2018 - book 31

Pages 244

I liked this book.  There are no perfect parenting books (other than the Bible).  I find it helpful to read a bunch of different ones and pick things that apply to my children and me.  A friend lent this one to me and I learned a few things.  I passed it on to another friend when I finished. 

2018 - Book 30

Pages: too many

I don't have a problem with much of the content.  I found the authors writing style annoying.  The most obnoxious thing about the book is the formatting.  My eyes hurt from looking at the various fonts and sizes.  The bold and the italics and the underlining...

It bothers me when authors underline, highlight, italic, and bold parts of Bible verses that back up their ideas. The visual clutter really gets in the way and makes my brain distracted from the text. 
 

So, the book was okay... not my favorite...not the absolute worst.  There is good material mixed in with a bunch of extra words.  It isn't one that I will be buying lots of copies to give out to friends. 

I can't think of anything that I learned from the book.  I give it a mheh review and add it to the donate pile. 

End-of-the-semester

I pick a book for my staff each year. This is one of my favorites.

In previous years I have given out:
* When Helping Hurts
* Dispatches From the Front - Tim Keesee

I haven't decided what I will give out next year.  It will depend on what Westminster Theological Seminary's bookstore has one sale. Do you get their emails? I want to buy all the books they recommend.

2018 book 29

Charlotte’s Web
E. B. White
Pages 180

I bawled my eyes out reading ahead in the book while the boys played when Charlotte is left at the fair to die alone. This (and the Hobbit) are enjoyable children’s books to read. They are so well written that I would gladly read them again. I love all the characters in the book, Wilbur, Fern, the sheep, the geese, Templeton, and of course Charlotte. How can you feel so much for a spider? The boys seemed to like this one too. They had lots of questions.

As a comment... I think growing up on a farm has advantages. There is so much to learn about life from observing the seasons and crops and life and death of animals. Our children are so far removed from the food cycle and mating cycle. I don’t know what I am trying to say. Something about how computers and technology don’t always make the quality of life better. Things are more sterile and compartmentalized. I want to expose my kids to real life as much as possible (hiking in the woods, exploring creatures at the beach, catching snack, collecting eggs from chickens, hatching tadpole eggs, etc.). I don’t want them to just read about thing. I want them to see them and touch them and smell them. We lose something when it is all flashing lights in a screen. In some ways we lose closeness from God in technology. Sure, there are tons of resources on the web. But there is something awe inspiring about nature and the stillness of sitting on a porch watching a sunrise or watching a frog swim or observing a plant growing. It helps me focus my mind on who created it.

A sewing project

A friend of ours is having a baby in August! They asked for some teethers like the ones that I made my boys.  Since they don't know if they are having a boy or girl I made two.

 

And look, I used my labels again!!

 

(I actually made these while Jared was studying for his Spring finals... )

I am so far behind is uploading pictures.

2018 book 28

The Diciple Making Parent
By Chap Bettis
Pages: 260

Excellent parenting book. I really appreciated all the ideas for questions that he had to engage your children in conversation and get to know their hearts. Beeke’s 70 Page book on parenting is still my favorite because of the length and depth. But this one is near the top of my list for best parenting books. No one book is perfect and I find it useful to read a bunch and pick out the parts that apply and move on to the next book.

I think this book would make a great study in a group.

A doll cloak

I made this doll cloak for two of my nieces.  I never owned an American Girl doll, just this well-loved Cabbage Patch doll. His name is Dale.  A friend of my parents won him in a raffle before I was born and gave him to me. This was back in the day when they were worth lots of money.

 

My sister gave me my own labels this year.  How fun is that?!?  I have always wanted some. 

 

And here it is actually on the doll.  :)

 

I had grand plans of making several dresses and accessories, but I ran out of time.  The box sat in my room for over two months while I waited for time to make more things.  Finally I shipped it off with just the cloak.  I miss sewing.  I hope to do some more of it soon.  

2018 book 27

Praying the Bible
Donald Whitney
Pages: 96

This book is excellent. Super short. But direct and easy to follow. I am probably going to buy copies of this to hand out to friends. I really enjoyed it.

This fulfills my goal of reading one book on prayer each year. :)