September 2008

We weren’t planning on buying a home so soon to moving here. We were planning on renting for a year or two, then buying after we knew more about the neighborhoods. Then our landlord called us one day telling us that when our contract was up he was going to sell the house. He wanted to know if we were interested in buying it.

Hubby and I discussed it. We drove around looking at homes and looked online at the homes available in our school district. After a week of looking around we decided that we liked where we were and decided to buy the house.

Today is the day we are supposed to close. Hopefully, everything will go well and by this afternoon we will be homeowners.

Photo credit: PinkMoose

This sticker is the reason I don’t get rid of this sewing machine. I love this sticker especially on this sewing machine. I’m quirky, I know.

It’s no secret that I need to lose weight. I have been struggling with my weight for a few years. I do great for a while and then fall off the wagon. I have finally come to realize that I can’t do this on my own.

As I was scanning our local paper the other day I came across several meetings for TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). I looked them up online and they seem to be like Weight Watchers but more reasonably priced.

Another cool thing was they (TOPS) have a program called KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly). I liked that because I have wondered what to do once I lose the weight. How do I maintain and not gain the weight back.

Have you heard of TOPS? Do you know of anyone who has lost weight using them?

Photo credit: gotplaid?

Today I’d like to share Skip To My Lou with you. Skip To My Lou was introduced to me from Scribbit when she posted about making Indiana Jones bull whips.

Skip To My Lou is an excellent web site with lots of craft and sewing ideas. The following are a few of my favorites:

• How To Make a Duct Tape Bull Whip - We did this and the kiddos LOVED it! Oh my! This was a fun project. The boys were ecstatic that we were actually going to make bull whips. They had fun and played for hours with them.

• Crayon Roll Holder - I fell in love with this crayon roll and can’t wait to make it. I would like to make a special one for each of my kiddos. Then when we need to take an entertainment bag, they each have their own roll and won’t be fighting about not sharing crayons. I think for the older two, I might put colored pencils in it. (I might also have to adjust the pattern for that…but I think I can figure that part out.)

• Useful things made pretty - I am in love with the journals! With Christmas around the corner these are excellent ideas for the writers in your family. (Be sure to scroll down to see the journals with the pen holders.)

• Making your own Wild Guys from Where the Wild Things Are - One of our favorite books is Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I fell in love with letting the kiddos create their own Wild Things and making them into dolls.

• Tutu Tutorial - I love tutu’s and didn’t realize that making one could be so simple. I can’t wait to make this for my sweet princess.

• Lunch Bags - I love these bags! I haven’t decided if I am going to make these for my son’s teachers or make them for myself. Heck, I guess I could do both. I have been keeping my eye out at the fabric store for the one that screams “Make Me!” I haven’t found it yet, but these bags are always in the back of my mind whenever I am there.

I just noticed that I used the word love in every single craft. Hmm, I guess you could say I really like Skip To My Lou. She has excellent ideas. You should go over there and check her out.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

When The Soul Mends

WaterBrook Press (September 16, 2008)

by

Cindy Woodsmall

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cindy Woodsmall is a veteran homeschool mom. As her children progressed in age, her desire to write grew stronger. After working through reservations whether this desire was something she should pursue, she began her writing journey. Her husband was her staunchest supporter as she aimed for what seemed impossible.

Her first novel, When The Heart Cries, released in 2006 to much acclaim and became a Christian Book Association best seller. Cindy was a 2007 ECPA Christian Book Award finalist, along with Karen Kingsbury, Angela Hunt, and Charles Martin.

Her last book, When the Morning Comes, hit the New York Times best-sellers extended list and the Christian Book Association best-sellers list.

Cindy’s real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity.

Cindy, her husband, their three sons and daughter-in-law reside in Georgia. Her husband is a registered land surveyor and a vice president at an engineering firm. Their oldest son has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear medicine and works at a local hospital. Their second son and his wife are both students at the University of Georgia. Their teen-aged son keeps the household energized with his love of music, books, and writing.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Returning to the home she fled in disgrace, will Hannah find healing for the wounds of the past?

After receiving a desperate and confusing call from her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community of her Pennsylvania childhood.

Having fled in disgrace more than two years earlier, she finally has settled into a satisfying role in the Englischer world. She also has found love and a new family with the wealthy Martin Palmer and the children she is helping him raise. But almost immediately after her arrival in Owl’s Perch, the disapproval of those who ostracized her, including her headstrong father, reopens old wounds.

