Even Jesus had a fish story.

(I.e: it’s okay to lie because Jesus did. Uh. Sorry, but no. He didn’t.)

God couldn’t be everywhere so He made mothers.

(Not even gonna try)

Does anyone else see a problem with this?

The Bible has 366 devotionals inside written by such women as: Lysa Terkeurst, Glynnis Whitwer, Renee Swope,  Karen Ehman, and many others.  The writers are all also writers for Proverbs 31 Ministeries. I did not read every devotional, but the one I did read seemed to be biblically based and sound.

I had a couple of “issues” with the Bible.

1. It took forever to get here. I know I shouldn’t complain about that because it was free to me, but it took well over a month to arrive at my house. I know it left the publisher’s facilities late but it still took about 4 weeks to arrive. I have not had a shipment take that long in years. It was not sent Media Mail through the USPS, that would almost be understandable, rather it was sent UPS. 
2. I would rather have all the devotionals together in either the very front of the Bible or the very back of the Bible. As it is they are scattered throughout the Bible. There is almost nothing I dislike more than reading the Word and having to skip every other page because of a devotional page. I have enough ADD/ADHD to lose my train of thought, especially when I have to turn multiple pages to continue my reading.
3. And lastly, I am becoming increasingly less “in-like” with the NIV. I think they are changing the text too much. For example, Hebrews 12:2 used to read, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…” and now reads “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…” I have personally used the NIV for 25 years and now verses I had previously memorized in the NIV are not the same.

(I received a free copy of this Bible from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.)
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages nearly 500,000 women worldwide through a daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Visit the author’s website.

This Bible will help you live up to your God-given potential. Insightful daily devotions written by the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries help you maintain life’s balance in spite of today’s hectic pace. Dive into the beauty and clarity of the NIV Bible text paired with daily devotions crafted by women just like you—women who want to live authentically and fully grounded in the Word of God.

Product Details:

List Price: $34.99

Hardcover: 1536 pages

Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0310439361

ISBN-13: 978-0310439363

AND NOW…SOME SAMPLE PAGES (CLICK ON PAGES TO ENLARGE):

 

You see I was just visiting Mr. FullCup for lunch when a co-worker of his (and a friend of mine) gave me a little quiz. By little I mean not overly large. But it did have 40 questions.

The quiz was on whether or not you are a strong-willed wife. I very calmly and politely took the 2 sheets of 8.5×11 paper from her, quickly scanned the title and promptly said, “No.” Not “no, I won’t be participating” but “No, I don’t need this because the answer is most definitely not.”

And Mr. FullCup smirked. Yes, he did. He smirked.

I guess the guest on Focus On The Family today was talking about this quiz and my dear friend had to find the dern thing and print off a copy for me.

For me?? Really??? Is she out of her ever-livin’ mind? Well probably but that is quite beside the point because you see, Mr.FullCup smirked about it.

I read the quiz and let me tell you, I don’t qualify.

Well, except there was the one question, “I feel exhausted because I seem to be doing everything myself.”  I mean I’m not exhausted all the time unless you count from the time I open my eyes in the morning until I close them at night as being all the time.

It seems I think I’m the only one who can really walk the girls to piano and ballet lessons. I’m the only one who can cook supper.  (But that’s only because I have Jimmy Johns on speed dial.) The only one who can really do the laundry, including hanging clothes outside. Do the dishes? Oh yeah, as long as it’s daylight, I’m the only one who can get them done. (Now when the sun goes down, I’m simply to exhausted to care if they’re done or not. ) I am the only one who can sweep the floor, vacuum, mop, water plants, homeschool, teach the fifth grader math and grammar, and spelling and history, and science.  I am the only one who can raise my children as I see fit. The only one who can teach them the things of God.

Sheesh I’m exhausted just typing all that out. No wonder I’m tired much of the time. (And no wonder I just yawned.)  But you know what? I don’t have to do it all. I don’t. I’m not called to do it all.  God has blessed me with people in my life and in my family who are more than capable and more than willing okay we’ll stick with capable to help when I ask.

And the hard things I am called to do, the things that are my responsibility, He promises to be there to help me. He promises that if I exchange my burden for His, if I take His burden in exchange for my to-do list (that I never get around to making anyway because it would scare me), He promises a lighter burden. He says, “Come to  me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Friends, that is good news! We don’t have to think thoughts like, “If I don’t do it, no one will.” We don’t have to live our lives exhausted every second. We don’t have to be a slave to our schedule, or to-do list, or phone, email, facebook, etc. We don’t.  No, we are free to rest.

I think that is what I’ll be doing the rest of the day…and hopefully the rest of my life. What about you?

Of course this was not done without copious amounts of research. I voraciously read blogs and articles on the horrors of shampoo and conditioner.  When I read about the possibility of carcinogens in products I rubbed all over my head every day, I said “Enough!”

