Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sand In My Sandwich by Sarah Parshall Perry


"Sand In My Sandwich" by Sarah Parshall Perry is the memoir of the author on her marriage and being a mother of 3 beautiful children with 2 on the Autism spectrum.   The author has a wonderful way with words to the point where I can just picture her story.  She is very honest about her need for perfection before she met her husband and how children even changed her even further.  Now don't expect this book to be just about her life with her children and the issues that having children on the Autism spectrum bring.  Its about all of her life as a wife and mother.  She admits life was and still is not always easy. The most important thing she she talks about how the Lord brought her thru everything that has happened in her life. The other thing I think I liked second best about this book was that the author is very honest with us readers, not all memoirs are like that now days.  I hope this book especially brings understanding to people that don't realize how hard it is to be a parent of children on the Autism spectrum.  I am glad she sees her children as blessing.  It was a very encouraging book that I could not put down once I started reading it.  I highly recommend it.

I was given this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group and was not required to give it a positive review.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Mothering From Scratch by Melinda Means & Kathy Helgemo


"Mothering From Scratch" by Melinda Means & Kathy Helgemo is showing us mom's that there is no one right way to be a mom.  Also it dwells on how we need to focus on our relationship with Christ and husbands.  This is not just a book for new moms, young moms, or older moms its for any stage of mom even grown children moms as it is a great book to use with the Bible to help mentor moms.  I really liked how the author's pointed out that what works for one family may not work for another as God has made us each different.  I really appreciated this as I see so much of the if you don't dress similar, act similar, or do all the little crafty pinterest things for your family then maybe you are not doing the whole mom thing wrong.  I also loved to seeing how they wrote about treating each of your children as individuals with their own path in life.  They brought up something that was interesting from both of their own childhoods which is how they where mothered affecting how they mother now whether its good or bad.  We sometimes forget that as Christian mom or any mom that every family is different and we should parent our children they way God wants us to for our family not others. There is just so much good points in this book that I just can't say them all without just copying the book for you.  (There is one word of warning Catholicism is brought up as a positive thing) I really enjoyed this book it helped me in ways I really needed encouragement in.  I highly recommend this book even for Mother In Laws or moms to adult children as a way to encourage the moms they know around them.
I was given this book by Bethany House Publishers and was not required to give a positive review.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Blessing For The Morning by Susie Larson


"Blessing For The Morning" by Susie Larson is an encouragement notes geared toward women for a quick read.  I was looking forward to reading this thinking maybe it would give a good encouragement about God and Christ. Sorry to say it was not encouraging unless you considering a bunch of  encouraging notes about your self instead of Christ as encouraging.  The most common phrase from the notes is "may you" and very little about Christ.   It even heads into territory that I do not agree with such as the name it claim area.  For example "May countless blessings chase and overtake you", blessings do not chase you, God gives them freely.  This book depressed me more than encouraged me as if my blessings and encouragement relied on me then I would be so worse off.  I lean on Christ not on myself.  If you want a good devotional then pick up one by John MacArthur or subscribe to RC Sproul's monthly magazine Tabletalk.  I do not recommend this book to anyone.

I was given this book for my honest review from Bethany House.

Friday, March 20, 2015

This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth by Patrick Di Justo

 
"This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth" by Patrick Di Justo is a fun book that tells you what is in everyday and some not so everyday items.  Now I know you are thinking well the ingredient list tells us what is in items, well this book explains the ingredient list.  Also the author adds some information on how he got his information plus other details.  Also its not just about food items it also has many other non-food items in it as well.  I thought this book was a fun read.  My favorites where cool whip and baby formula (I love the history he gave on formula).  Now I will give one eyebrow up on this book as it had some area where I did think were appropriate for children to read.  Which I also really did not want to read which where the heroin, personal lubricate, and male enhancements medications.  But someone else might be interested in learning about them.  However I did enjoy this quick little read and plan on keeping it for fun little reference book for my collection of odd knowledge.  Be warned though some of the food items listed you may not want to eat again after reading this book.  I do recommend it though.
 
I was given this book from Blogging For Books for my honest review (not required to give a positive one).

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Life Unstuck by Pat Layton


"Life Unstuck" by is about not being stuck in our past, present or future.  Maybe its me I just don't feel like I am stuck. Maybe for others this book was encouraging but for me it just laid more rules on what I am supposed to do or not do.  I felt more stuck than unstuck while reading this book.  Matthew 11:30 "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This book did not for me make "unstuck" as the author wanted.  I also have issues when an author uses more than two or three translations to make their point.  To me after you use three translations you are about to the point of trying to twist scripture to make it conform to your idea and not making your ideas conform to scripture.  I will say though you can take my review as it is, this book might be good for you but it was not a good book for me.

I was given this book for my honest review from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Esther by Angela Hunt

 "Esther, Royal Beauty" by Angela Hunt is a historical fiction novel using the book of Esther.  Be warned I am going to be very honest on my dislike of this book.

This was one of the worst re-telling I have every read of the story of Esther. The hints and blatant use of sex in this story was horrible.  The scripture never tell us its sex that turns the kings head to do what Esther requests.  For as much as we know it could have been  her mind or her kindness as scripture says a Godly women's beauty should come from within not outward.  If I had wanted to read such a sexually hinting book I could have gone to the library and picked up a Harlequin romance novel.  Just read the book of Esther itself for the truth of this story not this book.  This one is on my never to read again list. I just don't understand why Christian authors are starting to add such blatant use of sex in their books now days.  I understand that sex is in the scriptures but not in the details and ways you see in these books now days.  Just a big ugh.

I was given this book from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review.

Thoughts on my hubby

27 years ago was the summer before my senior year in high school and I went for a walk that would change my life forever.  I just wanted to ...