Wordless Wednesday

Learning to Read!!

Heaven is for Real

Apparently, I must be really interested in Heaven lately because this is the second book I have read on it lately. I have to admit this one was much better than the first.

This is actually the book I thought I was reading the first time, but sadly it wasn't.

I first heard about Heaven is for Real when Kathy Lee Gifford talked about it on her show with Hoda. Then a co-worker had just finished it and I borrowed it from her.

I have to say this book was really uplifting and amazing. It was told like it had come from a child and his parents. This book was easy to read and captivating which means it didn't take me long at all to finish. Which is important when having a 5month old. I would highly recommend this book to some one who is dealing with loss, searching for something or just needs to hear a good story.

From Books-a-Million:
A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven.

"Heaven Is for Real "is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

A Tiny Gem

Last night I was flipping the pages of this little book and thought about how wonderful it was. Bo put this my Christmas stocking last year. He got it at the suggestion from a sales lady at a local upscale children's store. She made a good suggestion because I have read it several time.
I love the wisdom and the advice each page gives a mother. This would make a great shower gift or just a great gift for a mother who has a young son.

Another Book

Since I did not have Internet access most of last week I decided to do something a little old fashioned - I read a book. A co-worker gave me this book to read, but we both thought it was another book. I was half way finished with it and she said by the way I never finished that book. I really wished she had told me that before I had invested so much time into it. I have to say it wasn't my favorite. It was very repetitive, and didn't give very many details about heaven. I also thought sometimes it seemed like a way for the family to make some money. What I did like was that I truly felt that Alex, the little boy in the book, never felt sorry for himself and that he had such a positive attitude. So I guess in that respect it was a good book because if a quadriplegic child can keep positive about live so can I.

Overview from Books-a-Million.com:

In 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his six-year-old son, Alex, suffered an horrific car accident. The impact from the crash paralyzed Alex-and medically speaking, it was unlikely that he could survive. "I think Alex has gone to be with Jesus," a friend told the stricken dad.
But two months later, Alex awoke from a coma with an incredible story to share. Of events at the accident scene and in the hospital while he was unconscious. Of the angels that took him through the gates of heaven itself. Of the unearthly music that sounded just "terrible" to a six-year-old. And, most amazing of all... Of meeting and talking to Jesus.
"The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven" is the true story of an ordinary boy's most extraordinary journey. As you see heaven and earth through Alex's eyes, you'll come away with new insights on miracles, life beyond this world, and the power of a father's love.

Baby book

I love this book. It is so sweet and the illustrations are wonderful. If I get to choose a book to read to Boll Weevil this is the book I pick first. If you haven't ever checked it out do so sometime. I think this book would make a great baby present.

Hoda

Between a lightning storm that knocked out my Internet and Boll Weevil (Bo gave him this name because he likes to eat his cotton sleeves.) getting his first set of shots, I haven't had time to take pictures of his new outfits. But I have had time to finish the last new chapters of Hoda's book. Really there isn't much you can do when your child just wants to cling to you and you have no TV. I watch Hoda and KLG on the internet. So that leaves good old fashioned reading.

Let me start off by saying I love Hoda. Some days I don't know how she puts up with Kathie Lee, but then again there is always someone like Kathie Lee in every ones life. Hoda's book was a good easy read and I'm so glad that I got to read it. It was like learning a little bit more about the new girl in school. You think you know her, but you really don't. I have to admit that I have had this book for a while. I got it for Christmas and I just finished it. I actually took this book to the hospital with me when I had Boll Weevil. Don't ask me why because I definitely didn't have time to read, but all of the pregnancy books I read said to make sure I took reading material with you. So Hoda came along to the hospital. Actually from this book Hoda seems like the person you would want at the hospital because she would be the one who would tell you to look forward. So I'm glad I took her along with me.

If Hoda wrote another book I would definitely read it.

By the way Hoda - some people do know where Dothan, Alabama is. I loved it that she mentioned my home town. I was disappointed that they didn't hire her at the local TV station. She could have been in the Peanut Festival Parade instead of the Mardi Gra Parades in New Orleans.

