Shelly’s Journal

Title: 3 Seconds - The Power of Thinking Twice

Author: Les Parrot, PhD

Publisher: Zondervan

Pages:193

Disclaimer: I was not paid to review this item, but merely given a complementary copy of the work and asked that in exchange I review on my blog.

Summary:
We are stuck in negative thinking. Our automatic responses hold us back from achievement and breaking through personal walls. Parrott asserts that by taking 3 seconds and going to our second response, we can overcome barriers in our life that are holding us back. There are many areas where we can do this, but he covers six:

1. Empower Yourself
2. Embrace a Good Challenge
3. Fuel You Passion
4. Own Your Piece of the Pie
5. Walk the Extra Mile
6. Quit Stewing and Start Doing

Each chapter discusses the concept in depth - what our first response typically leads to, and how taking that extra three seconds can make a difference. Parrott uses real life examples, his own and those of others, to drive his points home. He peppers the chapter with other interesting quotes related to the topic. Each chapter ends with a short set of questions to take you further on each of these points.

What I liked:
I have read many, many self-help books and books of encouragement - both Christian and non-Christian. I found Parrott’s approach refreshing. His points and sub-points were short, but powerful and to the point. He wasn’t a cheerleader telling you that “you’ve got it in you”, but really came off more like a mentor in his approach. We’re always so busy going through our day-to-day. I like the encouragement to stop and think about what we’re doing and saying. You can apply it even beyond his six points.

Parrott is a Christian, but this book wasn’t a “you need Jesus” approach. He talked about prayer, the Bible and mentioned God, but really wasn’t overtly trying to get you saved, but more trying to make you think overall about things. I enjoyed this perspective and find that it will draw in other non-Christian and non-practicing Christians without laying guilt or condemnation on them. His views are not Biblically based, so to speak, but certainly have a Christian heart behind them.

He hit the nail on the head for me in a few chapters, and I am planning to go back and spend some more time studying them and answering the questions at the end of the chapter - and discussing them with my husband and family.

I also found that the quotes he selected to include in various parts of the book were encouraging and appropriate without being too sappy or overbearing.

What I didn’t like:
That he didn’t cover more of my flaws! I really enjoyed this book and can’t say that there’s anything bad about it.

Overall:
This little book is a gem. It has lots to say if you are willing to listen with an open heart and be critical of your own approach to life.

Title: From the Heart - Seven Rules to Live By (Read excerpt.)

Author: Robin Roberts - CBS Good Morning America Co-anchor, former ESPN anchor

Publisher: Hyperion

Pages:170

Disclaimer: I was not paid to review this item, but merely given a complementary copy of the work and asked that in exchange I review on my blog.

Summary:
This books almost seems like a self-help book from looking at it, but really it’s the story of Ms. Roberts’ personal journey of perseverance in overcoming obstacles to achieve success. It’s about making choices that will lead to this success, recognizing who you are and the road that we need to travel to reach our goals - no shortcuts please. In the seven key points that she mentions that affect her life, she shares doses of her experiences that tell her story.

What I liked:
Not the average biography, From the Heart’s format made for enjoyable reading. Instead of following Ms. Roberts’ story from beginning to end, we bounced around to those key moments that applied to each lesson. These moments could be from any part of her life.

Ms. Roberts’ sports background helped make a connection in several of the points. I always find these type of analogies useful in trying to discuss approaches with young people.

I loved the honor, integrity, and character that her family has along with the love for one another. It’s not typical in many families today, and another great example to reflect upon.

Ms. Roberts certainly doesn’t take the credit for her successes in life. She recognizes how key her upbringing has been, and acknowledges God as part of that formula. While her books is not a faith handbook, it’s refreshing to see a mainstream media personality own that part of her life.

Ms. Roberts believes success is the result of hard work, not about being given opportunities because of race or gender. She dedicates one entire chapter to discussing this point.

What I didn’t like:
I understand that this book is not about faith. Although one chapter acknowledges the importance of faith, it seems a little light and fluffy. Other areas of the books seem void of this recognition in light of content of antidotes. In other words, I wouldn’t know Ms. Roberts was a Christian if you removed Chapter 7 from the book.

Overall:
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s a light read and fun. Although I have never seen Ms. Roberts on GMA, I frequently have enjoyed her sports reporting over at ESPN.

