Top 3 Thursday – Edition #12

Here are three blog posts that have inspired me over the past week. Check them out?

1. True Beauty, and a Shattered Self-Esteem @ Lessons From Ivy

2. Are You a Proactive Parent or a Reactive Parent? @ Smockity Frocks

3. Give the Gift of Love @ Raising Mighty Arrows

If you’ve read or written an encouraging blog post during the week, share the link in the comments below. I’d love to check it out!

To have new blog posts delivered directly to you, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #12 Read More »

Be Your Best!

Test Yourself

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

~ Galatians 6:4-5, The Message

Image Source: Money Saving Mom

Be Your Best! Read More »

Counting My Blessings: 761 to 781

We mourn a world that seems beyond redemption… and yet Christ promises His redeeming love for those who turn to Him. I’m praying that God’s presence will comfort those affected by the horrifying events that shake our world. Jesus is coming soon, and until then I plod on… thanking God each day for undeserved mercy and grace.

3 Gifts Ice Cold

761. Frozen bananas.
762. Water.
763. Strawberry ice-cream in our freezer.

3 Gifts Berry Red

764. 3 new remote-controlled cars gifted by a doting grandma.
765. Christmas decorations in church.
766. My husband’s wall art.

3 Gifts Striped

767. My husband’s formal shirts.
768. The boys’ birthday shirts, fresh out of the laundry.
769. The ruled pages of my journal.

3 Gifts Stamped

770. A card in the mail.
771. A toy car’s broken seat.
772. God’s impression on my life.

A Gift Gold, Scented, Bent Low

773. My wedding ring.
774. A lavender scented candle.
775. 3 curious boys bending low to inspect machinery at a building site.

3 Gifts Bethlehem-Unlikely

776. Angels heralding a baby’s birth.
777. That God would take the form of a helpless babe…
778. … knowing He’d have to die to save the world.

3 Gifts Frosted

779. Frozen tomatoes.
780. The milk container.
781. Mint leaves.

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 761 to 781 Read More »

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #11

Here are three blog posts that have inspired me over the past week. Check them out?

1. The Truth about the Moment @ Jon Acuff

2. So far I @ Family Matters

3. They are Watching @ The Finer Things in Life

If you’ve read or written an encouraging blog post during the week, share the link in the comments below. I’d love to check it out!

To have new blog posts delivered directly to you, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #11 Read More »

Everything: Book Review

Everything: What you give and what you gain to become like Jesus by Mary DeMuth is an honest account of one woman’s spiritual growth – the ups, the downs, and everything else in between.

About a year back, I heard the author speak of how she survived abuse, a broken home and abandonment. I was touched by her testimony of finding God through her brokenness. So, when I realized this book was available at BookSneeze, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it – and I wasn’t disappointed.

This book isn’t a to-do list for Christians. It doesn’t lecture, it doesn’t condemn. It’s more like having a discussion with a mentor over a cup of coffee. The author renders her raw, honest interpretation of what God has been teaching her over the years. Living the ‘Everything’ life doesn’t mean it’s always good. It doesn’t mean we have it all together. An ‘Everything’ life is one surrendered to God – giving it all up to Him and embracing everything He leads us through.

The book comprises of three sections that deal with how we can live a surrendered life through our thoughts, our hearts and our actions. Every chapter concludes with reflection questions that help us personalize what we’ve learnt throughout the chapter.

The author recounts without hesitation, the struggles she has been through in her life. In simple words, she explains how living a surrendered life has impacted her and changed her for the better. One lesson I learnt from this book was regarding my life verse (Jeremiah 29:11). The same lesson is also found in this blog post where the author explains the context of the verse and what we can take away from it.

Irrespective of where you are on your Christian journey, this book will help you along. I have certainly been encouraged to live an ‘Everything’ life for the glory of God. And besides, what other way can we truly live, if our lives aren’t surrendered to the plans of the very One who created us. I pray, along with the author, that you will let Jesus become your everything.

To conclude, here’s a short video trailer of the book:

Disclosure: I received a free Kindle version of this book from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Everything: Book Review Read More »

Counting My Blessings: 740 to 760

Five years ago, this day, God brought 3 miracles into my life – something I will ever be grateful for.

“I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.” (Psalm 143:5)

A Gift Circling, Crowning, Crafted

740. The kids doodling.
741. Teaching the kids about Jesus our King.
742. Lego creations.

3 Gifts Silver

743. My dolphin earrings – a gift from hubby on our first anniversary.
744. My milk-boiling vessels.
745. A special birthday knife with a shiny silver handle.

3 Gifts Sweet

746. Coffee!
747. A post lunch chocolate.
748. A cup of tea for my husband, late in the evening.

3 Gifts from your Savior

749. Wisdom.
750. Life.
751. A family.

A Gift Hung, Held, Heard

752. Hanging the laundry out to dry.
753. A son who tumbled down from his bed.
754. The boys playing with their toy guns.

3 Gifts Ugly Beautiful

755. Morning grogginess after a fun late night.
756. The dry, dusty parking lot at church, filled to overflowing.
757. Being interrupted by the kids in church.

3 Gifts Unframed Art

758. The kids’ hand prints.
759. My boys’ smiles.
760. The past 5 years.

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 740 to 760 Read More »

Q & A: Where do you find Free eBooks?

QA

This is a new feature I’m starting on the blog, where I answer questions I’m asked a lot. So if you have a question for me, shoot me an email and I’ll try my best to answer.

