As I stated in my last post, Max Lucado is one of my favorite authors and this is a new devotional book by him. I purchased Mr. Lucado's "Grace for the Moment, Vol. 2" for my husband a year ago and liked it so much I got "Live Loved" for myself. I love how he takes a snipet from his other books and adds a prayer and some bible verses for some quick daily inspiration for the casual reader. These are not "deep" devotions, but are a great way to start or end your day or provide a short spiritual break during the daily grind.
There are five sections:
1. Loved with a Steadfast Love
2. Loved with a Perfect Love
3. Loved with a Wise Love
4. Loved with a Merciful Love
5. Loved to Love Others
The excerpts are taken from Mr. Lucado's books: It's Not About Me, Facing Your Giants, 3:16 Numbers of Hope, Every Day Deserves a Chance, Fearless and Outlive Your Life
Overall, great devotional! 9 out of 10
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Review - "Max on Life" by Max Lucado
Max Lucado has quickly become one of my favorite authors of all time. I love that he is a long-time pastor and the books he writes seem to talk right to me. He doesn't write in big, theological language that I don't understand. He writes in the language I talk. Any chance I get to review one of his books, I jump at it. I actually saw him in person in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at a special event for pastors on his "Outlive Your Life" book and concert tour. Very nice man.
Anyway, in his book "Max on Life", he publishes the answers to many questions he has received over the years. I wasn't sure what to expect with this book as it is a different type of book than I usually read. I shouldn't have doubted. Some of the questions are funny, some are deeply serious and Mr. Lucado answers all of them with grace.
For example: #128 Our family is exhausted. We run from one event to the next. How do we slow down? Answer: Jesus understands He knew the frenzy of life. People back-to-backed his calendar with demands. But he also knew how to step away from the game. Mr. Lucado goes on with biblical quotes and how to relate them to our busy lives today.
Example 2: #57 Why is there so much chaos and evil in the world? It seems that no one cares about what God wants, and humanity is imploding. Answer: Sin works proportionately to the number of opportunities it is given. As communication and technology grow, sin expands with it. So while the world appears to be spinning out of control, it is only behaving as expected. He goes on with his answer, but you get the idea.
Overall 8 out of 10
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Anyway, in his book "Max on Life", he publishes the answers to many questions he has received over the years. I wasn't sure what to expect with this book as it is a different type of book than I usually read. I shouldn't have doubted. Some of the questions are funny, some are deeply serious and Mr. Lucado answers all of them with grace.
For example: #128 Our family is exhausted. We run from one event to the next. How do we slow down? Answer: Jesus understands He knew the frenzy of life. People back-to-backed his calendar with demands. But he also knew how to step away from the game. Mr. Lucado goes on with biblical quotes and how to relate them to our busy lives today.
Example 2: #57 Why is there so much chaos and evil in the world? It seems that no one cares about what God wants, and humanity is imploding. Answer: Sin works proportionately to the number of opportunities it is given. As communication and technology grow, sin expands with it. So while the world appears to be spinning out of control, it is only behaving as expected. He goes on with his answer, but you get the idea.
Overall 8 out of 10
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Amazing Grace
First of all, I am sorry it has been so long since I've blogged. Life was pretty crazy here for a while as I'm sure you can relate.
As you know my life was pretty much consumed by my job from February 25th (my old boss's last day) until this week. Our new CFO started on April 4th and has jumped in with both feet. I am very happy to report that I had zero overtime this week and I am so excited about that! There was always a part of me that wondered what it would be like to have a bigger career and executive status. Well, that was a great way to "try it on for size" and I learned a very valuable lesson. I don't want to be a CFO and I never want my career to come before my family on that level. I am very happy being a financial accountant and I wouldn't mind being controller, but that's all the higher I want to go on the corporate ladder. We have a really great team going at work right now and I'm enjoying it.
Enough about work and on to amazing grace. In the middle of my work issue, my last grandparent passed away on March 20th. Grandma Krause was 97 amazing years old. She still lived on her own and was in great health except for extreme macular degeneration in her eyes. She had a weak heart valve and was a two time breast cancer survivor. Like I said, amazing. She was in the hospital that weekend for a pulled muscle in her back. That's what they were calling it because all her health tests came back great. She was going to go to a nursing home temporarily for rehab before going back to her apartment. The nurses found her Sunday morning not breathing. Her heart just quit. We'll never know if it really was a heart attack, or if the cancer had come back somewhere, but at 97 years old does it really matter? She lived a complete, full life and taught her family a lot.
So we had an unscheduled trip to Wisconsin for the first week of spring this year. It was a whirlwind week. We helped my sister and husband clean out Grandma's apartment, planned the funeral (although Grandma had most of it planned already) and otherwise just looked at each other wondering what we were going to do without Grandma. It was really nice spending time with all our family, but it was a hard week. Grandma's minister had a wonderful funeral service and we enjoyed putting together a picture board of Grandma's life (even though we joked the whole time about how she would hate us doing that as she avoided getting her picture taken at all costs and we even thought she might have had something to do with the foot of snow that fell the day before her funeral). During the funeral service we sang the hymn "Amazing Grace". That's when I really broke down. I sat there crying as everyone else was singing "I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see". I can't even explain how much I'm going to miss her.
Flash forward to a week later at our ecumenical lenton service held at the methodist church in town. We've been doing a bible study during lent about the blessing of the cross. That week we talked about the blessings of blindness. At the close of the service we sang "Amazing Grace", stood in a circle and lit candles. It really struck me that I was singing "Amazing Grace" twice in one week under two very different circumstances. Isn't God's grace truly amazing?
