April Fools!

Well, tomorrow is April Fools Day and so, in keeping with my tradition of last year, I wanted to offer some fun giveaways. I thought I would spring it on you and then decided to give you some advanced warning as there will be more than 1 post popping up! Stay tuned throughout the day tomorrow (Friday) and you'll see various posts come up, each with its own giveaway. Some are from me, and some are from the publishers.

As I did last year, I really wanted to highlight and promote books that I have loved and enjoyed as well as books that I think are deserving of special attention. So every giveaway you see pop up tomorrow will be something that I think has some worth.

Extra entries are available for each contest.

1. Blog about the April Fool's Day giveaways on your own site and you can enter each contest twice! (Just remember to leave separate comments for each entry.); and/or

2. Become a fan of Reading to Know on Facebook (because yes, I have stooped to Facebook!)

Good luck and HAPPY APRIL 1st!!!!

(You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this month to arrive! 9 months to be exact! Oh. Happy. Day!!!)

Baby and Toddler Books from Tiger Tales Books

Tiger Tales Books recently released their new Spring line-up and so we enjoyed receiving a box full of new titles to read! Here are some new padded baby books from their collection that we thought were awfully cute.




One Rainy Day is a perfect book for here in Oregon. (But it's not so bad for spring-time at large, for all that!) Following the antics of a little duck who loves the rain, we learn about what is needed to play in such weather as well as learning about colors. We need: red boots, an orange umbrella, a green frog, blue puddles, etc. On each page spread we see Little Duck splashing about and having a great time in the rain, just as little children usually do. Quite cute and definitely one we're glad to add to our home collection.



Rock-a-bye Baby is not just a padded board book but also has a fuzzy bear on its front cover, inviting little hands to touch and feel. Illustrated by John Kanzler, the words will be all-too-familiar to you as the adult reader. You can choose to sing a long with the words or read them, of course. The important and fun part of this book is that you would have a babe in arms when you are making your way through it! This book would make the perfect gift for new parents and babies. Sweet. Cute. Familiar. Fun.

For toddlers, you might consider the following two titles:



Neither Commotion in the Ocean nor our next book, both illustrated by Giles Andreae and illustrated by David Wojtowycz, are new titles from Tiger Tales Books. Rather, they have been re-released as board books. (They have both been previously released as hard and paperback books in the past.)

I'm actually glad that they were released as board books because they are sturdier and therefore have a longer lifespan, as a general rule. (My children are quite gentle with books but still. It's nice to have a sturdy book!)

Commotion in the Ocean is filled with rhyming text telling about various ocean animals. For example:

"Dolphins

The wonderful thing about dolphins
Is hearing them trying to speak.
It's not "How do you do?"
As I'd say to you.
It's more of a "Click-whistle-squeak!"

And so on and so forth from jellyfish, swordfish, octopus and the blue whale. There are plenty of sea creatures to love and learn about in this book. (If you know us, you know that we're obvious fans of this particular title.)



Rumble in the Jungle is, of course, quite similar in style, only our subject matter in this particular book is - ta da! - jungle animals! From chimpanzees to leopards and tigers, this is a fun read. My boys both took great delight in turning the pages and discovering which animals were coming up next. Lots of smiles from this book and we recommend it.

Thanks, Tiger Tales Books, for sending and allowing us to preview your Spring line-up! We love your offering and appreciated the opportunity of reading through these fun titles.

The Dashwood Sisters Tell All, by Beth Pattillo

I have been waiting and waiting for the release of The Dashwood Sisters Tell All! I first heard of the book's existence at BEA last year and have been hoppin' up and down ever since. I was delighted to receive a copy to read from Ideals Publications as I knew I was going to thoroughly enjoy the read.

How did I know? I loved Jane Austen Ruined My Life and Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart (both linked to my reviews.) How could I not expect to love The Dashwood Sisters Tell All, which is, of course, a spin-off on Sense and Sensibility? Each of these titles stand alone, although they all have this in common: a rare and hidden Austen relic (an original manuscript or, in the case of this new title, Jane and Cassandra's diaries) have been unearthed and exposure is threatened.

