Lydia Howe's Blog, page 2
October 29, 2016
Take Your Life Back By Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop - Book Review
Take Your Life BackBy Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person NarrativeNon-Fiction200 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
“I want to have better relationships . . . but is it all on me to fix things?”“This person’s approval means everything to me. It’s like it controls me.”“Why can’t I get free from this cycle?”
If you find yourself having these feelings, it’s time to take your life back. Through personal examples, clinical insights, and spiritual truth, Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop will show you how to • overcome the habits and history that are keeping you down―and take new, positive steps toward change; • heal from the hurts, setbacks, and broken relationships that affect you every day; • develop better boundaries with others in your life; • stop overreacting and start responding appropriately to any situation or circumstance; • break the cycle of behavior that harms you and your relationships; • find the freedom you have longed for.Your past and current circumstances don’t have to define you, and they don’t have to determine the direction of your life. Take Your Life Back is the key to moving from reactive attitudes and behaviors to healthy, God-honoring responses that will help you live the life you were meant to live.
Why I Choose this Book:
The book looked interesting, and I figured it would help me relate and be more understanding to other people.
What I Thought About this Book:
Part 1, which was the first 60% or so went through a lot of different problems that people have, and what could have caused those problems. It was enlightening and made sense. Since I haven't studied this type of thing a lot, a fair amount of the information was new to me, so it was interesting to learn about. Part 1 was about reacting: Why we react, how reacting looks, and the issues that come from reacting.
Part 2 was about learning how to respond instead of reacting. I enjoyed part 2 a lot more than part 1. It was great to see how they brought the Bible into the book and spotlighted the way we need to give our lives to God in order to make our lives work the way we're supposed to.
There were plenty parts in the book that I didn't fully understand, but mostly I appreciated and agreed with what I read. The book ended with a chapter of what our lives look like when we've given control to God which was very hope-filled.
Conclusion:
This book wasn't geared toward me, but I'm still glad I read it. I can see how it will help me understand people better. I recommend it to most people who have had trauma, abuse, or big issues in their past.
Rating:
I'm giving Take Your Life Back 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Tyndale Publishing*
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person NarrativeNon-Fiction200 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
“I want to have better relationships . . . but is it all on me to fix things?”“This person’s approval means everything to me. It’s like it controls me.”“Why can’t I get free from this cycle?”
If you find yourself having these feelings, it’s time to take your life back. Through personal examples, clinical insights, and spiritual truth, Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop will show you how to • overcome the habits and history that are keeping you down―and take new, positive steps toward change; • heal from the hurts, setbacks, and broken relationships that affect you every day; • develop better boundaries with others in your life; • stop overreacting and start responding appropriately to any situation or circumstance; • break the cycle of behavior that harms you and your relationships; • find the freedom you have longed for.Your past and current circumstances don’t have to define you, and they don’t have to determine the direction of your life. Take Your Life Back is the key to moving from reactive attitudes and behaviors to healthy, God-honoring responses that will help you live the life you were meant to live.
Why I Choose this Book:
The book looked interesting, and I figured it would help me relate and be more understanding to other people.
What I Thought About this Book:
Part 1, which was the first 60% or so went through a lot of different problems that people have, and what could have caused those problems. It was enlightening and made sense. Since I haven't studied this type of thing a lot, a fair amount of the information was new to me, so it was interesting to learn about. Part 1 was about reacting: Why we react, how reacting looks, and the issues that come from reacting.
Part 2 was about learning how to respond instead of reacting. I enjoyed part 2 a lot more than part 1. It was great to see how they brought the Bible into the book and spotlighted the way we need to give our lives to God in order to make our lives work the way we're supposed to.
There were plenty parts in the book that I didn't fully understand, but mostly I appreciated and agreed with what I read. The book ended with a chapter of what our lives look like when we've given control to God which was very hope-filled.
Conclusion:
This book wasn't geared toward me, but I'm still glad I read it. I can see how it will help me understand people better. I recommend it to most people who have had trauma, abuse, or big issues in their past.
Rating:
I'm giving Take Your Life Back 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Tyndale Publishing*
October 27, 2016
The 10 Myths of Teen Dating By Daniel Anderson and Jacquelyn Anderson - Book Review
The 10 Myths of Teen Dating By Daniel Anderson and Jacquelyn Anderson
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person Non-Fiction239 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
Few topics are more difficult for parents to discuss with their daughters than dating and relationships. Due to their lack of knowledge about the world their teens face coupled with the scant dating information they received as teens, many parents feel ill-equiped to guide their daughters through the minefield that is teen dating.
In The 10 Myths of Teen Dating, this father and daughter team combines the latest scientific research with poignant, personal stories to help parents engage their daughters in wise conversations. Weaving in solid biblical truths with practical application and discussion starters, Daniel and Jacquelyn seek to equip parents to teach their daughters how to date for today … and tomorrow.
Why I Choose this Book:
The premise sounded interesting, although it wasn't something I especially wanted to read. I have been curious about the subject though because I know a lot of teens who date and the rational behind it never made complete sense to me. Then I found out that the author of this book co-wrote it with his daughter, and that impressed and intrigued me. And, after watching a short interview with them, I was like "Hey! I want to read this!" and so I did.
What I Thought About this Book:
Just to be clear before we start: I'm not a fan of teenage dating, or dating just for fun, *but* if y'all are in that setting, then I highly recommend this book.
