~Done~

A friend of mine was chatting with me and mentioned this little book.  I couldn't help but add it to my next Amazon order... it's under $3.00!  You can get it here from the publisher though.

What a great little book!  It is perfect to read through to help in your witnessing but it is also great to hand to someone that is searching for truth.

Here are some of my favorite points...

• Excruciating - we often use this word for lots of pain... it is a Latin word meaning cross or crucifixion. The word was made up for the Romans as they crucified people on the cross. Wow! Jesus did that for me!
• Propitiation - means "the full payment for". Here are some verses that take on a whole new jaw dropping, tear wiping moment. 
• I John 2:2 and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
• 1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins
• Grace & Mercy - "Grace is getting what I don't deserve. Mercy is not getting what I do deserve. Mercy is when the police officer pulls you over for speeding but lets you off with a warning. Grace would be the police office pulling you over for speeding and giving you a $100 Walmart gift card just because he loves you!"
•  A quote "Yes, this lake of fire (according to the Bible) is a real place, a terrible place, and men do end up there because of their sins. It's not God's desire; it's not what he wants for you, but it is the final resting place of sin. Apart from a miracle, all who sin are headed there because God is too good to let sin live."
• Two things that stood out... the lake of fire is a resting place for SIN and God is too good to let sin live. Wow! Isn't it great knowing sin will be no more! God is good!!!

I have enjoyed listening to several sermons by this Pastor as well.

~Hope Unseen~

I haven't done a book review in a while... I haven't been able to read much this year.  I borrowed this book from a friend (Thank you Erin!) and wanted to give it back.  So, I picked it up knowing I wouldn't have time to read it unless I made time.  I was burning the midnight oil on this book... and then got up early to finish it!

Captain Scotty Smiley tells of his life before his service in Iraq when he lost his eyes... he tells the story of the unfortunate incident so clearly you can picture it.  He shares his love for his wife and her incredibleness.  I know that isn't a word... but she is!

Two major themes...

As newlyweds we don't often realize what our vows actually mean.  For better or worse... worse is usually not this worse.  She was certainly a rock for her husband through this difficult time.

I also saw how important it was for him to surround himself with Godly friends... before the incident and after.

I am so glad he shared his story... a true American Hero!

Jordan also enjoyed the book for those of you who have kids reading... High School level... it is easy reading, but in my conservative opinion it has a few things I'd rather not explain to my younger boys.

~Audio Books~

We listen to audio books to and from the race track.  It is an hour drive so we go through audio books fairly quickly.



We Listened to Billy Budd, Sailor last month.  The book was written by Herman Melville... Sounds familiar doesn't it!  His very famous tale on the ocean was written before he came to know Christ.  This story was written after.  I was very surprised by the ending... but won't be spoiling anything for you:-)  It was a great "read" for our family... although the younger ones didn't pick up on too much.

The audio book we just finished is The Hiding Place.  I have read the book several times and watched the movie, but the story is just so incredible... worthy of another listen!

This story never ceases to challenge me.  Be thankful in all things... even for the fleas!  So many gems in here!

I have been personally intrigued with World War II.  I just watched The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler.   Some amazing people doing some amazing things for our amazing God!

~Video Review~

This video started out amazing. Extremely entertaining and packed with information! I can't tell you how excited I was watching this with my little men.

And then...

He started talking about a bang... and millions of years... and some Christians believe differently about the age of the earth and that is ok...

And then...

I shut it off.

I can not compromise Mr Vischer. I am so disappointed. I was even more upset when I read the reviews. Everyone totally loves this video and not one mention of this! Our children are hearing this and they will believe it... it makes me sick to my stomach:-(

~Grace for the Good Girl~

Wow, you should see all the notes I took while reading this book! This is going to be a long post!

I wasn't sure if I was a "good girl" or not... I know I need grace... so I asked for this book for Christmas.

Where to begin?

First off, I'm totally a "good girl." Not in every situation she mentioned... but many.

