I'm Going to Find Success Differently than Marcus Recommends

I'll be honest, most of the books I read talk about God--more specifically, Jesus. And if the book isn't about Jesus, then it is probably about parenting (which still talks about Jesus) and some sort of whole-food book (which to be honest, recently have also talked about Jesus).

Source:  Accredited Online Degrees

So, if a book doesn't start out about Jesus, it isn't a book from my book club, or it failed to come highly recommended from a friend, then reading said non-Jesus book is laborious.

Say that word out loud. It really is quite a fun word. Laborious.

Now, don't get me wrong. Some Jesus books are written by very boring authors and I have quietly put those books up on my www.paperbackswap.com account. Shhh!!!

However, I thought that I would read Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham, since Thomas Nelson sent it to me (for free) to review. And thankfully Thomas Nelson encourages us to be honest. They aren't afraid of a little constructive criticism--I love that.

So here it is. I am putting Marcus Buckingham's book up on my www.paperbackswap.com account. I will not be eating a bowl of granola with this one!

I guess I may end up being a failure in life and never be happy, but if your life, your soul, your goal doesn't begin at the foot of the cross, I don't think that you can ever achieve happiness or true success.

To anyone who disagrees with this statement, I'm sorry. But Jesus has changed my life. I don't always act like I have a changed life, but with God's help I certainly try. Moving on.

Marcus Buckingham seems like a very intelligent and successful individual. He has helped countless professional women find their mojo (the ability to enjoy life with a smile on your face and happiness in your heart), live with purpose, and seemingly improve their quality of life. Heck, he worked with Oprah! And by the world's standards, that is success.

But success, to me, is that my kids grow up to follow Jesus. Success is not getting angry all day. Success is excelling at the profession of motherhood. Success is loving passionately. If the result of these things makes me influence the world, great. However, I am content to rest securely knowing that through Christ alone I am successful.

So, here is the title to my book: Find Your Strongest Life in A Savior: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Read Everyday.

Artwork called coffee

Moms weekend away. Good teaching. Good friends. Good coffee.

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Ebeanstalk.com Gift Certificate Winner

And the Ebeanstalk $20 gift certificate winner is . . .

Comment #6 -- Sarah, who wrote:

I found the other post you wrote about ebeanstalk... and I learned apparently I truly had no braincells while pregnant -I remember reading about the bus and company (it's AWESOME they don't even have plastic in the packing/shipping!!) but totally didn't pick up on where you got the toy or add it to my toy website list... yes. I'm a dork. I have a true list like this! :-

Congratulations, new little mama!

And . . . two giveaways will begin next week (maybe more if 3 of the companies I contacted regarding the birthday celebration get back with me). But they will have to wait!

I am off on a girls weekend to the Hearts at Home Conference!

Our Compost Pile

Before nap time, the boys and I were reading the book Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, when Mr. Smackdown asked,

"Does Farmer Brown have a compost pile?"


It was then I thought to myself, you know you have a compost pile when your 5 year old asks if Farmer Brown has a compost pile because he sees a pitch fork.

Meet our compost pitch fork that is used for "turning" our scraps into dirt.

I don't claim to be an expert on composting. All I know is what my friend, Larra, taught me.

Throw your food scraps (egg shells, vegetables, and fruits) into a pile and throw some leaves over the raw scraps. Don't add large fruit pits, like peaches or avocados. They take too long to decompose. Never put meat or milk products in the compost pile because those attract animals.

Rather than go out to the compost pile daily, I have this spiffy jar that houses any compost worthy material. I keep it near where I prepare our meals. And no, it doesn't smell. Neither does it attract fruit flies any more than my fresh fruit that is waiting to be eaten. I typically have my fresh fruit near the compost jar, which is near my fruit fly trap. Problem solved.


And that is what we have done for three years.

We make dirt. Well, we help the process that God put into place.

In the beginning, we were faithful to turn our compost. The more frequently you turn your compost, which means to move it around, the quicker the food turns into dirt, basically the quicker it decays. Those tiny "things" that break down matter (which is why the woods always smells so good) need oxygen. They get oxygen when you move the compost around.



We have three compost bins made out of chicken wire, and some stakes to stabilize the chicken wire walls. One bin is "closed," which means that we have stopped feeding it. Another bin I typically only add brown leaf matter to--no kitchen scraps. And then we have an active bin, which is the one you see Mr. Me-Too dumping the scraps into.


It is colorful. It is actually fun. You can get a pretty good workout in when you turn the dirt.


It is better for my garden, because the compost once finished, provides rich, nutrient dense dirt. By composting, we help the environment by contributing LESS to the landfill. Additionally, it is cheaper to compost than buy new dirt for our garden every year.

If you don't compost or think that you can't, consider looking into container composting.

And if you want me to recommend any resources . . . well, I have none to recommend. I learned by word of mouth, not by reading.

Oh, and we don't have an animal problem or a bug problem. Our compost actually smells good. I wouldn't want to wear the smell as perfume, but it smells like a hike in the woods.

Hi Mamma Changing Pad Cover Winner

The Hi Mamma Diaper Changing Pad Cover is awarded to Krista of Welcome to Married Life. Congratulations, Krista! Enjoy using your new cover with your new baby!

Krista's winning entry #9 was www.random.org's choice:

I LOVE the lily pad and frog changing cover! But because I don't know what I'm having yet I'd probably go with the striped cover... unless I could wait! ;)

Sorry to everyone else who didn't win this one! Keep trying! Don't give up on my giveaways!

Be sure to visit Hi Mamma for your future baby and little girl accessories!