Review: This was a fascinating story and history lesson about the great hunter and explorer, Daniel Boone. It gave interesting insight into what life was like in the 1700s. It made me grateful that I wasn’t born in that time, and also grateful for how hard our forefathers worked to pave an easier road for the rest of us! I recommend this to families taking a road trip. Great for ages 10 and up.
Review: I was at a parent-teacher conference with my son’s reading teacher, and she had a sign posted of her favorite books of all time – and this one was on the list. I’m not sure why I’ve never read this classic book…but I glad I finally did. I was transported back in time 100 years and enjoyed Fitzgerald’s writing.
Review: This is more a journal than a typical book. The goal is to get you thinking and give you ideas about how to connect with and invest in your child. There’s a book for every age and grade level!
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Wit and Wisdom
Rating: 8/10
Review: How weird am I that I read an entire book of quotes? Well, what can I say, I love a good quote. We will call this ‘research’ for future posts. đ
Here are just 3…
Wit, by itself, is of little account. It becomes of moment only when grounded on wisdom
Mark Twain
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Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
James M. Barrie
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In matters of style, swim with the current, in matters of principle, stand like a rock.
Review: I was excited to read this book with George. I have a great uncle who was a paratrooper on D-Day, and I wanted to read about what the experience may have been like for him. My only complaint about the book is that the author introduces so many characters that it’s a little hard to keep track of who’s who. Overall though, this book makes you feel like you are storming Normandy beach. The author captures the intensity of the day without being overly graphic. Great book for teens or those interested in D-Day or WW2.
Review: This book is fantastic and once I started, I couldn’t put it down. The author tells her story of growing up in foster care. Though Tori had a really tough life, there’s a thread of hope and redemption written through the pages. I highly recommend this book to anyone who works with children, or to a person who just loves a good memoir. I’ll share my copy with you if you’d like to read it.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from her book.
Iâve written this book not so you can see what God did through me, but so that you will believe what God can do through you, no matter the odds.
The worst things that happen to us can open our eyes to how much God loves us.
When God is part of the story, chances arenât the dictator anymore, miracles are.
Foster kids donât have to fall into the tragedy the world destined for them. None of us do. God has the final say.
I donât have to be afraid of my past because I am free from its power over me. I am free from what has been done to me and from what I have done. Iâm free from my past symptoms and coping mechanisms. I am a new because of a madman of love first loved me.
Review: I didn’t know much about Eugene Peterson before reading this book except that he wrote The Message Bible and that he mentored my friend Daniel Grothe. This book is engagingly written, full of Peterson’s own words from letters and journals. However, I found it a little boring. Eugene himself was surprised someone would want to write a biography about him. He didn’t think there was much about his life that would be interesting enough for a book. He had a pretty normal childhood, and was a pastor at the same church for 30 years. In my opinion, the book was too long and told unnecessary stories and information. However, here are a few of my favorite parts.
Eugene Peterson was friends with the Jackson family (as in Phil Jackson, coach of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls). Phil Jackson wanted to play basketball but his ultra-conservative parents weren’t sure it was a good idea. However, when Phil’s parents saw that Eugene could play basketball, and still maintain his character, they allowed Phil to play. Phil became an NBA player, and then one of the best coaches of all time.
I loved reading about Eugene’s desire to translate the entire Bible in an “easy-to-read and understand” contemporary format. The Message was a book that Zondervan turned down. They thought the market was too saturated and it would be a failure. A little known company (at the time) called NavPress decided to take a chance on this book. The Message has sold more than 20 million copies.
I really enjoyed reading about Eugene Peterson’s relationship with Bono, the leader of the group U2. Here’s a short video about their relationship: https://youtu.be/-l40S5e90KY
Finally, it was fun that the author mentioned my friend Daniel Grothe in the book, especially since Daniel wrote an entire book about their relationship called Chasing Wisdom. Chasing Wisdom is a phenomenal book – I recommend it ten times over Burning in my Bones.
Review: A short but beautiful book on God’s great love for humanity. This is a book I will come back to again and again. I loved how Brennan shared how healing happens when we pass on to another person what we have received from Jesus.
Review: I loved “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Kingsolver and wanted to read another one of her books. This novel is about a family who moves to Africa to be missionaries. You see each of their struggles as they navigate this new world – and discover how it impacts them over the course of their lives. It was a really well-written, interesting story.
