so i think i left off last week by saying i was 300 pages into bush’s “decision points” – i finished it this week – good book – frames why we went to war twice – and how those surges worked in both places – i thought he explained it very, very well – some of his harsher critics have contended all along that he was just bent on going to war, but i don’t think you can read his book and reach the same conclusion

i then read a couple of free nook books – “stupid history” – a quick read that basically was about how everything you were ever told in history was wrong – it had points, that some of what we think is true really didn’t happen that way – but most of the book seemed to go to the other extreme – that you can’t believe any historical event because people just made them up – the second book, “leadership prayers” was a freebie and written by a former prez of a california university – it was pretty good about how to trust in God to lead

wednesday, i made my way to columbiana to take POG grocery shopping at publix in calera – but when she balked, i went to the library and spotted “a journey: my political life” by tony blair – the brits’ prime minister from 1997-2007 – i really didn’t want to relive the bush years again so soon – particularly b/c the book was 1,200 pages long – but the book was just sitting on the shelf – brand new – it was paperback and no one had ever touched it (you can tell those things with a paperback – no creases) – so i felt sorry for the book  – i guess sorry for the state of reading in the county too:) and so i started that book – i’m now 700 pages-ish in, and it’s been a great read – british politics is different than its american counterpart – and i know that sounds obvious, but until you read a british book about it, it really doesn’t come home – blair makes great points that transfer to american politics – about standing up internationally for what’s right instead of selfish interest – anyway, i’ve been entertained – but i have a long, long way until i finish

reading back through the old testament – i started joshua saturday – it’s interesting to me how things like leviticus and deuteronomy can come to life when you least expect it – and remind you of God’s relationship with his people – b/c most people think of the OT as boring (and, fair warning, it isn’t very pleasant reading all the time)

oh, st. k, the reason i ended up with the blair book was b/c i was set to check out “fire” and they told me it was the sequel to “graceling” – and columbiana doesn’t have “graceling” – so i think i’m going to have to steal it from ms. blount  – sorry – i tried – glad you survived vbs – do i see you marching saturday at liberty day???

mafeld