2007 November

Nov 23, 2007

Book Giveaway: In Jesse’s Shoes

Happy Friday, everyone. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Ready for this week’s giveaway?

First, the winner of last week’s book, Every Secret Thing, is Dandelion Momma-Janis. Congratulations!

Now for this week’s giveaway. If the book below appeals to you and you’d like to be eligible to win it, just leave a comment on this post and I’ll put your name in the running. This post will remain open for comments until next Wednesday around noon. I’ll then randomly pick a commenter and announce that person as the winner when I put up the next giveaway. Please make sure that when you leave a comment, there is an easy way to get in touch with you – via email or your own blog. This giveaway is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada. Thanks!

In Jesse’s Shoes:
Appreciating Kids with Special Needs
By Beverly Lewis

“Being the adoptive mother of disabled children,” explains New York Times bestselling author Beverly Lewis, “I have wiped away their tears after frequent ridicule from peers threatened to destroy their self-esteem.”

Because of these life experiences with her children, Beverly saw a need for a book to address not only the ways in which special needs children are different, but also how they are just the same—-and just as valuable—-as everyone else. She wrote In Jesse’s Shoes to meet this need.

Gently showing children how to accept and be kind to those who are different from them, this sensitive yet realistic story follows Jesse’s sister, Allie, as she struggles to understand and relate to her autistic brother—and to the kids who make fun of him.

Beautifully illustrated and lovingly written, In Jesse’s Shoes will encourage families everywhere to appreciate and befriend children with special needs.

Download some sample pages from In Jesse’s Shoes Here.
Read reviews of In Jesse’s Shoes Here.

Filed Under: Book giveaways 27 Comments

Nov 22, 2007

The Why of Giving Thanks: It’s not the What, it’s the Who

written by katrina · 8 Comments

It’s 10:53 on Wednesday night, and those who know me well would tell you that I’m up way past my bedtime. It’s true, I’m usually asleep by now, but at the moment I’m waiting for a batch of Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars to bake. (Hat tip to Susanne for pointing me in the direction of that recipe!) The kitchen has all the yummy smells associated with said bars, my guys are in bed, and the house is quiet. My thoughts have naturally turned toward tomorrow: Thanksgiving.

Earlier this week, by complete coincidence, I came across a piece by John Piper on the topic of true thanksgiving, and it’s captured my thoughts for the last several days. In it, Piper opens by sharing a quote from Jonathan Edwards:

True gratitude or thankfulness to God for his kindness to us, arises from a foundation laid before, of love to God for what he is in himself…

Piper goes on to say,

…Gratitude that is pleasing to God is not first a delight in the benefits God gives (although that is part of it). True gratitude must be rooted in something else that comes first, namely, a delight in the beauty and excellence of God’s character.

[The article explores this concept more deeply and gives some great insight into the foundation of our thankfulness for God's salvation. If you're interested in reading the whole thing, just click Here.]

On this Thanksgiving Eve, as I reflect on this year and think of all the people and blessings for which I’m thankful, the basic message of the article strikes home for me. How often is my thankfulness focused on the “stuff” that I’m thanking God for, rather than being focused on the giver Himself? Whether “stuff” means material possessions (like our house), treasured relationships (like my marriage), or amazing intangible blessings (like God’s mercy or forgiveness), it’s so easy in my thankfulness to put the emphasis on the wrong side.

I’m not saying (and neither are Piper or Edwards) that it’s in any way wrong to be thankful for all the things we’ve been given. In fact, that’s the right thing to do: Ephesians 5:20 commands believers to “always [give] thanks to God the Father for everything.” Instead, I’m saying that I want to make sure I have the right foundation for gratitude laid, so that when I give thanks, I truly honor God. Piper gives an example that says this better than I can:

You would not be honored if I thanked you often for your gifts to me, but had no deep and spontaneous regard for you as a person. You would feel insulted no matter how much I thanked you for your gifts. If your character and personality do not attract me or give me joy in being around you, then you will just feel used, like a tool or a machine to produce the things I really love.

I pray that when God hears my prayers of thanks, this week and always, that He sees something deeper, something far more substantial than an appreciation for the “stuff.” I want Him to see an appreciation for and delight in Him firmly established in my heart.