May you have a blessed Easter season!
As you know my life was pretty much consumed by my job from February 25th (my old boss's last day) until this week. Our new CFO started on April 4th and has jumped in with both feet. I am very happy to report that I had zero overtime this week and I am so excited about that! There was always a part of me that wondered what it would be like to have a bigger career and executive status. Well, that was a great way to "try it on for size" and I learned a very valuable lesson. I don't want to be a CFO and I never want my career to come before my family on that level. I am very happy being a financial accountant and I wouldn't mind being controller, but that's all the higher I want to go on the corporate ladder. We have a really great team going at work right now and I'm enjoying it.
Enough about work and on to amazing grace. In the middle of my work issue, my last grandparent passed away on March 20th. Grandma Krause was 97 amazing years old. She still lived on her own and was in great health except for extreme macular degeneration in her eyes. She had a weak heart valve and was a two time breast cancer survivor. Like I said, amazing. She was in the hospital that weekend for a pulled muscle in her back. That's what they were calling it because all her health tests came back great. She was going to go to a nursing home temporarily for rehab before going back to her apartment. The nurses found her Sunday morning not breathing. Her heart just quit. We'll never know if it really was a heart attack, or if the cancer had come back somewhere, but at 97 years old does it really matter? She lived a complete, full life and taught her family a lot.
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Great-Grandma Krause, Jenna and Tori |
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| Great-Grandma Krause, Jenna, Uriah & Tori Thanksgiving 2010 |
Flash forward to a week later at our ecumenical lenton service held at the methodist church in town. We've been doing a bible study during lent about the blessing of the cross. That week we talked about the blessings of blindness. At the close of the service we sang "Amazing Grace", stood in a circle and lit candles. It really struck me that I was singing "Amazing Grace" twice in one week under two very different circumstances. Isn't God's grace truly amazing?
May you have a blessed Easter season!
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
A winner, a scholarship chance and a new book!
So sorry I didn't post on Sunday like I said I would, but time is just getting away from me.
I loved both comments about favorite bible verses, thank you Amy and Monica!! I have chosen Amy to win the NLT Life Application Study Bible. Congratulations!! Amy, you were one of the first people I ever knew outside of my family. We were best friends growing up and then went our separate ways. Re-connecting with you through Facebook has been a real blessing to me. I hope you enjoy your new bible!! Please send me your mailing address through a private message on facebook or to beckster1024@hotmail.com.
I read an exciting post yesterday on Lysa Terkeurst's blog. Have any of you heard of the She Speaks Conference? It's an annual conference put on in beautiful Concord, North Carolina by Proverbs 31 Ministries. I only recently learned about this conference, but from everything I read it sounds wonderful! There are three different tracks for the conference: a speaker's track, a writer's track and a women's ministry track. I have been struggling with my call recently. I have felt a "tug" to do something more, but have no idea what. The She Speaks Conference looks like the perfect place to explore our "tugs". Lysa Terkeurst is giving away a scholarship to this conference! You can read all about it here. Check it out and maybe I'll see you there someday! :)
Guess what I received in the mail today? You're right, a new book to review!! I just received "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver to review for Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House. It's my first book from Random House and I'm very excited. My book group friends and I are reading Joanna Weaver's first book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World". I've really enjoyed the study and can't wait to dive into "Lazarus"! Anyone interested in doing an online book study on "Lazarus Awakening"? It includes a 10-week bible study. I'd love to read it with you! Leave a comment here if you would like to participate.
Happy Tuesday everyone!!! Have a blessed week!
~Becky
I loved both comments about favorite bible verses, thank you Amy and Monica!! I have chosen Amy to win the NLT Life Application Study Bible. Congratulations!! Amy, you were one of the first people I ever knew outside of my family. We were best friends growing up and then went our separate ways. Re-connecting with you through Facebook has been a real blessing to me. I hope you enjoy your new bible!! Please send me your mailing address through a private message on facebook or to beckster1024@hotmail.com.
I read an exciting post yesterday on Lysa Terkeurst's blog. Have any of you heard of the She Speaks Conference? It's an annual conference put on in beautiful Concord, North Carolina by Proverbs 31 Ministries. I only recently learned about this conference, but from everything I read it sounds wonderful! There are three different tracks for the conference: a speaker's track, a writer's track and a women's ministry track. I have been struggling with my call recently. I have felt a "tug" to do something more, but have no idea what. The She Speaks Conference looks like the perfect place to explore our "tugs". Lysa Terkeurst is giving away a scholarship to this conference! You can read all about it here. Check it out and maybe I'll see you there someday! :)
Guess what I received in the mail today? You're right, a new book to review!! I just received "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver to review for Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House. It's my first book from Random House and I'm very excited. My book group friends and I are reading Joanna Weaver's first book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World". I've really enjoyed the study and can't wait to dive into "Lazarus"! Anyone interested in doing an online book study on "Lazarus Awakening"? It includes a 10-week bible study. I'd love to read it with you! Leave a comment here if you would like to participate.
Happy Tuesday everyone!!! Have a blessed week!
~Becky
Thursday, March 03, 2011
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
This book by E.L. Konigsburg is a children's literary classic. It was written in 1967 and I believe I read it around 3rd grade which would have been 1980. I remember this being the book that got me completely hooked on reading so when I saw it come up on one of the kids' Scholastic book order forms I promptly ordered it to share with them. Tori & I just finished reading it together. I don't think it touched her quite as much as it did me, but she really enjoyed it.