I have been using baking soda to wash my scalp at least every other day. I use a apple cider vinegar/vanilla/water mixture to condition my hair.  I haven’t looked back. Yes, it is easier to toss your shampoo and conditioner bottles in your overnight bag and away you go. My baggie of baking soda has been affectionately dubbed “my cocaine”.

It’s all good, but every time I see a police car on my travels I get a little scared. Not because I’m speeding. But because I have that little baggie of white powdery substance. Yes, one taste could prove my innocence, but who wants to eat raw baking soda?  I’m also concerned that they won’t taste it until after I’ve been booked and fingerprinted. Then they’ll run my prints through the computer and find out I’m an ax murderer from the 1860s.  And I’ve never even killed an ax, nor thought of killing one. I’m sure I’ve handled them in my time but kill one? Not on your life…or the life of the ax.

Yes, my mind really goes there.

Almost three weeks ago I gave up gluten. It hasn’t been easy at all. All of our go-to snacks are now off limits. We eat a plethora of fruit and nuts. The only problem with those two thing? You are what you eat.

Mr. FullCup told me the other day eating out is losing it’s appeal in his eyes. He misses the days when he just went somewhere and ordered what he wanted and ate it without a second thought.

I refrained from telling him, “Welcome to my world.” I’ve been white flour and sugar-free (for the most part) for a few years and it’s hard to eat out. It seems everything anymore either comes with bread or is breaded.

It’s not easy. But it will get easier, right?

Bueller? Bueller?

I learned to knit a number of years ago. When I was learning I deemed it un-fun and quickly put it aside. I have recently picked it back up again. On our last knit night, yes, it’s really called that, I was having trouble reading a crochet pattern so I kindly asked if my friend had any spare needles. She promptly pulls out a crochet hook. Which is all fine and good except I didn’t need one of those. I had my whole kit and kaboodle of crochet hooks. (This really begs me to ask, just what is a kit and kaboodle?)

She didn’t have any spare needles but another lady there and she was kind enough to let me borrow them.

The picture to the left is my knitting. I’m calling it a Design Element, because well that is what I’m calling it. My friend, who offered me the crochet hook, saw the picture and asked, I’m sure rather tongue-in-cheek for the pattern. My response was “uhm….maybe.” I have thought of it for a little more than a day and I decided to oblige. Below you will find my pattern for my “Design Element.” I think that is what I’ll call the pattern.

Okay, the pattern is as follows.
Begin by casting on, only forget how many you’re casting on, determine at some point, “oh it looks okay.” Proceed directly to knitting. While knitting the first row debate with your self (in your head of course, otherwise people think you’re a bit more than a bit daft) knitting every row or actually purling. Decide to knit the next row. Then decide why not! And start purling every other row.
Put your knitting away when it’s time to go home. At home the next morning make sure you’re pretty confident which row you’re supposed to do (knit or purl) and proceed to do that on the next row. When you’re finished with that row and turn your work, ask your 12-year old the all important question, “Hey uhm. So yeah, when you’re knitting a row you should see the front of your work, right? And not the back?” Grimace as if in great pain whens she confirms your suspicions. Decide you’ll fix it by just simply knitting the next row as well. All is fine and good.
Until you see what upon first inspection looks like a hole. You know you didn’t skip or drop a stitch and you’re completely befuddled by the hole. You debate ripping the whole thing out, again in the privacy of your own head so people don’t suspect you’re a little loony.
You realize you can fix it after a few rows. On a knit row you’ll just have to reach your knitting needle down to one of the “loops” in the row with the hole. Not just the row, oh no, you’ll have to reach down to the very stitch with a hole. Knit that stitch like normal.
Finish knitting that row and purling the next.

from changedbythegospel.com

Humble Orthodoxy, Holding the Truth High without Putting People Down by Josh Harris is more than a timely word. It was a book that needed to be written.

The premise of the book came from his book, Dug Down Deep. The final chapter of that book was titled “Humble Orthodoxy” and it seems the readers were not shy about telling Josh that was their favorite chapter in the book and needed to be expounded on and given a book all its own. He,of course, obliged. Or maybe it was when Jon Piper told him to write a book on the subject.

Josh Harris, with a healthy dose of love and grace, seasoned with compassion, writes about the Christians need to be orthodox without being a jerk. We are to uphold the truth of Scripture without beating others about the head with it.

So many times we are either wishy-washy in regards to the truth of the Word because we don’t want to offend the world. Or we’re so convinced of our right-ness and their wrongness that we act like angry jerks.

Josh uses 2 Timothy as the text, or basis for this book. It works well. Paul was both staunchly enamored with the truth and was willing to die to defend it. He was not one to mince words with truth. But he was also full of love for all people.  We need to be the same way.

