Something Clever

I have exactly 20 minutes to write something clever.

This Friday at approximately 11 a.m. our house became a shiny beacon of hope -- A door opening wide into an old world made new. It's a fast paced land where information is magically accessed using only my finger tips and the help of my trusty sidekick, Mouse. That's right! The world-wide-web.

Even with the Internet freshly installed at my home, I failed to make a post. :( I did have hopeful intentions, however. I created a new recipe, my take on Carbonara. I planned to share said recipe with you, but I fear my cord for my cell phone has made itself scarce, probably hiding in a box somewhere.

I also want to share with you all my new found passion for exercise. Yes that's right, I the Ex-Perfectionist, have committed to exercising regularly. And, I've kept it up for more than a couple days.

So in the next few days to come, be prepared for a Shawnee Creation (new recipe), an ode to exercise, and hopefully a review of a really great book.

Many Blessings all,

Shawnee

P.S. Did you have President's Day off and what did you do?

P.P.S Thank's Alli for the Starbursts.

Book Giveaway: The One Day Way

With the start of a new year most of us have our minds set on our waist lines and our treadmills. Even if, like me you refused not to make a resolution, you know you're thinking about it.

When WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group offered Chantel Hobbs' "The One Day Way" for review, I was skeptical. I've seen Hobbs' books on the shelves in Christian bookstores before. Something bothered me about a skiny-busty blond selling health and wellness books in a supposedly Christ-centered bookstore.

Perhaps, for some reason I've always disassociated my health goals and my spirituality. I am not saying that "The One Day Way" is boasting Christianity. It's not. But I have never quite been able to grasp the idea that it's okay to feel great about my body and still be a good Christian.

Anyway, when I opened up to the introduction, I nearly (nearly) cried a little. I needed to read this book. Hobbs is totally relate-able. And, my favorite part, is that she is all about putting our perfectionist demons to rest by taking one day at a time, one goal at a time. This isn't a diet book. This is a pep talk in a book -- a motivational coach.

I especially enjoy the personal weight loss stories, the exercise guide and the meal plan. All three are really great resources.

I really am not being paid to say this is a book I will read again!

From the back cover:

"Lose All the Weight You Want, One Meal, One Pound, One Day At a Time!

I've got great news for you: You are about to feel better and look better beginning today! Today is truly a new opportunity for you to reach your weight loss goals. No, you won't fit into your "skinny jeans" today, but I'm going to show you how each day will get you closer to that goal.

Yesterday's mistakes are gone so let them go. You can't control tomorrow, so stop worrying about it. Today is your opportunity to lose weight, get strong, and look great. It won't happen overnight, but you can build a new life by changing your actions immediately and I'm here to show you how to make the changes that will create the new lifestyle you dream of: body, mind, and spirit. Best of all, you will start celebrating right away!

Come on, my friend. Let's get started! By opening this book, I'll show you how to unlock every tool you need to lose weight and get fit —and stay that way for the rest of your life. Success can be yours, what are you waiting for?

-Chantel"

Win a free hardcover copy!

This is a $20 value! To be put into the random drawing, all you have to do is comment on this post with your name and answer this question, "What is one perfectionist ideal that you have about weight loss?" If you would like an extra entry, follow me on blogger. Make sure to post a second time to let me know you are following me. If you are already following me, go ahead and make a second post to let me know.

Once the names are drawn, please check back to see if you've won and send me an email with your address.

All entries must be made by Tuesday at 5 pm pacific standard time, winners will be announced on Tuesday night. I am sorry but at this time I can not ship outside of the US.

P.S. Now that the holidays are over I hope to get back to my regular posting. :)

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Visit the Randomhouse Website to purchase this book.

Another book giveaway? That's amazing!!

That's right folks. After a long day at work and an exhausting evening mudding my ceiling, I am fully prepared to review and giveaway another FREE book!

Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group, sent to me one complimentary book to review and one to giveaway!