*She had me when she said "I desperately want to manage your opinion of me."

*I gulped hard when she talked about hiding from dreams... "to face them is to admit they are there, to admit they are there means you are not living them... that means failure" I don't do failure.

*Conviction hit when she said "The innate desire to be good protect me... but it didn't bring me any greater understand of God"

*An eye opener was when she mentioned we praise people who never let on they are suffering. So true... but it that a good thing!??!?! (keep reading, we come back to this)

*I am so Martha... not Mary. Almost every sermon on this pair makes me grit my teeth because I don't get it. Somebody has to make the lunch!!! Loved her take on it!

*Another great story... Mary being told she was going to bear the Messiah. She said I am the Lords servant. A servant... service is an act of faith - it isn't me doing work for God but it is me trusting God to do the work in me. Mary just had to let things happen.

*A key thought... pleasing God or trusting God... I choose to please for various reasons. Trusting feels to passive for me.

*Law/Grace - Grace is not Jesus helping us keep the law... this keeps us focused on the law. Jesus came to fulfill the law so we don't have to look at it any more. Don't listen to the law, listen to Jesus.

*A guilt written across the for head moment. Responsible is good but I simultaneously feel resentful that I am the one to manage it all.

*Yikes - We may call it people pleasing but it is entirely self serving because it really is all about keeping myself comfortable.

*Another story I struggle with... the prodigal son. I can relate to the older brother. She had great thoughts about this.

*Great thoughts on guilt vs shame

*Great question "Are you trying to be who Jesus wants you to be? or do you trust him to bring out who he has already created you to be?"

*Back to the thought above about praising people who never let on they are suffering...In the midst of grief, there is no such thing as strong women of God. There is only brokenness & in desperate need. We are not called to be strong... I want to be strong... not broken and in need."

*Thinking about Moses... he said who am I, God, that I should __________________... God said... I will be with you. Moses asked who, who are you? God says I am.

*Great, great thoughts on worship...loved this!

*If I feel ________ I grab a mask of __________... I completely bypass the spirit within me.

*To recollect truth sometimes we need to re collect truth.

*Closure vs Healing... wow! When there is no healing, there is haunting. To escape haunting we either need to find a mask or a healer.

*Don't fear the future. Choose to anticipate the next great provision.

*Do not compare your pain with others. The worst pain you will ever feel is your own.

*Enjoy the tempo of a God breathed life by letting him set the pace... sick kids, phone calls, broken cars... God is setting the tempo.

These are NOT all my notes:-)

I had notes on three index cards front and back. I put the page number so I can look it up later. I also have a list of 6 books to look up that I may want to add to my wish list.

I am going to go back through some of the topics I marked, but I feel like I got a lot out of the book the first time.

Change... not so easy... control... comes naturally. I'm in it for the long haul. This book really made me think about some of the counseling classes I have taken... you can't go on your feelings... you MUST find truth.

Highly recommended for all my "good girl" friends!

~A Holy Influance~

I heard Wanda Gibert speak at our state home school convention a few years ago. She was talking about "Be the Crowning Touch in your Husband's Life."

I enjoyed her talk and ended up buying her bible study by the same name. I found it hidden and dusty and I thought it would be a good way to start the new year in my devotion time so I got it out.

She wrote that the study should take 12 weeks... as I looked over the book, I realized there was 12 days worth. I read one chapter a day.

I wasn't overly impressed... maybe because I took good notes during her talk:0)... but I did glean some things.

The study was based on Prov 12:4 A Virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness to the bones. She also pointed out that being virtuous was something that is favored by God (Prov 18:22).

Each chapter was about a different aspect of a crown... it brings beauty, it brings influance, it brings elevation... and she talked about how we, as wives, can bring those qualities to our husband.

I wouldn't say to run out and get a copy (I can't find them online anywhere) but it was food for thought.

~Last Book of the Year~

I asked for this book for Christmas... and I forgot about it. I was happily surprised to open it up Christmas morning!