This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. The author says in the intro that he's a Christian, but it's not a Christian book, and it's not necessarily written for Christians. (Although biblical principles do leak onto the writings.) The author has been a high school teacher for over twenty years, and he's gained tons of insight into what all goes on, and has walked hundreds of teens through difficult times. Mr. Anderson wrote this book hoping that parents would take up the ball and begin having needed conversations with their daughters so that they wouldn't have so many troubles and heartaches. (Let me take a moment here to say that Mr. Anderson sounds like a totally amazing guy and exactly the kind of person I would have as my teacher if I had grown up in public school with absent parents. Way to go, Mr. Anderson! I also really appreciated Jacquelyn's honest and insight. Her parts really made the book more relatable and helped link the facts in numbers with reality.)
The book is obviously serious and has some heavy topics, but it was also written in a way that is easy to read and understand. There are tons of facts, scientific discoveries, and averages and percentages talked about in the book. We get to learn about how our brains develop and why people react to certain situations the way they do. The book makes modern teen dating trends make a lot more sense. There were a couple of chapters that I only skimmed because I don't feel the need to know all the information right now, but for parents I can see how it would be incredibly enlightening and helpful.
I didn't agree with everything the authors said, but that's to be expected. Overall though, the good info far, far out weighed what I disagreed with. And, I very much appreciated how the book was a father/daughter team effort.
Conclusion:
As I said before, if you have a daughter of dating-age (or even if you are a dating teen), then this book should probably be on your to-read list.
Rating:
I'm giving The 10 Myths of Teen Dating 4 stars out of 5, and 8 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse*
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person Non-Fiction239 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
Few topics are more difficult for parents to discuss with their daughters than dating and relationships. Due to their lack of knowledge about the world their teens face coupled with the scant dating information they received as teens, many parents feel ill-equiped to guide their daughters through the minefield that is teen dating.
In The 10 Myths of Teen Dating, this father and daughter team combines the latest scientific research with poignant, personal stories to help parents engage their daughters in wise conversations. Weaving in solid biblical truths with practical application and discussion starters, Daniel and Jacquelyn seek to equip parents to teach their daughters how to date for today … and tomorrow.
Why I Choose this Book:
The premise sounded interesting, although it wasn't something I especially wanted to read. I have been curious about the subject though because I know a lot of teens who date and the rational behind it never made complete sense to me. Then I found out that the author of this book co-wrote it with his daughter, and that impressed and intrigued me. And, after watching a short interview with them, I was like "Hey! I want to read this!" and so I did.
What I Thought About this Book:
Just to be clear before we start: I'm not a fan of teenage dating, or dating just for fun, *but* if y'all are in that setting, then I highly recommend this book.
This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. The author says in the intro that he's a Christian, but it's not a Christian book, and it's not necessarily written for Christians. (Although biblical principles do leak onto the writings.) The author has been a high school teacher for over twenty years, and he's gained tons of insight into what all goes on, and has walked hundreds of teens through difficult times. Mr. Anderson wrote this book hoping that parents would take up the ball and begin having needed conversations with their daughters so that they wouldn't have so many troubles and heartaches. (Let me take a moment here to say that Mr. Anderson sounds like a totally amazing guy and exactly the kind of person I would have as my teacher if I had grown up in public school with absent parents. Way to go, Mr. Anderson! I also really appreciated Jacquelyn's honest and insight. Her parts really made the book more relatable and helped link the facts in numbers with reality.)
The book is obviously serious and has some heavy topics, but it was also written in a way that is easy to read and understand. There are tons of facts, scientific discoveries, and averages and percentages talked about in the book. We get to learn about how our brains develop and why people react to certain situations the way they do. The book makes modern teen dating trends make a lot more sense. There were a couple of chapters that I only skimmed because I don't feel the need to know all the information right now, but for parents I can see how it would be incredibly enlightening and helpful.
I didn't agree with everything the authors said, but that's to be expected. Overall though, the good info far, far out weighed what I disagreed with. And, I very much appreciated how the book was a father/daughter team effort.
Conclusion:
As I said before, if you have a daughter of dating-age (or even if you are a dating teen), then this book should probably be on your to-read list.
Rating:
I'm giving The 10 Myths of Teen Dating 4 stars out of 5, and 8 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse*
October 26, 2016
Morning Gratitude
Good morning, people! This morning I awoke to a beautiful sunrise and figured today would be a fantastic day to write a quick list of things I'm thankful for. Remembering some of the things I have to be thankful for always gives my day a boost, and I hope my list inspires you to be filled with gratitude, too. I set my timer for eleven minutes then worked on my list until it beeped. I was rather amused when I numbered them to find out I had written down exactly 100 things. (Another thing to be thankful for, cause even numbers like that are so much fun!)
I'd be delighted to hear some of the things at the top of y'alls list if you feel so inclined to share.