The book is just four little chapters, a total of 61 pages. But don’t let it’s small size fool you. It’s power packed full of goodness.  I think it could have well been a lot longer and the ideas expounded on even more. But as it is, it’s a quick enough read you can read every few days. It does come with a study guide in the back with questions to answer, a prayer and an action step to perform. I think this would work well for a short 4-week Bible study.

The book is small, both in volume and height. I am not sure I would have paid $10 for a copy. Unless I had read it first. Then I would know it is worth every penny.

I’ll leave you with my favorite line from the book. This one simply jumped off the page at me.

We are not those who are right; we are those who have been redeemed.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

You see when I was born my uncle was in the second grade. As the story goes, the day after I was born was show and tell day for that particular second grade class. The teacher stood there before her students and asked my uncle, “Do you have anything for show-and-tell today?”

My uncle stood, feet spread far apart, fists jammed into his pockets, and said, “Yeah, I got summthin’ ta say, my sister had another dumb girl.”

Of course he denies it to this day, but the teacher was so touched (probably by the sheer silliness of it all) remembered it and told my grandmother.  Now that I think about it, this is the same uncle who many years later would drop a 10-pound weight on my head.  But that is another story for another day.

This morning I was reading a devotional (that I promise has nothing to do a dumb girl, or dropping weights on heads of dumb girls) and one of the verses they recommend reading was Genesis 50:20. You’re familiar, I’m sure, with the back story. Joseph has been sold into slavery, his brothers go to Egypt to get food because they are starving to death. Joseph eventually reveals to them that he is Joseph. In Genesis 50, Jacob had died and the brothers were still fearful of Joseph and wanted to be sure he let them live a nice long life.

In verse 20, Joseph says, “What you meant for harm, God meant for good.”

I got hung up by the words “God meant”. I stopped and began pondering what those mean. God meant…

God meant it for good. Does that mean “God caused it”? Or does it mean more like Romans 8:28 that God used it for good?

Now I know God is sovereign and nothing happens to His children without His permission, I guess my question this morning is this:

Did God cause the brothers to sell Joseph into slavery so good would be the result? Or did God merely allow them to sell him because He could make good come from it?

Maybe it’s all just semantics and really it’s both.

I think when someone meant to do something they intended all along for it to happen. It was their plan. But when they use something that happened for another purpose I think it’s different. They didn’t mean for it to happen it just did.

So did God mean for Joseph to be sold for good, or was Joesph sold into slavery and God used it for good? I know God knew from before time immemorial that Joseph would be sold and it wasn’t a surprise at all.

I was hoping by the time I reached this part of my outloud thinking, I would have thought my way into an answer…but alas I haven’t.  I’m no closer to knowing which one it was, but I do know it really doesn’t matter and my curious mind will have to let it rest.

from barnesandnoble.com

Prayer is probably my biggest difficulty in the Christian life. Yes, I struggle with sin. But communing with God is difficult. When I saw the book Beginning Prayer by John Killinger I knew I had to read it.

Published by Upper Room Ministries (which as far as I can tell through research is a division of the United Methodist Church), Beginning Prayer is an easy read book, the flavor almost reminds me of an old book. It is written in an almost conversational tone, or at least like a college lecture with your favorite professor.

It doesn’t matter at all in the grand scheme of things but at times I wasn’t sure if it was written by/to Catholics or by/to Protestants.  It could work very well with either group.  It lends itself to be very liturgical in nature.

The only thing I did not like about the book was he talks about chanting our prayers like one chants a mantra. Just a word or phrase over and over. He tells the story of one man who was given the task of praying “the prayer of Jesus” over and over, at first having to say it 30,000 times in a day. Within it week it was nearly tripled. Now he spends hours a day just chanting that one phrase.  He also talked of prayer in silence and said we need to “rid our mind of everything.” That to me sounds a little too much like transcendental meditation. Which I’m not interested in at all.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

I enjoyed this book because while I’ve never been put in a circumstance like this, the main character is kinda like me.

Emily O’ Reilly dreams of becoming a a part of the Rock Harbor Search-and-Rescue team and her dad and step-mom are even willing to pay half of the cost of a dog–if she will pay the rest.  Emily is thrilled! But then when an expensive necklace goes missing at the Fall Festival, all the clues point to Emily.

She sets out to find the real culprit. But with the clock ticking it looks like her puppy and reputation are lost forever. And to top it all off her mother, who tried to kill her little brother, is up for parol in a month.

Will Emily find the real culprit before time runs out? You’ll have to read it for yourself and see!

My thoughts….

