Book Review: Beyond Bath Time by Erin Davis

Our society today seems to be all about choice. We want to choose our careers, our lifestyles, and, of course, exactly when and if to have children. Erin Davis explores the increasing popularity of the choice not to have children, as well as the Biblical reasons why motherhood is a wonderful ministry and should not be cast aside.

I picked up Beyond Bath Time as a woman who is not a mother, because I wanted to reflect on the issue. The author explores several lies presented in our culture about motherhood, and how children are a burden instead of a blessing. She also considers how raising children and teaching them to follow Christ can be an amazing ministry, even though many Christians don’t applaud or recognize it.

The point of this book is not that all women should have tons of children, but more about prayerfully considering the role of motherhood in a new light. Ms. Davis examines several Moms from the Bible and explains how crucial their roles were, including Mary, the mother of Jesus. She talks about children as a blessing, and states that they serve to teach us lessons as well as provide us with joy (most of the time!).

Overall this book was fairly short, easy to read, and full of lessons and encouragement every mother can use. I will have to hang on to it to revisit someday when I become a mother!

I received this book for free from the publisher through the Moody Publishers blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions and thoughts I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Review: The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Many of us at the very least have gone through a phase where we had money troubles. We may not have even thought of ourselves as being in that much “trouble” but were, in fact, hanging on the edge of possible financial ruin. It is extremely stressful to be in a situation where we are in slavery to debt and struggling to pay the bills without a financial breakthrough in sight.

Dave Ramsey offers practical solutions in a step-by-step process to eliminate debt and move toward financial prosperity. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme and he warns that the process is not easy. However, with some determination and the know-how he offers, Dave shows how anyone can win the fight for financial freedom.

I had heard of Dave Ramsey’s methods before, and even used his first few steps when I was pulling myself out of a major financial slump a few years ago. However this is the first time I actually read any of his books. I can’t say I agree with everything he says about credit cards and debt, but the gist of his message is pretty solid. I will say that for anyone deep in debt and financial struggles, it would be wise to follow his instructions to the letter. My main disagreement comes in when he discusses never borrowing money for any reason. I believe in staying out of debt, but there is a time and a place for it. It would take too long to debate this topic, however, so I will just say that his plan is pretty solid for getting out of debt. As I said, some years ago I was at the point where I had to start going through his baby steps and they worked to get me out of the crisis I was in. The later steps are important for building wealth, and there is some room for modification to fit the individual or couple. I like the fact that he gives guidelines and advice on how to set your own targets based on your income, goals, and family situation.

Of course I loved the chapter where he talks about what to continue to do with your money on the last step. He urges the reader to continue to invest, but also to have fun and give to others! As motivational as the first two chapters are, it’s the last part that really spoke to me. The secret to getting there is delayed gratification, as those of you who read my blog and know about our house project are aware my husband and I practice! I have become so used to the “delayed” part that I don’t really give that much thought to the “gratification” part! Don’t get me wrong, I look forward to it, and I know it’s there, but I don’t really dwell on the details. I think now that that’s a mistake! Waiting is easier when you have dreams that might someday come true!

I received this book for free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions and thoughts I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Review: End of the Trail by Vickie McDonough

Brooks Morgan is tired of being used by his parents. All they ever expect him to do is hard work. Brooks’ father wants him to take over his ranch when he grows up, but Brooks has other ideas. Ten years later, estranged from his family and drifting from town to town, all Brooks wants is a permanent home. He wanders into a new town and ends up the proud owner of a cattle ranch! But Brooks soon realizes that he is getting more than he bargained for: enemies, responsibilities, hard work… and a complicated relationship with Keri, the niece of the ranch’s former owner!

This book is the story of a prodigal who finally finds the path he needs to be on. Ten years of drifting put Brooks in a position to finally humble himself enough to learn to be responsible. Through their conflicted interactions, both Brooks and Keri learn to reconcile with family members and rebuild their relationships with God. It is a sweet story, and part of a series about the Morgan family. I did not read the other books in the series, but this one does stand alone without background information being necessary.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to readers of fiction. It did not take very long to read and, of course, comes with a happy ending.

I received this book for free from the publisher through the Moody Publishers blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions and thoughts I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Book Review: Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

Miranda Hunt is asked to take on a case that could make or break her career. She is to go undercover at Last Chance Ranch to uncover the identity of a notorious train and bank robber. As her investigation gets deeper, the job gets more and more dangerous, as well as uncertain. To make matters worse, she feels a strong attraction to another newcomer at the ranch. Her job and her success depend on her ability to resist his charm, something she wishes she had the proper training for!

Gunpowder Tea is a mystery novel with romance sprinkled in. Feelings and attraction play a large role, but I did enjoy the fact that the book doesn’t focus on it too much. The plot was pretty solid on its own without the romance, which made it all the more enjoyable. I read it pretty quickly, as it was hard to put down. The author was also able to include God and faith without it looking like it was just thrown in there to make it “Christian Fiction”.

Overall I quite enjoyed the book! It was romantic yet clean, and kept me guessing the whole time. The writing style was enjoyable as well. The author has good command of the English language and didn’t overuse certain words or literary methods (as I have seen some authors of fiction do). As a lover of classic books with rich vocabulary and descriptions, I found Gunpowder Tea to be easy to read and yet not boring or repetitive.

On a side note, this book is the third (and final) of a series, but it stands well on its own. I did not read the other two books, but from what I could tell they all had to do with the ranch but involved different people and completely different storylines. It was a good read and if you are looking for a new book to read I recommend it!

I received this book for free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions and thoughts I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

The House Project: Working on the Kitchen

Alrighty folks! Time for another update! Early in September, Bruce's Dad came over and the two of them were able get some work done in the kitchen! I came home from work a couple days in a row to survey the handiwork!

The lights over the kitchen are now working! Here we tuned on the main lights:

And here are just the ones over the island (only one of them has a bulb in it right now):

And of course all on at the same time!

They had help:

Bruce finished installing a switch:

The "help" was getting tired!

I photographed the newly installed switch. We originally had the traditional light switched, but recently decided to go ahead and update them to the flat switches.

The new kitchen design includes and island, and of course we decided we wanted power on the island for electrical outlets and lights in the glass-front cabinets. In order to accomplish this, Bruce had to bury a pipe in the slab to run the wire through. They already had it done by the time I got home from work, and the fresh cement was drying on top of it.

The chairs were in place to keep the dogs (and us) from accidentally stepping on the wet cement. Of course Scooter was interested, and at one point wanted to lick it. No big surprise there... he always wants to put his nose and tongue in the middle of whatever we are doing!

The dining room lights are working now too!

These are the light switches for the dining room. Yes there are three of them: one for the general dining room lights, one for a chandelier, and one for a single light between the dining room and the door to the Master bedroom. Why go through the trouble of a remodel and not give yourself lighting options?

More on the kitchen next time! I know we don't have walls yet, but as you can see there is still plenty to work on in the meantime!