Haiku: Home

I'm participating in a weekly meme, "Sensational Haiku Wednesday".
The basics: Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively.

This week's theme is Home.

Hope beyond this world
My true home is in Heaven
Christ prepares for me

Review: Home-Ec 101

About Home-Ec 101:
Home-Ec 101 by Heather Solos shares tips and tricks for tackling the everyday challenges we find in the home.

Heather's advice is easy to apply and is written with the same witty style and attitude readers love on her blog, Home-Ec101.com. Charts, tips, sidebars and "Dear Home Ec 101" letters offer the tools you need to keep your home clean and in good repair.

The perfect manual for college grads to the more seasoned homemakers, this book has something to offer everyone. From the simplest how to's (ever meet a 20 year old who can't pre-heat an oven?) to how to be a fabulous host at your housewarming party, Heather's advice is relevant for homeowners and apartment dwellers of any age.

My Thoughts and Review:
I have to admit that home-ec is not my forte :). I like a clean home; who doesn't? But the cleaning/getting dirty part...not so much. I love cooking, but not the preparation part. I don't mind laundry, but the putting away part is usually put off. My husband is great at fixing things (I'm so thankful for that). My major problem is: I am organizationally challenged....or maybe time-management challenged (could be both!) I enjoyed reading and gaining practical advice from this book. The author is very funny; who knew that a book about home-keeping could be so entertaining :)?

Home-Ec 101 is divided into four sections: Clean It, Wash It, Fix It, and Cook It. The author offers how-tos, tips and tricks, lists of tools you need (and more that you may want), techniques, and easy-to-read charts (chore chart, treatments for common stains, washing instructions for various fabrics, average lifespans for major appliances, emergency cooking or baking substitutions, and more). Her footnotes are hilarious. Don't miss the confession sections, either; you can learn from others' mistakes. "Dear Home-Ec 101" letters address questions/problems that you probably can relate to. I had moments while I was reading the book that I smiled knowing I've been there...done that :). The appendixes are great, too. They include homemade cleaning solutions, dangerous chemical combinations (to avoid, not to try), emergency preparedness checklist, and measurements conversion charts.

Want skills for everyday living? Get this book. It is a neat book to have on hand, especially for those who are keepers-at-home (or apartment) or keepers-at-home wannabes.
 
  ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from One2One Network for an exchange of my honest review.

Review: Max on Life by Max Lucado

Product Details
Format: Jacketed Hardcover
Trim Size: 6.40 x 9.40 x 1.30
Page Count: 256
Retail Price: $24.99
ISBN: 9780849948121

Book Description
We have questions. Child-like inquiries. And deep, heavy ones.

In more than twenty-five years of writing and ministry, Max Lucado has been the receiving line for thousands of such questions. The questions come in letters, e-mails, even on Dunkin Donuts napkins. In Max on Life, he offers thoughtful answers to more than 150 of the most pressing questions on topics ranging from hope to hurt, from home to the hereafter.

Max writes about the role of prayer, the purpose of pain, and the reason for our ultimate hope. He responds to the day-to-day questions—parenting quandaries, financial challenges, difficult relationships—as well as to the profound: Is God really listening?

A special addendum includes Max’s advice on writing and publishing.

Including topical and scriptural indexes and filled with classic Lucado encouragement and insight, Max on Life will quickly become a favorite resource for pastors and ministry leaders as well as new and mature believers.

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
Max on Life is a Q & A book: Max Lucado's answers and insights to important questions in life. Being a pastor and a well-known writer, Mr. Lucado has received all sorts of questions from all sorts of people. He includes 172 questions in this book. Some of the questions seem to be redundant. Some are excellent questions, especially for new believers. The questions and answers are divided into seven sections: Hope, Hurt, Help, Him/Her, Home, Have/Have-Nots, and Hereafter. The book covers various topics from faith, heaven, hell, prayer to parenting, relationship, money, fear, and more.

I didn't really learn anything new from this book and I don't agree with all of Mr. Lucado's answers. For example, on Page 19, Mr. Lucado said, "He (Jesus) paid the price for sin by becoming a sinner." Jesus paid the price for sin by becoming the sinless sacrifice for sinners. He is God; He can never be a sinner! Anyway, I still enjoyed reading this book. Max Lucado is so good with words that the content and style hold my attention. He often uses analogies to help readers think. I also love his sense of humor. I appreciate that Mr. Lucado bases his answers on the Scriptures and presents them with grace and gentleness. He gives Biblically sound advice. This book is easy to read. Each question and answer is usually only a page long. Concise and Christ-centered!

