Gidget Goes Home » reading

Book Giveaway on Gidget Loves Language

gidget — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:15:48 +0000

I’ve got a fun book to give away over on my little “side blog“– here’s a sneak peak…

When we decided our little Gianna would be nicknamed Gigi, we were given a couple of the cutest books as gifts before she was born; they were from Sheila Walsh’s line about Gigi, God’s Little Princess. I loved the fun artwork and the gospel message presented in them.

Now that our Gigi is almost four, she loves “reading” her Gigi books, and naturally is quite taken by the whole princess phenomenon. I love Sheila’s take on princesses because her books area all about how the character Gigi is a princess because she’s a daughter of the King.

While I don’t always like the Gigi character’s representation in the movie adaptations (she’s a little literal about the whole princess thing, and the feather boas and tiaras worn everywhere can be a little over the top), the books are classy and cute with a super sweet message.

I was so excited about Sheila’s newest book, which goes beyond the Gigi books, and is geared towards a slightly older audience, the tweens. How To Be God’s Little Princess is a modern guide book on “manners, etiquette and true beauty,” that takes into consideration…

{click over to my reading blog to read more and to enter to win a copy of this adorable book!}

Book Giveaway on Gidget Loves Language is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Booking It in 2011

gidget — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:05:04 +0000

I love to read. That’s not really a secret for anyone who knows me. I don’t need a lot of motivation or inspriation to have a reason to pick up a book {or five}. But I still love the idea of a book club!

This year, I’m teaming up with my fellow So Cal mama, Jessica of Life as Mom, and joining her virtual reading club for Booking It in 2011. I love her club because she designed two tracks for participants, to either read her recommended books or choose different ones. Some of my books are from her list, and some are ones I added.

I haven’t exactly chosen a timeline for all of them yet {and after all, I’m usually reading several at once}, so I’m just going to post my proposed reading list. I think it will be fun to see how much of this I get through. A couple of these are books I received to review, so that’s always fun.

Deadly Disclosures (Dinah Harris Mystery)by Julie Cave

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of Godby Brent Curtis and John Eldredge

Mansfield Park* by Jane Austen {I was glad this was on Jessica’s list because I like to reread at least one Austen novel a year}

Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic by {fellow Dodger fan} Alyssa Milano

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day* by Jeff Hertzberg

Finding Your Purpose as a Mom: How to Build Your Home on Holy Ground* by Donna Otto

The Pilgrim’s Progress* by John Bunyan

The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompanimentsby David Lebovitz {considering the connoisseur I am, it’s sort of sacrilegious that I haven’t checked this out yet!}

Dancing with My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Grace and Joy* by Sally Clarkson

The Help* by Kathryn Stockett

A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg

Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life by Shauna Niequist

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald

Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby’s First Foodsby Nina Planck {I’ve read parts of this already}

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Livingby Tsh Oxenreider {working through Part 2 now}

*books from the Booking It list

I guess I’ll take this opportunity to mention that I also resurrected my old “side blog,” Gidget Loves Language a few months ago, and decided that’s where I’ll do all my book reviews. I may mention my reading progress here, but that’s the site I’ll be linking up to at Life as Mom, starting next month.

What are you planning to read this year? If you’re a reader who loves {online} community, maybe you should join up, too!

Booking It in 2011 is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Silver and Gold, Special Edition

gidget — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:55:01 +0000

As much as I love the internet and reading blogs, I still love flipping through the real deal… colorful, tangible inspiration, with pages I can dog-ear and tear out {I also have enjoyed these ads from the Magazines: The Power of Print campaign}.

These are the favorites that you’ll find stacked on my coffee table.

Sunset

{my favorite} Since I live in the west, this mag is perfect for me. I love getting a little escape when I read their travel pieces or to be inspired as I admire the beautiful landscapes and homes they showcase, plus their recipes are easy and delicious. My sweet hubby always says he could see me writing for them someday.

Martha Stewart Living

No matter how many prison quips David makes, I just love Martha. Her “Good Things” section is probably my favorite part, and I am always inspired by the creativity that is applied to all aspects of life by her staff. Her recipes can be a bit daunting, but they are truly delicious, and always include real food ingredients. The photography in her mag is top-notch and the layout and typography are beautiful, too.