I am thankful for…
1. Christmas music 2. Family time 3. Sunrises4. Camping 5. Cooking in clean kitchens 6. Beautiful maps7. Autumn’s delight 8. Clean rooms 9. Cute bunny rabbits10. Friends who are like family 11. Pictures 12. Winterish clothes13. The wind rustling through leaves14. Stuffed animals 15. Country roads 16. Card games 17. Blogging 18. Blogging friends who I email with 19. Brainstorming 20. Working on new books 21. Making progress on old books22. Books for review23. Being caught up with books for review 24. Friends who will help me with my work 25. Being able to make a difference 26. Being understood 27. Half marathons 28. Calendars to keep track of stuff on 29. Tracking books 30. Andy Griffith with the family 31. Making memories32. Swinging 33. Star gazing34. Goals35. People who influence others for good 36. Our church37. Living in Ohio38.Living in a place with all four seasons 39.The coziness of winter40. Apple cider41. The ability to read42. Internet 43. A computer to work on 44. People who like to listen to my stories45. Family meals46. Accountability partners with goals 47. The ease of keeping in touch with people in other countries 48. Airplanes 49. Pixie sticks 50. White chocolate s’mores51. Our Wednesday night group 52. Rocks I’ve collected53. Fuzzy blankets 54.Sparkly socks55. Cotten candy 56. Sweet little babies57. Dreams come true58. Dream lists59. Hedgehogs 60. Skunks61. Inside jokes62. Cool, refreshing water63. Checking things off lists64. Happiness being a choice65. Having people around me who make choosing happiness easy 66. People who encourage me 67. Being able to encourage other people68. Using my words to lift people up 69. Using my talents to bring glory to God 70. Helping other people realize that they can bring glory to God, too71. Letters and notecards 72. Doing mail runs 73. Driving with the windows down 74. Flowers 75. Jumping on hay bales 76. Listening to birds sing77. Dancing in the rain 78. Salt 79. How my office is decorated 80. Being able to think and reason 81. Living in this time period 82. Being able to study pervious times 83. Learning in general84. Having the Bible to gain wisdom from 85. God loving me 86. Watching leaves change colors and fall 87. Cute colors 88. Shuffling through papers89. Doctors 90. Eating healthy 91. Celebrating things92. Hardwood floors93. Sleeping on the floor94. Mummy bags to keep me warm95. Cute little puppies 96. Connecting with other people97. Sundays98. My Sunday school kids99. Coffee breaks at church
100. Laughter
I'd be delighted to hear some of the things at the top of y'alls list if you feel so inclined to share.
I am thankful for…
1. Christmas music 2. Family time 3. Sunrises4. Camping 5. Cooking in clean kitchens 6. Beautiful maps7. Autumn’s delight 8. Clean rooms 9. Cute bunny rabbits10. Friends who are like family 11. Pictures 12. Winterish clothes13. The wind rustling through leaves14. Stuffed animals 15. Country roads 16. Card games 17. Blogging 18. Blogging friends who I email with 19. Brainstorming 20. Working on new books 21. Making progress on old books22. Books for review23. Being caught up with books for review 24. Friends who will help me with my work 25. Being able to make a difference 26. Being understood 27. Half marathons 28. Calendars to keep track of stuff on 29. Tracking books 30. Andy Griffith with the family 31. Making memories32. Swinging 33. Star gazing34. Goals35. People who influence others for good 36. Our church37. Living in Ohio38.Living in a place with all four seasons 39.The coziness of winter40. Apple cider41. The ability to read42. Internet 43. A computer to work on 44. People who like to listen to my stories45. Family meals46. Accountability partners with goals 47. The ease of keeping in touch with people in other countries 48. Airplanes 49. Pixie sticks 50. White chocolate s’mores51. Our Wednesday night group 52. Rocks I’ve collected53. Fuzzy blankets 54.Sparkly socks55. Cotten candy 56. Sweet little babies57. Dreams come true58. Dream lists59. Hedgehogs 60. Skunks61. Inside jokes62. Cool, refreshing water63. Checking things off lists64. Happiness being a choice65. Having people around me who make choosing happiness easy 66. People who encourage me 67. Being able to encourage other people68. Using my words to lift people up 69. Using my talents to bring glory to God 70. Helping other people realize that they can bring glory to God, too71. Letters and notecards 72. Doing mail runs 73. Driving with the windows down 74. Flowers 75. Jumping on hay bales 76. Listening to birds sing77. Dancing in the rain 78. Salt 79. How my office is decorated 80. Being able to think and reason 81. Living in this time period 82. Being able to study pervious times 83. Learning in general84. Having the Bible to gain wisdom from 85. God loving me 86. Watching leaves change colors and fall 87. Cute colors 88. Shuffling through papers89. Doctors 90. Eating healthy 91. Celebrating things92. Hardwood floors93. Sleeping on the floor94. Mummy bags to keep me warm95. Cute little puppies 96. Connecting with other people97. Sundays98. My Sunday school kids99. Coffee breaks at church
100. Laughter
October 25, 2016
Life Creative By Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart - Book Review
Life Creative By Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person Non-Fiction196 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
A celebration of motherhood, creativity, and the faith that binds them In our Pinterest age of handcrafted children's parties, artistic Instagram photos, tutorials for renovating old furniture into new treasures, and blogs filled with poetry, prose, and other creative expression, it is clear that a brand-new generation of creative women is rising up. It is a renaissance born not in Italian cathedrals or Harlem jazz clubs but in kitchens and nurseries and living rooms around the world. But when Christian women become mothers, they often feel expected to lay down their creative pursuits in order to properly parent.
Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart know that struggle. While they acknowledge that some seasons of mothering require setting artistic pursuits aside, they also argue that these seasons don't have to last until empty nest time. Instead, mothers with creative gifts are called to actively use them in order to bless their families, their communities, and everyone they encounter.
Inspiring and encouraging, Life Creative celebrates the ways mothers can live their art in the midst of their mothering. They tell the stories of women such as author and speaker Angie Smith, recording artist Ellie Holcomb, and jewelry designer Lisa Leonard who do just that. By following God's leading to embrace His gifts, renaissance moms can model the joy of obedience for their families.
Why I Choose this Book:
Life Creative. I see nearly everything in the world through the eyes of creativity, and the title of this book promised to do the same. Besides, the back cover blurb sounded amazing, despite the fact that I'm not a mother.