When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run from somewhere she wants to run to somewhere--to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother, Jamie, has money and thus can help her with the serious cash flow problem she invites him along.
Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie, find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at an auction for a bargain price of $250. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. This quest leads Claudia to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.
Have you read it? If so, what was your favorite part? My favorite part was what Claudia discovers about herself at the end of the story. If you haven't read it yet, why not pick it up?
It was a nice break between 39 Clues books for Tori & I. We were waiting for our library to get book 8 in and there are actually a lot of similarities between the two. Tori pointed out how Amy and Dan Cahill are a lot like Claudia and Jamie Kincaid.
Happy Reading!!
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| Book cover from http://www.amazon.com/ |
When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run from somewhere she wants to run to somewhere--to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother, Jamie, has money and thus can help her with the serious cash flow problem she invites him along.
Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie, find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at an auction for a bargain price of $250. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. This quest leads Claudia to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.
Have you read it? If so, what was your favorite part? My favorite part was what Claudia discovers about herself at the end of the story. If you haven't read it yet, why not pick it up?
It was a nice break between 39 Clues books for Tori & I. We were waiting for our library to get book 8 in and there are actually a lot of similarities between the two. Tori pointed out how Amy and Dan Cahill are a lot like Claudia and Jamie Kincaid.
Happy Reading!!
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Reviews, a Giveaway, and taking a dive!
So I know it's been a few weeks since I posted and I have a bunch of reviews and "life" to post so tonight I thought I'd "dive" in.
First, a giveaway!!!! Tyndale House Publishers has given me a certificate for a FREE Life Application Study Bible, NLT. This is my first giveaway on my blog and I am so excited. I know a lot of bloggers leave the giveaway until the end of their posts, but I'm just too excited to keep it to myself any longer. :) Leave a comment on this post and tell me what your favorite bible verse or story is. I'll pick a random comment Sunday night, March 6th, and you will win a new study bible in time for Lent. Isn't that exciting??
And now for my "dive". There are so many life stories to tell about the last 3 weeks, but the "Wow God" moment that stands out the most to me happened on my way work yesterday morning. To give you a little back story, my boss at work gave his two weeks notice and last Friday was his last day. He is greatly missed and more than a few people tried to talk him into staying. It was a very hard choice for him, but he needed to be closer to his family and we all understand. On Friday it became apparant to me that I would be responsible for a lot of his duties in the interim period. Now I should tell you that my boss was the CFO and the company had $250+ million in revenue last year and I found out I would be monitoring the cash accounts among other things starting Monday. Needless to say I had some butterflies driving to work yesterday morning! It wasn't that I doubted my abilities, but I was nervous with everything seemingly piled on me at the last minute and I didn't want to make a mistake. So there I was driving along listening to LIFE 101.9 when this song by Steven Curtis Chapman came on. I LOVE the song and immediately started singing along and then I realized what I was singing. Here are the lyrics:
I really felt like I was in over my head at work, but after I heard this song I knew everything was going to be ok. God was watching out for me and I knew that even if I made a mistake at work I'm still a child of God and Jesus loves me no matter what! You know what? I made it through the first two days just fine even with more surprises. :-)
I wish you "Wow God" moments in your week, too!
Don't forget to leave a comment here for your chance to win a new bible!
First, a giveaway!!!! Tyndale House Publishers has given me a certificate for a FREE Life Application Study Bible, NLT. This is my first giveaway on my blog and I am so excited. I know a lot of bloggers leave the giveaway until the end of their posts, but I'm just too excited to keep it to myself any longer. :) Leave a comment on this post and tell me what your favorite bible verse or story is. I'll pick a random comment Sunday night, March 6th, and you will win a new study bible in time for Lent. Isn't that exciting??
And now for my "dive". There are so many life stories to tell about the last 3 weeks, but the "Wow God" moment that stands out the most to me happened on my way work yesterday morning. To give you a little back story, my boss at work gave his two weeks notice and last Friday was his last day. He is greatly missed and more than a few people tried to talk him into staying. It was a very hard choice for him, but he needed to be closer to his family and we all understand. On Friday it became apparant to me that I would be responsible for a lot of his duties in the interim period. Now I should tell you that my boss was the CFO and the company had $250+ million in revenue last year and I found out I would be monitoring the cash accounts among other things starting Monday. Needless to say I had some butterflies driving to work yesterday morning! It wasn't that I doubted my abilities, but I was nervous with everything seemingly piled on me at the last minute and I didn't want to make a mistake. So there I was driving along listening to LIFE 101.9 when this song by Steven Curtis Chapman came on. I LOVE the song and immediately started singing along and then I realized what I was singing. Here are the lyrics:
Dive by Steven Curtis Chapman
The long awaited rains
Have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground
And carved their way to where
The wild and rushing river can be found
And like the rains
I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah
My heart is racing and my knees are weak
As I walk to the edge
I know there is no turning back
Once my feet have left the ledge
And in the rush I hear a voice
That’s telling me it’s time
to take the leap of faith
So here I go
I’m diving in, I’m going deep
in over my head, I want to be
Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,
in over my head, I want to go
The river’s deep, the river’s wide,
the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim, I’m diving in
There is a supernatural power
In this mighty river’s flow
It can bring the dead to life
And it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing
Worth living and worth dying for, yeah
But we will never know the awesome power
Of the grace of God
Until we let ourselves get swept away
Into this holy flood
So if you’ll take my hand
We’ll close our eyes and count to three
And take the leap of faith
Come on let’s go
I wish you "Wow God" moments in your week, too!