Everyday Food

Thanks to one of those surveys you come across where you can get a free yearly mag subscription, I happened upon this Martha mag, which is probably my favorite of 2010. I have been making recipe after recipe from these little gems, at least a couple a week when I’m on my cooking game. My daughter loves flipping through them, too, since they are just her size.

ReadyMade

And finally, a new favorite that I can’t wait to start receiving every other month. A friend of mine passed on a few of hers and I fell in love. I was stoked when I found the subscription listed as something I could redeem my Pampers points for! ReadyMade is all about creating, and they feature lots of repurposing, too, which I love.

little known fact: I do enjoy flipping through my husband’s Sports Illustrated mags, too. Ladies, did you know SI will happily not send their swimsuit issue, if you just call and request to skip it? My husband has been doing this for years. He’d much rather get an extra sports issue than poison his eyes (and mind) with that trashy one.

What magazines do you love for page-turning inspiration?

Silver and Gold, Special Edition is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Tending to Eden {Book Review}

gidget — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:48:40 +0000

Photo by newbeatphoto

Can you believe it’s been six months since the big earthquake in Haiti? I can remember praying fervently as a fellow blogger attempted to get out of the country, forced to leave behind the son she was trying to adopt (he eventually came home to the US thanks to Humanitarian Parole).

The images after the quake were disturbing to say the least. But amidst all the wreckage and devastation we started seeing little stories of hope. One place that I read about hopeful things going on was on the blog of the organization Plant with Purpose.

Plant with Purpose is an amazing organization focused on fighting poverty, primarily through reforestation. We sponsor a village with them in Oaxaca, Mexico, and so while I knew PWP also worked in Haiti, I hadn’t read much about their work there.

I soon learned that Plant With Purpose has been at work in Haiti for 13 years and continues to work in the earthquake aftermath by employing farmers through their “Cash for Work” program to plant trees and construct soil conservation barriers, which will provide a vital barricade against impending hurricane storms.

A few months ago, I received a galley copy of PWP president Scott Sabin’s new book, Tending to Eden, which was named a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards. In the book Scott reflects on his time in Haiti and the connection he witnessed between environmental degradation and the rural poor.

It not only gives a lot of information on how PWP got started and currently works, but it also serves as a guide to “environmental stewardship for God’s people” as the book cover reads. Tending to Eden is an awesome resource to anyone interested in Creation Care.

Here are just a few of the gems that I noted as I was reading…

Sabin focuses a lot on the importance of getting to know the culture and local economics in developing countries, as a way to avoid reinforcing the “lie that the local people are incapable of succeeding.” (p. 28), so as to empower the people instead of creating dependency on the aid agency.

Tending to Eden also points out the benefits of organic farming, recognizing that

“farming is complex, and that local farmers, with their intimate knowledge of their own land, know best how to solve their particular problems. Thus, the methods evolve to match the local environment. Building on local knowledge, organic agriculture can revitalize traditional customs and encourage local self-reliance (and self-confidence), contributing to the ongoing process of empowerment.” (p. 43)

Something that was relatively new to me is the idea of how economics affect the environment. Often times, short-term survival needs leads to mass clearing of the land, which in turns negatively impacts the environment and the productivity of the land. It’s a vicious downward spiral. “People will stay on their farms and reforest the land only if it makes sense economically,” says Sabin, “For lasting change, environmental and economic incentives must line up.” (p. 48)

“People and creation are part of the same system and are intimately connected. If you hurt one, you hurt the other.” (p. 88)

One of the most important aspects of PWP’s work is their commitment to sharing the gospel as well. Just like they want to empower farmers, they also want to empower local churches, and therefore partner with them for discipleship and for engaging the community completely.

Sabin reminds us that we need to practice “upstream thinking– looking at root causes rather than merely symptoms” (p 96) and it really is amazing to see how connected the problems of the world are to the land, and specifically to deforestation.

