Tag Archives: books

Book Review: Searching For Sunday by Rachel Held Evans

Posted in books, grateful, growing by
  • Subtitle: loving, leaving and finding the church
  • Publisher: Nelson Books
  • Subject: 248.843 religion/spiritual growth/Christian life
  • Recommended by: Jessica N Turner
  • Author blog/website: www.rachelheldevans.com/
  • Moments for me: there’s a lot of reasons people leave the church – mine was not hers but this is very thought provoking.

Blurb: Like millions of her millennial peers, Rachel Held Evans didn’t want to go to church anymore. The hypocrisy, the politics, the gargantuan building budgets, the scandals–church culture seemed so far removed from Jesus. Yet, despite her cynicism and misgivings, something kept drawing her back to Church. And so she set out on a journey to understand Church and to find her place in it. Centered around seven sacraments, Evans’ quest takes readers through a liturgical year with stories about baptism, communion, confirmation, confession, marriage, vocation, and death that are funny, heartbreaking, and sharply honest. A memoir about making do and taking risks, about the messiness of community and the power of grace, Searching for Sunday is about overcoming cynicism to find hope and, somewhere in between, Church.

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While I always have called myself Christian, I’ve been away from “church” for a long time. Hypocrisy, one-upmanship, jealousy, gossip, simply feeling like l don’t belong – those are all valid reasons why I walked away from certain places. It’s not a valid reason as to why I am not at or searching for THE church that will be my second home. I don’t agree with every viewpoint that Evans has but there are enough points for me to have really enjoyed the thoughts this book provoked, even if I am uncomfortable with some of my thoughts.  I’m not going into all those thoughts here on the blog, as they are for my consumption but here’s some portions of the book I am thinking on.

Talking about Hands (relevant verse 2 Timothy 1:6 “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands”) There is power in touch – a connective energy, a bond…Jesus didn’t have to touch the blind man’s eyes or the leper’s sores, but he did…the church blessed its sick and commissioned its leaders ith the laying on of hands…the hands that pass the peace can past a meal to the man on the street, the hands that cup together to receive Christ in the bread will extend to receive Christ in the immigrant, the refugee, the lonely, or the sick. Hands plant, and uproot, and cook, and caress. They repair, and rewire, and change diapers and dress wounds. Hands tickle giggling children and wipe away tears. Hands rub heaving bellies of big, ugly dogs. Hands sanctify all sorts of ordinary things and make them holy. My hands bless my family & workmates by what they do, a non-verbal way of saying that “I care about you & what I can do for you”.

 

The Meal: The first thing the world knew about Christians was that they ate together…rich and poor, slaves and free, Jews and Gentiles, men and women to celebrate the day the whole world changed…they remembered Jesus with food, stories, laughter, tears, debate, discussion and clean up…the focus was not in Jesus’ death, but rather on Jesus’ friendship. Later on in the same section, Evans continues: I need the Eucharist because I need to begin each week with open hands…because I need to practice letting go and letting in…because I need to quit keeping score. Or in the words of Alexander Schememann “No one is worthy to receive communion. No one is prepared for it. At this point all merits, all righteousness, all devotions disappear and dissolve. Life comes again to us as a Gift”.

On Church: but the gospel doesn’t need a coalition devoted to keeping the wrong people out. It needs a family of sinners, saved by grace, committed to tearing down the walls, throwing open the doors and shouting “Welcome! There’s bread and wine. Come eat with us and talk.” This isn’t a Kingdom for the worthy; it’s a kingdom for the hungry. Don’t look at everyone else as worthier than myself. Be secure in the knowledge that I am God’s too, and I am loved.

 

On Healing & stuff like that: the truth is, the church doesn’t offer a cure. It doesn’t offer a quick fix. The church offers death and resurrection. The church offers the messy, inconvenient, gut-wrenching, never-ending work of healing and reconciliation. The church offers grace. The Church offers grace.

Book Review: Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh

Posted in books by
  • Publisher: ARC in return for an honest review
  • Recommended by: previously read this author
  • Author blog/website: www.nalinisingh.com/
  • Moments for me: Noah reflects my view of my ex. Ugh.
  • Blurb: Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.

Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.

When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.

Excerpt: http://nalinisingh.com/books/rock-kiss-series/rock-redemption/

rock redemption cover

Followers will recognize the name – I reviewed another of Nalini’s contempory romances earlier in the year AND LOVED IT: https://sewscrapmuse.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/review-rock-hard-by-nalini-singh/ Unfortunately I can’t say the same for this one. I’d usually devour a Nalini then re-read straight away, but this time I struggled.

To be fair, I’m never going to love everything an author puts out. Early Stephanie Laurens? Yes Please. Later Laurens? Not even if you fed me chocolate. I guess I’m not as invested in Noah or Kit as I was in Thea/David or Charlie/T-Rex, then on the second reading I recognized some of my ex’s traits – denial of issues, avoidance of therapy/counselling, using people. Both characters are a bit tired/well-used/cliché, with the angst-ridden rock star and the ingénue trying not to ride on Mummy & Daddy’s coat-tails. I realize that the childhood trauma suffered by Noah is very, very real for too many people and we all have different ways of dealing with traumatic incidents, so please don’t take this as criticism of the way Singh has chosen to write the resolution of Noah’s issues.

There are other parts of the story I really liked, such as Thea’s explanation of fandom and the naming of “it” couples (think Brangelina). There’s the back story about how the band formed and a glimpse (more than a few) into Abe & Sarah’s story, which will wrap up the series. I’m certainly not put off the author or the series – I just probably won’t read this installment again. Two & a half stars from me.

NOW AVAILABLE

Author Information

naliniNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about a beautiful, charismatic guitarist with a dark past. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Also, don’t forget to swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page for the Rock Kiss series, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the books.

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

$50 AMAZON Gift Card

Share Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjc0Ng==/?

And lastly, if you need incentives to sign up to her eNewsletter, Nalini bribes with free stories on the newsletters first: http://www.nalinisingh.com

Book Review: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine

Posted in books, grateful, growing, me by
  • Subtitle: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life
  • Publisher: Nelson Books
  • Subject: 248.843 – women, conduct of life, stress + time management
  • Recommended by: library find
  • Author blog/website: www.moneysavingmom.com/

Moments for me: Comparison is the thief of Joy.

Joy is what happens when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are – Marianne Williamson.

While a lot of the financial tips are United States-centric there’s more to be found in this book from the main blogger at www.moneysavingmom.com

wpid-20150913_080916.jpgThese are the things I took from this book. Yours will be utterly personal to you (as it’s that sort of book) but hopefully you’ll be encouraged to pick this title up from your local library. It’s available on most e formats too.

  • Changing attitudes – it’s OK to let routines go when I need to bc I can always impose them later
  • Give, give give – time effort or money, the recipient will be blessed.
  • Involve others in running the home
  • Budget to bring down your big monthly household spends
  • Plan to use my wardrobe (this is working out well, I’ve given away 4 tops already)
  • Get up 30 min earlier to get peace, time to myself, complete my devotional without interruption

On Sunday Si & I talked about the visa (which is linked to his account so I can’t see the balances). We agreed to take this more seriously and a/p $100 a week to it regardless of the balance (our bank pays interest on positive balances). Load lifted by such a simple action!

Blurb: Calling the super busy, the stressed out, the overtired.

You know you’re made for a more fulfilling life. With this book, you’ll know where to start.

You wake up tired. Your to-do list is too long. The commitments—and the laundry—are piling up, but your energy keeps dwindling. You feel like you’re simply making it through the days, not living or enjoying any part of them.

In Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, you’ll find both practical ideas and big-picture perspective that will inspire you to live life on purpose. As a wife, mother of three, and founder of the wildly successful blog MoneySavingMom.com, Crystal Paine has walked the road from barely surviving to living with intention. With the warmth and candor of a dear friend, she shares what she’s learned along the way, helping you:

  • feel healthier and more energetic by setting priorities and boundaries
  • eliminate stress with savvy management of your time, money, and home
  • get more done by setting realistic goals and embracing discipline
  • rediscover your passions—and the confidence to pursue them

Packed with straightforward solutions you’ll use today and inspirational stories you’ll remember for years, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode is a must for any woman who’s ever longed for the freedom to enjoy life, not just survive it.

