cold tangerines.

random title right? give me a minute & you'll gain a full understanding to my insanity. i am an avid reader. i will read just about anything i can get my hands onto. i am not bias to one genre or another. i love it all. i enjoy the classics like jane eyre, wuthering heights, pride & prejudice. i love non-classics too. i love nicholas sparks. i enjoy reading christian books, ones that inspire me to think deeper about my faith. about my Savior. about myself.

i have a friend... lets call him Jav. because well, that's his name. Jav. he has known me for over half my life. he is one of the few guys in my life who has made me cry, but i deserved it (i was in high school & he was calling me out on something). he has inspired me in ways he has no idea. about 6 years ago he recommended a book that changed my life. a book called 'the blessing' by gary smalley. i saw Jav about a month ago. i was telling him how i loved the book he recommended & have bought it for a number of people in the last 5 years. he said he had another book.

'cold tangerines' by shauna niequist. completely different from the first book, but oh so inspiring. life changing... maybe not, but life inspiring... DEFINITELY. it is a collection of stories in which draw us to the awareness of who God is & how He infuses everything... calling us to live the best possible life we can. it isn't a deep theological book. but it has caused me to think about myself in light of how i allow God to use me & how i examine && live life.

here's a quote at the end of the book: 'that's what i want my life to be, like a well-loved gift. i think life, just life, just breathing in and out, is a great gift. God gives us something amazing when he gives us life, and i want to live with gratitude.'

so here is to a life that makes you want to dance, jump, sing, hope, sizzle, and love with your whole self. it is inspiration to be GREAT!