We took the week off from school so I had a little free time every afternoon to read this week. It was an easy read so it didn't take me long to get through it.

I was very challenged by it! I think it was a great book to end the year.

My two favorite parts:

* One of her daughters asked if she would explode if Jesus came into her heart. Katie's first response was no... but then she thought about it and realized you should explode! "'Yes, if Jesus comes to live in your heart, you will explode.' That is exactly what we should do if Jesus comes to live inside our hearts. We will explode with love, with compassion, with hurt for those who are hurting, and with joy for those who rejoice. We will explode with desire to be more, to be better, and to be close to the One who made us.'"

* "One of His favorites. That is what I have felt like this last two weeks. Lavished with love, But isn't that what He wants every one of his children to feel, all the time? Each and every one of us created perfectly in His image. Each one cherished. Each one 'one of His favorites'. How would life change if we thought of each other as such? If each person that approached us we treated as beloved of God, cherished by God, one of God's favorite people?

A few take aways:

* I want to know Jesus the way Katie does

* I want to love Jesus the way Katie does

* I want to love my children as much as she loves strangers

* I want to see each and every person as God's favorite

I really enjoyed reading about Katie's experiences, how God worked in her life, and how He opened so many doors for her to minister. It makes me wonder how we, as Americans, who have so much can learn about God and watch him do wonderful things when we don't "need" Him. It is almost scary to pray to see God in that way... thinking it would only come through great trials.

I was encouraged by the simple fact that it isn't up to me to change the world... children are hurting all over the world and that can be overwhelming to think about. All I need to do is to change the life of each person God brings to me. That change may only be a small thing in my life but it may impact them far greater.

Katie had a few statistics throughout the book. One that stood out to me was the number of orphans and the number of Christians. If only a small percentage of Christians adopted one child there would be no more orphans.

A great book! (you can read most of the book on her blog, but the book is much easier and more detailed)

~A Lost Pearle~

I knew there was something else I did last week... I just could not remember what it was when I typed up my post! I read this amazing book...

I spent many night time hours keeping warm in my blanket with my book! I refused to read it while the kids were awake because I knew I would never be able to put it down! As soon as the kids were in bed I was into the story and stayed at it until I seriously couldn't focus anymore.

The publisher says it is a mystery with plenty of action. Yup!

I read one "real" romance novel and one "real" mystery book many years ago. Books on the top book lists. This book was so very different. I came away from those books feeling dirty and creepy... this book was challenging my character. It is amazing how the quality of writing can lead your mind down different paths.

There was romance... but not immorality

There was death... but nothing gory

There was evil... but it was shown as the result of selfishness not glamorized

There were decisions made sacrificially

There was compassion

People were humbled

Joy was found in trials

Character shined through

Service to others helped heal a wounded heart

God was praised for the work He did through the trials

I woke one morning after reading this book and thought for sure I had watched a movie! The pictures were so clear in my head.

This book was written in 1883 and I always enjoy the Old English. This company does define some words at the bottom of the page which is helpful but I could mostly glean the meaning from the context.

Certainly one of my favorite books! Coming in at 440 pages... it is long but, oh my, do the pages turn!

I am afraid to choose another book off the shelf right now... I don't have time to get drawn into another book! Maybe after Christmas!

~Busy Week Recap~

I've been in constant motion this week! I am progressing on my to do lists, but I am skipping a lot of things too (like my nice long walks). This week we really fit in a lot of Christmas type activities. We finished decorating for Christmas (almost)!

We did a lot of baking! I made a cheesecake, some mint chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread and peanut butter bread. I'm so thankful for my little helper... sigh... she will start helping and stop mess making right!?!?! Haha! Here she is doing dishes! I was glad she stopped picking the chocolate chips out of the batter:-)

I have not touched my ripple blanket (well, I've snuggled in it every day) but have made great progress on the one for my Grandparents. I have one more skein to go!