Postcards from Misty Harbor Inn by Evangeline Kelly

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  • Reading Order: Seaside Harmony, Sunflower Summer, Whispers on the Dock
  • Publisher: Guideposts
  • Subject: fiction
  • Recommended by: library hook-up

mistyharbor

This is a gentle, not Bible-thumping trilogy about 3 older sisters who gather after their mother’s passing in Nantucket, the scene of childhood holidays. There are a few mysteries to solve about their family history and that of the house, and the trilogy themes are fairly universal – love, acceptance & forgiveness.

Evangeline Kelley is the pen name for the writing team of Patti Berg, Pam Andrews & Barbara Hanson, and Camy Tang. Apparently this was their first time writing together, but the result is almost seamless and you can’t tell which author wrote which part – the sign of a good team! Everything meshes together to produce something that doesn’t appear rushed, doesn’t hurry you thru to the end, & isn’t sickly sweet. The series wraps up cleanly but not awkwardly. It is important to read these in order to enjoy.

There’s an interview with Camy Tang here  & one of the things she says rings true: Home really is where your heart is! It might be a bit overused today, but the sentiment is always true. God puts us in the specific places in our lives where we can serve Him, love others and learn the value of what He’s done in our lives.

Seaside Harmony – Book 1 When Caroline Marris joins her sisters, Gracie Gold and Sam Carter for a Nantucket Island getaway, she has no idea how it will change her life. The sisters stumble upon Misty Harbor Inn, the place their late mother loved so much, and Caroline talks her sisters into buying the beautiful but dilapidated inn. But can free-spirited Caroline stay focused enough to make opening the inn a reality? Hand-drawn old postcards draw the sisters into the mystery of Hannah Montague, the young widow of the original owner. Can the sisters uncover the fate of this woman who disappeared in 1880? As Caroline and her sisters work together to make their mom’s dream a reality, they bond in ways they never expected.

Sunflower Summer – book 2 Misty Harbor Inn officially opens, and Gracie Gold, the middle Marris sister, wrestles with an overwhelming decision. As the sisters learn the day-to-day workings of running an inn, Gracie counsels its first guests, newlyweds whose honeymoon seems to be ending before it begins. Meanwhile, Sam’s discovery of a clue in a secret room sheds unflattering light on Hannah Montague, who vanished from the house more than one hundred years ago. And as Gracie and Caroline welcome guests to the inn, they are delighted to see how God uses it — and them — to deepen relationships and transform lives.

Whispers on the Dock – book 3 As Nantucket reaches the pinnacle of its summer glory, and the Marris sisters welcome guests at Misty Harbor Inn, youngest sister Sam Carter enters her mother’s cobbler recipe in the Summerfest baking contest. But she faces a formidable opponent, a past winner who is determined to keep her title even if it means stooping to dirty tactics. Can Sam’s newfound faith help her rise above the fray and reach out to this lonely woman? Meanwhile, an elderly guest arrives who knows the inn’s history, and the sisters are stunned to learn that their late mother lived there as a child. But she told them she’d never been to Nantucket until her honeymoon! Through the woman’s reminiscences and photos, the sisters make an intriguing discovery — not only about the mysterious Hannah Montague, the young woman who disappeared from the house in 1880, but also about their own family history

You Can Quote Me – Exhibition Drive walk

Posted in books, family, steptember 2015, You Can Quote ME by

As always, YCQM reflects some portion of my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity. This week it was about re-charging myself, body and soul, ready for the new working week.

exhibition drive mapYesterday we combined family time (sans B, who spent the weekend at his friend’s new home & told me this morning (by phone thankfully) that his clothes really need washing and they are really, really ripe due to helping carry a dead sheep – oh yay!) with Father’s Day, Steptember and my love for the Ignite shoes that Puma gave us last week. Zac found a walk in the Ranges book that I brought Si a few years ago (it’s here: https://www.paperplus.co.nz/book/walking-the-waitakere-ranges-9781869664268 or you can google search individual walks) and we drove over the hills to Titirangi.

