Mori Tower and a Book Review

Today we met a friend and her kids and ventured out to Robot Park and Mori Tower. They had a small aquarium exhibit and Miyako was super excited to see "Nemo." Thankfully they had fish that looked like Nemo, although Miyako was not super impressed with how dark it was inside. Miyako loves Robot park. It amazes me how much she is growing. The last time we were there she needed to help walking up this large hill after going down the really long slide. Today she did it all by herself! And we just had to have a morning snack/coffee break for the mamas at a delicious bakery. One thing about Tokyo that I love is the food. The bakeries are simply to die for. I do not really crave Panera because the bakeries here are so delicious. It was a fun adventure out on this very hot Saturday.

So, I remember posting about a new book I was planning to read called "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. A friend commented on how she wanted to know what I thought of the book, so I thought I would include little book reviews on the blog. I love to read and pass along books for people to consider, so here is my opinion of this latest read. I really loved the premise of the book - the author is on a search to write 1,000 things she is thankful for and in the process she learns to fully "live" by God's grace. What I love is that she does not list things like "my family, my friends, food, good health" which are all very good things to be thankful for. But she goes for the specifics...things like, "clean sheets smelling like wind, hot oatmeal tasting like home, bare toes in early light." The book is thought provoking and profound. I will be honest, the first 50 pages or so was hard for me. Her style is completely different from any other author I have written. If you have an amplified Bible, her writing reminds me of that. It took me awhile to figure out her style and appreciate it, but once I got past those first 50 pages or so, I was loving the book. It is not a quick read or easy read as it makes you think and consider your own heart on so many levels. It is a book I want to read again in a month or two as I do not think I really processed it all. I love how real and vulnerable she is. She does not come across super spiritual. She is honest, having good days where she is really in tune and in touch with the Lord, and really bad days when she stresses over what is for dinner, meeting a deadline and wondering if she is living God's best for this life on earth. I underlined quite a bit. I wish I could share it all on the blog. Instead, go read it for yourself and let me know what you underlined. Maybe we can meet for coffee and discuss it together if you live here in Tokyo, or we can have a virtual book club meeting over Skype.

Next on my list - "The Mission of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson and "Loving the Little Years" by Rachel Jankovic. I am also diving into a Spanish author for the first time - "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.