Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight by Karen Scalf Linamen

Do you ever feel like you're stuck in a rut… a deep, wide, mucky rut that you will never be able to escape?

Maybe it's a habit that's been keeping you trapped here for so long. A wrong relationship that you can't seem to make right. Or maybe… life just isn't going the way you thought it should and you don't know why.

Change is possible, and I just discovered 52 ways you can make it happen in your life too.

I've just finished reading Only Nuns Change Habit Overnight by celebrated author Karen Scalf Linamen. She's the best-selling author of Chocolatherapy, so you know she's a woman who really gets it. Plus, she can't keep spaghetti sauce off her clothes either. I like her already.

The subtitle is 52 Amazing Ways to Master the Art of Personal Change. In this book, her premise is that women like us often miss out on the lives we want to lead… not because we don't know how to set goals or manage our time… but because we don't have the skills to move from having the desire to actually achieving that desire.

Linamen examines the reasons behind many common issues women struggle with, like weight loss, relationships, careers. She also looks closely at the reasons why we procrastinate.

According to Linamen, we don't procrastinate because we're lazy, or because we can't manage our time. No,the real reason why I haven't finished replacing my living room baseboards after taking them down to paint five years ago is because of the uncomfortable emotions that bubble up whenever I start the project. (Frustration because I don't know where I put my tools, worry that it won't look perfect when I'm done.) And she gives baby steps to help me get through those emotions and finally get that task finished.

What I appreciated the most is that throughout the book, you're reminded that real change - life-changing change - doesn't happen overnight. After all, this is a woman who wears black because she can't keep anything else clean, so she allows me to keep my unfinished living room walls for a little while longer.

Instead, the change she encourages is a process you can follow step by step. She gives you 52 of them, but following just one might be enough to start a snowball effect of change in your own life.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon so you can find out for yourself.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Every evening (almost) for the past few months, Darian, Cassidy and I have been traveling back through time and across an ocean to the magical land of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Family story time is still a staple in our home, even though both my kids are teenagers now. It's fun to look for books that capture all our imaginations. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas certainly does that. It's a tale of revenge, passion, fantasy, and just a lot of fun.

We're reading the unabridged version, which is full of detail, but we discovered we're hanging onto every word. It's that good.

There are a lot of characters, too, so it can get confusing. Halfway through the book, we created a character chart to help us keep track of all the characters and how they were connected.

The main character, Edmond Dantes, is thrown in prison for a crime he didn't commit. While in prison, he meets a man who changes him forever. When Dantes is finally able to escape the dungeon, he emerges with a new life, a fortune, and a new name, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Able to do anything, go anywhere, Monte Cristo instead chooses to plan his retribution against those who wronged him. His plans are elaborate, and full of twists and turns. And in the end...

Oops, I better not give that part away. But I will say this: the ending is good.

Here are two interesting facts about The Count of Monte Cristo: The story was inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment. Also, Dumas wrote The Count of Monte Cristo within one year - the same year he wrote The Three Musketeers.

Make Family Devotions Exciting with Devotions for Families That Can’t Sit Still by Carolyn Williford

When you call your kids for family devotions, do they roll their eyes and say, "Boring...." ? Family devotions with your kids can easily become routine, repetitive, and unimaginative.

If you've been looking for a way to liven up family devotions with your kids, Devotions for Families That Can’t Sit Still by Carolyn Williford might help. This family devotional book will capture the imagination and creativity of your children, even if they have always been bored with that family time called "devotions." Even your children who enjoy the reading, praying, and sharing type of devotionals will find this change in approach refreshing.

The action-packed devotional guide would be too exhausting to use every night. Williford suggests having family devotions one night a week, making it a fun family time everyone can look forward to.

The devotions were written for kids ages 5 to 12 but they can easily be adapted to use with younger or older children. Even though they're written as "family" these activities could also be used for kids’ clubs or other children programs.

Williford is very precise in giving basic, easy to follow instructions, even listing the materials needed for each devotional activity, so you can prepare ahead of time.

She suggests starting each devotional time with a short prayer, then a Bible reading, followed by the main activity and ending with closing prayer. But you adapt the session to any format you wish for your own family or group.

The exciting devotional activities include laser tag or darts, creative writing, nature hike, scavenger hunt, Bible charades, building with Lego or blocks, scientific experiments, art, clay or play doh, music praise night, magic tricks, servant jar, and games. This devotional book even offers an extensive section for holiday times including Children’s Day and preparing for vacation by burying the Grouch.

For parents and teachers who want to rekindle kids' excitement about spending time with God, Devotions for Families That Can't Sit Still could be a great resource to add to your home library.

Ruth Willms helps Christian parents teach Biblical principals to today's youth. She is the author of The Lion Tree, an exciting novel for ages 8 – 12, and A Christmas Present for Goliath, which retells the nativity story from a unique perspective. Visit http://www.RuthWillms.com to download her free gift to you, How to Introduce Your Kids to Jesus, Their Forever Friend.

Get Started Beading With Four Simple How-to Books

By Paul Dunphy

If you have thought that you would like to start a new hobby, let me suggest beading as a fun one to start. Not only is it simple to start, but it is quite an affordable hobby. To help kick start your beading, here is a list of the books that have helped me to become familiar with beading, finding the right tools and workspace.