Overview from booksamillion.com:

SHE'S JUST LIKE THE REST OF US : overstuffed purse, always losing keys, high-maintenance hair, snack guilt after an evening binge. But she's something different, too. Hoda Kotb grew up in two cultures--one where summers meant playing at the foot of the ancient pyramids and another where she had to meet her junior prom date at the local 7-Eleven to spare them both the wrath of her conservative Egyptian parents. She's traveled the globe for network television, smuggling videotapes in her shoes and stepping along roads riddled with land mines. She's weathered the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and a personal Category 5 as well: divorce and breast cancer in the same year. And if that's not scary enough, she then began co hosting the fourth hour of Today with Kathie Lee Gifford. (Oh, c'mon, KLG! That's funny . . . put down the huge pour of Chardonnay and laugh with us.) Hoda reads just like Hoda--light, funny, positive, and positively inspiring.

The Girlfriends Guide To Pregnancy

Many many moons ago when I got pregnant the first time I rushed out to buy a pregnancy book. I looked at many and remembered my Sister-in-law telling me this was the book she liked this best when she was pregnant with my nephew. So I followed he advice and purchased it. I wish I had borrowed it from her.

I have enjoyed reading this book, but I don't know if it was the most medical sound book out there on pregnancy. It reminds me more of a book that would have been written by the leader of a click, and it seemed to contain stories about her friends. I have stopped and started reading this book several times. Now, I'm so glad that I have finished it. It is one more thing off my to do list before the baby is born.

I will say that when I had my two miscarriages I read this section over again. Which was helpful to get information from a friendly voice. Will, I keep this book more than likely, but would I buy this book again - not really. This is an easy read that doesn't take long to read when I was into reading it.

This is what came from back of the book:

Your Girlfriends, of course -- at least, the ones who've been through the exhilaration and exhaustion, the agony and ecstasy of pregnancy. Four-time delivery room veteran Vicki Iovine, "the Carrie Bradshaw of pregnancy" ("Wall Street Journal"), talks to you the way only a best friend can -- in the book that will go the whole nine months for every mother-to-be. Now, in this newly revised and updated edition, get the lowdown on all those little things that are too strange or embarrassing to ask, practical tips, and hilarious takes on everything pregnant.
What "Really" Happens to Your Body -- from morning sickness and gas to eating everything in sight -- and what it's like to go from being a babe to having one.
The Many Moods of Pregnancy -- why you're so irritable/distracted/ tired/light-headed (or at least more than usual).
"Plus," the latest scoop on . . .
Staying Stylish -- You may be pregnant, but you can still be the fashionista you've always been (or at least you don't have to look like a walking beach ball) -- wearing the hippest designers and proudly showing off your bump.
Pregnancy Is Down to a Science -- from in vitro fertilization to scheduled C-section, the latest technology provides so many options, alternatives, and tests, it can all be downright confusing.
. . . and much more For a reassuring voice or just a few good belly laughs, turn to this straight-talking guide on what to "really" expect when you're expecting.

Island of Saints

Let me just say that I have read 2 other books by Andy Andrews. I liked one and didn't like the other so I wasn't so sure about this book. That is why it sat on my bedside table since Christmas. My apprehention about reading this book was wrong. This book was great and an easy read. I finished it in 2 days. It was a great story, but if you are an avid reader you can pretty much figure out were it is going, but that is okay. I liked that they author included himself as a character it gave this book a twist. I would definately recommend this book to anyone.

From the Inside of the Cover:

While digging up a withering wax myrtle tree beside his waterfront home on the Gulf coast, author Andy Andrews unearths a rusted metal container filled with Nazi artifacts and begins an intriguing investigation that unlocks an unspoken past that took place in his backyard . . . literally . . .

. . . In the summer of 1942, as the country gears up for a full-scale commitment to WWII, German subs are dispatched to the Gulf of Mexico to sink U.S. vessels carrying goods and fuel for the war. While taking a late-night walk along the coastline, Helen Mason-recently widowed by the realities of war-discovers the near-lifeless body of a German sailor. Enraged at the site of Josef Landermann's uniform, Helen is prepared to leave the lieutenant to die when an unusual phrase, faintly uttered, changes her mind.

Set in a period simmering with anger and suspicion, Island of Saints offers the very real chronicle of a small town preparing itself for the worst the world has to offer. As cargo from torpedoed ships begins to wash up on the beach, Josef and Helen must reconcile their pasts in order to create a future.

Blending his unique style of historical accuracy with unparalleled storytelling, New York Times best-selling author Andy Andrews offers a tale of war, faith, and forgiveness-illuminating the one principle that frees the human spirit.

