Wordless Wednesday ~ Work Day

I have been so busy that I almost forgot to select a winner for Lisa Bergren's book, "The Busy Mom's Devotional". Congratulations to BeckyJoMama at Sweet Abundance. Your Number (2) was chosen!

Another reason I haven't been here...

It was 73 degrees today!

A Book Tour ~ A Mother's Heart Knows

To enter the "My Favorite Mom" spa basket contest go here.

This is a beautiful gift book. The photos touch your heart.

It would make a wonderful Mother's Day Gift!

Each page begins with, "A Mother's heart knows..." and is completed with the many things that we face and experience as moms.

About the book: What better way to tell Mom how much you appreciate her on Mother's Day than with this lovely reminder of thoughts about the loving, selfless attitudes that fill a mother's heart?

The text and original four-color illustrations will be a beautiful and touching reminder to Mom that her love is never forgotten. The text is a reminder of those things that only a mother's heart knows, with some special emphasis on a Christian mother. Appropriate Scripture verses will be incorporated into the design element.

All royalty proceeds from this book go to WINGS (Women In Need Growing Stronger) and a student missionary scholarship fund. WINGS is a non-profit organization that provides a domestic violence shelter for women and their children in addition to transitional housing and programs.

About the Author: Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband and two daughters in a Chicago suburb. Her book, A Mother's Heart Knows was published by Thomas Nelson in 2005. Go Back and Be Happy, a co-authored book will be published by Lion Hudson in July 2008. Margaret has been featured on Greg Wheatly's "Prime Time American, " TLN's "Aspiring Women," and LeSea's "The Harvest Show." Margaret writes freelance articles for The Daily Herald, the largest suburban Chicago newspaper. Notable interviews include Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Kinkade, Susan Branch and Dr. John Gottman. Margaret also wrote a feature article for crosswalk.com. With a master's degree in international business, Margaret became a vice president in the corporate finance division of a New York City bank and worked there from 1986-1993. Supporting charitable causes is important to Margaret. For the past five years, she has served on the board of directors for WINGs, an organization that helps abused women and their children get a new start in life.

The "My Favorite Mom" spa basket contest is being held at Margaret's blog. Go here to enter by sharing your favorite story about your mother (or someone who has been like a mother). Also if you leave her a comment here, she is giving away a signed copy of A Mother's Heart.

To purchase a copy of this book, go here.

The reason I haven't been here...

Definition:
re·al·i·ty
Pronunciation:
\rē-ˈa-lə-tē\
Function:
noun
Inflected Form(s):
plural re·al·i·ties
Date: 1550

1: the quality or state of being real
2: a real event, entity, or state of affairs
3: the totality of real things and events

Sometimes the reality of things keeps you away, but I do miss it.

A Book Review ~ The BUSY Mom's devotional

A few weeks ago I received a copy of Lisa T. Bergren's book , The BUSY Mom's devotional to review.

My curiosity caused me to open the book up immediately and begin reading. I haven't purchased a devotional of this type in a number of years, so I wanted to see if this book was different than others I own. I remember when my older three children were young receiving several cute and sometimes inspiring mommy devotionals. Many of them were encouraging to me in those early years of motherhood. But it wasn't long before I desired more. My spiritual growth required it.

As I read Lisa's introduction and the first few devotions, I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged to see that it was more than just cute mommy stories tied in loosely with a scripture.

In the introduction Lisa says, "But the truth is, the devotional life is more a way of looking at life than anything you do. It's beginning to see God infusing every moment of your day." Lisa goes on to encourage us as moms to look for God in everything we do.

The devotional is broken up into four parts based on the four seasons. There are fifty-two devotions in the book. This is completely doable and could easily be incorporated into your week. It would also work well if you put it in your purse or diaper bag and whenever you found yourself waiting somewhere, you could pull it out and work through one devotion in about fifteen to twenty minutes.

I remember when my oldest was four and I had just given birth to my third child nineteen months after my second child. It was a busy season of nursing, two in diapers, double strollers, and endless piles of toys, laundry, and dishes. (we did not have a dishwasher). I longed for the days before children when I could sit for an hour and study scripture. I could spend a whole afternoon on a Sunday cuddled up with a book and I listened to countless messages on tape while cleaning our apartment. But those days were gone and getting my own spirit fed was now more difficult.