What I Thought About this Book:
Where do I even start? How do I even go about reviewing a book like Life Creative? It was beautiful - every single aspect of the book was simply and incredibly beautiful. From the formatting to the page designs to the different fonts, to the dividers... The words flowed like art, flinging images into my mind, and creating wings that carried me away in my own imagination and inspired me and made me want to do more.
The scope of the topics that Life Creative covered was also amazing. The book was written in such a balanced and thought-provking way that multiple times I just wanted to shake my head and say "Wow, their insight is incredible." I was extremely impressed by how well-rounded and Biblically based their points were. It was clear that the authors not only *really* studied God's Word and listened for Him, but that they also took council from other Christ-followers.
I was delighted by how their view of art was extremely uplifting. I've been blessed for years at the thought that God is creative, and He's created me to be creative, too, and Life Creative really highlights that. God has given us each gifts and talents and it's our privilege to in turn use those gifts and talents to bless Him and point people to Him. Life Creative offers so much practical advice on how to do that, why it's important, and how busy moms can play the juggling act while staying accountable. I felt like clapping when they even included a section about how important it is to communicate with your family about art, because communication rocks.
Conclusion:
There were a few minor things I didn't agree with, but mostly I was blown away and impressed by the book. It will most assuredly be a re-read. The fact that I enjoyed and gleaned so much from the book when I'm not even it's target audience is a huge testament to how fantastic the book is. I can only imagine how much more I would have gotten from the book if I was a mom. Way to go, Miss Wendy and Miss Kelli! I hope you write more books together in the future. =)
Rating:
I'm giving Life Creative 5 stars out of 5, and 10 stars out of 10. I highly, highly recommend it to any mom, or even non-mom, who has a creative bend. (In fact, I took a break mid-review to email a friend about the book and ask her if I could buy her a copy. It's *that* good.)
*I received this book free from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review*
P.S. I liked this book so much I wrote this post while in the middle of reading the book.
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person Non-Fiction196 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
A celebration of motherhood, creativity, and the faith that binds them In our Pinterest age of handcrafted children's parties, artistic Instagram photos, tutorials for renovating old furniture into new treasures, and blogs filled with poetry, prose, and other creative expression, it is clear that a brand-new generation of creative women is rising up. It is a renaissance born not in Italian cathedrals or Harlem jazz clubs but in kitchens and nurseries and living rooms around the world. But when Christian women become mothers, they often feel expected to lay down their creative pursuits in order to properly parent.
Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart know that struggle. While they acknowledge that some seasons of mothering require setting artistic pursuits aside, they also argue that these seasons don't have to last until empty nest time. Instead, mothers with creative gifts are called to actively use them in order to bless their families, their communities, and everyone they encounter.
Inspiring and encouraging, Life Creative celebrates the ways mothers can live their art in the midst of their mothering. They tell the stories of women such as author and speaker Angie Smith, recording artist Ellie Holcomb, and jewelry designer Lisa Leonard who do just that. By following God's leading to embrace His gifts, renaissance moms can model the joy of obedience for their families.
Why I Choose this Book:
Life Creative. I see nearly everything in the world through the eyes of creativity, and the title of this book promised to do the same. Besides, the back cover blurb sounded amazing, despite the fact that I'm not a mother.
What I Thought About this Book:
Where do I even start? How do I even go about reviewing a book like Life Creative? It was beautiful - every single aspect of the book was simply and incredibly beautiful. From the formatting to the page designs to the different fonts, to the dividers... The words flowed like art, flinging images into my mind, and creating wings that carried me away in my own imagination and inspired me and made me want to do more.
The scope of the topics that Life Creative covered was also amazing. The book was written in such a balanced and thought-provking way that multiple times I just wanted to shake my head and say "Wow, their insight is incredible." I was extremely impressed by how well-rounded and Biblically based their points were. It was clear that the authors not only *really* studied God's Word and listened for Him, but that they also took council from other Christ-followers.
I was delighted by how their view of art was extremely uplifting. I've been blessed for years at the thought that God is creative, and He's created me to be creative, too, and Life Creative really highlights that. God has given us each gifts and talents and it's our privilege to in turn use those gifts and talents to bless Him and point people to Him. Life Creative offers so much practical advice on how to do that, why it's important, and how busy moms can play the juggling act while staying accountable. I felt like clapping when they even included a section about how important it is to communicate with your family about art, because communication rocks.
Conclusion:
There were a few minor things I didn't agree with, but mostly I was blown away and impressed by the book. It will most assuredly be a re-read. The fact that I enjoyed and gleaned so much from the book when I'm not even it's target audience is a huge testament to how fantastic the book is. I can only imagine how much more I would have gotten from the book if I was a mom. Way to go, Miss Wendy and Miss Kelli! I hope you write more books together in the future. =)
Rating:
I'm giving Life Creative 5 stars out of 5, and 10 stars out of 10. I highly, highly recommend it to any mom, or even non-mom, who has a creative bend. (In fact, I took a break mid-review to email a friend about the book and ask her if I could buy her a copy. It's *that* good.)
*I received this book free from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review*
P.S. I liked this book so much I wrote this post while in the middle of reading the book.
October 24, 2016
October the Beautiful
Happy Monday, y'all!
Between the half marathon, an extremely busy several days at my non-writing job, having amazing out-of-state friends come and help with said job, and just life in general, last week was pretty crazy. It involved a lot of frantic dashes to get everything done on time, curling up with a fluffy blanket to catch a short nap whenever possible, consulting co-workers on how food tasted, dancing around the kitchen, dining on all manner of deliciousness, late nights, early-for-me mornings, and putting my problem solving capabilities into play.
