Tina The Storyteller: Recent Episodes
Christina D Puntigam
I think when I started this blog, wayback when it was called HoHa for Hands on Home Arts, it was always going to be a capturing of a moment.
I’m still a homemaker by trade but it’s time to put on a new hat and try new things. Within that, I probably won’t be posting around here as much. Instead, I’ll be doing book reviews on Substack (https://cdpunt.substack.com/) and I’ll be sharing a variety of other things here and there on the internet. To find all the bits and pieces head over to https://www.cdpunt.com
I’ve got this philosophy floating around that I’m trying to mail down, I need to write for myself even when I’m sharing it with you. I need to like my writing, not just the words but the content. I’ll still be sending out my monthly newsletter, so keep an eye out for those if you’ve signed up. I’m sure that we’ll see each other around and until then, I hope you enjoy!
I’ve been using this recipe for beef sandwiches for a while now. It’s easy and delicious. We generally do not dip, just deli buns, beef, provolone cheese tossed under the broiler for a bit. This last week, I forgot to buy the French onion soup mix so here’s what I did instead. I lined the crockpot (if you aren’t using liners, go get some (aff links incoming)), put in a whole frozen beef English roast fat cap up, sprinkled with salt and pepper, added 4 cups of water, added two teaspoons each of Better than Bouillon beef and onion. Put it on low for 8-10 hours, occasionally stopping by and stirring the liquid and spooning it on top of the meat. When you’re ready to eat, pull the roast out put it on a sheet pan with a rim and use two forks to shred the meat, removing fat and anything tough looking. Put the meat back into the liquid. The turn on your broiler, make the sammich but putting in the meat, some cheese on top and then under the broiler until they’re all melty. You can serve the juice on the side or not. Either way, it’s delicious. I hope you enjoy!
First off, my copy of Sweet Caroline (aff link) is not a gifted review book, I spent my well earned Amazon No-Rush Rewards money on this book. Second of all, this is not my standard close door kind of romance. Third of all, this is a really fun read.
Caroline is a hard working young lady that is doing all that she can to make ends meet and to get her graduate degree. Part of that work is renting out the room above her garage. When she answers the phone of an unknown number, believing it's a future tenant, she has no idea how much her life is about to change.
The young man on the other end of that call, Hashim, is tall, dark, and mysterious in all the right ways. The story quickly moves from the girl next door falling for a stranger to a fight for their lives. And in true real life fashion, those fights aren't just with external enemies but the ones we carry within.
It's an entertaining story of Caroline and Hashim, discovering their love for each other and fighting to be with each other in peace. There are some spicy scenes sprinkled throughout but nothing and Caroline would definitely wear a "Loves Jesus but likes to cuss" shirt to the family bbq.
This book is the first in a series and I'm saving up my pennies to by the rest of them.
As always, I'm never required to say good things about the books that I review but I'm always thankful when I can.
I've had loaded baked potato soup on the menu most of the month of November, not really knowing when I was going to make it. Last night was the night. I started with this recipe from Betty Crocker as an idea but as I saw that it served 15 and looked at the various quantities while I cooked, some things changed, and wanted to share the final recipe here so you can enjoy it and I won't forget it. Loaded Baked Potato Soup serves 3 with seconds and a serving left over1/2 package of bacon1 small onion chopped3 cups chicken broth (I use Better Than Boullion)2 large baking potatoes, peeled, cubed2 tbsp butter2 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour2 cups milk divided1/2 teaspoon salt1/2teaspoon freshly ground pepperA generous helping of sour cream4 oz sharp Cheddar cheese shredded (half a block) separated2 sliced green onions separatedIn skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until almost tender.In Dutch oven, mix onion, broth and potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in 1 cup of milk. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture. Add remaining cup of milk, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.Stir in half of the bacon, the sour cream, most of the cheese and half of the green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Evenly top with remaining bacon, cheese and cup green onions.
If you're human, which I'm assuming you are if you found your way here, there will come a moment in your life when you're right and they're wrong and you're going to have to not win because the relationship is more important than your rightness It might be over where to go to dinner, which type of coat to wear for the weather, what ever it may be, you're going to find yourself there. Khang and Mikalatos have got together and written Loving Disagreement for that exact moment, especially if that exact moment isn't occurring with a loved one but with someone you encountered on the internet or maybe the break room at work, the where and who don't really matter because we can be loving towards anyone, even when we're not in relationship with the offending person.The book uses the concept of the fruit of the spirit to go through different ways to handle conflict. Khang and Mikalatos take turns writing the meat of each section but there's a quite enjoyable back and forth between them, as if we were given a glimpse into their emails or a comment thread on a post. The best part of this book is that they don't always agree but they always find common ground, which is what this book is encouraging us all to do. I'm not sure if the real teaching moments are in the longer expostiions or just the conversation itself. It was quite enjoyable to be exposed to both of their backgrounds and how those informative years shaped them and their desire to love others. I'd definitely recommend it and it's not just because Mikalatos is one of my favorite theologians of all time, it's because I think it will challenge you and encourage you in your interactions not just online but in person. To see people as lovable and seek ways to love them, even when we don't agree is a tremendous desire and this book is a helpful tool in that journey.I received this ebook from Tyndale for the purpose of review. I'm never required to say good things about the books I review but I'm always thankful when I can.
Susan May Warren suggested Esentialism (Amazon affliate link) in one of her recent newsletters. It was available as an audiobook from Libby and my local library so I took a listen at 1.25 -2 speed because Brits just talk so slow sometimes.
First, it’s a well thought out book, plenty of examples and stories to ponder. There are some overarching questions that have been plaguing humanity for quite some time and they basically boil down to what is my purpose and how do I express it in community. McKeown works through how to get answers to those questions.
At the end of the book, my lasting thought was he’s encouraging the Oregon Trail victory life. You take your time, pick your path well, take only the necessities, plan on things taking longer than expected, and watch out for dysentery. I also told my friend it’s like minimalism for your worklife. And I do mean worklife. Even though many of the ideas shared in McKeown’s book can bleed into your personal life, these principles apply to your work, especially work with and for others.
This review was of a library book, I was not compensated for it any way by the author or publisher. I’m never required to say good things about books but I’m always thankful when I can.
If you read my books you might notice that something is always missing. So don't freak out that you missed some part of the story, it's just not there.