Because Si has his knee strapped up, we parked at the Shaw Road carpark, which is roughly halfway along the walk (the red marker). We walked towards Titirangi, turned around then completed the walk.

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Exhibition Drive is now closed off, but it used to be part of the road from Titirangi village, over the Waitakeres to Swanson. It’s now been replaced by Scenic Drive, but a few driveways still come off it. But because it was a road, it’s wide enough & smooth enough for running, pushchairs, wheelchairs and cycling. There are a few parts when you can see the old road base poking thru but it’s very safe for the whole family.

The road follows the old tramway, which was set up to transport parts of the pipeline that used to bring water down from the hills. The cast iron pipes are visible for most of the walk; they were forged in England in 1912, shipped to Auckland port, railed to New Lynn, horse & dray to Titirangi village then the horse-drawn tram finished the journey to the site.

20150906_135504At Jacobson’s Tunnel (length 527m, all by hand!!) you can still see part of the tram tracks. There are valves along the pipeline that the kids had to play with, either for removing caught air or isolating water at that part of the pipeline. It’s OK – these sections aren’t in use!

20150906_125322One of the felled trees on the path – Zac & Mase look like midgets! We couldn’t count all the rings.

20150906_140502And the view at the end over the Manukau Heads. Gorgeous.

Book Review: Anchored by Kayla Aimee

Posted in books, grateful by

Subtitle: Finding Hope in the Unexpected

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Subject: 234.2 Christianity, grace

Recommended by: Jessica Turner @  www.themomcollective.com

Author blog/website: www.anchoredhopebook.com/

I love this book. Love love love. Not only is KA informative, sarcastic, clever & so obviously real, she’s funny too.

Blurb: Poignant and humorous, Anchored recounts Kayla’s gripping story of learning to navigate her newfound motherhood in the most unexpected of ways. With vulnerability and plenty of wit, Kayla lays bare her struggle to redefine her faith, her marriage, and herself in her search for hope.

For anyone who has felt their faith in God falter, Anchored extends a gentle invitation to join her as she uncovers a hope that holds.

ForParty

There isn’t any hiding of the pain – and with any premature birth there is always going to be pain and uncertainty – but a 25 week birth? I can’t imagine the terror. I have been lucky to have relatively easy pregnancies and births – and even luckier to be able to take my children home soon after. Not 100+ days after.

A good lesson that I took from this was that having FAITH doesn’t protect you from pain (I know, should have paid more attention to Paul’s journey, right?). That FAITH is holding onto God even through the pain – or most especially during the pain.

A keeper – 4 stars. You can start it now by going to KA’s blog and downloading the first chapter.

Non-affiliate links are used in this blog post.

Book Review: The Dirty Life by Kristen Kimball

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Subtitle: On Farming, Food & Love

Publisher: Scribner (Simon & Schuster)

Subject: 631.584 – agriculture biography

Recommended by: Elise Cripe @ www.elisejoy.com

Author blog/website: www.kristinkimball.com/

book

Well, there was precious little food in here – certainly no recipes like in “The Feast Nearby”. Kimball still writes as if for a magazine audience and at least she isn’t shy of writing about her failings (especially emotionally) but there were many times I just wanted to shut the book and move on. I do think that I would have been better to leave a decent gap between Feast and Dirty – more because I enjoyed Feast so much – so that’s my take-away lesson. Leave gaps!

However she does describe the characters beautifully and I really did enjoy that aspect of the book. 2 stars from me.

28/8 Hi Five for Friday!

Posted in books, grateful, High Five For Friday, stitching patterns by

LISTENING: TobyMac (eclectic Christian artist with a recent release but solid back-catalogue) and of course, Elise’s podcasts.

tobymac

READING: I finished Anchored (review to come) and started something I thought might be fluffy but has turned out to be a very thought-provoking romance series from Susan May Warren. Self-forgiveness. Massive concept. Her Christiansen family series, in case you’re looking for something new-ish.

