For book-y geeks like me

My boss sent me this article to read today and I was utterly absorbed. It's a bit lengthy, but if you are like me, and fascinated by the world of books -- writing, publishing, producing, retailing -- and if you are like me and have always had a bit of angst against Amazon, you might find it interesting. If not, perhaps you'd like to just read my quotes and thoughts on the article:

First, read this about independent bookstores: "According to the American Booksellers Association, the number of independent booksellers has declined from 3,250 to 1,400 since 1999; independents now represent just ten per cent of store sales. Chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders account for about thirty per cent of the market, and superstores like Target and Wal-Mart, along with clubs like Costco, account for forty-five per cent, though they typically carry far fewer titles. As a result, publishers, like the Hollywood studios, are under enormous pressure to create more hits—more books like “Twilight”—and fewer quiet domestic novels or worthy books about poverty or trade policy."

OH! That is tragic!!! I remember when I worked at Blue Kangaroo Books, where we hosted popular book clubs for free to the children in our community. I had one mother thank me for leading the club and tell me that her daughter just LOVED that series of books. . . she bought them for her all the time at WALMART, where they were cheaper. Aghast, I checked on the price at WalMart, and discovered that this mother was saving about 30 cents per book, yet chose to buy them there over an independent store that offered this great service to her family! BKB had very little competition in town -- there was no "Fox Books" across the street, like in "You've Got Mail". But there was big old WalMart up the road, carrying a few of the most popular books, and apparently, stealing our business out from under our noses! What I love about independent stores, or Christian bookstores like the one where I currently work, is that the selection is greater, and we might choose to stock it just because we LIKE it!

Here's another good quote about independent stores from "the senior vice-president and publisher of HarperCollins, says. “Independent bookstores are like a community center. We walk in and know the people who work there and like to hear their reading recommendations.”

Mmmm. . . yep, I'm a sentimentalist, as are most people who love bookstores. I loved that community aspect about working in an Independent store, and during my time on the sales floor at LifeWay, I tasted a bit of that, too. I remember a few days last December when I just had several amazing customer encounters and said "Some days I just LOVE my job!" Sometimes you just get a customer who would rather ask a person with a warm, audible voice, what book you should buy for your daughter, instead of just reading the reviews on Amazon.

Do you see the truth in this: " 'I think consumers, like publishers, are living in parallel universes,' Burnham says. 'Consumers are educated to have a multiplicity of choices. They still like to go to a bookstore, while they also want everything available online.' "? I know I sure do!

One interesting trend I used to notice was how people would come to a bookstore to look for a specific title. If we were out of stock, they would say "Oh, that's ok, I'll buy it online." But why? If your store (and most do) offers a free special order service, why not go ahead and order it from them? You already came in! You'd have to wait anyway, to get it from the online store, and most likely pay for shipping (Amazon prime doesn't count, because you DO pay for that at the outset!)

I'll spare you the rest of the quotes, but pose these questions to you: why do YOU read books (meaning, the kind with paper and a spine)? Why read them this way instead of electronically? I'll get on a bit of a soapbox and suggest to you that if you choose to read real paper books, why not buy locally? I used to suggest this all the time to the students here at the Seminary. I know you want to save money, and clearly, that is a legitimate reason. But if a local bookstore tries to compete, or tries to offer you a specific service, why not go ahead and buy it from them (and in this case, support your fellow Seminary students employed at that store)?

Giving People Things

This is not a recipe post (though I will gladly tell you what is in this salad). It is a post about generosity. I made this tasty Asian-inspired salad for lunch and then took a picture of it because it looked so good. THEN I realized that almost everything in this salad were given to me by generous people. Not for any real reason, not out of need, just kind people passing on a bit of something they thought I'd like. Put it all together. . . and you have more than just a yummy salad for lunch.

It made me think about why I sometimes shirk being generous, or offering things to people. I come from extremely generous parents. My dad has always been a fantastic present buyer, and my mom was always on the lookout for something you'd like. I think all the time like they do: "oh, that'd be great for so-and-so" or "Wouldn't so-and-so be thrilled with this?" Why do I hesitate, then? Sometimes it's just out of selfishness ("but what IF I decide I need that later? Then I'll be sorry it's gone!"). Sometimes it's out of silly fear that the recipient won't want it ("no, that's dumb, she probably already has all she wants") or that someone else is sure to give the same thing to the recipient ("so-and-so's family probably has already bought her that").

But that's foolish! Who all have I deprived a "salad", just because I held back for a silly or selfish reason? Obviously, God is in control of all things, and he will provide, but I'm missing out on being the one who blesses!