As any Austen fan is aware, Jane instructed her sister Cassandra to destroy all of her letters and papers upon her death. As far as the world knows, Cassandra honored her sister's request. Pattillo's fictional books explore the "what ifs" surrounding these destroyed papers. Pattillo created within these stories a group called "The Formidables" - which is a group that Cassandra Austen supposedly formed before her own death. The job of the Formidables is to keep these original manuscripts, letters, diaries, etc., of Jane's a secret from the rest of the world. Naturally, the main characters in each of Pattillo's books have chance encounters with these hidden documents and discover the existence of the Formidables.

In The Dashwood Sisters Tell All we meet sisters, Ellen and Mimi Dodge. Ellen is the older, more mature and stable one who nursed her mother, (who was originally from England), through the end stages of cancer. Mimi is the younger, flighty and flirty sister who can only think about herself and her own emotions. Upon their mother's death, they discover that before the estate can be disbursed, the sisters must take a trip to England together. They are required to take their mother's ashes along with them, participate in an Austen walking tour, and decide where to leave their mother's remains. Upon completion of this task, they will be allowed to receive their inheritance. Upon arriving in England, they discover that there was more to their English mother's plot that just planning a sisterly vacation. Ellen and Mimi have many choices and decisions to make and discover thing about Jane and Cassandra, as well as themselves, through their journey.

This book really made me want to dash off and read Sense & Sensibility again. I also had scenes from the Emma Thompson movie version dancing through my head as I watched and I want to pull it out and watch it again. This works well as I had committed to doing just that very thing during the Jane Austen Reading Challenge, being hosted by Amy at A Faithful Journey.


(By the way, this review of The Dashwood Sisters Tell All will be linked up over at Amy's, along with my posts about Sense and Sensibility when I get to read that!)

Once again I found Patillo's story charming, elegant, fun and enthralling. She really does a good job at writing a captivating (and clean!) story with characters that you come to care about.

I highly recommend this new title, as well as the two previous books in the series. I'm not usually fond of spin-offs but in this case? Count me all the way in and already looking forward to whatever book by Patillo comes next!

Thanks to Ideals Publications - A Guideposts Company, for sending a copy for me to enjoy! Furthermore, they also offered up a copy to giveaway to one of you. TO ENTER THE CONTEST CLICK HERE. (Contest closes April 7th.)

Parenting in the Pew, by Robbie Castleman

I've had Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children into the Joy of Worship on my wishlist for awhile. Jonathan bought it for me for Christmas and I was able to read it a few weeks back. One word: Awesome.

I know that people's opinions about children's church can be different and feisty. Some people are for it, some against it. Some people and churches do not invite children to sit in on the main worship service or divvy up the congregation behind a sound proof wall. There are many, many strong feelings out there about having one's children sit in the service with them. Will the children behave? Will they get anything out of the "experience" anyway? Lots of questions and I'm not here to answer any in particular. This post is a "Totally from Jonathan and Carrie's perspective" post. Nothing more, nothing less, my friends!

For our part, we are of the mindset that it is the parents' responsibility to instruct their children on how to engage with the church service and behave during it. We aren't "professionals" as some might refer to a trained Sunday School teacher. No, rather, we're "just" their parents who know them best and live with them day in and day out and who know their strengths and weaknesses. (We're very pro-parental involvement around these parts.) And, of course, our children are only toddlers still and we'd rather have them focusing on us a bit more as it is. We've felt that the place for our children to be during church is in the service with us.

(Added disclaimer: we actually are totally not opposed to the idea of a Sunday School program. We have seen and been told of situations where it really is in the best interest of the family for the child to be in a Sunday School class instead of the main sanctuary. We have zero problems with that. We just don't want to be forced to use it and have our children be forced out of the main sanctuary. All's fair and all that. We like them with us.)

I love Parenting in the Pew because Robbie Castleman has the same mindset as myself, but expresses the argument that parents ought to teach their children how to worship in a manner that is much more eloquent than myself. I've bookmarked so many passages in this book that it's hard to narrow down which to share.