"When grace moves in, guilt moves out. God has forgiven us. There is no reason to hold on to guilt." Max Lucado (p.2)

~ I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

Buy		Read

DVD Review: The Way Home

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the trailer.

The Way Home is based on an inspiring true story.  Randy Simpkins and his family were getting ready to go on a vacation but it turned out to be the beginning of the worst nightmare any parent could imagine.  Randy, a workaholic father left his 2 year old son, Joe, for just a few minutes on the driveway to check his work email.  Joe disappeared.  He, his wife, neighbors, search & rescue teams, and people from their church, other churches, and community united in prayer and in searching for the missing boy.  It's "the way home" for Randy's spiritual journey.  He came to realize that he needed to get back to God and his family as priorities in life.  It's a beautiful story about love, hope, faith, teamwork, and God's faithfulness. 

This is a powerful, emotional movie that touched my heart.  It brought tears to my eyes.  I could relate to how the parents must have felt.  Outstanding performances all around.  The main kid is so cute.  I enjoyed the special features, too.  The rating is PG (thematic elements and brief tobacco images).  I am pleased to see a wonderful movie that shows the importance/value of faith in God and of spending time with family (especially fathers' involvement).  Life is short; make sure you get your priorities right.  The Way Home truly hits home and hits a home run in my book :).

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-Home-a-MOVIE-Starring-Dean-Cain/88393118828?ref=ts

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.”

Another Year of Living for God

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Happy New Year, everyone!  It is so comforting and refreshing to know that God’s compassions are new every morning on any day of any year.  Let’s get bundled up in His great love and rest assured in His faithfulness.  Let’s make each day count for the Lord’s glory.

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

I started this blog, "Living for God" on July 28, 2009.  I truly appreciate all the comments and visits from everyone.  I would like to share here my top twelve (my favorite number) posts of 2009 just in case you may find something that interests you :).

1. Eternal Perspective
2. Don't Waste Your Life
3. Complete in Christ
4. Have We Committed a Crime?
5. Could I Be Called a Christian?
6. Taming the Tongue
7. Brainwashed?
8. More Than Conquerors
9. Home Sweet Home
10.Kindness
11.Christmas According to Scrooge
12.Filled Up with Powerful Fuel

~Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts. Thanks so much to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays every week. Have a blessed year, everyone!

Thankful Thursday #4

 

This week...
1. I am thankful that the Lord has enabled us to homeschool our children.  This is our 11th year and we would not have wanted it any other way.  We love homeschooling with all its ups and downs :).

2. I am thankful that my two sons are each other's best buddies.  They share a bedroom, talk about everything, discuss books they read, play together everyday, etc.  They sometimes get rough with each other but their brotherly love is evident.

3. I am thankful for our home and its location.  We are blessed to be living in the country, on a hill with a panoramic view of God's beautiful creation (forests, hills, sky), in a very quiet & safe neighborhood.

4. I am thankful for our family's Bible study and prayer time in the evenings.  We enjoy discussing what we read and learn from God's Word.

5. I am thankful that my husband and my children play piano.  My husband is a gifted piano player and composer.  My 16 year old daughter has been giving her brothers piano lessons.  One of my favorite things to do is singing praise & worship songs or hymns to the Lord with my husband while he plays the piano.

Home Sweet Home

"Home, Sweet Home: When each lives for the other and all live for GOD." Anonymous

Today marks our first anniversary of living in this house experiencing country-living. It has been an interesting year: record snowfall in the area and record heat in the area (108 degrees) within this year. It requires hard work to keep 1.76 acres in good or even just decent shape :). However, we love it here and are very thankful to be here. We enjoy our panoramic view of the hills and forests, and the beautiful landscape filled with various flowers and trees. The history behind this farmhouse (built in 1920s) is fascinating. I like taking pictures so I put together a slide show tour of our home representing all four seasons.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

No matter how much I love my house, I need to remind myself once in a while not to get too attached to it because heaven is my true home. We are just passing through this earth as travelers. I am thankful that the Lord blessed us with this beautiful home, but I am even more thankful for my eternal home where I will be with Him forevermore.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told yoou. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3