Anyway. . . just a little food for thought. :) And for those who care about this sort of thing, my salad consisted of:

Mixed greens (from my friend Denise -- my co-worker's wife)
Yummy Sesame Sticks (from my co-worker Casey's mama in Georgia -- she heard I liked them and sent me a package)
Edamame (had it in the fridge)
Dressing I mixed up mostly from stuff my friend Pam gave me from her pantry when she recently moved (canola oil, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, scallions and 1 packet of mustard from a takeout chinese restaurant -- hey, you use what you've got. IT WAS GREAT!

To whom can you be generous?

What you read affects who you are

This article about what U.S. presidents have read and how it may have affected their policy was utterly fascinating to me! It should come as no surprise that the books we read become advisers, and the President of the United States is certainly not exempt from this. Truman's view on rebuilding Israel was especially telling. . . I love how he called himself "Cyrus".

Take thought to what you read! There are only so many days and so many books you can tackle. What will you choose? How best can you invest your moments to read?

Man looks on the outward appearance. . .

I've recently been convicted about my own materialism. It's been an ongoing mental struggle, and I decided to share it here on my blog so you can all hold me accountable. . . and maybe relate with me.

Since I became a mom, I have become OBSESSED with things. Primarily, I am obsessed with baby things, and chief among those, clothing. Now, if you looked in my daughter's closet and I could tell you how much I've actually spent on her garments, you would probably disagree with me. I don't buy clothes for her very often, and when I do, they are always always incredible deals. I was oh-so-showered with cute things at all my baby showers, and when I pulled out the "save for next year tub" I'd packed up last summer, I found a bunch of stuff for this summer (thanks to you if you're reading this and you gave me 12 mo summer clothes! That was super considerate!!). I also have a VERY kind crafting friend who set Susie up with shirts and shorts for this summer. I also have an extremely generous mother-in-laws that buys her far-away granddaughter tons of cute things, and a sister-in-law who has lent me her daughter's hand-me-downs. Because of all that generosity,I could probably only list a dozen or so outfits I've actually purchased (not counting socks from the dollar store or whatever).

But regardless of my thriftiness, I think my obsession has still raged in my mind. I may not be falling into the trap of over-spending or hoarding, but I am still materialistic nonetheless. With Susie's first birthday coming up, I've been especially dwelling on EXACTLY what kind of birthday outfit I want her to have. Wait, I shouldn't say I started dwelling on this recently, I basically found a dress I adored LAST YEAR. . . thank goodness I didn't go ahead and splurge on the $50 lovely-but-overpriced garment. I bought a adorable vintage sailor dress for $6 on consignment, and socks and shoes are covered. . . now I'm considering a new hair clip and of course the important first birthday bib! I have not spent any money yet, but I've decided I'll let myself splurge on that if I can learn to sew her a bib myself. See? Thrifty! Clearly, I'm overcoming this battle with materialism.

No. . . I'm not. I was jarred awake when I received a recent World Vision catalog in the mail. I gave World Vision gifts at Christmas, so I guess that put me on their mailing list. On the page where you can sponsor new clothes for 15 children for $35, there was an absolutely adorable picture of a little boy holding new shoes and wearing a new baseball cap, grinning from EAR TO EAR! It had this quote: "There is no one to buy me clothes. . . my clothes are torn and dirty."

It took my breath away. I about burst into tears. What has Susie ever worn but GORGEOUS and nearly BRAND NEW clothing?? Oh, how selfish I am to constantly be focused on the outward appearance! I must dig in and battle this sin HARDER before it begins to affect her as she grows up. I need to remember the gospel, and preach Christ to myself! I must work immediately to get to the heart of my materialism, and stay out of shops, and off etsy and watch less television. . .

And I've decided to fight where I'll feel it. I'm giving the money I make this weekend at a city-wide consignment sale to World Vision. Maybe I'll buy new clothing for some children. Or support an AIDS orphan, or send a new mother a baby-care kit. It depends on how much I sell.

Anyone out there want to join me? 'Tis the season for rummage sales and consignment sales, and maybe you are someone who sells your stuff to make a little extra pocket money. Or maybe you make a little extra some other way -- a little "mad money" that isn't really essential, or really part of your family's budget. Do you want to join me in showing your kiddos how blessed we are here to have MORE than enough, and that it is a joy to bless others? Please at least click on the World Vision link and take a look at the faces of those poverty-stricken people. If you're like me, it might make your daughter's new hair bow seem less important.

Children's Worship Music: singable, memorable, or theological?