Don't forget to leave a comment here for your chance to win a new bible!
Review - Adventures In BoogaBooga Land DVD
More informationThis is an animated children's dvd featuring Marty and Gerard, a comical giraffe and monkey, and their adventures. There are three 15 minute episodes on the dvd each featuring a different parable: the workers in the vineyard, the wise and foolish builders and the lamp under the bowl.
Marty and Gerard are very likable characters and the animation is very colorful. I can see children under the age of 6 getting bored with the stories though. I think the storylines are best suited for 6-8 year olds, but the animation is aimed at children younger than 6. Maybe that was done on purpose to appeal to a wider audience, but I'm not sure it works in this instance.
I am all for getting God's word out to children and I love projects like this one for that very reason. I wouldn't give this a bad rating, but it could have been a lot better. 3 out of 5 stars - good.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com
Monday, February 07, 2011
Monday Musings
Wow, another amazingly blessed weekend thanks to our awesome God!!
It was such a joy watching our daughter, Tori, play basketball Saturday morning! She came out of her shell a little and made a basket during the first game. It was great to see her getting into the game more than she has before! This coming Saturday is the last weekend of games for the season. It's such a joy watching our children learn and grow!
Sunday my husband Burt had a brand new worship experience planned for Peace UCC. It was a visual learning service all about the sacrement of Holy Communion. One of the key elements of the service was a sharing part where he asked members of the congregation to share their experiences of Holy Communion: who or what do you think about during Communion; where are some special places you've shared the sacrement; what does Communion mean to you. It's always a little nerve-wracking planning for sharing time because you never know if anyone will share or not, but it was a beautiful experience. People shared about taking Communion in Africa, on youth retreats, what was learned during a confirmation class many years ago, thinking about parents and our experiences as a child. The other neat part of the service yesterday was a little section Burt wrote called "Created and Creating" where he and our daughter prepared the Communion table while another congregant and myself took turns reading the creation story in Genesis and comparing it to a different part of the Communion Table and tying it all together in us right now. It sounds like that wouldn't go together at all doesn't it? Well, Burt has a wonderful way with words and an amazing gift of tying things together having it all makes sense for our every day lives. (On a side note: I truly believe that's what touches me with Lysa Terkeurst's ministry also. Lysa and all her P31 sisters really bring the message of God to life for me wherever I am today. You can check them out here: Proverbs 31 and Lysa Terkeurst)
Immediately after worship I met with the members who signed up for our book study on Max Lucado's most recent book, "Outlive Your Life". We have a wonderful group of 10 members embarking on the DVD and book study journey with my husband and I over the next four weeks.
Also immediately following worship the church sponsored its annual "Souper Bowl" lunch. We served chili, vegetable beef and some of my hubby's awesome creamy potato soup. What a joy and blessing it was to work side by side with the wonderful people of our congregation!
After the wonderful lunch and clean up we went home to settle in for an amazing SuperBowl game last night: Our home team, the Green Bay Packers vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. The boys did not disappoint. It was an amazing game to watch with our Packers pulling off the win after a rocky 2nd half. The best part was during the interviews after the game when Pam Oliver was talking to Greg Jennings and his first comment was "To God be the glory"! I LOVED that!! I also love the christian attitudes of the majority of the Packer team. Aaron Rodgers is a great example of a man living his faith.
Like I said, it was an amazing, blessed weekend. Thank you God!
It was such a joy watching our daughter, Tori, play basketball Saturday morning! She came out of her shell a little and made a basket during the first game. It was great to see her getting into the game more than she has before! This coming Saturday is the last weekend of games for the season. It's such a joy watching our children learn and grow!
Sunday my husband Burt had a brand new worship experience planned for Peace UCC. It was a visual learning service all about the sacrement of Holy Communion. One of the key elements of the service was a sharing part where he asked members of the congregation to share their experiences of Holy Communion: who or what do you think about during Communion; where are some special places you've shared the sacrement; what does Communion mean to you. It's always a little nerve-wracking planning for sharing time because you never know if anyone will share or not, but it was a beautiful experience. People shared about taking Communion in Africa, on youth retreats, what was learned during a confirmation class many years ago, thinking about parents and our experiences as a child. The other neat part of the service yesterday was a little section Burt wrote called "Created and Creating" where he and our daughter prepared the Communion table while another congregant and myself took turns reading the creation story in Genesis and comparing it to a different part of the Communion Table and tying it all together in us right now. It sounds like that wouldn't go together at all doesn't it? Well, Burt has a wonderful way with words and an amazing gift of tying things together having it all makes sense for our every day lives. (On a side note: I truly believe that's what touches me with Lysa Terkeurst's ministry also. Lysa and all her P31 sisters really bring the message of God to life for me wherever I am today. You can check them out here: Proverbs 31 and Lysa Terkeurst)
Immediately after worship I met with the members who signed up for our book study on Max Lucado's most recent book, "Outlive Your Life". We have a wonderful group of 10 members embarking on the DVD and book study journey with my husband and I over the next four weeks.
Also immediately following worship the church sponsored its annual "Souper Bowl" lunch. We served chili, vegetable beef and some of my hubby's awesome creamy potato soup. What a joy and blessing it was to work side by side with the wonderful people of our congregation!
After the wonderful lunch and clean up we went home to settle in for an amazing SuperBowl game last night: Our home team, the Green Bay Packers vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. The boys did not disappoint. It was an amazing game to watch with our Packers pulling off the win after a rocky 2nd half. The best part was during the interviews after the game when Pam Oliver was talking to Greg Jennings and his first comment was "To God be the glory"! I LOVED that!! I also love the christian attitudes of the majority of the Packer team. Aaron Rodgers is a great example of a man living his faith.