Because my blog is a "health and wellness blog for body, mind, and soul," it is my goal to fairly and unbiasedly review products, books, movies, restaurants, etc., that will enhance my readers' lives. 40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day by C.D. Baker is a book that can do just that -- if you let it.

What do I mean? If you're a Christian, or have been around many, it is well known that a lot of us tend to stick to a certain type of legalism. We, (yes including myself) like to follow rules. We obediently go through the motions of church, and pretend to have our lives together. When, in reality, we don't.

As followers of Christ, it's difficult to ask questions; to ask the really hard ones. It makes us feel "bad." More sinful than we already are (as if we could be any more sinful).

So why would a Christian have to "let" this book enhance their life? Well, I hate to be cynical, but if a believer who has always obediently done what is told, without question, ever wants to grown in his or her faith, they're going to have to pull their annal retentive plug!

We need to start asking questions! In this daily-devotional type book Baker assists the reader in doing just that. Each day, the reader has the chance to "break bread" and start a conversation between themselves and with God.

Each daily reading poses a question such as, "Why do I get so angry with God?" Baker then uses personal anecdotes, stories from the Bible and scripture to help answer the question. Each reading is ended with "Food for Thought" and "A Prayer." To help the reader dig deeper into their emotions and to talk to God about how they feel.

I've truly enjoyed reading through this book. 40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day is a book that will remain in my personal collection.

From the back cover:

"Why don’t I have more faith?

Why am I so bored with Jesus?

Why don’t I feel connected at church?

These are the types of questions the religious establishment often makes it uncomfortable, if not impossible, to ask. And by asking them, C. David Baker, author of 40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day hopes to start a conversation in people’s hearts, then with others, and ultimately with God. Many circles of Christianity have led us to believe that certainty and confidence are the proof of true spirituality; questions are discouraged.

But Jesus offered his followers an ongoing conversation—a relationship built around a free, open-ended discussion. Questions were encouraged. They were often impertinent, sometimes alarming, and the religious establishment was distinctly uncomfortable with them … just as it is today.

“40 Loaves is something of a collection of the kinds of questions I felt finally free to ask of myself and of my relationship with Christ,” says Baker. “It’s my belief that these questions are shared by many others who long for the freedom to simply ask them out loud. I hope this book becomes a platform that frees others to search their hearts more deeply and be fed with the Bread of life.”

Each “loaf” here is a big question that stimulates discussion, investigation, and contemplation; it will take hours—or days—to digest. Conversational, inviting, disarming, and real, 40 Loaves nourishes self-examination and offers validation for those who feel discouraged, guilty, or even shamed when the realities of their lives don’t match up with the ideals of the Christian establishment."

How to win your free copy:

All you have to do is comment on this post telling me your favorite way to spend your personal quiet times with God. Please leave at least a screen name! It is important to check my blog by Tuesday evening to see if you've won, then you can email me your contact information.

For an additional entry in the hat, follow me! Please leave an additional comment letting me know that you are following me.

Please enter by Monday, December 21 at midnight! Winners will be announced Tuesday evening.

For more information or to purchase this book please visit RandomHouse.com

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. Book graphic from the WaterBrook Multnomah website.

Christmas Books Winners Announced!

And the winner is...

G.D. in Central Illinois, who said she would also like to give one to her niece who is also her Godchild!

Congratulation's G.D, I hope these books brighten up your Christmas season. :)

Thank you to all for posting. Your comments really touched me. Thank you for all of your encouragement.

Another book giveaway???

Bookmark me, follow me, and keep coming back! I will be giving away another really awesome book next week.

"40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day" by C.D. Baker.

This daily devotional-type book presents answers to questions that some Christians have difficulty with or might be embarrassed about. The author presents very challenging concepts.

This book will definitely help you grown in your Christian faith.

Next week I'll have a full review and give you a chance to win this exciting book.

Picture provided by the Random House website.

