God Give Us #ChristianHomes by Jim Faughn Book #Review and #Giveaway

     Oh man... I struggle.  I struggle with a lot of things, the top on the list being the kids.  They make me so proud and so angry, so excited and so sad all in the same day.  Each one of them.  My emotions are all over the place each and every day and sometimes I get so overwhelmed.  When all of them are making me angry at once, oh boy!  Or when I feel like everywhere I turn I am being ignored, like I'm not even there, like I'm not even a person...  I hate that!  Or when they all are being loud all day and it seems like it's all echoing off every wall in the house, it's maddening!  I sure do struggle.

     I'm not gonna lie, I've said things I can never take back, things I regret.  I've done things too.  I've snapped and blamed, and cursed when things get to be too much.  One day, truth be told, I ran away.  It was just for the day, but I did.  And do you know what happened?  It was a Sunday, the last day of a super long weekend and I was driving through town, barely able to see through my tears and when I passed the church this overwhelming urge came over me to stop, like all I needed in the world right then was to go in.  I didn't know anybody and it didn't matter, I was being called.  I needed to go in.  I didn't.
     But I did go on medication, which only made things worse for a while, because then people had a reason to point at me like I was losing my mind.  It was no longer a situation that was causing me to be buried in despair, it was a "condition".  Man, did that only make me more mad, made me feel like any chance I had at things getting better was gone.  It made me feel even more hopeless.  I just kept thinking that no parent should ever feel how I was feeling, no parent should hate their life and dread their kids.  I love my kids, don't get me wrong.  It's because I love them so deeply with everything I have that their actions and words hurt me the way they do.

     I know, I know, they're just kids.  They are just kids, but they're my kids and they're a reflection of me.  My reflection shouldn't make me so upset, you know?
     I don't know what God's plan is.  Sometimes I think I see clear paths and sometimes I feel completely abandoned.  But when my Memere died a couple months after that day and the funeral was led by the pastor of that very church that I passed... I knew I was meant to go there.  Of all the churches in all the towns, of all the pastors that preach... he preached at the one I was compelled to stop at, an easy half hour away from where my Memere lived, at least.

     My aunt happened to be pretty close to the pastor's wife and introduced me and The Big One to her.  And even though everything in me wanted to bolt out the door and avoid new people, I let it happen.  I even took it upon myself to seek my aunt out when it looked like she'd forgotten.  Again, I was compelled.  And you know what?  I went.  I didn't know a single person in that congregation except for a woman I'd barely just met.  Truth be told, don't tell her I told you, but when she saw me come into the church and was all excited to see me and gave me a big hug... I didn't even recognize her.  That's how little I knew the only person that I knew.  But I went.  Me... the shyest person I've ever known.
     And it was my children's first experience with a church.  We went weekly for a long time.  We made friends and went to events, it was life changing for me.  And now?  We don't go so much.  Things happened and circumstances got in the way of us going for a while.  And though those circumstances have since changed, I haven't dared to start bringing them back yet.  Here's why:

     My kids publicly humiliate me on a daily basis.  In fact, losing my vehicle may have been the best thing to happen to my will to live in years.  And here's the thing, I'm not the kind of person who can laugh it off and bounce back.  Nope, I'm that timid little girl who wrung her hands when she had to be on stage and nearly cried as she mouthed the words so no one would hear her sing... that's me.  Now picture everyone else on that stage and in that audience pointing and laughing... that's how my kids make me feel.  They used to be so good for me in public.  We'd have a very serious discussion before entering the store about acceptable behavior and such, and leave the store in practically one piece emotionally, treat in hand for reward.  They weren't perfect, but good.  Now?  Well, every other trip to the store ends in tears for me.  And it's not like I can afford a second trip, so I have to finish what I'm getting or go without for the week.

     I know what you're thinking, maybe I don't discipline them enough, maybe I'm not consistent, maybe I spoil them.  I can assure, you I discipline them enough.  I feel like I am always disciplining them, sometimes I worry I am too strict.  I especially feel that way when I see other parents who never raise their voice, have the patience of a monk, and kids that seem to practically raise themselves.  I try to be consistent, as consistent as my memory allows.  There were a couple times I forgot a kid was supposed to be in time out and they snuck away, or when I've forgotten a kid was grounded and they got away with video games for the day.  But for the most part, I've done the best I can.  I can't snap my fingers and have a better memory, so it is what it is.  As far as spoiled, maybe you have a point there.  I did try my best over the summer to make sure that every day had so much free fun jammed in it that we'd pass out by day's end.  And we did definitely have a blast.  Maybe they are having a hard time grasping the reality of the school year being back in full swing.  But we're half way through the year, so you know... time to shape up and be grateful for the months that we had.