As Hannah is thrown together with former fiancé Paul Waddell to work for her sister Sarah’s mental health, hidden truths surface about events during Hannah’s absence, and she faces an agonizing decision. Will she choose the Englischer world and the man who restored her hope, or will she heed the call to return to the Plain Life–and perhaps to her first love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of When The Soul Mends, go HERE

“A skillfully written story of forgiveness and redemption. Woodsmall’s authentic characters illustrate beautifully how wounded souls can indeed be mended.”
–Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy

“Like the stitches on a well-loved quilt, love and faith hold together Cindy Woodsmall’s When the Soul Mends, the brilliantly written third story in the Sisters of the Quilt series. With deft plotting and characters that seem to jump off the page, this novel offers the timeless truth that forgiveness is the balm which heals all wounds and a blanket for the soul.”
–Kathleen Y’Barbo, author of Beloved Castaway

“What a vibrant, strong, emotional story! When the Heart Cries will grip you and not let go, I promise. Highly recommended!”
–Gayle Roper, author of Allah’s Fire and the Seaside Seasons series

“Reaching deep into the heart of the reader, Cindy Woodsmall pens a beautifully lyrical story in her debut novel When the Heart Cries.”
–Tamera Alexander, bestselling author of Rekindled

I recently had the opportunity to read The S.O.S. for PMS: Practical Help and Relief for Moms by Mary Byers. Let me tell you that this book couldn’t have come at a better time. It came at the right time as far as I was concerned since I was suffering from PMS. This book has been eye-opening in that I didn’t realize that some of what I was feeling was PMS-related.

I have enjoyed the practical advice and am looking forward to implementing some of it next month. Well, not really enjoy the fact that I have PMS but that there are things that I can do to prevent from turning into witchy-woman and alienating my family.

About the Book:

The SOS for PMS:
Practical Help and Relief for Moms

In her latest book, Mary explores an often frustrating topic, the symptoms of PMS, and offers practical advice and encouragement for mothers. Readers will find comfort in the stories shared by other moms, realizing that they are not alone in their struggles with PMS.

With this book, you will find suggestions designed to inspire healthier lifestyles, relationships, and daily choices for all women.

Gather any group of moms together and the topic of frustrating PMS symptoms rises up in conversation along with the guilt and concern about its effects on family members.

Now Mary Byers, author of The Mother Load, offers mothers encouragement, help, and camaraderie as she shares:

• women’s stories-the good, bad, and the hopeful
• overlooked symptoms and how to manage them
• foods and activities to avoid or indulge in
• God’s first aid for stress, depression, and anxiety
• a call for help-how husbands can come to the aid of their wives

This gathering of useful advice and shared experiences will comfort readers who have ever felt alone in their PMS plight and will inspire healthier lifestyles, relationships, and daily choices for all women.

To read an excerpt go here.

A Word from the Author:

“It’s my hope that this book will bring help, hope and healing to moms who suffer from PMS. It’s been a source of despair in my own life but things are looking up now that I’ve developed my own coping plan. Those I interviewed for this book shared intimately about their own battles and I believe their stories, along with that of Callie’s (the main character in the book) will convince other women that it is possible to change their current response to PMS and encourage them to start today.”

About Mary:

Mary Byers is a professional speaker and writer whose passion for transforming lives is evident in every project she takes on. In her first book with Harvest House Publishers, The Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring for Your Family, Byers teaches women how to take care of themselves so that they can nurture a happy, healthy family. The mother of two lively children, she offers down-to-earth suggestions, spiritual truths, and real-life advice on how to juggle family responsibilities while creating a balanced life through supportive friendships, stress-relieving laughter, regular exercise, rejuvenating solitude, and an intimate relationship with the Lord. The founder of Word Works, Byers graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Telecommunications. She is also a Certified Association Executive. Byers and her husband, Stuart, reside in Illinois with their two children. To learn more about Mary visit her website at www.marybyers.com.

To win a copy of The S.O.S. for PMS: Practical Help and Relief for Moms be sure to leave a comment by Tuesday, September 30. I’ll randomly pick a winner at midnight Pacific Standard Timeand email the winner the next day. (U.S. resident addresses only.)

For another chance to win a copy of the book, Mary is giving away 4 copies of SOS for PMS. All you have to do is leave a comment on the blog tour post!

This giveaway is now closed.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Faking Grace

Multnomah Books (August 19, 2008)

by

Tamara Leigh

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After Tamara Leigh earned a Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology, she and her husband decided to start a family, with plans for Tamara to continue in her career once she became a mother.

When the blessing of children proved elusive, Tamara became convicted to find a way to work out of her home in order to raise the children she and her husband longed to have. She turned to writing, at which she had only ever dreamed of being successful, and began attending church. Shortly thereafter, her agent called with news of Bantam Books’ offer of a four-book contract. That same day, Tamara’s pregnancy was confirmed. Within the next year, she gave up her speech pathology career, committed her life to Christ, her first child was born, and her first historical romance novel was released.