Like I said, it was an amazing, blessed weekend. Thank you God!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday Musings
What an eventful, blessed weekend we had!
It started Saturday morning watching our daughter play basketball - a sport neither Burt nor I know too much about. I played in 5th grade just like Tori is doing, but it wasn't pretty. I remember getting called for traveling and the only time I made any baskets was when I got fouled and got to shoot freethrows. My coach was very positive and overall it was a good experience, but I realized that basketball wasn't in my future. :) It is amazing watching your child learn a new skill! The first game she was really timid and almost looked scared to get the ball, but in the second game she made 2 baskets and got some rebounds also! Burt & I were so proud of her! We celebrated by going to Culvers for lunch (my absolute favorite fast food place) and stopped at Wal-mart to pick up the fixings for a huge batch of creamy potato soup.
Saturday afternoon Burt had 2 roasters full of soup made in about 2 hours! That man is an amazing cook and I am so blessed to have him!! He was diagnosed with diabetes in June and he is doing wonderful at adapting recipes to make them "diabetes-friendly". If anyone would like his recipe I will gladly share it. Everytime he has made it, we have had guests ask to take some home and want the recipe so it's not just me praising my hubby. :)
Sunday brought Sunday School and worship followed by our annual meeting and potluck. The annual meeting was completely painless this year! What a relief! It's so stressful when you're talking about money with a large group of people as there are always going to be differences of opinion. There were some questions and comments raised, but nothing earth shattering and the budget passed without conflict. Everyone enjoyed Burt's soup during the potluck and kept telling me how good it was. I took great joy in referring them to my husband (their pastor) for the soup as I had nothing to do with it. A lot of them were pleaseantly surprised to find out how great a cook he is.
After taking the kids to their 4-H meeting, I settled in for an afternoon of NFL football which was interrupted briefly to pick the kids up and then go pick up one friend for the afternoon and then go pick up another friend for the afternoon. :) So, with each child having a friend over and playing in other areas of the house, Burt & I were able to enjoy the rest of the Packer-Bear game and what a game it was!!! My favorite play of the game (and maybe the whole season) was the interception by B.J. Raji and his 18 yard touchdown run. Raji interception and TD I especially enjoyed his TD dance! So the Packers will face the Steelers in the Superbowl in 2 weeks! What really impressed me though was the attitude of the whole Packers team after their win. Aaron Rodgers gave all the credit to the defense for the win in an interview after the game. How many quarterbacks would do that? He is one classy guy and the Pack is one classy team.
Well, that's my weekend in a nutshell. How was yours? Tonight I am looking forward to another webcast by Lysa Terkeurst about her Made to Crave book. She is an amazing Jesus girl with an amazing message everyone needs to hear! (I think I said that before, but it's worth saying again)
Happy Monday Everyone!
It started Saturday morning watching our daughter play basketball - a sport neither Burt nor I know too much about. I played in 5th grade just like Tori is doing, but it wasn't pretty. I remember getting called for traveling and the only time I made any baskets was when I got fouled and got to shoot freethrows. My coach was very positive and overall it was a good experience, but I realized that basketball wasn't in my future. :) It is amazing watching your child learn a new skill! The first game she was really timid and almost looked scared to get the ball, but in the second game she made 2 baskets and got some rebounds also! Burt & I were so proud of her! We celebrated by going to Culvers for lunch (my absolute favorite fast food place) and stopped at Wal-mart to pick up the fixings for a huge batch of creamy potato soup.
Saturday afternoon Burt had 2 roasters full of soup made in about 2 hours! That man is an amazing cook and I am so blessed to have him!! He was diagnosed with diabetes in June and he is doing wonderful at adapting recipes to make them "diabetes-friendly". If anyone would like his recipe I will gladly share it. Everytime he has made it, we have had guests ask to take some home and want the recipe so it's not just me praising my hubby. :)
Sunday brought Sunday School and worship followed by our annual meeting and potluck. The annual meeting was completely painless this year! What a relief! It's so stressful when you're talking about money with a large group of people as there are always going to be differences of opinion. There were some questions and comments raised, but nothing earth shattering and the budget passed without conflict. Everyone enjoyed Burt's soup during the potluck and kept telling me how good it was. I took great joy in referring them to my husband (their pastor) for the soup as I had nothing to do with it. A lot of them were pleaseantly surprised to find out how great a cook he is.
After taking the kids to their 4-H meeting, I settled in for an afternoon of NFL football which was interrupted briefly to pick the kids up and then go pick up one friend for the afternoon and then go pick up another friend for the afternoon. :) So, with each child having a friend over and playing in other areas of the house, Burt & I were able to enjoy the rest of the Packer-Bear game and what a game it was!!! My favorite play of the game (and maybe the whole season) was the interception by B.J. Raji and his 18 yard touchdown run. Raji interception and TD I especially enjoyed his TD dance! So the Packers will face the Steelers in the Superbowl in 2 weeks! What really impressed me though was the attitude of the whole Packers team after their win. Aaron Rodgers gave all the credit to the defense for the win in an interview after the game. How many quarterbacks would do that? He is one classy guy and the Pack is one classy team.
