Now blogging at THIS SIMPLE HOME.

Now blogging at THIS SIMPLE HOME.

At This Simple Home

  • Homemade Magic Shell - I remember having Magic Shell once as a child. The chocolate syrup drizzled over my ice cream magically turned crispy hard. Mmm... So I was rather excited t...

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Over at This Simple Home

Have you started following my new blog yet, This Simple Home?  I hope you will!

We've been cooking and baking.  Lots of good books have been read.  And we're having fun!  Right now we are planning a Little House on the Prairie birthday party!  Right now we have two nice giveaways...one is for the 9 book Little House set or 2 picture books.  The other is for a great family devotional.

Come on over and join the fun!  You can also check us out on Facebook and Twitter.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Some Recent Thoughts



I just thought I'd share a handful of things that we have been doing over at This Simple Home.
This Simple Home

Household Binder Project
Taming My Child Collector (without taming her spirit)
Name Snowman
Blog Button
Clean Bedroom
Book Worm 
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Grocery Bag Storage
and more...















Hope you'll visit This Simple Home soon!!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

A Woman's Walk in Truth

Vonette Bright is known in many circles because she and her husband were co-founders of Campus Crusade for Christ.  Knowing that I agreed to review A Woman's Walk in Truth: Devotions for Living a Confident Faith.
A Woman's Walk in Truth: Devotions for Living a Confident Faith This is a little book (about 6x4 inches).  The size, along with the padded cover make this seem like a "gift book" though I am sure that many Christian women would enjoy it.

I have not read all of this devotional (nearly 300 pages), but what I have read, I like.  The devotionals are short and thought provoking.  Each day's reading ends with a Bible verse and a "This I Believe" thought.  "This I Believe" thoughts are just a sentence  or two long, but they are nuggets of wisdom for the Christian.  Some are biblical truths while others are more of biblical ideas to combat the world's views

As I stated, the devotionals are short.  They really seem to reinforce God's word.  Many do not want a lengthy devotional if they are going to use it in addition to reading the Bible so this can be beneficial for many.  Please read the next bit knowing that I do not think that I am better than others.  Personally, I thought A Woman's Walk in Truth would be more for a woman who is seeking Jesus or is new to a relationship with Jesus.  Though I really liked what I read, I have decided to pass this book along to someone I know who needs some encouragement right now.

Vonette Bright encourages women to draw closer to God and to choose Him as the foundation for life.  At the end of the this little book the reader finds "Beginning Your Journey of Joy."  In it Vonette Bright describes, in detail, four principals and ideas to help a woman fully understand what it means to trust in Jesus as Savior.  She includes Bible verses and illustrations.

Thank you, Harvest House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son, by Vicki Courtney

It seems that I've been reading a bit on parenting books lately.  I consider this a reflection on what I'm lacking...and seeking.

With this in mind, I can certainly say that some books are more beneficial than others.  5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son has many chapters, but is divided into five sections, or conversations.  You can see how practical this book is from the conversation titles.

  • Don't define manhood by the culture's wimpy standards.  It's OK to be a man!
  • What you don't learn to conquer may become your master.
  • Not everyone's doing it!  (And other naked truths about sex you won't hear in the locker room.)
  • Boyhood is only for a season.  P.S. It's time to grow up!
  • Godly men are in short supply.  Dare to become one!
Throughout the chapters, author and speaker Vicki Courtney elaborates upon each conversation, often taking a look at what a conversation might look like at different ages.  

I appreciate that Courtney seems to keep the readers' mind on the big picture.  It's not necessarily about the behavior, but about the heart of the child and their relationship with God.
"Our priority should not be simply to teach our sons self-control but first and foremost reveal to them the grace of God."
"While I hope my sons' primary motivation for saving sex until marriage is rooted in a desire to please God, should they get off track spiritually, I want to make sure I have given them plenty of other reasons to save sex until they are married." 
"A conversation about saving sex for marriage is not nearly as important as a conversation about Christ's saving man from his sins."  
And on the topic of sex, Courtney also addresses the fact that some sons will already be sexually active, and some unrepentant.  She also discusses the fact that Christian boys have the same hormones within them as their non-Christian friends.

