On My Nightstand

Brad and I have a nightstand competition going on. We’re each choosing our own nightstand and lamp so we can cultivate an eclectic feel for our bedroom decorating. And somehow it’s going to all look great. The other night at Target he found a nightstand that’s SO new, it’s not even on their site yet. So the current score is Joanna: 1 (I have a lamp), Brad: 1 (he has a nightstand).

If I had a real nightstand, not Brad’s hand-me-down one since he got a new one, these are the books I’m currently reading that would be on it:

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor
This book is not for wimps. It’s a hard book to read because it basically presents the argument that God doesn’t just allow suffering to happen, He actually promises it will happen and maybe even wills that it will happen to His people for His glory. If you’re currently suffering or, like me, deeply in love with someone who is suffering, it’s nothing short of painful. But at the same time, it’s strengthening my faith. Even when I don’t understand the why or how of suffering, I have to have faith in the purpose of suffering: to give God glory. This is hard to swallow but if I’m really a follower of Christ, His glory has to be enough for me and more precious to me than even my husband’s health. It helps to remember that I’m seeking the glory of a God who is love (1 John 4:8), a God who promises to work all things for good for those who believe (Romans 8:28), and a God who will one day take me in His arms and wipe every tear from my eyes (Revelation 7:17).

Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
When I can’t think about suffering anymore, I read a few more chapters of this sugary summer memoir. It has everything I love in a book: WWII, music, glamour, and diamonds! It’s like dessert, while the Piper book is like beets: You know they’re good for you, but you sort of dread eating them.

Bleak House by Charles Dickens
I was challenged by my friend Elizabeth to pick up this one. I started it when I was violently sick with the Smith/Grider Wedding Flu and I just couldn’t get into it. And I was a captive audience! Maybe I’m just not a Dickens fan. Nevertheless, it sits on my makeshift nighstand, waiting to be picked up and finished. Sometimes reading is a discipline, peeps.

What to Eat by Marion Nestle
I read this book out loud to Brad a couple times a week. We try to read it every night, but we’re usually too tired to get to it after we read our nightly chapter from the sacred text. In any case, I would highly recommend this (and Marion’s blog) to anyone who really cares about their health, their food, or their government. It’s absolutely fascinating.

all images from Amazon.