10 Most Influential Books

okay, i have loved reading my entire life. it did take a back seat during undergrad and grad school, but i'm back in prime form. yesterday was super dreary in houston so i spent a lot of time in Barnes and Noble (and then I went to the library and got the books I was interested in there!) this made me think about the most loved books that i have read so far. it is difficult to come up with a list and i haven't thought about it too long....this is what I have so far. they are listed in no specific order.

1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

This is my favorite book from early high school. It is a coming of age story that, in my opinion, is not rivaled by any other book. If you are going to read it, remember that it is a little slow initially as there is a lot of character development!

2. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

This might not have made the list last year, but after seeing where she hid out, I'm forever moved. It is a simple, honest description from a young girl in one of the worst times in history. Also, you should read Night by Elie Wiesel.
3. The Challenge of Missions by Oswald J. Smith

Every list should have something by an Oswald! This small book was given to me during college by a World Opportunities Week speaker. I cannot tell you how many times I have read it. The simple truths but huge challenges continue to push me.

4. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

This is a biography about Dr. Paul Farmer, a physician and public health guru. He goes to some of the poorest areas of the worlds and implements low-cost lifesaving medical practices.

5. The White Man's Burden by William Easterly

Again, you might be seeing a trend here. I cannot find my copy of this book and it bums me out. This was a challenging read because it was written from an economics perspective. It is a study on the unequal distribution of wealth around the world.
6. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

This is a simple, but profound description of Christianity. It took me a number of tries to get through this---probably just because I tried to read it on the young side and before I appreciated the beauty of British writing!
7. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

I have read this book three times in the past year. It is about the conflict in Sierra Leone and his experience through it. It is one of the most gripping books I have read in a long time. It also points out another civil war that went on without the world taking a second glance.

8. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

I'm surprised that this made my list. It was required reading for my senior year of high school. It is an unforgettable book and, although, very rough around the edges, it opened my eyes to the diversity of literature.

9. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

This is the book I relate to my childhood. I think it is important because it opens children up to fantasy and encourages imagination. We don't keep the ability to imagine long enough!

10. Where Is God When It Hurts? by Philip Yancey

I read this book in college and a couple times since then. I think all people in medicine should read this, as well anyone with a chronic or terminal illness. It explains why we need pain is a gift from God and we need it to survive.

Okay, those are my current 10. If you haven't read them, pick up a good book! What are some of your favorite books? You might give me some ideas!

travel agent?

i'm thinking i should be a travel agent on the side. what do you think???

a coworker asked my opinion the other day and she agrees as i gave her many options. it would be a great side job!

Pictures

Okay, here are some much-anticipated pictures from Oklahoma City. The first few are with the half ironman. Remember that it is pouring rain and we are freezing. The second half are from the Oklahoma City Memorial.

the picture above is just to show that we were loaded with mud....nothing like running through mud puddles for 13 miles. i actually threw my shoes out that day.

9 months

I wrote this last night, but couldn't post it.....

Tonight I had dinner with the Alfords. They opened up their house to 3 Texas A&M freshman that were in town for a leadership event. It was so fun to have a homemade dinner with a big "family" atmosphere. Mary and Gene are just so incredibly generous and warm. Their house is literally always open to anyone coming through. I'm sure that they were aware of the timing. Tomorrow it will be 9 months since Charles passed away. I cannot even believe it. Some days, I unconsciously expect him to be home when I get back from work and to be lounging on the couch with his shirt off. I cannot imagine how Gene and Mary feel all the time. Charles' 17th birthday is coming up soon as well. If you think about it, just keep them in your prayers in the next 3 months. There are a lot of family oriented events that I'm sure will feel pretty empty with one person missing.

Ft. Hood

I'm sure by now everyone has heard about the killings at Fort Hood. I was reading the paper this morning and a couple things were new to me. One was an article about how people shouldn't attach this event to the killer's faith. I can see both sides of this comment. All religious organizations have their over-zealous followers. That is definitely a given. I get so upset when people kill abortion doctors in defense of the sanctity of life. I will say though, that we hear more about violent acts associated with certain religious sects....think Waco, 9/11, etc. when have we heard about a Buddhist attacking others? Maybe it has happened, but I haven't heard about it.

The second thing...I was reading about the 13 people that died in the attacks. Two of the killed were career Physician Assistants. It hits home a little more when you think about your career could cause that risk. I have thought about joining the military a number of times, but it always comes down to the fact that in my heart, I know I'm not built for a war zone. Now, if I could man a hospital in Germany or Italy or Hawaii, I think I could be convinced. I'm thankful for those that aren't scared out of their pants to defend our country (regardless of what you think of this current situation)