Book Review: Sparkly Green Earrings

Author: Melanie Shankle, from The Big Mama Blog
Publisher: Tyndale House
Pages: 240

Sparkly Green Earrings is a memoir written by my favorite blogger, Melanie Shankle, author of the Big Mama Blog. I started reading Melanie's blog around 2008, but eventually went back and read every post she ever wrote.

Much of Sparkly Green Earrings, was familiar to me from reading her blog. However, it was worth reading because she added life lessons and spiritual depth to what might just be a funny story on her blog. Everyday that she posts on her blog I look forward to pulling it up on my computer and reading.

Though I don't know Melanie personally, I have read her blog long enough to know her voice. She wrote her book in the same flippant and entertaining style that she writes her blogs, staying true to her voice and who she is. She is well-versed in pop culture and can always manage to squeeze in a line or two from a favorite song ("well-versed"... get it?) or reference something that has recently happened. (By the way, that was a Melanie-style sentence right there, just in case you needed an example.)

I laughed, cried, my ovaries ached while reading Sparkly Green Earrings.

After talking about the birth of Caroline and the moment she was placed in her arms, Melanie writes, "...like I was looking straight into the face of God. A God who had just blessed us with more than we ever could have imagined."

Prior to this, Melanie had talked about her miscarraige.

She continued, "How amazing that he brings life this way. Through pain and hurt and the ugly things inside us we try to keep hidden away. The things we don't talk about. In that moment, as I looked at my little girl lying in my arms, I realized this whole process was such a striking picture of how Christ works in us. He takes our disappointments, rejections, and hard times, and he makes something beautiful. He creates life and shows us what beauty looks like in places where we look and see nothing.

He blesses us beyond our imaginations, in spite of all the broken roads we've walked. In fact, maybe he blesses us so lavishly because of all the broken roads we've traveled. As if to remind us that he sees us -- really sees us -- not just for who we are at any given moment, but for what we could be one day" (page 46, emphasis mine).

That one had me on my way to an ugly cry, as Melanie calls it. Though I'm not a mother, I am a woman. I am a human. I have disappointments and rejections, and hard times... and I know that God blesses me lavishly. He sees me, not just for the wretched sinner that I am, but for the person he created me to be.

In Chapter 14, Melanie talks about stepping out in faith and leaving her job to be a stay-at-home mom to Caroline. She looks back at times when God has led and how he has always been faithful to her. I can 100% relate to the struggle of knowing that God has been faithful, but being faithless myself at times. But it's amazing how when we exercise that faith, God blesses beyond our wildest imaginations.

As much as this book is about motherhood, it is so much more. This book isn't about Caroline or Melanie. At its core, this book is about learning to trust a God who is bigger than we are. For Melanie, God is teaching her to let go and let him be God through the experience of being Caroline's mother.

In her last chapter, Melanie quotes something that a guest speaker said one mother's day at her church: "When we loosen our grip, he tightens his." That is the essence of Sparkly Green Earrings. It is also what the Christian walk is about -- loosening our grip, and being, to borrow a line from Max Lucado, "in the grip of grace."

There are people who we meet, and people that we may never meet who impact our lives in ways that may never realize until we all get to Heaven and start chatting. Melanie is one of those people who has impacted my life without me having ever met her. I see so much of myself in her. She is real and transparent in her book about some of her insecurities that God is working with her on... and I have those same insecurities at times. Like Melanie, I am an introvert and I have a plan for the way things should be, but just like she is learning, I am learning that God sometimes has other plans. And even if he has other plans, we can ALWAYS guarantee that they are better than ours.

Through reading The Big Mama Blog, and now Melanie's book, Sparkly Green Earrings, I have come to know and understand myself better and trust that I will be a better mother one day for having "known" Melanie. I have always wanted a large family, but because of Melanie I have actually considered that God may only have plans for me to have one child... and that's okay. That would never have been okay with me before. Because of Melanie, I've realized that even now when I don't have children, that it's okay if I feel that it's necessary to sit in a closet ALONE and cry if necessary... or go to my bedroom to get away from people for a while. Because Melanie is so real and so honest about who she is, I have been able to see myself in her and come to know and understand who I am and what I need to function at my best.

If you want to laugh or cry or understand God a little better, I highly recommend Sparkly Green Earrings. And for your daily dose, check out The Big Mama Blog.

You can purchase Sparkly Green Earrings (click the link to go to her webpage about the book) at Barnes & Noble or Lifeway or purchase it online at Amazon. I'm sure it's available in lots of other places too as Sparkly Green Earrings debuted at #27 on New York Times Best Seller's list!
 

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

Author: Susan Cain
Publisher: Broadway
Pages: 352

Disclaimer: I received this book for free through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking was a great read. Written by an introvert, Susan Cain, who was a quiet and soft-spoken lawyer on Wall Street. Susan had the ability to be a powerful negotiator, not in spite of her introversion, but because of it.

Part One: The Extrovert Ideal
Part one discusses the cultural shift from a society that valued character and integrity to one that valued personality and gregariousness.

Part Two: Your Biology, Your Self?
This section of the book explores physiological and psychological studies done concerning introversion and extroversion to discover how our temperament is an intricate part of who we are.

