Lisa notes

7 Books I Recommend from Joy to Hope to Justice

By LisaNotes July 6, 2026 Books I Recommend 3 Comments

“The helpful thought for which you look
Is written somewhere in a book.”
– Edward Gorey

I rarely set out to read related books in any given month, but sometimes a theme emerges anyway.

In the books I recently finished, I see this invisible question emerging: How can we live with dignity—for ourselves and for others—in a complicated world?

Each book answered that question from a slightly different angle, showing that being fully human is practiced through joy, abundance, hope, justice, respect, morality, and empathy.

[See previously recommended books here]

Here are the 5 nonfiction and 2 fiction books I recommend this month.

NONFICTION

1. Joyful, Anyway
by Kate Bowler

Book cover of Joyful Anyway

Kate Bowler shares so many personal stories in her books that she feels like a friend you can trust. I appreciate her witty yet poignant reflections in this book on what it means to find joy in the midst of the ache. She says that joy isn’t the absence of suffering; it’s a way of remaining open to beauty, hope, and connection even in the midst of it.

2. Big Time
A Simple Path to Time Abundance
by Laura Vanderkam

Book cover of Big Time

Another of my favorite authors, Laura Vanderkam always challenges my ongoing feeling that I never have enough time. In this book she offers practical strategies for creating a greater sense of time abundance. I wrote more about it here, 10 Ways to Think Bigger About Time.

3. The Deliverance of Hope
The Spiritual Discipline of Writing People on Death Row
by Wendy Ramage and Jeff Hood

Book cover of The Deliverance of Hope

I’ve met these authors on Zoom calls lately, and they’re both sincerely passionate about restoring human dignity to people who often receive it the least. They do an incredible job exploring how letter-writing is one way to bear witness to the truth that each person is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done.

4. A Thousand Ways to Die
The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America
by Trymaine Lee

Book cover of A Thousand Ways to Die

Another well-written book on a difficult topic, this one by journalist Trymaine Lee tells how violence affects Black communities far beyond the immediate loss of life. Through reporting, real-life examples, and statistics, he shows how families and communities continue to bear the long-term effects of gun violence. This book will move you.

5. Beyond the Politics of Contempt
Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times
by Doug Teschner, Beth Malow, and Becky Robinson

Book cover of Beyond the Politics of Contempt

My book club spent several months reading this practical guide to learn how to better keep healthy relationships across political and ideological differences. Spoiler alert: It’s not about winning arguments. Instead, it relies more on curiosity, respectful dialogue, and everyday graciousness toward fellow humans.

FICTION

6. The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

Book cover of The Hunger Games

This was a repeat read for another book club I’m in. It’s about a dystopian society where children from each district are forced to participate in a televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister’s place and enters the Hunger Games. It’s a disturbing premise, but the story reveals a lot about the power of resistance, about inequality, and about the choices that people make when they live in oppressive societies.

7. James
by Percival Everett

Book cover of James

This is the perfect follow-up after reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn last month. It’s is a reimagining of the same story except through the character of Jim (James). No offense to Mark Twain, but I enjoyed this book more than the original. Everett is a great storyteller and gives James amazing depth. He sticks loosely to the original storyline of Twain’s original while also adding in some surprising twists along the way to make the story feel entirely fresh. I highly recommend this Pulitzer Prize-winning book.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

  • Theo of Golden
    by Allen Levi
  • I Belong to Me
    A Survivor’s Guide to Recovery and Hope after Religious Trauma
    by Tia Levings
  • Why Won’t You Apologize?
    Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts
    by Harriet Lerner
  • Influence
    The Psychology of Persuasion
    by Robert B. Cialdini
  • In Love with the World
    A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying
    by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
  • Aging Out
    An Exploration of Caregiving, Community, and How Americans Grow Old
    by Lucy Schiller
  • Fahrenheit 451
    by Ray Bradbury

Together, the books I finished this month reminded me of the importance of treating each other better every day. None of us has it all figured out. But by becoming more thoughtful, attentive, and compassionate, we can improve both our own lives and the lives of others.

That’s one of the reasons I love reading. Stories entertain us, yes, but they also reshape how we see the world and how we choose to live in it.

