Reading stack

So - the stack of books doesn't look so imposing; I think I managed to round up everything currently in process or in line. Several of these were actually purchased last fall, I believe. At least two of them I've read most of the way through, but need to finish (which implies the need to go back and at least skim over what I've read so far to refresh my memory).

It's not that I'm not reading, but more that the reading plan I'm using for this year's quiet time is taking most of my reading time in the evenings. Combine that with additional reading for the Bible study prep and the lack of leisurely Saturday mornings lately, and, well, you have a stack of partially read books. That, and the fact that none of this is fiction.

From top to bottom:

1001 Tips to Improve Your Effectiveness - Miller This was a freebie at one of the classes I took, not directly related to the subject matter, but written by a friend of the professor. While some of the tips are a bit dated, what I've skimmed through thus far looks very good, assuming I put some of them into practice.

Loving God - Chuck Colson I've read bits and pieces of this, and when it went on deep discount I picked it up. God can indeed use anything for His glory.

Life - Celebrate It! - Luci Swindoll This is on the pile for a reread - excellent uplifting book.

A Garden of Friends - Penny Pierce Rose After about five chapters, I tired of the extended metaphor, but believe there's still a lot of food for thought on the types of friends we have in our gardens.

Unveiling the End Times in Our Times - Adrian Rogers Another deep discount purchase, it was picked up to check out his perspective on Revelation. His viewpoint is pretty much mainline conservative, but I take issue with the way he reads more into some images than is really warranted by the text. Still, worth reading for another view.

Simplify Your Life - Marcia Ramsland Last spring I read her book Simplify Your Time, which focuses on managing your time by managing your calendar, setting goals and using time purposely, even if the purpose is relaxation. This one centers on simplifying your house - organization, dealing with clutter, arranging the house so it works for you.

15 Minute Recipes - Dana Carpender Again, I cannot resist a cheap book if it looks interesting. Dinner ready in fifteen minutes? Oh yeah.

Simplify Your Holidays - Marcia Ramsland Sensing a theme here? This is actually part advice on planning the holiday season, part binder to do it all in. My only complaint is the format: pages in the binder are a non-standard size - eight by eight - even though the binder cover considerably larger. I may make my own pockets on the front and back cover - would like to keep everything in the same place for planning purposes.

Those are the books in the queue at the moment, if I'm not seduced by a nice, shiny novel instead. Maybe by listing them out here, I'll be shamed into actually finishing a few.