Thursday, January 1, 2015

On Reflection

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“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



Other Bloggers Posts I Liked

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
   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
   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
   37.   Plenilune- Jennifer Freitag
   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?!)

7 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Maddie Rose! I've missed reading your posts the last few months, and I hope to hear more from you in the future. I hope your new year is happy and fulfilling, and that you continue to grow in your faith and your relationship with the Lord. :-)

    ~Emma

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  2. Oh and by the way, I absolutely ADORE that L.M. Montgomery quote. I am positively itching to read the Anne books, after my best friend has been recommending them to me for almost a year and I've been finding so many great quotes from them. It has to happen soon!

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    1. Yes, Emma, you should read AoGG. Your best friend insists upon it.

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  3. Happy New Year! Glad to see you around again :-)

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  4. Happy new Year, Maddie Rose!

    Hey, you haven't finished the Blue Castle? I hope that's not because you don't like it. Okay, of course you're allowed to not like it, but it's just that I absolutely ADORE that book. :-)

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    1. Oh I have read it before, and I definitely did like it, but on my reread this year I didn't finish it. I love L.M. Montgomery, so I don't think I could really dislike any of her books :)

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