This summer, early this summer, we went on a little adventure. We were just starting Joel’s sabbatical and outdoor space was the focus and I wanted to finally experience the peonies in Ann Arbor. I had done some research but it turns out just not quite enough. We put the address into a gps app and the entrance was closed and buried under construction sending us into a rerouting loop that almost caused us to leave before even getting there. A new entrance address found and inputted brought us down a street with a mix of sketchy free, paid, and permit only parking. We parked in a sketchy free area and headed in. I thought Monday at 11 would be a pretty quiet time to go, there were easily several hundred people coming and going. Once the peonies are in sight, Joel realizes he left his phone in the car, he turns back. Leaving me with my big girl camera and our less than impressed daughter. I start snapping photos of unexpectedly happy flowers. Joel finds us and he’s done, the sketch factor is too high for him to comfortably leave the car unattended any longer. We leave. In all honesty, it was one of the most disappointing parts of my summer but at the same time, it felt familiar.
I don’t know if I’ve been going with the flow for too long and have forgotten how to correctly voice my desires and needs but this summer, my personal desires came into conflict with groups very often. Sometimes I’d just let my desires go, other times, I’d lean in and take a stand. Taking a stand almost always ended with conflict, not my favorite.
Conflict is part of life though and it shouldn’t be avoided at all costs. Maybe it should even be encouraged. If there is never any conflict then it means one of two things, you always get your way or you never get your way and neither of those are good for growth. Often my conflict is internal, a small wrestling match with myself over whether or not this thing or that is worth a verbal spar or depending on the person a simple request.
I didn’t put up much of a fight about leaving the peonies. We’d worked our way through lots of conflict just for the few minutes I’d already experienced and it didn’t feel like a few more would heighten the moment any more. So we left. We made our way to another garden, enjoyed it immensely as a family.
I left the camera as card untouched the entire summer, adding a few videos and pictures here and there. When I finally did pull it out to download and take a peek on a larger screen, I was surprised by the peonies. Especially the ones here.
A little happy hello waving to me from the past. I don’t even remember taking pictures of the particular bunch but they made me happy. I’m glad that we persisted in the moment. Even though it wasn’t what I had imagined, what I take with me is lovely. Worth the conflict even though the conflict made it less than enjoyable in the moment. The fruit born of it is lovely and sweet.
Mary gets an unexpected visit from her mom and sister.
Grab your own copy at Amazon!
Mary meets a family through work that sparks a new idea
Grab your own print copy from Amazon
This last summer, a friend asked if I could make an audio version of my books. And so I decided to do one take readings on the old podcast to get the job done. Here's Chapter 1 of Merry Mary's Bakery
If you'd like to buy a digital or physical copy of Merry Mary's Bakery you can find it online at Amazon or you can order it through any major book retailer.
I got a new mixer! Listen to the podcast to see why it reminds me of Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
My latest story is now available for purchase! You should be able to order a paperback copy wherever books are sold. You can get a digital version from Amazon.
This story is one that I’ve been wrestling with the past year. The main character, Chris Hunt, has to come to terms with his desire for perfection after his life begins to fall apart.
Yes, Mary’s in his story, sorry they don’t get together. But I do have good news, the answer to that will they won’t they is answered in Sophia’s story which I’ll be working on this coming year.
But for now, know that Chris’s story is full of angst, disappointments, and most of all hope.
We couldn't decide between apple pie and apple crisp. Really, I didn't feel like making a pie crust and I wasn't exactly sure I had enough flour in the house to do a double crust, so I made this hybrid.
Here's how it went, peeled, cored and sliced (using the mandolin with only slight brush with the death, no blood was shed). It was about 12 cups of apples, six small to medium apples and 3 medium to large apples is what I used.
Then I tossed said apples with 6 tablespoons of sugar, 6 tablespoons of flour, a generous sprinkling of salt and a tablespoon of cinnamon. I put that in a sprayed pan and dotted some butter on top.
Then I mixed up 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 1/4 cup of quick oats, then cut in 12 tablespoons of butter. Then I poured it over the apples and baked at 350 for about 50 minutes.
This month's Baking Expedition was S'more Brownies. I found the recipe online through Taste of Home. It's pretty straightforward, graham cracker crust, brownie with mini marshmallows mixed in, mini marshmallows, and more graham cracker crumbs sprinkled on top.
Here's the thing that ended up being weird, it was exactly like a s'more that had been made with a baked good instead of a chocolate bar. I think the addition of the mini marshmallows to the brownie itself made it come out more cake like than brownie like. So it was more s'more bar than s'more brownie.
Here’s the recipe as found on Taste of Home website
Ingredients 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 whole crackers) * 1/4 cup sugar * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * 1/2 cup butter, melted * brownies: * 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate * 1/2 cup butter, softened * 1-1/4 cups sugar * 3 large eggs, room temperature * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour * 1/3 cup dark baking cocoa * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 1 cup miniature marshmallows * topping:* * 1 cup miniature marshmallows * 5 whole graham crackers, broken into bite-sized pieces
Directions1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press onto bottom of an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. 2. For brownies, melt unsweetened chocolate on high in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Cool slightly. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in 1 cup miniature marshmallows. 3. Spread batter over graham cracker crust. Top with 1 cup marshmallows and broken graham crackers. Bake until center is set, 18-22 minutes (do not overbake).
You’ve heard of a book club. Well, what about a baking club? I’m going to start challenging myself with at least one new recipe every month. If you’d like to bake along with me, send me a message, leave a comment, drop me a line. I’m thinking the first month’s recipe is going to be macarons.
Have you ever wanted to be a better friend or been stumped by how to make your friendships more meaningful? If so, you might want to pick up a copy of Together is a Beautiful Place. Hurley does an excellent job of sharing ways to connect with people that you know and how to easily take your relationships from surface level to deep and meaningful parts of your life.
One of my favorite parts of the book is when Hurley incorporates surveys and other data to give insight into relationship building. She shares that it takes 90 hours of social interaction to consider someone a friend. When you’re only seeing each other in passing, it will take much longer than when you carve out time to specifically be with people.
Overall, Together is a Beautiful Place is an encouraging and helpful read. Exactly what I needed as I continue to make friends in life.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review. I’m never required to say nice things about books but I’m always thankful when I can.
Do you tithe? If so, what’s your favorite part about it. If not, give today’s Stories from the Kitchen a listen and see if it’s something you might want to try.