Have you read any of these books? Leave a comment with your thoughts—or tell me what book you recommend.

I’m sharing at these linkups

4 Things Still Working in a World that Feels Broken
—Share 4 Somethings June 2026

By LisaNotes June 30, 2026 Life updates, Shift: One Word 2026 14 Comments

This month, I’ve been thinking about what’s still working.

Partly because of something that stopped working. Oddly enough, during my year of SHIFT (my One Word for 2026), the right Shift key on my laptop has stopped working. (My space bar has been weird too, among other things.) So every time I type, I’m reminded how things eventually quit working as expected.

But it makes me wonder: amid all the ways I feel the world is breaking down, what is still working?

Below are four things I noticed this month.

I’m linking with Jenn and also sharing my previous month’s One Second Everyday video.

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~ * ~ * ~ * ~

1. Something I Love

  • THE WORK OF PINKIE PROMISES

A few weeks ago, I watched my grandson make a pinkie promise with one of his elderly friends.

It only lasted a few seconds, but it still felt important to me.

A young boy and an older friend linking pinkies in a promise, illustrating trust, friendship, and connection across generations.

Sometimes we assume that the biggest changes happen through international treaties or national debates. And maybe so.

But I also believe the world changes for the better every time two people genuinely connect at any level, whether young or old, Black or white, male or female.

These small pinkie promises still matter, working more than we give them credit for, building trust and hope for our future.

(This friend also gives my grandson a lollipop every week; that counts for something, too.)

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

2. Something Sustaining Me

  • LOCAL VOLUNTEERS AT WORK

I’m always encouraged when I’m out in my community and see the many volunteer groups that are hard at work picking trash off the roadsides, planting flowers at nursing homes, or running our small-town annual Kiddie Carnival.

For a few weekends each summer since 1957, one of our local service clubs provides volunteers to operate 10 kid-sized rides (ferris wheel, roller coaster, train, and more) for children ages 2-10. With free parking, free admission, and just 50¢ per ticket, it’s a summer highlight for many families.

Children enjoying rides at a community Kiddie Carnival operated by local volunteers during a summer afternoon.

A few weekends ago we took our grandson to meet up with some of his little friends there. They all had a blast experiencing the thrill of rides and the carnival atmosphere of popcorn and cotton candy.

I appreciate the work of ordinary people who volunteer their time and energy to keep things running smoothly in our individual communities.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

3. Something Carrying Me Forward

  • WORKING WITH MY VALUES

The older I get, the more I’ve leaned into identifying and intentionally living my values.

While there are a lot of lists and quizzes to help us figure out our top values, I recently took the Values Bridge assessment (the quiz is free).

Values Bridge assessment shows personal values and how they support or compete with one another

Like all quizzes, this one gives you a breakdown of results based on your answers. But it does something extra I haven’t seen before. Instead of simply listing your top values from a list of 16, it shows how your values support—and sometimes compete with—each other.

For example, one of my values is wanting to make the world a better place. Another is having very little desire for public recognition. Those values usually fit together with no problem (I prefer working in the background, not on the stage), but sometimes they create tension. If I want to create change, I sometimes have to be more visible than I’m comfortable with.

Being aware of that tension helps me bridge that gap when it it shows up.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

4. Something I’m Making Space For

  • GOVERNMENT AT WORK (SORT OF?)

This is a tricky one. Sometimes it seems our US government does not work at all. We’ve all seen the gridlock and division between parties and politicians.

Yet even in the strain, we see ways that our democratic process does still work, even if slowly and imperfectly.

Last week I traveled to Washington, D.C., with my daughter and fellow volunteers to advocate for reducing gun violence.

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We met with staff members from both of our senators’ offices and our congressional representative’s office. While it would have been nice to have met with the actual elected officials, it still felt empowering to meet with their employees who listened carefully, asked questions, and took notes to pass along to their bosses.

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Will our conversations create any change in policy? Maybe, maybe not.

But it does create a change in us, knowing we can still use our voices to speak up about issues that matter to us, participating in ways we can.