“Justice for the poor and oppressed should be a seamless part of creation care, just as creation care is fundamental to proclaiming and demonstrating God’s kingdom to all of creation.” (p. 96)

Tending to Eden goes beyond philosophy and PWP’s efforts abroad though, too. The best way we can each be a part of the solution on a daily basis is to simply be a good steward. There are many ways to live out a life of stewardship and I love the ideas that the book points out such as growing a garden, putting up a bird feeder, and more. There are some awesome ideas for how the church can act this out as well.

The idea is to live in such a way as to model: “enjoying creation, becoming more aware of our local environment, and learning to love our corner of it.” (p. 123)

Tending to Eden is a really great read and resource. And be sure to check out Plant with Purpose for more ways that you can get involved in their efforts such as sponsoring a village and planting trees.

Tending to Eden {Book Review} is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

Songbird Under a German Moon {Review}

gidget — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:41:30 +0000

Looking for a romantic yet suspenseful post-WWII novel? I recently got a chance to read Tricia Goyer’s newest book, Songbird Under a German Moon, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As usual, I was amazed at her knowledge of the era she writes about.

I loved the main character Betty, aka Songbird, and could almost hear her sweet voice singing. The mysterious house she lives in gives a bit of a chill to the story but its characters are also very real about their faith which balances things out.

As with all historical fictions, this novel gives some interesting insight into the era, especially looking critically at the situation in post-WWII germany, the situation of Americans still stationed there, Germans, and even the Czechoslovakian neighbors.

Here’s a little more detailed information for you…

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The year is 1945. The war is over and 21-year-old Betty Lake has been invited to Europe to sing in a USO tour for American soldiers who now occupy Hitler’s Germany. The first nights performance is a hit. Betty becomes enthralled with the applause, the former Nazi-held mansion they’re housed in and the attention of Frank Witt, the US Army Signal Corp Photographer. Yet the next night thissongbird is ready to fly the coop when Betty’s dear friend, Kat, turns up missing. Betty soon realizes Franks photographs could be the key to finding Kat. Betty and Frank team up against post-war Nazi influences and the two lovebirds’ hearts may find the answers…in each other. But will they have a chance for their romance to sing? The truth will be revealed under a German moon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty books including From Dust and Ashes, My Life UnScripted, and the children’s book, 10 Minutes to Showtime. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in the mountains of Montana. Find out more about her and her books at www.TriciaGoyer.com

Enter the WHAT ERA? Contest !

Leave a comment on Tricia’s blog or send an email through her website CONNECT page and answer this question: What era in history do you wish you’d lived in and why?

Earn extra entries by signing up for Tricia’s newsletter here, becoming a Fan on Facebook or Tweeting about the contest on Twitter (use hashtag #songbird)!

You’ll be entered to win one of three signed copies of Songbird Under a German Moon.

Double Trouble {Review + Giveaway}

gidget — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:53:47 +0000

Mystery? Check. Intrigue? Check. Romance? Check.
Jill of All Trades turned Private Investigator? You got it!

PJ Sugar is one of the most fun and likable, if imperfect, heroine I’ve read in a contemporary fiction novel in a long time. She’s spunky, looking to make a difference and turn over a new leaf, and she’s real. I love how she is constantly struggling to become a new creation, and live a new life, while battling her old reputation in a small town. PJ’s story captured me in Nothing But Trouble, and in the sequel, Double Trouble, I continued to get to know like her.

As someone who’s always had a penchant for espionage/sleuth stories and who’s first favorite chapter book was Harriet the Spy, the PJ Sugar series seemed right up my alley. Susan May Warren is such a talented writer, who knows how to weave together romance, suspense and the search for a meaningful life. She also does a great job filling in the gaps so that Double Trouble can be read even if you haven’t read the first book in the series (although, you should, because it’s good!).

About Double Trouble:
With one solved case under her belt, PJ Sugar is ready to dive into her career as a private investigator. Or at least a PI’s assistant until she can prove herself to Jeremy Kane, her new boss. Suddenly PJ’s seeing crime everywhere. But is it just in her head, or can she trust her instincts? When she takes on her first official case-house-sitting for a witness in protective custody-Jeremy assures her there’s no danger involved. But it soon becomes clear that there is someone after the witness . . . and now they’re after PJ, too.