One of the best memories from last week was realizing to my detriment that I hadn't looked at the schedule carefully enough, so I had to throw everyone into full gear. It wasn't long before we were rushing hither and yon, and some of my co-workers who are fantastic singers decided to sing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. Totally off key.
Autumn also let loose it's magnificent beauty and delighted my little heart to it's very core. The sky took turns being a brilliant, cloudless blue, and layering heaps of dark, gray clouds all about us. There was rain. Coldness. Lazily falling leaves. It was the perfect autumnish week, and reminded me once again of how utterly wonderful October is.
And, as you can guess, I didn't do hardly anything on writing. I eked out three blog posts, wrote 100 words each day, and gave an excited try at brainstorming one evening. If you've corresponded with me via email recently, you've probably noticed my lack of replies. The replies I did send were ones typed throughout the day when I had breaks at work.
I'm excited, though. I accomplished all of my goals for last week. I have new goals set for this week. Hopefully I'll not only get caught up on my emails and writing, but possibly even pull ahead a bit. And, of course I only have seven days left to finish my October goals, so I'll have fun chopping away at them, too.
* * *
What do y'all have on your plate for this week?
Between the half marathon, an extremely busy several days at my non-writing job, having amazing out-of-state friends come and help with said job, and just life in general, last week was pretty crazy. It involved a lot of frantic dashes to get everything done on time, curling up with a fluffy blanket to catch a short nap whenever possible, consulting co-workers on how food tasted, dancing around the kitchen, dining on all manner of deliciousness, late nights, early-for-me mornings, and putting my problem solving capabilities into play.
One of the best memories from last week was realizing to my detriment that I hadn't looked at the schedule carefully enough, so I had to throw everyone into full gear. It wasn't long before we were rushing hither and yon, and some of my co-workers who are fantastic singers decided to sing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. Totally off key.
Autumn also let loose it's magnificent beauty and delighted my little heart to it's very core. The sky took turns being a brilliant, cloudless blue, and layering heaps of dark, gray clouds all about us. There was rain. Coldness. Lazily falling leaves. It was the perfect autumnish week, and reminded me once again of how utterly wonderful October is.
And, as you can guess, I didn't do hardly anything on writing. I eked out three blog posts, wrote 100 words each day, and gave an excited try at brainstorming one evening. If you've corresponded with me via email recently, you've probably noticed my lack of replies. The replies I did send were ones typed throughout the day when I had breaks at work.
I'm excited, though. I accomplished all of my goals for last week. I have new goals set for this week. Hopefully I'll not only get caught up on my emails and writing, but possibly even pull ahead a bit. And, of course I only have seven days left to finish my October goals, so I'll have fun chopping away at them, too.
* * *
What do y'all have on your plate for this week?
October 21, 2016
Happy Friday Morning
This morning I walked to my non-writing job in the drizzling rain, skipping along the road and avoiding mud puddles. We've got a hugely busy day at work, so I was trying to get a head start on the day by being out in the fresh air.
Today I'm eating off Paleo, which makes me wonderfully excited. I walked into the kitchen, saw all the goodies there are that I can partake of (aka cranberry-orange scones, white chocolate-coverd pretzels, and delicious coffee), and squealed something along the lines of "Oh my goodness! It is so good to be alive!"
Before I left for work I read Proverbs 21, which left me feeling very encouraged and also extremely thankful that I work with non-contentious people. And speaking of being easy to get along with, my break is nearly over, so I'd better get back to work. I hope y'all have a fantastically blessed and victorious day!
* * *
If y'all read the Proverb of the day, which was your favorite verse? Mine was Proverbs 21:21 "He that follows afar righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
Today I'm eating off Paleo, which makes me wonderfully excited. I walked into the kitchen, saw all the goodies there are that I can partake of (aka cranberry-orange scones, white chocolate-coverd pretzels, and delicious coffee), and squealed something along the lines of "Oh my goodness! It is so good to be alive!"
Before I left for work I read Proverbs 21, which left me feeling very encouraged and also extremely thankful that I work with non-contentious people. And speaking of being easy to get along with, my break is nearly over, so I'd better get back to work. I hope y'all have a fantastically blessed and victorious day!
* * *
If y'all read the Proverb of the day, which was your favorite verse? Mine was Proverbs 21:21 "He that follows afar righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
October 20, 2016
Princesses and Castles and Imagination, Oh My!
Princesses fascinate me. (No, really?) My first full-length story, way back when I was thirteen, involved a princess (who lived in a hidden, underground house in the middle of a huge forest because bad guys had taken over the throne). My first trilogy, back when I was sixteen, involved a princess (who thought she was a slave, because, why not?). And now, my current series, when I'm twenty-four, is all about twin princesses. (And y'all probably know all about that by now.)
Therefore, as you can imagine, exploring castles and palaces in Europe a couple years ago made my little princessy heart extremely happy. I still dream of going back and exploring the castles and palaces more, one day. It's kinda a dream of mine to write book in Europe while sitting and walking among castle ruins.
This morning I sat down to blog and somehow got sidetracked reading something about Princess Kate from Great Britain (don't ask me how that happened). So of course that made me think about castles and palaces and princesses. And, it made me so happy I decided to look up a couple of my Europe trip posts and share them with y'all again.