Now is not the time to stop putting in the work. Happy 250th, America. We’re still a work in progress.

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So while my Shift key quit working (and prompted me to upgrade to a new laptop that will work better in many ways), plenty of other things are still working in our world.

  • People are still connecting one-on-one.
  • Volunteers are still serving.
  • Values are still guiding decisions.
  • Citizens are still showing up.

Maybe none of these are flashy things with immediate and visible benefits. But they’re enough to keep me hopeful as we move forward.

What do you see working well in your world? Share in the comments.

I’m linking at these blog parties

What to Do If Your One Word Has Stopped Working
{One Word 2026 June Linkup}

By LisaNotes June 26, 2026 One Word Community, Shift: One Word 2026 8 Comments

We’ve almost reached the halfway point of the year, which makes this a good time to check in with your One Word.

How is it going?

Maybe your word is still inspiring you. You notice it often, and it keeps you focused.

But what if it isn’t? What if you’ve forgotten it altogether? Or it will no longer fit in with the second half of your year?

First, it’s okay either way.

There’s no right or wrong with a One Word practice. It’s simply a tool for growth and reflection. And like any tool, sometimes it needs to be picked up again, sharpened, or even replaced.

So, if your One Word has stopped working, here are three things to try. And if it is still working? Keep moving forward with it. These ideas are for you, too. 

1. Take a Word Walk

Before you abandon your word, spend one more day with it.

Take a short walk as you think about your word. Notice anything that reminds you of your word. Ask yourself:

  • How have I seen my word on this walk? 
  • Why did I choose this word in the first place?
  • Where have I seen it show up this year?

Write down a few observations when you get back home. You may discover your word actually has been working, even when you weren’t paying attention. Or not. 

For me, I’ve chosen the word SHIFT for 2026 to help me accept that everything changes.

 

The morning of this practice, I was walking through my neighborhood when I saw a younger neighbor taking her morning run. It reminded me of SHIFT because years ago, that would have been me running. And it would have been my parents walking. Now it’s someone younger than me doing the running, and I am doing the walking.

 

Everything SHIFTS over time, including our bodies and the activities we do. 

2. Use Your Word as a Lens

Sometimes the problem isn’t the word. It’s that we’ve stopped using it.

For the next week, set a daily reminder—or a weekly reminder for the next month—and ask yourself:

  • Where do I need this word right now?
  • Could this word provide a useful perspective in navigating a current challenge?
  • What would change if I viewed things through the lens of my word?

A word that seemed irrelevant a month ago may be what you need today. But if not, look for alternative words. 

I’ve been through a few monumental changes in relationships the past 3-4 years. They’ve been quite jarring and created a lot of pain.

 

But viewing the world through the lens of SHIFT, I’m reassured that while life always has been and always will be full of changes, it still keeps moving forward. With the help of others and the skills I continue to learn and practice, I see that I also continue to change. And keep moving forward too.  

3. Refresh Your Reminders 

Sometimes a word has simply done its job.

Perhaps you outgrew it. Or your circumstances changed. Maybe another word better captures where you are now.

Don’t let the word you chose become an obligation. If your current word no longer serves you, choose a new one. You’re not breaking any rules (there are none). 

But whether you keep the same word or replace it, create a few fresh reminders for yourself of your word. Maybe move your word to a new location, write it on a sticky note, use it as a bookmark, or turn it into a simple phrase:

  • I choose peace over urgency.
  • Practice courage today.
  • Let curiosity lead.

Sometimes a small reminder is enough to bring your focus back to what matters.

After putting together this Puzzle Planter last week, I set it on my nightstand. Before I go to sleep each night, I’ve been turning it upside down as a symbol to SHIFT my mindset from being an open container to a closed one. The day is complete, and there’s nothing more for me to do except rest.

 

When I wake up in the morning, I set the planter upright again, indicating my intention to be open to the new things that will appear in this new day. 

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Remember the Goal

The goal of One Word isn’t to stick with the same word for 365 days no matter what.

The purpose is to create awareness and meaning.

Let your word be an invitation to pay closer attention, reflect on your life, and grow with intention.

So if your One Word has stopped working, you don’t have to give up on the practice altogether (although you can do that, too).

