“What I must do is all that concerns me,

not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.”

“Insist on yourself; never imitate.

Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another you have only an extemporaneous half possession. That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him.”

“Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.”

“Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstaces grow,

he then becomes the rightful master of himself.”

“To put away aimlessness and weakness,

and to begin to think with purpose,

is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.”

-James Allen

—Photo by aprilzosia.

I have been consuming books by the boatload lately.

Three reasons.
1. I realized (again) that I learn from books – if I want to grow, be motivated, inspired, changed, challenged, etc. – I read on a topic. And I need to grow in a lot of, er, topics.

2. I miss fiction. I’d fallen out of the lovely habit of just savoring books, enjoying the pure pleasure of story. Too much academic reading, too much nonfiction (without the good stories alongside), too much literary fiction and too few rewards. I hate a snarky read. I hate bad writing. Where is the blessed book free of both?

Well – not always true, I’m sure – but I took Gretchen Rubin‘s commendation to heart and started reading YA fiction. Delicious. I probably won’t be satiated in YA alone – the appetite is enormous – but I do find YA to be a large, interesting room full of smart, deep, well-written books. Some duds, too, sure. But plenty of good ones to choose from.
Anyhow. Oh yes, and I do read fiction as a lovely way to procrastinate on doing the (nonfiction) things I’ve been reading about and learning to do…

3. Joe got me a Kindle for Christmas.

= fall in love all ovah again
= best gift ever
= so many benefits that even an old-school, paper-infatuated, Apple-resistant gal like me can’t deny the love, the absolute and utter thrill of being able to carry a room full of books with me wherever I go. Because, despite the rigors of getting three kids under four dressed, pottied, redressed, and loaded in the car on any sort of outing, the most stressful part of leaving is still the moment I stop in the library (aka bulk storage room full of books masquerading as home office), purse in hand, and ask myself, “Which book should I take?” Now: I take them all. Oh joy, joy, joy.

Joe came home with a stack of YA fiction I’d requested from the library. I started (after much deliberation between which to start with, which nearly resulted in an ugly treadmill incident) on Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Her first novel. Lovely. (I’ve used that word too much in this post.) The prose is striking, original, ringing, vivid. I found myself wanting to copy lines down just to savor and share later, but didn’t because I was too interested in the story for a petty exercise like NOTE TAKING (which I happen to love, truly madly deeply).

Oh, the story. Right.

You don’t really need a plot summary. There’s a heroine, who is more than she seems and a hero with similar characteristics, and a villain as well… And the characters make you like them and the world draws you in, and my only complaint is that the final “downfall of the villain” scene is almost anti-climactic. It’s like Kristin (can I call you Kristin? Is that okay?) felt like she’d ventured into a sticky mess of conflict and she’d better RESOLVE, RESOLVE NOW before things got out of hand and there was no clear way to resolution. To which I’d say: Kristin, trust yourself a little more. You wrote the whole gorgeous story, created the whole world it contains, you’re not going to get lost at the end. Take your time.

Maybe it was getting close to her deadline.

At any rate, despite that single complaint, the book is a gem. Poetry-like prose, “I-like-you-will-you-be-my-friend” characters.
Read.
Enjoy.

5/5 stars.
Image by Ginnerobot.

So I avoided Captivating the first time around, despite the fact that I’d read The Sacred Romance (by John Eldredge and Brent Curtis) and loved it, and despite the personal recommendations I received. I can’t, thus, tell you much about how this revised-and-expanded version is better than the original.

But I can tell you that, if you are a woman this is a book worth reading. Not if-you-are-a-woman-and-a-Christian, just: if you are a woman.

Why? Not that the Christian thing doesn’t matter, but that every woman struggles on some level with the issues that the Eldredges talk about. Their philosophy and, yes, their solutions are Biblically based; for non-Christian women, I can understand that might be a turn-off. But I urge you anyway: stride through the Scripture quotations and sit still for the stories and the truths that aren’t tied up in church-speak.

And for Christian women, this book can help you step out of the easy answers so often given via church-speak and deal with the hurts it’s quite possible to hide but impossible to truly forget. The heart of this book is about remembering, about dealing with the lies that tell us to forget-about-it, quit-making-things-such-a-big-deal.

This book helps us to understand why some things are a big deal, and should be, and how we need to look at them and find out what they’re telling us. As we acknowledge, and remember who we really are, we can let go not in self-denial or resentment, but in true freedom. That’s a good read.

