Monthly Archives: February 2017

Hello Dolly!

21 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in A Dog Named Dolly Parton, Family, Virginia

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For years we have promised our two boys that they would have a puppy. A dog of their own to love. We put it off for so long because we weren’t ready. After studying, reading, and researching we landed on some kind of doodle. My son has reactive airways and we needed a non shedding dog. Accidentally, we stumbled upon a breeder in South Carolina who operates a bit differently. He has no rows of kennels filled with momma dogs. All of his momma dogs live with a different family, guardian homes. I love that.

dolly

Six and a half hours to South Carolina and back was required to retrieve our sweet golden doodle. She was a perfect angel up until we decided to eat lunch in the car. My husband stopped at a carefully selected BBQ joint in North Carolina. When he returned to the car with fries, sandwiches, and hushpuppies….our pup lost her mind! She clawed her way out of my arms and snatched the hushpuppy bag right out of my hand!

We selected this particular pup because her coat is wavy, she was one of the smallest in her litter, and because she is so stinking cute! She might be one of the most vocal puppies I have encountered. For that reason, and because I might be the biggest Dolly Parton fan alive….we named her Dolly! Dolly Parton when she is in trouble.  Hello Dolly! She definitely needs a rhinestone collar.

dolly-up-close

Book Review: Shine Like the Dawn

21 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Reviewed Books, Uncategorized

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9781601429407

 

This is an instance where I chose to read a book purely by its beautiful cover!  Isn’t it lovely? Shine Like the Dawn is a stand alone novel written by Carrie Turansky. This book is Christian Romance and Historical Fiction. As an avid reader of this genre I would say that I like this book, but did not love it. I have the tendency to gush over my favorites, and dread reviewing a book when I can’t. It isn’t that this book doesn’t have all the essential elements, but that it is slow.

Shine Like the Dawn has a promising prologue that piqued my interest and made me excited to read. This novel is about a young woman, Margaret Lounsbury, who survived a terrible tragedy that forever changed her life. Maggie lost her parents in an accident which seemed incomprehensible. Her childhood friend, Nathaniel Harcourt, returns home and promises to help Maggie find the real reason behind the accident. The answer could forever change their friendship. It is after the story’s powerful beginning, I slowly began to lose interest. Perhaps the set up took some time, but somewhere around the middle I was reading purely to finish. I really hate to say that! I do love historical fiction and I wanted to love this book. I have read other novels by Carrie Turansky and loved them.

Having said that, if you enjoy a slower paced book, this is likely a good choice for you. I think more page time between Nate and Maggie might have helped my interest level. I would recommend this book to young readers because Turansky writes a clean novel with strong values. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated in any way and all opinions are my own.

About the author: CARRIE TURANSKY is an award-winning author of more than a dozen novels and novellas. She has been the winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award, and the International Digital Award, and a finalist for the Inspirational Readers Choice Award and the Maggie Award of Excellence. A prolific writer of contemporary and historical romance, women’s fiction, short stories, articles, and devotionals, Carrie lives in central New Jersey with her husband Scott. They have five adult children and four grandchildren.

Helping Kids With Choices

15 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Family, Reviewed Books

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Your Magnificent Chooser is a new book that aims to help children understand the power within them to make choices. This book is written by John Ortberg author of All The Places to Go, and What is God’s Will For My Life. Both of these titles are for adults but also about decision-making. Ortberg is clearly aware of our struggles! I loved the idea of this book. If there is something I have said as a parent over and over again, it is “Make Good Choices!’

I really enjoyed this book for its fun approach to teaching about choices. It is colorful and written in rhyme which appeals to most kids. The illustrator did a nice job of making the “chooser” look happy and whimsical and not scary. The balloon like floating cloud represents the part of a person that makes choices. Perhaps Ortberg is alluding to the soul…which is a bit much for a child. I think the book is a good resource for parents with children from ages 4-7.  There are a few things that I personally found to be misses. First, the word chooser is a mouth full when you are trying to read the book aloud. In fact, Chooser and Choosing are used a combined 42 times!  I read Your Magnificent Chooser to my kids and I began to trip over the word. Secondly, the book is a little long for a young audience. It is 38 pages, with  one or two -four line stanzas on each page.

Overall, I really liked this book. The idea behind and the content is excellent. I would recommend this book to any parent who is trying to teach good decision-making. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher. I was not required to give a positive review.

New from Judah Smith!

15 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Food for thought, Reviewed Books, Uncategorized

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hows-your-soul

 

New York Times Bestselling Author of Jesus is_________., asks a thought proving question in his new release, How’s Your Soul?  I find it funny that he uses a contraction in the title, because he writes the entire book in the same casual speak. In fact, this book is very much like sitting in a room with Smith and simply talking to someone you know well. I think it is comforting to listen to Smith who never speaks above understanding and is never heady with theology.

As the title of the book eludes, Judah Smith is asking if your soul is in a healthy place. If haven’t considered the question, it might be time, and this is likely the book for you. Smith walks through intriguing ideas like having a quiet soul in a hectic, fast past world, and how having an effective soul leads to an effective life and what that looks like. My favorite nugget in the entire book is in the chapter Is Love God or Is God Love. It is here Smith unwraps the idea that love is a roof without skylights. Smith states with regard to people in sin, “We publicly cover them and privately restore them with the goal of bringing health in their lives.” Smith encourages us to not be exposers, but to be a safe place for hurting people. I love this. It is very different from much of what we hear and see in our world…and on social media.

Even if you are still kicking the tires on the idea of God, or are a life-long Christ Follower, I would recommend this book to you, There aren’t many Christian Living-Help books I would say that about or encourage people to read. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by BookLookBloggers and the book’s publisher. I have not been compensated, and I was not required to give a positive review.