love to paint

I've written before that Amish fiction has puzzled me and given me a bit of concern.   But, every once in awhile, I take another chance on it.   This week I read A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher.   Here's my disclaimer:   This is fiction.   It is not nonfiction.   Please keep this in mind if you read this book.   Suzanne Woods Fisher hosts a radio show called Amish Wisdom.   I listened to a short excerpt of the show yesterday, which I do have thoughts about, but those thoughts are probably better suited to a separate post.   So, I'll limit this review to this book.   Storyline:   Jaime and C.J. have been married for 3 years.   Jaime is having doubts about her marriage and her ideas about what life should be have gotten skewed by the influence of her father who has reappeared in her life after being an absentee father almost her entire life.   Mattie and Sol are Amish and live with their son, Danny, an...

For a week, I thought I felt at a loss with no books to read and review.   It was a good loss, because my load lightened.  I was reminded of a few lessons I've learned along the way.  The biggest of which is:  Don't take on more than one heavy book at a time!  I took on too many in January... So, here's my new list of upcoming books to be reviewed: Two Devotionals for children-- Get Wisdom by Ruth Younts God's Names by Sally Michael I chose these because I like to read devotionals with my children at night--as much for them as for me.  I want to find some solid, biblical books that I don't have any concerns or reservations about.  I read several devotionals last year.  I loved The Jesus Book and Mighty Acts of God and Starr Meade's two devotionals for middle schoolers.  But, none of the others I read for elementary age children stood out to me. Memoir-- Scars of a Chef by Rick Tromonto with Lisa Jackson Rick went from a pit to beco...

The last book I reviewed got a mixed review from me. I said I like it--and I do. I like it because I think there's a lot of really good stuff in it. Is it the first book I would recommend? No. Definitely not. If that is the kind of book you like and Sheila Walsh is an author you have enjoyed in the past, you will probably really like it. I like her style of writing because it is easy to read. But, if I were to recommend a book about trusting God, I would first point someone to Trusting God by Jerry Bridges because I think it explains what it means to trust God better--both theologically and practically. It is deeper though and a lot more to chew on. I think Fearless by Max Lucado had a very similar message and I would also recommend it over Sheila Walsh's book. It was more scriptural and didn't read into the Word. In reading so many books recently, I have come to realize that people are encouraged by different books and that people have different reading levels...

A few more thoughts about books... It has been really interesting this past month as I've considered many of the books I read and what is beneficial for me to read and what isn't. The past two weeks, I've had the option to review several books that I've opted not to. What I review is a choice on my part. In the past, I've chosen to review a lot of books that I've been iffy about, but after last month, my mind has changed a lot about that. I guess this is what I'm trying to say is...if I review a book and give it a not so positive review, it will be because I've had high hopes that it will be a good book--otherwise I wouldn't have agreed to review it. I also am choosing not to review books that I know outright that I will disagree with, unless I feel a strong impulse that I should read it. And there have been times that that has happened to me. But, I think that if I'm not the person who would be inclined to buy and read that book, then I d...

I have had a lot to contemplate this week about the books I read. Today I have something new. I am having a new experience. For the first time, I am reviewing a book by someone that a good friend of mine knows. Because of that, I have knowledge of who this person is--not who they present themselves to be in their book. I connected the two last night when I read the description of the author. So, I find myself in a quandary. How does that affect how I feel about the book? How does it shape what information I'll take from the book? Can I trust the advice the author gives in her book? Do I want to look to her book for advice? Here are the conclusions I've come to after talking to my husband about it and a friend. My friend pointed out to me that a lot of people present themselves one way and really are another. But, we love them and show them grace anyways. My husband pointed out that I need to review the book based on the book's own merits and exclude what I know. ...