The Unveiled Wife by Jennifer Smith

Unveiled Wife by Jennifer Smith is the true story of how Jennifer married the man of her dreams thinking that life will be peaches and cream after marriage.  But, quickly she finds out that marriage and sex is not always what it seems.  Suffering from an undiagnosed health issue cause issues for her and her husband in the intimacy department.  Her husband and her learned thru all their issues to lean on Christ in ways that they neither had done before marriage.

This book is a wonderful help for any married or even single woman.  It helps to remind us that even if we start our marriage on the right foot no sex outside of marriage it does not mean it will be a wonderful experience.  Sometimes as a woman who did not wait until marriage it seems like we get the attitude of if you had waited everything would be perfect in your marriage simply not true.  Marriage is not easy no matter how the relationship started.  I was really thankful to finally read a book on someones marriage that was open and honest with her readers.  To many times Christian woman like to put on a fake face of that their marriages are always perfect even when it is struggling to survive.  No relationship is perfect.   Also she touches on how if chemicals in products most people use everyday can cause problems with our health that we don't even realize.  Personally I would love to see Jennifer write a book on just that portion of her story also as that part was very interesting to me and I would love more information.  Jennifer is a very good encourager of woman no matter where they are in their faith.  I was very blessed to have read this book.

I was blessed to be given this book from the author herself and she did not require me to give a positive review.

Life Stages, Cliques and just life.

Rant Ahead

I have been thinking on life stages when it comes to friends and cliques lately.  As my oldest is getting ready to graduate high school and get into the workforce.  And my youngest is almost 11 so he will be leaving the nest in about 7 years.  It will be interesting for me as right now most of my friends are from my homeschool co-op and they have children that are younger than my youngest so they will be there longer than me. So I am in an odd stage of life when it comes to friends.  When I am outside of co-op or church most people rarely talk to me. I know part of it is that I don't have the money to go to all the events they do, my husband works nights so most women I know do things together during the day so that they don't take away from time with their spouses which is fine but for me during the day is when I spend time with my husband.  Plus I work part-time besides homeschool.  So friends are hard for me to come by.

 Its sad how our society dictates age groups.  Most people don't think I am old enough to have an 18 year old (I am 37) so that catches peoples attention so that puts some people on the edge of not being sure about me. Then a lot of the people I graduated from high school with have younger children than I have or are just starting their families, so that makes it odd also.  Before you say put yourself out there to be a friend I am an introvert so that is hard for me to do.  Plus since I have always been on the odd side of life most people don't like to be around me.  I have never fit into any group but why should I have to as groups divide people.   Also I have been burned so many times by people just being nice to my face and then I actually hear them making fun of me or talking bad about me or my family behind my back.  And yes I am talking Christian women sometimes their cattiness is worse than any others.  I don't fit the  stereotypical, crafty, latest style type homeschool Christian mom.  Seriously on the fashion note I am wearing a biker leather jacket I got from a pawn shop and sometimes with studded cuff bracelet I got from the Goodwill, so not considered the normal Christian homeschool mom style. I can be blunt, the Lord has worked with me on this one trust me I am not as blunt as I used to be, I am still a work in progress.  So where do I go from here in this stage of my life for friends?  I am thankful for my husband and my best friend that I have had since high school they take me for who I am not what others think I should be.  But how many other women out there like me who don't have a spouse or at least one good friend.  They still crave fellowship with others just like I do.  I just wish women would be more open to friends that are different from their normal group.    We should not as adult women act like the high school cliques still exist (which is funny since even in high school I did not fit in completely with any cliques the only one that really kinda of let me in the most was the stoners even though I was not a drug user or a drinker.)  Especially Christian women cliques should not exist yes we can have close friends but not exclude others just cause they are different or in a different place in their walk with Jesus. Are we as Christian women showing John 13:35" By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." or are we just showing love to "loveable" people in our lives or to the "unlovable & loveable" non-believers.  But not showing love to the "non loveable" believers that we personally know.  We need to show love to all. 

Thank you for reading my rant.

