Need You Now

Darlene and Brad Henderson have recently made the move from Houston to the family farm near the small town of Round Top, Texas.   Their son, Chad, had made some poor choices in Houston and this is the chance for everyone to begin fresh.  But the move that was intended for the good of all is taking more time to adjust to than anyone thought, especially for the children.  Grace, their oldest daughter, is coping in a way that is very dangerous and has difficulty changing regardless of her resolve to do so.  Chad is still tempted to continue in the choices he made in Houston.

Darlene has been a stay at home mom her entire marriage.  Now that the children are a bit older, Darlene decides to join the work force as a teacher's aide at a nearby special needs school.  This, too, means a number of changes in the Henderson household which, of course, causes tension and things seem be begin to unravel.  At this point, their faith is about all they have to lean on.  Will it be enough?

I have always enjoyed Beth Wiseman's books, who typically writes about the Amish, and this is no exception.  Writing outside the Amish genre, Wiseman has shown her readers that she is very capable of writing contemporary fiction. I did feel that Darlene was portrayed a bit on the naive side though when her daughter was wearing long sleeves no matter the weather and didn't pursue questions when Grace's arm was bleeding through the sleeve.  My husband has always described me as naive but I think even I would be checking that out if my daughter exhibited such behaviors.  That being said, cutting is a topic I don't believe I have ever seen addressed in Christian fiction so I applaud Ms. Wiseman for having done so.  In spite of the trait addressed above, Darlene is a woman who has the same struggles as all mother of teens and trying to juggle being a mom, wife, and working outside the home.

The end of the books contains a listing of questions perfect for a book discussion group.  While not listed as a part of the series, perhaps Ms. Wiseman will consider adding to the Henderson's story or that of their neighbor Layla who is an interesting character herself.

This book was provided to me free by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.  I was, in no way, obligated to write a positive review.

Balancing your Priorities

I have family who attended Andy Stanley's church, North Point, in Atlanta when they lived there. Our family still catches his podcasts when we can. You won't find another man of God who speaks the truth and makes it relevant to today any more than Andy Stanley. I vividly remember my brother-in-law recommending a sermon series entitled Choosing to Cheat. Well, here it is in print format.

Andy begins by accusing us all of cheating. He's right. All of us choose to give up one thing in hopes of gaining something better or of greater value. This is especially true of our time. We live in a world where there are so many things vying for our attention. Our to-do list is never ending and full of necessary tasks. What usually suffers from our being pulled in so many different directions? Our families. Why? As Christians, are they not our priority? Do our actions reflect that? What is the motive behind our spending so much time at work? Is it only to provide for our family or are there other more deep seated reasons? If parents are always at work, who is providing for the emotional needs of their children? I'm convinced God did not create nor does He approve of this all exhausting whirlwind we now call "life".

Whether you are are the one who is unknowingly choosing your career or to-do list over your family or are the spouse or child feeling cheated, Andy's words will strike home and lead you in the direction you need to go, using real life examples of current day to illustrate. There is never enough time to get everything done you think is important but God gave us 24 hours in a day for a reason. Choose the spend our time in the role only we can fill--that of spouse, father, mother... Easier said than done, I know. I believe there is plenty of time to get the things done HE wants you to do. Our calendar clearly shows our priorities. What does you calendar illustrate?

But Andy doesn't just give us the facts about how we cheat our families when work draws us, he also gives us practical steps to take to change our way of living in When Work & Family Collide through the Old Testament character of Daniel. The book is a quick, easy, practical read but you may find yourself needing to stop after each chapter to consider his words and how they apply to you. The book also includes a four week discussion guide making it perfect for small group discussion or an accountability group. I haven't ever read anything of Andy's that I didn't love and find to be life changing and this is no exception. Whether you are a mom, dad, parent, work outside the home, or within the home, this book will most likely convict and speak to your heart.

I did receive this book free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

What's Next?

Change is inevitable.  Whether you are 18 or 70 or anywhere in between, we all go through transitions in our lives.  Some are joyous and anticipated for years such as weddings and births. Others are very painful. Some of that pain comes from letting go of the previous stage of your life.  Can we prepare ourselves for the transitions that come in our lives, making those transitions easier?  H. Norman Wright believes we can and even goes so far as to say that "transitions are opportunities to apply our faith".

Written with the baby boomer generation in mind, What's Next?: Navigating Transitions to Make The Rest of Your Life Count  gives the reader wonderful guidance regarding how to not only make the best of but actually thrive and excel in the second half of your marriage,  midlife, an empty next, becoming a granparent, retirement, and even loss among other things.  I have always considered my parents to be more in this stage of life than I am.  However, I'm approaching these events in my life and long to do so with joy and anticipation, not dread and tears.

