Embracing Imperfection

I want to take a moment and thank all of you for your support as I've been doing some guest posts recently. Especially the guest series I've been part of over at Simply Helping Him.  It's been a great way to expand what I write about - let's face it, I simply love the written word - both reading it and writing it.

But today, I have a special treat for you all. Misty, from Simply Helping Him, is doing a guest post for you all.  Oh and she is giving away a book (**admitting a goof.. not an ebook as previously stated, but the paperback book...) she is reviewing!  I know you are excited now.



So I'd like to introduce you to Misty. Misty is a stay at home, homeschooling, Christian help meet, and mother of two wonderful blessings. Her hubby is a self-employed fisherman and a Mainah through and through, thus they live in Maine. You can find Misty blogging about faith, family and life experiences at Simply Helping Him.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever looked another Mom up and down thinking to yourself...."How does she do that?" How about jealously watching a couple stroll arm in arm smiling as they go their way? Chances are this is just the tip of the iceberg for most, if not all Moms.   We truly are our own worst critics. We know our flaws, beat ourselves up about them and try to become the perfect Mom.  

Guess what?!? There is NO perfect Mom!

  In Jill Savage's book, "No More Perfect Moms", you will walk through scenarios as I've just mentioned. All along the way you will discover that your inside can't be compared to a fellow Mom's outside.

     

 Covering topics from your home, parenting and children, to your marriage; you will find your heart touched, your spirit strengthened, and you will walk anew.....should you heed the words so lovingly penned. Take a moment to swing by Jill's corner..... there are some GREAT videos here that correspond with each chapter of the book. Make sure you get the tissues out, the transparency in the videos and throughout the pages are sure to touch your heart right where you're at.

     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now for the fun - a giveaway!

Just fill out the email box - then you will be given a list of options to add to your chances!  No worries, the emails will be kept private.  

Entry-Form

Linked up with: http://www.littlerandr.org/, http://www.thisgirlslifeblog.com/, http://livingintheshoe.com/shoe-lace-linkup-19/, http://www.upwardnotinward.com/, http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/, http://www.simplyhelpinghim.com/2013/05/22/ministry-may-with-wisdom-wednesday-link-up-2/, http://www.mydailywalkinhisgrace.com/, http://www.deeprootsathome.com/, http://judithwholeheartedhome.com/22-thought-provoking-questions-of-the-yielded-life-wholehearted-wednesdays/

Kitchen Stewardship - Bundle of the week

I'm sure many of you are aware of Bundle of the Week. Where there is a weekly special on a group of eBooks. Well I've decided to start sharing them here. Since I know so many of you are into books, and what book lover doesn't love a deal?  So I hope you come to look forward to these bundles. I'm not sure if I'll put them up weekly... that will just have to depend on the bundle I guess!

This week's bundle is focused on Kitchen Stewardship. So check it out! Oh and don't miss the freebie links at the bottom...

Five Minute Friday: Song

Enjoying the songs of the birds, as I write for five minutes this week. Thanks Lisa-Jo for the prompt!

Song

There is no doubt that there are songs that were made to stay in your head, for hours, for days... Of course many of these songs are useless really... but there are some songs that are in my head and they serve a very real purpose.  They remind me of where I've come from, they remind me of who I am, and of my worth.

Do you have songs like that?

Cozy Reading Spot

Welcome to Cozy Reading Spot!  This is your chance to share your posts, and then grab your favorite drink to curl up with and read other's posts.  We share posts on books, reading, and all that is inspiring us.

What's been going on at Reading List this week:

Here's what I've been writing this week, just in case you missed it.

• Guest Post on Simply Helping Him: Number One Mama Tool  
• Fall For Him
• One Thousand Gifts

And, this week I also asked on Facebook if there was any interest in a short series on discipline, and I'm not talking about discipline for our kids.  Chime in if you're interested in the comments, I love to hear from you all!

Cozy Reading Spot & Cozy Book Hop Features

The most viewed link from Cozy Book Hop last week was:

How to Study the Bible While Being a Busy Mom from Tehila at Women Abiding

The most viewed link from Cozy Reading Spot was:

Why I am Boycotting Ambercrombie & Fitch by Amy from Some of the Best Things in Life Are Mistakes

If you didn't already read these posts, I recommend them.

And now please link up all you've got!  

There are just a few small requests I have.

Pay attention where you are linking up, remember there are two different links.

Please link to a direct post, and not just your home page.

Please include a link back to the hop in your post - the button codes are in the sidebar, but a text hyperlink is just as good!

This week I'm going to give shout outs on Facebook and Twitter to all links... so look for it!

And of course, this is a Hop - so hop around and check out the rest of the book lovers and writers and get to know someone!  Building community is the joy of blogging, right?

Linked up with: http://christianmommyblogger.com/fellowship-fridays-and-guest-posting/, http://www.whatjeanlikes.com/search/label/aloha, http://www.missionalwomen.com/faith-filled-friday-blog-link-up.html, http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/, http://bestpostsoftheweek.blogspot.co.nz/, http://myfreshlybrewedlife.com/category/the-weekend-brew, http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/saturday-show-tell-63/, http://www.womanhoodwithpurpose.com/2013/05/17/fridays-link-up-giveaway/, http://www.funnypostpartumlady.org/2013/05/tgif-blog-hop-and-linky-party_17.html

One Thousand Gifts

There are some books that are written because someone went through a life changing event and the audience is moved by the author's response.  There are others that are written to inspire an audience to strive for a better lifestyle. And often times these are pretty good books.

But when Ann Voskamp put together One Thousand Gifts she somehow allowed the life she has lived and the events that shaped her inspire the audience to try, with every breath, to live a life that is truly filled with joy. True joy.

I know many of you have read One Thousand Gifts, but in case it's still on your to-be read list, or your never even heard of it list, here's the basic summary:  This is a book were Ann shares how she has decided to live her life amidst daily responsibilities and long to-do lists of a mother of six and always accept the gift of joy even in the hard and trying moments of life. She shares parts of her life that could and did close her off from really accepting any gifts from God and that in that decision she found herself unable to enjoy life. However, after receiving a little dare from a friend to literally write down things she was grateful for, a list to 1,000, she started to find a joy in life as her perspective honestly changed.