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Showing posts from May, 2015

Everyday Grace by Jessica Thompson

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You can't say you love God and hate your brother. 1 John 4:20 Did y'all read Jessica's other book, Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids With the Love of Jesus? That book daily encouraged me as I read it. I even downloaded the audio book to put on in the car when I needed someone to remind my heart of the importance of my motherhood. I think mom's need two things each day. We need to laugh and we need someone to preach the gospel to us. This book took that gospel grace and applied it to all of the other relationships in our lives. I have been asking God to remind me of his gospel in some relationships that I am in. Sometimes, you just want to cut bait and go home if you know what I mean. It is hard to deal with certain personalities and selfishness in the body of Christ. It is difficult to see people wounding one another and even wounding me. There are facades and crippling brokenness to come against. It is tiring to say the least. I need a daily dose of redemp

Just Add Watercolor

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I would like to share this lovely little book with those of you interested in watercolor. I usually keep the books that I am reviewing in a stack. This one I kept upright in front of me on my desk for several weeks. I just loved looking at it. It made me happy. This would be a great coffee table book to inspire creative energy.I simply really enjoyed every minute I looked at it. I do not know much about watercolor. Every thing that I have learned has been trial and error. This book is full of tidbits to push you on to watercolor success. Of course, the gorgeous little book is filled with paintings. If you are like me, those inspire and make you want to try them out. Pick it up and try it out. I am going to try a few techniques over summer. Follow me on Instagram to see what I come up with. This could easily be a book that you would buy simply for art appreciation.   What inspires you? This book was graciously provided by Crown Publishing so that I could share it with

the life-changing magic of tidying up by marie kondo

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I read through the life-changing magic of tidying up last week. I decided to share a bit of what I gleaned each day on Instagram. You can read about it in my previous post Does It Spark Joy ? I thought I would put the daily segments from that post and the remaining ones together in one post for anyone considering reading the book or looking for inspiration. I learned most of all that letting go can help you see what you truly love and seeing what you truly love can help you let go. Keep your eyes open and look for things that spark joy. Reading through "the life-changing magic of tidying up." It's funny how a simple phrase can evoke so much emotion. Even though the words are referring to objects, the mind cannot help but wander to the things of the human heart. I look back over the last week of my life and think about those moments that did spark joy and those that brought pain. I found myself in a lonely place this week longing for a friend. I found myse

Henry Hodges Needs a Friend by Andy Andrews

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I just adored Andy Andrews last book, The Boy Who Changed The World. Of course, that could be due to the fact that I am a huge fan of George Washington Carver. It was truly inspiring and wonderful. It showed us how simple acts of kindness can alter the course of a life.  This book follows along that vein. It shows us how tenderness and kindness shown towards our children can effect them. Sweet Henry needed a friend. He could have gone on as a lonely child, but his parents saw his need. They took the opportunity to remind him of how special he is and give him a companion.  We all struggle with fitting in. It's nice to be seen as special instead of singled out as odd. How can you encourage your children today? The book is precious. It received a thumbs up from the Cherry girls. We even gave one a way to a friend.  This book was graciously provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers for review. Andy has written some great books for adults too!

Does It Spark Joy?

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Last week, I went and had a ultrasound of my abdomen. I had been having pain and issues since last fall. I am on my fifth doctor. I had done a lot of research and went in to his office with my own diagnosis. He listened. Off I went to get my ultrasound. I had a feeling that the problem was my gallbladder and my liver. I have been exposed to toxins and had some other complications that could lead to this.  The wonderful woman doing my ultrasound was asking me questions about my health. I'm not the candidate you would expect to be there. I am not overweight, an alcoholic, and I have a good diet. I have been exposed to mold, which is a factor. She asked me about my pregnancies. I don't know if it was saying out loud that I had been pregnant nine times or thinking of my two brothers that I lost to liver problems when they were the age I am now, but tears just started streaming down my face. I am sort of an intrepid personality, someone who just keeps moving forward. In the v