A friend posed a question on facebook about children's worship music: should it primarily be singable, memorable or theologically deep? Obviously all THREE is best option, right? What music is there out there that fits the bill? Here are some I like -- and I'm sure there are more!

1. Emu Kids music from Australia. Our children's minister gave these CDs to me and Susie as a Christmas gift this year, and I've really enjoyed them. I left "Very Very Very Big God" in Illinois for my niece Mercedes to listen to, and yup. . . she's addicted. She and my dad are ALWAYS singing the songs from that CD! I'd give these a 10 for singability, 10 for memorability and 7 for theological depth (they are perfect for preschoolers). J is for Jesus is my personal favorite.

2. Sovereign Grace Music for kids. Thus far, there are 2 albums just for kids by Sovereign Grace, and understandably, they score a whopping 10 on the theologically deep scale! There are songs on the Trinity, God's Sovereignty, his holiness . . . it really goes beyond the typical kid music. Now, each song differs a bit on the singability/memorability level . . . but I'd say they easily get 6-8. These songs are RICH. . . excellent for the whole family, and NICE and upbeat!! Emu kids is preschool focused, I'd say "Awesome God" by SG is more like tweens. Take a listen on their website!

3. Praise Factory Music by Connie Dever and co. ALERT! WE'RE TALKIN' FREE!!! Everything Connie has put up online is free for educational purposes, so help yourself. WHAT a blessing and a ministry!! These score a 9 on all criteria. She has done an excellent job writing 150 scripture memory songs and "big idea" songs -- here's what Connie herself says about them: "I think you will find the songs useful and enjoyable--though humble--for use with the curriculum and with families at home."

4. "Songs Jesus Said" by the Gettys. Don't let the cover fool you -- these songs are pretty conservative and fairly simple. They are mainly songs about Jesus' life as recorded in the New Testament, thus the title "Songs Jesus Said". Carl Stam (my church's beloved music pastor) says, “Kristyn’s Songs that Jesus Said are amazing.” I'd personally give them an 8 for singability, 7 for memorability and 10 for theological depth.

5. Michael Card's Lullaby CDs: "Sleep Sound in Jesus" and "Come to the Cradle". I have put my daughter to bed every single night listening to these precious, precious songs. I love how Michael Card freely expresses the entire range of human experience in his music, and these lullabies are like that. If you can snag the book that goes with the "Sleep Sound in Jesus" I'd say get it!!! Those lyrics and devotions were just honey to my soul when Susie was brand new, and I am frequently encouraged or comforted when I hear them playing in her room. You don't often find beautiful rich songs about tears, or rest, but are those NOT a part of each and every day in the life of a baby (and the baby's parents)? One of my faves has a line that says "so goodnight my forever friend", that just brings tears every time I hear it. I'd rank these with a 10 for depth, an 8 for singability (the tunes are super memorable), but just a 5 for memorability (for the LYRICS). Some are obvious, but there are quite a few lines that just slip by.

I have Steve Green's "Hide 'Em in Your Heart" for Susie, too, but we haven't had a chance to listen to it too much, so I couldn't really rank them yet -- but it seems pretty good! Please feel free to post your favorites in the comments.

Baby Things that I Use(d)

Here's a post a bit out of the ordinary for me, but I wanted to make a list of baby items that I ended up using quite a bit for my firstborn, Susie. There are a MILLION blogs out there with similar lists, which is why I balked, initially, on making such a list. But, for what it's worth, this is what I found useful. . . for me. . . where I live and with my child. This is not an exhaustive list -- but these are items that have seen several months of use, and I forsee to continue in their usefulness for quite a bit longer.


1. Baby Trend Jogging stroller -- now, not everyone needs a jogging stroller. They look cool, but really, how many people actually jog with their baby? (I don't). But when we went to register, Josh really wanted a jogging stroller, and I'm so glad we decided to go for it. I use my stroller pretty often -- maybe not every day, but almost. Where I live, however, a stroller with real tires that you put air in, is WAY more useful than the traditional Graco (or whatever brand) plastic wheel travel system. I walk with Susie a lot -- to church, to the store, or just around the area, and we're going over curbs, along bumpy, over used city sidewalks (NOT smooth ones like you get in nice neighborhoods), and crossing busy streets (sometimes at a run). This is the most affordable jogging stroller out there, but I'm very happy with it. When Sus was little, I'd put her in her car seat, which is the same brand, and hook it on. I still use it that way sometimes because when I walk to church, I try to catch a ride home, and this way I've got her car seat with me. This info will be outdated in a few years, I'm sure, because the other stroller brands will have to make a good affordable jogging stroller to rival Baby Trend. Right now, though, I think it's the best out there. There are certainly times when I wish I just used a little umbrella stroller (say, when I'm carrying this large thing outside -- through 3 doorways and up 2 sets of stairs -- my apartment. . . with one hand. . . while holding Susie in the other arm), but when the terrain is rough, I'm glad for Susie's sake that her little teeth aren't chattering from being jarred so hard.

