Book Review : Mud Puddle Hunting Day

While I may be out of the board book stage of life, I still enjoy reading all books to my kids.  We still pick up our favorite board books, especially my sweet little girl to enjoy them! 

I got a chance to get a copy of a new book in a series for little ones, by Callie Grant.  These are board books and they are gorgeous!! 

The colors are vibrant and the pictures are engaging!!  There are lots of things going on to talk about with the child you are reading to.  The theme of the series is A God-centered nature series.  This particular story is about a little girl enjoying a mud-puddle hunting day!

What child does not delight in traipsing around in mud-puddles?  There is so much going on after a rain, and the water is just a bit of the fun!  This book takes the reader from the start where the girl dons her rain gear, then out into the wild outdoors, or her yard!  The adjectives and the verbs are great words that will be new ones for little ones to add to their growing vocabulary.

I really enjoyed this sweet book, most of all, I love a chance to bring the focus to God in every day things!  This book is just a place to start some great conversations about all that God has created and shows us when we look for it!

I recommend this sweet book, and the others in this series, by Callie Grant.  These would be great gifts for a new mom, or two if you know of one!!

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NOTE : I received a copy of Mud Puddle Hunting Day, in exchange for an honest review.

Free KINDLE Books!!

So our former pastor has released a book, while I have not read it I will tell you to grab a copy and read it yourself!! I just did – for FREE!!  Today, all the books by ANEKO publishing are free for Kindle!!  I love to grab free books to read later or to have for my boys to read!!

Here are the books that are free (at time of posting) the links will take you to AMAZON and you can read the details there!

 

Dying to Grow

The Book of Daniel

 

Jubilee

Why you Really can Memorize Scripture

Rescue to Captors

Tessa

thoughts

It’s funny sometimes, this world we live in.  Funny may be a stretch. 

As I reflect on my ultra-crazy day today and I am still for half a minute – I realize how we do so much chasing most days.  And what are we chasing?

Lately, as I sit outside and woo my sweet little (feral) kittens over to eat the food I generously offer, I realize I love where I am.  I love the stillness.  I love the deer eating by the fence every night, across the pasture.  I love walking to the pond as the Blue Heron flies off after getting a belly full of fish or frogs, take your pick.  I love the night birds that come out and sing with all their might.  I love our sunsets and sunrises.  I love falling in to bed at night utterly exhausted after weeding my garden, planting seeds and more.  I love it.

And joy honestly fills my heart. 

Then I think back on the article I read in this week’s copy of World Magazine.  That some crazy number of “young adults” (which I know I am no longer a member of that group, but bear with me) feel depressed after looking at facebook.  After doing studies they found that the overall feeling after getting on facebook and “catching up” most adults are feeling worse than before.

So why?  Why do we live in that world?  Why do we sit and check it out when we have a free minute?  Why do I sit and watch as friends (who are not happy, not coping, not doing well) share the "BEST of Their day” giving me and the rest of the FB world the illusion that all is hunky-dory?  Again with the masks that we put on.  Why do we do this?  It is not just “them” – is it?  It is us too.  We only put our best face on FB. 

And yet I catch myself, when I do not have my minute crammed full, thinking I should see what everyone is up to.  Really?  Maybe I am part of that group (not by age mind you) that does not feel more content after reading through a day’s posts of other people’s lives.  Maybe I really don’t need to know all that is going on every minute in so many people’s lives.

Now, I am not saying I want to get off the FB train, I love connecting with friends from my younger days – Army friends, USMA people, even a few high school people? – well maybe.

Either way, I love my life.  When I stop and enjoy it – so I need to stop filling every moment with stuff and sit back and enjoy my life more – and a little less of everyone else’s, I think.

Just some random thoughts…..

friends

I have so many friends, wounded hearts that are reluctant to re-open themselves back up.  And I wonder why we as women wound more than heal.  Over and over in the Bible I see the value of friendships – true real friendships that encourage, build up, love through thick and thin. 

Yet, we choose to carry the load alone!?   I mean, we are all wounded, aren’t we?  Underneath it all we are still that insecure girl.  Not in all that we do, we stand firm in many areas of our life, but in some, we never seem to gain the solid ground, never seem to grow up.

So, instead of opening up and being real, we carry this heavy burden alone.  We keep it all to ourselves.  The hurt, the pain, the wounds. 

We talk ourselves out of asking, inviting, opening ourselves.  Haven’t you?  I have, too many times.  I want to do good, I want to go deeper, and then I fear the rejection.  So I stop, just short of asking, inviting or opening up.  And yet, that is exactly where Jesus resides.  He is deeper.

Now, this choice I (or you might) make is not in all areas of my (our) life.   I stand firm in Christ and my faith.  I stand firm in my school choice.  But I waiver in wanting to speak to the stranger about Christ.  I doubt my worth with family members who criticize.  I even wonder about how much I have to offer the girls or ladies I facilitate in Bible Study.  Really?

So He steps in, and I am reminded of my faith.  Of the journey He has led me on, the lessons He has taught me.  I am reminded of the time I have spent getting to know HIM – going deeper with HIM.  And I am reminded that I am worthy of pouring into others.  Of teaching them to see Him first in their day or understanding his word on a deeper level.  I am worthy of acceptance by family, whether they ever realize it or not. 

So knowing what I know, I need to trust Him when I encounter that stranger.   When I feel the gentle reminder to open my house or my heart – I need to do it.

I read Ann Voskamp’s blog post HERE and it got my mind thinking.  Why can we not be real?  Take off the mask that “all is okay” and just be real.  Not be jealous of what I perceive another has – but be totally satisfied right where I am.  Choose Joy.  That is really what it all boils down to.  Choosing joy – making friends, opening my heart, letting my wounds heal through Jesus.  Being right here, knowing this is enough – really more than enough.  And watching for that wounded heart and reaching out to help offer some healing balm : the love of Christ.  Choosing joy.

That is what is bouncing around in my head these days – and at the same time – breaking  my heart, just a bit,  but in a good way!