Well, that's my weekend in a nutshell. How was yours? Tonight I am looking forward to another webcast by Lysa Terkeurst about her Made to Crave book. She is an amazing Jesus girl with an amazing message everyone needs to hear! (I think I said that before, but it's worth saying again)
Happy Monday Everyone!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Made to Crave by Lysa Terkuerst
If you have ever struggled with your weight, an addiction to food or an addiction to anything, this book will help you turn that addiction over to God. The premise of the book is that God made us to crave Him and not food (or anything else we put before God). One of my favorite quotes from Lysa is that we were made to consume food, but food was not made to consume us.
I have been enjoying Lysa's free webcasts on Monday nights from 7:00 - 7:45 central time. She has had Dr. Ski Chilton on as a guest for each webcast. He talks about the importance of fiber in any diet and Omega 3's. This last Monday she also had Pastor Steven Furtick on the webcast and he gave some amazing insight to the fact that God loves us no matter what we look like and what we do. He always wants the best for us and is with us every step of the way.
You can still catch the last 4 webcasts every Monday until February 14th. These are live and free and can be accessed through the link above and also on http://www.ksbj.org/ There is a DVD book study to go with the main text. I am really excited to be planning this book study for our church community later this year with the approval of the powers that be. :)
Check out the book if you can find it - it has now hit the NY Times Bestseller list and is selling out everywhere. Check out the webcasts if you can as they are very inspirational. Definitely check out the website link above to learn more about the book and Lysa.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Neat contest from Tyndale
Dear Bloggers,
I wanted to fill you in on an exciting contest that is currently being run and sponsored by the New Living Translation. We’re highlighting three ministries, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Oasis International, and The Dream Center, (click on the link to learn more details about these ministries) and by voting for one of these ministries you’ll be entered to win one of many prizes.
To enter, visit the NLT Facebook page by clicking here:
http://www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation?v=app_28134323652&ref=ts
There are several levels of prizes you can win, here are the details:
With the Give the Word Bible Contest and Giveaway:
• Ministries win: Each time the NLT Facebook Page reaches a fan count milestone, votes will be tallied and the three ministries will receive cash donations from the New Living Translation and Tyndale House Publishers.
• Everyone wins: Everyone who enters on the Bible Contest website wins a free download of Matthew West reading the Christmas story.
• Daily NLT Study Bible winners: Vote on the NLT Facebook page and you will be entered to win two NLT Study Bibles—one to keep and one to give away. A new winner will be chosen every day.
• Weekly Give the Word Locally winners: Tell us about a deserving local ministry on the NLT Bible Contest website and they could win five NLT Study Bibles and $250 worth of NLT products.
• One Grand Prize winner will enjoy a unique trip customized just for them and their family (or three guests of their choice), to Wycliffe Bible Translators world headquarters and the WordSpring Discovery Center where they will experience firsthand the exciting world of Bible translation. The Grand Prize winner could also choose to donate the value of the trip--$2000--to Wycliffe instead.
I wanted to fill you in on an exciting contest that is currently being run and sponsored by the New Living Translation. We’re highlighting three ministries, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Oasis International, and The Dream Center, (click on the link to learn more details about these ministries) and by voting for one of these ministries you’ll be entered to win one of many prizes.
To enter, visit the NLT Facebook page by clicking here:
http://www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation?v=app_28134323652&ref=ts
There are several levels of prizes you can win, here are the details:
With the Give the Word Bible Contest and Giveaway:
• Ministries win: Each time the NLT Facebook Page reaches a fan count milestone, votes will be tallied and the three ministries will receive cash donations from the New Living Translation and Tyndale House Publishers.
• Everyone wins: Everyone who enters on the Bible Contest website wins a free download of Matthew West reading the Christmas story.
• Daily NLT Study Bible winners: Vote on the NLT Facebook page and you will be entered to win two NLT Study Bibles—one to keep and one to give away. A new winner will be chosen every day.
• Weekly Give the Word Locally winners: Tell us about a deserving local ministry on the NLT Bible Contest website and they could win five NLT Study Bibles and $250 worth of NLT products.
• One Grand Prize winner will enjoy a unique trip customized just for them and their family (or three guests of their choice), to Wycliffe Bible Translators world headquarters and the WordSpring Discovery Center where they will experience firsthand the exciting world of Bible translation. The Grand Prize winner could also choose to donate the value of the trip--$2000--to Wycliffe instead.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Review: Outlive Your Life - You Were Made to Make a Difference by Max Lucado
This is the most recent book by popular Christian author Max Lucado. This book celebrates his 25th year in publishing and all of his royalties from the book and other Outlive Your Life products will be donated to World Vision. How cool is that?! It is written in Mr. Lucado's common everyday language that makes his books such a refreshing easy read for me. I finished this book in 3 days which hasn't happened for a few years due to the ages of my children and the amount of activities we are involved in. This book got my attention with the opening fable of Father Benjamin and kept it all the way to the discussion and action guide at the end. The book is based on the book of Acts. It retells the story of the first christian church with present day examples of things every person can do both big and small to make a difference in this world even after we have departed it.
Mr. Lucado really shows us that everyone, even your average ordinary "Joe" can do something to make the world a better place and to leave a legacy behind. Yes, God can use even you. Whether it's saying a prayer for someone, sharing hospitality or adopting an orphan from another country EVERYONE can do SOMETHING to make this world better. If I could recommend one book that everyone should read this year, this is that book. This book has the potential to change the world one reader at a time. Thank you Mr. Lucado, for giving us inspiration and hope!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.combook review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Mr. Lucado really shows us that everyone, even your average ordinary "Joe" can do something to make the world a better place and to leave a legacy behind. Yes, God can use even you. Whether it's saying a prayer for someone, sharing hospitality or adopting an orphan from another country EVERYONE can do SOMETHING to make this world better. If I could recommend one book that everyone should read this year, this is that book. This book has the potential to change the world one reader at a time. Thank you Mr. Lucado, for giving us inspiration and hope!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Life Update Part 1 - Summer 2010
So here's a sampling of what we've been up to since May:
The kids had fun at Cougar Day in May
On May 8th, we picked up 2 calves and brought them to a farm close to our house to work with and train for the 4-H Fair. We had no idea what we were getting into!
