"A Place Called Blessing" by John Trent

This is my kind of book--an entertaining, engaging story with a wonderful redeeming ending. I want to read a book that I not only enjoy but learn from too. I want to be touched by a story and learn more about my Savior and His mercy in the process. If you need healing from issues in your past, read this book.

This storyline may be hard for some to believe but God works in mysterious ways. Oh, how He loves us! And you can see this throughout the book. It is true what the scripture says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV). I don't want to give away the ending so I won't go in to details but you will be amazed at how this story turns out.

I have read the previous book called "The Blessing" by John Trent and Gary Smalley. I found the premise awesome but had trouble completing the book. I am more of a fiction reader than a text book type reader. Reading time is precious to me and since I really like entertainment but don't go to many movies or theater, I want a book to take me away to a wonderful place that makes me feel good when I am done. This is one of those books.

So, read this book. it's a fairly quick read but not an easy one. I really enjoyed it.

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.”

The holidays are coming!

Hold on to your calendars! The next 2 months are going to fly by like donuts at a police station (no offense)! I can't believe in a few days it will be November. Phew! Wasn't it just 100 degrees outside? Oh, yes it was, as a matter of fact! That is just how it is in Austin--one day it's 100 and the next it's Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year but it is overwhelming. I know everyone has a lot going on with presents to buy, meals to prepare for, parties to attend, houses to decorate (and like the old commercial said) and so on and so on and so on...you get the picture. Anyway, we can all get a little frazzled and stressed out if we let it all get to us.

This year I'm trying something a little different. I have started shopping already and have picked up some things along the way. I do have a lot more to go but at least I have a jump on it. It also helps that I have been out shopping by myself lately. Up until recently I have had 3 helpers with me everywhere I go but not anymore! It's peace and quiet!

I also have been meditating and praying each morning to help maintain my sanity. I need those few moments of quiet time to center myself in the word of God. I need inspiration every morning to get me on the right track. I so enjoy it and I am relying on it to. I think it also reminds me to slow down from the moment I get up.

My calendar is all filled out but there will probably be a few additions. Like now we have decided to travel for Thanksgiving. Hopefully that is one of the last things to be added. I know of a birthday party that one of my girls might be invited to and maybe one for my son. It is kind of fun to have a full schedule especially when they are fun events--birthday parties for our kids, a tree lighting, a symphony sing along, a cookie exchange, a brunch with Santa and all kinds of other things. It's a great time to be happy and full of joy.

I am hoping to be all done with shopping and wrapping by the end of November so we can enjoy December. I really would have liked to be done by November but oh well. Now if only I could get the house cleaned...that's another subject for another time!

Our Family of Fish

I am not talking real fish. This summer in Austin, I am not sure any fish could survive. We are at 47 days of over 100 degrees and there is no end in sight. Plus we are in a drought so it's extremely dry. We have found the only way to enjoy being outside is in a pool and acting like fish!

The kids took two weeks of swim lessons that finished up last week (with a case of swimmer's ear I might add). We had a blast. Each day they had lessons we brought a lunch and then went back into the pool to swim for a while. It was the best way to practice and get a little exercise while keeping cool. We are quite tan which leads me to believe our sun screen is more of a screen than a block.

The kids passed their levels with flying colors and could have moved up in lessons this week but it's a little pricey to do 2 sessions. I actually wanted my daughters and I to take diving lessons but what would we do with the 4 year old boy? He probably would go off the diving board but I am not sure what would happen after that! Good thing we didn't sign up for any swimming with the ear thing.

Swimming is something our family loves to do together. The four year old wil no doubt be going off the diving board next year. He can't wait. We practice jumping in and swimming right to the side so he will be ready when the time comes. The girls progressed so much this year, I am amazed. I wish we swam with friends more often so they would be pushed along with their skills. Peer pressure can be good in a few situations:)

I got to swim some laps last week and it was awesome. I think that God made me to swim. Seriously! Since I was a little girl I have loved swimming and I think God equipped me with a gift for swimming and diving. When I swim I feel so at peace. Even when I smell a chlorinated pool I feel at home. It's hard to explain.

Maybe it's something like "Peace like a river" or like being baptized and washing away sin. I could be reaching but I truly feel God's presence when I am floating in a lake or swimming laps in a swimming pool or flipping off a diving board. I wish I could have the same feeling all day long.