About Susan:
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year. Her larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com

And now for the giveaway… enter to win by March 6th and midnight PST.

*Giveaway now closed; thanks for playing!*

I’ve been generously given a new copy of Double Trouble to give away, but because I love my readers, I’m going to give away my own copy of Nothing But Trouble as well so that the winner can get the full story. Here’s how to win:

1. Leave a comment here telling me your first favorite novel. {mandatory}

2. Tweet or blog about the giveaway and leave a comment here about it.

That’s all! Good luck and happy reading!

Thanks to Litfuse for providing my review copies!

Double Trouble {Review + Giveaway} is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Extra Stories

gidget — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:25:41 +0000

Here are the remaining stories that I neglected to post due to too much relaxing, eating, giving and receiving gifts and all-around family Christmasy goodness. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them and if any of you commenters from the other posts won the pearls, you’ll be hearing after New Year’s (all comments are now closed).

12 Pearls of Christmas: Gifts of Purpose

Too Precious to Wear by Sarah Sundin

One Christmas when my mother was a girl, she received a string of pearls from her father. Since her parents were divorced-an unusual situation in the 1950s-she treasured the pearls as a sign of her father’s love. When he passed away her senior year in high school, the pearls took on even greater significance.

When I was growing up, my mother talked often about the pearls, but my sister and I never saw them. Mom kept them safe in their silk-lined velvet box tucked in her jewelry box. For dressy occasions, she wore other nice jewelry, but never the pearls.

The pearls were too precious to wear.

What if the strand broke and even a single pearl was lost? What if the clasp broke and she lost them forever? She couldn’t risk it. Better to keep them cocooned in silky security.

When my mother offered to let me wear her pearls on my wedding day, I was deeply touched. This was more than “something old” or “something borrowed,” but a sign that she trusted me and loved me.

A few days before the wedding, my mother pulled the box from seclusion. My sister and I watched with curiosity and awe. The pearls had turned a deep grayish-yellow, they were flaking, and some had fallen apart. They were fake. For over thirty years, my mother nurtured a piece of costume jewelry. All that time she could have worn them and enjoyed them without worry.

Her father gave them to her for a purpose-to wear them and feel lovely and ladylike and special. He didn’t mean for her to hide them away. On our wedding day, my husband gave me a strand of real pearls. They symbolize my husband’s sacrificial love for me-they were expensive for a graduate student with half-Scottish blood.

I vowed never to tuck them away but to wear them often. Yes, I’m careful. I inspect the cord and knots and clasp, and I plan to have them restrung when necessary. But I wear them and enjoy them. That’s why my husband gave them to me.

Our heavenly Father gives us gifts too-brilliant and costly. We should cherish them, but we should use them. Whether our individual gifts involve serving, teaching, encouragement, evangelism, or even money-they have a purpose. The Lord wants us to use our gifts to bless others and to spread the message of His love. While pearls make women look lovely, using our God-given gifts for His kingdom makes us even lovelier. And just as pearls grow more lustrous with frequent wear, our gifts from God grow in beauty and strength the more we use them. This Christmas I plan to wear my string of pearls, a sign of my husband’s love-and to display my pearls from heaven, a sign of my Father’s love. Have a lustrous Christmas!

__________________________________

Sarah Sundin lives in northern California with her husband and three children. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. Her first novel, A Distant Melody, historical fiction set during World War II, will be published by Revell in March 2010. Please visit her at http://www.sarahsundin.com or her blog or find her on Facebook.

_______________________________________

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: God With Us

LISTENING FOR CHRISTMAS
by Deb Kalmbach

I used to be the queen of over-commitment, and December brought out the worst in this malady. It was as if I were poised at an imaginary starting line, and when I flipped the calendar page, I was off and running–the December dash!

You could hardly see any white space on my daily planner it was so jammed with events. Kids’ Christmas programs, church programs, and endless lists of things-to-do obscured my calendar and my vision to see what really mattered. Each day when we hung another ornament on our Advent tree, I felt my chest tighten, and my breathing get shallower. Only single-digit shopping days left…Panic mode was about to set in.