2. Zolowear Sling -- I do use this every day. I have a kind friend who sent it to me, so I'm sorry for recommending something that is pricey. However, I can't lie. . . this is a top item in my book. Now, I will say that I haven't used any OTHER slings. It's the only one I have. Lots of people love Moby Wraps, Ergo carriers, etc. I happen to have this one, and I like it a LOT. I think I like it more at this age than ever. It has been ever so helpful for me with Susie in her clingy stage, because I can just keep her with me nice and close as we do stuff around the house, or walk through Target or whatever. I can't think of the best way to decide what kind of carrier you would use, unless you just take recommendations or try out someone else's. But I think if you like your sling/carrier, you will use it more. . . and like I said, I use mine every day.

3. Robeez shoes -- I am a baby SHOEAHOLIC. Along with hats (more on those later), they are something I want to buy everywhere. However, I strongly dislike shoes that come off easily (which are a LOT of them). Enter Robeez. They are the BEST! I bought Susie a fairly neutral pair (white with giraffes) to wear with lots of things, and she wore them all winter. She also has the red dress-shoe type, and she wears them constantly, too. If you aren't familiar with these, I'll just tell you that they DO STAY ON, and you can have them wear them even when they're a bit too big. And they are sooooo cute, and also comfortable and supportive for their little feet. I think some baby shoes impede walking/crawling, but these are perfect for it. I think if you invest in Robeez you love, you will save money in the end, because you won't buy 12 million other pairs of shoes.


4. Circo crib sheets -- I'm glad I changed my registry to these sheets. They are inexpensive and VERY nice. Many people will suggest you have a whole bunch of crib sheets, but 10+ months later, I will tell you I made it just fine with 2 sheets. And I don't have a washer and dryer in my apartment. So I'm thinking if you DID have that luxury, you'd be fine with 2 cute sheets, too. Now, some people like to get the bedding sets that come with sheets, bumper, etc., but I never found one I just LOVED and also I wouldn't have used most of those things that come in the sets (for example, diaper stacker). I didn't put Susie's bumper in until she was 6 months old, and I'll probably take it out in a few months, so I just got that on consignment. I got her crib skirt on the clearance rack at Target and my dad bought me a quilt for her from Pottery Barn. I've been really happy with everything I got separately like this -- I feel like I was able to hit the best of all the worlds.

5. Hats -- suffice it to say that Susie's hat collection rivals the shoe collection of any dictator's wife! Yes, I LOVE HATS on babies. She has way too many. She wore them constantly all winter, even if we went out for just a few minutes. For us, hats were essential, because she has a baldy little head and I want to keep the heat in in winter, and the sun out in summer! Here have been my 2 faves: she's worn them both 10x more than the others. The Modbonnet has been my fave for the sunnier months. Sus has sported this hat almost every day, and I feel confident that it keeps the sun off her face. In cooler weather, I most often reached for a little polka-dot beanie from Naartjie like this one. Hers had 3 points and was beige and white, and she wore it indoors and out. We constantly got compliments on how cute she was in it. This hat was very soft and comfy, but stayed on well, and fit her for a long period of time (I bought it last September, and she can still fit it -- and she has got a NOGGIN on her!!). Not everyone has access to a Naartjie store, but I think they have some really unique cute things. The hats were my fave, especially the 3 point jester hat.



6. Fisher Price Booster High Chair -- now unless you have your heart set on some beautiful chair, and the space to keep it in your kitchen/dining room, I would HIGHLY recommend this affordable little chair. For one thing, they don't really outgrow it until they're ready to just sit at the table without a booster at all. You can strap it to any available chair, or just strap your baby into it on the floor to eat! You can tote it along with you to restaurants, friend's houses, etc. I actually have this number on loan from my sister in law, so if she has another baby, I'll need to get my own. But for $20, I SURE WILL! I have NO complaints about this seat. It's all plastic -- so easy to wipe down, the tray is dishwasher safe, and the buckle fasten easily.

Please feel free to comment with your favorite baby things! I'm always looking for new faves. :)

Good Quote

The other night, Josh told me something Randy Stinson said in his Family Ministry class, and I thought it was so good I had to pass it on. I've been thinking about it tonight as Sus and I sat outside in our lounge chair, watching the traffic.

"Quality time has to come out of quantity time".

