16 hours ago
In Out Of The Ruins by Karen Barnett, Abby Fischer is determined that her sister will survive her cancer, and she jumps at the chance to have her try an experimental treatment with x-rays. However, her sister dies anyway, and Abby vows to never talk to God again. Then the San Francisco earthquake hits, and Abby struggles with feeling like God has abandoned her yet again. What will show her that God has been taking care of her even through her heartache?
To be honest, I found this book a little depressing. Her sister dies, and then there is a bunch of destruction with the earthquake. Throw in a little romance, and that is basically the whole plot of the book. While there is a good lesson as far as Abby learning to trust God and see His provision through tragedy, for me, it didn't quite redeem the general death and destruction that permeated the book. I just would have liked more happy moments in the book, or more of a plot aside from the tragedies that occurred.
There was a romance storyline between Abby and her sister's doctor, Dr. King, but it felt a little rushed to me. I would have liked a little more time spent on the development of the romantic interest in the book, and a little less focus on the tragedy.
I did think the x-ray study plot element was interesting though, and it made me want to go back and look at the history of x-rays a little more. I cringed when the doctors repeatedly tested the x-ray strength on themselves and received burns from the radiation, thinking it was a good thing. I studied a bit about the history of radiographs as part of hygiene school, and I know that part of the story was probably fairly accurate! I found that interesting.
Overall, I didn't mind this book, but I just thought there were a few too many catastrophes without the light-hearted moments to balance it out.
Note: I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
When I was a child, I used to really enjoy children's books where I could pretend that my brother and sister and I were like the characters in the book. If a story included a girl with a younger brother and sister I usually liked it, because in my mind, it was just like my siblings and me!
Well, we recently read I Love You All The Same, and I found myself doing the same thing. In this book, three little bear siblings play together and realize how different they are, but they are reassured and secure in the knowledge that their parents love them equally.
While I was reading it to Wyatt, I was thinking the three little bears are just like my three little ones - two boys and a girl! So I told Wyatt it was just like him and Gwen and Clyde. Ever since then he has been carrying the book around, studying it, and wanting to read it every night before bed. It's pretty adorable!
I loved this book. The illustrations are cute, and the pages are filled with rhymes. The three bears are a panda bear, a polar bear, and a brown bear, and the book points out their different talents and likes, while the parent bears tell their little ones that while they are all different, they love them all the same.
I thought the point of the book was really sweet. While I think this book would be appropriate for any family, I think it would be especially helpful for adoptive families to help their young children understand that even though they are all different, and may have come from different places, God has placed them all in the same family and their parents have the same love for each of them.
I definitely recommend this book for parents of multiple little ones! You can take a peek at this book here.
Tommy Nelson is kind enough to provide a copy of this book for one of my readers! Fill out the form below for a chance to win a copy!
Note: I received this book for free from Tommy Nelson in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I have to say, I don't make elaborate dinners that often. Cooking is just not something I really enjoy, so whatever meals are quick and easy to make, that is what we usually eat. Every now and then though, I try to make Derek something a little more special for dinner, and a few weeks ago I decided we were due for a nice meal.
I scoured my cabinets, and I found a spice packet for Bruschetta Chicken. After reading the recipe on the back though, I decided I didn't like it, so I improvised and came up with a recipe on the fly. I wasn't sure if it was going to be edible, but it was actually delicious! I wrote down the recipe so I could repeat it in the future, and I thought I would share it here!
If you want to make the exact same thing, you can buy the McCormick Gourmet Sweet Basil and Oregano Bruschetta Chicken spice packet and use that, but I also came up with a mix of spices that is similar in case you can't find it. Feel free to adjust spices in this list to taste!
Bruschetta Chicken Spice Mix
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/12 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. red pepper
1tbsp. parmesan cheese
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
---------
And here is my recipe for the pasta:
Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
2-3 chicken breasts
Olive Oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
Bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
Bruschetta Chicken Spice mix
Penne noodles
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1. Cook chicken, and cut into slices or chunks. I usually pull chicken breasts out of my freezer and put them straight in the oven. They are usually done after an hour in the oven at 415 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pour enough olive oil into a saucepan to cover the bottom. Add minced garlic, bell pepper, onion, and 1/2 spice mix. Cook until peppers and onions are tender.
3. Cook penne noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
4. Add chicken to peppers and onions, and coat in oil and spices.
5. Add milk and flour to mixture. Lower heat and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
6. Add mozzarella cheese and stir until melted.
7. Pour sauce mixture and the remainder of the spice mixture onto noodles and mix well. Serve warm.
Variation: We liked the noodles just following the above steps, but if you want this to be more like a casserole, you can also pour the noodles into a baking dish, add mozzarella cheese on top, and bake until the cheese is melted.
Enjoy!
In The Heart's Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher, Silver Matlock has been left at the alter and her parents have been robbed by her former fiancé. In desperation, she hires a bounty hunter and secretly joins him as they search for Silver's ex-fiance. However, Jared Newman has his own agenda - finding the man who murdered his family years ago. As they hunt for these criminals, feelings start to develop between them.