Of course I was singing in the Christmas choir. I love music, and the heavenly Christmas anthems we sang. The neighborhood cookie exchange was an annual tradition. Forget about the old standards, chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies. Let’s talk about jam-filled tea cookies, chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls, or iced sugar cookies with colored sprinkles. My kitchen looked like a Martha Stewart test kitchen gone awry.

My head spins just thinking about it. I usually felt so frustrated and exhausted by Christmas Day, I barely enjoyed the celebration. I repeated this drill for many Christmas seasons, before I finally decided to step back and think about why I was trying to accomplish the impossible. I learned to take a deep breath and accept the fact that I can’t do it all-and I’m much better off if I don’t try.

That’s probably why I’m writing this. The tendency to revert to this frenzied pace by mid-December is still a challenge. I need to be reminded of the quiet simplicity of this season, so I can hear the age-old message once again.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel! Our God is with us. If we can stop long enough to listen-we will hear the invitation that beckons us to come, to wait, to get ready for our coming King.

No doubt, December will be as busy as ever with gifts to purchase, trees to decorate and carols to sing. But this Advent season, I pray that in the midst of everything contending for our time and attention, our hearts will be moved and our senses sharpened to rejoice in God’s greatest gift.

________________________________________

Deb Kalmbach is the co-author of Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So-Perfect Marriage and the author of a book for children, Corey’s Dad Drinks Too Much. Deb and her husband, Randy, make their home in a tiny town in Eastern Washington. Visit Deb at her website or blog.

__________________________________

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Wondrous Mystery

Magnificat
by Anna Joujan

Holy. Holy. Holy is the Lord. The familiar catch of breath. The sting in the eyes. And the tears begin to flow with the falling rain. Or do the tears fall with the flowing rain. What is it in these words that I whisper that wrenches at my heart so? Why does Mary’s prayer touch the core of my being, so many centuries after it was spoken?

I think it must be because I know that she was just a girl, just a human being, with a woman’s heart like my own. And so, when I hear her wondering words, I can feel with her the emotion she must have felt. To bear the son of God-what wondrous mystery, what glorious honour! And she was, like me, just a young woman-much younger, in fact, than I am now. And so, no matter how often I hear the story and read her words, it still has the power to bring abrupt and unsought tears.

What a gracious God, to work wonders with such frail and faulty creatures as us!

__________________________________________

Anna G. Joujan was born in South Dakota, as a Canadian citizen, and was raised in Zambia, the child of missionary teachers. Since her family’s move to the U.S., Anna spent her childhood and early adulthood traveling throughout the world thanks to various educational and work opportunities . . . France, China, Peru, and Jamaica being some of the stops in her journeys. Her undergraduate degree in French Literature led to a Masters in Information Sciences, and to work as a college and high school librarian, and a cross country coach. She has also returned to Zambia multiple times to teach for individual families and for local schools. All the while continuing pursuing her passions of writing, artwork, photography . . . and running to a fault. She blogs at Full of Grace.

__________________________________

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Slow Down, Pray & Give Thanks

All Decked Out For Christmas
by Maureen Lang

One of the reasons so many of us love the holiday season is that it’s just so…pretty! Twinkling lights, shiny ornaments, packages that glisten with bows and fancy wrapping. Our houses are trimmed with wreaths and glowing trees, and the neighborhood lights up the night with strands of icicles and glimmering reindeer.

Even we get decked out for the holidays! Chances are most of us will attend at least one party this season, and if we don’t usually don clothing or jewelry with a bit of sparkle, now’s the time to take a chance with something that reflects the holiday.

Smiles are another reason this season is such a popular one. They accompany that familiar greeting-Merry Christmas! Smiles go with the gifts we give and with the gifts we receive. Smiles go with the old Christmas carols and classic movies we watch every year.

The holiday season is a time when everything can seem amplified. But what if we’re all decked out on the outside, from the sparkling clothing to our best effort at a smile, and on the inside we’re anything but happy? If life isn’t what we expected it to be, the gap between reality and our happy, hopeful expectations seem wider when everyone around us is laughing through the season.

