Granola Mom 4 God

Monday, April 4, 2011

1000 Gifts

It’s not that I’m an ungrateful, unthankful, or unappreciative person.

My eucharisto journal unfortunately got stuffed behind the computer when we had some guests over . . . and it stayed there all week.

Out of site, out of mind. (Kind of.)

I am thankful for . . .

24. A quick 2 hour drive to Cincinnati with a special friend (Nicole) that made my tired body refreshed with fellowship.

25. Two days wearing my sweet baby girl.

43. And with that sweet baby girl, making bloggy friends into IRL friends . . . such as Dianna from Grapevine Studies . . .

and Joy and her sister from Timberdoodle . . .

and Marie Rippel from All About Spelling . . .

25. The Engineer who easily slipped into the role of teacher, while I was gone at the Homeschooling Conference.

26. Inspiring talks that have already reshaped our dinner table. I hope to share soon.

29. White linens.

30. A picked-up home after being absent. I tell you, the Engineer is not only handy . . . but an awesome husband.

32. Passing puppy kindergarten . . . despite us not training as much as we should have.

33. Raspberry flavored Emergen-C.

39. Turkish Delight.

40. Even better is the friend who comes bearing Turkish Delight.

41. Having some spare time waiting for above friend (Auntie) to people watch at the airport. I even started crying after observing one sweet reunion.

43. Fitting into pre-baby pants.

44. Poke-A-Dots.

What have you been especially thankful for recently?

Spring breaks abound around Indiana right now. If you still have one dangling before your car keys in the near future, grab your next vacation read: The Bridge of Peace: an Ada House Novel by Cindy Woodsmall.

I do not have a spring break in my future . . . so I just went ahead and read the book. It made me feel like I was lounging on the beach, or resting in front of a fire after a long day of skiing.

Lena Kauffman is my kind of girl – a teacher, feisty, and always on the look out to save (help) a struggling student. However, all these great traits get this girl into trouble. While trying to make a difference in her community, Lena’s life long friend, Grey Graber, is going through some extremely tough times, a rocky marriage that fails to be healed before his wife unexpectedly dies.

Yet . . . it is these very circumstances that draw this couple together.

Download a chapter to see if you want this on your wish list!

And please . . . pretty please rank my review (it won’t take you to a new page).

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. You may purchase it on Amazon for approximately $10.16 (new).

The Missionary: A Review

Technically, we are all “supposed” to be missionaries. You don’t have to travel to a foreign country to tell someone how Christ has rocked your world and changed your life.

But I actually have played the part of a real life missionary.

My time living in India with The Engineer (official name change) radically influenced my life and has had lasting ramifications. I’m a missionary at heart . . . I love being surrounded by real life missionaries. I desire to immerse my children in culture to give them a broader world view – so that they may know there is more than Indiana in the world.

Perhaps . . . just perhaps God will lay a nation or a people on their hearts to go and share how God has impacted their family’s life (I really need to share our story with you sometime).

It should be no surprise to learn then, that when I was offered to review the book, The Missionary, by William Carmichael and David Lambert, I forked over my reading passport for the stamp to Venezuela, where the book largely takes place.

The book took a plane ride that I wasn’t expecting. Main character, David Eller, whose character is applauded initially turns out to make some very foolish decisions (but don’t we all?). Decisions that nearly crush and destroy his wife (who is the love of his life – I slightly doubted), his son, and several friends.

Quite honestly, I had trouble lining up his present actions that take place during the novel with the ones that happened before the book opened up – this man who rescued impoverished children.

But the reality is that David provides a great example for what can happen to ANY follower of Christ. If you don’t spend daily time reading your Bible, connecting with your Savior, chatting with your Lord . . . you will find that sometimes your decisions become foolish . . . rash . . . selfish . . . harmful.

So, I suppose I like this book. I just don’t appreciate how David Eller treated his wife.

Get hooked on the book by watching this trailer . . . and in a copy of it over at MamaBuzz. You may also purchase it on Amazon for approximately $5.00.

This is a MamaBuzz review. The product was provided by Bring It On Communications in conjunction with Deep River Books for this review.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Guidecraft Country Kitchen complimented with a Giveaway

I’m jealous of my daughter’s kitchen.

She has gas burners.

I used to. But we moved. No gas burners. I’ll live.

But I still miss my old gas burners.

Her oven is also cleaner than mine . . .

And the rack even pulls out.

Her kitchen resembles something out of Pottery Barn . . . it must be the bead board.

It even sounds like a gas oven . . . minus the real gas unless my sons are around.

So, I’m thinking that once the boys and Naomi are too old to play with this kitchen, I’m going to be able to store it in our basement until the grandkids come along, should the Lord tarry.

The Guidecraft Country Kitchen has hinges . . .

And a secret (not really) key to turn your kitchen into a Transformer . . . only 6 inches thick.

It has the IKEA advantage of saving space. (Not my house . . . I think Jolanthe’s but I pulled this picture from the Guidecraft website.)

This solid wood kitchen is like a bomb shelter. It is solid. Seriously solid.

It was built to last. (The price reflects it at a whooping $200 over at Guidecraft or $188 plus free shipping on Amazon.)

However . . . this would be the kitchen I personally would ask for next time (not that I am going to ask for one or need to ask for one now).

I purchased a significantly cheaper wood play kitchen . . . and three years later much of the parts are missing.

Our old kitchen is actually somewhat hazardous, to be honest.

That’s why I jumped at the chance to review the Guidecraft Country Kitchen . . . I knew that Miss Naomi was going to need one. And basically anything Guidecraft . . . is solid.

It’s compact. Sturdy. Wide enough to cook multiple dishes (which is a the habit of our real kitchen stove.) Cute. And it comes in one other color.

To celebrate Naomi’s launch into being trained up in righteousness (thanks to Guidecraft), Little Light Creative, who is also a homemaker in training, is offering one of my readers a custom print or a preprinted illustration. Your choice!

I specifically wanted something something unique to Naomi . . .

Naomi Torah . . . who means pleasant word . . .

And Hannah, the woman behind Little Light Creative, knew how to give me what God had put on my heart.

(That’s Hannah . . . I actually know her!)

How does Hannah create?

I specialize in graphic design and will do custom work on my shop as well as freelance work. As of right now, I am not offering custom illustrations with the exception of the silhouettes. Most everything I do starts with a pencil, paper, and God's gracious gift of creativity! From paper I move into Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, where I digitalize my ideas. I love print work and am so very blessed to print on a high quality Epson printer.

But why does she create . . . this I love!

I have so many scripture design ideas, so God's Word definitely inspires me. The Proverbs 31 woman is such a beautiful example of biblical womanhood, her example is what inspired me to start a shop.

I’m hoping that Hannah creates a design with the Shema on it . . . hint, hint Hannah!

Want to win an amazing

11x14 print for your home (free shipping)?