Holiday Book Traditions

I've decided to begin some holiday book traditions with Susie that will hopefully be continued through her life, and on with our future children (should the Lord bless us with more). We did this at Christmas, and now I did it for Easter too.

Each year she will get a special book for that holiday -- at Christmas I gave her The Special Baby by Christian Focus publishers, and for Easter I gave her The First Easter. We read the books together a lot during that holiday season, and then put the books away for the rest of the year. Both are board books, and I let her hold them and play with them and bite them. . . and also we read them. I like both of these books because they are focused on Jesus (which, ironically, is not always so even with Christian holiday books). I was thinking that if we get out our special Christmas books at Christmas, and Easter books at Easter, then it will help our family to think thoughts toward Christ during these special seasons -- times when it could be really tempting to think about the other "fun" aspects of those holidays. My thinking also was "hey, let's go ahead and DO a Christmas stocking and Easter basket, but put the good book in those, so we are really still pointing to Christ and redeeming those traditions to be truly Christian." Granted, it's easy to do that now that Susie is so young and doesn't GET any chocolate bunnies in her basket along with the Jesus book, but if you can't start at square one, when can you?

Here we are reading The Special Baby during the Christmas season. I was really good about reading that every day during Advent to her. The Easter book I saved for her basket, so I didn't read it in advance, but we'll have it to pull out next year and read. I'm really excited about the challenge of finding a good book each year for each holiday!

Please post here if you have any other great book traditions -- holiday or otherwise -- that you do with your family! I'd love to hear other ways you celebrate learning and reading, and cultivate your children's hearts to value Christ.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Baby's Hug-a-Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

I loooooove Sally Lloyd-Jones's writing. Love it. I have raved in the past about the popular Jesus Storybook Bible, and I've tried to keep up with her latest titles ever since I discovered her. So how could I be happier than when I had the opportunity to review her newest book on my blog? And it was a book specifically for babies!! And I have a baby to read it to!!!

Susie and I were filled with glee when Baby's Hug-a-Bible arrived in the mail. Well, at least I was sure enthusiastic, and generally Sus is happy when I hand her something new that she's allowed to put in her mouth. We've been reading it together at bedtime, and I would like to give this book my resounding stamp of approval!

First of all, this book is incredibly God-centered. Each page spread is one picture and one Bible story. Except that, instead of the typical "Daniel was brave. . . you be brave too. . . Noah played with animals. . . do you like animals" kind of stuff you often see in kid's (especially little kids or baby) Christian books, this book is just amazingly God-centered. I'll give examples at the end.

Second, each page has application. Now, I understand that I am reading this to a baby. But keep in mind -- I am a grown up. I need the application, even if my baby does not completely understand it. How many times have I been getting ready to lay my baby down in her bed for her good night's sleep, and I have to recite a Psalm and spend time in prayer, verbally reminding myself that she belongs to the Lord and I can entrust her to Him as she sleeps. I know I am not alone in this! Parents of small children (and especially babies) continually have to fight that battle of worry or fear. . . and reading excellent Christian books to that babe, such as this one, will help arm you in battle.

Third, it is written in a pleasing, easy-to-read aloud rhyming way. Rhyming books are my favorites for babies!! Each page is like its own little poem, containing a bit about the Bible story, questions about God and concludes with application. Here is an example from my favorite page:

"God helps Baby Moses
Exodus 1-2

Who saved a baby in a boat?
Who kept that baby's boat afloat?
Who loved that baby in the reeds?
Who knows just what a baby needs?

Who cares for you in just that way?
And gives you all you need today?
Yes, God's the one, who, day by day,
Will care for you in every way!"

Can you see how reading something like that would remind you of God's character, and his mighty acts in the past, and help you learn to trust him who "day by day will care (for your baby) in every way!"? I look forward to the day when Susie and I read this book together and I can pause after the first section and have her little voice answer "GOD!!" Oh, how I long for her to love and know Him!

Thank you, Sally, for using your clever writing to create something just for the youngest children whose parents want to bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Make me laugh!

I'll soon be posting about a new WONDERFUL children's book, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share some light-hearted tales of my niece. . . who NEEDS to be a character of a children's book. Seriously, she's inspirational. She's 3 years old, and spends a good part of her day with my teenage sister and my dad (Mom used to be her babysitter before she passed away). So the adult world/teenage world is her world. For example:

When she was 2, she picked up my sister's cell phone and said "I'm gonna text. . . this is how old I am. . . " and sure enough, she texted a 2. She could access the pictures on my dads phone, and 2 of my sisters' phones, which was a way she entertained herself.