I know there are as many reasons to be unhappy as there are to be happy, and I wouldn’t begin to have the answer to make this season bearable for everyone. But I do know a few things that have worked for me:

Slow down. What? During the busiest time of the year? Yep. I know when I feel completely overwhelmed it’s because I’m pressuring myself to do too much. So I try to plan ahead, settle for less than perfection, do my best without driving myself and everyone around me crazy. Choose what’s really important and let go of the other things. And I’ve adopted my aunt’s favorite saying: “However it turns out, that’s how we like it.” Works wonders on attitude!

Pray. As my pastor reminded me this weekend from Psalm 34:18: the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. God may not deliver us from our troubles, but He promises to stay beside us-in fact, closer than when everything seems hunky-dory.

Find a moment to give thanks for what you do have (without looking around at those who have more).

This last point deserves a moment of reflection, and is something I’m still learning to do. I have a child severely handicapped by Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic form of mental retardation. For years I thought I’d accepted his condition. I obediently said to God, “thank you even for this,” since it taught me many things about adjusting to the life I’ve been given rather than the one I might have chosen.

But as my son gets older, I see new forms of acceptance making that feeling of gratitude more genuine. I think I’m finally letting go of some of the hopes and dreams I had for him, my oldest son. I can no longer imagine him any other way than the way he is, even though I’d be first in line if a cure is ever found.

I still think it’s a good thing to give thanks in all things, even if it begins out of obedience rather than tender gratitude for whatever thorn we live with. But realizing it’s okay to grow into that gratitude was a blessing to me.

Maybe some of the bruises on our spirit seem tender during the holiday season, a reminder that all the glitter on the outside might not light us up on the inside. My prayer is trust Psalm 34:18. Let’s lean on Him this season-He’s right here beside us!

______________________________

Maureen Lang grew up loving to tell stories, and God has blessed her immeasurably to be able to tell them to a wider audience these days. For the latest goings-on, please check her blog!

__________________________________

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Celebrate

What Really Matters
by Dawn Meehan

In the hustle and bustle and commercialism of Christmas, take time to remember the real reason why we celebrate – the birth of Christ, our Lord and Saviour. May you all have a blessed Christmas!

I had a VERY long day with the kids doing little but fighting. By the time we left for church, we were all short tempered, snapping at each other, and not at all in the Christmas spirit. Thankfully, once at church, we calmed down. Things were put in perspective for us. We sang Christmas songs and began to smile at one another again. The kids didn’t fight once while we were there. Well, they did use their battery operated candles as light sabers for a minute, but we’ll forget about that part.

I never sent out cards (sorry to all my family and friends). It just didn’t happen this year. I don’t think I ever completely finished my shopping, but it’s a little late now. Several items I ordered online have been back ordered. I just realized that the kids have eaten all the cookies I’ve made and there are none to put out for Santa now. I encouraged them to leave him a glass of wine instead. And I failed to read the Christmas story to the kids before they went to bed.

But you know what? None of that matters. It really doesn’t. Christmas is here! Christ is born! And He doesn’t care if we sent out Christmas cards. He doesn’t care if we ate all the cookies we baked. He doesn’t even care if we never got around to baking a single cookie at all! He loves us no matter how much we screw up.

Now that’s worth celebrating!

_____________________________

Dawn Meehan (aka mom2my6pack) grew up in Chicagoland where she began her writing career at the age of 5 with her widely praised, The Lucky Leprechaun, an epic tale of a leprechaun who is- yes, you guessed it, lucky.

Dawn has six children, basically because she didn’t want seven. She is the author of Because I Said So and spends her days blogging at BecauseISaidSo.com, changing diapers, cleaning pudding off her ceiling, tackling insurmountable piles of laundry, and explaining to her kids why they can’t have a pet squirrel or an indoor slip-n-slide.

__________________________________

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Extra Stories is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Perspective

gidget — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:00:47 +0000

This post is part of a blog tour series from LitFuse Publicity and Pearl Girls. Every day I will be featuring daily inspirational stories, from now until Christmas, all written by guest authors.