Question: Where do you find free ebooks?

Answer:

I love reading, I always have. I remember frequenting libraries as a child and checking out as many books as I could; devouring them within a day or two. My mother had to actually hide my story books, so I would complete my school work :). In my late teens and early twenties, I discovered Christian books (fiction and non-fiction) and I was hooked. I would drag my mother along to book sales and buy dozens of books at throwaway prices.

Then I got married, had triplets and barely had any time to read, let alone visit a bookstore. Imagine my delight when I discovered that I could get free books online. Over the past year, I’ve discovered quite a few websites/blogs that publish deals on ebooks. Most of these are Kindle books, but you don’t need a Kindle to read them. There are free Kindle apps available on Amazon for  just about every computer, smartphone and tablet on the planet.

Without dragging it on further, here are the sites I frequent:

1. Free Homeschool Deals – This is run by a homeschool mom who publishes a list of Kindle freebies everyday. I stack up on children’s books here.

2. eReaderGirl – A fairly new site that publishes free and discounted ebooks, categorized by genre.

3. Free Kindle Books for Kids – This Facebook page was recently started by Rosilind who blogs at A little R & R, exclusively for children’s books.

4. Inspired Reads – This site publishes a list of free and discounted Christian fiction and non-fiction titles at least once a day.

5. BookSneeze – If you are a blogger, BookSneeze offers you one free ebook at a time, in exchange for a review. I’ve found quite a few good books here.

Once in a while, when I come across another blogger offering her ebook for free (or a Kindle freebie I recommend); I post the links on Facebook and Twitter. So stay connected, if you want to be in the loop :)!

To have new blog posts delivered directly to you, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Q & A: Where do you find Free eBooks? Read More »

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #10

It’s been ages since I wrote a Top 3 Thursday post. I still haven’t got around to reading all the blog posts accumulating in my Google Reader. But today, I came across a handful of interesting posts on Facebook that I wanted to share with you. Here they are…

1. Time Management 101: Stop Trying to “Do It All” @ Money Saving Mom

2. Don’t Waste Your Tragedy @ Striving For Wisdom

3. Home is Where I Want My Heart to Be @ Intentional By Grace

Did you read or write an encouraging blog post during the week? Share the link in the comments below, I’d love to check it out!

To have new blog posts delivered directly to you, you can sign up to receive them by email, or in a reader.

Top 3 Thursday – Edition #10 Read More »

Monthly Goals: December

At the beginning of each month, I share my goals for the month ahead and track my progress on the previous month’s goals.

My goals for November were:

  1. Complete the Good Morning Girls Colossians Bible Study and begin the Advent study. — Done
  2. Complete the Hello Mornings I Peter Bible Study. — Done
  3. Read through the book of II Corinthians. — Done
  4. Read 8 chapters of The Excellent Wife. — Done
  5. Finish reading Everything. — Done
  6. Teach the kids to memorize Psalm 121:5-6. — Done
  7. Read at least 12 books to the kids. — Done
  8. Run for 30 minutes, at least 5 times this month. — Incomplete {I ran only twice}
  9. Get the house organized with the help of this series by Money Saving Mom. — In Progress {I’m a few days behind}
  10. Memorize Psalm 139:1-8. — Done

My goals for December are:

  1. Complete the Good Morning Girls Advent Bible study.
  2. Keep up with my personal Bible study on the book of James.
  3. Read through Galatians, Ephesians & Philippians (I started 2012 with instructions and promises from Philippians; I thought it would be a good idea to end the year reading the same book.)
  4. Finish reading The Excellent Wife.
  5. Read How to Strengthen your Child’s Faith at Christmas.
  6. Teach the kids to memorize Psalm 121:7-8.
  7. Read at least 12 books to the kids.
  8. Use Truth in the Tinsel to have a daily devotion with the kids.
  9. Get the house organized with the help of this series by Money Saving Mom.
  10. Memorize Psalm 139:9-16.

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Are you in the habit of setting weekly/monthly goals? If you do, how did you do last month? If you don’t, how do you keep track of things you need to get done?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive new blog posts by email, or in a reader.

Monthly Goals: December Read More »

Counting My Blessings: 719 to 739

“I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3)

A Gift Handmade, Held, Happy

719. A train the kids made with odd shaped puzzles.
720. A son who hurt his knee.
721. The boys happily singing, “He’s still working on me”.

3 Gifts in Community

722. Prayer support.
723. Encouragement.
724. A helping hand.

3 Gifts Red

725. Our deep red carpet.
726. 3 cycles in pitiable shape but still in working condition.
727. A torch.

3 Gifts Astonishing

728. My crazy to-do list for the next 2 weeks.
729. The weather!
730. God’s grace – I am always amazed.

3 Gifts White

731. My husband’s new shirt.
732. The boys dipping their parathas in curd.
733. 3 pairs of small white socks.

3 Gifts Bright

734. Lyrics of worship songs projected in church.
735. A bright afternoon after church.
736. The laptop screen as my husband and I watch a late night movie together.

3 Gifts Shining

737. Sunlight streaming through the trees.
738. Light shimmering through the marmalade jar.
739. A toy car’s lights that the sons got working.

Are you in the habit of counting your blessings? I mean, literally counting them 1, 2, 3… Would you consider joining me on this journey? Would you dare to live fully, right where you are?

To have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox, you can sign up to receive new blog posts by email, or in a reader.

Counting My Blessings: 719 to 739 Read More »