What I didn't get done this week

1) I did not finish my book, The Autobiography of George Mueller.

2) I also did not completely catch up on my New Testament in 90 days.

It was a full week - not all the fullness was happy or comfortable, but I can honestly say it was BUSY.  I've read the Christian Heroes Then and Now biography of George Mueller, so I am familiar with his story and the life he lived fascinates me.  I puposely wanted to read this book slowly and carefully, but I honestly did not think it would take me more than a week to read it.  With that said, this is an AMAZING book.  

I am starting the book of Acts this morning and am excited to read it, I really enjoyed the Gospels - the very Words of Christ - especially in light of the Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, but now am excited to see how the disciples walk out their beliefs.

💖So, here is to a new week 💖.  I hope yours is beautiful.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder and Scorch Trials...

So, I read Hannah Swensen number one (this is the book series that Hallmark Movies and Mysteries based their Murder She Baked movies on) and it was just as darling as the Peach Cobbler Murder.  I loved meeting the cast of characters and seeing Hannah come into her own as a amateur sleuth.  I loved how the relationship with her sister Andrea develops through the story, how much her mom meddles in her love life 😄, and how each chapter ends with a delicious recipe!!  I would LOVE to get to visit the Cookie Jar in Lake Eden.

I also listened to the Scorch Trials (checked it out from the library) and love how you literally hit the ground running again in this story.  DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK ONE The Maze Runner.  

They made it out of the maze - not without great sacrifice and loss of life, but most of the gladers made it.  Now they find themselves jumping from the frying pan directly into the fire.  Not pulling any punches, the creators flat out tell them they are in the fight of their lives.  Who are the Cranks?  What is the Flare?  How will they make it through this latest test?  Where is Teresa?   This is a great book and I highly recommend it - but don't do what I did and wait until bedtime to listen.  It will grab your attention and keep you up way too late in the night trying to listen for just "five more minutes".

The first half of this year has been brutal.  I have sought to process this by escaping into stories and the reading of books was/is a goal I can meet pretty much no matter what is going on, because I do read fast, and there are always moments throughout even the hardest of days where there is some down time.  The problem's in the growing conviction I have been feeling as I work my way through the Studies in the Sermon on the Mount.  I have not chosen many growing books this year, instead my choices have been more "candy" reads.  So, I am going to do a bit of a mid-year pivot.  I want to finish the Maze Runner series (I thought there were just three, but I think maybe there are four?) and I want to read more in the Hannah Swensen series (I love that series) but each week I also want to choose a book that will challenge and encourage me in my walk with Christ.  I am also reading through the New Testament this summer and I want to be intentional about completing this first thing every morning.  

How is your year going?  Can you believe we are just about half way through it?  I am already counting down the days until the "ber" months...my favorite part of the year!!  

Sermon on the Mount

OH my.  I finished the first study that Kari has published - the one that covers chapters one through thirteen in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  This study has been SO incredibly amazing.  I think there are two quotes that accurately reflect this study:

"We have seen frequently in our consideration of these Beatitudes, that they do show more clearly than anything else perhaps in the New Testament, the utter fallacy and futility of imagining that men can make themselves Christian by their own efforts." pg. 123

Yes, yes they do!  

and then on page 121:

"If we are truly Christian, our desire must be, however much we may fail in practice, to live for Christ, to glory in His name, and to live to glorify Him."

Kari summed what life is supposed to be in this one beautiful line yesterday: 'for His glory and my good'

Life is meant to be for His glory and that is my good.  

If you haven't yet looked into this study, I HIGHLY recommend that you do!!  It is truly a life-changing study.  I can't wait to embark on the next portion, will you join me?!?!

Peach Cobbler Murder

By Joanne Fluke

This was a darling, darling read.  The Hallmark cast is PERFECT for every single character...except for Mike.  Cameron Mathison is just too nice to play Mike.  But Hannah and her mom and sister - PERFECT casting - exactly how I would imagine them 😊.

Two sisters Shawna Lee and Vanessa Quinn moved back to Eden Lake and opened the Magnolia Blossom Bakery,  This is NOT good news for Hannah Swenson.  The book opens with her normally busy bakery, all but empty, quiet, and her looking around trying to figure out how to keep it afloat.  And to top it off, her business partner Lisa is getting married.  When her mom, Norman, Norman's mom, and Hannah's sister Andrea get involved, they originally want to just compare peach cobblers to see if Hannah really is the top baker and will be able to hold out until the novelty wears off and the 'usuals' return to the fold.  But what always happens with Hannah?  She, trying to be a good neighbor, walks in and finds a dead body. 