Part Three: Do All Cultures Have an Extrovert Ideal
This section looks at other cultures and what their “ideal” temperament is considered by society. It especially focuses on the Asian culture and the value that they place on thoughtful study and meditation rather than socialization.

Part Four: How to Love, How to Work
This is where the book brings it all home and becomes very practical by giving advice for when you should act outside your temperament and how; how to talk to members of the opposite type and the value in conversations with opposites; and how to relate to your introverted child.

As an introvert myself, I really enjoyed this book. It took me quite a while to get through, though not necessarily because it was boring. I think more because I’ve been spending my time lately on things other than reading. It was a fairly easy read, but still one that I would have to read in sections and then spend a few days ruminating over the information I had learned.

I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced this book recently in conversations with both introverts and extroverts. It has been a very valuable source of insight into my own temperament and the reasons for it. Though I had come to a point that I had learned that I was definitely introverted and that my temperament was normal and ok and a healthy part of who I am and I had learned how I function best and happiest because of my temperament, this book gave me a small push toward stepping out of my comfort zones at times as well. This book also encouraged me that there are many others out there like me and that I AM normal.

I highly recommend this book if you are an introvert, married to an introvert, the parent of an introvert, friends with an introvert, the child of an introvert… or just ever come in contact with an introvert. And considering that introverts make up approximately 1/3 of the people we know it’s safe to say that you have a few in your life.

You can purchase Quiet online at Amazon or from your favorite book store.

Book Review: Lovelier than Daylight

Title: Lovelier than Daylight
Series: The Saddler's Legacy

Pages: 358

Author: Rosslyn Elliott

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their BookSneeze program in exhange for an honest review.

Susanna, a woman of principles, is headed off to college at Otterbein College in Westerville, OH in the summer of 1875. She stops by her sister’s house to visit with her before arriving in Westerville and discovers her sister and children missing. Her sister Rachel’s alcoholic husband, George, tells Susanna that Rachel has left and taken the children to orphanages.

Susanna tries to get the children out of the orphanage to take them home with her while she searches for her sister. Her efforts in both areas are fruitless.

Johann is a brewer’s son and also writes for the German newspaper. He has an opportunity to go to New York and become a journalist. He struggles with loyalty to his father and staying in the family business and going on to pursue his own dreams and God-given talents.

When a saloon opens in the dry town of Westerville, OH, Johann and Susanna cross paths. Will Susanna be able to look past her preconceived ideas and balance righteousness and love? Will Johann make the right decision between duty and his dreams? In the hunt for her orphaned nieces and nephews and her missing children, will Susanna find them… and more?

Lovelier than Daylight is a story based on the real Westerville Wiskey War of 1875. The characters in it are based on real people from Westerville and their stories all rolled up into one.

This was a really good book! There are several other books from this author using characters in this book. I would love to read them all.

Each character was well-developed and strong… and different. It was easy to keep them separate because each had their individual personalities.

This book raises questions of real issues such as whether or not alcohol is acceptable to drink. It also presents real problems like abandoned children and the reasons their parents abandoned them. Many of the struggles that the characters faced are ones that we can all relate to in some way, such as Susanna’s stuggle with finding balance between righteousness and extending grace and trying to find the relationship between the two. Many of us can relate to Johann as he struggles to make a decision based on what he wants versus what his responsibilities are. We can relate to Rachel as she struggles with the consequences of her sin, because we have all sinned. And so many of us can admire Uncle Will and Aunt Ann and their gentle, quiet ways of standing for right but giving so much love and grace at the same time.

This was an excellent, well-written book with a fantastic storyline. I highly recommend reading this.

You can find more information or purchase the book by visiting the Thomas Nelson product page.

yum!!!

I was doing SO great this past summer eating a vegan diet. I felt good physically which helped me feel better emotionally/ mentally. I was loosing weight, which always makes a girl feel better about herself (unless you're one of those rare birds that needs to GAIN weight). Then I fell off that wagon.

So I decided that after the holidays it was time to reset my body and restart my healthy eating. I decided that I would do this by having a diet consisting mostly of smoothies for a week or so, just to make sure I'm getting a LOT of fruits and vegetables and all the vitamins that come with those. I knew it would give me a boost of energy, kickstart my diet, and also to help eliminate cravings.

When I make a smoothie, it usually is an entire pitcherful, so... about a quart. If I don't drink all of it, I put it in the fridge for later. I don't know how it would taste the next day, because they've never lasted that long.

The one I made this morning was so delicious that I just HAD to share it with you. I wish I could pass you my cup right now to let you have a taste... except ew. Germs.

Green Pineapple Smoothie

1 can of pineapple
2 small ripe bananas
1/4-1/2 cup oatmeal
1 small handful of kale
1 small handful of spinach
1 dash cinnamon
1 splash vanilla

Drain pineapple, but reserve the juice. Put everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Add pineapple juice as needed.

I had some frozen pineapple so I tossed a few pieces in my blender instead of ice, just to make my smoothie cold. You can use ice if you want.