Here you can read all about the Newschwanstein Castle (pictured above) and our hours of standing in line and freezing. It really was a totally delightful, and extremely memorable, experience.
The Heidelberg Castle in Germany was one of my all-time favorite places to visit. Thinking about it nearly brings tears of joy even now because it was that amazing. I can barely even comprehend a more lovely setting to write a book in. There's SO much room for the imagination to go totally wild, which is of course wonderful.
We also got to explore a fantastic amount of palaces that were stunningly beautiful, but generally had a "no photos allowed" rule. That didn't mean I couldn't take snapshots in my mind to sigh over in delight for the rest of my days. And of course those snapshots will most likely one day make their way into my princess-stories, so that's even better than a picture.
By the way, if y'all have any suggestions for clean books that involve princesses, I would be utterly delighted to hear them.
* * *What about you? Do you find princesses as inspiring and intriguing as I do?
Therefore, as you can imagine, exploring castles and palaces in Europe a couple years ago made my little princessy heart extremely happy. I still dream of going back and exploring the castles and palaces more, one day. It's kinda a dream of mine to write book in Europe while sitting and walking among castle ruins.
This morning I sat down to blog and somehow got sidetracked reading something about Princess Kate from Great Britain (don't ask me how that happened). So of course that made me think about castles and palaces and princesses. And, it made me so happy I decided to look up a couple of my Europe trip posts and share them with y'all again.
Here you can read all about the Newschwanstein Castle (pictured above) and our hours of standing in line and freezing. It really was a totally delightful, and extremely memorable, experience.
The Heidelberg Castle in Germany was one of my all-time favorite places to visit. Thinking about it nearly brings tears of joy even now because it was that amazing. I can barely even comprehend a more lovely setting to write a book in. There's SO much room for the imagination to go totally wild, which is of course wonderful.
We also got to explore a fantastic amount of palaces that were stunningly beautiful, but generally had a "no photos allowed" rule. That didn't mean I couldn't take snapshots in my mind to sigh over in delight for the rest of my days. And of course those snapshots will most likely one day make their way into my princess-stories, so that's even better than a picture.
By the way, if y'all have any suggestions for clean books that involve princesses, I would be utterly delighted to hear them.
* * *What about you? Do you find princesses as inspiring and intriguing as I do?
October 19, 2016
The Half-Marathon (aka, dreams do come true)
PEOPLE! I'm back. Well, kinda anyway. Remember back when I was talking about my goals for the month and I said there was a busy week at my non-writing job where I wouldn't get much writing done? That's this week.
I wanted to take the time to share with y'all a little bit about my first official race, which was the Nationwide Children's Hospital fundraiser Marathon and Half-Maratho. And, it was utterly, totally, 100 % amazing! (And also a big reason I didn't post for the last two days, cause I was pretty tired.)
I'm not sure when I last had so much fun. There was a lot of pain involved because hey! Running is a lot of work, but I not only did the half-marathon, but I beat my personal record by right around 18 minutes, which is crazy. I kept a steady 12 minute pace.
I'm already looking forward to getting faster so I can hopefully, maybe, Lord willing, do next years half-marathon (or full marathon!) at a much better pace.
A lovely group of us went together (including my best friend!), although we didn't stay together as we ran. (I did keep up with my tall brother for the first three miles, then realized I needed to conserve my energy a bit. He ended up being way faster than me, so it's a good thing I dropped back.) It was fun having the accountability during the last few months as we trained, and then getting to celebrate after we made it across the finish line.
To any of y'all who haven't been around Noveltea long: I've dreamed of running a marathon every since I was a little girl, but especially when I had Lyme disease. I always thought it would be a wonderful way to celebrate being healthy again. I've been training since February to run the whole marathon, but then some things came up, so I could only do the half. It still took a lot of training though, and really helped me get a lot healthier. And, it was totally a dream come true.
There were 18,000 runners (from 47 states and several different countries), 3,000 volunteers, and nearly 100,000 people cheering us on. It was glorious. Since we were raising money for the Children's Hospital, they had a child from the hospital at each mile, waving, giving high-fives (by holding a foam hand we could hit as we ran past), and thanking us. I can't even explain how amazing and neat and wonderful it was to take part in the day. I seriously can hardly wait to do it again.
Along with the thousands of adults, there were also hundreds of kids who looked like they were between the ages of 3-8. They were standing by the roadside with their parents giving us high fives, thumbs up, and cheering us on. So many people held signs thanking us for helping their kids by donating to the hospital. (The "fee" the runners paid to enter the marathon/half-marathon all went to the hospital.)
We were praying for good weather, and it ended up being totally beautiful. I can't hardly imagine a better day to run. It did get a little bit warm as the day wore on, but since the running started at 7:30, we were done before it got too hot.
And that, my friends, is a brief overview of the marathon/half-marathon. You'll most likely be hearing about it again some time after I've been able to collect my thoughts better.
I only had vague ideas of what to expect since I've never done anything like this before, so if y'all are like me and have any questions about what the day was like, I'd be happy to answer them for you if I can.
* * * Have y'all run any races? I'd be delighted to hear about it if you have!
I wanted to take the time to share with y'all a little bit about my first official race, which was the Nationwide Children's Hospital fundraiser Marathon and Half-Maratho. And, it was utterly, totally, 100 % amazing! (And also a big reason I didn't post for the last two days, cause I was pretty tired.)
I'm not sure when I last had so much fun. There was a lot of pain involved because hey! Running is a lot of work, but I not only did the half-marathon, but I beat my personal record by right around 18 minutes, which is crazy. I kept a steady 12 minute pace.