QBQ

Right now I'm reading books on leadership and personal accountablity. If you are interested in reading a book with one of these topics then QBQ is an easy good book to read. It took me about 2 hours to read. It is made up of numerous short chapters that are made to make the reader think.

One of my favorite chapters states in it: "Wisdom: what we learn after we know it all."

I love this idea because I know that there are moments in my life when I think I know it all and I have all the right answers. Usually after I have these thoughts whatever I was thinking goes terribly wrong.

I love books that make me self examine and work to improve myself. This is a book that does that. I very rarely re-read books, but I'm sure that I will re-read this one soon.

Thanks Books-A-Million for the picture.

Fearless

Okay, I got this book for Christmas and I just started it and finished it this week. It sat on my bedside table and I found every reason why not to read it. I also found every why not to write this review.

I hate to say anything bad about it, but I didn't really like it.

I thought it was repetitive. Each chapter felt like a mini sermon focusing on the same subject. But just like sermons there were several good stories, this wasn't enough to move this book into the like catagory.

This is the first book of Max Lucado's that I have ever finished, and I don't know if I will read another one of his.

I don't think that Max Lucado took into consideration those people who suffer from extreme anxiety who take everything to Jesus, but still have to deal with it. Sometimes I thought it was almost like those who saw a therapist were seeking a cop out. Which I don't believe to be true. I think that therapy can be very beneficial.

This book is not one that I will keep. It is definitely going in the donate to the library pile.

I wish I would have looked at other reviews of this book before I spent my time reading it. Most were glowing of this book, but the funniest one said that the best part of this book was the cover. I totally agree. I guess this is another example of you can't judge a book by its cover.

The Shack

From Books A Million :

Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his "Great Sadness," Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!

Let me just say I don't want everyone I know to read this book. It took me 2 and a half months to read , which is an extremely long time for me to finish a book. The beginning of the book, first 75 pages, and the final couple of chapters were good. The stuff in the middle just drug on. I really like the concept of this book, but I just don't think I got it all because I keep on getting lost.
I know of two other people at work who have read this book. One told me it was good and then when I asked her about it she said she really just scanned it. The other one told me the book just wasn't that good. This book was just okay and I'm glad I borrowed it instead of buying it. Again I think the concepts were good.

Scratch Beginnings

I finished another book. This one took me a little longer to read because I had to take a week off from reading it to digest it all. This is an excellent book about how you can live the American dream when starting out with nothing. I think this book really stresses the attitude it takes to make this dream attainable. This book reinforced that hard work and determination are needed to live the American dream and that apathy will keep a person from going anywhere. I think this book would be a good one to give to a person who seems lost or searching for a way to go in life. This story is very inspirational. Even though this lifestyle was an experiment for Adam Shepard many people live this life not as a experiment, but as the only way of life they have. This book made me think more about the people who have started out with nothing and have moved up the ladder. What amazing stories each of them much have to tell. If anything this book has reinforced my idea of hope in the American Dream if only if could have brought back my hope in the American People as a whole.

The following information about the book was taken from the Books-A-Million website:

Adam Shepard graduated from college in the summer of 2006 feeling disillusioned by the apathy he saw around him and incensed after reading Barbara Ehnrenreich's famous works "Nickel and Dimed" and "Bait and Switch"--books that gave him a feeling of hopelessness over the state of the working class in America. Eager to see if he could make something out of nothing, he set out to prove wrong Ehrenreich's theory that those who start at the bottom stay at the bottom, and to see if the American Dream can still be a reality.
Shepard's plan was simple. Carrying only a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and $25 in cash, and restricted from using previous contacts or relying on his college education, he set out for a randomly selected city with one objective: work his way out of homelessness and into a life that would give him the opportunity for success. His goal was to have, after one year, $2,500, a working automobile, and a furnished apartment.
But from the start, things didn't go as smoothly as Shepard had planned. Working his way up from a Charleston, South Carolina homeless shelter proved to be more difficult than he anticipated, with pressure to take low-paying, exploitive jobs from labor companies, and a job market that didn't respond with enthusiasm to homeless applicants. Shepard even began donating plasma to make fast cash. To his surprise, he found himself depending most on fellow shelter residents for inspiration and advice.
Earnest, passionate, and hard to put down, "Scratch Beginnings" is a story that will not only inspire readers, but will also remind them that success can come to anyone who is willing to work hard--and that America is still one of the most hopeful and inspiring countries in the world.

