A Mother's Secret by Amy Clipston

I came into this book without reading the first book. I was leary thinking that I would miss something and couldn't follow. This wasn't the case. It was a great story about someone failing to forgive herself knowing God had already forgiven her. She had to learn to forgive herself and move on past a hurt. I look forward to the next book! At the beginning of the book, there is a glossary of Amish terms and then for the first time in an Amish book there are family trees so you can refer back and see how everyone is placed and related. I really enjoyed that.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

"Mom! Did you know Cain killed Abel over broccoli?"

Leave it to my son to teach me to dig deeper in a childhood classic of the bible stories... I thought to myself, just why did Cain kill Abel? Of course over the years, I had forgotten why. If you read in Genesis 4, you find out Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the Lord. Since Cain brought offerings from the soil (which could had been broccoli), he didn't feel like his offering was as good as that of what Abel gave. There begins jealousy. Even God warned Cain against his anger. Yet in a 5 year old way - "Cain got a jaw bone to a donkey and got as mad as the HULK and hit Abel in the head and it killed him."
Later I was asked did God forgive Cain. Thankfully I had time to look up the story myself to read ahead to see what happened to Cain. He said that his teachers couldn't answer his question and told him that God has a good heart. I told him that since he did something very bad, God punished him and he had a very hard life; however, the Bible doesn't tell us what finally happened to Cain. I was then able to share with him how we have to ask God for forgiveness when we do something wrong.

Then as I thought about the story.. I thought.. how many times to do we see God showing favor to those around us, and we sit and think we don't receive as much favor... then our thoughts turn to jealosy, when we think we need as good of a life. It is hard at times to just focus on life and not look at those around us, but we need to focus on the good of our life and be thankful for what God has blessed us with. When we show God we are thankful for what we have... we can be blessed with more - something I often tell my children about their toys, etc.. Be thankful for what you have or you won't be getting anything else... How many times does God want to tell us that?

The other night he also showed me this knight outfit and how he really wanted it to have this certain sword. I told him he had a knight outfit almost just like that. He said he really needed that one. He could put on the Whole Armor of God, if he had that one! I had to laugh and think that my child just related his toy need to scripture. ha!

REVENGE

Romans 12:19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD.


Last night, my son comes to my room when I thought he was alseep. He said, "Mom we forgot our devotion. Where's my Bible book?" The devotion was on if a friend hurts you or says anything bad, do not be ugly to them in return. He looks at me and says, "That's REVENGE, right Momma?" Yes! He said he had also learned that at school. I shared with him that means God really wants him to pay attention to what He is trying to tell him. The verse in the lesson is above.

So many times at adults, revenge is so much easier than letting and waiting for God to be the one dealing out the payback.
In today's society there is even a show called REVENGE. I don't watch it but I get the jist of a girl dealing out Revenge for a friend. Once again the Media has brought it to many different worldly ways, and I can see that just in the preview that I am subject too. Where's the show where the person is nice to the mean one and helps change their heart?

By human nature, we want to seek revenge or if someone does something to us or our family, we want to figure out a way to make that person miserable or unhappy. God wants us to be patience and let him seek revenge.. just a thought for today... it's hard... but maybe with God's help, we might can try today...

Mom's Night Out - A great movie for all moms!

I broke away from reality and took my sister's offer up to go to a girl's night out to supper and a movie. I had seen the picture of the movie, but I really had no clue what it really was about. It was such a blessing to laugh for an hour and leave uplifted. This is a great movie for any mom! We all get high strung over everything not going right, but then in the end... it's the impression we leave with our kids is what matters! It is a movie that leaves you inspired to go home and try again.. Isn't that what all of us moms do... try daily.. mess up.. go to bed.. and try again!!
I'm so thankful for a good Christian film!

The Great American Slow Cooker Book by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

This cookbook isn’t for me. I didn’t realize there were 3 types of Paprika before I received this book. I have no idea what tawny port or cardamom is. I do applaud the writers for making a wide variety of healthy recipes that are included in this book. I like how there is things like “Ingredients Explained”, “Tester’s Notes,” and “All-American Know-How” at the end of each recipe. These are very interesting to read. As a working mom with a busy lifestyle, I just don’t see many of these recipes happening unless I plan ahead to get all of these ingredients. I had never seen anything by these writers before. This is first time to get a cookbook to review.
This book is for those that keep a wide variety of seasonings and wines. This is for the person that loves trying many different varieties of food. For those who cook everything from rabbit, lamb, duck, crab, turkey, veal, to the regular items of chicken – this book is for you. I didn’t see a deer recipe section. There is even a vegetarian chapter.
There are not a lot of picture of the recipes. The recipes are laid out in a good form, esp how they break down the areas of the different sizes of crockpots, I just would wish it would give the servings per each breakdown. I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review."

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Seasons of Tomorrow ~ Amish Vines and Orchards

Seasons of Tomorrow ~ Amish Vines and Orchards, Book 4 by Cindy Woodsmall
The book gives the description, “Rhoda Byler feels freer than ever in the Old Order Amish settlement she helped to establish. Healed from past wounds, she focuses on nurturing the orchards in her care and pursuing God's plan for her unusual gifts. When a horrible tragedy occurs, what will become of the bright future that just recently appeared?
The moving culmination in this popular Amish romance series, Rhoda Byler finally has the confidence and freedom she's always longed for in the Old Order Amish settlement she helped establish with the King family. But can faith, hope, and most of all love prevail when a horrible disaster strikes?”
This was a good series with a good book to end the final story. I think the story could had been condensed to 2 or 3 books, but I really enjoyed the stories of Rhoda, Leah, and Jacob. The book leaves you thinking about how strong the bond of family should be and how keeping family a priority keeps one strong. This would be a good series for something that enjoys Amish fiction. I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this honest review.

Plain Faith A True Story of Tragedy, Loss and Leaving the Amish

Since I love reading about the Amish, this was a book that I wasn’t going to pass up. To read a story written by an Amish couple that has experienced the grief of losing their daughters and in return find a relationship with Jesus. I have read Amish and admired the way they live and simplicity of it. In return forgetting that some might get accustomed to their beliefs and way of life and yet forgetting the personal relationship we are to have with Jesus. This is true with anyone in any “religion”. We are to strive to live life for that personal relationship, to know our heavenly Father is there for us through anything. This is a true story written by the couple. I like the way it is broken down so you know exactly who is talking to you and telling that part of the story and how they take turns sometimes telling the same story in the way they say it happened. They include letters that they had written and ones they had received. This is like sitting down and listening to someone tell their story.
It is just another example of how God uses pain and hardships that come to His good – to turn people towards the heart of His heart and to better maybe not only a few people but many.
Thank you to the BookLook Blogger program and Zondervan for this book to review in exchange for my honest review.
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