Hale and Hearty Words

June 5, 2014 · 6:30 am

10 Things I Love About Summer

Someday I want a pool like this.

1. That my teacher-husband is home. Time to tackle the honey-do list that waits for these few weeks of summer.

2. That we can eat our “big” meal at lunchtime and then have sandwiches for dinner.

3. Letting the boys stay up a little later.

4. Lazy time at the pool.

5. Catching up on TV shows I’ve missed all year.

6. Being able to take all of the boys to the grocery store with me. (Yes, believe it or not, I actually enjoy this. From time to time.)

7. Planning for the next school year. (I’m a teacher. What can I say? I love school!)

8. Having a few days of nothing on the calendar.

9. Vacation Bible school. I’ve always loved it. I probably always will.

10. Delicious fresh fruit.

Share with me: What are your favorite things about summer?

11 Books on My “Must Read” Summer List

I know, I know. I’m way behind. Way, way behind. Don’t judge.

Now that summer is here, my first priority is to catch up on my reading!

Here are the books at the top of my list (no particular order because I’m dying to read all of them!). Perhaps you will add them to your summer reading list, too!

Remnants: Season of Wonder by Lisa Bergren.

Lisa is one of my favorite authors and this one has been at the top of my list since the moment the release date was announced. YA awesome. Can’t wait to devour it.

Somebody Like You by Beth Vogt

Beth is one of the most amazing, encouraging women I know and I’ve loved her previous books. She writes truth in such a beautiful way. If you haven’t read her stuff, you’re missing out.

Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg

Melissa is hilarious. Her wit is spot on and her writing is nothing short of inspired. Can’t wait to read this one, her second release.

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert

Katie and I talked about her love for this story a long time ago and here it is, in print! I’m so excited for her as she celebrates this third release! Katie is a wonderful storyteller and shows the glory of God so amazingly in her work. The premise of this story is so captivating!

Restless: Because You Were Made for More by Jennie Allen

Jennie’s Anything was one of the best books I’ve ever read– it challenged me to the core of who I am as a follower of Christ. I am really looking forward to reading Restless and absorbing Jennie’s God-inspired wisdom.

Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light At Every Turn by Melanie Shankle

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book and it’s been sitting on my bookshelf for at least 2 months now. Looking forward to this one quite a lot because I understand it’s laugh-out-loud funny.

Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade

Becky writes some of the most realistic characters in Inspirational fiction. I love her stories and I am really, really looking forward to this one, her latest release.

Silenced (Alaskan Courage Book 4) by Dani Pettrey

This series is one of my favorites in Inspirational Romantic Suspense. I’ve been looking forward to book 4 and can’t wait to find out what happens to some great characters. Dani is a fantastic storyteller and her attention to detail makes these stories some of the best in suspense.

Love’s Reckoning by Laura Frantz

My soul-sister friend Lacie has been telling me forever that I need to read this book. Wonderful, amazing, incredible romance– those are some of the things I’ve heard about it. So I bought it months ago and it has been holding it’s place on my shelf. The time has come– I cannot wait to dive into this one because if Lacie says it’s good, it’s good.

Into the Free by Julie Cantrell

I’m late to the game on this one, I know. I’ve been hearing rave reviews of this book since it released back in 2012, so it’s about time I read it. Another one that has been holding it’s place on my shelf.

The One by Kiera Cass

Guilty pleasure reading. I can’t really tell you what it is I like about this series, but there’s something, so I’m looking forward to this book. Light, romantic, easy reading– the perfect escape.

Two eReads reads that are at the top of my list: Mindseige by Heather Sunseri and The Flower Girls by Wendy P. Miller. Both of these gals are amazing women and very, very talented writers. I’ll be reading both of these asap and I hope you’ll add them to your list, too!

Okay, this is just a small portion of my To Be Read list and I am determined to conquer them all and more over the weeks of summer. But there are so many other good books and fabulous authors on my list– I want to read them all!

Are we friends on Goodreads? If not, please feel free to look me up. I’d love to know what you are reading and what you recommend. And I’d love to share my favorite reads with you!

Share with me: What book is number one on your Summer To Be Read list?

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Filed under Books, Just For Fun

Tagged as authors, books, reading, summer

May 29, 2014 · 6:30 am

The Mommy Wars: Who’s Really Winning

Holding Hands

Stay-at-home moms v. Working moms. It’s an ugly battle. It rages in the media, across Facebook pages and in articles written by women who accuse each other of being less-than-women because of their personal choices. It’s a battle filled with venom-laced words, accusatory tones and emotional tirades.

I’ve been the victim before. I’m sure you have, too.

Moms. Stop it.

Stop it right now.

This “Mommy War” business has to end. ~~Mostly because no one is winning and no one ever will~~. Satan is winning.

For too long now we’ve pitted our sides against each other, ignoring the sisterhood of mothering that binds us, strutting around with our “to do” lists hanging out of our over-sized bags, judging each other based on who can accomplish the most tasks.

Well accomplishing tasks has nothing to do with mothering.

Nothing at all.

Working moms can be terrible mothers. Stay-at-home moms can be terrible mothers.

Working moms can be amazing mothers. Stay-at-home moms can be amazing mothers.

So why are we intent on abusing each other verbally and emotionally because of what we DO?

Why not instead lift each other up because of who we ARE?

Because we are too busy listening to The Deceiver who tells us that in order to be fulfilled we must find happiness.

So he robs us of the joy that we have in our family, our situations, our lives in the moment. Instead this Deceiver forces us to acknowledge what we don’t have instead of what we do. He tells us that the focus of our lives is perfection that can be attained—we can have it all and that getting it will bring us happiness. He tells us that our lives are not for living, instead they are for achieving. We must do more, accomplish more, make more.

But what if we could just be more? Woman Walking

What if, no matter our “profession,” our time, talents, and energies went into glorifying God in every moment of every day?

What if we stopped looking at the “to do” list of another woman, judging her based on her accomplishments, and focused on ourselves and how we could be more for God?

Who would benefit? Those around us. Our husbands. Our children. Our families. Our co-workers.

Too many times we burn our candle at both ends because we’re too busy trying to please everyone but the One who matters.

What if our candle was lit at both ends to shine a brilliant light for the Only One who has ever lived Perfection?
What if, instead of judging each other because we have a career or stay at home, we held each other accountable for our glorification of God?

The Deceiver would have us believe that we can have it all. That desire is the under-running current of the Mommy Wars. It’s draining.

What we need, moms, is to be filled. Filled with joy. Filled with love, compassion, and sisterhood. Filled with success and encouragement, filled with desire and motivation.

Want to be fulfilled as a mom? Turn to the Only One who can fill you.

Then share that joy with another woman. Lace your words with encouragement and delight. Motivate another mom today with the happiness that comes from joy in the Lord.