Review: This book will stay with you long after youâve finished reading it. You will laugh, cry, be filled with joy by peopleâs kindnesses, and be astonished at peopleâs cruelty. Most of all I think it will give you hope. It caused me to examine to my faith, gain perspective on a refugee familyâs experiences, and learn about the Persian culture. It gave me new ways to pray for refugees in the world today. I recommend it to anyone 14 or older. This book is a gift to anyone who reads it!
This book is outstanding! I listened to the audio book (SO GOOD) but now I want to get the hard copy and re-read it, underline, highlight, and take notes!
Dr. Perry discusses the effects of trauma on the brain. The book is filled with real-life stories of how a person’s childhood effects who they and how they act, as well as how people recover from trauma. I even discovered new things about myself and why I act or react in certain ways.
The book encourages us to stop asking “What’s wrong with you?” and start asking, “What happened to you?”
“What happened to you?” is not a faith-based book, but I love how Dr. Perry highlights the power of ‘faith’ and being a part of a ‘faith-community’ as one important step in recovering from all kinds of trauma.
I highly recommend this book to every teacher, counselor, law enforcement officer, nurse, and pastor.
The 20th anniversary of 9-11 got me thinking about the lives of those who were greatly impacted by that terrible event. I ordered this book last September and it’s been on my shelf for almost 10 months. I finally opened it up and read the ENTIRE book in ONE day.
The story is written by Lisa Beamer, the wife of Todd Beamer. Todd died on 9-11 when his plane went down in a field as he and a few others fought back against their plane’s hijackers.
As I read about Todd’s early life, he reminded me of my son Clark – and their mutual love for athletics and sales. I enjoyed getting to know what kind of man Todd was before 9-11, and what his wife’s life was like in the year after he died. I’d really love for her to write a follow up book about her life since writing this book. I wonder how she survived as a widow and single mom. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in 9-11.
I had really high expectations for this book since Ann Voskamp’s first book, One Thousand Gifts, was my favorite of 2018. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this new one in the same way. In Waymaker, Ann shares the story of her marriage, her health, and about the adoption of their daughter. The stories aren’t told sequentially and she jumps around a lot. So that, plus her poetic-style of writing, made it hard for me to follow along and stay engaged.
In spite of that, there were some really powerful quotes in the book. Here are a few of my favorites:
Detours are the way dreams and destinies actually come true.
God delights in you, smiles over you, seeks to be with you, revives you with his kiss of Grace and canât stop singing love songs because of you.
Even when I donât feel it, I am Father-held, His everlasting arms around all my needs.
Lament can be tears that water new life.
God signs his inconspicuous signature everywhere: everything is a sign post that points to his love.
The purpose of reading scripture is not to become good, but to be with Goodness Himself. Not to get God to love you, but to fall in love with God.
There is a reason why God is called The Way. He makes roads you wouldnât have dreamed of, miracles happen exactly where you never would have imagined.
Marriages are fragile things, not an accomplishment to be proud of, but a miracle to give thanks for.
This is a biography of William Booth, the man who started the Salvation Army. William was born in England in the 1800s. He had to quit school at age 13 to help provide for his poor family. As he grew older, he had a strong desire to teach people about God. His heart was for the poorest of the poor. First he began meeting their spiritual needs, but also found ways to meet their physical needs.
William Booth opened factories to give work to the unemployed. Government leaders toured his facilities and created laws for ‘safer working conditions’ once they saw how well his factory was run compared to others. Booth published articles, books, and traveled the world to teach and inspire others to help the poor.
Thousands of people throughout the world, became part of the “Salvation Army” whose mission was to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the poor. Some of his work still continues to this day.
I was fascinated by how much resistance William Booth and the Salvation Army got, mostly because it was ‘un-conventional.’ They seemed to be buffered at every turn. However, they kept moving forward, trying to find more ways to help those in need. The challenges didn’t cause them to give up, but actually made them stronger, more resilient, and even more effective.
Though William Booth started with nothing, he earned an honorary doctorate from Oxford, was lauded by Winston Churchill, and had friendships with two US presidents.
I finished five books this month = 3 memoir/biographies + 1 fiction + 1 non-fiction. I share my reviews and recommendations below. I’d love for you to leave a comment if you’ve read something interesting lately!
