Books I've been reading

 Some of my diligent readers may remember that I have been reading a lot of classic books over the past 3 years. It began with a radio show that I heard, you can read about it here: http://thywordisalamptomyfeet.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-good-book.html

I read in a magazine recently about this woman (the author of the article) who said that she was given a book list in high school of good books to read if you couldn't attend college, for whatever reason. She said it had several hundred books on the list and that she had begun at the top and read down the list, and she had been reading those books for 20+ years.

I have a book list and I've just been reading whatever book I liked at the time to read. After reading the article in the magazine, I thought that maybe I should just restart at the top of my list. Since I have done that I read books by Sherwood Anderson, Ray Bradbury, Pearl S. Buck, and Willa Cather. I read two other books by Willa Cather in the past few years, including My Antonia and Oh, Pioneers!

The next book on my list to read was called, Death Comes to the Archbishop, by Willa Cather. My personal rule for a new book that I am reading is that if I don't get into it by page 75 or even page 100, I don't have to keep reading it. There are plenty of other books out there for me to read that I would like. This was one of those books that I just could NOT get into! Oh, I tried... and finally gave it up this week. It was more of a chore to read it. The story was kinda dull and boring for me. I've not loved her other books either. They were okay, I don't know what it is about the author's voice, it just hasn't captured me in the novels. 

Part of the reason that I kept reading the book was that I know my Mom liked(s) Willa Cather. It felt to me like the character development was slow. She did not call the main character the same name. It was Father Latour, or Padre, or Jean, or "The Bishop." There were other characters/ fathers in the book and sometimes she called them Father Joseph and other times it was Father Vallaint. I was not sure if it was the same person. Since they were all named Father --- I began to mix them up!

I thought that Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was good, and I liked it. I also read The Illustrated Man by him, and it was different. It was more futuristic about space, not something that I would have chosen. The illustrated man had tattoos that kept changing and told stories. 

I also enjoyed The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I liked reading about the family and following their lives from rich to poor and in between. The man married, had children, prospered in his area, and ended up having grandchildren. I liked the loyalty of the man's wife to him, I admired her character. It is fun reading a variety of novels too... futuristic to historical, war, family, small-town life, etc.,

My next book is The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. We own a copy of it, my kids read two books in high school that are in the collection with it, so we have that book. It is a little shorter though, only 160 pages. Then it is on to Theodore Dreiser and William Faulkner!

What about you? What have you been reading? 

Exodus 24:7
Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”

Esther 6:1
That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.

Psalm 139:16
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

The best advice...

 I have been listening to podcasts for a few years now. I have listened to the "Office Ladies" podcast while rewatching seasons 5 and 6.  I listened to one last year with Danny Gokey and his wife. I listened to another one with Joel and Moriah Smallbone. I listened to several episodes of a Mom Life podcast, and also to a MumLife podcast.

Recently, after the K-LOVE (radio station) fan awards, the fans voted that Sadie Robertson Huff (her Dad is of "Duck Dynasty" fame) and her podcast called "Whoa, that's good!" was rated the best. I hadn't heard it before, so I listened to a few newer episodes. Sadie has written several books, spoken at Ladies' Conferences, and was even on "Dancing with the Stars." I enjoy the podcast a lot, since she is a young Christian woman, and has lots of great guests that she interviews. I've only listened to 10 or 12 episodes, but I have gotten some great nuggets out of each one. The episodes run between 30 and 45 minutes. (And I love her Louisiana accent!)

One of the first questions that Sadie asks her guests is, "What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?" I think it's a great conversation starter. I always enjoy what the guests have to say.

Here are several that I have really liked:        (yes, I wrote them down!)

This is the one that started them all... "You're not kind because others are kind to you, you're kind because you are a kind person." - Sadie's great-grandmother

Happiness is a moral obligation. Where you bring your attention always determines how you feel. Focus on what is right way more than what’s wrong. -Dr. Daniel Amen

Your dreams are minor league dreams compared to what God’s major league dreams for you. -Matthew West

The first person who says “I’m sorry” wins. -Cory Asbury

Sometimes a good nap or a good night’s sleep can reset your perspective on your problems. Pray, give it to God, and rest in Him.  -Sadie’s mom, Korie Robertson

 Trust in the Lord. Don’t lean on your own understanding. Prov. 3:5-6  -Francine Rivers

Be intentional in your relationships. Answer the phone. Call each other. It is important and means more than you know. Mrs. Huff (her mom-in-law)

If you can help someone, you should. -Luke Smallbone

So much of what we do is a team effort. We need each other. - Joel Smallbone

Do it afraid. Do it anyway. The first time is always the scariest. -Francesca Battestelli

Don’t take everything personally. If others don’t like me, it is not about me. - Chrissy Metz

So that brings me to ask you, What is your best piece of advice?

I remember my Grandma telling me that I don't need to be afraid, God has all things in His hands and under control. I really like that! It's a very good reminder!

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.


Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.


Psalm 40:3
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

Mother's Day pictures

 I had a lovely Mother's Day this year. After church with my family, we had a nice brunch, a nap, and time to read, rest and relax. We had my parents over to our home for dinner. My sweet husband gave me a new belt with fun belt buckles (Grip6), my son gave me a watermelon bowl and towels, and my daughters gave me a Cinderella t-shirt. It says, "A Dream is a Wish your Heart makes." It was a lovely day spent with some of my favorite people. And those marinated pork chops were so, so good!

Oh and a few days later, I got a gift card in the mail from my sweet Rebekah girl and her hubby Nick. It was fun to shop at HomeGoods, get some things for our kitchen and imagine that we were shopping together. Miss her bunches!

My Mallory is growing up... she is just barely shorter than me!

Just little old me...

