Just Books?

Have I just been reading and posting books recently?

No, I have not. I have been doing all sorts of fun, interesting, and exiting things that one day, when it's not tax season, I hope to post :)

• I have started my seeds like last year. This year, it's cherry tomatoes all the way!
• I made a cardboard toy kitchen that has seen lots of use
• I am working on reorganizing my closets
• I successfully made Digestive Bicuits
• I have been staring at a stack of mail that needs to go out, for about a week or more!
• I have helped host a baby shower for a friend
• I have participated in another Winter Retreat
• I have eaten a delicious batch of homemade ice cream cookies :)

And so, I hope your March has been lovely too!

A book review : The Rewards of Simplicity by Pam & Chuck Pierce

A book on Simplicity


Thanks to Bethany House Publishers, I had the opportunity to review another book recently, “The Rewards of Simplicity” by Pam & Chuck Pierce.

The book, though not long (194 pages), took me a while to get through. I was very interested in the subject matter: Simplicity – a Practical and Spiritual Approach, but I was quite disappointed in the presentation. I found the book hard to read for several reasons. One, I found the subject matter cluttered with off-the-road stories and sub-discussions. Two, I found the authors’ use of punctuation distracting.

The book obviously covers more than just organizing your closets and to-do lists, by approaching simplicity first as a spiritual discipline. I did appreciate what the authors had to say about simplicity itself, but it took me a while to dig it out from the context. Points I liked were,

 Simplifying is not just outward clutter, it is physical clutter and spiritual clutter.

 You can simplify your faith, you can simplify your emotions, and being anxious is not a simple way to live.

 Doing the ‘simple’ thing does not always mean the easiest thing in the long run.

Would I recommend this book to another? No, I would not. I did not find it a “simple” to read book, nor did I always agree theologically with the content either. I am glad to have the chance to read it I did, and glad for the points I did glean from it, but I would probably not pass the book along.

You can find the book here at Amazon.com or CBD.com

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."*

Book Review : Winston Churchill by John Perry

A book on Winston Churchill


I was glad to read the complementary copy of Winston Churchill: Christian Encounter Series from Thompson Publishers and BookSneeze. I was quite naive on my history of the man, and this biography was a good “catch-up” lesson.

The book by John Perry is well written, in easy-to-read font & language. Though a short book, it covers Churchill’s life form birth to death. I found that, though the book didn’t go into all the detail I might have liked, it gave me enough to continue my reading and researching through footnotes and details/facts I found interesting.

Starting the book, I was most intent on learning about Winston Churchill’s roll in World War II. There really was only a chapter or two devoted to that period in his life, but I found the rest of the biography a good background. Like I said before, due to the length of the book, this was not meant to be a comprehensive study of only a short time of his life, and I found I appreciated that after all.

Would I recommend it to another to read? Most likely I would. It has piqued my interest in history again, while maintaining a manageable, readable style. This is not a children’s biography, and is more suitable for high school & up.

You can find the book here at Amazon.com or CBD.com

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."*