Review: This book made me want to eat large bowls of pasta. I was hungry the whole way through. I started reading the hard copy, but when I saw that Stanley Tucci reads the audio version, I switched to listening to HIM read the book to ME…his voice…so good. The only reason you may want the hard copy of this book is to see the recipes. There’s a pasta/zucchini recipe that Stanley describes in the book that I’m dying to try. I think Stanley is a great actor, and LOVED him in the movie Julie and Julia, so I was looking forward to reading his book. However, it wasn’t your typical autobiography. He told more stories and details about FOOD than his actual life. He shared briefly that his first wife died of cancer and left him with three young children – but never went into any detail about this part of his life. He met his second wife (Felicity Blunt), at her sister Emily’s wedding. Overall the book was interesting, but I’d recommend his “Searching for Italy” series over the book.
Review: Another great biography about a man from history. I was fascinated by what life was like during that era. So simple, yet so challenging. I’m grateful for this glimpse into his life and how hard he worked to take care of his family, and to make America a great place to live. He died defending our country.
Review: I feel bad about this book. Nora tried to write a funny book about aging, and while there were funny parts, overall, this book left me feeling bad. If you are a Nora Ephron fan, what book would you recommend that I read that’s better than this one?
Review: A unique story of a young foster girl living in Nazi Germany through World War 2. The book is narrated by Death, who crosses her path more than once, and tells the story of her struggles as she grows from a child to a teenager. I’m looking forward to watching the movie now that I’ve read the book, I’ll post my thoughts on which is better in my next “Movie or Book” post.
This book had extremely high reviews, so I had high expectation and thought I’d love it. While there were some beautiful parts, I found it a little dry and had a hard time getting through it. A similar book that was much more enjoyable to read was “What is God Like?” by SJ Hill.
Review: A beautifully written autobiography from a girl who left Islam to become a Christ-follower. She wrote about the struggle she endured because of that decision. Her family thought it would be better for her to be dead than to become a Christian.
Because I have grown up knowing Jesus, there are certain things I take for granted – this book reminded me HOW MUCH I have to be grateful for. The author points out how in her Islam faith, it was mostly rules and traditions. She said multiple prayers, at specific times each day, in a language she doesn’t speak.
The author was shocked to learn that Christians can pray anytime, in words they understand. She loved praying to a God she knew would listen…to a God who answers prayer. She discovered a freedom in Christ she had never experienced before. A joy she had never felt. The deep, experiential love of God, an indescribable peace, and an enduring strength.
I loved this book and highly recommend it, especially if you are curious about the differences between Islam and the Christian faith.
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I, Dred Scott: A Fictional Narrative about the Life of Dred Scott by Shelia Moses
Rating: 9/10
Review: When I heard that Dred Scot lived at Fort Snelling in Minnesota, I wanted to hear more about his life and what brought him here. I listened to this short, but interesting, historical audiobook on my free Hoopla app. The book is fiction, but based on research the author has done on the life of Dred Scot. It shares the challenges of a man who was born a slave, and how hard he (and others) fought for freedom.
Review: “Red” is an oak tree that’s over 200 years old. He narrates the story from his point of view. Once a year, Red becomes the “wishtree” when people write their wishes on scraps of cloth and tie their wishes onto his branches. Red has seen many things in his life, and shares some of those stories with the reader. When he thinks he’s about to be cut down, his final ‘legacy’ is helping two unlikely kids meet and become friends. This story is written for children around the ages of 8-14.
Paul’s teacher read the first book in this series aloud to the class, then Paul asked if we could get the other books in the series from the library. We’ve been slowly making our way through each book. They are cute stories, and Paul enjoys them. The books are about a family of four boys and another family of three girls, and the silly pranks they pull on each other.
Review: After Luke saw The Bad Guys movie with his Nana, he brought home the first book in this series from his school library and asked if we could read it together. It’s the story of some animals who are usually ‘scary’ or considered “the bad guys” (a shark, wolf, tarantula, snake & piranha), who are working hard to become the “good guys.”
The books are really entertaining. I’m enjoying this series as much as Luke is. The chapters are short and an entire book can be read in 30-45 minutes.
Review: SO MUCH wisdom packed into this short book. It’s wonderful, and HARD to read/listen to as Andy asks some really tough questions. I recommend this one to anyone who wants to grow in their character and decision making ability!
Here are 8 points that really impacted me:
1. Private decisions almost always have public outcomes. If you have children, the outcomes of your decisions are outcomes somebody you love will be forced to live with.
