Perfect gift for grads

Many times in my life I have had topics and circumstances come my way that I was uncertain regarding a decision or where I stood.  Fortunately, God's Word provides guidance every step of the way.  Whether you are uncertain about God's presence, making poor choices, needing encouragement, searching for who Jesus is, or simply wondering what Scripture has to say about a topic so you can make certain your thinking is in line with God, this small purse/backpack sized book provides both Old and New Testament scripture in New King James with a few in New International version answers to your questions.  Each topic is addressed by approximately 8-12 scripture verses.

This small book has been published with a few focuses, God's Promises for Your Every Need, God's Promises for Women, and several newly published color options for the Class of 2018.  The soft, leather like cover and the silver gilded pages are very attractive and a perfect gift for someone special in your life who is graduating this year.  What better way to send them out than with the promise that God's word is reliable and true and that, one day we will all who are believers graduate into our heavenly home.

While maybe just a simple thing, one surprise for me when I received this book was the ribbon marker decorated at the end with a graduation tassel.  Nice touch.  As a Christian teacher in a public school setting, I plan to use this book as gifts for students hoping that the life my husband and I have displayed before them was a seed and this book will water that seed so that fruit may be revealed. Maybe combine this book with a nice pen and journal for an extra special gift?

I did receive this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and am in no way obligated to write a positive one.

Entertaining ideas galore

Life is worth celebrating.  Whether it be big events like birthdays and holidays or maybe just a simple victory such as doing well on a test or meeting an exercise/health goal.  In my opinion, it is actually the more unexpected small celebrations that are the most fun to plan and execute.

I love Katie Jacobs' new So Much To celebrate: Entertaining The Ones You Love The Whole Year Through.  No matter the season or occasion, she has provide recipes that don't require a list of special ingredients and tips on what you can make ahead, décor and table setting ideas with beautiful photos, and theme options.  The one thing that I was a bit disappointed in was the number of drink recipes containing alcohol.  However, I think I will try some of them without the addition.

The volume is a sturdy hard-bound one with a ribbon marker to hold your spot.  While some hard-bound recipe books frustrate me, this one opens nicely and lays flat enough that I am not fighting pages while creating the recipes.  The exception would be only the very final recipes in the back but it is still okay and I have those at the top of my "must make lists"--Peppermint cheesecake and chocolate eclairs.

Another feature I like about the book is that it is broken down into seasons with suggested menus.  How many times to I want to entertain and can't figure out what to serve?  Get ready for a lot of dessert options in those menus though.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to write a positive one. 

Jungle board book

One of my favorite moments of each day when my children were small was bedtime.  Sometimes it was just that glorious moment when they calmed down and I could have a moment to do what needed to be done but it was also a special moment for bedtime stories.  It seems often their hands would reach for the same story that was their favorite but I loved all books that either pointed them toward the love of their heavenly Father or helped them unwind and be ready for a good night's rest. 

Night Night Jungle by Amy Parker uses jungle animals such as the sloth, lemur, and parrot for just such a bedtime story.  In rhyming text, the animals are praying before they eat, brush their teeth, take one more splash in the water, beg for one more story.....all rituals our children go through every night then say "night, night". 

The bright colorful illustrations by Virginia Allyn will engage the youngest "reader" and the sturdy board book pages will stand up to small hands turning them.  The lightly padded cover also makes it a bit easier for small hands to grip and carry.  I love that the text ends with reminding us that God loves us and the animals then a "night night" to God.

I am a huge fan of all board books as I don't think it is ever too early to begin to engage your child in the pleasures of reading.  I am particularly fond of these sturdier volumes for children up to age 4 so that they can hold the book and turn the pages just like they see their parents doing without any concern of damage.  I also like the fact that the author used some pretty obscure animals that can be used as a teaching tool.  I may have been a young adult before I knew much of anything about a sloth.  And a toucan was simply something on the front of a cereal box but I didn't know anything about its living environment.   This book provides a good jumping off for children to investigate and find out more about the animals in the illustrations.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and am in no way obligated to write a positive one.

Picture book based on Mercy Me's "I Can Only Imagine"

Who didn't fall in love immediately with Mercy Me's hit "I Can Only Imagine"?  The story behind the moving song has just been released as a motion picture and now the book can easily bring the theme to a child's level as the main character wonders what heaven is like.  In rhyming verse, the boy wonders if you wake up with messy  hair, what there is to eat, what you might spend your day doing, what the rooms look like, what is fun, if Jesus would play too, if there are animals, and more--all questions we have each wondered about at one time or another.

The brightly colored illustrations will capture the attention and imagination of small children.  The text is an open invitation to begin talking to your child about heaven but I love that the text ends with an assurance that we don't have to wait to get to heaven to spend time with God. He is in our hearts.  His Spirit will guide us.  He will never leave us.

I thought this book a nice compliment to the song I have come to love and I believe it to be most suitable for children ages 4 to 9.  I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and am in no way obligated to write a positive one.