That's all I got for tonight folks. Life has been crazy what with the house buying, packing, being sick, etc. We should be getting the keys tomorrow or Wednesday. I may or may not be posting tomorrow. If we get the keys tomorrow, I'll be taking a few loads of stuff to the house. If not, then maybe I'll have a special "house" blog. :)

Many blessings!

Giveaway: A Treasured Gift from Me to You!

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving -- a time for loving and sharing. We can spend lots of money buying expensive jewelry or the latest technological gizmos. But Christmas is about so much more. It's about passing on the gift of God's love. God sent his only Son into the world, to save the world and not to condemn the world. That's what we're celebrating on Christmas.

I think the best presents are kind gestures, a warm smile from a passerby on the street, or a handmade gift from a loved one. God's love is shown in the smallest of packages. This holiday season I would like to share with you the message of God's love.

"Treasured," "God Gave Us Love" and "God Gave Us Christmas"

Treasured written by Leigh McLeroy.

From the back of the book: "Cigar boxes. Refrigerator doors. Scrapbooks and sock drawers and top shelves. These are the places we store our treasures–the keepsakes that tell the story of whom and what we’ve loved, how we’ve lived, and what matters most to us.

God is a collector, too, whose treasures are tucked securely into the pages of his book: a golden bell here, an olive leaf there, a scarlet thread, a blood-stained cloth, a few grains of barley. Each of these saved artifacts reveals a facet of his heart and tells the story of a Father whose most precious possession is…us.
In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides us in discovering evidence in our own lives of his attentive love."

I've really enjoyed reading through Treasured Each chapter is based off of a treasure in the Bible, such as a Fig Leaf or a Fresh Olive Sprig. The treasure, presented as a promise from God, is then examined through the story and the people surrounding it. Finally McLeroy provides a parallel and captivating anecdote from her personal life.

McLeroy is witty, likable and relatable. I could easily put myself in her shoes. This is the first devotional type book that I've enjoyed in a really long time. (And I am definitely not getting paid to say that!)

God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren and art by Laura J. Bryant

From the back:" As Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others… even the seemingly unlovable.

In answering her questions, Grampa Bear gives tender explanations that teach Little Cub about the different kinds of love that is shared between families, friends, and mamas and papas. Grampa explains that all these kinds of love come from God and that it is important to love others because…
“Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.”

This sweet tale will warm the hearts of young children as they learn about all the different sorts of love, while the gentle explanations of each provide a valuable opportunity to encourage children to share with others a “God-sized love.”""

God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren and art by Laura J. Bryant

From the back: As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder… “Who invented Christmas?”

Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that… Jesus is the best present of all.

This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them."

Oh my goodness. Talk about the cutest books ever!

The special child in your life will love and cherish these books. Both books are beautifully illustrated and provide a wonderful glimpse of God that children can grasp.

God Gave Us Love is a beautiful story about God's love being shown in many different forms. Kids will be able to relate to this book as "Little Clubs" asks questions like why sometimes she loves her little brothers but other times she doesn't.

I have to admit though that God Gave Us Christmas was my favorite of the two. The story line of "Mama" taking a journey with "Little Club" to go find God is heart-warming. I especially enjoyed the drawing of the Northern Lights. What an amazing picture of God and His awesome power!

Both of these books will open up conversations with your little ones about God and Jesus this holiday season.

I want to give these three books to one of my readers!

So what do you have to do to get this books? Just simply reply to this post with your name and email address and tell me who you'd like to give these books to this holiday season or the best gift in a small package you've received.

I'll draw a winner out of a hat and post the results by Monday night! (Please note that I unfortunately can not ship outside of the US at this time)

P.S. This will be my last blog of the week as my husband and I are done with our house paperwork and will be signing either tomorrow or Monday! I have a lot of packing and cleaning to do. :) Many blessings all!

All three of these books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

• To learn more about Treasured visit the WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House website http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074815

• To Learn more about God Gave Us Love visit the WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House website http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074471
• To learn more about God Gave Us Christmasvisit the WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House websitehttp://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400071753