Details:

Captivating: Unlocking the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul. By John and Stasi Eldredge. Revised and Expanded. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010. Purchase or get more information at the Amazon product page.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

5 out of 5 stars

This 12-session devotional/journal and accompanying cd is a refreshing alternative to a lot of the teen-oriented studies out there. Why? The format of listening rather than reading allows for a much greater emphasis on large portions of Scripture. With many other pre-teen and teen devotionals and Bible studies, each lesson is based on a single verse, paragraph, or, maybe, a whole chapter. This study is different. For the first session, the listening portion is 5 chapters. The whole devotional covers 1 Corinthians through Philemon.

The devotional/journal format is a bit irritating to me, but I’m past my teen years. For a pre-teen or young teen especially, the format will work well: chunks of text with trendy headings (“Get It!” “Live It!”) are divided by word games and quizzes and each session ends with 4 – 5 blank, lined pages for journaling. The writing style is great; it’s clear, understandable, and interesting. There are lots of illustrations, stories, and real-life examples, as well as details of history that make the New Testament more understandable.

The cd is the real treat of the devotional. It’s read by younger folks, an “all-star cast” including Jordin Sparks, Sean Astin, and Emily Osment. It’s approachable but not annoying. I enjoyed listening to it, and I think any pre-teen or teen would relate to hearing the Word of God read by a recognizable peer voice. Great for a new, young Christian or a pre-teen or teen who is ready for some encouragement on the journey.

Details:

The Word of Promise next generation devotional and journal: Volume 3, “How Should a Christian Live?”, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com < http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 < http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

4 out of 5 stars.

This 2-episode dvd is one I wouldn’t have just picked up out of a stack of children’s movies. I wasn’t much of a girly-girl, so the cover in shades of pink and the whole concept – “God’s Little Princess?” really? – weren’t really that appealing to me. But I’m also over 10 years old. And I have a daughter. And she is 3 1/2. And she loves having her nails painted, wearing dresses, all things girly. Her self-declared favorite color is, of course, pink.
So for her sake, I decided it was worth a review. And, actually, it was. It’s an animated story, and the episodes switch back and forth between Gigi’s real life and her imaginary adventures. This allows for enough action and excitement to keep little people interested.

The first episode on this dvd is about telling the truth, something I’ve just started needing to explain to my daughter. The story on the dvd gave an understandable situation that helps kids to understand what a lie is and why it is wrong; then, at the end of the story, there is a Scripture put up on the screen which is read aloud. It’s a good hunk of Scripture too, and I like that it wasn’t dumbed down for kids. It’s the straight Word of God and we all need that, from girly girls to tomboys.

The second episode was cute, too, about dealing with selfishness and surprises that aren’t what you think they are. Overall, a nicely done series that I am glad to have my daughter watch… even though I may not always watch it with her.

Learn more about this DVD from Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Read my review of Sheila Walsh’s book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com < http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 < http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God

by Sheila Walsh

Thomas Nelson Publishers; 3 out of 5 stars

I like this book, I do, so I feel kind of guilty being harsh in my review. But repetition bores me, and the writing in this book is very formulaic. Each chapter follows the same format: personal story or anecdote, parallel drawn to Biblical character, more insight into Biblical character interspersed with additional personal anecdotes, conclusion, and then the “transitional sentence” to lead into the next chapter.

It’s the transitional sentence that really gets me. At the end of every chapter, it’s a little phrase concluding what we’ve just learned, but then telling in a semi-cliffhanger fashion that we better keep reading. It was just too predictable and annoying. That’s it, really: I was just annoyed by it. The repetitious format felt like being talked down to, though I can see clearly that’s not the author’s intent. And that’s why I feel semi-guilty about not writing a happy, fluffy review about the book.

What I can see from the content itself, once I step past the stylistic annoyances, is very good. Walsh is an excellent researcher and pulls out details about the various Biblical characters in a way that is both engaging and informative. She brings their stories to life, ties them into her own story, and pulls out practical applications for her readers. Walsh is a good teacher, and that’s what comes across in her book.

I have a hunch that there’s a junior editor to blame here (ahem, Thomas Nelson Publishers), someone who read the manuscript and said, “Sheila, this is great, but we need a little continuity here; why don’t you go back and create a transitional sentence at the end of every chapter, something like this…. And also, don’t tell your whole personal story up front; just give a little bit, and be vague, because that will keep the readers interested and pull them into the book.”