Try reconnecting with it. Reimagining it. Or replacing it.

Then keep going.

Share Your One Word Update

Share your own One Word updates in the comments or add a One Word blog post in the linkup below. It will remain open until midnight, Friday, July 10.

You’re also welcome to share your photos in the One Word Facebook group throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the July linkup opens Sunday, July 26.

Question for you:
Is your word still working or not? Would you like to change it? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

Link Up About Your One Word

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

10 Ways to Think Bigger About Time

By LisaNotes June 23, 2026 Book reviews, Productivity, Shift: One Word 2026 14 Comments

“I can trust that if I just keep working at it, and keep coming back to it, time will help me see things that I couldn’t see before.”
—Laura Vanderkam

A few years ago, I started keeping a time log for one week out of the year.

I expected the results to confirm what I already believed: that my days were too packed and there wasn’t enough time for all the things I wanted to do.

Instead, I discovered something different.

Yes, it did show that I crammed a variety of things into a week. But I was surprised at how much time I also categorized as play and rest, which was good. (I was also surprised at how much time I spend eating in any given week!).

What I learned was my assumptions about my schedule didn’t match reality.

That’s one reason I enjoy Laura Vanderkam’s books so much, including her newest, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance.

Her message is simple and reassuring: you have more time than you think. She wants us to stop seeing time as scarce and to “fall in love with how we’re spending our days.”

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As I read, I took notes on how to practice this book. What shifts could I make in my own relationship with time?

Here are 10 ideas from Big Time that I want to experiment with.

1. Realign My Reading Expectations

Instead of overestimating how many books I can read this summer, I looked at how many reading hours per week I’d previously logged, and then figured out how many books would fit in that time. Starting with more realistic expectations will help me prioritize my summer TBR stack and enjoy each book without rushing to the next one.

2. Stop Saying “I Don’t Have Time”

Vanderkam encourages replacing a scarcity time mindset (I too often say “I don’t have enough time!”) with one of abundance. I don’t know if I’ll be able to authentically say “I have lots of time!” but I’ll try. I want to remember that time isn’t the problem nearly as often as my choices and expectations are.

3. Track Time More Often

I usually track my time one week in the winter, but I’d like to track it in the summer too and see if it’s different. If nothing else, it holds me accountable during that week to use my time a little more wisely because I don’t want to write down that I was mindlessly watching Instagram reels for an hour.

“Time tracking provides accountability. Most people don’t want to document a three-hour YouTube binge on their time logs, so they choose to do more fulfilling things. Then they feel better about the day.”

4. Experiment with “21 Pods”

One idea in the book is dividing the week into twenty-one four-hour blocks (8am-noon; noon-4pm; 4pm-8pm). I’m curious whether thinking in larger chunks of time would help me organize my days differently.

5. Treat Weekends Like Vacations

Vanderkam suggests that people enjoy weekends more when they approach them like mini-vacations. I already do this somewhat, but I’d like to be even more intentional about noticing and savoring those hours. (Granted, this assumes you can do this. Not everyone has that option.)

“When people were instructed to treat their upcoming weekends like vacations, they wound up happier, less stressed, and more satisfied. They spent less time working and on housework. They did a few more fun things than they might have, but most important, they paid more attention to the happy things they did—perhaps feeling more like this time was special.”

6. Dream Big and Plan Small

I love Vanderkam’s philosophy that small steps add up. Big projects feel managable when broken down into baby steps. That’s how I’ve been organizing my bloated folders of digital photos. Just 10 or 15 minutes a night really makes a difference over several months.

“People overestimate what they can do in the short run. They underestimate what they can do in the long run.”

7. Leave More Open Space

I tend to want to schedule everything. But not every hour needs a plan. I want to create more blank spots on my calendar to allow room for spontaneity and for “wasting” time.

8. Make Small Bets

I sometimes forget that not every commitment has to last forever. Vanderkam encourages experimenting with smaller doses. I don’t need to create rigid rules for myself when they’re not necessary (and usually no one is asking me to do that anyway!). So I want to give myself permission to adjust course as often as needed.