I love children’s literature, and having children has given me the opportunity to explore so many things I’ve missed since my own childhood. There are lots of great books out there. I’m going to try to write, on a regular basis, about some of the ones that come our way.

Title: Roller Coaster
Author: Marla Frazee

I found this book randomly while browsing library shelves. Of course, Bump is a HUGE roller coaster lover. Everything is a roller coaster - belts, ties, strips in quilts - anything that looks like a track. So I figured he’d love this. I was right.

The book follows the roller coaster experience - from standing in line, to getting in the cars and then finally up, up, up and Whoosh. A little girl who is riding for the first time sits in the front car. Not only does every page capture the roller coaster, but the expressions of the various riders in their string of cars from the old folks who love to the macho guys who get sick. I doubt Bump noticed that part, but he did pick up on little details like the one boy losing his hat. It’s a book for 2 years and up, with simple phrasing capturing the essence of the roller coaster.

To say Bump loves it is an understatement. It’s one of those books that we bring home that gets read at every moment of reading time for the first few weeks (we have a 4 week checkout.) This is the book that he will recite while he’s “playing roller coaster” with his cars or other various coaster imagined toys.

I’m hoping to add this book to our collection next time I have to order from Amazon. This one is a keeper.

I sat down the other day and had a cup of coffee with Phil Vischer of VeggieTales fame. He told me his whole life story and I hung on every word…

Okay, that really didn’t happen, but after reading Me, Myself, and Bob a recent release by Vischer, I feel like it did. Vischer’s book details his life and the road from teenage video geek to the creation of VeggieTales and Big Ideas to it’s fall into bankruptcy and his rise from the ashes into the arms of a loving God. Here are a few thought I had on this book:

• Vischer shares his story through his unique and humorous perspective which always keeps you reading and often has you laughing.
• The story of the rise and fall of Big Idea Productions had me smiling, cheering and then crying. There were actually parts during the “fall” that I verbally said - “Phil, no don’t do that. You can’t do that!”
• As an outsider to computer animation, I found the details on the beginnings of VeggieTales fascinating. Vischer shares stories of the creative process, the origin or certain characters and other inspirations (like how the Hairbrush Song came into being.)
• Through the entire story, many factors and people contribute to the downfall of Big Ideas, but Vischer ultimately takes the blame for letting things slip away from him.
• God is always a part of this story. Even though God didn’t save Big Ideas from bankruptcy, Vischer struggles, but never loses his faith. The experience changes him, grows him and gives him a clearer perspective on chasing his dreams.

I really enjoyed this book. It has forever changed the way I will look at Bob and Larry (past, present and future) and my own life. Dark days come, but joy comes in the morning.

Thanks Phil for a great read! I look forward to your future projects.

You can check out Vischer’s website here and his new company jellyfish here.

**************************

Note: I am not a VegHead. In fact Bob and Larry have been a part of my life for less than a year, when we introduced the videos to our almost two-year-old son last spring. In that time, however, I have grown as fond of the stories as he has and enjoy not only the values and lessons, but also the subtle references to pop culture from the 70’s.

I also have a copy of Phil’s latest children’s offering - Sidney and Norman and will be posting thoughts on it soon!

The Winter Issue of The Old Schoolhouse magazine arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago. I’d been meaning to put up a post on it before I went on my blogging sabbatical. While I’ve been distracted by my many projects and lack of sleep, I did take some time to go over some of the magazine as a stress reliever for the above mentioned activity. There are some interesting things inside.

I always love the Show and Tell section of the magazine where homeschoolers offer testimony of their experiences. Through Life and Death is only one of these stories. Written by Todd Wilson, it conveys the heartwrenching story of his family’s loss of their two oldest sons to a rare heart disease - and the encouraging story of how they perservered in growing their family and getting help for another son with the disease.

There’s an introduction to the blog-o-sphere and TOS’s great free blog sites. TOS also interviews top bloggers Hugh Hewitt and Leshawn Barber.

Homeschool success stories includes an interview with Elisha Blakenship who has aspired to become an associate producer for the Sean Hannity radio show.

Want to attend a Homeschool Convention? There’s a whole convention rundown including a list of states and their convention dates.

Susan Wise Bauer, co-author of the Well Trained Mind also has an article on classical learning.

As usual, TOS is packed with wonderful articles. I must admit that I also love the advertising. It just gives you a pool of resources for homeschooling information - many with websites to check out.