I enjoyed this book. I felt like it started out a little slow for me, but the plot picked up toward the middle of the book, and the ending was good. The storyline was interesting, and I liked how the two main character's separate goals end up intertwining as the book goes on. The characters were likable, though I would have liked to read more of the characters' histories, to get to know them better.
The one thing that bothered me - and I don't want to say too much to avoid giving anything away - was that I felt like the villain's character wasn't consistent toward the end. I just would have expected such a ruthless killer to choose to act differently at the climax of the book. I also felt like a decision that Silver made toward the end of the book was a little over-the-top foolish, and because of that it didn't feel realistic to me.
I think I am overanalyzing though, because overall I liked the book. This was just a light, old west romance. It was an enjoyable read, not too deep, with a happy ending (and I always like a happy ending)!
Note: I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
In Meant To Be Mine by Becky Wade, Ty and Celia who knew each other in high school, run into each other in Las Vegas and get married on a whim. Celia has been in love with Ty for years and is happy about their marriage, but he regrets their hasty decision the next morning and leaves Celia heartbroken. Years later Ty tracks down Celia to apologize for what happened in Vegas, and finds out Celia has a child - but Celia is not happy to see him.
There were things I liked about this book, and a couple things that annoyed me slightly.
Things That Annoyed Me:
Ty was described as perfectly handsome, and I felt like the author tried to describe his looks as too perfect. I don't like my fictional characters to be too perfect. I also felt like he was too perfectly confident (translate: cocky), and used too much flattery on the women in the book (I think it was supposed to show you how smooth he was, but it just made me think "fake" or "misleading"). His only flaws were in his reckless nature (which could also seem exciting, depending on the spin the author puts on it), and in a tendency for chemical addiction (but not too much, because he is able to resist). I liked the joking banter between Ty and Celia, and that was what kept me liking his character. Everything else was just too perfect.
Ty and Celia, later in the book, also decide that it's okay to kiss each other, even though they aren't really dating and Celia has no plans at forming a real relationship with him at that point. I thought that was a little morally off, and the characters never really figured out why.
Things I Liked:
Ty and Celia, later in the book, also decide that it's okay to kiss each other, even though they aren't really dating andly off, and the characters never really figured out why.
I thought Celia's character was quirky and likable, and her daughter was adorable (which is a funny thing to write about a fictional child, but it is true). I would have liked to read more interactions with the daughter later in the book, since they seemed to taper off a bit as the story revolved around Ty and Celia. I also liked the secondary characters - they were all quirky and likable, really. I thought the author did a great job of keeping the plot interesting throughout the book, without inserting too much drama.
I liked how she inserted the stories of Celia and Ty's faith, how they returned to following God, in such a natural way. The relationship was developed subtly until the end of the book, and I always think it takes some talent to progress character development that way. The ending was really good, and I liked the sacrifice that was made at the end.
Overall, I think this is an interesting Christian romance book. There were a couple things that bugged me, but I still enjoyed it. It would be a great poolside read for the summer months.
Note: I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
Ty was described as perfectly handsome, and I felt like the author tried to describe his looks as too perfect. I don't like my fictional characters to be too perfect. I also felt like he was too perfectly confident (translate: cocky), and used too much flattery on the women in the book (I think it was supposed to show you how smooth he was, but it just made me think "fake" or "misleading"). His only flaws were in his reckless nature (which could also seem exciting, depending on the spin the author puts on it), and in a tendency for chemical addiction (but not too much, because he is able to resist). I liked the joking banter between Ty and Celia, and that was what kept me liking his character. Everything else was just too perfect.
Ty and Celia, later in the book, also decide that it's okay to kiss each other, even though they aren't really dating and Celia has no plans at forming a real relationship with him at that point. I thought that was a little morally off, and the characters never really figured out why.
Things I Liked:
Ty and Celia, later in the book, also decide that it's okay to kiss each other, even though they aren't really dating andly off, and the characters never really figured out why.
I thought Celia's character was quirky and likable, and her daughter was adorable (which is a funny thing to write about a fictional child, but it is true). I would have liked to read more interactions with the daughter later in the book, since they seemed to taper off a bit as the story revolved around Ty and Celia. I also liked the secondary characters - they were all quirky and likable, really. I thought the author did a great job of keeping the plot interesting throughout the book, without inserting too much drama.
I liked how she inserted the stories of Celia and Ty's faith, how they returned to following God, in such a natural way. The relationship was developed subtly until the end of the book, and I always think it takes some talent to progress character development that way. The ending was really good, and I liked the sacrifice that was made at the end.
Overall, I think this is an interesting Christian romance book. There were a couple things that bugged me, but I still enjoyed it. It would be a great poolside read for the summer months.
Note: I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I had seen a couple clips of Jim Gaffigan's comedy routines before, so when I saw Dad Is Fat was up for review I decided I'd like to read it. I always appreciate a book that can make me laugh, and I was hoping that would be the case with this book.