The basic idea of the book is this: parents have the God-given responsibility to train their children to love God and to worship Him. She argues that this task should not be left up to others but should be faithfully attended to by the parental figure(s). Castleman writes from the perspective of having raised two sons to sit in the pew with her and shares some of their opinions on the topic as well. (They were glad to be seated alongside her in church, for the record.) One thing I particularly noted and appreciated about the book is that it was clear she was writing as one who raised her children in a church where a Sunday School program was provided but this didn't phase her and her (preacher) husband from pursuing what they felt was right. They made it easy for their children to follow after them and there were no upsets expressed within these pages. She offers a lot of practical advice on how to train your children - not just to behave in church - but to learn how to truly worship God.

"Training children to worship can attract parents as well as children to pay attention to what God is doing. Parenting in the pew helps you pay attention to the most important thing you can ever train your child to do: worship. Worship is the only thing we get to do forever." (page 16)

Another thing that I appreciate about Castleman's arguments was that she addresses the exhaustion that young parents can feel as they are doing the initial training. (For the record, it's really hard to get a small child to sit still and be quiet for an entire church service - let alone to participate in worship!) I remember when we had our first baby and I was standing in the foyer, trying to bounce my baby to sleep so that I could go back into the service and hear the sermon and participate. I was talking to another mom outside the sanctuary (who was also tending to her child) and I expressed some sort of frustration at "missing so much church." I'll never forget what this dear friend said to me. She said that what I was doing with my child was a ministry in and of itself. Yes, she said, I might miss some sermons and might have to leave the sanctuary during some of the songs. However, in the long run I was doing an important work and this season of small ones would also pass and I would be back in the service before I knew it - with a child beside me. (And you know what? She was right! In retrospect, I wasn't giving up that much but I was gaining a whole new world!)

"The temptation to just stay home, or at least keep the kids out of the sanctuary, are real. It's hard to pay attention to God and children at the same time.
Training children to pay attention to God, however, is one rare way to have your cake and eat it too. Parenting in the pew can help children and parents to pay attention to what is really important." (page 16)

Now we are parents to a four year old who not only sits quietly and well during church - but he has learned some of the hymns we sing and prayers we pray and he is learning to worship by participating himself and that is a JOY to see! No, it didn't happen overnight. No, it certainly wasn't easy. Yes, we had to leave the sanctuary with him many a time as we worked on learning to go to church and worship God together. But the pay off? I pray I'm only seeing the beginning!

Here's some excellent motivation from Castleman:

"There is a big difference between worship B.C. and worship A.D. - worship "before children" and worship "after diapers"! I have heard more than a few parents confess, "I used to get more out of church before I had kids."
But the bigger issue is, What does God get out of worship? Worship is good for God. Worship concerns itself with His pleasure, His benefit, His good. Worship is the exercise of our souls in blessing God. In the Psalms we read or sing, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" However, our chief concern is usually, "Bless my soul, O Lord!" (page 23)

Ouch! But it's true. And so I revert back to repeating to myself what my friend said to me four years ago: "This is special season of ministry."

No, people will not always be in support of having children in the service. Admittedly, some who insist on having their children with them do a poor job of instructing them to both behave and engage with the congregation. That is where I think Parenting in the Pew comes in handy. It creates perspective, giving good, solid and practical advice. It instructs the parents to think about why it is that they have their children with them and how they need to go about accomplishing their goals as they have purposed to "parent in the pew." She argues for the practice of keeping the children in the service with the parents and she also encourages the parents to keep on keeping on!

I really got a lot out of this book, encouragement-wise. It was a healthy reminder to both Jonathan and myself that we've made the right choice for our family and that this task is not insurmountable. In fact, having our children by our sides as we worship is a great blessing and one that we cherish.

If you are wondering whether or not you should have your children next to you in the pew, and perhaps are not sure of how to go about that - I heartily and highly recommend Parenting in the Pew, by Robbie Castleman. She's straight forward, straight up and knows how to speak a kind word. Definitely a book I'm glad to have on hand and no doubt I'll be referencing it again as we start "fresh" with a new youngster and our Sunday mornings start to feel a bit chaotic again. But will the training be worth it? I must believe so, yes. I honestly wouldn't trade our Sunday morning "experiences" as a family for anything. We are all right where we need to be - learning to focus, not on ourselves, but on the most important thing of all - worshiping God.