     Point is, taking them to church would pretty much be the icing on the cake for me, it would be like "Hey fellow gentle people, look at my poorly raised children cause a ruckus in your quiet place of worship, and watch me cry as I wrangle them up with the speed and grace of a two legged tortoise.  We'll see you next week when we host our very own sibling brawl in pew no. 3!"

     I've done my best to raise them, I really have.  There were times when I should have protected them better, defended them better, had more patience, had more strength.  But no human is perfect and I certainly have my weaknesses.  Time to try what I haven't tried.  Time to be a better role model myself and set a better, more Christianly example.
     It's my biggest resolution this year, to build a happier home that's more peaceful and Word-oriented.  I know that my kids and I can get there, it's just a matter of taking the steps.  And right there to help us on our way is the perfect guide, God Give Us Christian Homes, a book by Jim Faughn.

     This book has so many wonderful insights and truths from times long gone and also from the present.  It really brings you to see things that you didn't see before.  I feel like I'm not alone when I'm reading this book.  I feel like there's been thousands of years of parents going thorough the exact struggles that I am... and that's because there have been.
      From Adam and Eve and all the way up through there have been struggles just as I'm having.  Different, sure.  Kids even a hundred years ago never heard, "No electronics for a week".  But the disrespect, the bad manners and sibling rivalry, it's always been there.  This book gives help with finding the purpose in discipline and what's meant to be gained from it, including respect, among many other useful things.

     I'll be using this book to find a better normal for my kids and myself.  And since I was sent a second book by mistake, I'm offering you that same chance.  Don't worry, I was told to give it away.  So here's the thing, just enter with this neat little Rafflecopter tool below and that's it!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

The Innkeeper's Christmas Eve Book #Review #InnkeepersChristmasEve

     Around the holidays, it can be hard for Christians to keep the reason for the season at the forefront.  We become so stressed about making sure we have the gifts we need for cousin Betty and Uncle Ned, how much things will cost, whether the house looks okay, whether or not travel plans are set... it gets overwhelming.  It's so easy to get bogged down and forget why we're celebrating.

     Truth is, I haven't made a big effort to put the Christ in Christmas over the years.  Yes, we go to the local Bethlehem and we do the church play.  He gets more recognition in this home during the holidays than Santa.  But in our actual home, I don't do much.  But starting this year, I've got a new tradition.  While everyone reads the Night Before Christmas, I'll be reading The Innkeeper's Christmas Eve by Barbara B. Rollins and Illustrated by Sandy Lewis Carter.  It takes the classic bouncy feel of Night Before Christmas, but the words tell the story of Jesus' birth.

     I think that's pretty neat and I know my kids will like it.  The book follows the Innkeeper as he watched the whole story play out.  From being asked for a room, to watching Joseph make a bed for Mary in the straw, to seeing the start light up the sky and the shepherds leave their sheep to come see the baby.  And no, fellow Christians, the Wise Men are NOT in the book.

     I love how the illustrations vary from page to page.  On some pages, it's colored and on some it's not, some pages look like painted canvas.  But at the same time, they all go together so well.

     I just love that my family has this option.  The wording is easy to read and flows smoothly, the story is accurate to the Bible, and what's extra cool is that the whole story from scripture is in the back of the book.  It's a wonderful addition to our library and we'll be reading it every year from now on.

     Want to learn more?  Check out Silver Boomer Books on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or on their website at SilverBoomerBooks.com.
Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

#Ripleys Annual: Eye-Popping Oddities Book #Review

     I know you love Ripley's.  Know how I know?  Because everyone loves Ripley's.  My family is trying to start a nice collection of Ripley's Books.  We started with 2013's Annual, Download the Weird.  We've decided that we really need to just collect them all because they are fantastic.  They are inspiring and shocking, awe-inspiring and sometimes just plain gross... but we love them.  Last year we sat down and went page by page through the whole book and read them to eachother.

     This year we are adding the 2015 Annual, Eye-Popping Oddities.  It's crammed full of all kinds of amazing people who do amazing things.  It's also full of slightly unhinged people who do weird things.  But either way, they have dedication and that's pretty awesome.

     Some of my personal favorites were the artist who creates street art from garbage.  He scours the city finding trash items in dumpsters and such, then creates birds, insects, and other small creatures using the garbage.  Sometimes he uses a team of artists and sometimes he doesn't.  His works of art are incredible.

     Then there's this guy who literally found the needle in the haystack.  He'd planned to do it in under 24 hours and totally rocked it, coming way under that deadline.  Personally, I'm not surprised.  Although straw is shiny is some ways, it's not silver shiny and it's heavier, so it would fall through the pile.  Still he did spend hours doing it, which shows a nice dedication.