I have also been doing an advent activity almost every day with the younger three. One day was painting Mary and Elizabeth. Never did you see a more happy and content group of kids! They loved it and hardly made a mess! I am reading an advent book to the whole gang during breakfast and lunch. This year it is Tabitha's Travels.

I've been wanting a tree skirt for a number of years. I usually just use a table cloth. I got these squares cut out and am hoping to make real progress this weekend!

~An Unusual Book Choice~

Not my normal read... but it caught my eye as I walked through the library a few weeks ago. It was read the week we all were sick so I had a lot of rocking time to read.

Anyway, I remember when this news broke. I guess we had a TV back then because I remember seeing him interviewed on the news. I also remember thinking he messed up big time... why would you risk your career for drugs. He grew up not too far from my little corner of the world and I thought it might make a good summer read.

It was really interesting.

• I learned a lot about the sport of cycling. I never realized how much the team worked for one person. How they could all push him to the front and let him win! I also did not know they had a lot of planning and race tactics.. I guess I thought the fastest man won:0)
• I also didn't know that the last day of the Tour de France there was really no racing. The winner the night before was allowed to win the last day... a gentleman's thing.
• It still amazes me how driven (crazy) some people are!
• I guess I will say that I believed his story... but this is only his side of the story. I need to google him now and see what he is up to.

I was hoping to pass this book onto Jordan... but the language is bad and he seems like a very angry person that rebelled against everything... not the type of hero I want my boys to have.

I'm adding the rest of this post later in the week!

Well, I googled him. LOL! I didn't realize he had since confessed. It really made me wonder how many other details in his book were true... or lies. I guess I could look at reading this as a big waste of time... but I know God works all things together for good. I was sharing a lot of the information in the book with my family. When I found out the end of the story, I also had to share the news clip of him confessing. It certainly lead to a lot of good family conversation! Isn't it always easier to talk to your kids about stuff when it isn't them in trouble!

I don't recommend this book... maybe I just recommend staying a little more current with the news;-)

~Summer Reading Continues~

Another book done!

I have had the privilege of hearing the author speak several times at our church. I also heard him when I was a teen (and remember enjoying him then too). The book is written much like he speaks so I did enjoy the book!

Mr Rice goes through several Bible verses about raising children. He lays it out in a very real way and takes the Bible at it's word. What does this verse really say... what does it mean. Some verses could be a little controversial:0) but I think we should all be spurred on by his challenges.

One popular verse is Prov 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." This seems like a simple verse... but I have heard several different speakers say it means different things. Mr Rice challenges you to take it just the way it is. Some parents who have children who decided not to follow the Lord may feel false guilt (or real guilt) because they think they did a bad job training. Some parents carry no guilt (but they should) because they think they did all they could. So, this verse could be a sore spot for many. I do believe the "train up a child" part is so important. Training is not just taking them to church, letting them be in youth group, and possibly putting them in Christan school or home school. I really think training is a whole lot more than we like to think it is... more time, more effort, more doing. Mr Rice is really encouraging you to take this verse at it's word and raise your children with confidence instead of crossing your fingers and hoping "it" works.

Another verse he dives into is Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. He takes a good look at obeying "parents." It is so important for the mom and dad to be as one. I need to help my children obey their father with a right attitude on my part... even if I disagree or don't see the point. What a great way to teach your children to honor!

Mr Rice also talks about obeying, honoring, God's will and marriage.

One of my favorite questions in the book is a hypothetical person asking at age 29 living away from home and not married if they are still under the authority of their parents. I thought this was thought provoking because I have heard this before from real people... anyway, the answer given was "What is it that you are doing or that you would like to do which would not meet with your parents' approval?" It is such a question of the heart isn't it!!??! We don't like authority!

"Do you Mind if your Kids Don't" was easy to read, funny and thought provoking. And yes, you do need to mind... 'cause your kids won't ;0)

~Choosing to See~

I finished this book almost two weeks ago. I could not put it down... I could not stop crying.

