Book Review: Treasuring Emma by Kathleen Fuller

Girls, here's another wonderfully written book about the Amish. This was another book that I would stay up and read long before I should have been in bed sleeping!  If you like books about the Amish life, then you'll love this book, I think.

Emma is a 25-year-old woman who has experience a lot of loss in her life.  Her mother died from cancer and her first love went to the Englisch world, leaving Emma behind and heartbroken.  Now she is living with her grossmammi.

After Adam received a letter telling him of Emma's mother's death, he returns to Middlefield.  Emma is determined to guard her heart this time and to not let him back in her life as easily.  She's not really sure why he came back, whether it was guilt or love. 

Not long after his return, another man comes into their community, Mark King, and has an interest in Emma.  Adam warns Emma not to let her guard down with him, but will she listen?  Does she fall for Mark or does she give Adam a second chance?  Will Adam stay in the Amish community or return back to the Englisch world?  You'll have to read it to find out!

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Book Review: Look to the East by Maureen Lang

I absolutely love reading Maureen Lang books after reading my first book by her a few months ago.  I didn't think that anything could top Springtime of the Spirit but this one is just as good!  It was hard to put down and when I had to part ways with my book, it was easy to jump right back in where I left off.

Look to the East is an installment in the Great War Series.  This book is set right before World War 1 when Germany was invading France/Belgium.  At this time, the Germans were taking over villages, land, houses, and possessions that they came across.  There were so many Germans in the army that they were able to defeat France in certain villages.  The village of Briecourt was set apart from the earlier battles, but the Germans easily took over this town as well.  Briecourt had a longstanding feud going on between two families...the Toussaint and the de Colvilles.  (Fun fact: to this day, no one knows why it started, but it's still going on apparently.) 

Julitte Toussaint is an outcast among some of her family and most definitely to the de Colvilles.  In fact, the de Colvilles hate her so much that they told the Germans she had leprosy so that they would confine her and her family to a house.  Charles Lassone is a Belgian entrepreneur (who likes to play sports for a living).  He's wealthy, handsome, and wants to join the Belgium army and not the French army.  However, in his quest to reach Belguim, he gets entangled in the war and ends up in hiding.  He must stay hidden or he risks the lives of the entire village, including Julitte, and even his own life.  If only he would have gone with Mantoux and he'd be far from danger instead of living with no direction or purpose.

I definitely recommend this book!  It's a great history lesson, as well.
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I received this book free from Tyndale Publishers.  In exchange, I offer my review.

Thinking Chair

I was sitting on the toilet seat watching the kiddos take their bath (and waiting for them to finish playing) when B, who was lying down on his back in the water looked at me.  The following conversation took place.

B: What's the matter, Mommy?

Mommy: Nothing, B.  Mommy's just thinking.

B: Oh....like Blue's Clues?

Mommy: (laughing) Yeah, like Blue's Clues!

Guess B thought that I was sitting on my thinking chair!  He cracks me up!

They say the cutest things...

B loved going to VBS at our church last week.  He had a blast.  It was definitely the highlight of his days and he'd wake up asking when he got to go.  Then, about every 30 minutes or so he would proceed to ask again.  When Daddy T would go to pick him up and B would walk through the door at our house, he'd proudly show me what they made and tell me what he learned and then....yes....tell me what he ate.  Sometimes I didn't really want to hear that part, but I realized it was a special thing for him to do! 

On the last day, B came home and looked me in my eyes and said, "Mommy, they shut down VBS."  He was so sad!  I didn't know what to say.  I tried to explain to him what happened, but I still don't think he grasped it.  I'm so thrilled that he liked it and that it was fun for him and that he learned so much.  Too bad it "shut down!"

Train Ride

Over the July 4th holiday, we decided to go take a train ride since my parents were in town and we needed to use our Groupon!  It was extremely hot.  I mean really hot.  We, thinking it would be a fun experience for B, chose to sit in the non-air conditioned cab.  Bad choice, as you can tell by our rosy red cheeks and our sweaty shirts.  It was a fun trip, though.  I'd like to go back when Thomas the train is there or at Christmas time to do the Polar Express.  I think we'd like the cooler weather better!

Change

We have entered the season in our lives where change is happening.  We've had to make many decisions as to where and which ministry we feel God is leading us to, house decisions leading up to selling, job decisions, and more.  I hate change.  I think I can say I despise it.  I am like my father.  I like routines and predictability.  I don't like not knowing what's coming up because I like to plan.  I like familiarity.  At this moment in our lives, change is happening almost daily and important decisions are being made.  I'm learning to let go and to take things on that I'd never thought I was capable of doing.  I've sought a lot of wisdom on these matters and feel at peace with all but 1 work decision so far.  However, I think God may have started to answer that prayer today!  So, if you remember, pray for me to accept the changes coming and that have already occurred and to "go with the flow."  This is one time I wish I was more like Daddy T....laid back and change can happen and he hardly notices.

