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Don't Miss Your Life!: An Uncommon Guide to Living with Freedom, Laughter, and Grace
The award-winning author of the dearest dorothy novels, called by Guideposts “one of today’s most popular and bestloved Christian humorists,” motivates readers to laugh, play, and relish the good things in life.
Charlene Ann Baumbich has always spoken and written about the layers of life just as she sees them—slightly off-center, mostly dead-on, and always through the lens of grace. With Don’t Miss Your Life! Charlene Ann Baumbich’s creative pedal is to the floor, her cranky gallbladder has been “left behind,” and her storytelling is in full swing. Fasten your seatbelts!
With her signature warmth and candor, Charlene offers readers insight on how to become their own best storytellers of what God is doing in their lives. She does far more than show why it is so important to slow down, enjoy our blessings, and not take things so seriously. She encourages everyone to build a “memory portfolio” of special life moments, and in doing so to grow in wisdom, learning how to see God’s hand in our daily lives is the key to a rich and fulfilling life.
Charlene Ann Baumbich has always spoken and written about the layers of life just as she sees them—slightly off-center, mostly dead-on, and always through the lens of grace. With Don’t Miss Your Life! Charlene Ann Baumbich’s creative pedal is to the floor, her cranky gallbladder has been “left behind,” and her storytelling is in full swing. Fasten your seatbelts!
With her signature warmth and candor, Charlene offers readers insight on how to become their own best storytellers of what God is doing in their lives. She does far more than show why it is so important to slow down, enjoy our blessings, and not take things so seriously. She encourages everyone to build a “memory portfolio” of special life moments, and in doing so to grow in wisdom, learning how to see God’s hand in our daily lives is the key to a rich and fulfilling life.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Charlene Ann Baumbich
24 books122 followersAuthor, Speaker, Humorist. Seventeen books under her belt (including the Dearest Dorothy series and the Snowglobe Connections series), Charlene is still going strong, finding writing (including grocery lists and brainstorming sessions and eCards to her grandgirlies) more enjoyable than ever. Visit her website at www.charleneannbaumbich.com for more information."
It's awesome when my fictional characters bless me. Like Evelyn in FINDING OUR WAY HOME is fond of saying, "Grace, Amen."
It's awesome when my fictional characters bless me. Like Evelyn in FINDING OUR WAY HOME is fond of saying, "Grace, Amen."
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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March 11, 2017Funny, but didn't keep me all that interested. One of those books that I would set down and pick up again later when I wanted a good laugh. A good one to take on a trip to just relax with, especially when you have family with you and you get interrupted a lot, this is one you never need to know where you left off.
November 22, 2013
As a librarian, I know that every public library needs to have a wide range of reading material. There are lots of different readers and the library should have something for everyone. I also know that readers should never apologize for their reading tastes. I do not feel shame, guilt or anything else because I read romances. I love them and will continue to read them. I hope that all readers read what they want, not what others tell them to read.
However, I have also believed that it is hard to widen someone's reading tastes. For example, I have yet to find a western novel that interests me. When I was leading our Readers' Advisory workshops, it was very rare that someone encountered a new genre that they continued to read after our classes. This is not a problem, just a statement of what I have experienced.
So I have to say, I picked this book up with a great deal of trepidation. I only knew Baumbich through her Dearest Dorothy novels and they never appealed to me. I can't give you a good reason, they just didn't. However, this book was exactly what I needed at this moment and I am grateful to Baumbich for writing it.
I am five months into my retirement. I have mixed feelings about why I retired and how my time is going. For the most part, I am having a blast. Baumbich reminded me that life is good, that humor is helpful, that I am not in control, that my assumptions could be wrong and other aspects of living as a human.
Baumbich is not saying anything new, I have heard all this before from many people in many ways. However, I am very taken with the way Baumbich writes. This book was, for me the right book at the right time. Thank goodness for the serendipity that put it in my hands now.
If you have read anything by Baumbich, I suspect you will enjoy this also. If you are looking for a pick-me-up, I recommend the first chapter. You can decide after that if these stories and insights are what you are looking for.
However, I have also believed that it is hard to widen someone's reading tastes. For example, I have yet to find a western novel that interests me. When I was leading our Readers' Advisory workshops, it was very rare that someone encountered a new genre that they continued to read after our classes. This is not a problem, just a statement of what I have experienced.
So I have to say, I picked this book up with a great deal of trepidation. I only knew Baumbich through her Dearest Dorothy novels and they never appealed to me. I can't give you a good reason, they just didn't. However, this book was exactly what I needed at this moment and I am grateful to Baumbich for writing it.
I am five months into my retirement. I have mixed feelings about why I retired and how my time is going. For the most part, I am having a blast. Baumbich reminded me that life is good, that humor is helpful, that I am not in control, that my assumptions could be wrong and other aspects of living as a human.
Baumbich is not saying anything new, I have heard all this before from many people in many ways. However, I am very taken with the way Baumbich writes. This book was, for me the right book at the right time. Thank goodness for the serendipity that put it in my hands now.
If you have read anything by Baumbich, I suspect you will enjoy this also. If you are looking for a pick-me-up, I recommend the first chapter. You can decide after that if these stories and insights are what you are looking for.