The Traveler's Gift

I don't really seem to be sewing much lately, but I have been reading a ton. I love to read and always have, but lately I seem to finish one book and within the hour I have started another one. Almost like I'm searching for something, but I don't know what I'm looking for and the books I'm reading don't really seemed to linked to each other. So as of right now I'll continue to read and enjoy my time with my books.

Last night I finished The Traveler's Gift. I have to admit I wasn't to keen on reading this book, but I did at the insistence of my boss. I did enjoy this book, but it seemed to take me longer to read than most books of this size. It was almost like I had to digest what was said in each chapter. The main character of David Ponder could be anyone, especially during this trying economic time. (As a side note I find it interesting that this book is coming out in paperback right now.) He is having both a financial and personnal crisis and he travels in time to meet leaders from the past to find out what made them great. He caries this wisdom with him to help him become a great leader. I would highly recommend this book to a recent graduate.

From Amazon.com:

Christian author and motivational speaker Andrews effectively combines self-help with fiction to catch readers' interest, sustaining momentum while simultaneously passing on instructions for positive thinking. With his can-do style, Andrews (Storms of Perfection; Tales from Sawyerton Springs) tells the allegorical tragedy of one David Ponder, whose woes begin when he loses his job, his confidence and essentially his drive for living. After a succession of losses, Ponder is rendered unconscious after a car accident, and is magically transported into seven key points in history. At each stopping point, he is met by historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Anne Frank, King Solomon, Harry Truman and Christopher Columbus, each of whom imparts one of the seven key decisions that Andrews asserts are essential for personal success. After his travel through time, Ponder regains consciousness in a hospital and discovers he is holding letters given to him by the various heroes. The letters offer familiar self-help counsel: accept that the buck stops with you, become a wisdom seeker and a person of action, determine to be happy, open the day with a forgiving spirit, and persist despite all odds. Although Andrews writes from a Christian perspective, his overall message (trust that God is sovereign, but do your part in making your future happen) will ring true with a broad spectrum of inspirational readers. Some astute thinkers may be put off by the simplistic story line, but Andrews does an exemplary job at providing positive suggestions for overcoming life's obstacles.

A Little Light Reading

No cruise would be complete without a little light reading.

Bo and I enjoyed several hours of reading two or three nights on the ship. We found a little area on the back of the boat that was really quiet. We would go there watch the wake and the moon light bouncing off the sea and we would read. Sometimes I would get lost in the setting and other times I would read without even noticing it. My goal was to finish this book before we got off the ship. I cann't remeber if I finished it before we debarked or on the car ride home. Either way I really enjoyed this book and I plan on reading her next book.

I have never watched The Hills and only know of Lauren Conrad from E! News and The Soup. L.C.'s book would definitely be liked by teens and young adults. I actually saw one older lady on the ship ask me several times if I liked the book. I must have give her a questioning look because she said she had given it to her mother and she wanted to read it when she got back. I guess there is no age limit on the women who will read a Lauren Conrad book. My only thing is that I feel like I splurged because it was a hardback book. If you can wait until it comes out in paperback I would.

This book is not deep by any stretch of the imaginationa, but if you want some good enertaining reading this is a winner.

From Inside the Cover:

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . . "everything." Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.
When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of "Sex and the City,"" they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara--free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres--and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

"L.A. Candy" is a deliciously entertaining novel about what it's like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a girl who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad.

The Noticer

Wow! This little book on perspective has help change mine. This easy read took up very little time, but made a big impact. A must read.

The description of the book from Thomas Nelson's website:

Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people. But like all humans on the planet, the good folks of Orange Beach have their share of problems – marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as the many other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.

Fortunately, when things look the darkest – a mysterious man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. An elderly man with white hair, of indiscriminate age and race, wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt and leather flip flops carrying a battered old suitcase, Jones is a unique soul. Communicating what he calls “a little perspective,” Jones explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. “Your time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely,” he says. “Don’t squander your words or your thoughts. Consider even the simplest action you take, for your lives matter beyond measure…and they matter forever.”

Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why things happen and what we can do about it.