I love a good true story... I even love a sad true story. But I didn't realize how much this book was going to effect me. This post was in the midst of the book. I really struggled with keeping my emotions in check that week. This book and the devastating tornadoes didn't help my already exhausted emotional self.

I have always had a heart for adoption. I think it is one of the greatest things you could ever do. China has been a place of interest for me since My Love travels there often. I think the culture there is amazing! I also remember the day this story hit the news. All of these things combined made me sure I would love the book.

I seriously don't think I ever cried so much through any book... ever! It was very well written and very real. Mary Beth basically wrote about her life and all the things that happened the way she didn't plan them. She wrote about the way she coped or didn't cope. There were funny parts and sad parts. There were three small parts that I would have left unsaid (a little too personal for me).

I am sure the Chapmans and I don't see eye to eye on theology or music, but I was challenged
* by their faith
* the wise use of their finances
* their honest struggles
* I loved the way they wanted to protect their children. They knew the son that caused the tragic death would be facing a lot. Satan could use that to ruin his life and possible the family as well - they stayed on their knees praying for God to help him through
* Their friends made a hedge around them
* They used this bad situation for good... all the time fighting feelings of despair. They didn't "feel better" first... they acted first.

I am glad I read it, but if you decide to pick up a copy for yourself make sure you get a box of tissues!

~The Book and List Together~

I finished this book a few weeks ago and thought it only fitting that I blog about it when I update my list!
My biggest thought reading this was... Make sure your list is growing in more ways than numbers.

I have found it extremely helpful to be daily finding ways to praise God for all He is doing... we must see that He is still working in our lives and still loving us in one thousand ways. I think we can easily live in the past... one great thing God did and we are stuck there... we must see Him continue to work.

So, counting the "small" things is good... but it is a growing process to count the unlovely things. Ann steps you through her process of realizing each step that she took to be able to see more clearly how thanks develops a deeper love for the One who loves us. Every one's journey will be different, but I believe Ann will give you a boost in the right direction if you take some time to read this book.

I plan on reading through it again this summer so I can take the time to write down the major points on a trusty little index card. It was a powerful book with a great message that, to be truthful, was hard to grasp. Ann is such a beautiful writer but I really have to think to follow along. Her form of writing mixed with a hard topic made it a little challenging. It is a book I would recommend... just take your time going through it!

Now to my list...

316. God giving a verse that cut to the heart and healed

317. My 2nd man child, now eleven

318. Everybody enjoying our favorite cake

319. The will power to eat only one small piece

320. Birthday gifts wrapped and unwrapped

321. Five quarter midgets tuned up, put back together with weights added, loaded up for the first time this season

322. The smell of cut grass

323. Little green feet from running in freshly cut grass

324. Raking cut grass with my three little helpers (it rained so much that we couldn't mow... and now the grass was really high!)

325. A whole date day to celebrate

326. Beautiful weather

327. Flowers designed for work and beauty

328. A good first day at the track

329. A bad crash with no damage

330. A beginner trying to find his way

331. Buying flowers with Nathan for the shed window boxes

332. Shopping with Kiersten & Nathan (everyone else was at the track)

333. Twizzler bites to keep a busy toddler happy

334. A new outfit

335. Everyone back together

336. A weepy week over, with lessons learned

~A Little Gem~

If you are a fan of Shepherding_a_Child's_Heart... or Don't_make_me_Count_to_Three... or any parenting books that deal with nurture instead of control... you're gonna love this one! (I struggle with wanting to be in control... can you believe that!?!?! LOL) I totally agree with Shepherding_a_Child's_Heart but living it out can be very difficult. What exactly does it look like!?!??! Don't_make_me_Count_to_Three was helpful to me but didn't really make things memorable.

This book is great! The author is a mother of five, all ages 5 and younger. Her descriptions of life with littles is comical and so very true! Her examples are amazingly accurate and so very helpful. She is totally honest too! Messes and failures do happen!

It is a short book with short chapters... great for a busy mom!