When Vicki Courtney addresses men in their twenties (and older) who still live with mom and dad, she calls them Peter Pan...you know, the boy who never grows up.  Though I agree with much of what she writes in these chapters, I still felt that she was, at times, a bit harsh.  The goal is to launch our young men from boyhood to manhood before they leave home.  I do like that she considers ages 2-14 a prelaunch phase, where the boys are guided in learning basic life skills.  The test launch is from ages 14-18.  This is the time for painful and real consequences and more independence and not the time for parents rescuing their child for the poor decisions.  The final launch phase is from 18-22.  It's at this time that the man should become fully independent and responsible as a member of society.  As mothers, it does feel good to be needed, but it is important to remember that we are to guide them into adulthood and equip them with tools and knowledge needed to be a man on their own.

Though the summary on the back of the book indicates "...Courtney helps moms and dads pinpoint and prepare the discussions..." it is only moms that are actually addressed in the book except at the end of each chapter where there is a Dad 2 Dad thought.  I do not think it should be isolated to only one parent though she does explain a bit of her reasoning (with moms without a godly husband also in mind) later in the book.

Overall, I thought 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son was a beneficial book to read.  The final chapter was titled Godliness Over Goodness, and I think that idea sums up much of the book's focus.  I appreciated the honesty and grace in which Courtney wrote.  Though she included personal examples, it didn't feel like a memoir, and much does seem applicable to the general parent of sons.

This book was provided for an honest review by PR by the Book.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Wise Words for Moms Giveaway

Some parents have the whole "train up a child in the way they should go" down to a tee.  Some of us, despite our desires, feel that we are failing miserably at that.  Though we may feel that we are failing, I think it is important to focus on what we do do, as well as what we are capable of doing...and then do it through the strength of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom found in the Bible.

Wise Words for MomsGod's Word is the authority for guiding and disciplining our children if we seek to honor God.  If you are looking for a quick reference chart of Bible verses, Wise Words for Moms may be exactly what you are looking for.  This is not a book, but a four page chart to assist parents in guiding their children's thoughts and behaviors back to God.  Wise Words for Moms is made of sturdy cardstock in a calendar-style format.

Wise Words for Moms was created by Ginger Plowman.  (She is the author of Don't Make Me Count to Three, one of my all-time favorite parenting books as you can see in the linked review.)  The chart includes topics under Child's Behavior such as bragging, bad friendship, tattling, and revenge along with many others.  Next questions are suggested to get to the root of the problem-found in the heart.  This area is called Heart Probing.  The Reproof area provides Bible verses to help the child to understand what behavior needs to stop or "Put Off."  Of course, when we stop one behavior we need to begin another in its place, so Encouragement ("Put On") verses are provided.  In these two areas, the appropriate verses are written out or summarized.  (I do wish it was consistent with providing the verse.)  The chart also includes additional verse references for the parents.

I like Wise Words for Moms because it is a quick resource for parents.  (I do wish that it was not just for moms in the title...)  I'm sure that many parents have created a similar chart or have even used other resources.  (For Instruction in Righteousness comes to mind, linked to my review.)  Its calendar-like format makes it easy to tuck in a bookshelf or hang on a wall with a quick hole punch.

Shepherd Press wants to give a reader their own copy of Wise Words for Moms!  Not only that, but keep reading, because there will be a second winner at This Simple Home.  So be sure to go over there for another chance to win!
GIVEAWAY!  
GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED and the winner has been contacted.  The winner was Bluerose.  Congratulations!
I have one Wise Words for Moms to give to one reader of Live, Learn, Love.  To enter, just leave a comment below saying why you are interested in it.  Please leave an email address in the comment to be sure that I can contact you if you are the winner.


Extra Entries: Leave a separate comment for each entry.
~ If you are already a follower of Live, Learn, Love.  (1 entry/comment)
And because I am trying to promote the new blog...
~ Go to and follow This Simple Home with Google Friends Connect (found in the sidebar). (1 entry/comment)
~ Go to and subscribe to This Simple Home by email or RSS feed (also found in the sidebar). (1 entry/comment)
~ Like This Simple Home on Facebook(1 entry/comment)
~ Share about the Giveaway Week or this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter with a link back to This Simple Home. (Leave an entry each time you do it...with a maximum of five entries.)


Giveaway will run through Tuesday, February 7th and is limited to US residents.  Random.org will choose the winner.  The winner will be announced on this post and will be emailed.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I will choose another winner.

Thank you, Shepherd Press  for providing us with the resource of Wise Words.

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