Last fall, I ordered several seed packets that needed to be planted in the fall so they could experience winter. Sometimes people will start them in the fridge in the spring to simulate the cold. I figured I’d just plant and be done. Spring was much colder than normal, even summer has has a few hot days but overall, it’s been cool. I have no idea if that’s why I haven’t seen any of the seeds I planted turn into flowers. If I currently had to guess, I’d assume the whole bunch didn’t make it. I planted Shasta daisies and black eyed Susan, bee balm (maybe?), and there were some zinnias in the area last year.
So far the only thing that’s resembled a flower are these miniature daisies that I’m pretty certain are wild considering there’s some in areas I definitely didn’t plant in.
You just never know with seeds. I’ll keep an eye on the space but I’m not thinking it’s going to happen this year. I’ll get more seeds and plant them, because you just never know.
I’m trying to do a lot of seed planting in my life as well. Seeing what grows, what doesn’t. The nice thing is that it’s okay to be generous with curiosity about who you are and what causes you to grow. Our potential doesn’t fade with age, in some ways maybe it increases because we can take more risks and give fewer flying flips about what others think of us. Something to ponder on for sure.
Have I introduced you to Sam? Samantha joined the crew last February. We had been looking for a puppy. Hannah wanted a dog, I was okay getting a puppy so it could grow up with the cats and we’d potentially have a happy fur crew. Puppies were hard to come by in the thick of the pandemic. One sunny February day, we decided to see if we could get a look at a set of puppies at the Humane society. By the time we were able to enter (only one adopter set allowed at a time), it was too late, they were all adopted. We decided to take a look at the dogs since we were there. Samantha was there in all her long haired glory. Joel says now the moment he saw her he knew she was our dog. They brought her to a room for us to visit with her. She jumped on all of us. She was decidedly not a puppy in size. Joel said we’d take her, I almost objected.
Sam was heart worm positive. Which meant in addition to integrating into our home, getting to know two cats, seeing if she could make friends with the neighbor dog, she had a pill regimen and couldn’t be outside without being on leash and couldn’t go for walks.
We decided to keep her in a crate. The first week went by no problems. As she began to get better with treatment she began to protest. And by protest I mean she is not a barker, doesn’t make peep most of the time but she would go in her crate and bark for hours. It was exhausting. I was not a fan.
She eventually got the all clear and was able to return to regular dog activities like, wandering around the yard by herself, chase cats without fear of her dying, and running up and down the fence line barking at the neighbor dog (they didn’t make friends).
We started walking together and even though she’s well, I don’t know that she’ll ever be a five mile a day dog. She’s good with a mile, which I’m also good with.
She doesn’t hate the cats, most of the time they ignore each other but occasionally she will growl them up the stairs. She has been upstairs once, it was terrible for all of us, she hasn’t done it since.
She likes peanut butter kongs and crunchy treats every evening. Life is pretty good. She’s Joel’s dog. Even though I walk, water, clean up after, hang out with her the most, he is her favorite. I can’t be upset by that because he’s my favorite, too.
I did this podcast right before Covid hit. I hope to do some more sharing on Genesis soon!
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Christina D. Puntigam (@cdpunt)
I thought it was a long road to write Mary's story. It felt like the years of not sitting down and just pondering it off and on almost made the story impossible. And now, here I am selling copies of her story and writing about characters I didn't even imagine until earlier this year.
I'm at the place in the story where I've written several chapters and there's a natural ending on the horizon. Instead of charging forward and writing that ending. Instead, I'm going back and reading the story all the way through as it's been written. I'm catching some typos and things like that but I'm also getting a better feel of if I actually like Chris's story or not.
Last night, after I had closed down my computer I wondered if this story was any good. And then I realized that if I didn't like it, if it was no good, then I could just toss all that has been written so far and start over. It was a good reminder that stories don't just magically poof into existence one day, they are lots of little choices in little moments to say yes to the work of putting word to page. And if I've done it once, I can surely do it again. And there are really only a few ways to get better at writing and one of them is sitting down and writing. Another one is to read good writing, and then there's editing, which can make almost anyone into a pretty good writer.
All that is to say that even though I'm terribly scared of writing stories that no one will enjoy reading or learn anything from, I'm still doing the little by little work that turns minutes into stories. And I hope that your little by little work is proving fruitful and enjoyable.
The Path to Peace is Ann Swindell’s second published work. I did a review of her first book Still Waiting if you’d like to check that out, too. The Path to Peace is a devotional that pairs biblical stories with Ann’s personal experiences to provide insight into how the stories may be at work in your life, too. Some of those stories include Sarah from Genesis, Hannah from 1 Samuel, and Paul from the New Testament. I’ve always enjoyed Swindell’s retellings if scripture. She adds in historically accurate insights and often makes the voice of the scripture stories more in line with a reading of the Message than the standard English translations such as the NIV or ESV. Her personal stories were touching and thought provoking. Overall, it was a great devotional, perfect sized readings to start or end your day. As week as plenty of encouragement for our days.
The last couple of years, I’ve played around with several different types of newsletters, from meal planning to Bible studies to smelly things. And this weekend, I decided to give a generic all things HoHa newsletter a try. If you’d like to come along for the journey, you can sign up online through this link http://eepurl.com/gdaPFnI’m also kicking around a print version for about $12 a year. Same great content as the e-version but straight to your snail-mailbox. Just leave a comment if you’d be interested in that or send me an email and I’ll follow up with you about it.
Do you hear that? No that sound is not crickets, it’s the tip tapping of a keyboard! I’ve been taking time to write some fiction. I thought I’d share a little with you all on why fiction. But first, you can snag the first of three resurrection stories right now on Amazon. Merry Mary’s Bakery is available for $5 print or kindle (https://amzn.to/3L438GC )
Okay, so why fiction? I love a good work of non-fiction but sometimes it’s easier to share something using the third person. Mary’s story has a lot of pain and suffering in it, some of which I’ve personally experienced and all of which I’ve witnessed up close and personal. But I didn’t want to write a book that said definitively “here’s how to deal with your pain and suffering!!” Instead, I wanted to share a story, one that showed one way of dealing with it and opened up the imagination to what those possibilities could be in your own life. Is Mary’s story successful in that attempt? I don’t know but it is what my desire for her story is. And it opened up the reality of expressing lessons from scripture that aren’t flannelgraph-esque in their nature. So I’m planning on writing more. Mary’s story introduced me to some other characters that needed their stories told. If you need me, I’ll be over here tip tapping.