Friday Favorites

Another day, another week, another Friday to look back and be reminded of how blessed I am. This is a good week for personal reminders as it has had its rough moments. Here goes....

#1 - A very fun SPRING celebration with some good friends/family in which we ate yummy foods and enjoyed the changing of the season.

#2 -An overnight date night! The boys enjoyed a wonderful evening away from home with their friends and daddy and mommy enjoyed a quiet evening in. (Take-out dinner and then over to some friends' house for dessert and conversation .) It was a very fun break for all concerned and - I keep saying this because I believe it to be very true - the last "break" will have for awhile once Bookworm3 makes her arrival.

#3 - Another week down! Just a few more weeks to go! We made a daisy chain to count down the days until baby sister arrives and it is with some sense of excitement that we pluck those days away. (Mommy still being the most excited of ALL, of course! Please do not speak to me of patience. Just nod and smile, whether you understand or not.)

#4 - Key lime pie sugar free gum. (It almost sounds disgusting, doesn't it?!)



I'm on a tight diet right now with baby on the way. Hoping to keep her small (!), strong and healthy, I'm avoiding sugars (and salt) for the most part. (Excepting special spring celebrations, of course . . . and certain small moments when I just need a treat and don't really care anymore - which is the point I'm getting to!) One thing that has helped is Extra sugar-free gum's new dessert line. Key lime pie is my favorite. The taste of lime is STRONG and so it actually tastes like the pie. And it stays with you for awhile. That's a positive and a negative point right there, by the way!

#5 - Girl Scout Samoas!!!



I have a box packed away in my hospital bag which I have dutifully not opened up yet, least the temptation to eat the entire box overwhelm me. Shortly after baby makes her exit, these cookies are making their entrance. I have them stashed aside and ready to go! (Pathetic? Perhaps. But after a long sugarless stint, I have to confess I am very much looking forward to them! And you can't NOT eat Girl Scout cookies at least once a year, right!?)

Cheers!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Piglet's Big Movie

Normally we avoid "modern" Pooh, preferring the classic Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

I saw The Tigger Movie when it first came out (and wasn't very impressed) but thought we'd take a gamble on Piglet's Big Movie on a day when we needed a little entertaining around here. Delightfully, we were very pleased with the film in general. We watched this some time back (right after reading some Winnie the Pooh stories) but then watched it again last week and I thought I'd give it a mention.

Piglet's Big Movie does open up with a scene not in the books and there is a soundtrack with songs that play over certain scenes in the movie which are not so very traditional. But the animation sticks close to Disney's original Pooh film which I definitely appreciate.

In this movie, it opens up with a scene which includes Rabbit, Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore working at one of Pooh's schemes to obtain honey from the bees. Piglet approaches the gang but they think he is too small to be of much help or use to them in their project. The opening scene definitely shares the message that "Little people are important too!" Seeing that I don't have any objections to this on its face (and it's presented in a subtle way) it didn't bother me. The friends realize though that Piglet is a small and useful creature that they care about. However, by the time they notice he is missing from their company, they can't find him. They do, however, find a scrapbook that Piglet made which contains pictures of various activities that the Hundred Acre Wood gang have done all together. They decide to use the "scrapbook full of memories" to find Piglet and so begins an adventure full of flashbacks to good times in the Woods.

I love that they included the following stories (from the books!) in the movie:

1. The time Kanga and Roo moved to the Hundred Acre Wood and the animals all thought that Kanga was a fierce animal. We follow Rabbit and friends as they plot to get rid of Kanga and Roo by having Piglet switch places with Roo. Of course, in the end, they discover that Kanga and Roo are friendly companions and they are glad to have them. "Ah-HA!"
2. The time that the group went with Christopher Robin on an expotition to the North Pole. (They aren't followed by all of Rabbit's relatives but you get the basic concept of the story.)
3. In Which a House is Built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore. (They open the story with Piglet and Pooh singing Tiddly Pom.)

(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
On snowing.

And nobody knows
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
Are growing.

The more it snows
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
The more it goes
(Tiddly Pom)
On snowing.

And nobody knows
(Tiddly Pom)
How gold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
How cold my toes
(Tiddly Pom)
Are growing.