I have not actually read this book. Both of my children have however. I love that the moment it arrived in the mail my 10-year old was all over it. Not only was she excited to get it she had it read by the next afternoon!  She does love to read but is not one to sit down and read for long periods of time. She needs to get up and move around. I’m pretty sure she gets that from me.  

I also love that Tommy Nelson publishes books I don’t have to wonder if they are appropriate for my children. I love being able to hand them a book to read and review and know there is nothing objectionable in them.

We are giving away one free copy of this book! Yay!!! Please enter below using rafflecopter. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 8th right here on the blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And to increase your desire for the book, I’m including the book trailer!

Our high on Monday was 83 degrees!! 83! Completely unheard of for my part of the world the end of April. I walked my 10-year old, “Beanie”, to an orthodontist appointment and managed to get a little sunburn. Yay!!

Yes I am celebrating a sunburn because I don’t normally tan or burn. I am pasty white all year. Strange I know because I most definitely do not stay inside during the day in the summer and I don’t always wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. I would blame it on my incredibly fair skin, but I would think I’d burn more readily. But anyway….that really has nothing to do with our adventure.

Tuesday we were put under a “winter weather advisory“, not a warning but it didn’t go into effect until 6pm. So I had the brilliant(ly stupid in hindsight) idea for the 4 of us to travel to a neighboring state to shop at Whole Foods and on the way home stop at the state we have to drive through to get to Whole Foods and shop at Sams Club. Now in the city with Whole Foods there is a Sams Club but we don’t like that particular store.  We like the store we shop at normally, it’s bigger and just feels better and cleaner. And we know where everything is.

We hit rain in spots going there but soon drove out of it. Yay! Our venture to Whole Foods was not in vain. It was Mr. FullCup’s first time being in Whole Foods so of course we had to show him everything. I had not yet purchased anything from Whole Foods except a run through their salad bar and a few Naked Juices. (Have you had those? Oh my! If not, you really should.) This time we shopped. When we left I was absolutely giddy with delight.

On our way back out of that town and towards our favorite Sams Club, we again encountered rain. Then when we crossed one state line the rain changed to a rain/snow mix. When we reached the town with Sams Club it was white with snow and the snow continued to fall. I’m not at all a fan of driving in snow and really would rather not. But Mr. FullCup was there and he is a most excellent driver but it didn’t stop me from offering to return to Sams Club another day and just driving home. He would have none of that nonsense. He truly is the hunter when it comes to shopping. He left home for two reasons, Whole Foods and Sams Club. He was not going home until he had accomplished his mission. We did decide to divide and conquer though. He took Beanie to Barnes and Noble for shopping and the 12-year old and I knocked off Sams Club.

No, not that  kind of knocked off.

We left that town and headed for home. Home that was a mere 1.5 hours away. A home we should have been at by 9:30, 10 at the very latest. Do you have any kind of an idea how long it takes you to drive 30 miles (give or take) when you’re only driving an average of 30mph?

A very long time. Okay, it takes you an hour. An hour after heading for home we had made it about 30 miles, to the first stopping place available…a rest area. As we were approaching the rest area I squeaked out, “Could we stop?” Mr. FullCup was very obliging, apparently he isn’t to fond of driving when you can’t see the road or anything else except snow coming at you. We pulled into the rest area and all heaved a big sigh of relief.

We were pretty clueless as to our next step. The rest area truly is in the middle of nowhere. We were about 15 miles from the nearest town, and we had friends there. It was tempting to call them and see if they could come lead us to them but that would mean them getting out in the nastiness too.

Soon another car pulled into the rest area and I hopped out to go see which direction they had come from. (Mr. FullCup was talking to our friends in the nearby town) The people had come from the north, the direction we were going and said it was nasty.

Back in the van I hear Mr. FullCup say he is inclined to stay there all night. And I wasn’t at all upset. Soon that was our decision. I had been texting a friend and I told her our plan. We rearrange a few things in the van inform the girls that we’re sleeping in here, right here for the night and all attempt to get some sleep.  At one point I nudged Mr. FullCup and said, “So this is what it feels like to be homeless. …It feels like you’re very thirsty and have to use the restroom. ….Please don’t lock me out.”

My friend sends me a text that another friend of hers is also out on that road and they just passed the rest area, they told her it was better and if we were going to leave we should leave now. It was currently 32 degrees but it would be colder over night and everything would freeze and it might be noon before we got out. We decided to try the roads again and see.

The snow was better, the slush was still on the road at times making us slide. (There was no ice at all.) We were again averaging 30mph.

I sang and prayed all the way home. At times praying God would calm the storm and have it snow lightly just until we got home.  I know at times He did because the snow would be lighter but then it would pick up again. And He said, “Trust Me.”

All in all the trip home should have taken us 1.5 hours actually took us over 4. (not counting the stop at the rest area) But God is ever faithful. He guided us home and brought us here safely.