     Then there is this woman, who is fully confident in her body, despite being nontraditional.  She is part of a religion that she knew would prevent her from shaving her beard, but she chose faith over "beauty" and I think that is powerful and beautiful in itself.  She is choosing to live just the way God made her.

     There were other things that you hated to laugh at, like this poor teenager who died because he didn't want teenage girls to kiss him on his birthday.  Poor kid.  You can't help but laugh as you picture the scene.  And his family must have had a sense of humor about it too to create such a silly tombstone describing the unfortunate events.

     There's also tons of interesting tidbits, that make you laugh, wince, and drop your jaw in amazement.  Like the fact about the oily fish that will make you suffer explosive diarrhea 30-36 hours after eating if you consume too much.  Or this one about the people in the UK being scared to lose their phones.  It's filled with so much to learn, we just love to read these books.

     Have you ever seen a funny tombstone?
     To learn more, check out Ripley's on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, and on their website at Ripleys.com
    
Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

The Little Doll Girl eBook #Review #Kidsebook

     I ADORE a good fantasy story.  I mostly love the Wizard of Oz series, the Alice in Wonderland books, DragonLance, pretty much any lighthearted book that isn't too hard to follow and brings you through magical lands with brave outsiders, while they attempt to get back home and undo wrongs.  If you love those kinds of books, you will love this one!

     It's called The Wutherington Diary: The Little Doll Girl by Tammy Wutherington, Transcribed by Reynold Jay.  It's about a girl Tammy, who is "mute".  She can whisper, but not talk.  She spends her days sewing clothes and making toy soldiers out of wood.  When one day, she makes friends with a mouse named Alfred who is in her workshop, she decides to follow him and see where he is from.  Her new friend can talk and they become fast friends.  Together they travel to the land of Kira.

     On the way they make friends with pirates and other creatures, great and small.  All things in the land of Kira can talk.  When Tammy and Alfred help out a band of pirates and earn their trust, they share with her a prophecy they believe that she was meant to fulfill.  The rest of the book is about her finding out what it means to be the hope of the people, to make decisions for the good of all and to be brave when no one else wants to be.

     She finds out that some who are feared are merely just different and some who are "evil" or just hurt and afraid to be strong.  She finds friends where no one else does, brings communities together that have long been separated by misunderstandings, and brings confidence to all who meet her.  She is a true hero in every sense of the word.

     I'm not sure what to make of the preface, whether it is just a story to go with it or if this really is a "diary" of a 10 year old girl from long ago.  But I must admit, whether true or not, the introduction to the story left me intrigued and wanting to read the book before I even knew how awesome it was!  If that preface was indeed a factual account of how the book was found and this book really was written by a 10 year old from the 19th century, I am SUPER impressed.  The story truly does rival that of Frank L Baum.

     While I admit that sometimes the characters received some undeserved attitude from Tammy and I was left feeling like things sometimes went over way to well for her, when there should have been some offense taken on the part of the characters... it was a great story and I would LOVE to see a movie made of this.  Though, no movie could ever compare to the visions in my head when reading the words of this book.  I whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy story.  I adore this book!
     To learn more, check out Reynold Jay on Amazon.

Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

The Magical Zoo #3 #Childrenbooks #Review

     Okay, folks.  Time to hear what happens next in the Magical Zoo series, with The Magical Zoo #3.  Remember Sally and the Zookeeper John?  They're in a pickle because all the animals from the magical zoo have escaped into the library and they need to be captured.  Some are the dangerous type, some the loud type, and animals just don't belong in the library anyways.

     Last we knew, they had worked hard to capture Tibby the young tiger.  Now, they're after another striped animal, the zebra.  To be honest, my very first impression of this installment wasn't good.  The first picture in it was an exact copy from the last book.  Actually, six of the fifteen pictures were exact copies except for the animal in some cases.  Another two of them were pretty darn similar, just flipped or copy/pasted into a slightly different background.  So it was a little disappointing right off the bat.

     But anyway, onto the storyline... Sally and Zookeeper John go off looking for the zebra, who also goes outside.  The zebra tries to hide behind cars, but doesn't do too well of a job.  She's spotted and runs in fear.  She's in a world that she doesn't know and finds herself in a lawn by the library where Sally and John do their best to wrangle her in.

     It's a continuation of a nice story that shows how to truly care for animals and treat them lovingly.  The characters have nice expressions and I can't blame the author for being tired of doing so many illustrations.  But it does bring down the awe factor considerably to see the same image over and over.  But it also does have the hidden animal facts scattered throughout, like how a zebra is white with black stripes, not the other way around.

     It reminds me that we need to visit the local animal kingdom again soon.  My girlies don't remember seeing the zebras and all little girls need to see a zebra in their lifetime.  Have you ever been to a zoo?
     To learn more, check out the book's author, Dan Jackson, on Amazon or GoodReads.

  Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.