Did you read Sky Lantern? No? Well, go read it and then come back for this book. Yes, order them at the same time! I promise you, they'll both be worth it and they really are part of one another. Here's why, Matt Mikalatos lost a very dear friend, Shasta, he tells part of their story in Sky Lantern and fulfills a promise to with Journey to Love.
Journey to Love is a little book, almost a 40 day devotional with little vignettes of love and then ways for you to reflect that love and an exercise to grow in that aspect of love. It's not an easy book because love isn't an easy thing. the reflections and exercises sometimes take a few days to work through or a lifetime if we're honest.
I was touched by how Mikalatos decided to fulfill his promise to Shasta, how he managed to leave a little bit of their love on the written page for people to witness for years to come. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and challenging and rewarding. To be able to have a little glimpse into a love that we can all partake in is refreshing. Love isn't just for the married, parents, or siblings, it's for all of us and it's so much bigger than we give it credit. Journey to Love does a fine job of allowing us to see how big love might be and challenges us to see how far love can go.
I received a digital copy of this book for the purpose of review from NetGalley. I'm never required to give a positive review but always thankful when I can.
High Impact Life is not a self-help book, it's more of a your life is important and here are some reminders of why that is book.
Kelli Masters has spent the last few decades making a place for herself in a male-dominated industry. She's a sports agent, helping young athletes navigate the hiring process and finding the best fit for their skills amongst all the professional teams. But in reality, she helps atheletes become the people that they've always desired to be for their entire lives, not just the few years they play professional football. And she's taken some of the insights and encouragements and questions that she walks through with her clients and offered them to you in this book. It's encouraging, thought provoking, and ultimately, up to you whether or not this is a book worth reading.
Masters shares her personal stories of becoming a sports agent as well as stories of her clients, some good, some difficult. Masters sums up the hope of this book in this line "Nothing you go through-not even your own self-sabotage, missteps, and mistakes-will go to waste. When you trust God, everything is redeemable and every experience will move you one step closer to your calling."
And what is your calling? To use your special gifts, quirks, yourself to help serve others.
I received a digital copy of this book for purpose of review from NetGalley, I'm never required to share a positive review but always thankful when I can.
Y'all know that I love Tricia Lott Williford's books, I listen to her podcast, in my mind, we would be the best of neighbors if we knew each other and lived next door to each other. This book is written for her friends, especially her friends who want to fall in love with the Bible but don't know where to begin. So if that sounds like something that you could use some help with, this is the book for you. This Book Is for You is not a step-by-step how to read the Bible in 365 days and get the most out of it type of book, it's more like a dating guide for the best book you'll ever read. Trisha goes through several different struggles that she had as she fell in love with Bible and what she discovered from those struggles. Overall, it's a quick read that will get you started on your own journey of loving the Bible. My favorite part was probably right at the end, where she gives a list of fifteen things to know as you navigate the bible. All fifteen are great and are often taken for granted by people that grew up reading the Bible or who have been reading it for years. This book is perfectly summed up by Tricia in the Epilogue, "Consider this to be simply one of the lights on the floor aisle of the movie theater or the airplane, a lamp strategically placed to point you to the greater path to safety."I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review from NetGalley. I'm never required to say nice things but I'm always thankful when I can.
We love asking questions around the dinner table every night. It's a tradition that we've been enjoying for several years. I could not be more excited when this little box showed up on our doorstep. Here's how you know that it's something worth getting, our teenager often reaches for the box to be able to be the one to pick out the evening question and she often picks out more than one. There are five categories and they are separated by tabbed cards making it easy to choose which topic to discuss. The questions are open-ended and because there are so many of them, there's always another one if you don't like the one you pulled. From the creator:
With one question on each beautifully designed card, this unique deck offers individuals and families a launching pad to topics in five categories--Family & Friends, Fun & Entertainment, Faith, Travel, and Then & Now: • What is something you own that is really old and why do you hang on to it? • When do you feel closest to God? • What is the best advice you've ever gotten? • What do you wish people knew about you? • What is the hardest thing about being a person of faith in today's culture?Packaged in a handy box with category tabs for easy reference, these conversation cards are the ideal companion for family dinners, road trips, small groups, and book clubs. Whether the conversations are thought-provoking or just good for a laugh, all of the questions will encourage lasting memories.
I highly recommend this great box of questions. We just keep it open on the dining room table, ready to start a conversation whenever we sit down together for a meal or snack.
I received this product from Ink & Willow for the purpose of review. I am never required to say something positive but I'm always thankful when I can.
The Story King is the third book in the Sunlit Lands series (The Crescent Stone and The Heartwood Crown are books one and two). If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that Matt Mikalatos is one of my favorite theologians and I try my best to get my hands on and read and share all of his titles. No surprise then that I loved The Story King. Mikalatos does a great job of wrapping up all the stories and filling in all the right holes while leaving enough mystery for the story to have a life of its own. In much the same way that The Final Battle from the Narnia series helps explain the beginning of the story, The Story King does so for the Sunlit Lands. Even though it's an ending, it's rooted very deeply in the beginning of the story and how we don't have to let broken things stay broken because that's the way it's always been. If pressed very hard to sum up the entire series, I would say that the story we believe about ourselves helps shape the world we live in. And because of that, it's very important that we recognize the grace and love that help bring us into being. Since finishing The Story King, I've spent many hours pondering my name and how I think of myself, and how I interact with the world because of those thoughts. I don't know if that was Mikalato's intent with this trilogy but it is a very beautiful result. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to say positive things but I'm always thankful when I can.
This is a review for the Growing Slow Bible study that is a companion bible study for the Growing Slow book by Jennifer Dukes Lee. I have not read the book, but I have taken a look at the bible study and wanted to share what I liked about it with you. This is a six-week study, you can use the book by yourself or with a group. Here's what I like about it, it's straightforward enough that anyone can pick it up and find some encouragement but it's also got enough open-ended questions that those who have been in studies for a long time can grow, too. Not having read the book doesn't detract from the study but it does increase the desire to read the book to explore the ideas presented a little more in-depth. I used the Kindle version of the book for review purposes, if you do the same, I'd recommend having a journal available to be able to write down and capture the ideas and scriptures that are in the study. Overall, I'd recommend this study for anyone who feels like they're always in a hurry and wants to slow down as well as for anyone that feels like life is moving way too slow and needs some encouragement in the midst of growing slowly. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to say good things but I'm always thankful when I can.
