On Reflection

“After all," Anne had said to Marilla once, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.” 
― L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

I feel, like every other blogger out in the blogosphere, that a wrap up post for 2014 is in order. I can't say that I shall be quite original and eloquent in my musings and topics, but I can promise to be sincere.

My dad mentioned yesterday at dinner that 2014 seemed to fly by awfully fast. I pondered that for a while, not sure that I felt the same. In a way, it is awfully crazy that it is 2015, and I graduate in one year. Thinking back on all that has happened: a new job, getting my license, rejoicing over a new baby, experiencing pain, disappointments, slothfullness, joy, and confusion- they all had their place in my life.

I feel that I grew in my faith this year, but not nearly enough. I am but an infant in my journey. When I read a description of just such a believer in Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series, I knew that to be my experience as well. She spoke of being a babe. Walking unsteadily, falling, scraping one's knee, but getting up to try again. The progress may be slow, but the Father sees the effort and lovingly helps one back to one's feet. This is just a paraphrase, as I could not find the actual quote.

I had a slow start at school this year. At the beginning of the semester, I was experiencing frequent stomach pains, which was rather disappointing, as with my new gluten free diet I had been able to keep such things at bay-but that problem has since ceased, and I believe I am back in the swing of things.

My ambition this year seems to have vanished- I do hope it will appear again with the new year. I felt no push to study hard, I quickly finished the work that had to be done, and felt no urge to start on anything that could be done but did not need to be finished yet. (As you could probably tell by the lack of consistent blogging.)

But enough about me. Let's get on to some of the fun stuff!

Popular Blog Posts for The Madd Rose

• A Review of Daddy Long Legs and Dear Enemy
• A Review of North and South
• Wives and Daughters
• The Scarlet Pimpernel Movie Review
• The Liebster Award
• Literary Heroine Blog Party Questions 2014
• A Glimpse into the World of Mysteries
• A Review of Northanger Abbey
• A Review of Sense and Sensibility
• A Review of Pride & Prejudice (1995)

Other Bloggers Posts I Liked

• Rachel Heffington's short Christmas story John-Out-the-Window
• Elizabeth Rose's Earth's Crammed with Heaven 
• Elizabeth Rose's Willa-My-Willa Chatterbox
• Elizabeth Rose's On Christian Sincerity
• Elizabeth Rose's Sweeter than Wine
• Emily P. Freeman When the Mega is Praised at the Expense of the Small
• Emily P. Freeman One Question I Ask Myself Before I Pray for Clarity
• Emily P. Freeman Maybe You've Done This Too
• Emily P. Freeman One Truth I Believe but am Slow to Practice
• Emily P. Freeman The Most Revolutionary Question You Can Ask
• Jenny watchword & battle-cry, they are both the same
• Jenny after that it was all nouns and verbs until lunchtime
• Jenny the jerusalem tree
• Jenny gratuitous motion
• There was one more by Jenny- a short story on a man-never named- who was drawing a beautiful castle-structure in the dirt. He was kind and wise and knowledgeable- and I had a beautiful ache after reading it- so if you have some free time go to the Penslayer and see if you can find such a one under the labels :)
• Petie it's kinda crazy, really

There were more- but sadly I did not bookmark them. I hope that gets you started, at least.

Book List 2014

    1.       Secret Adversary- Agatha Christie

    2.       40 Acres and No Mule- Janice Holt Giles

    3.       The Princess and the Sage- Anneliese Blakeney

    4.       The Little Women Letters- Gabrielle Donnelly

    5.       Rilla of Ingleside- L. M. Montgomery

    6.       Emily of Deep Valley- Maud Hart Lovelace

    7.       Annabeth’s War- Jessica Greyson

    8.       Mrs. Miniver- Jan Struther

    9.       Northanger Abbey- Jane Austen*

   10.   Murder at the Vicarage- Agatha Christie

   11.   The Moving Finger- Agatha Christie*

   12.   The Book Thief- Markus Zusak*

   13.   Fly Away Home- Rachel Heffington

   14.   Mere Christianity- C.S. Lewis

   15.   Sherlock Holmes (short stories)- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

   16.   The Shadow Things- Jennifer Frietag

   17.   Nine Coaches Waiting- Mary Stewart*

   18.   Blue Castle- L.M. Montgomery*

   19.   Short stories of L.M. Montgomery (3 BOOKS OF THEM)

   20.   All Creatures Great and Small- James Herriot*

   21.   The Bellamy Trial- Frances Noyes Hart

   22.   Leota’s Garden – Francine Rivers

   23.   Bridge to Haven- Francine Rivers

   24.   Voice in the Wind- Francine Rivers

   25.   An Echo in the Darkness- Francine Rivers

   26.   As Sure as the Dawn- Francine Rivers

   27.   A Lineage of Grace- Francine Rivers

   28.   The Centurion’s Wife- Davis Bunn and Janette Oke  

   29.   The Hidden Flame- Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

   30.   The Damascus Way- Davis Bunn and Janette Oke

   31.   Stepping Heavenward- Elizabeth Prentiss

   32.   It’s (Not that) Complicated- Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Bodkin

   33.   Father Brown short stories- G.K. Chesterton

   34.   Captivating- Stasi Eldredge

   35.   Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good- Jan Karon

   36. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall- Anne Bronte

   37.   Plenilune- Jennifer Freitag

   38.   Anon, Sir, Anon- Rachel Heffington

   39.   Christy- Catherine Marshall

   40.   The Fellowship of the Ring- J.R.R. Tolkien*

   41.   A Million Little Ways- Emily P. Freeman*

   

    Books with an asterisk after them are unfinished. Books with a link I have reviewed   

 

      Happy 2015, followers! I hope you have a full and happy year. I look forward to connecting more through The Madd Rose, which will be celebrating it's 3rd anniversary this month. (Can you believe it?!)