2. Your legacy, your mark on the future, are determined by the decisions you make.
3. What story do you want told about you? The good news is, YOU get to decide – one decision at a time.
4. The decisions you make in the VALLEYS are the stories you tell on the mountain.
5. When confronted with anything or anybody that has a strong emotional appeal, press pause, not play.
6. Paying attention to that unexplainable, seemingly irrational tension, is important for all of us. I will pause even when I canât pinpoint the cause of my hesitation. I will explore, rather than ignore my conscience.
7. Ask: what is the wise thing to do. Regret is always preceded by unwise decisions.
âIn light of my past experience, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do? ‘
Andy Stanley
8. Jesus did not leverage His God-card. He leveraged His example – how He loved. What does love require of me?
Review: This book is filled with interesting stories and humor. Adam presents a case for why it’s helpful to be a lifelong learner and open to change vs. someone who is ‘set in their ways’ or a ‘know-it-all.’
Here are 9 points from the book that stood out to me:
1. Cognitive laziness â hanging onto old views over the difficulty of grappling with the new ones.
2. We listen to views that make us feel good instead of ideas that make us think hard.
3. We often favor feeling right over being right.
4. Scientific thinking favors humility over pride and curiosity over closure.
5. You can lead a horse to water, but you canât make it think.
6. A successful relationship requires regular rethinking. For example: Learning not to be late. Or, being open to moving and planting roots in a new community.
7. People find happiness when they prioritize social engagement over independent activities.
8. Itâs our actions â not our surroundings â that bring us meaning and belonging.
9. Be a lifelong learner. Learn something new from each person you meet.
Review: After finishing Home of the Brave with Clark, I decided to check out this book by the same author. I read it with my younger two boys who are animal lovers. It’s a sweet story of friendship between an ape and an elephant.
Review: An outstanding book written by a survivor of Auschwitz. She writes about her escape “physically” from prison, and how she later learned to escape the prison of the mind. She is the female version of Victor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning). There are parts of this book that are really hard to read, but it’s also a book filled with hope and redemption.
The sign above the entrance to the author’s prison camp in Aushwitz says: Arbeit Macht Frei, meaning: Work Will Set You Free.
Dr. Eger writes:
Work has set me free. Not the work the Nazis meant, but the inner work. Of learning to survive and thrive, of learning to forgive myself, of helping others do the same. When I do this work, I am no longer a prisoner. I am free.
Dr. Eger
Here are a 10 gold nuggets I pulled from the book:
You can live in the prison of the past, or you can let the past be a springboard that helps you reach the life you want now.
Get the feelings out. Expression is the opposite of depression. You canât heal what you donât feel.
You canât feel love and fear at the same time.
Itâs easier to hold someone or something else responsible for your pain than to take responsibility for ending your own victimhood.
How easily we can cling to – worship- the choice we think we could or should have made.
Our painful experiences arenât a liability, they are a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and strength.
Doing what is right is rarely the same as doing what is safe.
The biggest prison is your own mind. In your pocket is the key: the willingness to take absolute responsibility for your life, the willingness to risk, the willingness to release yourself from judgment and reclaim your innocence, excepting and loving yourself for who you really are â human, imperfect, and whole.
No one can take away from you what you put in your mind.
Freedom is accepting what is, forgiving ourselves, and opening our hearts to discover the miracles that exist right now.
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You canât change what happened, you canât change what you did or what was done to you. You can choose how you live right now. You can choose to be free.
Review: I already know this will be in my TOP TEN list for the books I read in 2022. I loved every.single.page. Shauna is such a phenomenal story teller. Each chapter is a story from her life, and what she’s learning in that story. I cried, I laughed, I stopped to think, pray, and express gratitude. Read this book.
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Thanks for reading these reviews. Which of the books listed above do you want to read? Leave me a comment!
I just finished “Think Again” by Adam Grant. This book presents a case for why it’s helpful to be a lifelong learner vs. someone who is ‘set in their ways’ or a ‘know-it-all.’
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You can lead a horse to water, but you canât make it think.
Adam Grant
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In this book, Adam Grant says that people can fall into in four different camps:
Preacher: I often act on faith alone in my quest for the truth.
Prosecutor: I seek to win using evidence, often by attacking the other side and dismissing their evidence.
Politician: I seek to win using my belief system, often by attacking the other side.