She's all about letters lately. Today, apparently she said "this starts with 'P'." And posed like she is in the picture here. Pout.

Here is a conversation she had with Abby (my sister) the other day when she found a rattle:

Cede: "You can have this rattle if you have a baby in your house"

Abby: "I don't have a baby in my house"

Cede: "You have a kid-baby. . . Me."

Abby: "Whatever!"

Cede: "That's an impolite retort."

I guess that's what Dad says when one of the girls says "whatever".

Once when she was watching Snow White, she started being frightened of the mirror, but promptly talked herself out of the fear: "Oh, it's not real. . . it's not real, is it? It's just fake, probably a mask. . . and probably squishy".

Here is how she randomly posed one night while we all lounged on the couch. I assure you she was not being coached behind the scenes and we did not know she looked like this until later.

Anyway, I figured we all could use a few more reasons to smile right now!

Elizabeth Prentiss More Love to Thee -- first impressions and quotes

I have not finished reading Sharon James' biography of Elizabeth Prentiss, so this will not be a complete review, but I had so much to share at the half way point, I thought I'd do an early post on this book. For those of you who are not familiar with Elizabeth Prentiss, she was an 19th century Christian and author, who, among other things, penned the hymn "More Love to Thee" and a classic work of fiction Stepping Heavenward. Her biography has been on my "want-to-read" list for a long time, and since I grabbed up the hardcover book at the ETS sale at LifeWay, I've had it suggesting itself to me from the bookshelf.

The book started off a bit slowly, as biographies have a tendency to do, but I was assured that Elizabeth would soon win me over as a heroine. Indeed, as I began the chapter "God Never Makes a Mistake" I also began to identify with her. Here is a quote:

"What a world of new sensations and emotions come with the first child! I was quite unprepared for the rush of strange feelings. I dare say the idea of Lizzy Payson with a baby seems quite funny to you . . . but I assure you it doesn't seem in the least funny to me, but as natural as life."

Elizabeth was 26 when she married and 28 years old when she had her first child. In that era, when girls often married young and bore children early, that is a rather remarkable thing! I didn't have my first child until I was 30 (almost 31), so I felt like I could identify with Elizabeth, a woman "of age" -- at least in those days. (I am not claiming to be a woman of age -- I know many wonderful women who are expecting in their 40's -- and I hope to be one of you one day).

Her sweet recollections of this first child were followed by tragic years where she lost her next two. My eyes burned with tears at the tale. We take it for granted today that babies enjoy much better health than they did 100 years ago, and that back then, mothers were always losing children in childbirth, or to childhood disease, etc. But I had never quite entered that world with a mother, and felt her raw pain. Elizabeth, a poet and writer, was able to express herself so freely and well, and open up her heart to the sovereign God above in prayers that were as honest as they were profound. Here is a short one:

One child and two green graves are mine
This is God's gift to me
A bleeding, fainting, broken heart --
This is my gift to Thee.

I appreciated that she was real about her suffering and sorrow -- but that gift of her sorrowful heart was still extended out to the God who she firmly believed to be in control. It was unbelievable how Elizabeth had premonitions about her children's deaths, and that doctors would not believe her. How agonizing to experience loss regardless of the circumstances, but how much more tortuous to endure poor care from doctors and nursemaids. How easy it would be to blame or dwell on the people whose mistakes were so grave, but Elizabeth believed, as I do, that all suffering is comes to us from God's good and kind hands, and must be for our good, to make us more like Christ. In my doctrine class the other night, Dr. Mohler said something beautiful and profound. I hope you find it to be so as well:

"Because God is in control and infinitely good and loving and merciful, anything other than what He brings would not be better, it would be worse."

I had to roll that around in my mind. It's too much to understand, really. But by faith, I think we can come to see how that is completely true.

Board Book Favorites -- 9 months

My friend and I were discussing how it's an interesting thing that children develop favorites so early in life. As babies, you can tell their favorite people, foods, toys, lovies, etc. I've had so much fun seeing Susie show interest in books, too! I'm sad to say that for right now, the paper-page book collection has to go on hold, or else my paper monster might just chow down on the pages. I recently tried reading a regular picture book, but I just don't want to give the message that books aren't for her to touch just yet, so I've decided not to fight that battle until she can understand a little better. At a younger age, we were reading Madeline, Dr. Seuss, Golden Books, etc., and enjoying them all, but for now we can just discover that wonderful world of board books (side note: board books are not steel, however, in the little mouth of a teething baby! I have found them with entire corners GONE, and telltale bits of white around her little mouthy).

