Friday, September 30, 2011
Happy Friday!
31 Days
To see all of the 31 Day-ers, click here.
I've seen a LOT of 31 Days of Change posts lately, but wasn't sure if I wanted to step on the bandwagon or just run fast, and run far. Particularly since I have not really blogged a lot lately and have pretty much lost whatever following I used to have.
Teri Lynne's 31 Days of Joy
Dana's 31 Days of Simply Living
Stacey's 31 Days of Being Still
Happy Chaos
This book, however, is less celeb-bio than parenting how-to guide. I did appreciate much of what she had to say--and I wonder if it's a testimony to the celebrity culture in California that she felt like she was the only mom in the entire world to feel like a failure. Really? I've felt like that before. Often. So have my friends, and I count many friends in three states. And we talk it through and encourage one another. This makes me wonder about her feeling like she had no one to share her doubts with, even just five years ago when her oldest was born. I am glad she found support online. (My oldest is about to turn 15, for the record.)
The best parts of this book are when she ties real-life experiences from her permissive upbringing into her real-life parenting experiences. The rest was just okay for me.
A final note: the title is awesome: Happy Chaos. May all our homes be filled with both happy chaos and forgiveness for our own myriad mistakes as parents.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Fiction Class
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Fall Into Reading 2011
For participation info, click here.
My List:
Happy Chaos - Soleil Moon Frye (library)A Whisper of Peace - Kim Vogel Sawyer (my shelf; late arriving book review book)The Fiction Class- Susan Breen (my shelf)Wonderland Creek- Lynn Austin (book review book)Lucky Baby - Meredith Efken (my shelf--just arrived from Paperback Swap!)Hamlet- William Shakespeare (in the lit book I'm teaching from this semester)and...a re-read of Sara Horn's My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife in preparation for a Proverbs 31 challenge (click button in sidebar for more info!)Love on the Line- Deeanne Gist (book review bookRemembering You- Tricia Goyer (book review book)Baby, It's Cold Outside- Susan May Warren(book review book)
- Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant (NetGalley on Kindle)
- The Shakespeare Manuscript by Stewart Buettner (Kindle)--did not really like all that much.
- Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares (library find)
- Best Staged Plans by Claire Cook (library find)
- My Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure (This was my first library loan on my Kindle! What an awesome program!!!)
- Murder by Mocha by Cleo Coyle (10th Coffeehouse Mystery book--original ones recommended to me by my Nattie, back in the day...)
- All That is Bitter and Sweet by Ashley Judd (it was okay, difficult read)
- Delivery by Diana Prusik (disliked the book until the very end....)
- Give it All, Give it Now by Annie Dillard (short gift book)
- Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos
- Harsh Pink by Melody Carlson
- The Pioneer Women, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story by Ree Drummond
- One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Extreme Makeover Home Edition Review
100 Days Left
Monday, September 19, 2011
Military Life
Good morning! Welcome to my moderately-active blog about being a chaplain's wife!
My name is Pattie and I'm a military chaplain's wife, a mom of two girls (a teen and a tween), a teacher, a writer, a volunteer...so many hats, and only one head on which to perch them!
We recently relocated to Alaska (the Last Frontier) courtesy of the US Air Force. So lately it's been about settling in, and learning the area, and figuring out the schedule of chapel activities, dance taxi, work, etc.
I am back in the classroom this fall after 5 years outside the classroom. I love teaching again. Such a gift!
So as I stick my big toe into the blog waters again, put your link in the comments and I'll stop by when I'm not driving to the dance studio or grading essays :)
Friday, September 16, 2011
Alaska
Quick Friday Takes
- I haven't blogged in so long, I've forgotten how...almost!
- I spend most of my online time on Facebook, or email, or researching for my class I'm teaching (Reading and Writing).
- I'm thinking about a break from Facebook.
- By deactivating my account.
- Just during the weeks I'm grading research papers and finals.
- Because what I discovered is, if I have to, I can work hard when the computer is off.
- I'm behind on my Wives of Faith editorial stuff.
- Just looking at the emails piling up stresses me out.
- I'm about to take my dog to the groomer's.
- We're settling into life here in our new state.
- It's pretty much just as busy as everywhere else---school, work, chapel activities, base activities.
- Except surrounded by mountains and trees changing colors to suit the autumn.
- We're fine.
- Really.
- I do miss my friends in the "lower 48" a lot.
- I'm making new friends.
- But that takes time.
- I haven't been writing and I feel all pent up with words.
- I also feel like I'm missing opportunities for expression.
- But I'm not sure.
- I still fight the spectre of insecurity, the sin of not trusting.
- But in many other ways, our life is blessed, and happy, and busy, and good.
- How about you?
Monday, September 05, 2011
CFBA presents A Whisper of Peace
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and numerous grandchildren.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ostracized by her tribe because of her white father, Lizzie Dawson lives alone in the mountains of Alaska, practicing the ways of her people even as she resides in the small cabin her father built for her mother. She dreams of reconciling with her grandparents to fulfill her mother's dying request, but she has not yet found a way to bridge the gap that separate her from her tribe.
Clay Selby has always wanted to be like his father, a missionary who holds a great love for the native people and has brought many to God. Clay and his stepsister, Vivian, arrive in Alaska to set up a church and school among the Athbascan people. Clay is totally focused on this goal...until he meets a young, independent Indian woman with the most striking blue eyes he's ever seen.
But Lizzie is clearly not part of the tribe, and befriending her might have dire consequences for his mission. Will Clay be forced to choose between his desire to minister to the natives and the quiet nudging of his heart?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Whisper of Peace, go HERE.
That said, however, I do think that if you're a fan of gentle romance and historical Christian fiction as comfort reading for yourself, this would be a good choice for you.