Goodreads Book Tag

Saw this meme at Smiling Shelves. 

What was the last book you marked as read? Cherished Mercy by Tracie Peterson
What are you currently reading? Martin Luther: A Spiritual Biography by Herman Selderhuis
What was the last book you marked as to read? Enjoying God by R.C. Sproul
What book do you plan to read next? Reading Romans with Luther by R.J. Grunewald
Do you use the star rating system? YES
Are you doing a reading challenge? Yes. My 2017 goal is 500 books. As of September 21, 2017 I am at 495 books.
Do you have a wishlist? Yes. Always. Since I could write.
What book do you plan to buy next? I'm hoping that Grace Alone by Carl Truman will go on sale before Reformation Day.
Do you have any favorite quotes? According to GoodReads, I have over 300. I'm not going to go through that many to pick a favorite. How about, "Some books claiming to be exhaustive are only exhausting to read." ~ A.W. Tozer
Who are your favorite authors? According to Goodreads, my most read authors are: Georgette Heyer, Dr. Seuss, Agatha Christie, Orson Scott Card, Mo Willems, A.W. Tozer, Anthony Trollope, L.M. Montgomery, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and Janette Oke. Are my most read authors my favorite authors? For the most part.
Have you joined any groups? Yes. VT Reading Challenge and The Classics Club
What do you think Goodreads could do better? STOP sending me emails telling me I've finished a book.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Fall Festival Recipe Exchange: Dr. Pepper Cake

My Friend Amy is asking for recipes today. It's "Fall Festival Recipe Exchange" time. I've got a recipe to share. But I don't know that anyone would consider it especially fallish. Does that matter so long as it's tasty? I hope not. I'm sharing a family recipe (of sorts) with you.* One that more often or not gets made more in the fall than at other times.

(Could it be because of three birthdays and two holidays?) (It could also be that the oven doesn't get used much during the summer. In Texas. No matter how much you crave something.) (I think there are only two seasons in Texas. In this case oven weather and not-oven weather. And oh the celebrating when it is finally time to make oven goodies: meat loaf, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, oven-roasted (sweet) potato fries, baked chicken with a cracker-crumb crust, baked carrots, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, casseroles (all sorts), biscuits, corn bread, etc.)

You can make a cake, cup cakes, or little loaves with this recipe. It does transport well. And they make great gifts for teachers during the holiday season. :)

Dr. Pepper Cake

For the cake

• 1 white or yellow cake mix (A cake mix without pudding. Cheap kind is fine. You'll have to trust me on that.)
• 1 cup Dr. Pepper (1 measuring cup of Dr. Pepper. Which leaves just enough of your 12 oz. can to have some while you're working.)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts (pecan or walnut works best)

Baking directions:

1) Follow the directions on the box of your cake mix. EXCEPT that instead of adding their amount of liquid/water (oil, etc.) you substitute 1 cup Dr. Pepper and 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce.

2) Pour the batter into your cake pan. (It works as cupcakes if you prefer.)

3) For the topping, mix your brown sugar and nuts together well. Mixed Well being the key words if you don't like eating clumps of brown sugar. Brown sugar is clumpy and lumpy for the most part.

4) Sprinkle the topping mixture on top of your cake batter.

5) Bake it according to the temperature and time given on the cake mix.

It smells heavenly. Really, really heavenly. And it tastes as good as it smells.

*Mom got the recipe from a friend back in the early nineties. I'm assuming Mom's friend got it from another friend who probably got it from someone else.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

BTT: Reading Resolutions

Happy New Year, everyone!

So … any Reading Resolutions? Say, specific books you plan to read? A plan to read more ____? Anything at all?

Name me at least ONE thing you’re looking forward to reading this year!

I want to read the Bible more in 2009. Specifically, I want to finish up the Wycliffe New Testament--I've read Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Romans, and most of 1 Corinthians. I'd also like to get to the Tyndale New Testament. Of course there are other bibles--more than just new testament ones--I hope to get to this year. (The 1599 Geneva Bible and the ESV Study Bible).

I also want to read more Christian fiction and more Christian nonfiction. I'd love to read at least two Christian titles a week--for a total of 104 theoretically. But I'm not sure I'm up to it. We'll see. I'd really, really, really love to stick to this goal--lofty as it may be.

Musing Mondays: To Recommend?

How often do you recommend books to others, and who do you recommend them to? Do you only recommend books to your “reading friends” or to anyone you think might find the book interesting? What does it take for a book to make it to your ‘recommendation’ list?

I recommend books all the time. Primarily, I like recommending through my blog(s). But I also am always recommending books to my family, friends, and Sunday School class. I know some people read more than others, but I like talking up books to anyone and everyone. I'm always taking books to 'show-case' to my Sunday School class. Think Reading Rainbow. And whenever I see my friends, I always love to talk about what I've read recently...and to hear what they've read recently!

As to what it takes to get to my recommendation list...I need to feel it is written in an enjoyable and interesting way. If it bores me to tears--if I have no patience at all for it--then I know there aren't many people in my life that would pick it up and persevere through it. But I'd probably still 'recommend' it through my blog in that I'll review it and try to point out some of the good qualities as well as mentioning why it didn't quite work for me.

What's On Your Nightstand? (December)

I just finished Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.
Wycliffe New Testament (I'm reading Luke!)
Word of Promise Next Generation (I'm listening to John! I just have John, 1, 2, 3 John, Jude and Revelation to go)
Jonathan Edwards for Armchair Theologians by James P. Byrd(I'm reading this one very very slowly it seems!)
Daily Readings From the Life of Christ by John MacArthur (a devotional that I hope to start this January)
Night by Elie Wiesel (I'm thinking about reading this one for the Jewish challenge)
In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke (I'm in the process of reading this one for the Jewish challenge)

Faith 'n Fiction Saturdays: Best of the Year

Amy's question this week asks, "...what are your favorite Christian fiction books that you read this year? You can compile your list anyway you like, by genre, ranking, or a favorite book of each month. Be as creative as you like the only requirements are that you read the books this year and that they are Christian fiction."

I read so few Christian fiction books this year. (Bad, bad, Becky) I read under ten titles in fact. I did read some Christian nonfiction though. So I'm not completely hopeless.

My favorites?

If I had to pick just one...I'd choose Until We Reach Home. This one was one of the best books I've ever read. IT's by Lynn Austin. And I highly recommend it.

Getting honorable mentions, I'll highlight Deep In the Heart of Trouble by DeeAnne Gist and Courting Emma by Sharlene MacLaren. Both books were great--definitely enjoyable.

Getting honorable honorable mentions, I'll highlight One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling. Also Keeping Holiday by Starr Meade was fun.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Christmas Movies

Sing we now of Bing...

For me there are really only TWO essential movies of the season. Holiday Inn. White Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I watch more than just the two. I love more than just those two. But there is just something oh-so-magical about Bing Crosby. He ba-ba-bings into my heart I suppose. Who knows?



I don't love everything about Holiday Inn. I could have done without the Abraham Lincoln number in blackface. I could have done without the big-dance-number for the fourth of July with firecrackers. But almost everything else is oh-so-magical. Especially the ending.

I also adore White Christmas. I don't know how I could ever choose between the two. The singing. The dancing. The falling in love. Again, just oh-so-magical.

This was written for My Friend Amy.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Summer Goals Meme

I did this meme over at my other site, my main site, Becky's Book Reviews. I thought I'd make Christian related goals as well.

1. To read at least one of the four gospels this summer.
2. To read three of the NT letters
3. To read at least one OT book this summer.
4. To listen to at least three of my sermon podcasts a week all summer long.