I think on the whole, this movie is true to Milne's stories and it helps to familiarize the younger generation with these delightful tales of life in the Hundred Acre Wood. Yes, a few liberties are taken but I can live with the liberties if they hold true to the spirit of the books - which I think Piglet's Big Movie does.

In case you hadn't heard the news, Disney is releasing another big screen edition of Pooh stories this summer. (It comes out July 15th to be precise!) I was suspicious at first but after seeing the trailer for it, I was appeased and we look forward to taking our boys to the theater to see it when it comes out. Here is the trailer, for your convenience:



I'm so glad that my little ones love Pooh! The innocence and fun in the Hundred Acre Woods is a delight. I like the characters, the stories and the way that Disney brought Pooh and friends to life. I'm sure we'll be enjoying Pooh for a few years yet and I couldn't be happier about that!

Bound by Guilt, by C.J. Darlington

I stayed up until 2 in the morning to finish reading Bound by Guilt! (Actually, that had more to do with the end stages of pregnancy rather than the book.) However, I can honestly say that at 2 a.m. this book was good company and if I had to be awake I am delighted to have been so thoroughly engaged in a story instead of just laying there watching the clock tick, tick, tick.

You know I don't really care for much Christian fiction, but after reading Darlington's first book, Thicker Than Blood (linked to my review), I knew I'd be interested in reading anything that came forth from the pen of Darlington. When I read Thicker Than Blood I mentioned that Darlington was a former home school student and explained why I thought that was both a good and bad thing to mention. I thought Darlington showed great skill as a writer and it is clear from her second book that she has worked on honing her craft. Bound by Guilt was even more enjoyable and believable than her first book and I was (very) pleased to accept TitleTrakk's offer to participate in a blog tour for this new title.

Bound by Guilt tailgates Thicker Than Blood but they can also be read independently of one another. (If I were you though, I'd probably want to start out with the first as it makes the second that much more impacting and engaging.) Once again, Darlington builds a story surrounding the theme of books and coffee. (Hello. What book lover isn't going to enjoy that?) In this particular story we meet Roxi Gold, a victim of the foster care system who ends up being placed with some criminally minded relatives. Their crimes involve first editions of classic book titles that you will most certainly recognize. (Darlington is well-informed as to particulars of first editions and includes a lot of facts in her books which make these fascinating to read, and not just entertaining.) Roxi finds herself deep in trouble as a result of her circumstances and some bad choices. Like the character of Christy from Thicker of Blood (who plays a role in this story also), Roxi attempts to hide from her past only to have all lies exposed. Again, it is something of a redemption story.

Normally I don't care who endorses a particular book (I can formulate my own opinions, thanks!) but in this case I think it's interesting to point out three other Christian fiction writers who enjoyed this story:

"We at the Christian Writers Guild couldn't be prouder of our First Novel Contest Winner. This one engages your senses and reaches your heart." ~ Jerry B. Jenkins

"Great job! You kept me turning the pages!" ~ Francine Rivers

"C.J. is a wonderful, talented writer . . . extraordinary . . ." ~ Bodie Thoene

I determined after reading Thicker Than Blood that if you are a fan of the Christian fiction genre that I could think of no reason why you wouldn't have enjoyed Darlington's first book. I feel like it's equally (if not more so!) safe to say that you would enjoy Bound by Guilt.

Just to get at least one of you going, Darlington has offered to giveaway a copy of both Thicker Than Blood and Bound by Guilt to one of my readers here at Reading to Know. Would you care to win? (The answer to that question is most indubitably, "YES!") Simply leave a comment below. This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Tuesday, March 29th.

THiS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER (as selected by random.org) IS #13 - BLUEROSE. (Congratulations!)




Thank you, TitleTrakk for asking me to be a part of this blog tour and for offering the giveaway to my readers. Thank you, Tyndale House Publishers, for sending a copy of this book for me to read and for entertaining and delighting me so thoroughly.

The Rewards of Simplicity (I think)

Look out, folks! The title on this one is rather deceiving.