Swimming related favorites:

The Wiggles- Wiggle Bay and the song "Swimming like a Fish"

Peter Gabriel- I Go Swimming

Esther Williams- Take Me Out to The Ballgame

The Waiting Place by Eileen Button

Wow! I love this book! I am an avid reader of fiction and especially Christian fiction. I can finish a book in just a couple of days. I was a little worried about this book because I knew it wasn't a "story" but it was awesome:) I think it took me a week to finish it.

This book is many essays woven together to tell the story of the author's life. The author writes about the times of waiting in our lives-waiting to for an idea to write about, waiting to be married, waiting for someone to die, waiting for a fish to bite. Then she goes on to talk about that in each situation we get to choose whether to be in that moment or wish the time away. Near the end of the book, Eileen relates a time in her life where she heard God's voice, listened, took the action and then shared how good it felt to do his will. In this particular story, she didn't wait but acted on her inner leadings.

So, the number one thing that caught my attention right away is that Eileen grew up in the same city that I did-good old Rochester, New York. I was amused to hear her talk about some of her experiences there-rooting for the Buffalo Bills, eating pepperoni bread, shopping at Wegman's SUPERmarket--I felt a little homesick.

I also related to her age wise. From the references about Andy Gibb, to the stretched out extra long telephone cord, to reading Judy Blume, to curling irons, I surmised that we grew up about the same time. She was in college in 1987 and so was I. This added to my interest in her writings.

What I really enjoyed was her personal stories about waiting. We all wait and she goes on to say that we can learn from these times instead of getting irritated with them. We can actually enjoy the wait and can get pleasure from those times.

I would recommend that any one who ever attends church read this book. It gave me a new perspective on how taxing a job of being a senior pastor can be. I think we all need to be grateful for our pastors...and to pray for them and their families.

I can't wait to read another one of her books!

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.”

Scarlet Fever anyone?

Just the mention of Scarlet Fever brings thoughts of death and fear springs into the hearts of people. Ask us, we know!

After a week of one child having a fever and sore throat, the other two came down with the same. So when the youngest asked me to go potty with him and I noticed a rash all over his body I thought that he may have Fifth Disease. Lots of people don't know about this one but here's a link to info about it.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/parvo_b19.htm

Anyway, we have experience with it so I just assumed -pink cheeks, rash-Fifth disease. Then my son woke up in the middle of the night vomiting mucus and later apple juice. To make a long story short, God intervened and told me to call the doctor. God intervened and told the nurse to tell me to bring him in. God intervened and had me mention that my oldest had the rash and my middle child had been sick the week before.

Well, God provided the doctor with the good sense not to listen to my uneducated diagnosis:) He said that my son had Strep Throat, that all of them most likely all had it, AND Scarlet Fever! I think I was in shock. And I tend to pretend that I know everything and act like I'm not surprised or taken aback. So after we left when my oldest daughter, the book worm, mentioned that she was scared of Scarlet Fever, I thought yeah, so am I.

Anyway, I called the office and spoke to the nurse. She reassured me that the rash of Scarlet Fever was sometimes a side affect of Strep. I got clear and was able to explain it to my oldest, my friend and my husband.

Thank God, we went to the doctor because left untreated Scarlet fever can cause heart damage. If you know me, we don't do doctors very often and so I am truly grateful that I listened to the leadings of my heart.

It's been awhile...

Writing can be difficult. It can also be hard with 3 kids running around. Time is very limited when you home school. I guess most people don't have much time. When you home school, your kids are around 24/7 or at least mine are so I have a lot of choices have to be make about what comes first.

So do we clean up the house or start school work? Do we take a bath or do school work? Do I make dinner or teach spelling? Do we get some groceries or do that messy science experiment? What about the field trip--do we spend all that time going or do we take the time at home catching up? Can I make that phone call or will it take too much time away from studying? Lots of choices and decisions to make and I'm historically not good at decisions.

So what do I do? Leave the house a mess? That's what I usually do but how much clutter and dirt can a person stand! Don't do the dishes? Well, I hate bugs so that doesn't seem like an option. Let the school work go by the wayside? Not if I want calm, compliant students who need a routine. Sometimes I think life would be so much easier if we just had money--money to pay for a house cleaner, money to send the kids to a one day school, money to eat out all the time, etc, etc, etc.

But you know what? Doing all those things together as a family is part of our core values. Having meals together, cooking together, teaching the kids how to clean up after themselves, being responsible for our own stuff, teaching the kids our beliefs and being together as a family.

So I guess, we will just keep plugging away realizing that we are doing the best we can. Trusting that what needs to get done will. Being grateful that we have this opportunity to home school. It's time for me to get off the computer and do laundry, clean up after breakfast, take baths, do school work and vacuum!