1. Jewelry Making & Beading by Heather Dismore and Tammy Powley

"Jewelry Making & Beading" is a book from an excellent series of books that provide definitions and processes in simplified terms so that anyone can pick up the concepts. This one in particular includes step by step instruction for beginner projects. It even includes some of the more complex ones that involve things such as wire wrapping and knotting.

2. The New! Beader's Companion by Judith Durant

Personally, I consider this my beading reference book! This was the second book that I purchased and after getting the basics down, "Beaders Companion" is just that, a companion to provide you with all of the terminology and reference for a huge list of beading techniques. Since some of the topics may be over the heads of the novice, it is suggested that a book similar to the first book listed earlier.

3. Bead on a Wire: Making Handcrafted Wire & Beaded Jewelry by Sharilyn Miller.

This is definitely a book that is focused on the more experienced beader. Upon completion of about 3-5 projects of beading, this book can provide you with the information to create more complex jewelry. Sharilyn has a wonderful way of elaborately describing and detailing all of the advanced techniques. Once you've done a few of the ones illustrated in this book, you will be a pro!!!

4. Marketing & Selling your Handmade Jewelry: The Complete Guide to Turning your Passion into Profit by Viki Lareau

In recommending this book, it is assumed that you may want to make some extra cash on your extra jewelry pieces that you will not be wearing yourself. Viki takes a very good approach to describing all of the skills and factors that come into play in presenting, pricing, marketing and ultimately selling your handmade pieces of jewelry. Now this book may not be for everyone, especially those of you who enjoy beading as a simple hobby to relax after a long week! If you want to pad that emergency fund with some extra cash, this might be the way to go.

With these books under your belt, you will have become proficient in a fun and rewarding hobby that is called beading.

Troll beads are a one of a kind type of jewelry making accessory that has its own individual personality that will breathe new life into your beautiful jewelry. You can find excellent examples at Troll Beads Pieces and more information at thisTroll Beads Directory!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Dunphy

A Review of These High, Green Hills by Ruth Willms

This is the third book in the Mitford series but it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the first two books. This volume is a good read on its own. Beware: you might become addicted to the Mitford small town warmth and have to read the next book in the series and the next and the next, as I did.

The High, Green Hills entails two gentle love stories; one between a near-to-retirement priest and his new artistic wife; the other between the same priest and his parish. If you enjoy the feeling of being connected to your family, friends and community you will love the streams of happenings in Mitford. There is always something of importance erupting in Father Tim’s parish, from lunch time at the popular uptown Grill to the antics of the quaint ladies up on the hill called Fernbank.

Then there are the people on the outskirts of Mitford in the place called The Creek. Poorer than church mice, but resilient, these colorful characters bring new challenges to Father Tim. He might be labeled a stick in the mud, not looking for adventure, but it finds him anyway in an unexplored, dark, damp cave.

Loving the people of his community and driven to be everything to everyone, Father Tim will win you heart and you will be asking: “Are there really priests or pastors like that anymore?”

Ruth Willms is a Christian Children's author who writes stories that bring the Bible to life for pre-teen readers. Her Christian fantasy novel,The Lion Tree, at www.RuthWillms.com shows pre-teen readers how God's love helps them deal with today's problems and teaches modern-day lessons from the Bible.
Ruth Willms also posts daily devotionals for kids and parents on her blog, www.ruthwillms.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Discovering Your Purpose – A Review of Knit Together by Debbie Macomber

Knit Together is written by New York Times bestselling author, Debbie Macomber. This is her first nonfiction book after publishing over 150 novels.

Are you impressed yet? It gets better.

Macomber wrote those novels after being told she could never be a writer. In fact, she was advised to throw away the manuscript for her first novel because it would never be suitable for publication.

Thankfully, she followed her dream, not the advice.

Not surprisingly, Macomber is a woman who believes we were each created for a purpose, and we are meant to dream and take risks.

This book is inspirational, but it is also very practical. In it, you'll learn steps to take in order to discover your purpose, how to set goals that will help you achieve your dreams, and much more.

Most importantly, you'll learn that God has had a wonderful plan for your life since before you were born - before you were knit together in your mother's womb - and He knows exactly what it will take to accomplish that plan.

If you're in need of a purpose and a healthy dose of dreaming, this book is the perfect prescription.

Review of Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On: Trusting God in the Tough Times by Stormie Omartian

One of the books on my bedside table right now is Stormie Omartian's Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On: Trusting God in the Tough Times.

You may be familiar with Stormie's books. She's the author of The Power of a Praying Wife and The Power of a Praying Parent.

Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On is a devotional guide written to help the reader trust God day by day at times when it looks like He's nowhere to be found.

Each day's reading is an encouraging message with poignant examples of God's grace in Stormie's own life and scripture to back up her claims of God's faithfulness.

This is a book I've read many times, yet each time I draw something new from it.

When I'm faced with tough life choices and worry about making a misstep, Stormie reminds me that I can count on God to fight my battles for me... if I step back long enough to let Him.