I actually won a copy of this book on a fellow book lovers blog some time ago but just finally got around to it. I was intrigued, of course, by the concept of simplifying one's life both practically and spiritually and didn't really pay much attention to the authors or who they were at the time of my winning the contest. Of course, when I finally plucked the book down from the shelf I took note of the authors: Pam & Chuck D. Pierce. Or, to some, Pam Pierce and the Apostle Chuck who is president of Glory of Zion International Ministries.

(I'm not going to link to anything of theirs, just 'cuz.)

First, let's explain the book:

It is, as I was forewarned, divided into two sections. The first half of the book is written by Pam Pierce and she shares practical advice through story telling - explaining how she came to certain conclusions about how she needed to slow down various aspects of life. She talks about how she needed to let go of certain possessions and/or expectations in order that God could more easily move and use her according to His good pleasure. So far so good. There were a few question marks in my head as to her theology but I generally found her thoughts to be practical and was able to ignore that which I may disagree with.

In the second half of the book, her husband, the Apostle Chuck (I'm sorry. I just cannot resist.) speaks to the issue of anxiety which sometimes relates to the idea of simplicity and sometimes does not. I agree with my friend the other book blogger in saying that this section of the book felt disjointed from the first. I think he's trying to discuss how owning and possessing things, believing ourselves to be in control of our life and situations, can cause anxiety. If I am going to connect the dots on his behalf, then I would say he is trying to cause the reader to understand that anxiety about "stuff" and life circumstances gets in the way of trying to live simply and therefore you should try to deal with any anxiety you might have. At least, that's what he should be saying if he wanted to connect the dots. I'm not totally sure that he does. It's rather hard to say.

If his wife is trying to discuss how readers can lead productive, simple lives, focusing priorities on what God would have them do, then her husband kind of steps in and ruins the book for her. His message does not really make sense or line up very well with the ideas that she is trying to communicate and it feels like he is on a tangent wanting to share about his gift of prophesy and some individual lessons he believes God would have him share that are rather completely unrelated to the message of simplicity. It's like he got all hyped up about the idea of his wife being published that he couldn't contain himself and had to put his hand in the cookie pot. Too many hands in the pot in this case!

I thought about stopping the read at page 118 and ignoring the remaining 76 pages of rambling by her husband but the deepest morbid curiosity drove me onward.

I couldn't not look at the Glory of Zion International Ministries website. I couldn't not watch the videos they provide with from recent services. I couldn't help but think about the church from which we came not so very long ago that was traveling on a path that was going to take them right to the Glory of Zion. And I became more firm in my belief that wisdom, knowledge of scripture, and spiritual discernment are essential parts of the Christian walk. (See also Think.) I have a serious problem with the Apostle Chuck and for me, he pretty much ruined whatever could be gleaned, on the whole, from this book.

For one thing, I recognized the lingo and "dialect", if you will, that he was using when talking about what God "wants" for us in our lifetime. (Think peace, health, wealth, and a limo at your beck and call, etc.) There is a rather remarkable lack of devotion to truth and instead it is replaced with words like "respect", "honor", "value" and "love." I don't know if you've noticed, but trying to speak with someone who can only respond with, "Well, we just have to love each other" can get you nowhere in your conversation in a great big hurry. That's the fast-track statement to a completely unprofitable interaction. If speaking of someone's personal preference relating to their favorite flavor of ice cream, then we should just learn to love each other, yes. If we're talking about matters of doctrine, it requires a closer examination of a set of beliefs and putting such beliefs under the proverbial microscope. We are supposed to test everything in the light of scriptures (Acts 17:10-12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). We are to cling to what is good (and reject what is evil.) Without a firm foundation, the building will crumble. Just like this book.