I particulary enjoyed Mr. Wright's suggestions regarding the second half of marriage having been married to the same man for 26 years and nearing the point where it will be just the two of us again.  Mr. Wright states that it is "far more important to be the right person than it is to marry the right one", and "our marriage is like a car that every now and then needs a tune-up".  Too many times, especially in the midst of careers and caring for children, we neglect our marriage and find ourselves not really knowing who it is we're married to.  Unless we have truly committed ourselves to that marriage, we will run the danger of not seeing marriage for what it truly is and, instead, will be looking for someone to satisfy all our needs, ignoring the needs of our spouse and running the risk of never having a vital marriage.

Again, whether you are a young adult or older adult, there is much to be thought about throughout this book.  As a young adult, by reading, you will be better prepared for life's transitions and better understand the transitions your parents are experiencing.  As an older adult who may be experiencing some of these life changes, Mr. Wright gives you the steps and Godly wisdom he has gained in making it through those experiences.  While I did get the book to add to the church library, I think I've changed my mind and will keep it to refer back to again and again.

I did receive this book free from the publisher and was not obligated to leave a positive review.

Secrets to a happy life

Just as Luci Swindoll's mother, when giving instructions to her children, began every request with a verb that required action, so does Luci in her newest book Simple Secrets to a Happy Life.  The title of each chapter begins with an action verb.  While she doesn't claim to have all the answers regarding how to "live happily ever after", she does claim that there are some secrets she has learned through her life that make living richer and more enjoyable.  Each of those fifty secrets require action on our part, whether physical, mental, or spiritual.  The book is broken down into five section but Ms. Swindoll begins with the basics such as honoring your Mother and Father, how to treat other people, having a daily devotional, and organization.  She then goes on to discuss topics such as focusing on the here and now, integrity, thankfulness, celebrating milestones, and the importance of friends and community.  Each chapter contains somewhat of a "memoir" of her life as an illustration.

There are times when all of us need the words Ms. Swindoll has recorded as they do take us "back to the basics" and just some good common sense, moral living.  However, don't look to this volume as a perfect fix when your life isn't as you wish it was.  Only God can make us truly happy and fill the emptiness in our lives. While the thoughts in this book may make your life and the lives of those who know you a bit more pleasant and joyful (if you act on them), I would be hesitant to say that they will bring you true happiness.

For me, I think this book is a good reminder of  habits that I should have in my life and could be a wonderful chapter-a-day book.  Each chapter is very short--I don't think any one of them was over 3 pages. So, when I re-read it, I think I will read a chapter, pondering it throughout the day and then determine how I need to act on what I've read to bring joy to my own life as well as joy to those around me.

I did receive this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review and was not obligated in any way to leave a positive review.

Where Lilacs Still Bloom

German immigrant, Hulda, lives in Washington just a short distance from Mt. St. Helens in a time period where little more was expected or a woman other than taking care of her family.  Hulda had a dream though.  From an apple orchard that would produce large easy-to-peel apples to bake pies for her family to daffodil bulbs to flowers, Hulda longed to make improvements on the plants she nurtured and was encouraged to do so by none other than her father.  One of her great desires was to hybridize a lilac, creating a creamy white color with twelve, not four, petals. She painstakingly pollinates the plants with a turkey feather and nurtures them.  Through natural disasters and death itself, Hulda perseveres and overcomes.

I originally ordered this book because of the title.  Lilacs were everywhere in my grandmother's yard and, therefore, became one of my favorites which now grace my yard.  Like the author has two lilacs from Hulda Klager's garden, so I have planted a number of them from my grandmother's collection.  While the title was the first thing to catch my attention, what I found was much more than a novel featuring my favorite flower. I found a story immersed in history and gardening--two of my favorite topics--and found a woman whose strength and vision were truly amazing.  And who could make a facinating story pour from a woman who was a gardener and perhaps a woman before her time?  None other than Jane Kirkpatrick, just as she did with A Daughter's Walk.

While based on fact, this is a story of fiction.  However, the story does make Hulda's life come alive in a way that makes me anxious for the blooming of my own plants and long for the scent of lilacs wafting through the air in the spring breeze.  If you are a gardener and lover of historical fiction, you will certainly enjoy Where Lilacs Still Bloom.

I did receive this book free from the publisher through Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review.  I was, in no way, obligated to provide a positive review.