Trying to not give too much away... here were some of the high points!

* She remembers being so "godly" as a younger person. God was smoothing out her rough spots in a bubbly quiet brook. Then she had kids. It was like she was thrown into a rock tumbler... LOVE that illustration!

* Some children have problems picking at each other. Some parents do to for that matter;-) We deal with that a little around our house;-) She likened that to chickens that peck at each other. We have seen that first hand and have been amazed at how mean they are to each other. We have even had the chickens kill one of the others! We currently have one removed from the main cage because they pecked it so much it was bleeding. What a great illustration!

* A great chapter about girls and their emotions. I haven't had that problem yet but I've heard enough about it that the chapter was very helpful. She likened that to the emotions being a horse, you don't cripple the horse... you equip the rider. Well said.

So many other great illustrations!

My very favorite chapter, and one that stomped on my toes the most was the idea of the "bulk effect" in chapter 9. I printed out this quote and put it on my calendar for the whole month so I would remember this!

"Individually they are being precious and curious and excited. As their mother, I am responsible to see them individually, even when they are presenting themselves to me en masse."

I am often overstimulated...too much, too many, too quickly, too loud. In a fun way, I need to remember they are all curious or excited and change my behavior to join in with them... sometimes that means letting all 5 tell me the same story in their own words... for the third time. In a bad way I can not discipline an individual child for a collective situation! (like the last straw kinda thing... the last person may have created a little disturbance, but I am not to punish them for everyone else disturbances before them. Did that make sense?

Anyway, a great read.. HIGHLY recommended for every Mom Bookshelf!

~An Inspiring Read~

One of my goals for this year was to read more. I have already read more than I did last year! I have been reading 20 minutes each afternoon when I have the boys do their quiet reading. I am also reading a different book for about 15 minutes before I go to bed. It is amazing how such a little amount of time adds up to a whole book! I have also learned if it is not scheduled, it is not going to happen. (My night time reading is a little less consistent!)

One of my favorite book sellers recently had a huge sale. I bought a number of books that were 50-70% off! This one immediately caught my eye...They usually sell books that were written 100 or more years ago. This book takes place in the mountain of Kentucky from about 1947 to 1979. Most of their books are fictional stories with lots of character training built it. This book is a true to life story! Love those! I wondered why they would offer a book so different from their "normal" selection. I figured it had to be good:0)

This is a story of a couple with a grown daughter that decide to leave their comfortable life and move to the mountains of Kentucky to open a Children's Home. This Children's Home would be different... they would never turn anyone away. The author is the "mother" of the home. She wanted to record what happened to share it with the 200+ children that walked through their door. As far as I could tell they always had 30 or more children. Many people came to volunteer their time. They had teachers and cooks. They had helpers arrives that were skilled in the very skill that was needed. They lived in very cramped housing for a number of years before being able to build a beautiful home.

Some quick thoughts...

• I was amazed with the way God provided and His perfect timing.

• I was inspired by their reaction to the rough things that life threw at them.

• I loved the creative organization and the making do attitude.

• I saw a great example of a submissive wife.

• I was saddened by the way unwanted children were treated.
  

Since this story didn't take place very long ago, I searched the net to see if the home is still in use. The only thing I found was a facebook page that was started to share memories of the family. They had many pictures uploaded and the story became even more real to me.

This couple was, I believe, in their 50's when taking on this job. What an incredible testimony to what God can do through you if you are willing to be used. They didn't think their child rearing days were over... now it is time to think about themselves. They just kept giving. Not even a thought of retirement. Mrs Ragsdale was very honest with some of her times of struggling. That was helpful to read that too.

A great read!

~Dots and Stars~

Sometimes I never know what I am going to see when I walk into a room. One morning last week I found Nathan and Kiersten covered in shiny little star stickers! My mind immediately went to this book...I realized I had never read it to my younger boys so I grabbed it off the shelf so I would remember to read it later on during our reading time before naps.

Just seeing it sitting on the couch brought back so many memories.