We had a visit from family in May – Burt’s parents and 3 of our nephews. They had a lot of fun at the farm with all the different animals. There are horses, newborn chicks and newborn kittens in addition to our calves.
Uriah played little league and Burt ended up coaching his team and Tori & I assisted. We had a lot of fun!
We practiced walking the calves down to our house and back to get them used to being led. In addition to going down 2x a day to feed and water them.
In addition to all this fun, Burt took Memorial Day weekend off and the 4 of us went to Wisconsin Dells for the weekend. We stayed at Hotel Rome and went to Mt. Olympus, Pirates Cove and rode the Ducks. It was a nice, relaxing family weekend.
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| Tori & Jersey |
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| Uriah & Maurice |
In addition to all this fun, Burt took Memorial Day weekend off and the 4 of us went to Wisconsin Dells for the weekend. We stayed at Hotel Rome and went to Mt. Olympus, Pirates Cove and rode the Ducks. It was a nice, relaxing family weekend.
We took the calves to Dairy Day in June. They walked in the morning parade and got 60 tickets each for the rides later.
After the parade they showed the calves in the dairy show. It was a great warm up for what the fair would be like. They learned a lot!
A fun nerf fight turned into an all out water fight outside on a hot summer day!
We had a great time at Vacation Bible School in June :)
July was fair time!
The club project was taking care of the Butterfly Garden at Mattke Park. They took pictures through the whole process and wrote up the project. They ended up being selected for the State Fair! Way to go S-F Lucky Clovers!
The big day finally arrived - bucket/bottle calf judging!
The kids did excellent and both received blue ribbons!
My sister, grandmother and niece came for a quick visit so they could see the kids show their calves. It was great to have them here for a few days!
Did I mention that the weekend before the fair (4th of July weekend) we went camping in Wisconsin with Burt's family? It was a great time! Could have done without 2 days of rain, but it was still good to see everyone again.
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Review: The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews
Book Description:
Did you know that what you do today can change the world forever?
The Boy Who Changed the World opens with a young Norman Borlaug playing in his family’s cornfields with his sisters. One day, Norman would grow up and use his knowledge of agriculture to save the lives of two billion people. Two billion! Norman changed the world! Or was it Henry Wallace who changed the world? Or maybe it was George Washington Carver?
This engaging story reveals the incredible truth that everything we do matters! Based on The Butterfly Effect, Andy’s timeless tale shows children that even the smallest of our actions can affect all of humanity. The book is beautifully illustrated and shares the stories of Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, Vice President Henry Wallace, Inventor George Washington Carver, and Farmer Moses Carver. Through the stories of each, a different butterfly will appear. The book will end with a flourish of butterflies and a charge to the child that they, too, can be the boy or girl who changes the world.
My thoughts: This is a beautiful children's book! I did think that the writing would be hard for younger kids to follow so I would say this should be geared towards kids ages 9 and up. The message is clear and good for adults too. I especially found it interesting as we live so close to Mr. Borlaug's birthplace. I do plan to use it for a children's sermon illustration soon. Thank you Mr. Andrews for sharing such an important, inspiring story!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.combook review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Did you know that what you do today can change the world forever?
The Boy Who Changed the World opens with a young Norman Borlaug playing in his family’s cornfields with his sisters. One day, Norman would grow up and use his knowledge of agriculture to save the lives of two billion people. Two billion! Norman changed the world! Or was it Henry Wallace who changed the world? Or maybe it was George Washington Carver?
This engaging story reveals the incredible truth that everything we do matters! Based on The Butterfly Effect, Andy’s timeless tale shows children that even the smallest of our actions can affect all of humanity. The book is beautifully illustrated and shares the stories of Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, Vice President Henry Wallace, Inventor George Washington Carver, and Farmer Moses Carver. Through the stories of each, a different butterfly will appear. The book will end with a flourish of butterflies and a charge to the child that they, too, can be the boy or girl who changes the world.
My thoughts: This is a beautiful children's book! I did think that the writing would be hard for younger kids to follow so I would say this should be geared towards kids ages 9 and up. The message is clear and good for adults too. I especially found it interesting as we live so close to Mr. Borlaug's birthplace. I do plan to use it for a children's sermon illustration soon. Thank you Mr. Andrews for sharing such an important, inspiring story!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge - Book Review
Summary: This book was written by a husband and wife team to help women of all ages and stages.
"You are a woman to your soul, to the very core of your being....The desires that God has placed into our hearts are clues as to who we really are and the role that we are meant to play....We think you'll find that every woman in her heart of hearts longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplacable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. That's what makes a woman come alive."
Reactions: What an amazing book! It really touched something in me and helped me realize how much shame I was carrying around needlessly. The Eldredges take it back to the very beginning and put a whole new light on Eve - one I had never thought of or realized before. I always thought of the apple incident when I thought of Eve, but no longer. Eve was created as a perfect woman to complete man and the world! What an empowering feeling! They also encourage women to find, or should I say dig out, their inner dreams that have been buried for years. What a wonderful, life changing book. I would recommend this book to any woman.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.combook review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
"You are a woman to your soul, to the very core of your being....The desires that God has placed into our hearts are clues as to who we really are and the role that we are meant to play....We think you'll find that every woman in her heart of hearts longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplacable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. That's what makes a woman come alive."