One more quote, because I can’t hope to say it any better than this:

If gratitude is not rooted in the beauty of God before the gift, it is probably disguised idolatry. May God grant us a heart to delight in him for who he is so that all our gratitude for his gifts will be the echo of our joy in the excellency of the Giver!

Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Filed Under: Faith 8 Comments

Nov 22, 2007

Book giveaway update

written by katrina · Leave a Comment

I clearly wasn’t thinking last week when I posted the book giveaway. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I will be taking a brief break from the giveaways. I’ll announce the winner for Every Secret Thing on Friday morning (which means there’s still time to enter!) and will post the next giveaway then as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Filed Under: General Ramblings Leave a Comment

Nov 21, 2007

Product Review: GLAD SimplyCooking Microwave Steaming Bags

written by katrina · 7 Comments

I think of myself as a baker. I enjoy whipping up a batch of Banana Bread, I make a pretty delicious Chocolate Mint Dessert, and I’m always up for trying out a new muffin or quick bread recipe.

But when it comes to cooking — as in, using the top part of my stove… well, I do it, and I don’t mind it. But it just doesn’t come as easily or naturally.

Take vegetables, for example. While I could, at this very moment, recite for you all the ingredients and instructions for Coffee House Cornbread Muffins and/or Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, I cannot tell you how long to cook broccoli on the stove. I don’t know why, but basic things like that escape me. I prefer to make my family fresh vegetables, but because it always feels like a hassle (I have to dig out my cookbook or my handy reference pages to check cooking times, etc.), I usually resort to frozen or canned veggies. They’re easy, and they usually have instructions on the bag/can.

But the nice folks from GLAD recently sent me some of their nifty new Microwave Steaming Bags, which, it would appear, were made especially for people like me. They are so easy to use: cut up your veggies, stick them in the bag, seal the bag (just like a regular plastic storage bag), consult the information on the bag itself for cooking times, and stick it in the microwave. Minutes later: voila! Steamed fresh veggies. Perfect.

The veggies come out just right every time: flavorful, retaining their natural colors (unlike sad-looking green vegetables that might result from other cooking methods), nutritious. In the past, I’ve been known to end up with overly-mushy and not-so-yummy broccoli when I’ve been temporarily distracted from a boiling pot by, for example, a child who is trying to destroy the living room. But mushy broccoli is no longer an occurrence around here.

But my favorite part of these bags is the information — right on the bag, did I mention that? — that tells me how long to microwave my veggie of choice. No more trying to remember, no more digging out a cookbook.

The only down-side is that the bags are not huge, so they wouldn’t be practical for a large family. But for our group of four, they’re perfect.

Oh, and the directions say to let the bag sit for a little while before opening, because it’s very, very hot. I’d suggest you obey that rule. Just sayin’.

If you look at GLAD’s site, you’ll also see they have a link to a downloadable recipe book that tells you all kinds of things you can steam up in these bags — far beyond my simple steamed broccoli. You can make Ranch Potatoes, Ginger Lime Fish Fillets, even Shrimp Scampi.

Filed Under: Product Reviews 7 Comments

Nov 20, 2007

Three things I’m wondering this morning

written by katrina · 10 Comments

1. What in the world made me think that I could whip out the clippers and give L. his first haircut while he ate some Apple Jacks this morning?

I have zero hair-cutting ability, almost zero experience using clippers, and just slightly more than zero ability to get L. to sit still. I’m afraid to post pictures just yet. I do know that it’s shorter than it was before. Well, in some places, anyway. He hasn’t stopped moving long enough for me to get a feel for the total result. But “uneven” would probably be an accurate description.

2. Do I spend too much time on the computer?

L. brought his Magna Doodle to me yesterday, after he had filled it with much scribbling. It was clear that he wanted all the scribbles gone and a clean slate upon which to scribble some more. Instead of asking, “Do you want me to erase that?” I said, “Would you like Mommy to delete your scribbles?”

3. Why would a company publish a book called My First Christmas [emphasis mine] and then put “not recommended for children under 3″ on it (due to magnetic cut-out pieces)?

By the time they’re three, isn’t it too late for them to have their first Christmas?

Filed Under: General Ramblings 10 Comments