9. Think in Years, Not Days

One of my favorite ideas in the book is focusing on the 8,760 hours in a year instead of just the 24 hours we have today. A single day can fly by so fast, but a year offers more time for growth, change, and progress. (Especially when looking ahead. When I look backwards, a year flies by quickly too.)

10. Celebrate Patience Points

Vanderkam suggests celebrating ordinary milestones when you’ve completed a set number of things. I’d like to incorporate this with a writing project I’ve been working on this year. Pausing to celebrate and reward myself for showing up consistently is a good use of my time.

The Gift of Looking Again

After finishing Big Time, I found myself looking back again at my previous time logs. And remembering how surprised I am each time to see how my hours played out.

I have more agency than I realize over how I fill those hours.

The gift of this book isn’t creating more hours or time hacks. It’s about developing a healthier relationship with time itself. Instead of seeing time as something that’s slipping away, Vanderkam encourages us to see it as something working alongside us.

“When you believe in big time, then you can afford to be patient.”

I need that reminder. When I stop treating time as an enemy and start trusting it as an ally, I relax a little more, enjoy life a little more, and focus more clearly on what matters.

Maybe that’s the biggest lesson I took from Big Time: time is always big enough for the things that matter most.

What’s your relationship with time? Share your thoughts in the comments.

My thanks to NetGalley for
the review copy of Big Time

Read more on time:

The Name I Couldn’t Quite Pronounce

By LisaNotes June 17, 2026 My stories, Relationships 4 Comments

One More Time: What’s Your Name?

We’ve settled in at our table, just me and this young girl from Afghanistan.

I have to ask her name again. I didn’t catch it the first time. Or the second time. Not even when the other adults pronounced it.

And honestly? Even as the girl tells me her name again for the third time—and I do my best to echo it back properly—I still don’t think I’m getting it right.

But she doesn’t correct me.

She just smiles and we go on, doing our best to understand each other.

Learning Each Other’s Language

She’s here at my table because her parents want her exposed to more English before school starts next fall. She already speaks some English, but it’s difficult for her.

I want her to practice reading to me. But the first book we open is too hard for her. She’s 7 years old, but she can’t read the book. Not in English anyway.

We switch to flash cards using the English alphabet. She doesn’t know the sounds of the letters. But she does know the names of each one. That’s something. Plus, she thinks it is fun.

Soon we finish the stack of cards. Now it’s time for reading again.

The Book She Chooses

I pick up a second book. I’ll just read it to her this time, then we can talk about it.

I read the title first. And I recognize this book. Even though the girl had picked it out herself among the other books on the table at the beginning of the hour, she couldn’t have understood the significance of it.

But I immediately get it.

And as I read this book to her now, my heart both warms and aches.

The book? Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow.

Your Name Is a Song

It’s about a girl whose classmates and teacher can’t pronounce her name.

Saddened by this, the girl in the story walks home, vowing never to return to school again.

But the mother in the book turns it around. She teaches her daughter the beauty of names, including hers. She reminds her that names carry stories, histories, and love. She turns names into the beautiful music they are. The girl returns to school the next day to teach that message to others.

I finish reading this story to my new little Afghan friend, whose name I still can’t pronounce.

I doubt she sees the irony.

So I ask her name one more time. And this time, I also ask if she can write it on a piece of paper for me. She can and does.

I study it carefully and try pronouncing it again.

I still can’t say it exactly right.

But maybe I’m a little closer.

Names Matter

Most of us perk up when we hear our name. We’re pleased when someone remembers our name (and even more so if they pronounce a difficult name correctly). It helps us feel seen. That we are worth their attention.

I don’t get to meet the girl’s mother at the end of our session. I hope she is like the girl’s mother in the book. I hope she teaches her daughter the value of her beautiful name, her unique heritage, and this amazing journey she is on.

I’m grateful that, at least for this day, I get to be a witness to this portion of her journey.

I’ll remember it.

And even if I can’t pronounce her name properly, I’ll remember her. Maybe she’ll remember me as the one that kept trying.