The Apostle Chuck manhandles The Rewards of Simplicity in such a way as to totally distract the reader from the title and the supposed purpose of it. Instead he lapses into his emotional life experiences and starts talking about spiritual strongholds and prophesies which have been revealed to him and that he has revealed to others. He even mentions that he was prophesying that the American Church would be going to war on September 18, 2001. He points to September 11th and without using words (because he really dare not) suggests that his prophet-hood is right on target. But I'm pretty sure that when God gives a message, He is always accurate and if someone's prophesies fail to come to pass, then you cannot and should not be taking them seriously. (Deut. 18:22; Galations 1:8-9) Actually, men who claimed to be prophets in the Old Testament but who failed to deliver true messages were condemned to die. (Jeremiah 28:1-17; Jer. 29:24-32) It's kind of a big deal if you claim to be a Prophet of God and yet the prophesies coming forth from your mouth are not true. (We're not talking about making a guess as to when Apple will release the next version of the iPod here.) Again, even the much heralded Church of Acts that modern day Christians are anxious to return to (minus the intense persecution, of course!) searched the scriptures to see if what was being taught to them was actual truth. If they found untruth in the message, I doubt that they would have paid much credence to it or would have said anything like, "Well, why don't we just all try to get along." Instead they would have demanded the truth. Not so with this "Glory" doctrine which would set scriptures aside if someone has a dream to share, or a vision to expound on, or who might have received a visitation in some form or fashion that is questionable at best and mostly lacks credible evidence which can confirm such things taking place.

But what and why are we talking about 9/11 and prophesies here? This is a book about making your life more simple, is it not?!

My point exactly.

Originally I was thinking that I would pass this book along to one of you, in the spirit of the giveaway in which it was turned over to me. However, after I watched just a few of the "Glory of Zion" videos (in which one person implied that God is giving us His glory now, on this earth... totally ignoring the fact that God declares in Isaiah 42:8 that He will not give His glory to another!) I changed my mind.

Yes, I think you could probably sort through the faulty and false doctrines which are present in this book which is supposed to be about Simplifying Your Life. However, there are so many, many holes in their presentation that I cannot help but think that there are better resources out there and so this book is best forgotten. (If only I could forget it, which I cannot.)

I think this book is a great example of why it is important to pay attention to who the author of any book is. What do they believe? What do they preach? Do they hold to the truth of scripture? Because if they don't, placing yourself under their teaching - even in book form - can prove to be a confusing and even dangerous thing.

In summary, this: when it comes to tips on organization and simplification -- look elsewhere!!!

What's On My Nightstand - March

Time again to check in the Nightstand to see how much progress we've made and to set reading goals for the following month. This meme, by 5 Minutes for Books, really is fun. I find it a good way to keep myself on track and set reading priorities for each month.

Last month I said I wanted to read the following:

Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. I was planning on reading it alongside my friend Sky but I just couldn't do it. I got a few chapters in, my eyes were glazing over, I was bored enough to not want to read anything at all and I think I just need to firmly admit and vow unto myself that I do not like Dickens and have no intention of ever reading him. I glanced back to see what happened the last time I tried to read Dickens and I see I fared no better. We are just not made for one another, he and I. (For the record, Sky didn't make it through either. So I don't feel so very alone. Our respective life circumstances right now make us more keen on light and fluffy fiction than .... well, Dickens.)

The Collected Tales of Nurse Matilda. (Linked to my review.) I did read all three books and disliked all three books about equally well. (No, perhaps I disliked the third the most because it was just more of the same.) I also watched the first Nanny McPhee movie and tried to watch the second (linked to my thoughts) and failed there too.

In Japan the Crickets Cry. (Linked to my review.) Didn't like that one either.

Apparently March was a strike-out month where as the ol' nightstand was concerned! Ah well. So we move on!

In April I plan on having a baby so I'm not quite sure what all will be read. I can only guarantee the following, as I have them in my hot little hands and am already underway with them:



Following the success of Jane Austen Ruined My Life and Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart (both linked to my reviews), Beth Pattillo is releasing her third book entitled The Dashwood Sisters Tell All. I know I'm not the only one looking forward to this read and I can't wait to share more about it. (I also have a giveaway for this one so stay tuned with happiness and gleeful expectations.)

I'm pretty entrenched in "fiction mode" which is kind of unusual for me, but given the circumstances I feel the most delightfully entertained by it these days. I'd really like to read Her Daughter's Dream, by Francine Rivers.



I borrowed this one from a friend and it's my goal to read and return it before baby arrives.

Lastly, I've been poking my way through (and am continuing to poke along) Wayne Grudem's Countering the Claims of Evangelical Feminism: Biblical Responses to the Key Questions.



This is definitely a book that I've found one must linger in and I'm formulating my thoughts as I go along. I'll talk about it in the future but it is on my Nightstand to be read and digested over the course of a few months. More later.