TOS is offering a special package to new subscribers. With a 2-year subscription receive 19 free gifts. Check it out at their website.

I’m not sure how I found this website, but it’s been a great help to me in my book buying frenzy state. You can search a variety of web sources for the best price on a book from one website! It’s pretty cool.

It’s called Best Book Buys.

Okay, I haven’t bought anything yet as a result of my searches, but I did do some price comparisons and found some other great book retailers online.

I’m probably going to put a link to them in my sidebar when I have time. I’m that impressed!

They have more than books, but I’ve just stuck to the book side so far. But you can also find music, videos, electronics and bikes (what a combo)…so dive into great deals!!!!

…..from Book Closeouts is that as soon as you place an order, they get more stuff that you want in, so then you want to place another order. It’s a terrible, terrible addiction.

Here are some great finds for the day…but tomorrow they could be gone and yet better stuff could be there.

Christian Books
Devotions For Morning And Evening With Oswald Chambers: Two Complete Daily Devotions In One Volume Hardcover volume for $7.99

The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer - Paperback - $4.99

The Prayer Journal with the Apostle Paul by Michael Green - $3.99

Answers to Prayer by Charles Finney - $3.49

A Heart Like His by Beth Moore - Hardcover Edition - $6.99

The MacArthur Study Bible (NKJV, Black Bonded Leather, Gilded-Gold Page Edges) A great value at $34.99

The Jeremiah Lifeworks Library CD-ROM: Combining the Best of David Jeremiah with Ebible! This software includes the best works of David Jeremiah as well as reference and study guides. Instant access to great Bible study resources from Dr. Jeremiah. Listen to audio messages from Dr. Jeremiah’s Turning Point Ministries. Enhance sermon and lesson preparation with insight from Dr. Jeremiah. Quickly and easily search Bible reference material selected by Dr. Jeremiah. $39.99

Children’s Books

Life with Dick and Jane Hardback Version - $5.49

The Iliad (A Kingfisher Classic) $3.99

The Complete Poems of Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne - Beautiful Hardbound Edition - $13.99

A Giant Treasury of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter - All the stories in one big hardbound book - $5.99

Frog and Toad are Friends Book and Tape - $3.99

Mummies (Kingfisher Knowledge) $5.99

A World of Castles A Kingfisher book - $3.99

The Temple at Jerusalem A great expose for kids on the building - $6.74

The Kingfisher Young People’s Book of Space Hardcover - $9.99

Coral Reefs Part of the Animal Homes Series by Peter Bedrick Books - $3.74

There are so many other things there to find. Book Closeouts offers a great site search engine that helps you go exactly to the place that you want to find books. It’s a great resource for homeschool supplimentary reading books as well as your favorite best sellers and classics.

Someone gave me this book for a shower gift when Bump was born. I love it. Cry just about every time I read it.

Love Song For a Baby
by Marion Dane Bauer

It starts out:

Before you saw your first star in the sky
Before the sun ever kissed you
Before you cried your first cry
We loved you…

Book Closeouts has been one of my favorite stomping grounds these days. This great book is on sale for only $6.99 if you click the above link. I bought two to give as baby gifts to my two neices who are having their first babies this fall. And of course I had to check out some of the other great stuff that’s on sale there.

At last check in, there were only 22 left - there were 64 copies yesterday when I first spotted it…so get them while the getting is good.

Other great deals going on now:

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. A nice hardback version for your library at only $8.99.

A Couple of the New Trixie Belden Books for $3.49 each:
#2 The Red Trailer Mystery
#3 The Gatehouse Mystery

And Some Bargains on Dr. Seuss: (All Hardback Versions)
ABC’s - $3.99
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - $4.99
Horton Hatches an Egg - $5.99 (Great Deal)
Horton Hears a Who - $5.99 (Great Deal)
Green Eggs and Ham - $3.99

I’m not reviewing the Mitford Series. I just have a few observations that I’d like to make.

First of all, does anyone know a pastor or priest like Father Tim? I am not familiar with Episcopalian clergy, but never in the Catholic church did you ever meet a priest so entirely devoted to his congregation. Even in our current church where the pastor boasts that his name is not on the sign, he would never entertain the thought of cooking a ham for someone’s wedding. He certainly wouldn’t be at the beck and call of the entire congregation the way Father Tim is.