I have to say, this little book has really encouraged me to step out of my rut and to be kind to other people. Ehman does a great job of giving very practical and doable suggestions on how to love the people in your life. I also appreciate that she offers tips for those beyond the inner circle but also the people in your life that care and provide for you such as the grocery staff, pastors, and mail carriers. There's something simple that we can do to change people's day. A lot of it comes down to noticing them and expressing your gratitude for them being present in your life. This book with 101 ways to love people is just the boost we need in the midst of this very late spring. Ehman doesn't just give ideas, she also provides some copy and print materials in the book to help make it even easier for you to love on all the people in your life. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to say good things but I'm always thankful when I can.
Did you ever have a book that you love so much because it's just right? That's Our Daily Question for me. It's a three-year journal to share with your significant other. How does that work? Well, each calendar date has a question and divided space to record your answer three times. There is a great mix of fun, serious, thought-provoking, and heartfelt questions. Generally, the only ones that we've skipped over have been the ones that talk about all the time. It's been nice to be able to pick it up with morning coffee and have a conversation ready to go. Some we've even used at the dinner table to have family discussions. It's a wonderful little keepsake, one that will have much more value when you finish with it than when you start. If you're looking for a special gift to give a newly married couple, yourself, or even a pair of love birds that have been married for over 20 years, this is a great choice. I received a copy of this book from Ink & Willow for the purpose of review. I'm never required to say good things but I'm always thankful when I can.
Yes, I made a silly wordplay with the title. I'm allowed to do that on occasion. So, today, we're going to be talking about fondue in case you haven't guessed already. I'm going to share some favorite recipes and some tools you might find helpful (any links to Amazon are affliate links and I do get a little kick back if you place an order through my link, fyi).
First off, here's a few things that I really like about fondue, it's easy, it's good for using up leftovers, and there's something about sharing not just a meal but a communal pot when you eat that draws you together. The first time I ever made fondue, I spent a LOT of money on cheese, used a pot that was heated with a sterno and did not have a very pleasant experience. Most of my money went in the trash that night because it just would not come together. If your fondue goes south, cry a little and eat your sides and try again another day. You will one day figure out the right recipe for you and your pot. Now, recipes:Chocolate fondue printable version here4 bars of Toblerone (the 3.5 ounce kind, not too big not too small)1/2 cup of heavy cream (You can use milk but cream makes it better)Optional splash of liquer (orange, cherry, almond, coffee, whatever you like)Place all ingredients in electric fondue pot set on warm and stir till it's delicious and melty. This can be done on the stove top or microwave and then transferred to a fondue pot. Can also be made ahead of time, stored in fridge and then heated in microwave. Dip your favorites: marshmallows
bread
pound cake
strawberries
bananas
apples
pineapple
gummy bears
bacon
a spoon
Cheese Fondue printable recipe hereA clove of garlic cut in half1 bottle of white wine (make sure it's delicious, you'll only use a cup plus a smidge)lemon juice (fresh squeezed if possible if not the bottle is there for a reason)7 ounces of Gruyere (grate it yourself)7ounces Emmental (grate it yourself)1 tablespoon cornstarchRub the inside of the fondue pot with the cut side of the garlic, you want to get the oils all over it for all the nomnoms. Add 1 cup plus 2 tbsp of wine plus just a teaspoon of lemon juice to the part and warm them (you don't have to turn the pot up very high, just above warm should get you there). When they start to steam but before they boil, slowly start adding in the shredded cheese and stir in a figure eight. Once all the cheese is melted, dissolve the tablespoon of cornstarch in a tablespoon of wine until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and then stir into the fondue, bring it to a slow boil, stir until thickened, and then reduce temperature to warm. Dip your favorites: bread
pickles
steamed small potatoes
lil smokies
meatballs
apples
sausage
pasta
steamed veggies
raw veggies
Some notes on this recipe, you can use other cheese if you can't find these. A nice aged cheddar would do, an American swiss, provolone could add some stretch but not much flavor, you can use all one cheese or several different, play around and see what you like. The cheese can be fickle so be careful not to get it too cold or too hot. I've heard that if it starts to break apart, you can add a little more lemon juice to bring it back together. If this recipe seems a little too scary for you, you can also just toss the cheese with the cornstarch before adding it to the liquids and melting it in that way. I would also highly recommend trying oil in your fondue pot and using it to cook small pieces of meats, tempura veggies (just have a bit of the batter there and dip what you want in it), bread (bread is so amazing fried, not dough balls, actual bread), some veggies. It's super messy so lay out an opened and flattened paper grocery bag to help contain the mess but it's fun and delicious.Next up, my recommendations on what pots to get or use. 1. Don't get an open flame unless you're serious about learning how to use it and plan on fonduing on a regular basis so you don't lose the skill.2. A Cuisinart Electric, it's standard, a little pricey but way less expensive than going to the fondue restaurants.3. If you can find a used one, Rival, Oster electric pots are both highly rated. I didn't find any available on Amazon (DO NOT pay the $100 price tag on these, they were $30 pots when new).4. You could use an instapot set on yogurt or will a bowl set in top and as a double boiler but that doesn't look very pleasing. 5. You could also use a hot plate set very low with heavy bottom pot, but make sure you stir often to prevent burning.
And that's about all the information I have for you on fondue today. If you have any questions, just drop them in the comments. And since you made it this far, here's a bonus dessert fondue recipe for you. And here’s a link to my Pinterest board with some fondue type recipes that don’t require you to have a fondue pot, though a crockpot or cast iron skillet may come in handy. Tiramisu Fondue printable recipe here2/3 cup brewed coffee, strong2 3/4 cup powdered sugar3 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate (chop a bar or chocolate chips will work)5 ounces mascarpone (ricotta might also work)A package or two of ladyfingers (I'm sharing a link so you can see them, they might be overpriced)Pour coffee into fondue pot, add powdered sugar, stir to combine. Add in chopped chocolate while heating gently. Once melted, add the mascarpone, stir until combined. Dip your ladyfingers in and enjoy your super easy tiramisu!
A little Christmas Story from me to you! May you always be able to see the light. Click the picture below to be taken to YouTube for the story if the embedded video doesn't work for you.
We spent the last days of summer enjoying a friend's cabin up on an inland lake of Michigan. It was exactly what we needed. I even pulled out the camera and took some shots around the place and way too many pictures of the setting sun. So here are some for you to enjoy.
We've been marking some things off our big to-do lists and it's kind of put me in a mid-life crisis mindset. No answers just sharing where I am at the moment. Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 3 When the To-Dos Are To-Done
It's been a long late winter-spring this year. In addition to the weather staying cool for some time, we were dealing with stay at home orders from March to June with a few weeks of personal isolation due to Covid exposure prior to the state orders. I think it was an exceptionally weird time because right at the beginning of all the news stories talking about this new virus, we had a positive pregnancy test. I had some light bleeding around week 6 but everything seemed fine. When I went in for the 12-week ultrasound there was no baby to be found. We must have miscarried at week 6, but I was measuring normal at week 10, which turns out was because of fibroids. When I talked to the doctor over the phone about family history, we agreed that I should get a biopsy but haven't been able to because of restrictions on office visits. Talk about a crazy few months. The weather finally decided to turn warm in Michigan, the governor stopped telling us to stay inside, and now it's starting to get blisteringly hot. And life still isn't normal. We've been doing projects or I should say paying people to do projects around the house that have been on our to-do list since we first moved in. Some small, some big, all needed. One was getting the trees trimmed. If you've ever lived with mature trees maybe you've experienced what I'm about to describe. There were some trees that had some obvious dead pieces in them that needed to be removed. Beyond that, they didn't really need much change. But there were some other trees that were close to the house but appeared to be rather healthy. I thought they'd remove a few branches around the house and call it a day. But those trees, the ones that to me seemed to be in a place where they didn't need much work were the ones that got the most removed. Going outside and taking a look when they were done, it was as if a ceiling had been lifted and there was more room to breathe. It invited a deep breath, not one that you hold, but one that you easily release. It's been hard though, even though it has been beautiful and the new is what's best, it's still taking some getting used to. And that same sentiment is true for other areas of my life. After dealing with our third miscarriage, it was time to let go of the idea of having more children biologically. Not that we couldn't have pushed on, but it was clear that it was time to let go. And it's a lot like those trees being trimmed, there are places that clearly needed to be mended but there are also those that once they're gone, you can see something you couldn't see before. I'm still working on what that something might be, I'm don't always have perfect sight, but with time, things often become clear.
Have you ever showed up late for a party? I know that sometimes it can be awkward like you missed the cake and people are already starting to wander their way to the door. But sometimes, you get welcomed in and it's like the party has been waiting for you to just get itself going. I was late to the Wingfeather Saga from Andrew Peterson, but it feels like the party has been waiting for me and for you to show up! And they've put on new party clothes to mark the occasion.
The Wingfeather Saga is the story of three young children that are heirs to the throne of the country Anniera that has been ransacked by an evil ruler who is determined to capture them as well. We meet Janner, Tink and Leeli in the first book of the series On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, where they are just a small family living in the countryside of Skree and the land of Anniera is a fairy tale at best. Gnag the Nameless has taken over this land and is using Fangs to search for the children. The children are discovered and unexpectedly find themselves fleeing for their lives. They are not alone, their mother, grandfather, crazy uncle, and the faithful family dog are there to help them navigate the way. The first book is in someways an introduction to the action of book two North! Or Be Eaten.
North! Or Be Eaten seamlessly picks up the story of book one without a lot of retelling to weigh the story down. It's just enough in all the right places to remind of the things you may have forgotten since you read book one and to allow a new reader to pick up the story independently without too much confusion. The story of North! is the family's journey to the Ice Prairies, where they will hopefully escape the Fangs and Gnag the Nameless.
The family encounters several adventures along the way. Janner and Tink get separated from the family. Janner's journey is the focus of the story, showing us the life of children in Skree and the culture of those that live in the countryside.
These two books are the first of the re-release as hardcovers with illustrations. Even in the kindle version, the illustrations make the story richer and vibrant. The fantasy is well told, with enough that's different from the every day but also not so far fetched that the reader can't connect with the ideas. The stories aren't too scary for younger chapter book readers but adventurous enough that a parent reading along will keep their interest. I personally finished the second and sought out the third and fourth books so I could find out how the story ends.
If you're late to the party, come join us! This is a story that you and your children and children's children will enjoy for years to come.
Copies of books one and two were given to me by Waterbrook Multnomah for the purpose of review. I'm not required to write positive reviews but I'm always thankful when I can!
I celebrated my birthday last weekend. It was wonderful and the leftovers left me with a question or two. Find out what they are and how I'm currently answering them in this week's podcast.
Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 2: Taste and See
Notes from the episode:
Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg
Dad’s New York Cheesecake (from the back of a Philidelphia Cream Cheese package)1 ⅞ cups graham cracker crumbs¼ to ½ cup butter, melted1 cup sugar, divided2 lbs cream cheese (4 packs)2 large eggs (lightly beaten)1 tsp vanilla2 tbsp cornstarch1 cup sour creamPreheat oven to 450FMix well graham crackers, 2 tbsp sugar, and enough butter that the mixture holds together. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the freezer while preparing the filling.
Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just blended. Stir in sour cream. Pour mixture into crust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200F bake 45 minutes. Turn off the oven; allow to cool with door slightly open for 3 hours. Remove sides from pan; sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Chill.Printable copy click here.
On Instagram today, Jennifer Dukes Lee asked a series of questions. One was to share about a time when “smaller and slower” brought true growth. I thought I’d share my answer here.
Smaller and slower is how I would describe our desire for children. When we were first married, my husband and I both wanted a large family with lots of kids which by default would have had more activity. We had our first, our daughter Hannah, when we were still in our twenties. We decided almost immediately to start trying for more (within months of her birth). We didn’t get pregnant again for ten years. That unexpected pregnancy ended in miscarriage a few days after we found out about it, we got pregnant again within a cycle or two only to have another miscarriage at the beginning of our second trimester. It’s been five years this February since our third and what appears to be final pregnancy. All of that small and slow family time has taught me so much about God. In that longing and foolish bargaining I almost missed out on what we were blessed with. But accepting the small family that we were given has provided so much for us that we didn’t even know that we needed. We didn’t need large and fast. We needed small and slow in order to have the time and space to draw near to God. I love our small family. It’s exactly what I needed as a mom. It’s exactly what I needed to be a good wife to my husband. It has allowed me to be a good daughter when my mom has gone through cancer treatment. It’s helped me be a better member of our church. Our small family has helped me become the best version of myself. It reminds me that gifts from God are often small and not obvious if we’re moving too fast. In the book Captivating the author shared a story about wanting to experience something her husband had. He had gone to the beach and asked God to show Himself and huge pod of whales showed up and played around. She sat out on the beach and waited, no whales. When she finally got upset and started to walk home, she rounded the corner to be met with a shore full of starfish. I was thinking about this story during a family vacation when Hannah was not quite two and we were still actively hopeful for more children. I was at the beach and asked God to show Himself. I looked to the ocean and there was nothing, I looked to the shore and there was nothing. Upset and returning back I picked up a handful of sand that I let run through my fingers when there, amidst the sand stuck to my hand was a perfectly formed seashell the size of a grain of sand. God reminded me that he’s in the small stuff and true to his word, he’s always met me in the midst of the small ordinary work that has made up my life. I would say that small and slow has not been easy. It’s been heartbreaking in so many ways. But those broken places have all been touched by God. Even now, with 15+ years of infertility, I struggle with that desire I had as a young woman. Even with seeing how good it has been for us to be small, there’s still pain. There’s still growth, even if it wasn’t the way I expected it to look or feel.
I finally opened my mouth and did some talking. I’m trying out the app Anchor to see how I like it. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and look below for the links to all the books I mentioned.
Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 1: Hello, Sadness
The Happiness Dare from Jennifer Dukes Lee
Bible and Breakfast by Asheritah Ciuciu
Full by Asheritah Ciuciu
The Intuitive Eating Workbook by Evelyn Tribole
My dad travels around quite a bit. One of the things that he collects during his travels is new recipes. This Tasty Tuesday treat is one from his collection. He got it when he was in Montana from a lady named Linda, who got it from someone on the internet, that made a copycat recipe of an actual bread that's available for purchase called Dave's Killer Bread 100% Whole Wheat. It's delicious and well worth the hassle it took to locate and purchase vital wheat gluten.
So, here's the recipe as I received and made it:
Dave's Killer Whole Wheat Bread
3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. molasses
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Proof yeast in some of the water. Mix well with all above ingredients. Beat 5 minutes. Cover and set aside for one hour.
Add 1/4 cup gluten (VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, This is flour with the starch and bran removed.), 2 tsp. salt and enough whole wheat flour to make a sticky, smooth dough. If dough seems too dry, add a little water. Beat 10 minutes. Divide into two pieces. Cover with damp towel, rest 15 minutes. Form two loaves. Let rise about an hour in greased pans. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes or until well-browned and done.
Here are my notes: I did use sugar instead of honey, though I think honey would be awesome. It takes about another 3 cups of whole wheat flour after the sponge rests. I made one in a loaf pan and one free form on a baking sheet, both were excellent. Makes excellent sandwiches and toast.
As some of you know, the winter is our big break season in our homeschooling. Hannah and I do as little school work as possible between the end of November and the end of January. Normally, by the time February rolls around, it's time to figure out something to do with ourselves so we don't get cabin fever.
This past winter break it's been full of being sick, which is never any fun. I think I went two entire weeks without leaving the house except to step outside for the milk delivery or to peek my head out the door to check the mail. It's been a long few weeks. And here's the part that I really hate about those kinds of colds. I don't think very much.
I'm a thinker/planner/schemer by nature. I love to plan things and I had all sorts of things plans that I had to just not do because we were all too yuck to get out of the house and enjoy them. So instead, we stayed in and recovered and enjoyed our cozy little house.
But now that I'm starting to feel better, part of me wants to start planning and then I go out into the world and realize that I'm not nearly as well as I thought I was. Meaning things still take a bit more energy and recovery than I expect. Fortunately, right in the middle of my cold, I picked up this book I got Joel for his birthday called, Every Moment Holy. And right there was a litany for a sick day. Granted I'd had lots and I've had a few since then but the litany did such an amazing job of reframing my mindset, yes it's a drag, yes it's snot fun, yes I will get better the Lord willing. And it was a reminder that these little setbacks, even the ones that persist for over a month of coughing and sneezing and dry hacking in the middle of the night can remind us to grasp life and live it for all it's worth. They can remind us to love with our whole hearts because health is actually very fragile and it's never a given in this world.
One of my favorite authors, Tricia Lott Williford, in her book Just. You. Wait. talks about the unexpected death of her first husband. One day, he has a cold that they go into the ER for, they tell him he's fine and to just get some rest and plenty of fluids and literally the next morning he dies in their bed. We never know how long life will be here in this place. And if this simple lingering cold can remind of that for even just a little while, then maybe it's worth it. Maybe the coughing and the missing of planned activities that remind me that life is just a breath can be worth the struggle.
I realized that I totally forgot to add a Christmas Eve/Day Litany with the Christ candle to our Advent devotional, so here's one to give a try this year. I'll get it added by next year and hopefully have it all nice a spiffy for you by next December.
We pulled this out this past Sunday and I still like it. And most importantly, it sparked some family conversation. So without further ado, here's the entire ebook in one place so you don't have to search for each week.
This is meant for personal use, but if you want to do something else with it, just send me a message or leave a comment and we'll work it out!
In the very beginning of Full, Asheritah (yes I know that we're not friends but this is what I'm going to call the author because life is like that sometimes) shares a story about eating leftover cake followed by a 30 day fast that lead to an awakening of the control that food has over her. She says that most folks who struggle with food fixation have one of those stories. I thought that I'd share mine.
My first official diet was between eighth and ninth grade. My mom took me to Weight Watchers and I remember one of the women there telling me that she wished that WW had been around when she was my age. I lost weight, I could wear smaller clothes that were in abundance in all the stores. It was life-changing. So what that I had to eat a certain number of eggs every week, take carrots and dry tuna pita pockets for lunch most every day. Worth it. But the truth was that it started a fantasy, one that I still struggle with. The fantasy that if I could just control the food, I could control the weight, I could control my emotions, I could be happy all the time. That doesn't actually happen in real life. We aren't happy all the time, who would want to be around that kind of person anyway?Fast forward a couple of years, I'm a young adult, newly married, and WW points are the latest thing. Now here was something that added my love of controlling food and controlling numbers. I was hooked. I would calculate every point that passed my lips and would not stray from the numbers. There were no cheat days, I saw my life stretching out before me with every food I ever at owning a numerical value. Bliss! Until that one night that we had pizza. I had budgeted enough to have a slice, maybe two. I was still hungry and I wanted another one. I remember sitting on the sofa crying because I wanted more pizza but didn't have any more points! I went to bed but in the process, I woke up to the reality of the grip that food had over me. It took me a few more years to actually find some freedom. I went through an online Bible study that someone off an internet chat group recommended. It was life-changing but in a good way. I finally got that freedom that I had wanted all along. It wasn't just happiness, it was an ability to serve God first and foremost. Here's the thing that I've learned since then. It's not one and done for me. I found freedom but I have to continue to seek it each and every day. I fall back into old habits, I lift up ways of eating or not eating as it may be. I seek to control food as a way to control my entire life. But I keep tumbling back into this one unmoveable truth, I'm not in control of my life. I have control over my actions sometimes I even question that but I've learned that I can't stop the pain, sorrow, deep joy, heartbreak. Not with food or exercise or mind-numbing activities, none of it. And I think that's why I am so excited to read this book and I want other people to read it with me. There's freedom out there to be had and it's not necessarily going to be the freedom from the desire to control food. It is going to be the freedom to choose God in each and every moment of the day.As we start this journey through the book Full, I want to hear your story. I want to know what moment comes to mind when you think about your relationship with food. Share in the comments, send me a message, give me a call. I want to know.
Y'all know that I love a good murder mystery, especially when it's based on a true story. Unfortunately, this is one of the most heartbreaking true stories that I've read.
This is the true story of a foster family and not just any foster family, this was the teach others how to do it foster family. They took all the tough cases and kept larger families together. They knew how to foster kids. This story is about a specific family of several kids that came into their care when their single mother ran into some problems with the law.
There was one little girl from the displaced family, Hannah, found a very special place in their hearts. It became clear during their time together that Hannah was not treated the same as her siblings by her birth mother, Karen. She showed fear and the other children distanced themselves from her. When it came time to return to live with their birth mother, Hannah begged to stay with the Moerke family. The Moerkes did all they could to keep tabs on her and to make sure that she was doing well in the care of her mother. They even offered to let Hannah live with them while her birth mother got settled in her care of her children. You can imagine the Moerke's heartbreak when they discovered that Hannah had been murdered by her mother.
It is this murder that brings the real story to the forefront, it's when Debra Moerke is given the opportunity to extend grace to Hannah's mother. It is that grace that is so mystifying and capturing as a reader. Karen, who only wanted what was best for Hannah, finds herself in a position of extending grace to the woman that stole the life of this young girl. The story goes on to share how the Moerke's were asked to adopt the infant that Karen gave birth to while in prison. And how that grace they extended to Karen grew and changed the lives of both families.
This story is such a great reminder that just because we offer grace, it doesn't mean that everything is going to turn out peaches and cream. It also gives us a very real picture of how grace not only changes the receiver but the giver. It's Debra that we see growing in her conviction of what she's supposed to offer Karen. It's what we see Debra giving up in order to extend that grace.
I really enjoyed this book, it was so very well written and a wonderful reminder that grace is difficult and it's messy and it is so very much worth the effort.
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to give positive feedback but I'm always thankful when I can.
I recently heard an interview on KLove with Mike Donehey about his new book. He talked about how people often ask what is God's will for my life. He pointed out that scripture is very clear about what God's will is for us. In Micah 6:8, for instance, we're told:
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NLT
If we're reading the Bible, God's will is pretty clear but Donehey pointed out that the question we could be asking is what is God's life for my will.
One of the questions that Donehey has been asked several times is "When did you get your calling to be a musician? How did you know?" His answer to this question is really the basis for his book. I would love to share all of the different highlights and notes that I made but it would be practically the whole book.
Here are my thoughts on why you should read this. So much of our culture tells us that we need to identify our calling, passion, whatever you want to call it and pursue it. And there's an underlying thought that if you don't pursue it then you aren't serving God with your life. Donehey points out over and over again that serving God isn't about finding a singular thing to do but finding a singular purpose of heart to glorify God. He states that he wasn't called to be a musician but he likes singing and so he sang to bring God glory. And personally, I think we could all use a little more of that in our lives. A move away from defining ourselves by what we do and towards defining ourselves by whom we serve.
If you're feeling a little lost in regards to what you should be doing with your life, if you know a young person that could use a little encouragement in finding their way in regards to career, if you love being reminded that God is more interested in our hearts than our titles, this is the book for you.
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to say positive things but I'm always thankful when I can.
Do you ever try new things and think that you're going to love them but then, it turns out that it actually wasn't what you were looking for? It always seems to happen when I have too much cash on hand and I can afford to spend a little to see if something new will help scratch the itch.
I think about that itch every now and then, that one that says life is good, but there's something missing. As I've got older it seems to be hitting more and more often. It's historically been called a midlife crisis but recently I remembered its true name, homesickness.
As Ambassadors for Christ, we live in this world, but it's not our home. It's not where we belong, it's a place where we get to represent our King and try our best to represent our homeland well. But sometimes we start to think that we can make this place a little more like our homeland if we just had a little more or that special someone or if I could change the way that I look or even feel.
Those things don't actually change our reality, we are far from home and we will always struggle with homesickness to some degree. Sometimes it's worse than others. Those days when we search the internet looking for connection, creativity, and community? For me, those are some of the loneliest days of all. I'm searching for something that can't be found on Instagram or Twitter, it can only be found by connecting to God, letting the Holy Spirit create in me, in deepening my relationship with Jesus. It's not ever going to out there in the world, that stuff that meets my homesickness and lets me know that my home is still waiting for me.
One of the problems is that the world can make us forget about our real home. It can fill us up with meaningless connections, keep us busy creating things that don't last, and surround us with people that aren't invested in our souls. And we don't notice it when we're swinging from one thing to the next, we figure out ways to dampen that homesickness and pretend that all is okay. But it also means that we miss out on things, things that matter.
When we don't rush away from that homesick feeling but instead lean in, God is there. There are love letters scattered throughout our lives reminding us that we'll be home soon, the pain is very real but it's temporary and fleeting. Today has promises hiding within its minutes and hours but if we're just looking for the next big thing in our lives, if we greedily reach for the things that numb our pain then we miss out on the amazing relationship that God has extended to us here and now.
I guess I should say that I'm not saying that it's okay to wallow in grief and heart break though sometimes it's really all we can do. What I am trying to say is that if we truly want answers for our restless hearts then we have to find rest from the Prince of Peace.