CRAFTING: well not yet,but I love this suggestion from Simply Vanella about what I could do with my black linen. Isn’t this perfect?

DW2886 chalkboard cross stitch

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Design-Works-Be-Happy-Chalkboard-Counted-Cross-Stitch-Kit/DW2886

Also I found this ceramic owl HALF PRICE at Farmers so I can re-create one of Carol’s photos. Think I will choose Serenity, as that is my OLW for this year.

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DOING: Celebrating. Mason’s awesome anniversary report. Zac’s official rep selection for one of the Auckland U12/13 restricted weight sides. A bunch of awesome parents in this rep side. LAST Under 6 game for the season tomorrow – it’s been a long year! Freebie December Daily foundation pages (OK, they started out as lotto ticket wallets but that’s two standard and two pocket pages right there, peeps – and I left the lady looking up Ali & Becky’s websites). Springtime flowers seen during lunchtime walks.

Let me know what you find to celebrate this week!

Book Review: The Feast Nearby by Robin Mather

Posted in books, food, growing by

The-Feast-Nearby-book

Subtitle: How I lost my job, buried a marriage and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering and eating locally (all on forty dollars a week)

Mather was a food writer and critic for several publications over a long period and the book is essentially a story about her return to contentment after a horror week that involved her husband announcing that he wanted to divorce and being made redundant from her role at the Chicago Tribune.

She doesn’t dwell on the miserable and looks to find the good, even in the little things. Thoughtfully written and thought provoking. My takeaway lesson from the book is that I need to buy local more, grow more and eat more seasonably. Unless I get a glasshouse, it’s not OK to have salads in August.

Author blog (which hasn’t been updated in a while, TBH) : http://thefeastnearbywordpress.com and there’s a Q&A session here: http://www.domenicacooks.com/2011/06/q-a-with-robin-mather-author-of-the-feast-nearby/

Also it’s well worth perusing the blog and book for the recipes included – several have a long family history. You know those will become favourites!

High 5 4 Friday!

Posted in grateful, High Five For Friday by

LISTENING: The new CD from Rend Collective is out today (NZ time). A quote from their blog: importantly, we belong to a larger family, and that family includes you. The children of God have always been a people on the move, driven by a mission and a purpose. We aren’t part of a social club, but we’re given a charge from the Father: to share His love with the world.

 As Christians we know this world is not our home. We’re all on a lifelong journey that ends on greater shores. Until that day our purpose is clear, and our companionship is the family of God. He’s given us each other to encourage, rebuke, care for, weep with, hug, pray for, and laugh with. It’s so purposefully beautiful.

Rend-Collective-As-Family-We-Go-August-21-Rocking-Gods-House

READING: I’ve re-discovered the love of the library stack. I managed to get the one I really wanted from Elise Blaha Cripe’s recommends, which is The Dirty Life & started that one this morning. Review next week of The Feast Nearby.

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KITCHEN: I love having fresh herbs to hand. I’ve grown basil and Italian parsley this year, and taken cuttings & potted up even more basil for friends. The pot on the left? That’s from the sage seeds that were given to me. Smart cookies will be able to tell that it’s carrots. I couldn’t tell until it came to about six week’s growth. I left a couple in anyway. And the thyme was picked up and re-potted. Thyme on pizza or even garlic bread is yummy. I also have two rosemary – one outside that was allowed to flower for the bees and one inside that is for cooking.

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Also par-baked bread rolls now my breadmaker is toast (pardon me).

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CRAFTING: Life. Changed. Typo have erasable highlighters that aren’t so moist that they go thru the page. Brilliant for my working copies. Plenty of colours and cheap at 4 for $6.

SHOPPING: I found this print yesterday at Typo when all I intended to do was show Simon a funny set of magnets. $15! Bargain.

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CELEBRATING: the letter from college arrived yesterday. Look at that! Isn’t it awesome? So proud of how much Zac achieved already.

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Life is good. Hope you find something to celebrate today too!