I'm already looking forward to getting faster so I can hopefully, maybe, Lord willing, do next years half-marathon (or full marathon!) at a much better pace.
A lovely group of us went together (including my best friend!), although we didn't stay together as we ran. (I did keep up with my tall brother for the first three miles, then realized I needed to conserve my energy a bit. He ended up being way faster than me, so it's a good thing I dropped back.) It was fun having the accountability during the last few months as we trained, and then getting to celebrate after we made it across the finish line.
To any of y'all who haven't been around Noveltea long: I've dreamed of running a marathon every since I was a little girl, but especially when I had Lyme disease. I always thought it would be a wonderful way to celebrate being healthy again. I've been training since February to run the whole marathon, but then some things came up, so I could only do the half. It still took a lot of training though, and really helped me get a lot healthier. And, it was totally a dream come true.
There were 18,000 runners (from 47 states and several different countries), 3,000 volunteers, and nearly 100,000 people cheering us on. It was glorious. Since we were raising money for the Children's Hospital, they had a child from the hospital at each mile, waving, giving high-fives (by holding a foam hand we could hit as we ran past), and thanking us. I can't even explain how amazing and neat and wonderful it was to take part in the day. I seriously can hardly wait to do it again.
Along with the thousands of adults, there were also hundreds of kids who looked like they were between the ages of 3-8. They were standing by the roadside with their parents giving us high fives, thumbs up, and cheering us on. So many people held signs thanking us for helping their kids by donating to the hospital. (The "fee" the runners paid to enter the marathon/half-marathon all went to the hospital.)
We were praying for good weather, and it ended up being totally beautiful. I can't hardly imagine a better day to run. It did get a little bit warm as the day wore on, but since the running started at 7:30, we were done before it got too hot.
And that, my friends, is a brief overview of the marathon/half-marathon. You'll most likely be hearing about it again some time after I've been able to collect my thoughts better.
I only had vague ideas of what to expect since I've never done anything like this before, so if y'all are like me and have any questions about what the day was like, I'd be happy to answer them for you if I can.
* * * Have y'all run any races? I'd be delighted to hear about it if you have!
October 15, 2016
Love Our Vets By Welby O'Brien - Book Review
Love Our VetsBy Welby O'Brien
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
Narrative Non-Fiction224 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
Chances are that if your loved one has seen war, he or she has Post-traumatic Stress Disorder at some level, and you who love your veteran will also be deeply and profoundly affected. Finally, the cries and needs of the loved ones have been addressed in this comprehensive, practical book, now newly updated in its 2nd Edition! Love Our Vets answers more than 60 heartfelt questions, providing down-to-earth wisdom and much-needed tips for taking care of yourself.
Sharing as a counselor and from her personal experience of living with a 100% disabled veteran with PTSD, Welby O'Brien gives hope, encouragement, and practical help for families and loved ones who are caught in the wake of the trauma. This book addresses a broad spectrum of issues and concerns and offers realistic wisdom from a wide variety of individuals who share from real hearts and lives. Now newly revised and updated with additional material, the 2nd Edition of Love Our Vets continues to be enthusiastically welcomed by VA and other counselors. This is not just another book about PTSD; rather, it is a tremendous resource for families and loved ones who struggle heroically along with their vets to face the day-to-day challenges.
Why I Choose this Book:
I thought this book would contain helpful information that would not only help me relate to veterans better in the future, but also anyone who has spent time in a war zone.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately I am really not the target audience for this book. I was prepared for that since I don't know anyone suffering from PTSD, but where I felt the disconnect was the book was mostly written to the spouse (or girlfriend/boyfriend) of someone with PTSD. And since I'm not married to someone with PTSD (or married at all), the book didn't really help me much.
Because of that, I don't feel qualified to give much of a review. I will say that I was pleased to see the over-all theme of turning to God when things get tough. The book also made me really appreciate everything that vets, and their families, go through after having served our country. I hate that we lived in a sin-cursed world where there is violence and fighting and PTSD.
Having gone through Lyme disease, and knowing what it's like to feel alone with that type of thing, I can only imagine that for people who have loved ones with PTSD, this book would be incredibly encouraging and helpful.
Conclusion:
There were some things I didn't agree with in the book, but since I'm not in a situation like the book was talking about, I won't discuss those instances. There were also some things that, while being totally fine for a married couple, left me skipping or skimming some pages. So, not exactly a book for young people.
Rating:
I'm giving Love Our Vets 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse*
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
Narrative Non-Fiction224 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
Chances are that if your loved one has seen war, he or she has Post-traumatic Stress Disorder at some level, and you who love your veteran will also be deeply and profoundly affected. Finally, the cries and needs of the loved ones have been addressed in this comprehensive, practical book, now newly updated in its 2nd Edition! Love Our Vets answers more than 60 heartfelt questions, providing down-to-earth wisdom and much-needed tips for taking care of yourself.
Sharing as a counselor and from her personal experience of living with a 100% disabled veteran with PTSD, Welby O'Brien gives hope, encouragement, and practical help for families and loved ones who are caught in the wake of the trauma. This book addresses a broad spectrum of issues and concerns and offers realistic wisdom from a wide variety of individuals who share from real hearts and lives. Now newly revised and updated with additional material, the 2nd Edition of Love Our Vets continues to be enthusiastically welcomed by VA and other counselors. This is not just another book about PTSD; rather, it is a tremendous resource for families and loved ones who struggle heroically along with their vets to face the day-to-day challenges.