However, the best way to approach life would be the:
4. Scientist: I rely on evidence with the goal of finding the truth. I am happy to change my belief (hypothesis) when confronted with evidence.
The Scientist mindset can be summed up with one simple phrase: âI might be wrong.â
I thought the illustration he used in the book was funny:
After finishing the book, I paused to consider times in my life where I’ve had to “Think Again.” There are many – marriage and parenting give me plenty of times to ‘re-think’ what I’m doing. In fact, a successful relationship requires regular rethinking. For example: Learning not to be late or being open to moving and planting roots in a new community.
However…
The first and biggest time I had to “THINK AGAIN” was after meeting this handsome guy named Ted Egly.
I liked Ted immediately … but he was not for me. I thought Ted was amazing. I thought he would make a perfect boyfriend/husband … for someone else.
Why? Because I had a “list.”
In college I made a list of what was required of the person I date and marry. Did you have a list like that?
On that list were two things that disqualified Ted. My list said that a person I was going to date/marry MUST:
Be OLDER than me
and
have more education than me.
Ted is two years younger and hadn’t finished college yet, so I could not date him. Instead, I tried to fix him up with my younger sister.
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“He’s like a brother to me. I can’t date him,” she said.
“You are CRAZY!” I responded, “He’s PERFECT!”
“Then you date him.” She answered flatly, turned around, and walked away.
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This was it. This was the time I had to re-think that ‘must have’ list.
I had other things on my ‘must’ list. Ted passed every one.
Was he a man of faith? Yes.
Was he a man of integrity? Yes.
Was he kind? Yes.
Was he a leader among his peers? Yes.
Did he have good relationships with his family members? Yes.
Was he hard-working? Yes.
Was he smart? Yes.
Was he funny? Yes!
However:
Was he older than me? No.
Was he more educated than me? (No, not yet)
Were those last two things deal-breakers, or could I re-think my list?
Thankfully, I decided to THINK AGAIN…and the rest is history!
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PS – If you talk to Ted, ask him how he also had to THINK AGAIN about dating me.
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Can you think of a situation in your life that you’ve had to ‘THINK AGAIN?’ Has there been a time you were sure about something, and then as you grew, asked questions, did your own research, changed your mind?
Think Again is full of stories of people who chose to “Think Again” and others who do not, and how it affected who and where they are today.
Review: A book packed with practical ideas for your family. Here are 13 of my favorite parts:
Exercise is hard. Honesty is hard. Eating healthy is hard. Integrity is hard. But also – Obesity is hard. Anxiety is hard. Choose your hard.
Our utter devotion to what is safe and comfortable is a crack in our foundation. It keeps us from growing. What is the GIFT on the other side of discomfort? A difficult situation is a growth opportunity. Your brain might tell you âitâs impossible,â but thatâs wrong. Itâs only difficult. You canât âŚuntil you can. Say: I canât …YET! When you go through something difficult, imagine your brain actually growing.
Hate is a boomerang. If you spew it toward others, it comes back and creates self-loathing. When in doubt, close your mouth.
Have your kids name 3 things they are grateful for while you are eating – one person, one place, one thing.
You canât control your kid’s athletic ability or how smart they are, but you can control how hard they work. Hard work forges character.
Give kids responsibilities as soon as they can walk. Increasing the amount of responsibility as they age. Youâll be training them to be capable independent adults.
Self-agency: The ability to understand that you can make your own choices and that you have some sense of control over what comes next. When kids understand that their choices will create consequences for them, it helps them be more thoughtful and intentional.
Nature has healing powers. Being in the forest has shown to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increase cardiovascular health. The best gym is the natural world. The sound of running water steadies us. The air refreshes us. The sunshine cheers us. The raw elements challenge us. We need to get outside and experience this glorious planet with all of our senses.
Power of Play: You donât have to do anything fancy to have an outdoor adventure. Go on a hike, play tag in your backyard, climb trees, wrestle on the grass- these all develop their skills. Free play provides tactile feedback that children need to excel in sports later on. Kids need exercise for proper physical development and behavior. Prioritize movement over screen time. Physical activity is essential for healthy brain development. Throw a football, grab a jump rope, or go for a walk in the woods. Youâll see a difference in the behavior and attitude of your children. Especially teenagers! There are amazing benefits to Free Play. Free play not only helps to develop creative resources and enhance imagination, but also aids in the fine-tuning decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Outdoors is a canvas for the imagination. Outdoor play will help children invent the future. A recent study showed that children ages 5-12 spend less than 30 min outside each day. Prisoners are guaranteed 2 hours a day outdoors. Criminals are getting more outdoor time than our kids. Many studies show that getting exercise outside improves kids brain function.