In my case, those strategies backfired. They were too obvious and they detracted from the content itself, which is relevant and, overall, well-written. My bottom line is this: it’s worth reading. It’s a thought-provoking message and it challenges us, women who tend to worry or fear or not really trust God, to let go of our hang-ups and trust a capable and loving God. Walsh intelligently and directly deals with those excuses and questions that always come up: “How can I trust God when He let … happen? How can I trust God when I don’t know Him?” Etc.

If you are a woman who struggles with trusting God and/or with trusting people, grab this book and use it as a Bible study. The book even includes a Bible Study Guide in the back for a group, which could be great for you and a couple of friends, a women’s prayer group, a Mom’s Day Out program. And as a group study book, the repetition in the format will work, I think, to create continuity in a way that doesn’t work just for a sit-down, read-through book.

Bottom Line: Worth the read if you want to learn more about how to trust God completely.

*I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

by Ralph de la Vega, President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.

4 out of 5 stars

How does a book about being a successful business executive translate into something helpful for a Mom, writer, and homemaker?

Turn Obstacles to Opportunities

De la Vega’s message is simple but profound: you’re going to face obstacles in life. You can either spend your life ducking and running, cursing and complaining, drifting and resenting, or you can see the obstacles as opportunities and use them as stepping stones toward the life you want to have.

Ralph de la Vega faced his obstacles early on. He came to the United States alone as a ten-year-old immigrant after his parents were denied permission to leave Cuba. Four years later his parents joined him in America, and in that time between ten and fourteen Ralph got his first chance to practice what would become his life philosophy: learn to welcome obstacles and make them serve you.

From Business to Home

There are plenty of business stories and applications of de la Vega’s philosophy to the business world in the book, and while the issues that affect the daily work of a CEO aren’t the same as the issues that affect me, I still pulled some valuable lessons from the book. That’s de la Vega’s vision for what he shares, that it will help not just business executives but everyday people with everyday problems. And if we applied his principles for success, we’d all see a lot more goal-reaching and a lot less whining.

For example, de la Vega talks about “pivotal points” in life. These are the times when we face big changes or challenges and, says de la Vega, these “life-direction changes” are “the greatest opportunity for learning and growing.” His advice is to quit trying to avoid the challenges and instead to “seek them and embrace them.”

Key Points Worth Remembering

A few other key points that translate well from the business world to the personal/home world:

• “Embrace obstacles because they provide opportunities to grow in your personal and professional life.”
• Opportunities often come disguised as problems.
• “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable… be willing to venture outside your comfort zone.” (This concept really helped me to deal with some writing jobs I wanted to tackle but wasn’t familiar with.)
• “Unlearning is also a part of getting better.” (How many times have we all acted insane, doing the same thing and expecting different results? This concept is a great reminder to me: if it’s not working, try changing! Especially as a parent, you have to willing to unlearn the old ways and learn new ways with each new phase of parenting.)
• “Dreaming big makes you more likely to succeed as long as you match your dreams with hard work.”
• “Only you can allow limits to be imposed on your dreams.”
• “Your communication must be clear, concise, and consistent.”
• A vision won’t work without a plan, and “the plan should identify specific steps you need to take to achieve it.”
• “To create anything of value, you must sacrifice.”
• “Create an environment that makes contributing easy.” (I’m working on how this translates to creating a home environment that makes it easy for my children to contribute.)
• “Focus. Leaders concentrate on critical things, not everything.” (Substitute “effective home makers/writers/mommies” for “leaders.” Makes me feel a lot better about ignoring the dirty baseboards and ceiling fans in favor of reading aloud to my kids, spending quality time with my husband, finishing up an article I’m inspired about, or taking a ltitle extra time to rest and regroup. Critical things, not everything.)

Writing Style and Repetition

The only element of the book that keeps me from giving it a full five stars is the writing style and some needless repetition. The writing style is just a bit stiff, sometimes awkward, and full of more business jargon and abstract terms than it has to be to get the message across. And de la Vega tends to repeat his stories as he draws different lessons from them, which kind of makes my eyes glaze over until I get to the new material. A bonus: I love the”Takeaway Messages” at the end of each chapter which succinctly state the, well, takeaway messages.

Bottom Line: A great book for folks in the business world, and one I think any manager or executive could learn from and enjoy reading. Not as great for the Mom-Reader model, as getting the concepts requires a bit of wading through business waters; but if you’re a Mom with a business background or an ongoing entrepreneurial interest/activity of your own, this is a great read that will offer you wisdom to apply in your personal life, parenting life, and business life.