Why I Choose this Book:
I thought this book would contain helpful information that would not only help me relate to veterans better in the future, but also anyone who has spent time in a war zone.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately I am really not the target audience for this book. I was prepared for that since I don't know anyone suffering from PTSD, but where I felt the disconnect was the book was mostly written to the spouse (or girlfriend/boyfriend) of someone with PTSD. And since I'm not married to someone with PTSD (or married at all), the book didn't really help me much.
Because of that, I don't feel qualified to give much of a review. I will say that I was pleased to see the over-all theme of turning to God when things get tough. The book also made me really appreciate everything that vets, and their families, go through after having served our country. I hate that we lived in a sin-cursed world where there is violence and fighting and PTSD.
Having gone through Lyme disease, and knowing what it's like to feel alone with that type of thing, I can only imagine that for people who have loved ones with PTSD, this book would be incredibly encouraging and helpful.
Conclusion:
There were some things I didn't agree with in the book, but since I'm not in a situation like the book was talking about, I won't discuss those instances. There were also some things that, while being totally fine for a married couple, left me skipping or skimming some pages. So, not exactly a book for young people.
Rating:
I'm giving Love Our Vets 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse*
Rare Leadership By Marcus Warner/Jim Wilder - Book Review
Rare LeadershipBy Marcus Warner/Jim Wilder
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person Non-Fiction202 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
Revive your leadership. Grow healthy teams. See great results. Healthy teams begin with healthy leaders, and at the heart of this dynamic is emotional maturity—the quality the greatest leaders possess.
Combining solid theology, cutting-edge brain science, and decades of counseling and consulting experience, Rare Leadership shows you how to take your leadership and team to the next level. It will equip you to:Cultivate emotional maturity in yourself and othersDevelop the four habits of R.A.R.E. leadersPromote a strong group identity Keep relationships bigger than problemsIncrease productivity through trust, joy, and engagement
Whether you are burnt out or just looking to improve, when you prioritize people and lead from a secure identity, you’ll be amazed at the freedom you feel and the results you see. You can lead from a healthy place, respond rather than react, and build the team of your dreams.
If you want to take your organization to the next level, it starts with you. Read Rare Leadership and be equipped to lead joy-filled, emotionally mature, relationally connected teams.
Why I Choose this Book:
Leadership is an important quality to have, so I thought reading a book about it would be helpful.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea. There were lots of good "nuggets" of wisdom all throughout the book, but sadly the nuggets were interspersed with a lot of information that I had a hard time following.
It was confusing trying to keep everything in order that they were teaching us about our brain and how brains work. There were also times when it felt like they were using their own "inside language" like when people who grew up in church have conversations with Biblical lingo that make outsiders go "What?" Yes, the book did give definitions and explanations, but there were so many of them that they got confusing.
Overall I *did* learn stuff, and it was intriguing to learn how the brain works. I appreciated how they used the Bible to back up what they were saying, and constantly returned to that authority. The biggest take away I got from the book is how easy it is to fall into the trap of motivating people by fear when in reality it should be joy that's our motivator. (Which makes sense when you think about verses like "The joy of the Lord is our strength."
Conclusion:
I'm not even sure how much I did or didn't agree with this book, because I was confused for about half of it. Considering that 80 % of the reviews on Amazon are five-star reviews, I'm going to guess that most people really liked this book, so there's a good chance y'all will, too.
Rating:
I'm giving Rare Leadership 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First Person Non-Fiction202 Pages
About the Book (Back cover Blurb):
Revive your leadership. Grow healthy teams. See great results. Healthy teams begin with healthy leaders, and at the heart of this dynamic is emotional maturity—the quality the greatest leaders possess.
Combining solid theology, cutting-edge brain science, and decades of counseling and consulting experience, Rare Leadership shows you how to take your leadership and team to the next level. It will equip you to:Cultivate emotional maturity in yourself and othersDevelop the four habits of R.A.R.E. leadersPromote a strong group identity Keep relationships bigger than problemsIncrease productivity through trust, joy, and engagement
Whether you are burnt out or just looking to improve, when you prioritize people and lead from a secure identity, you’ll be amazed at the freedom you feel and the results you see. You can lead from a healthy place, respond rather than react, and build the team of your dreams.
If you want to take your organization to the next level, it starts with you. Read Rare Leadership and be equipped to lead joy-filled, emotionally mature, relationally connected teams.
Why I Choose this Book:
Leadership is an important quality to have, so I thought reading a book about it would be helpful.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea. There were lots of good "nuggets" of wisdom all throughout the book, but sadly the nuggets were interspersed with a lot of information that I had a hard time following.
It was confusing trying to keep everything in order that they were teaching us about our brain and how brains work. There were also times when it felt like they were using their own "inside language" like when people who grew up in church have conversations with Biblical lingo that make outsiders go "What?" Yes, the book did give definitions and explanations, but there were so many of them that they got confusing.
Overall I *did* learn stuff, and it was intriguing to learn how the brain works. I appreciated how they used the Bible to back up what they were saying, and constantly returned to that authority. The biggest take away I got from the book is how easy it is to fall into the trap of motivating people by fear when in reality it should be joy that's our motivator. (Which makes sense when you think about verses like "The joy of the Lord is our strength."
Conclusion:
I'm not even sure how much I did or didn't agree with this book, because I was confused for about half of it. Considering that 80 % of the reviews on Amazon are five-star reviews, I'm going to guess that most people really liked this book, so there's a good chance y'all will, too.
Rating:
I'm giving Rare Leadership 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