Like The Traveler’s Gift, The Noticer is a unique narrative is a blend of fiction, allegory, and inspiration. Gifted storyteller Andy Andrews helps us see how becoming a “noticer” just might change a person’s life forever.

Finished Another Book

Let me start off by saying I love Mary Hunt's daily e-news letter. I can't say that I love this book. I know this because it took me a while to read it. Sometimes it just seemed to drag on. Mary Hunt has several good ideas in this book and some of her tips were amazing. I am glad that I got this book on sale at Ollie's for $4.99 instead of $23.99.

I love the fact that she has included several pages of recipes that make this book worth the money I paid for it. I will continue to read Mary Hunt's daily email, but I don't know if I will read another one of her books.

Christmas in July

I just finished the book The Christmas Cookie Killer by Livia J. Washburn (pictured below):

This is what the back of the book said (thanks books-a-million for sharing this info):

Christmas comes to Weatherford, Texas, in this delicious new entry in the national bestselling series. Yuletide is here and retired teacher cum amateur sleuth Phyllis Newsom looks forward to finishing up this unlucky year. But she won't be hanging up her apron just yet because this year as Christmas bake-off is going to be cutthroat. Phyllis would like to think she's entering the Christmas cookie contest for the fun of it but that's not exactly true. She can't imagine anyone beating her snowflake-shaped lime sugar cookies. Then, during her annual Christmas cookie exchange, Phyllis heads over to the elderly Mrs. Simmons' home and finds her dead, in a pile of lime sugar cookies. But with a number of names on Santa's naughty list, this case may be a hard cookie to crumble.

I don't usually read mysteries especially murder mysteries, but a local grocery store chain was closing all its stores and this books cover keep on calling to me. I know your not suppose to judge a book by its cover, but this cover was just so cute I couldn't resist. I just love this cover art. When the book went to 50%/60% off I bought it. I thought it would at least be a good deal for the recipes that were included, which I really like the idea of them being there. The food talked about in this book all seemed like it would be very good. This book was an easy read, but somewhat predictable. I thought that I have figured it out right away, but I was one person off which I liked. In the end I would recommend this book and I'm glad I read it in the summer when it is so hot that I like to think about snow, Christmas hams, warm fires, sweaters, and cookies. This book would be worth purchasing at full price, but I'm really glad that I got it at a discount.

The Glass Castle Review

Wow!! I LOVED this book!

Synopsis (from the Books-a-Million web site):In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing to the horrific. Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover.

Again, I will say I just LOVED this book. I started it Sunday and finished yesterday. I couldn't put it down. Some people on the Internet have said some facts may not be exactly true or that Jeannette Walls couldn't have remember from the time she was three. Who are we to judge? I don't remember a lot of things from when I was little, but I sometimes remember the traumatic or from pictures or stories that my family has told me. Doesn't mean they didn't happen. I also think a lot of this book was written as she saw it from the eyes of a child, and I take this book as Ms. Walls story of her childhood. Ms. Walls has written a page turner of a book that I didn't want to put down, and I was sad when I finished it. I had grown to know the Walls children. This a perfect version of pulling yourself up by your boot straps story. At any time they could have given up or become overcome with obstacles, but she didn't.

I would definately recommend this book, and I'm so glad that my Mother-in-law recommended it to me. Now, on to my next book.

Summer Reading

I haven't really felt like sewing a stitch or painting a stroke, but I have wanted to turn a page. I LOVE to read, especially in the summer. This weekend I finished the book Quaker Summer.

The back of the book said: Every year I think there must be more to life, and every year, despite a new car or a trip to a new land, new milestones and triumphs in my son's life, or a redone deck, a pool, a spa, or entertainment system, I take stock and think once again, I was made for more than this. But I love my stuff.

This book is a Women of Faith Novel of the Year so I was expecting so much out of it. There were moments while reading this book that I was confused and I had to re-read sections to figure out what was going on. I have always have had a good rate of reading comprehension, so this was just agrivating. Sometimes details in the book weren't explained completely. Like the part about a Kangaroo. Where did it come from? And the ending left me wanting more.

There were parts of book I did like. Like that Heather was questioning the "stuff" that she has filled her life with and what more she could do if she was free from it. The concept of the book was good and the questions it asked were thought provoking.

In the end I just expected more than this book gave me. It will not be a book I will re-read. I will either pass it on to a friend or donate it to the library.