Reactions: What an amazing book! It really touched something in me and helped me realize how much shame I was carrying around needlessly. The Eldredges take it back to the very beginning and put a whole new light on Eve - one I had never thought of or realized before. I always thought of the apple incident when I thought of Eve, but no longer. Eve was created as a perfect woman to complete man and the world! What an empowering feeling! They also encourage women to find, or should I say dig out, their inner dreams that have been buried for years. What a wonderful, life changing book. I would recommend this book to any woman.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com
Vegetable Slicers
So we purchased a new food slicer yesterday for $20. Burt was using it to slice up some cucumbers when he accidentally sliced his pinky finger on the blade. He couldn't stop the bleeding on his own and with his diabetes now he didn't want to take any chance with an infection. He went by himself and I started to finish up what he was doing by slicing the onions. Do you see where this is going?
About 30 minutes after Burt left I was on my way to the ER after slicing off the tip of my middle finger. What are the chances?!? Soooo, 2 ER visits, 2 tetanus shots, some silver nitrate to stop the bleeding on my finger and 2 bandaged fingers later, it turned into a very expensive vegetable slicer!!
Everyone got a good laugh out of it in church this morning, but it made helping at the corn roast a little difficult.
Live and learn! :)
About 30 minutes after Burt left I was on my way to the ER after slicing off the tip of my middle finger. What are the chances?!? Soooo, 2 ER visits, 2 tetanus shots, some silver nitrate to stop the bleeding on my finger and 2 bandaged fingers later, it turned into a very expensive vegetable slicer!!
Everyone got a good laugh out of it in church this morning, but it made helping at the corn roast a little difficult.
Live and learn! :)
Saturday, August 07, 2010
It's been too long!
Wow, have I really not posted anything since May??!! Yeah, I guess our summer was really busy and now it is after midnight on a Friday night and we have 3 children in addition to our own staying here tonight. Tori has 2 friends over and Uriah has 1. The girls just stopped giggling minutes ago at 12:30! I have no idea on the boys, but I'm thinking there will be some naps taken tomorrow. :)
I need to post about wonderful and busy summer, but it's going to have to wait until I have more time because we have lots of great pictures to share. We took a family vacation to South Dakota!
Later!
I need to post about wonderful and busy summer, but it's going to have to wait until I have more time because we have lots of great pictures to share. We took a family vacation to South Dakota!
Later!
Monday, May 03, 2010
Review: Plan B by Pete Wilson
Learn how God often does His best work in our most hopeless situations.
What do you do when a shattered dream or an unmet expectation causes you to turn to Plan B? Pastor and author Pete Wilson uses real life stories of disappointments and tragedy along with biblical stories such as David, Joseph, and Ruth to help readers face their own overwhelming situations and through them to learn God is working to help them surrender their plans to receive His. He identifies our common responses to difficulties and offers hope, helping us to understand what God might be up to.
Review: Overall I thought this was a great book that everyone should read at least once and in my case, re-read often. It is a great reminder to trust God with all things and that God's plan is greater than any we can come up with on our own. I really liked how Mr. Wilson wove his own personal stories, stories from his congregation and stories from the Bible to prove that if we stop and listen to the voice of God, He will see us through. I really appreciated the fact that Mr. Wilson did not presume to have all the answers and his writing style was very easy to read. He writes all of this in "common", easy-to-read language which is not for someone looking for a deep theological book. Wonderful message!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com
Monday, April 26, 2010
Ah Spring! What have we been up to?
Wow, there is nothing like spring! Birds are singing, flowers are blooming and activities are flying. :) We had 4-H Communications day last Sunday and the kids did great! They both gave a speech and performed and Tori modeled some clothes. The kids had their spring concert last Tuesday night. Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Allison do such a great job teaching the kids! The kids are having fun with soccer and Uriah is excited to start baseball soon. Tori still loves trampoline and tumbling and was so excited when she took 3rd place at her first trampoline competition this spring.
Burt - well, he has been very busy with church work and Lions Club activities. He can't wait to start getting out on the golf course again soon and we are both looking forward to getting away on a family vacation this year!
Me - I'm enjoying all the kids' and church activities and I'm actually enjoying work. Sure it has its challenges, but I look forward to going every day and the days just fly by!
Burt - well, he has been very busy with church work and Lions Club activities. He can't wait to start getting out on the golf course again soon and we are both looking forward to getting away on a family vacation this year!
Me - I'm enjoying all the kids' and church activities and I'm actually enjoying work. Sure it has its challenges, but I look forward to going every day and the days just fly by!
Tori and her 3rd place trophy in trampoline
Sumner-Fredericksburg Lucky Clovers at 4-H Communications Day
Great job everyone!
Great job everyone!
Tori playing "Ode to Joy" at Communications Day
Tori about to demonstrate how to make cake mix cookies
Uriah giving a speech about the Lightning War from WWII
Tori modeling her $3 outfit (including shoes!) for the 4-H $15 clothing challenge
Uriah, Jasper, Ethan & Avery at the spring concert
Uriah and his best friend Ethan during the spring concert
Thanks for the great pics Sandy!
5th Grade singing at spring concert
Kids' Easter dessert (adults got cheesecake)
Easter 2010
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