The conversations, her cat Moishe, the mystery....this is such a cute read!   I loved it so much I just went back yesterday and checked out number one in the series.  (Peach Cobbler Murder is number seven)

PS I bet I end up buying some of these books because the recipes look SO good that I want to try them this coming holiday season.

PSS I made it to 52 books with the Clean Mama book I finished a few days ago!!  I think I am going to push on to 104 💖

22 years

This week my husband and I celebrate our twenty-two year anniversary 💖.

Twenty-two years of friendship, love, good times and very hard times.  

So thankful for the gift of my husband!

Richard - 

I love you SO very much.  

You are my favorite hello every single day.

You are my favorite shoulder to cry on and my favorite person to belly laugh with.

I miss you when you are gone and am SO SO thankful when you are here.

I love that you work so hard for us - such a great example to set for our teens.  They know that you don't quit until a job is done, that you do your very best, and that it's ok to ask for help.  They get that from you.  Such a great example.

Thank you for asking me to marry you, thank you that you have been so faithful and kind and generous and such a rock for us.  Happy Anniversary 💕.

Clean Mama's Guide to a Peaceful Home

Roughly fifteen years ago I first heard of the Fly Lady routine and it sounded amazing...the only problem was I that had a baby and two toddlers.  To say life was overwhelming was an understatement.  So I gave up and just did what I needed to do get by, but nothing stellar or amazing and made little to no progress on clutter.  Which always seems to multiply faster than it should.

Years later I stumbled across a cleaning post from one of my favorite bloggers Roan (Joyful Johnsons - her link's on my side bar).  She did a post about the Clean Mama routine and I was intrigued.  I searched and found the Clean Mama blog, read her idea of a cleaning schedule routine, and decided to give it a try.  I found her routine to be so much easier for me than Fly Lady's, but still cleaning and organizing - creating that habit and sticking to it - those are two of the most difficult habits for me to stay on top of.

So when I saw Becky Rapinchuk's (aka Clean Mama) book, I knew I wanted to read it, because like I said, even after all of these years of trying...this habit is still one I consistently fail at.  

Honestly, I can't remember now if I saw this book at Target and snagged it or if I ordered it from Amazon?  Either way, I got it with the intention of reading it immediately...and then a year passed 😒. 

*sigh*

Becky describes this book as a love letter to your home.  It is an interactive book that is full of great ideas, encouragement, and practical instructions on how to form the habits that are the heart of the "clean mama routine".  I love the reminder on page xiii *of the intro* that says "The goal isn't to reach perfection: your only task is to find the best way of doing what needs to be done for your home and family."

As always when you tackle one area of your life, it will spill over into others.  Tidying is about so much more than just dusting and vacuuming.  It is about discipline and contentment and consistency.  It is about tackling and limiting those distractions that creep in and steal time and sabotage your priorities and goals.  I am so glad I made the time to read this book. 

*bonus* she lists her tried and true recipes at the end (*not to eat*).  The other book I am reading this week is Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanna Fluke (💖YES 💖it is the series that 'Murder She Baked' from Hallmark is based on!!!!) and it also contains some recipes - those though you can eat!!  😋

The Maze Runner

I read this book years ago. I vaguely remember parts of it, but decided it was time for a re-read.  The month of May bamboozled me and I needed something easy and engaging to finish the month.  

I like how the book begins - bam - you're right in the middle of something, feeling the angst and confusion right alongside Thomas - trying to figure out what in the heck is going on.  It takes a little bit *even as a re-read* to get used to reading the words they have made up, but soon enough you are right there with them - hearts pounding - running the maze, trying to figure out how Thomas and the 'new girl' are connected, and just what are those horrible Grievers?!  

I think I will go ahead and just re-read the entire series.  In thinking back, I am fairly certain I never actually finished it.  I am almost positive I read book one and book two, but for some reason I lent out the series before I read the third one.  And then, I think it took the person so long to return my books, I moved on to other things and just never came back to it.