A Soggy, Jolly, Holly Christmas
by Melody Carlson

One of my most memorable Christmases started out as a natural disaster. But isn’t that a bit how a pearl is formed? An oyster’s soft easy life is disrupted by the invasion of sand, but something good comes out of it. When I was eight, we experienced the worst flood in recorded Oregon history. It was only a few days before Christmas when our streets became shallow rivers and the governor proclaimed a state of emergency. My sister and I assumed the flood was simply our new water-world playground and didn’t understand the seriousness of washed out bridges and downed power lines and submerged homes. But when we realized this flood was about to nix our usual three-hour trek to our grandparents’ home near the coast, we were not happy.

Naturally, our mom, a single parent, protested the sensibility of holiday travel (most of Oregon’s rivers were involved in the flood). But Christmas at Grandma’s house was our favorite event of the year. And thanks to our persistence, Mom finally gave in. We piled into the car and headed out. Flood waters climbed higher the closer we got to the coast. And at one point the road behind us was closed and the one ahead was flooded and about to be closed as well. The state policeman told us we could cross “at our own risk.” We followed a Volkswagen Bug into the water-then we actually watched the bug floating away! Of course, there was nothing to do besides plow on through the water, which appeared to be nearly two feet deep! Fortunately we had an old heavy Chevy that did not float away, but the water seeped in and pooled on the floors.

Fortunately, we made it safely to the grandparents. But once we arrived, we learned there would be no Christmas tree because the road to the woods was closed. Then my grandpa picked up his ax and led us outside where he chopped down his prize holly tree planted in the parking strip. I stared in horror, thinking Grandma was going to have a fit. But then he explained the city had told him to remove the tree for traffic visibility. So we had a twelve foot holly tree for Christmas. It was a little prickly decorating it, but with its shiny green leaves and red berries, it was the most beautiful tree ever! So what started out as a disaster turned out to be a soggy, holly, jolly Christmas after all.

__________________________________________

Melody Carlson, author of Limelight, Love Finds You in Sisters, The Christmas Dog, 86 Bloomberg Place, Diary of a Teenage Girl, The Carter House Girls, and much more… http://www.melodycarlson.com

__________________________________

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year’s Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Perspective is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Help & Support

gidget — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:56:39 +0000

This post is part of a blog tour series from LitFuse Publicity and Pearl Girls. Every day I will be featuring daily inspirational stories, from now until Christmas, all written by guest authors.

Calling Elizabeth … HELP!
by Tricia Goyer

Mary, the mother of Jesus is one of the most well-known women of all time. She was also a teen mom facing an unplanned pregnancy. This Christmas we will see evidence of Mary’s story all around us. And as you hear it through Christmas songs and Christmas shows think of three things:

1. Mary was signed up for a big task she wasn’t prepared for.
2. Mary no doubt faced criticism from people around her.
3. Mary found someone to turn to – a friend who could help Mary to succeed in her new role. It was Mary’s older cousin Elizabeth.

Elizabeth played an important part in Mary’s life. We know this because the book of Luke begins by telling us Elizabeth’s story first. Elizabeth was the wife of a priest. She was very old and had no children, but God blessed her in her old age by allowing her to get pregnant. After Elizabeth’s story comes Mary’s story … another surprise pregnancy. Can you imagine what a shock that was to everyone who knew both women? (Yes! I’m sure you can!)

The cool thing is that the angel Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth’s surprise pregnancy. It’s as if he was saying, “Look, there’s someone in your same situation. Turn to her. She can help you.”

Mary did go to Elizabeth. In fact she lived with her older cousin for three months. Elizabeth was the first one who rejoiced over the child Mary held within her womb, and I imagine Elizabeth was there to encourage Mary as she coped with the idea of becoming a teen mom.

Like Mary, each of us should have people in our lives who we turn to for help, support and encouragement. Being a mom isn’t an easy thing, and facing an unplanned pregnancy is even tougher.

When I had my son Cory I was 17-years-old, and there were a group of women from my grandma’s church who supported me. They were the first ones who showed me that the child that was growing inside me was a gift. They gave me a baby shower, and they fought over holding my son after he was born.