Asthma rant

Rant ahead.  Asthma the blown off disease.  What do I mean by blown off disease?  What I mean is that most people think its not a big deal and just blow it off.  It gets on my nerves as a parent with a child that suffers from Asthma and not the form most people are used to (he doesn't wheeze just coughs or his throat sucks in).  Yes I know I go on and on about this but its important to me.  I almost lost my youngest due to undiagnosed asthma which long story short he had a lung started to collapse so he ended up in our states children's hospital in ICU (by life flight) for about 2 days then in the normal portion for a couple more days (don't ask exact days as it was about 5 years ago).  Since then I have had so many people actually shocked that I make him carry his asthma inhaler in a fanny pack that when he remembers it, he carries all the time.   Anyway back to the topic. Asthma is not something to be messed with. Asthma does kill people yes not as many as it did before the invent of inhaler medicine but it still does (deaths per 100,000 population 1.1 via the CDC website).  It is not something to just blow off.  I am tired of people acting like its no big deal it is.  Yes some people can keep it under control or only have some minor attacks but not everyone is like that.  It took us a couple of years to figure out what cause most of my sons triggers which are all four of the common triggers which illness, exercise, food (yes it can trigger attacks food coloring is a big one for my son), or environmental.  However he still will have attacks that flare up for no reason.  Before you still think its no big deal think about all of sudden having to gasp for air and can't catch a breath its not fun.  The reason why I am going over this is that I was thinking of how society is so not understanding or even knowledgeable about asthma now days. I am just tired of the attitude its no big deal its not like heart problems or physical disabilities. But it can be a very serious issue not to be taken lightly.   So please if someone tells you that they have asthma or their child does, do not blow them off or ignore them.  I take this issue very seriously as it is close to my heart. I do understand how it feels to have asthma because as a child I had it also but mine was just from exercise and being around smokers. Also I did not have severe attacks but I still take it seriously.  So again please don't blow off asthma like its just a paper cut.

Rant over.

Elsa Schiaparelli by Meryle Secrest

"Elsa Schiaparelli" by Meryle Secrest is a biography on the unique famous designer Elsa Schiaparelli whose designs where at the height of the time between the World War's.   I was very interested in this book because I like unique designers but it flopped big time for me.  Elsa Schiaperlli might have been an interesting person but this book did not bring that out at all.  I had a very hard time reading so much so that I could not even finish it.  I usually love biography books and just read them very quickly but this one was horrible it jumped around.  I got of information on her husband in the first part of it.  I would have to re-read sections over and over again just to see if I understood what the author was trying to say.  I did love the photos of the woman's creations though but that was the only positive I had from the book. So I was very disappointed could have been a great biography but it wasn't.  I will say read this book for yourself as you make enjoy it I just know I didn't.

I was given this book from Blogging for books for my honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Counter Culture by David Platt

"Counter Culture" by David Platt is his newest book on not going along with the culture on hot topics in society such as poverty, same-sex marriage, abortion, and more.  Until this book I have never read a David Platt book but I had heard of him. Truthfully, I am always leery of a new popular author. I was afraid that it was going to head towards the attitude if you don't do what I say then you are not a Christian.  The author did not do this however at first it did start to seem like it was going to head that way especially in the poverty section but then the author clarified things for me/  Clarification was that we need to listen to the Lord for our convictions not others convictions if its not a black and white section in scripture such as our lifestyle.  The main thing is that we need to seek God's kingdom first not earthly things which does not mean you have to be in poverty yourself.  Ok onto to other sections the author does not mix words on abortion, homosexuality, pornography or any other sections he talks about.  I was really appreciative that when he talked about homosexuality he did not just blow off heterosexual sins either he point that them out also.  Another section he talks about is persecution in other countries that result in death, raped or maimed and not just the American attitude of I am persecuted cause I can't say Merry Christmas.  This book could be considered a controversial book but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Above all the author reminds us to follow God's word and not our opinions.  Also that if our opinions or culture don't line up with scripture then our opinions need to change and we need to forget what our culture says if its not lining up with scripture.  I highly recommend this book its a very good read.

I was given this book by Tyndale Publisher and was not required to give a positive review.

Romancing Your Better Half by Rick Johnson

"Romancing Your Better Half, Keeping Intimacy Alive in Your Marriage" by Rick Johnson is a book about keeping your marriage solid through out your or your spouses life. I was interested in this book as I have a solid marriage but I am always interested in reading about ways to keep in solid.  It is from a man's point of view but still very good for women to read also. Also it is from a Christian stand point so if that turns you off then don't read it.  This was an excellent book it did not give the fake attitude of if you do this everything in your marriage will be perfect.  The author does not mix words that marriage is work and not candy and roses.  I really appreciate that.    The author does bring up that what has happened to us in our childhood does affect our marriage and future. Which is true as I see that so much between my husband and I.  He also gives us practical ways to help or build up marriages even more.  Another thing that did impress me with the author is he gave us readers insight into his marriage whether it be good or bad.  A very honest heartfelt book.  I highly recommend it.

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