Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Age Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz is the book I wish I had had when I first needed it. I like how Dr. Pelz shares her own story of changing hormones amidst her information to help with your changes. This is a book that could help you prepare for what is coming if you aren't there yet and it is a book to help make sense of what is happening if you are in the middle and it can still be helpful if you are post menopausal.  Age Like a Girl is divided into three parts:  The philosophy behind Aging like a girl The Art of Aging Like a Girl The Path to becoming a New You Age Like A Girl covers the brain changes, the physical changes and the way you are becoming a "new you." This book puts a positive spin on the aging that I think is helpful.  Along with the meat of this book, there are also some sides at the end of the book that are helpful too: A  Man's Guide to Supporting the Women you love through menopause A note to healthcare practitioners A note to employers-...

  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 ...

When my son was little, I remember hearing this phrase, "The days are long but the years are short." As I reflect on my son turning 18 a couple of months ago, I believe it is true. The years sure did go by quickly. If you are in a similar position as I am, you may want to read Empty Nest, Full Life by Jill Savage. This book covers a lot of aspects of how to live a better life after your kids leave home and how to love them best as adult children. Empty Nest, Full Life is divided in to two parts: Let Go! and Hold On! In the first part, Savage talks about how to let go of expectations, guilt, opinions, traditions, your child's problems and idols. She goes in to detail in these chapters on some concepts that I hadn't really thought about. I could relate to so many stories she shared. Reading Empty Nest, Full Life kind of felt like having a mentor woman take me under her wing and to give me some great advice over coffee/tea. The second part, Hold On!, encourages em...

I don't know about you, but if I am honest there are days that getting "old" feels kind of scary. However, when I read the Kandel Sisters new book, Get On Your Knee Replacements and Pray , I found myself feeling encouraged and uplifted as I thought about aging. Get On Your Knee Replacements and Pray has 28 readings on how to live a better life in spite of aging and retirement. These ladies write some funny stories that left me laughing out loud at times in these readings. They also write stories that inspire readers to live their life for Jesus. At the end of each reading, there is a prayer to pray. At the back of the book, there is a study guide with questions to answer after each chapter. Those questions could be used in a group setting or by yourself with a journal. I enjoyed  Get On Your Knee Replacements and Pray so much. Even though I think I am younger than the target audience, I thought many of these readings would inspire most people over 30 who are start...

I have personal experience with Alzheimer's disease and dementia as we have cared for family members and I have friends caring for family members with this disease. I understand the toll it can take on caregivers so I try to read whatever I can about this disease and how to care for those who have it. New Every Day by Dave Meurer is full of compassion and great advice for those who are caring for a loved one with this disease. New Every Day , according to Meurer, is not written in any particular order to sort of mimic what it is like to deal with the disease that often seems somewhat random in how it presents itself. Meurer give a lot of factual information on how to care for your loved one, how to pace yourself and not burn out, how to manage the financial and legal end of things, and a lot of other good information. At the same time, Meurer encourages caregivers to keep their sense of humor throughout the book. I think New Every Day would be especially helpful to someone...

The Song of Sadie Sparrow is the story of three women from three different generations and how they meet through The Hickories nursing home. We read about Sadie, an 86-year-old widow whose daughter is too busy to come and see her. Even so, she makes new friends with the staff and other residents and settles in just fine. She also learns about the Christian life through a young Bible teacher who visits the home. Meg Vogel is a recent widow at just 58. She decides to make a career change after her husband passes away from cancer and takes a job at The Hickories writing the biographies of the residents. Elise Chapelle is a younger woman at 32 and single. She quit her job as a teacher to care for her beloved grandfather, who now lives at The Hickories. The Song of Sadie Sparrow is told from the viewpoints of these three women a they interact with each other at the nursing home throughout the story. The book is a pleasant read overall, rather sweet and tender, especially if yo...

It seems like most of us know someone, perhaps a family member, who has dementia or Alzheimer's Disease. I know my Grandfather passed away after living in a nursing home with dementia so I have seen and felt how difficult that is on families. Dr. Daniel Amen wrote Memory Rescue to help people change their brain to improve their memory and decrease their chances for memory-related issues down the road. Memory Rescue is a large and long book full of information. Dr. Amen divides Memory Rescue into three parts: Memory is Life which talks about how the brain works and what it looks like to have problems; Bright Minds: The ultimate memory formula in which Dr. Amen shares the bright minds approach to rescuing your memory and preventing memory-related brain disease; and Daily food, habits and more to boost your memory. Throughout the book, Dr. Amen shares ways to be proactive in helping your brain and your body to avoid memory issues. He insists that we can start early so that we inc...