Beyond that I'm afraid to predict. We'll just see what happens!

Now it's that fun time of the month when I get to hop around and check out what is on everyone else's Nightstands! Happy Reading and see y'all 'round!

Spring Picture Books and Parties

Today, as I'm sure many of you gleefully realized, was the first day of SPRING! We've been talking about Spring over at Offering Hospitality. First Crystal shared these ideas for throwing a Spring Party and then I laid out a Spring Family Party challenge, encouraging people to find a way to welcome in the season with their families. Of course, I can't lay out a challenge and then fail to participate in it now, can I?! Nope!

Using a couple of Crystal's suggestions, we set the table (with our white dishes) and added colorful foods, like Rainbow Kabobs, Rainbow tortellini (with broccoli and carrots - not pictured so as to make us look quite unhealthy in the photographs below), berries and Greek yogurt, sparkling lemonade and a little cake I picked up at a bakery. I also made "dirt" pudding cups (using graham crackers instead of cookies for the dirt) and put them in these Blooming Cupcakes molds which went over well (as far as appearances and gummy worms were concerned.) We invited some of our close, dear friends over to join us for this Spring feast and enjoyed a lovely evening together. (Technically this challenge was to be a "Family party." But these particular friends ARE family so they count!!!) Here are some pics of our food, and a little boy who was very much anticipate the meal that was being laid out before him:





Now, this being a book blog and all, I would be remiss if I did not share some of our favorite Spring picture book titles that we will be enjoying over the next several weeks.



I Am a Bunny was a book that Jonathan grew up with and I hadn't heard of until we got married and had children of our own. If you haven't heard of it, hie thee to a bookstore and snatch up a copy. In this story, Nicolas bunny introduces us to the various seasons of the year. In the Spring he likes to pick flowers and chase butterflies. Of course, it does hit on all the seasons and is not strictly related to Spring, but whenever you are discussing the changing of the seasons, this one is perfect! Originally published in 1963, this book is a true classic.



Rabbits and Raindrops was written and illustrated by one of our personal favorites, Jim Arnosky. In this story, Mother Rabbit is with her little babies who are ready to hop out of their nest which is "under a hedge at the edge of a green lawn." Mother Rabbit makes sure the coast is clear and is quickly followed by her babies who delight in exploring the great big world around them. However, it soon begins to rain (as it always does in the Spring!) and they must get back to their nest. Beautifully illustrated (as always!) by Arnosky, this is a fun treasure.

By the way, bunny books are a favorite around here because we have a family of bunnies that live at the end of our driveway. Very exciting to watch them hop about in the yard!



Lost in the Woods is a gem of a Spring-time book. Heralded as "A Photographic Fantasy" it tells us the story of a new little fawn who has been told to wait in some tall grass by her mama. Some of the other woodland animals assume that the fawn is lost although she is not. One of the things the book intends to teach children is that fawns do not have a scent and so they are perfectly safe from predators when left alone. If you come across a fawn, you should let it be. It's mother will return to it. However, this situation does not stop the other woodland animals from worrying over the fawn! We meet chipmunks, spring frogs, newly hatched goslings and other animals in this beautiful book. Love it! Love it! Highly recommend during the Spring season.



How can I not mention The Golden Egg Book in this season of new life. Bookworm1 (age 4 1/2) is a particular fan of this story in which we meet a little bunny who stumbles upon an egg. What is inside the egg? Oh, how the bunny wants to know! Maybe it's a little boy? Or an elephant? His curiosity is about to be laid to rest as the egg begins to crack.

Last year Bookworm1 enjoyed wrapping himself up in blankets, pretending he was in an egg, getting ready to crack. Not sure whether this story will be reenacted in any way this year, but it sure holds some fond memories for us and I'm glad to have it in our collection.

Do you have some Spring-themed books that you love to read with your kids? I'd love to hear about them. I like adding to our home library each season with new titles that can be pulled out and enjoyed on a yearly basis. Do share!

To check out how other people have welcomed in the Spring, visit Offering Hospitality. If you wrote up a blog post talking about Spring Celebrations - please link up! We're always looking for new ideas and ways to celebrate LIFE in general!