As Tamara continued to write for the secular market, publishing three more novels with HarperCollins and Dorchester, she infused her growing Christian beliefs into her writing. But it was not enough, and though her novels earned awards and were national bestsellers, she knew her stories were lacking. After struggling with the certainty that her writing was not honoring God as it should, she made the decision to write books that not only reveal Christianity to non-believers, but serve as an inspiration for those who have accepted Christ as their Savior. Her inspirational romances are peopled with characters in varying stages of Christian faith, from mature believers to new believers to non-believers on the threshold of awakening.

Tamara Leigh enjoys time with her family, volunteer work, faux painting, and reading. She lives near Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, David, and two sons, Skyler and Maxen.

Two of her latest books are Splitting Harriet and Perfecting Kate.

ABOUT THE BOOK

All she wants is a job. All she needs is religion. How hard can it be?

Maizy Grace Stewart dreams of a career as an investigative journalist, but her last job ended in disaster when her compassion cost her employer a juicy headline. A part-time gig at a Nashville newspaper might be her big break.

A second job at Steeple Side Christian Resources could help pay the bills, but Steeple Side only hires committed Christians. Maizy is sure she can fake it with her Five-Step Program to Authentic Christian Faith–a plan of action that includes changing her first name to Grace, buying Jesus-themed accessories, and learning “Christian Speak.” If only Jack Prentiss, Steeple Side’s managing editor and two-day-stubbled, blue-jean-wearing British hottie wasn’t determined to prove her a fraud.

When Maizy’s boss at the newspaper decides that she should investigate–and expose–any skeletons in Steeple Side’s closet, she must decide whether to deliver the dirt and secure her career or lean on her newfound faith, change the direction of her life, and pray that her Steeple Side colleagues–and Jack–will show her grace.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Faking Grace, go HERE

“Tamara Leigh takes her experienced romance hand and delights readers with Chick-Lit that sparkles and characters who come alive.” - Kristin Billerbeck, author of The Trophy Wives Club

“A delightful, charming book! Faking Grace has romance, truth, and a dollop of insanity, making Tamara Leigh a permanent addition to my list of favorite authors. Enjoy!”
- Ginger Garrett, author of In the Shadow of Lions and Beauty Secrets of the Bible

“Tamara Leigh does a fabulous job looking at the faults, the love, the hypocrisy, and the grace of Christians in a way that’s entertaining and fun. Maizy Grace is a crazy character I couldn’t help but like. I loved this book and highly recommend it!”
- Camy Tang, author of Sushi for One? and Only Uni

Last night for the first time in six years I was drunk. Not tipsy, not buzzed, but d.r.u.n.k.

Not only was I drunk but I was chatting with my church group friends that I have only known for about a week. How embarrassing. I can’t believe I did that. What a statement I am making to my friends. It reminds me of the I love Jesus but I drink a little video I saw over at Whittaker Woman’s blog.

As embarrassing as it was I am glad that it happened. Being drunk and then hungover the next day opened my eyes to why I quit drinking in the first place. I can’t handle alcohol. There used to be a time in my life when I would question why I wanted a drink. What was the root reason to my wanting a drink? Once I knew the reason I was able to find another better way to pacify that want.

My husband and I have noticed that we have been drinking more than we used to. We used to have a glass of wine maybe twice a week. Slowly over time we moved to a beer in the evening. Then to save money we bought Captain Morgan to mix with our Cola since we were drinking Cola anyway. Then we were having several beers or a beer and Captain Morgan in the evenings. At one point several weeks ago, our extra refrigerator was filled with alcohol and we realized we needed to stop.

Unfortunately, last night I didn’t stop. I was thirsty so I would fix more wine. I can handle wine…no problem. Only it was a problem and it continued until I got sick. Yuck. Needless to say, I have figured out I have a problem with alcohol.

I spent today in prayer asking God why I felt like I had to have alcohol. He told me that I was using the alcohol to fill a need that I should be getting from him. I was replacing my relationship with him with alcohol. I was turning to alcohol instead of him. That really shook me up and I realized he was right.

I am still in prayer about this as I know there is more to uncover as I get to the root of the problem. I am going to start questioning my motives when I want a drink and am asking forgiveness from my church friends.

By the way, the kids were in bed asleep while I was drinking my wine and hubby wasn’t drinking at all. Just so you don’t think I’m completely irresponsible.

What about you? What do you struggle with?

Photo credit: Ingorrr

Welcome to day 4 of the LifeShare challenge that is a part of the internet campus at LifeChurch.tv.

Today is the final installment of the four part series So You’re Dead…Now What?

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.