Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Happy Release Day to The Happiness Crisis by Jonathan Eckert. This is a great book for those who parent kids ages 9 to 22 today--or for those who are able to teach or mentor kids this age today.  Chasing what feels easy is a human instinct—but it’s only when young people embrace challenges that they become stronger versions of themselves and lead more joyful, meaningful lives. In our happiness-obsessed society, we can become isolated in comfort zones and overly focused on temporary pleasures. Kids naturally do the same. In our effort to protect and help them, we often shield them from discomfort. But are we unwittingly denying them experiences that will form them into strong, capable adults? Could it be that we’re training them to believe that challenges ought to be avoided, and that if they’re struggling, they’re not well? In  The Happiness Crisis , global educational leader Jon Eckert speaks from decades of experience, explaining how he has seen parents, ...

Live Lagom . Last year the buzz was all about Hygge--the Danish way of enjoying the simple things in life. Balanced Living the Swedish Way is a similar concept in Lagom. Live Lagom , according to Brones, is a challenge for you to think about slow living. She says, "a slow life is an intentional life, one that doesn't take too much or cause any harm, and one that focuses on the essential." Live Lagom is divided into four sections: work, home, health and environment. Brones explains how Lagom in each area with lots of tips to live more simply and more mindfully.  I enjoyed Live Lagom . I did learn what the Swedish lifestyle and culture was like. At the same time, the tips weren't really anything I didn't already know, as someone who reads a fair amount of books and articles on simple, healthy living. However, I did enjoy the recipes: Swedish Rye Bread, Dill Marinated Cucumber, Swedish Cheesecake and a few more. At the same time, I wish the book had an inde...

The Happiness Prayer isn't just quick fix "make me happy" prayer. It is also a Jewish prayer and I am not Jewish. Yet, I found this book to teach me truths and Scriptures in ways that I hadn't thought about them before. I truly found this book to be on insightful guide to living a better life. The Happiness Prayer is called Eilu Devarim and is from a Jewish text called the Talmud. Evan Moffic made this prayer a way of living when he went through a time of personal challenge. The prayer begins with a statement of its purpose. The prayer is initially related to financial interest--an investment in the prayer of our time if we follow these lessons means that, like financial interest, our happiness will compound. He shares the prayer and his experiences, along with real experiences of other people, to teach readers how to use this prayer to live more joyously. In The Happiness Prayer , Moffic breaks the prayer down into chapters and looks at each part of the prayer...

When offered a chance to review The Sacrament of Happy by Lisa Harper, I knew I had to read this book. I didn't grow up believing God wanted us to be happy. Rather, for me, God was a distant God who judged us every day. I was told that one day we would have to be accountable for our wrongdoings so I viewed God as rather stern and constantly appraising my imperfections. To me, He just seemed rather unhappy with me and I could never measure up. Even after becoming a Christian, I struggled to believe differently. Although I knew Jesus did pay the price for my sins, I struggled to see God and Jesus as happy with me when I still felt I had to measure up. I read this book because I wanted to see God in a different light. The Sacrament of Happy did help me see God differently. I enjoyed Harper's humor and her writing style. I think her positive, uplifting outlook is contagious. I could also relate well to Christine Caine's forward where she shared her family's fatalist ...