September 2, 2009
Don't Miss Your Life
An Uncommon Guide to
Living with Freedom, Laughter and Grace
Charlene Ann Baumbich
2009
Howard Books
Non-fiction/Spiritual Growth/ Self Help
Reviewed by Cindy Loven
The title is a perfect description for this book, Charlene Baumbich, wants us to all slow down and smell the roses, basically. A book that will stir you to slow down and to live life to it's fullest.
Filled with stories from her life, and childhood. Ms. Baumbich shares her funny stories, her dreams and her adventures. Nearly dying after having surgery, she is awakened even more to the message she has been sharing for years about living your life.
Enjoy and imagine yourself as she describes spending times with friends playing dress up, as a child and as a adult. Who has taken time to play dress up as an adult? Learn to grasp those times with your children, as toddler, teens and adults. Live your life to the fullest and don't get too busy to miss your life!
A wonderful book, presented with lots of humor, and love! A definite must read. Also there is an accompanying website (www.dontmissyourlifebook.com)that has pictures of some of the stories she shares. Each chapter challenges us to think about our childhood, think about our lives and to build our own MP (Memory Portfolio). A book that would be great for a book club or study group, this book will inspire you to dig deep, examine your life, priorities and goals and to LIVE LIFE!
An Uncommon Guide to
Living with Freedom, Laughter and Grace
Charlene Ann Baumbich
2009
Howard Books
Non-fiction/Spiritual Growth/ Self Help
Reviewed by Cindy Loven
The title is a perfect description for this book, Charlene Baumbich, wants us to all slow down and smell the roses, basically. A book that will stir you to slow down and to live life to it's fullest.
Filled with stories from her life, and childhood. Ms. Baumbich shares her funny stories, her dreams and her adventures. Nearly dying after having surgery, she is awakened even more to the message she has been sharing for years about living your life.
Enjoy and imagine yourself as she describes spending times with friends playing dress up, as a child and as a adult. Who has taken time to play dress up as an adult? Learn to grasp those times with your children, as toddler, teens and adults. Live your life to the fullest and don't get too busy to miss your life!
A wonderful book, presented with lots of humor, and love! A definite must read. Also there is an accompanying website (www.dontmissyourlifebook.com)that has pictures of some of the stories she shares. Each chapter challenges us to think about our childhood, think about our lives and to build our own MP (Memory Portfolio). A book that would be great for a book club or study group, this book will inspire you to dig deep, examine your life, priorities and goals and to LIVE LIFE!
June 12, 2009
*Special note: I do not believe I am the intended target audience for this book. I would not have picked it up had it not been an ARC, as I am generally not the self-help type. Admittedly, I may have done better with it a year ago, but I feel that I made great improvements to my life and took the advice in the book all on my own. I am not a religious or god kind of person either. I make this note simply to let you know that my review, while harsh, is coming from a very different perspective than that of the author.
*****
A friend asked me if this book got any better at the end than it was at the beginning. My response was “It sucked all the way through.”
You know that old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, readers, take heed! It is sound advice, but not in the usual way. Typically people say it to get you to read a book that looks bad. In this case, the cover looks super fun and I got tricked.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=254
*****
A friend asked me if this book got any better at the end than it was at the beginning. My response was “It sucked all the way through.”
You know that old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, readers, take heed! It is sound advice, but not in the usual way. Typically people say it to get you to read a book that looks bad. In this case, the cover looks super fun and I got tricked.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=254
May 19, 2011
some good common sense advice with a dose of folksy humor. But, there-in lies the problem for me. It feels like information that has been recycled and I've read it before. And while the author's voice is clear and at times amusing...at times I found it a little grating, too. Overall, a feel good book for people who might not read a lot of encouraging self-help books.
August 17, 2010
I think I will go back and read this again...I really enjoyed some of the quotes and passages in the book, and I want to write them down this time. My only complaint is that her writing style seems a bit rushed. While reading the book I kept wanting her to slow down and take a breath!
April 30, 2013
Good read. Lot to think about.
April 15, 2017
This is the first book I got from Early Reviewers and I've learned a valuable lesson. I need to read the description more carefully. I liked the title of the book and thought Don't Miss Your Life would be an amusing (and probably humorous) book. Unfortunately, I found it to be neither. Charlene Ann Baumbich mostly used this book to advertise her other books (mentioned frequently) & preach Christianity. I have two aunts who are nuns and an uncle who's a priest who don't mention God as often as Ms. Baumbich.
If you're okay with preachy or you're very VERY Christian, this may be a good book for you. If you're a bit more liberal/open minded, you should probably move on to another book.
I actually enjoy many books about religion and perhaps if I'd been more aware that Ms. Baumbich would preach throughout the book I could have enjoyed it more.
On the bright side, she does use some good quotes from sources OTHER than the bible from time to time (some of them don't even mention God - like Abraham Lincoln's "People are just about as happy as they make up heir minds to be.").
You most likely won't learn anything from this book, but if you're okay with the preaching and advertising, it may be worth picking up.
If you're okay with preachy or you're very VERY Christian, this may be a good book for you. If you're a bit more liberal/open minded, you should probably move on to another book.
I actually enjoy many books about religion and perhaps if I'd been more aware that Ms. Baumbich would preach throughout the book I could have enjoyed it more.
On the bright side, she does use some good quotes from sources OTHER than the bible from time to time (some of them don't even mention God - like Abraham Lincoln's "People are just about as happy as they make up heir minds to be.").
You most likely won't learn anything from this book, but if you're okay with the preaching and advertising, it may be worth picking up.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews