Balanced Challenge Day Five- Rank those Priorities

In chapter five, Tricia talks about first forming your calendar with the things of highest importance, then filling the spaces with the rest that needs to get done. Otherwise, what is urgent will always come before what is important.

This reminds me of an analogy on time management- You have a jar that represents your day. Some rocks represent the most important things, pebbles- less important, sand- trivialities. If you start by putting in the biggest rocks, you can add in the pebbles and then the sand that will fit in around the larger rocks. However if you start with the smaller less important things first, not everything will fit into the jar.

Some things I would like to form my calendar with before I fill it are family dinner each night, family home evening on Monday nights, and scripture reading and prayer with my older daughter in the morning before school.

This post is part of the Balanced challenge with Tricia Goyer—and you can join, too!
 
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Balanced Challenge Day Four- Believing God

What have you been called by God to do? Take a few minutes away from work and family to sit with your Bible and talk to God. Believe that God placed your dreams and passions in your heart. Find a verse that speaks to you about this, and post it today on your blog.

While I love creating art, photography and crafting, at this time in my life I'm focusing more on the children in my life. I have two perfectly wonderful daughters that joined our family through adoption, and also provide daycare for two fun little boys. The steady additional income has been a blessing for our family, and it feels good to know that I'm helping their mothers in their callings as middle school teachers. They are entrusting me with their child- I don't take that lightly. It's my responsibility to provide their sons with a loving, nurturing, and stimulating environment during the hours they are away from their mother. These are a few of the first pictures I remember as a young child depicting Jesus and his love for children.

 

Mark 10:13-16

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

This post is part of the Balanced challenge with Tricia Goyer—and you can join, too!

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Balanced Challenge Day Three - Get Your Kids Involved

How can you get your kids involved in what you’re working on? How can they experience what your job is like and contribute to it?

By providing day care for infants in our home, our seven year old daughter has become accustomed to having babies around and being a helper. She has grown in being willing to share my attention, learned how to safely play with babies, and enjoys the many joyful firsts that happen in that first year of life. A wonderful blessing is that it really prepared her to be a big sister when we adopted our second daughter! Some of her responsibilities are helping hold the bottle during feeding, throwing away the diaper after I change it, and folding and putting away her own laundry. Even though my attention is often divided, I feel like our relationship is stronger for working together and showing trust in her abilities.

This post is part of the Balanced challenge with Tricia Goyer—and you can join, too!

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Review: Plain Peace by Beth Wiseman

My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Anna Byler should be enjoying her Rumspringa as allowed by her faith. But because of the strict rules enforced by her grandfather—the bishop—the available suitors in town are afraid to court her. Even Anna’s grandmother is keeping a big secret from Anna’s grandfather in an effort to keep the peace. Under her grandfather’s oppressive watch, Anna begins to feel her faith slipping and wonders if God has forsaken her.
 
Jacob Hostetler and his family have relocated to Lancaster County following a family tragedy in Ohio. As his family struggles to rebuild their lives, Jacob is forced to act as head of the household when his father is unable to cope with recent events. It’s been a long time since Jacob has felt any joy. Until he meets Anna Byler. But will Anna’s grandfather succeed at keeping them apart? And can Jacob put the past behind him and open his heart?

My Review

This book was a pleasure to read. Although it is the sixth in the Daughters of the Promise series, it can be read as a stand-alone easily. Anna and Jacob each have their own set of worries and struggles, yet as they share their burdens with each other they provide strength and support. I love the unique details and insights we see in their relationship and how it sustains them. There is a whole set of strong supporting characters and the book alternates between points of view. The trials of each are so different, but their relationships with each other tie the subplots together seamlessly. And I just have to say, Anna's grandmother is hilarious.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts

My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

It’s 1943 and Miriam Coblentz and Henry Mast are nearing their wedding day when the unthinkable happens—Henry is drafted. However, since he is a part of the pacifist Amish tradition, Henry is sent to a conscientious objector Civilian Public Service camp. When he leaves for the work camp, his gaping absence turns Miriam’s life upside down. Little does she know that it’s only the beginning…

When Henry returns home, he brings news that shakes Miriam and their Amish community to the core. He tells Miriam he believes God has called him to enlist in the Army and fight for his country, leaving her to make an important decision. She soon must choose between loyalty to the peaceful life she’s always known and her love for Henry and her faith in their shared destiny.

My Review

This was an intense and emotional book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The characters have vivid personalities and realistic struggles and emotions. The chemistry between Miriam and Henry is wonderful, especially for an Amish novel. Miriam had a peaceful, orderly life, but we journey with her through the turmoil of the choices she faces and makes as her relationships and loyalties are tested in her family and community.

I could not put this book down! Even though I have a baby that still wakes up twice a night, I finished it at 2:30 am, just in time to feed her and reflect on what I had read, how blessed I felt for the time we live in now, and amazed at the strength and sacrifices of the people who lived during that period of war.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Balanced Challenge Day Two: Make working from home work

Question: What can you do or change to make working from home actually work for you? Creating an office space? Cleaning up that office space? Looking into finding a babysitter for a few hours a day? Take the first steps in making the change, then take a photo of your progress and post it on your blog.

This was an easy one for me- the hardest thing about providing daycare for two infants is that I never find time to get my dishes done. I've been hand washing them for four years now. The pile would often get out of control and several hours of my free time were spent catching up. It got to the point where I hated making dinner because it meant I would have more pots and pans to wash. We even lived off paper plates for several months during the summer!

My husband is the sweetest, most thoughtful guy, and loves to surprise me. Often when we go on dates he won't tell me what the plan is, just for the element of surprise. Well, this Christmas he asked my sister to invite me over for the day so he and our bishop from church (who is a general contractor) could install the dishwasher he ordered. When I came home, he asked me if I knew where the popcorn popper was (to get me to look in the cupboards that the dishwasher replaced). I was so shocked. A dishwasher?! We had tossed the idea around for a couple years, but I would always fall back on how much money we were saving by hand washing. Let me tell you, it has been worth every penny! My stress level has dramatically decreased, I can clean up after a meal and have sparkling dishes while I "chillax" and read a book with my daughter or watch a tv show with my husband. I no longer have that mountain of dirty dishes hanging over my head so I can focus my best efforts at caring for my munchkins.

This post is part of the Balanced challenge with Tricia Goyer—and you can join, too!

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Review: Stranded by Dani Pettrey

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

When her friend vanishes from a cruise ship, reporter Darcy St. James isn't satisfied with their explanation that she simply left her job of her own accord. Something isn't lining up, and Darcy believes the only way to find the truth is to put herself in Abby's position. Within days, Darcy learns her friend wasn't the only person to disappear mysteriously. Last summer, a woman vanished under almost identical circumstances.
 
Gage McKenna has taken a summer-long stint leading adventure excursions for the passengers of various cruise lines that dock for a few days of sightseeing. He's surprised to find Darcy working aboard one of the ships, investigating a troubling report. Something sinister is going on and the deeper they dig the more Gage fears they've only discovered the tip of the iceberg.

My Review

This is the third book in the Alaskan Courage series and continues providing a strong plot and plenty of suspense. It can be read as a stand-alone novel, however I highly recommend reading them in order from a romance standpoint, since the relationship of the main characters of books two and three begin in the previous book as a subplot. Darcy and Gage don't really expect to see each other again, but are thrown together in a high adventure undercover investigation. The pacing slowed for me while Darcy was trying unsuccessfully to figure out the reason for the disappearances. The progress in her case wasn't consistent- it seemed like she did a lot of floundering for clues and questioned anyone and everyone, but suspected nobody. Once Gage's family and friends (whom you get to know in the first two books) got more involved in aiding her investigation, things started moving along swiftly. 

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review) 

Alaskan Courage Series

Book One - 5 stars!

Book Two - 5 stars!

Balanced Challenge Day One: Family Priorities

I'm currently reading Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom by Tricia Goyer and will be participating in the blog tour when I review the book. In the meantime, I'm taking part in her Balanced eleven-day challenge! 

Family Priorities (Chapter One)
Determine what your priorities as a family are. Ask yourself a few questions: What do we want to achieve as a family? What will matter five years from now—ten years from now? What will mold our children into God-serving adults? What will bring peace—not stress—to our home?

In ten years our oldest daughter will be seventeen! It's hard to comprehend that fact. Of course the first thing I think is that I want to be in our own house by then :) I know we'd love to adopt another couple of children in that time. My husband will be continuing with his teaching career, perhaps moving into administration. I imagine that as we add more children to our family I'll phase out the infant daycare, but I'm sure I'll still be photographing families on the side.

Our spiritual goals for our family are based on consistent family dinners and weekly family home evening lessons together, as well as daily scripture study and involvement in our church, especially through service. These are the years that are so dynamic and exciting, and making sure the most important things are top priority will help provide a solid foundation for our children and shape our family.

This post is part of the Balanced challenge with Tricia Goyer—and you can join, too!

Download the e-book at Amazon for only $2.99 

Get Balanced!

Review: Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

In a case that could change her career, Miranda uncovers a love that will change her life.

When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom – an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.

But she isn’t the only one there with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective Jeremy Taggert is working the scene undercover as well. And although their true identities are a secret, it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the spark that flares between them.

But neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn’t removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they come to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets – and no one on the ranch is safe.

But neither are their hearts – the longer Miranda and Jeremy spends working together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers – and their lives – depend on solving this case. Love will have to wait.

My Review

This was a fun book to read! It is hilarious how Miranda and Jeremy suspect each other as accomplices to the criminal and eventually discover each other's undercover status. There are many subtle details incorporated into the story that enhance the setting rather than detract from the action. I admit that I don't like trying to predict the outcome to the mysteries I read since I like being surprised, but there really aren't many hints given about the identity of the Phantom throughout the novel, so I enjoyed the ending and the reveal.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: The Guest Book by Marybeth Whalen

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

When Macy Dillon was five years old her father encouraged her to draw a picture in the guestbook of a Carolina beach house. The next year, Macy returned to discover a drawing by an unidentified little boy on the facing page. Over the next eleven years the children continue to exchange drawings ... until tragedy ends visits to the beach house altogether. During her final trip to Sunset, Macy asks her anonymous friend to draw her one last picture and tells him where to hide the guest book in hopes that one day she will return to find it---and him. Twenty-five years after that first picture, Macy is back at Sunset Beach---this time toting a broken family and a hurting heart. One night, alone by the ocean, Macy asks God to help her find the boy she never forgot, the one whose beautiful pictures touched something deep inside of her. Will she ever find him? And if she does, will the guestbook unite them or merely be the relic of a lost childhood?

My Review

This was a bit of a messy all-over-the-place book for me. Macy was dealing with (or avoiding dealing with) several issues, including grief over her father's death, her relationship with her mother, disapproval over her mother's way of dealing with grief, her brother's partying, being a single mother, dealing with her ex who had abandoned her with a newborn coming back to town after five years... and that's just the first few chapters. As the novel progresses, add on four men who are pursuing her each of which she is strongly attracted to in some way. The scenes jump from one guy to the next, and each help her move on in an important way, including turning back to God. The ending was just as messy, however all the chaos, lack of communication, and uncertainty felt very realistic and eventually it all came together.

 (ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)