First, I have to say that I don't necessarily agree with or like all of the jokes in this book, and I was a little disappointed at some of the language. I also thought some of his jokes about Jesus and the Bible were irreverent, and I didn't like that.
Aside from those things, I did think most of the book was pretty hilarious! I was laughing out loud at something in every chapter.
Gaffigan is a father to five children, and his comedy mostly centers around family life - the trials and ridiculous situations parents are thrown into, the funny things kids do, and they way they change our lives. Though sometimes his jokes seem to focus on the negatives, you can definitely tell after reading the book that he loves his family.
I thought this book was a nice break during the day, and it brought out the humor that I had never thought about before in so many common parenting situations. The chapter on toddlers was probably my favorite, because that is where I am in life right now and it was so spot-on and funny! I think most parents of young kids can find something to laugh about in this book, so if you are looking for something humorous to read, I'd recommend checking it out.
Note: I received this book for free from Blogging For Books in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I like baths more than showers. Normally my bath time routine involves filling up the tub with the hottest water the spout will give me, soaking and reading for a while, then blow drying my hair. Then I either watch something short on Netflix or listen to a podcast while I straighten my hair (if you haven't guessed, I have to work this in while the kids are napping!). It's my "me-time", my favorite way to relax.
The other day after I finished drying my hair I decided to listen to a Focus On The Family podcast, and they opened the program with the question "What do you think of when you think of submission?" Some women came on and talked about masters and servants, being a doormat, and one woman talked about Christ submitting to the Father, but she didn't like the way it applied to marriage as much. I paused the podcast for a minute and thought through my own "definition" of submission, and this is what came to mind:
I think submission means being willing to take a step back and let your husband be the leader.
This is going to look differently and vary in difficulty depending on the situation, and I'm also not going to pretend that there aren't men that sometimes abuse this concept (which is probably why this is such a sticking point for so many Christian women).
There are a few things I think submission does not mean. I don't think submission means that you never state your opinion. Being a submissive wife doesn't mean you have to roll over and be a doormat. It doesn't mean you do something morally wrong or questionable in an effort to be submissive. It doesn't mean your husband controls your every move. It definitely does not mean you remain in a dangerous or abusive situation in an effort to "submit".
As for what I do think submission means - I think when this aspect of marriage is done right, the wife and husband are both able to discuss and express their thoughts on a situation, and the husband will listen to what his wife has to say. A man who loves his wife and who is wise will not dismiss his wife's thoughts or disregard her feelings on a matter.
For the wife, submission means being willing to let go - not always insisting on having things "her way". It means actively letting her husband lead the family, even in those times when she disagrees, even sometimes when the husband may not be handling the situation in the best way.
Submission doesn't mean that marriage is not a partnership - both people's opinions do matter, and options should be discussed! But no organization works well without a head. If a business has two presidents and the presidents disagree on a big decision, things could get ugly pretty quickly. The business might split. There has to be a head leader, the one who makes the final decision when not everyone is in agreement. As Christian wives we are called to step back and let our husband be in that position. He'll be the "president" of the family. It doesn't mean the wife's thoughts and opinions don't matter, but the "business" of the family needs an official leader, someone who has the final say. There can't be two "heads" if things are going to run smoothly.
This isn't easy! I think it's a natural tendency for a lot of women to want to control things (especially our husbands). The Bible even tells us that women will struggle with this. We want that control, and that's why submission is so hard.
(Derek and me, goofing off at our 5-year anniversary session! This is Derek's brooding model look. Actually I'm not sure what we were doing here, but I'm sure some joke was involved. Derek is hilarious whenever we try to take pictures together. It's a wonder we get any good ones.)
I am not "good" at submission - I'm still working on it, but I want to improve because I want to obey God here. I want to make Him proud of me. When I let my husband lead, without any ulterior motives, without trying to manipulate or control things, without looking for my chance to show the superiority of my position later, I think God smiles down at me.
I think it's important to also recognize that submission doesn't just involve your relationship with your husband. It involves your relationship with God. He is the one who tells us that the man should be the leader of the family.
For some reason the culture has us thinking that it is a sign of weakness to be the one to concede the point, the one to "give in" when there is a disagreement. I would beg to differ. I think it takes a pretty strong, secure woman to realize that God has organized the family this way for a reason. When we allow our husbands to lead, we are ultimately not choosing to "obey" our husbands - we are choosing to trust and obey God.
That is not weak. That is brave. It is strong. Even though it might be scary, and things might not always turn out like we want, God will reward us in the end for following His word when it comes to submission. I don't know about you, but I want my reward, and the thought of that is what keeps me trying to do better. I think those treasures in Heaven will be worth not getting my way sometimes while I'm here.
-----
For more good insights on submission, including the biblical basis and practical encouragement, I highly recommend this book (and I'm not being paid to say that)! I grew up with the idea of submission, and I still got a lot of new thoughts out of it, so I think it would be helpful for women of any background who want to study this subject more deeply and get a biblical perspective on it.
For all you Christian ladies out there, is this an area in which you struggle? What has helped you with the idea of submission? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