On Fear. Whatâs on the other side of fear is fantastic. Elizabeth Gilbert welcomes fear in the car, but doesnât let it drive the car. Fear is present, but not in control. Movement cures fear. Fear is just a feeling. Fear and excitement are similar, practically exact feelings. Your feelings are not an accurate measure of what you can handle. Fear is a feeling and does not have control over you. Courage can be learned, bravery can be developed. âItâs only my body getting scared. My smart mind knows it will be okay.’ Practice doing something your kids are afraid of. ‘Systematic desensitizationâ means repeated exposure conquers fear. Fear will be an ever-present part of life, but itâs not bad. Itâs just a signal that we may need to use certain skills to move forward.
There will always be people who support you and people who criticize. Decide now who you will listen to.
Growth mindset: praise your kids for EFFORT over intelligence. Say: âWow, you worked hard on that!â Celebrate the process, not just the product. Highlight how hard they worked and what they learned.
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Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis
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Rating: 9/10
Review: I absolutely love this author and this book was brilliantly written. It gives insight into how the devil might be at work behind the scenes and in our thought lives. He is very subtle and sneaky in his attempt to turn us away from God. This book is absolutely worth reading, and it’s a book you’ll probably want to come back to again and again. The ideas shared in this book will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page.
1. After finishing the book, I knew that Will is not in a good place.
2. He’s always struggled with how to defend the women in his life – from his mom, to his daughter, and now his wife. A theme throughout the book was his feeling of shame for not being courageous enough to protect them. He’s obviously still figuring that out.
My Review of the Book:
The beginning of Will’s autobiography was fantastic! Will used his superb storytelling ability to share the challenges of his childhood, how he got into hip-hop, and the crazy story of how he became the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.Â
However, once he became âthe biggest movie star of all timeâ (he reinforced this point many times), the story fell flat.
In spite of success at every level, he still hasnât found what heâs looking for. Heâs searching for peace in all the wrong places (psychedelic drugs, busyness, success, money, women, etc.).
I donât necessarily recommend the book, however, if youâre a huge Will Smith fan and want to check it out, I recommend the audiobook. Will Smith reads the book and includes sound bites and songs that add an extra dimension. I think you’ll agree that the beginning is interesting, and the end is disappointing. I wish he would have waited to write this book.
Side note: Will’s oldest son, Trey, has found peace in a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus brings the unconditional love, peace, and fulfillment. For those searching for peace, ask God if He is real and you may find everything that you’ve ever been looking for is right there in Him.
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What have you been reading? Leave a comment!
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Review: This book is extremely informative. The authors address many things parents want advice on, including:
technology use,
anxiety,
learning disabilities,
standardized tests,
college decisions, and more.
I took lots of notes, but here are 4 points from the book I loved:
Make enjoying your kids a top parenting priority. Your kid needs to feel the joy of seeing your face light up when you see them because you are genuinely happy to spend time with them. This has a powerful effect on his/her self-esteem. It helps your children become JOY-producing people. If you donât enjoy your children, reflect on why. Are you angry? Under pressure from work? In a difficult marriage? Reflect and do you best to work on the barriers that are keeping you from enjoying them.
Look for opportunities during the day to let your mind wander. This could mean just sitting quietly for a few minutes looking out the window or at the clouds. It could mean engaging in activities you do mindlessly.
Talk as a family about the importance of going off-line and giving yourself truly free time.Tell your kids that itâs only when they arenât focused on anything in particular that they can really think about others and themselves.
Always know your kids passwords to their device(s). If you are paying for the phone, make it contingent on them being respectful online and putting it away at night.
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When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I couldnât stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.
Review: A novel about hockey. The setting is a hockey town; the characters live and breathe hockey. I recommend this book to those of you who…(shocker) love hockey.
Review: This is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s the biography of Corrie Ten Boom. Her family helped countless Jews during WW2 and ended up in a concentration camp. It’s a beautiful story of survival, forgiveness, and redemption.
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What have you been reading this month? Leave me a comment!
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