As my son grew, there were other women I looked to … and most of the time they didn’t even know I was watching. One of them was Cheryl. Cheryl was patient with her children, she gave them big hugs, she laughed with them and played with them and I modeled myself after her. The thing about finding mentors is sometimes we can observe them without them even knowing. And if we’re really lucky they enjoy their role of giving us advice.

Later, when I had two kids, I met a friend named Cindy. She and I were the same age and we became quick friends. Cindy was a support to me because we traded babysitting, talked about parenting problems, and we encouraged each other. She was someone who was walking the same road as me, and her advice helped more times than I can count.

No matter who we are, or where we live, each of us can look around and see the people we have in our lives. Some may cheer us on, some may guide our parenting, and others may just be there to walk along side us. If the mother of Jesus needed someone to look to for support … shouldn’t we? Everyone needs someone to provide a little help and support.

__________________________________________

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-one books including From Dust and Ashes, My Life UnScripted, and the children’s book, 10 Minutes to Showtime. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in the mountains of Montana. Connect with Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

__________________________________

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year’s Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Help & Support is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!

12 Pearls of Christmas: God Intervenes

gidget — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:06:06 +0000

This post is part of a blog tour series from LitFuse Publicity and Pearl Girls. Every day I will be featuring daily inspirational stories, from now until Christmas, all written by guest authors.

The Answer
by Susan May Warren

Whos, Here, we are Whos here, smaller than the eye can see. Whos here, we are Whos here, I’m a Who and so is she…

I’ve always wanted to live in a musical. When I was a kid, I loved Oklahoma, Sound of Music, West Side Story. I seriously thought that, if the moment was right, maybe the stars aligned, people would break out into song and dance.

I was sorta right. Because in my house, one needs to be able to talk in movie lines and song lyrics to effectively communicate. At any moment, someone might break out with a quip from the Princess Bride, or Finding Nemo. They might sing Tomorrow from Annie, or My Favorite Things like Julie Andrews.

But, most recently we’ve found ourselves speaking in “Suess”…

It’s suppertime, son, and the time is near To call far and wide the sneetches who hear Just the sound of their bellies, the whir of their gear The Gurgles and Burbles that give them great fear Tell them all, tell them loud, tell them clear Their hands they should wash, check their face in the mirror Because the food is now ready and it’s time to steer Close to the table, where they’ll find hot gribbles here.

Why, you ask? Because David and Sarah are performing in the community theater’s production of Suessical the Musical, a hilarious conglomeration of Dr. Suess’ fun work, from Horton hears a Who to Horton Hatches an Egg.

As the Christmas season draws close (and the songs from the play linger in my head), one line has stood out to me… “We are here, we are here!” You know the story – that part where, after everyone has called Horton names and they’re about ready to boil the speck that contains Who-ville, Horton calls out to the Whos to send up a cry to prove themselves as real. “We are here, we are here!”

It strikes me that sometimes we can feel like Whos… smaller than the eye can see. Tossed hither and yon by the wind, helpless and facing being boiled. Tired, perhaps, or alone. Wishing someone might find us and pay attention.

Someone has, and that’s the good news about Christmas. Because we don’t have to “make ourselves heard,” like the Whos. In fact, even before we realized we were headed for the cauldron, God intervened. God demonstrated his own love for us in this – while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8). That’s what Jesus is all about – he’s the answer to even the unspoken cry of our hearts, saying, “I am here, I am here.” Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

So as this season approaches with its whistles and bells I hope you hear the voice where the Mighty One dwells – down deep in your hearts, so nothing can shake the knowledge of his love, given all for your sake.

Merry Christmas from Susie May Warren

_________________________________

Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of twenty-one novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep’s Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader’s Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota. www.susanmaywarren.com Check out her Christmas Novella, The Great Christmas Bowl.

__________________________________

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year’s Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: God Intervenes is a post from: Gidget Goes Home
Please visit my other blog, Simple Organic.
Gidget Recommends {a few of my favorite eBooks}:

One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler
Healthy Snacks to Go: 20 Real Food Recipes
Simple Blogging: Grow your blog with less time on the computer.
Thanks for reading!