The first time I read it... I cried. That "because you are mine" part gets me every time. I remember Jordan (just a little thing) looked at me like I was crazy;-) Every time I read it I get choked up at that spot.

A year or so later, I had the youth group girls over for a sleep over. I was really trying to come up with a devotional, but couldn't put anything together. I felt like a failure! I grabbed this book and read it to a group of teen girls. I found out several years later that the book impacted more than one girl. One of them, now a mother of 3, decided to decorate her nursery with this theme. Gregg and I made this lamp for her...
Anyway, all this bla bla bla is going somewhere! I was thinking that I am really good at giving my kids star stickers... or gray dot stickers. How awful! It has really challenged my thinking the last few days. I have been more purposeful in making sure my children understand it is only God's opinion that matters. Not friends, not mean brothers and not even moms stars or dots should stick.

One part in the book states that some Wemmicks give dots to someone just because they have a lot of dots already. That made me think of one of my boys that has been extra challenging lately. I have really had to think if I have been giving him dots just because he had dots... or am I lovingly training him in the way he should go.

If you have never read this book I'm sure you are totally confused:-) Our local library has a copy so you might want to check to see if your library has it. There are several in this series. Thanks to my MIL for sending it to my two boys several years ago!

It is funny to see what God uses to get my attention. He is certainly creative isn't He!

~I Won??? ... I WON!!!!~

Now, I can never say "I never win anything"... can you believe I won!??!?!

Monica over at the Homespun Heart was having a giveaway for this book. I have seen previews of projects from this book, but haven't seen it in person until now!
This book is beautiful and well done! I finally had a chance to look at it last night when all the young people were tucked away:-) I found the book very inspiring and I can't wait to carve out some free time! More than inspiring though, I found it very sobering. I don't see real poverty and need in my little corner of the world. I about cried every time I read about an organization that wanted donations. The hardest one was the people living in the dump. How horrible!

I guess I should say that along with each craft the publisher has listed several organizations that need that particular item and there is often a little tidbit about them and who they serve.

I can't wait to box up some homemade treasures and send them off. Wouldn't it be a fun way to teach children to give and to work with their hands!??!?!

~Free Audio Book~

Go here for this free audio book! I read this several years ago and really enjoyed it... a real classic.

This group is trying to get all public domain books into free audio books!!! Something to keep in mind:-) Enjoy!

~Baking Day and an Audio Book~

A day like this doesn't happen very often! I promised a big batch of cookies for our church spring cleaning day tomorrow and thought I'd try to fit some extra baking in as well. The boys actually completed their school work at a good time...and Nathan and Kiersten took great naps this afternoon! That all adds up to some much enjoyed R&R while baking in the kitchen!

I made two chocolate chip banana breads, one batch of Neiman-Marcus cookies, and a double batch of big soft ginger cookies! I was able to stick the bread in at lunch time. I made all the cookies while Kiersten was napping. The kitchen was almost clean when she woke up and I only had two trays of cookies waiting to be baked! Not bad!

The R&R part came in with the bigger boys being kicked out of the kitchen:-) They kept themselves busy and out of trouble. I was also listening to this audio book...
I've mentioned these books before (you can find them here) but this is the first I have listened to the audio books! Very, very good! Not just "clean" books but ones that actually challenge your faith and make you think. My boys really liked it too. I see they have a free download on their homepage right now... and a new audio book... I am going to head back over there to check it out!!!

~Super Soups~

I purchased two cook books to learn more about using my pressure cooker, my high capacity mixer & my grinder. I have been going through this one for the past month...





I love seeing all the ingredients ready to add...

I think my favorite, so far, is this creamy chicken soup...

There is only soup we didn't care for. It tasted ok, but it looked gross! I love how many veggies I can feed my family...I love how quickly things cook (like the soup is ready in 30 minutes including chopping everything up!...I also love the price (soup is a less expensive meal!)

I haven't tried too many bread recipes yet, but so far the cook book has been worth it!