I am now at a different season in life. I have two more children, which means I am still busy, but as my children have grown I have learned to make the time each day to spend in quiet time with the Lord and the study of His word. It is not always easy and some days and weeks I still struggle with getting up early or sitting down and ignoring the toys, dishes and laundry for just a few moments to kneel before the Lord.

As I finish reading through this devotional, here are a few highlights:

The layout of each devotion makes it easy to understand and has a place for you to make notes and journal your prayers.

Each devotion begins with the Word of God.

On the first page of each day, Lisa provides a section called, Things on My Mind. There is a place to jot down your to-do list or anything that may take your focus off of what you are reading and cause you to be distracted.

The next section is her own personal story. She shares how God has revealed himself through her life and experiences. More than likely we all can relate to something she has experienced. At the end of this section she shares a prayer. This is usually where most devotionals end. But it is the next three sections that I appreciate most about this devotional:

What is God Saying to Me in This?
This forces us to think about the condition of our own heart and life, and not just be tickled by an inspirational story.

Making the Scripture Mine
In this section she takes us back to the word of God and helps us to look deeper. This section sometimes includes additional scripture references as well as background information to what we have already read.

My Prayer
In conclusion, she has provided a place to write a personal prayer.

I found Lisa's writing refreshing. The BUSY Mom's devotional could be used in many different ways. I have a sweet friend who is a new believer. She would benefit from these short and yet rich devotions as she is learning and growing in Christ. I personally will put mine in my car and when I am waiting at the school, or in the orthodontist's office, or any of the many places I find myself waiting, this will be a wonderful and practical way for me to spend a few moments sitting at the feet of my Savior.

This book would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift or even a fun baby shower gift. To purchase the book or to learn more about Lisa you may go here.

Lisa has graciously offered to give away a copy of The Busy Mom's devotional. Just leave a comment to this post and I will choose one name on Friday. (April 25th)

I'm over at the Cafe today

I need to be rescued. Join me at the cafe today to find out why....

Thinking?

I need to sort some things out.

I will be back later in the week for a CWO devotion and to join the Reading Group.

Blessings!

Update: Again, one of the reasons I am not here at the table and need to do some more thinking, I had my date wrong for my contribution at CWO. I don't post until next Monday!

The Excellent Wife ~ A Wife's Understanding of God

This week I am the girl who is running in late, catching my breath, finding my seat, and fumbling to get my book out and my thoughts together. I am late to the Reading Group, but I read my assignment for this week over and over.

Friday when the rest of the group was meeting, I was nursing a son who had two teeth pulled to make room for braces at the end of the month.

I took just a few paragraphs each morning and read through them over and over. Martha Peace is laying a foundation and I learn best by doing something over and over, including reading.

She shares, "This chapter...explains some of what you need to know about God and about yourself. Knowing these things, you will then see how you can trust God to protect you and why you need that protection"

She outlines God's Protective Authority very clearly:

God is perfect and we can completely trust that He knows what is best for us even though husbands are not perfect and many may not be saved. In spite of the husband's imperfections, God has chosen to place the wife under the authority of her husband. (1 Cor. 11:3, Eph. 5:23)

No husband has absolute authority over his wife because God is the absolute authority.

Therefore, when you are under your husband's (limited by God) authority, you are really putting yourself in the safest possible place - in God's will. God loves you and He is good. You need not be afraid.

Understanding God and His plan is so foundational before we can move forward and even find fulfillment in our role as a wife.

There are so many excellent posts this week from the others in the group. Please check them out at the Lux Venit Reading Group.

I am...

• thankful everyone is healthy!
• hoping April showers will bring May flowers
• loving my three year old's new sentence, "I help you mom?"
• starting my annual Spring Cleaning
• looking for some new salad recipes to serve as a meal
• hungry for grilled carne asade with fresh grilled veggies
• ready for baseball, sunshine, and flip flops
• feeling it doing this twice a week
• trying to do this daily
• glad that He is the " I AM"