On another note, please add our nephew D to your prayer list.  He found out Friday that his father died.  Uncle Mike had to break the news to him.  Pray for Uncle Mike, Aunt Lea, and K to be able to know how to encourage D and to know how to love on him.  Pray for D especially over the next few days as there is the funeral and all the events that go on with that.  Pray for comfort for D.

Reunions

We had a family reunion that we go to on a yearly basis.  It's on my mom's side of the family and it's a good time for us to see people that we don't see very often.  Sadly, not many people came this year.  I will say, it was EXTREMELY hot out, as you can tell by B's red cheeks!

The Errand List

I'm notorious for having several different pieces of paper stuffed in my purse for me to pull out when I have to go shopping for things at different stores.  Inevitably, I lose the little piece of paper and carrying around my notebook hasn't worked for me either.  So I created the Errand List for me to keep track of what I need at different stores so it's all on one piece of paper so I won't lose it or forget what I need at a store I don't go to very often.  Once again, I'll share it with you as well.  Just email me if you'd like me to send you the actual document.  (I'm looking at changing to Wordpress so I can link my documents.  That may be in store, we'll see.)

Something to Ponder

As I mentioned in my book review below, I am really enjoying reading the book Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman.  He has done an excellent job in making the reader really think about our relationship with Christ.  I tend to pull out some top things in a series of posts that really spoke to me and have left me saying "wow...good point.  I need to think about that some more and let it resonate."

I'll mention the first one today.  I'm just going to quote the paragraph because I can't do it justice if I don't.  It's powerful and I don't want you to miss it, either.

"A few months ago I was speaking in Houston, Texas, and a good-sized man, with a good-sized belt buckle, came up to me with tears in his eyes.  He began to tell me the story of his prodigal daughter, how she went to college and totally turned her back on the faith.  As soon as he started the story, I knew how it would go.  I've heard it so many times, even the details seem predictable.  But when he finished, he didn't ask me why she was doing this or what had gone wrong.  He wasn't looking for an explanation.  Instead, with one sentence he put his finger on what he thought happened.  Here's what he said...'We raised her in Church, but we didn't raise her in Christ.'

You hear what he is saying?  We raised her to look right on the outside but didn't teach her about the inside.  We taught her to keep all the rules, but she never really had a relationship.  We made her feel guilty for the wrong things she did, but somehow she missed God's amazing grace.  We taught her to be a fan of Jesus--instead of a follower of Jesus."

Wow.  Yet, how true is this statement in some of our own lives?  We're taught religion and rules, but often we don't teach our children to fall in love with Christ.  To want Him like no other.  To want to please Him.  To love Him and trust Him no matter what.  If you were honest, are you a rule-follower or are you deeply in love with Jesus?  Not to the point where you just do what He says because you HAVE to, but because you WANT to?  When your children look at you, do they see a reflection of Christ or do they see someone who thinks Jesus is good and all but will only follow Him to a certain extent or when it's convenient or when it doesn't make too many waves?  I think another powerful statement Kyle made was,

"The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren't actually interested in following Christ.  They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything."

I find this is true in so many churches and in Christianity, in general.  Why do we stop following Jesus when it requires us to give of ourselves or our resources?  I don't want to just be an enthusiastic admirer.  I want to be a whole-hearted devoted follower of Christ. 

Shopping Lists

I'm on a quest to be more organized and to purge and clean out my house since we're hoping to move soon.  I'm a list person and I tend to do better when I have a list and when I can mark things off.  Over the past month, I've been doing E-mealz, which plans healthy meals for me according to what is on sale at the store.  I love it!  I can't seem to find time to pair up coupons with items that I would actually eat because it's healthy.  Most of the coupons tend to be junk food items and things I don't really need or use.  With that said, e-mealz takes care of that for me when it comes to dinner plans.  That leaves 2 snacks, lunch, and breakfast to plan for.  Yes, I'm turning over a new leaf and cooking breakfast, too.  AMAZING!  I'll share some things along the way, but for the moment, I'll leave it at that. 

E-mealz has you print off a grocery list, but it still leaves me frustrated when I have other items for the rest of our meals that I have coupons for.  I haven't been able to find a great way to mark the fact that I have a coupon for a certain item so I can remember to use it.  With that said, I created a shopping list form so all I have to do is check the box when I bought it and check the box on the other side if there's a coupon to go with it.  Because I love you so much, I'll share it with you.  It's nothing fancy, but it's not like it's going to be hung up and framed!  If you want the actual document, send me your email and I'll forward it to you.  Perhaps it can be useful to someone else besides me!