This was truly delicious and VERY sweet. Almost too sweet. If I were to make it again, I would use less banana (or a less ripe banana).  I just have a plain Jane blender, but I let it run for quite a while (5 minutes?) until my smoothie was completely smooth.

Servings: 2
Calories: 285
Fat: 1.8 grams
Protein: 4.3 grams

Book Review: Waiting for Morning

Title: Waiting for Morning
Series: Brides of Last Chance Ranch
Book Number: 2
Author: Margaret Brownley

Summary:

Molly is no stranger to sorrow. She lost both her mother and father and is the only one left to care for her crippled brother. She maybe the one who was responsible for his accident and subsequent injuries as a child, but now she is the one responsible for his well-being. After narrowly rescuing him from the fire that destroyed their home and almost all of their belongings, she responded to ad for an heiress to a ranch in Cactus Patch, AZ. Should she be made heiress she must sign a contract agreeing to never marry. It seems like a dream come true -- provide a home for Donny and having the means by which to care for him. The little thing about marriage was no big deal since no man would ever want a woman with a crippled brother that required her constant attention.

And like any good book, things never go as the characters think they're going to go...

Dr. Caleb Fairbanks thinks he can help Donny, but Molly is skeptical. Her brother has seen a lot of kooky doctors. Can Molly trust Caleb with her brother... and her heart?

Reaction:

I LOVED this book. The characters were well-developed. Molly was sweet and kind and unselfish and strong. She struggled with real problems that each of us face. Caleb was kind and funny and interesting and patient. Patience is something Molly has a hard time with so Caleb's character balanced her. The other characters in the book weren't just names thrown in for filler, but truly well-developed supporting characters. From Aunt Bessy to Eleanor to Jimmy to Rosita, each character had a personality and I could picture them in my mind as I read the story.

This book was well-written and interesting and predictable but not too much. I wish I had another book in this series to read right now!

Where to purchase:
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Amazon.com
or your favorite Christian bookstore

*I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review*

Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines' Life with Progeria

Title: Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines' Life with Progeria

Authors: Hayley and Kerry Okines

I received this book for free from Amazon.com because it was one of their free Kindle books offered at the time that I received it. I am not required to post this review in exchange for this book. I am simply reviewing it for your benefit.

Old Before My Time is a book written by Hayley Okines and her mother, Kerry, about Hayley's life with progeria. Progeria is a rare genetic condition that produces rapid aging in children. Children with progeria age, on average, about 8 times faster than someone without the disease. This results in the the person experiencing many of the same health problems that the elderly have and most of these children die before the age of 13 from heart disease or a stroke.

I learned in dental hygiene school that children with progeria have under-developed mandibles. This results in a bird-like or beak-like appearance. Due to the small size of the mandible they have dental crowding and hypodontia (fewer than normal number of teeth). Children with progeria also experience alopecia (hair loss).

Hayley and her mother wrote this book when she was 13 years old. It is interesting to see the difference in the writing "voice" between the chapters as Kerry writers some and Hayley writes others. In many instances Kerry may have written a chapter talking about her perspective of something, for example, Hayley meeting Steve Erwin, and then in the following chapter Hayley writes it from her perspective.

Hayley's cheerful spirit and positive attitude shine through in every chapter that she wrote. She does not see progeria as something that holds her back, but rather as something that has given her many opportunities that she would have otherwise not had such as meeting Steve Erwin, Kylie Minogue, and Justin Beiber.

Hayley is doing a drug trial to try and slow her aging process. She has seen positive results from this and these are also covered in the book.

This book is not a highly scientific read, but more of an emotionally gripping autobiography written by a girl with a 13 year old mind and a 100 year old body.

I highly recommend it!

Book Review: An Amish Kitchen

 

Title: An Amish Kitchen
Authors: Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kelly Long

The Amish Kitchen is three stories in one book: A Taste of Faith by Kelly Long, A Spoonful of Love by Amy Clipston and A Recipe for Hope by Beth Wiseman.

In A Taste of Faith Fern provides healing for others through medicinal herbs. She is insecure about her size. Good-looking, strong, and kind Abram wanted to be married to the land, not a woman. While caring for his younger siblings while his parents were out of town, he had to make frequent use of Fern's healing herbs due to various mishaps. And of course, they fell in love, but not without some conflict.

In A Spoonful of Love Hannah runs her parents bed & breakfast after her Daed's stroke. Stephen Ash is running from his past and finds refuge in Paradise. He makes himself useful at the bed & breakfast while staying there and he and Hannah become friends... and more.

In A Recipe for Hope, Eve and her husband and boys have to live with Eve's parents for a few months while repairs are being made on their house. Eve and her mother, who have never gotten along, build a relationship. Eve discovers that her mother does love her after all.

I enjoyed all three of the books. The first two were romances while the last was relationship-driven. My only complaint is that the characters fell in love too quickly. I guess that is due to the fact that each of the books is relatively short, but it was literally almost love at first sight in these books.

The cool thing is that the book contains recipes! There are recipes for natural remedies and there are also recipes of many of the dishes that the characters made in the book. I'd like to try a few of them out sometime!

The overall message was inspiring, but I wouldn't say that it was extremely spiritual.

*I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review*