Do people struggle to pronounce your name? How do you feel when someone remembers your name?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

revised from the archives

CAPTCHA Got It Wrong About My Humanity

By LisaNotes June 11, 2026 My stories, Relationships, Shift: One Word 2026, Technology 15 Comments

Choose the Things That Are Fragile

I type in the message I want to leave in the comment box beneath a friend’s blog post.

Then the CAPTCHA appears.

You know how it works. Before I can hit “submit,” I need to prove I am human.

Usually that means identifying things like traffic lights or crosswalks. This time, the challenge throws me.

Choose the things that are fragile.

The screen fills with eight tiny squares.

  • Four contain teacups
  • Four contain motorcycles

I know what they want me to click, even though I don’t think it’s accurate.

I have a very human response alright. But it isn’t what the spam blocker intends.

It isn’t logic. It is fear.

Completing a CAPTCHA challenge to leave a comment online to prove a human

The Birthday Request

My young grandson had been waiting for his birthday for months. He had requested a dirt bike.

That was no surprise. Since he was tiny, he has always been fascinated by any vehicle with wheels. As he got older, he began riding trikes and bikes and motorized Power Wheels with confidence and coordination beyond his age. He’d been a happy passenger on his dad’s dirt bike every opportunity he could get.

And now he was ready for one of his own.

I knew this birthday was coming.
I knew this bike was coming.
But I dreaded it anyway.

Not because I doubted his abilities to ride a motorized bike. Nor did I doubt his parents’ judgment to choose an age-appropriate one.

My fear arose from knowing how fragile a little boy’s body can be.

I tear up when he skins a knee on the concrete after a bicycle wreck. I wince if he runs into something while playing. Add more speed and a bigger machine, and my imagination supplies even more possibilities of danger.

The Fragile Cargo

The birthday arrived.
The dirt bike was given.
The first ride was taken.

And my grandson loved it. Of course he did. And I was excited for him. Truly.

Young rider wearing safety gear while learning to ride a dirt bike.

The bike is designed for beginners and doesn’t go very fast. When he rides, he wears every piece of safety gear imaginable. He rides supervised. He rides carefully.

And he rides with pure joy.

Still, I know he can get hurt. Then again, so can any of us. We can wreck our cars. Miss a step on the stairs. Catch a virus we never saw coming.

Life keeps us aware of all the ways things can break.

That’s why the CAPTCHA stops me.

I know I’m supposed to click only the teacups as the fragile items, not the motorcycles too. But I want to yell back, “ALL these items in the squares are fragile!”

Because a motorcycle is now carrying my fragile boy.

And with it, my fragile heart.

What AI Doesn’t Understand

Maybe I understand CAPTCHA’s question better than it does.

I’ve lived long enough to know that fragility isn’t limited to dainty china teacups.

Bodies are fragile.
Egos are fragile.
Relationships are fragile.

Part of being human means being fragile. AI might mimic our words and our logic and, in its own way, our kindness.

But AI cannot wake up at night and worry about a grandson riding a dirt bike.

It also can’t feel the delight we get watching someone receive a much-wanted birthday present and have it live up to their dreams.

AI does not know what love feels like.

Delicate teacups that symbolize fragility and care.

A Human Choice

As a human being, I can breathe and bleed. I can laugh and cry. And I can bend and break. Every meaningful thing in my life carries the possibility of being broken or lost one day.

We live in fragile bodies with fragile hearts. We take risks every day, whether we’re getting behind the wheel of a car, starting a new relationship, trusting someone with our story.

Or climbing onto a dirt bike.

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Sometimes we get hurt. And sometimes things break. Sometimes we break.

Yet on every morning that we can, we get up and do it again. Move again. Risk again.

And love again. Maybe that’s the real test of humanity: loving even when we know things can break.

To please CAPTCHA and get my comment approved, I click on the 4 teacups. I leave the motorcycles unchecked.

But between you and me, I know the most fragile things aren’t even the teacups.

They are the people.

Let’s keep choosing them.

What fragile thing do you continue to love despite the risks that come with caring deeply?

Share in the comments.

P.S. My One Word this year is Shift. Somewhere between the teacups and the motorcycles, my attention shifted from what was fragile to who was fragile.

More on AI:

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