysfunctions of a Team- Patrick Lencioni

¨ A Tale of Three Kings- Gene Edwards

¨ Prisoner in the Third Cell-Gene Edwards

¨ Breakfast of Champions- Kurt Vonnegut

¨ SlaughterHouse-Five- Kurt Vonnegut

¨ King Leopold's Ghost-Adam Hochschild

¨ The Ascent of Money- Niall Ferguson

¨ Green - Ted Dekker

¨ A Briefer History of Time – Stephen Hawking

¨ A Short History of Everything - Bill Bryson

¨ Infidel - Ayaan Hisi Ali

¨ Tides of War - Steven Pressfield

¨ Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield

¨ Same Kind of Different as Me - Ron Hall

¨ Team of Rivals - Doris Goodwin

¨ Strengths Finder - Tom Rath

¨ Adam's Return - Richard Rohr

¨ A Generous Orthodoxy - Brian McLaren

¨ Spiritual Slavery to Sonship - Jack Frost

¨ No Perfect People Allowed - John Burke

¨ The Organic Church – Neil Cole

¨ Becoming A True Sp. Community - Larry Crabb

¨ Adam's Return- Richard Rohr

What we've been up to...

For the past few weeks I've been avoiding the real topic I wanted to write about, that would be about the major changes in our lives here at the Heaslip Homestead.

Back in March I resigned from full time ministry...it had been a 17 year journey since my first forray into "ministry" and most of it was great. So why leave you may ask? It was a few things, it was a lot of things...

Mostly, it was my kids, my family, my lifestyle. The busy, busy, busy was just too, too much. We had in "faith" become overstretched in our time, our finances, our attention... everything really. Over the years there was this whisper in my heart to make changes... I first remember hearing it just after I became pregnant with Lucas (who just turned 7 in February). The last couple years that whisper had turned into a blaring siren inside of me that couldn't be ignored. There were other whispered questions too, but that's for another blog entry.

So anyways, we made the leap.

That led to many changes for now, and in the future.

Change 1

We had planned for me to continue working until the summer, but our plans were changed and i was done in March. I became a full time "home engineer". I LOVE IT. Golly gee, I was ready. The sense of peace that I have in my heart and in my home is just so...awesome. Yes, I've attacked my home with a fervour - cleaning, reorganizing, cooking, gardening... yep, loving it still.

Change 2

Christian School. For the time being we live each day trusting God for our boys to be able to finish out the year at their Christian School and help us figure out a way to finish paying for it.

Change 3

After that we'll be a homeschooling family. I had visited my dear dear friend Lauren (a new blogger woohoo!) in the sunny south. She is a homeschooler (to boys) and I wanted to get a closeup look at how she does it...and after just four days I was basically sold. (I also did a truckload of research on my own, joined a couple support groups, met up with some fellow newbies, went to a conference...) The fact that Chris was supportive of the notion before I even was, helped a lot too.

Change 4

I have spent the past 3 months or so RECONNECTING. In working and being full time mommy and wife (plus having investments and a business to run - we sold it the same month) i always tried to stay connected, but we all have a limit, and I was pushing mine. I've enjoyed more time with my husband and boys, and I enjoyed celebrating one of the best Easters ever, and Mother's Day and a few birthdays etc, with my extended family - being able to worship where they chose to and not having to rush in or out was sooo nice! I've also been proactively trying to connect with people who we've lost touch with over the years, mostly because of those invisible lines created when people choose to go to another "church". I also joined a Mom's group at another local church where I knew a few of the ladies and it's been a real blessing to me.

Change 5

With my work with "ministry" being done and my newfound sense of freedom, I began reading voraciously (I'm talking a good 15 to 20 non-fiction books in a 2 month period (I did read a couple fiction too - just to give my brain a break). Some of the books were clearly controversial, some were challenging and others were just so amazing. It was really in response to those "other whispers" i was talking about. So, this led to our season of "de-churching" - we still fellowship regularly with other believers, but it is not in a traditional sense, and it's included our church (which we still consider ourselves a part of) but also other churches, and other gatherings as well...as the Spirit leads. I have not felt so alive as a believer since i first heard the message of God's grace...and probably more so now.

I guess that's the main summary of what we've been up to. I know there are a few more little changes on the horizon, but the most amazing part is that we are not alone, and that we can't get lost when the Saviour is leading us by the hand :)

What about you? Any changes going on in your world you want to share?