A book worm.

Dontcha know, having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card? {10 points if you know where that's from!} I know I know, I'm a huge dork. But I love this current stage in my life, where I can actually read for pleasure. I've got a pretty good reading list going, and every two weeks or so, I visit the gorgeous new Augusta-Richmond County Library {pictured below} and try to put a dent in it.



Right now I am in the middle of reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book in the series. I know I'm about thirteen years behind on this, but I totally understand all the hullabaloo about Harry now. The books are so good. My goal is to have the whole series read by the time Part 2 of the last movie comes out in July 2011. We'll see how that goes...



But don't worry, I'm not just filling my mind with silly old fiction these days. Kyle and I are reading The Two Sides of Love together by Dr. John Trent and Gary Smalley {author of The Five Love Languages}. We're reading it with our newlywed Sunday School class at Warren Baptist Church, and I've really enjoyed it so far.

The book is about {you guessed it!} the two sides of love, identified as the hard side {the ability to be consistent, to discipline, to protect, to challenge, and to correct} and the soft side {the ability to be compassionate, sensitive, patient, and understanding}. The book helps you pinpoint which side you tend to express more based on your personality type, and gives you practical ways to improve communication with your spouse {or with any relationship} by gaining a better understanding of where they're coming from. And ultimately, it demonstrates how Christ was the perfect balance of hard and soft side love, emphasizing how important it is for us as Christ-followers to strive to love like He does. And with that, I will leave you with this verse:

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers...Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:16,18