Here are some favorites:

Babies by Gyo Fujikawa This is absolutely, hands down, Susie's favorite of the favorites. She loves it so much that I took it along when we went to get her portrait taken, so we could get some of her reading it. She smiles at the babies, greets them when she sees the book on the shelf, squeals at the pictures and touches their faces as we look through it. I'd always heard that babies love to look at pictures of REAL babies (and that certainly has been true in my experience), but in this case, Sus loves the illustrations of babies. The sweet simple wording is just so gentle and charming. I usually add on to the end, which goes like this: "But good or bad, all babies like to be hugged, and cuddle and loved." and I add "and kissed, and smooched, and sniggled and snuggled. . . " etc., all while demonstrating the sniggles and snuggles. I also really like the shape and size -- it's tall, so she can hold the bottom and smack the pages, while I hold the top, and it's not overly-heavy. I came across this little gem while shopping at Blue Kangaroo Books in downtown Danville! This book is almost 20 years old, but I'd never seen it before. I'm planning to get Sus some more of Gyo Fujikawa's books -- there are several more out there.

That's Not My Bunny. Part of the Usborne "That's Not My" collection, this touch and feel book has been good for pointing out specific parts of the pictures. I was surprised how early Susie would be able to understand the concept of feeling the texture on a tiny part of the picture. She knows this one well -- she reaches right for the "rough paws" or "wrinkled nose".

God Bless. . . Baby's family photo book. I put pictures in this for Sus for Christmas, and it immediately emerged as one of her favorite toys. There are only 3 openings, so you might find something better out there, but she certainly loves to flip back and forth to the pictures of Daddy, Mama and Grandma and Grandpa. She bends over and gives the pages wide, open mouthed kisses, and flings it around by the handle (it's SO lightweight). I got mine on sale at LifeWay, so I'd suggest looking somewhere other than Amazon (it's a little bit expensive!!)

What are your favorite board books?

Back to blogging. . .

After much thought, I've decided I want to go back to blogging. I've missed writing here so much, and now that I've moved to working part time, I think I can manage to eek out a bit of time to post on my blog. No promises, but my goal is to get back to being a consistent poster.

I absolutely love my life as a mom. Since becoming a wife, I have not experienced any role so wonderful. And while I'm sure motherhood will play into my posts, I'm not looking to mainly post updates about my family life -- that's just not exactly what I want for my blog; I can do that on Facebook. I hope that I can make this blog a good place to interact with readers about Christian life, books, church life, parenting, and maybe a few just for fun posts. I hope to regularly review books, especially children's books -- since I DO have a child now!!

So I guess if you had written me off as a "former blogger", I hope you'll watch my blog in the future for new posts!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from the Neisler family. We can't believe how much our lives have changed this year. This time last year, we couldn't imagine how the Lord's grace would rain down on us. We have loved these past 7 months, growing together as a family. Josh and I love being parents, and we're pretty sure Susie loves us, too!

Hard to Write

So. . .

I have thought of quite a few subjects to write about here on my blog. But I have no time. And I'm having writers block.

And after I work all week, I want to just focus on my baby!

Sigh. . . I remember when I started this blog, I worked at the Blue Kangaroo, where I had lots of extra free hours to read. That's why I named my blog what I did -- "Gretchen Reads 24/7" -- because I did feel like I read that often. Since I had Susie, I started feeling like I was falling asleep every time I got into a book! (Okay, that's an exaggeration -- I have read this summer, just NOTHING compared to how much I have read in the past).

I've been thinking about what all I can scale back on now that I am full time Mom and full time at the bookstore. I am committed to taking care of Josh and Sus as good as I can in the time I have in the evenings and weekend. And I have not been doing a good job writing this blog for a couple months now.

So. . . I think I need to take a hiatus from the blog. I hope I don't have to give it up forever. Susie and I are enjoying some children's books together, and I'd love to write about those in down the line. But for now, I'm going to take a break from the blogosphere. I know there aren't a ton of readers out there waiting to see what I'm going to write about, but for those of you who have faithfully been reading, I am sorry.

But I know it's a good decision -- more time with Suslie. And who knows? Maybe I'll think of something I absolutely have to write about, and I'll do so.

So long, for now!

What I learned from my Mom about Motherhood -- part 3

Here's part 3 -- sorry it took so long! I just hope there is someone still reading.

