Looking Back at 2019

2019 was quite the year.

I fell and injured my back 3 times.

Hubby and I went to Disneyland.

We won a new car.

I read 175 books.

I fostered a mama cat and watched her bring 5 babies into this world. Three of them still live here.

We got two puppies. Yes, I do believe we are insane.

I got laid off and started a new job.

The Best books I read in 2019

(in no particular order)

Everything Happens for a Reason by Kate Bowler

The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman

Finding God’s Life for My Will by Mike Donehey

2019 Fiction

Lest you think that I only read non-fiction last year, I did read a lot of fiction.

I started reading through one of my favorite series again last year. It’s the Miss Fortune Mystery Series by Jana DeLeon. A CIA assassin has to go undercover in a small Louisiana town because her cover has been blown and an arms dealer is after her.

I loved Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series and I was pleased to find that I enjoyed his Last Dragonslayer series just as much. They are completely different, but both so much fun.

Because Amie Kaufman just seems to come up with the most fun and crazy sci-fi ever, I have to read everything she writes. So I read her Unearthed books. I also read Aurora Rising. Now I have to wait for the next Aurora book to make its appearance.

This is probably my favorite way to read Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Don Quixote as a graphic novel. I loved it. Excellent illustrations. Excellent adaptation. And not a lightweight book.

2019 Music

2019 was quite the year for music for me. I discovered some new artists and some new songs. I found some new playlists. I was open about my love for music that some people might not think was very “me.”

If you’ve been around my blog for awhile, you probably know that I love anything and everything Andrew Peterson. So his music usually holds a prominent place in my everyday life.

This past October, he released the 20th anniversary edition of “Behold the Lamb of God.” Don’t ask me how many times I’ve listened to it because I haven’t counted.

And every time I hear “Is He Worthy?” I get goosebumps and cry. I read the passage in the book of Revelation and I teared up. “Is anyone worthy?” “Yes!”

There’s just something about “Out of Hiding” by Stephanie Gretzinger that touches my soul and I can’t get the song out of my heart. I don’t think I want to.

Ellie Holcomb’s “Red Sea Road” album is full of truth and light and I’ve played it so many times this last year. I don’t see that changing this year.

2019 wouldn’t be complete musically without Lauren Daigle’s “You Say.”

music discoveries

I discovered Christopher Williams’ new album “We Will Remember: Songs Inspired by the Book of Joel.”

And even though I’d heard of The Gray Havens, I don’t think I’d actually listened to any of their music until this last year when I listened to their album “She Waits.”

Even though I listen to a lot of Ellie Holcomb, I don’t generally listen to her husband, Drew. So I decided to give his new album, “Dragons,” a listen. I really liked the first song on the album, “Family.”

My oldest niece introduced me to the Hamilton soundtrack this spring. (Don’t click on it if you don’t like hip hop. Also, some songs contain swear words.) It’s an amazing story and I love that they used modern music to tell that story.

I then introduced my oldest niece to The Scarlet Pimpernel’s soundtrack. Because who doesn’t need a musical about a swashbuckling hero during the French Revolution or a song about clothes?