My sweet college boy still gives his mom hugs!

The family at home this year. 

My sweetie and me

Me and my great kids...

What did you do for Mother's Day? Do you have any traditons? I really enjoy our pictures that we have taken over the years!

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Psalm 113:9
He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.

Psalm 116:16
Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.

Psalm 139:13
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Rebekah's mini-bridal shower

 The morning after Thanksgiving, we had a surprise mini-bridal shower with family, since they were not able to attend the other shower that we had. It was a sweet time. Her aunties and cousins made us a little brunch, complete with sweet cakes, finger foods, fruit, and veggies. She opened gifts from them too. One of her aunties had too much fun buying her Christmas ornaments and decorations for her new house. When we were done with the shower, we packed a box with the goodies and shipped it to Alabama, where they will live after their wedding. Enjoy the pictures!

After we finished preparations, we invited the bride to enter her surprise bridal shower. They put a bride headband and "bride-to-be" sash on her...

After we ate, then she opened her gifts...

A cute Christmas towel...

A little "Days until Christmas" counter...

Pretty ornaments...

more towels...

Cute napkins...

Christmas towel...

A cute tree-shaped plate!

Her new last name will start with C...

A new spatula...

Gingerbread house kit...

A sweet "Mr. & Mrs." ornament...

Wearing her "bride" tiara, bride-to-be sash in front of her bride and rings banners...

Yummy sweet cakes that were dairy AND gluten-free, yet still delicious!!

With me, her aunties and Nana...

Nana's first grandbaby is getting married!

One final shot with her cousins and sisters... love each one of these sweeties!!

Genesis 24:15-16 (Isaac and Rebekah)
Before he (the servant) had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

Genesis 25:19-20
This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

Jeremiah 2:32
Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.

New cleaning job

 A few months ago, I was talking to this older couple I know, and they were having a hard time with their cleaning lady. She did a decent job, but she was on her phone so much. They had asked her repeatedly to not use her phone so frequently, and she would be a little better, and then revert back to her phone-using addiction. I told them that I could come to clean their house, and they could pay me less. I could use the money since our oldest daughter is getting married soon.

I began cleaning for them in September, on Friday afternoons. My Fridays tend to be slower days, with not a lot going on in the afternoons. It has been fun to get out of my house and earn a little money. The couple is very sweet, always happy to see me, and so are their two dogs. The dogs are funny because one is very gentle, mild-mannered, and almost never barks (and old).  The other dog is younger, barks a lot more, and snores when she sleeps. They are cute. 

I usually chat with the man when I get there for a few minutes while I clean. I use all of their cleaning supplies, but I bring my own rubber gloves. They use a lot of Norwex products, and we do too, so I am already familiar with them. I usually clean the kitchen, then the bathrooms, then dust (some weeks), sweep,  and spot mop the wood floors, and then I vacuum the carpets in the bedroom and living room. I also clean the glass & mirrors and wipe the doorknobs and light switches. Some weeks I will wash the wood floors, dust high shelves, clean cobwebs, clean the bathroom floors, vacuum the furniture, etc.,

Sometimes the couple even takes a nap while I am there. One week I left and they were both sleeping. They are hard of hearing, so they just turn their hearing aids off and they can even sleep through the vacuum!

This is their sweet, gentle dog named Saki. He is the only dog I have ever really loved. He is 16! He sleeps a lot when I am there too!

They are happy to have me clean for them. I know that I always do the job well since they taught me how to clean when I was a child. If you haven't guessed by now, the older couple is my own parents! I enjoy seeing them and chatting with them each week when I am there and seeing their dogs too.

They always tell me that I work so fast. I can get the whole house clean in 2 or 2 1/2 hours. The first 3 weeks that I came, my mom gave me books. I do not have as much time to read as she does, but I took the books. I've only read one of them so far! Maybe I can read more in January after our daughter's wedding and Christmas.

The only two weeks that I have missed are when we went to state with the marching band, and the other time was the day after Thanksgiving. I just make up for it when I clean the next week. A lot of times when I clean I think that their house is so much cleaner than mine, but it is also a newer house. It is a privilege to help my own parents. They are a joy to me, and so sweet. I know this job won't last forever, so I treasure the days I see them now. God has blessed me with wonderful parents!

Rebekah's bridal shower

 We had a lovely bridal shower at our church for our oldest daughter recently. Her wedding is under a month away! Our sweet church ladies came and showered us with blessings of love and encouragement. Our wonderful pastor's wife shared a devotion about growing up, milestones, and loving our neighbor, oftentimes our closest neighbor is our husband.

I made a vanilla cake with chocolate icing, which was all dairy-free.

My teenage daughter made brownies for the shower, and I had extra icing, so I added words to it too!

Our beautiful bride-to-be...

My sweet girls...

My bestie came and celebrated with us!

Hanging out and chatting...

Rebekah introduced her bridal party (minus one) and explained their plans after the wedding.

We had fun playing games... one was famous couples, and the other was "Who knows the bride better?"

Our pastor's wife giving the devotional...

Opening gifts... my mom, sister, and I surprised her with a KitchenAid mixer! We love ours!

Her maid of honor worked very diligently making her ribbon bouquet for the rehearsal...

A nice picture frame...

She got a teacher mug filled with her favorite chocolate from her longtime friend Kim (they've been friends since they were born!)

Sweet friends!💚

Love these ladies!

My daughter with her future mom-in-law and sis-in-law...

It's me and my girl! We love her SOOOO much! We are thankful for the gift she has been to our family. We can hardly wait to celebrate her big day!

It had been several years since we had a bridal shower at our church. We all really enjoyed the celebration. We are excited for her!

Genesis 24:67
Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Isaiah 61:10
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.