• Know your children. I think this is something my sisters and I all agree we miss most about Mom. We all felt understood by her. She was a great listener -- when we were young, she enjoyed listening to our stories, etc., and when we were older she listened to our problems with friends, adults, etc. Emily and I agree that Mom was a good person to tell your issue to because she did not just automatically be on your team and hate on the person you had a problem with (this is typically my response to my sister's issues, thus making me a not-so-great confidant). Mom had 6 kids, and I can truly say she did everything she could to know each one of us individually. I know some people from large families feel like they got lost in the shuffle -- but that really did not happen to us at all. How do I apply this lesson to mothering Susie? Well, so far, it has played out mostly in how I have worked out her schedule. We have been able to ease into a very good schedule where she pretty much always sleeps through the night by combining things I liked from both Babywise and Attachement Parenting. She is a happy girl, and seems well fed and well rested. There are so many opinions out there, and some people might thing I spoil and coddle my baby too much, while others think I am too strict with my routine. But I know my baby! And I continue to work hard to see what works for us!

• Put your best face forward. Okay, I know I've already tread on rocky ground, here is some potentially rockier ground! But I do think this is a lesson I learned from my mom, so I can't leave it out. In no way do I advocate being focused on the outward appearance -- my mom was adamant that we tell my sisters they were clever and special and kind, not just cute all the time. But she DID do her best to always get us out the door in clothes that were clean, hair that was tidy and faces and hands that were washed. I remember being envious of girls who wore their hair free as a bird, while mine was slicked back into Laura Ingalls braids. :) Mom did not want us to have stringy hair! Looking back, I see what wisdom was in that -- especially for large families. When you have a bunch of kids, it is much more noticeable if they look like ragamuffins! It can be a bad testimony to people who frown on large families because they see messy children and assume that their parents do not care for them. People DO look on the outward appearance, no matter what we think. When your children are small, they have no control over their appearances, so it is up to you to keep them and their clothes clean and teach them to care for their appearances. I know I have only 1 child, but it has to start now -- working hard to get the stains out of baby clothes, bathing regularly, washing the little face that can have a milk mustache or neck that can hold spit up. :) Keep in mind -- the goal of a tidy and lovely bunch of kiddos is not so people will complement their appearances, or to turn their hearts to love beauty, but to keep from being a distraction from what is important about you! And if you are a Christian, you want others to see Christ, not dirt!
  

(The picture I put up here is of Sus with her Aunt Abby at a baseball game. Everything she is wearing is a hand-me down from her cousin Cede.)

I miss my Mom so much. Almost every day a question pops into my head to ask her, before I catch myself. I hope that the lessons I remember from her are helpful to you, too.

Free Stuff Week

My birthday was Sunday, so I decided to give myself a week of free stuff. :) Here's what I've got planned.

Monday: free iced mocha from McDonald's. This is available next Monday as well, if you want to grab one! Just ask at the counter!

Tuesday: free Gymboree class for Susie. We got a free pass from the hospital when Susie was born, so we went today and it was really fun. She was falling asleep at the end, but she was good as gold the whole time. Calm and attentive.

Wednesday: free fountain drink from Speedway.

Thursday: free ice cream from Cold Stone. Sign up for their birthday club and they'll send you a coupon in your e-mail.

Friday: free photo session for Susie at Olan Mills. This was another coupon I got when she was born. It's actually free, even the sitting fee, and you get a new baby portrait package of one pose.

Saturday: free Penn Station sub (they're doing a tell a friend free sandwich promotion via e-mail)

Don't you love getting free stuff?

Here's a picture of my darling Susal getting so big and working on holding up her head.

Eating Zucchini and Picnik

I'll finish the posts on motherhood soon -- I just about have it written in my head -- but in the meantime, I wanted to share a couple things I've been up to lately.

1. Picnik.com is my new favorite website! So easy to use and fun to play around with all the effects you can make on your pictures. I have spent way too much time playing around with cute pictures of the Sus. Here are a few of my favorites.





2. Eating Zucchini! It's that wonderful time of year when this versatile veggie is in abundance! Even if you are not personally growing it in your garden, its likely those who are growing it are sharing it! I just LOVE to eat that stuff!! Of course you can whip up some yummy zucchini bread, or slice it up and use it like chips in dips, hummus or cottage cheese. Last night I made this recipe I saw on Food Network. Here's the simple breakdown:

Cut zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms into chunks and roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Then mix it with cooked penne pasta, a little marinara sauce and cheese (I like lots of cheese). Bake it in a greased casserole dish at 350 for 25 minutes. VERY good!

Another simple casserole that I've made for years when I have an abundance of zucchini is this:

Slice zucchini and summer squash in thin rounds and toss together with a can of Rotel. Bake at 350 until the veggies soften, then top with shredded cheese (I like to use cheddar, but you could use whatever you have) and bake until the cheese is all melted. Yum! My mouth is watering!

If you have any simple ways to enjoy this plentiful veggie, please post in the comments section!