But yet, that’s the charm of the book in a way. You see this man of faith mired deeply in his flock. He loves these people, and yet is human and can be annoyed with them at times. He knows his salvation, and is deeply touched each day by the hand of God in his life. I ask the question again. Does anyone know a pastor or priest like him?

The one thing that throws me off though is the nameless and faceless masses in Mitford. The Lord’s Chapel (Father Tim’s Church) boasts 120 families. There are also two other churches in town - one Presbyterian and one Baptist. Yet, the town seems like this tiny little place. There’s even a quaint little map of the town in the front of the book. I’m still trying to figure out where all the people to fill these churches are. It’s a very small place. I imagine that the map is more or less Father Tim’s stomping grounds, but it would seem odd that a loving and devoted priest would limit himself so. Anyway it puzzles me at times.

I’m enjoying reading them as a break from some of the more thoughtful books I’ve read lately. They are pretty typical best sellers with a little faith twist. I haven’t read anything like this in a while, a long while and probably won’t for a few years. For those of you who haven’t seen it, it’s a nine book series with the finale coming out in November. I had heard “Mitford” but didn’t know anything about it. Some lady threw the books on me at a yard sale where I bought more than 100 children’s books. So I figured, why not? Let’s lighten it up around here. I’m starting book 4 - and getting by with a little help from the Library!

I’m not going to do a full blown review of this books, but just give a brief summary. I’ll be doing that with some of the books I read - just too much for me to review them all!

Here’s the run down on the book:

Title: The Mommy Manual: Planting Roots That Give Your Children Wings (By clicking the title, you can purchase this book or read more reviews at Amazon.)

Author: Barbara Curtis

Publisher: Revell Publishing

I still think of myself as a new mother. As Bump hits each stage, it’s all fresh for me. I’m not sure what’s next, so I’m really happy to read material that might give me the one up - even it it’s where he’s at right now.

The Mommy Manual is a different kind of “how to” book on parenting. While it provides a variety of tips for moms, author Barbara Curtis looks at it not only from a Biblical perspective, but also throws in some of her Montessori techniques for good measure. Reading this book will not make you “Super Mom,” but will give you ideas on how to be come a thoughtful and deliberate parent, making choices for your children at various stages that will not only further their development but ground them in the family nucleus.

Curtis divides the book into three parts - “Treasures”, “Measures”, and “Pleasures.” Each pat has two chapters of encouragement, sound advice and successful parenting techniques.

In “Treasures” she offers advice to mothers to not only find joy in the mommy experience, but to instill joy upon your children by taking certain steps at various critical times that will help them take it to the next level. Particularly powerful in this section is her treatment of order, self-control, and concentration. By establishing these things early on, mothers set their children up for success in their teen and adult years. I find this strategy very relevant in an age of young people who don’t want to do for themselves. It’s too late to mold them once they hit those teen years. The critical time is in their early childhood.

“Measures” covers areas of service and character. As we open up responsibilities to our children at these young ages, we help them grow their servant hearts. At this level, accountability is also taught through small everyday tasks. All along the thread of these chapters, Curtis offers testimony and tips that help mommys understand how powerful these building blocks are at this level.

Curtis saves the best for last in “Pleasures”. Here she talks about two very important and fun parts of parenting - instilling cultural heritage and family legacy into your own family. By developing what Curtis calls a “Play Ethic”, you’ll help your children make the discerning choices in the entertainment part of their life. This is done through reading, films watching and introduction to the arts. It’s up to parents to fill their child with choices they’ve selected vs. letting the randomness of television and popular culture shape our children. She provides reading lists, film lists and ideas for introducing the arts. It’s a great starting point for parents looking for help in this area.

Finally, she gives a handle on family heritage - a real place to impact your children. In the day to days children fall back on the traditions of their family. They look forward to certain things in their life - special celebrations, the way mom does birthdays, the way dad does summer cookouts or whatever it is that your family does. It’s up to you to establish this, and Curtis details story after story from her own brood of 12 to help you understand this portion. In fact, I decided to adopt the crab legs Christmas tradition for my household starting this year!

I am very thankful for this book. As a stepparent for some years now, I never understood the importance of certain components in the children’s lives - why they did the things they did and refused to entertain changes. This book not only helps me to understand how their mother laid the foundation for them, but also helps me see as I raise my own son that these early years are of vital importance to shaping him.