Tackle it Tuesday

What did I tackle today? Nope, not the cart cover. It's probably not originally what the day was for, but today I tackled something that I really needed to do. I read a book. Pretty much all day. Sure, I ran some errands in the morning, like picking up my new glasses and contacts and running by the bank, but I haven't just read a good book in a long time. I told you a while back that I'm reading Doctor Zhivago. It's a book about the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual turmoil experienced by the people after the downfall of Tzarist Russia. I don't know my Russian history very well, so there are plenty of times where I'm really confused. (For example, the characters are currently experiencing civil war. They mention the Marxists and the Bolsheviks, where to my knowledge, there wasn't a difference. Obviously there's a difference, I just don't know what it is.) So other than reading, how is this a "Tackle it Tuesday" moment? Because I feel like it's been forever since I've been intellectually stimulated. I'm forced to read and re-read segments of this book, because it's so deep. I really can relate Zhivago at times, because throughout everything, he's accepted what is as the inevitable. He doesn't see a need to rebel against authority, but he's continually being thrown into situations where he's challenged in this idea and being forced to see that life is not good. I'll probably read up on some basic Russian history before I go to bed tonight. I'm sure I'll read, and I would love to understand more about what's going on. One thing I can say, the people of that country faced nothing but oppression for a really long time. After the downfall of the monarchy, they faced oppressive government after oppressive government. I can see how their's is a life of hopelessness and despair. When things have been that way since before your great grandparents were born, it's hard to break free. It breaks my heart. Only Christ can break them free.