Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Have you reached a place where you are feeling a bit anxious about getting older? How to Age Without Getting Old by Joyce Meyer offers some solid advice and encouragement about getting older to make the most of every age.  Throughout How to age Without Getting Old , Meyer shares her stories, as well as a few stories from other people, about how she handling aging. She doesn't shy away from sharing ways she wished she had handled things better and she honestly shares things she has done that have helped her grow older with grace. She talks about how important faith is as we grow older. She also talks about taking care of the bodies as best we can through the years by exercising, socializing, managing stress, eating healthfully, taking time to rest, and managing our mental outlook.  I enjoyed How to Age Without Getting Old . I found Meyer to be uplifting and down-to-earth as always. I like how she shares things that are both practical and spiritual. I also think she is ...

    Are you a reader who is a fan of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette? If so, then My Dear Miss Dupre is a book that you will likely enjoy. Willow Dupre found herself in a position where she had to marry to take over her father's sugar business to satisfy the shareholders who don't believe a woman can run the business in 1882/1883. Her parents select thirty suitors from New York's elite society and she agrees to choose a husband from that group.  I have to be honest up front, I don't watch much television so I don't watch The Bachelor/Bachelorette. However, I was looking for a lighter read, so I gave it a try. I enjoyed My Dear Miss Dupre as a whole. For me it went on a little long. I liked Willow and her family. I liked Cullen and Teddy and a few of the other guys. I was pulling for Cullen as he went through some challenges. I liked the fact that he kept praying and trying to do the right thing. I also liked that Willow did too. Fritz's love of flowers and th...

  Between the Pages by Pepper Basham is a dual timeline story that left me sighing with contentment at the ending. Clara Blackwell has been working in her family's 100-year-old bookstore for as long as she can remember. It was her father's legacy and she inherited his love of books and stories. At the same time, she has been busy caring for her mother after her father passed away and minding the bookstore. You could say she has been living a relatively, secluded predictable life. Then a letter is found while the bookstore deed is missing and Clara is off on an adventure to find her family's legacy--and maybe discover a new future. I enjoyed both the story of Clara, Max, and her family's bookstore--as well as the historical story of Sadie and Oliver. I rooted for both couples and booed when the villains entered the scenes. While I own a couple others, this is the first book that I have read from Pepper Basham--and now I want to read the others even more. I like how she b...

  We all want to be with someone who "gets us." You Get Me by Gary Chapman and Jen Mickelborough wrote this small book of helps for those familiar with the 5 Love Languages: Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Gifts, Acts of Service and Quality Time. You Get Me starts out with an introduction by both authors and shares a bit about the 5 Love Languages from Gary Chapman. Maybe you or your spouse doesn't have a lot of imagination to come up with ideas to reach out within those love languages. If that is the case, this book offers ideas in each category. At the back of the book there is space to record each thing you did in the categories and any notes that you want to keep about that idea. I think this book is a little pricey for what You Get Me has to offer at the $9.99 retail. I also think the ideas are some basic, standard ideas. I was hoping for something different. At the same time, I think this would be a good gift in a basket along with The 5 Love Languages as a...

  Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green is a book that has it all--mystery, romance, and rich history.  Sylvie Townsend wanted a family of her own. When Rose Dabrowski's father can no longer care for her when she was a young child after Rose's mother passes away, Sylvie steps in to raise Rose. Then when Rose is almost an adult, she begins questioning who she is. At that point, Rose and Sylvie have some relationship struggles and Sylvie's worst fears may be coming true. Has she lost Rose? Rose's violin instructor and Sylvie's boarder, Kristoff, helps Sylvie navigate some of her struggles. At the same time, she is growing closer to Kristoff--what will become of them? Shadows of the White City is historical fiction with rich description. It was fascinating to "see" the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893 up close. I also enjoyed the characters. I could understand some of their challenges with each other. I liked them all and was pulling for them. I cou...

  Do you like to read your Bible and journal about what you read? The Know Your Bible Journal for Women is a beautiful, yet practical, journal to help you reflect on your Bible reading time. The Know Your Bible Journal for Women goes through each book of the Bible from start to finish. It has been a couple of years since I read straight through the Bible but this journal would be especially nice for that purpose. It is based on the three-million-copy bestseller, Know Your Bible. This journal helps you define the who, what when, where, and why of each biblical book. It also has space to record your thoughts and feelings as you go through each Bible book.  I like that the Know Your Bible Journal for Women helps you flush out the basics you need to know and remember from each book of the Bible. The guided questions are basically the same through each book, which I liked. I think it helps you to focus on the basics to know and remember. There is plenty of space to write. It is ...

  Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard is a mystery full of twists and turns. This book kept me guessing right up until the end. US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Conners is called to investigate a body found in the national forest. While uncovering clues and looking at the body with detective and former FBI special agent Jack Tanner, they find out that some illegal activity has been going on. However, they don't know who all is involved and just how widespread the activity is. At the same time, Terra and Jack have a history together from years ago. Do they want to rekindle what they once had? Present Danger started out strong and it ended strong. The mystery was well done as I didn't figure that out until the end. I did think it slowed down a bit in the middle but I still enjoyed the book and kept trying to figure things out. I do wish that there had been a bit more romance but I enjoyed what was there. Terra and Jack also seemed to be people of faith but there wasn't...

    All we have to do is look around and we can see that God made us all differently. We have different hair colors, different body shapes and different abilities. We are also different colors. In Creative God Colorful Us , Trillia Newbell helps middle grade students understand our differences and to celebrate them--as all of us are God's children in His family. Creative God Colorful Us starts out with a letter from Newbell explaining why she wrote the book and how to use it. There are seven chapters. Each chapter is framed around one big idea for kids to focus on. At the end of each chapter, Newbell asks them some questions to think about and to either write about or talk about. There is also an activity at the end of each chapter to help each big idea stick in the kids' minds. At the end of the book, Newbell also includes a list of helpful words to know from the book, Bible verses to read, and a letter to adults who are guiding families to help them enjoy their differences....

    I like to start my day with a devotional, like many other Christians. Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God by Sarah J. Callen turned out to be a helpful devotional to me in several ways. In Behold, Callen encourages readers through four prompts as a part of each reading: Pause, Be, Enjoy, and Wonder. At the start of the book, she shares how hard it was for her to slow down and spend time reading the Bible as a workaholic. I was raised by a workaholic and I struggle with many of the issues she raised. These few phrases really stuck with me from her book, "A few years ago, I prayed, “God, I want to be a human being instead of a human doing.” And He has been so faithful to respond to that prayer over the years." Since reading this, I have been reminding myself that I am a  human being. Callen also says not to be too legalistic in the forty day aspect of this devotional but rather to go at your own pace. I like that she gives the reader that encouragement even thou...

  Dream Big, My Precious One written by Jill Roman Lord and illustrated by Brittany E. Lakin is such a vibrant beautiful children's book. I love to talk to children about their dreams and what they hope to do someday. Dream Big, My Precious On e is a great book to help facilitate those dreams and conversations. The book has such vibrant, eye-catching illustrations. The repetition and rhythm are great and sure to keep a young child's interest. The book is aimed at 3 to 6 year olds, but would be good up to age 8 or second grade, depending on the child, I think. There is mention of God and the book includes the verse, 1 Chronicles 28:20 at the very end so it is aimed at Christian families.  My family really enjoyed Dream Big, My Precious One . It will likely be a favorite to pull out at our house when the littles come to visit. I should also mention the book is fairly large, 9 1/2 by 9 3/4 inches in size.   I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Worthy Kids. All...