Is your life so busy you barely take time to breathe let alone pray without ceasing? We think this nugget of truths can help us to focus on God no matter what we’re doing.  Brother Lawrence was not a monk. He was a  wounded soldier, failed footman, and finally a cook and dishwasher and cobbler who lived centuries ago. How can he help us today? Brother Lawrence was known to be ‘sensible of his faults but not discouraged by them.’ People wrote him letters seeking his advice.

His responses were short lessons such as “One does not become holy all at once” and 

“Our only business was to love and delight ourselves in God…”

Brother Lawrence said it was a great delusion to think that times of prayer were different from other times. God is always with us! We are never alone! Before working he prayed:

“ O my God, since Thou are with me and I must now, in obedience to Thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I beseech Thee to grant me the grace to continue in Thy presence, and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections.” 

I love that his book is called The Practice of the Presence of God because we must practice  and practice and practice to form this amazing ‘holy habit’.Christ followers are not perfect but we should be different. We should be working wholeheartedly because we are serving our heavenly Father no matter what we are endeavoring to accomplish.   Mowing a lawn, cooking a meal, washing laundry, bandaging a wound, teaching a child the list is endless but the drive and determination to do our best should be consistent. 

1 Corinthians 10:31 is the focus scripture in the movie Remember the Goal. The coach put it on T-shirts for her team to help them remember, “...whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” Brother Lawrence and the cross-country coach share the same mindset. 

There were many powerful lines in this book but my favorite was pithy and packed a punch, 

“Let us think often that our only business in this life is to please God.”

It’s time to head back to school and find a learning routine groove. What books have caused you to change your life? Join us as we discuss books that schooled us and caused a significant shift in our lives.

 “It strengthens thy heart to do a hard thing” is a powerful quote from A Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli. A cripple boy learns how to survive despite his hardships in this unique novel, includes lessons for kids and adults alike! Jennifer L. Scott’s books: Lessons from Madame Chic, At Home with Madame Chic, and Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic describe what the author learned living abroad with a family in France. She also has a TedTalk on the 10 item capsule wardrobe. Loads of lessons on living with intentionality. The Count of Monte Cristo provided countless lessons:  patience, wisdom, grit, learning how to read people, asking the right questions and, of course, stamina. This book illustrates over and over that people were and still are perplexing no matter what century or country we are in.  Anna Karenina was a confidence booster! Our first Russian novel will long be remembered. What an intriguing  opening! “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” People Fuel had a plethora of lessons such as:  Be Present, Convey the Good, Provide Reality, and Call to Action. We need people but we need to set boundaries to deal with them effectively, the author explains asking clarifying questions. The book, Boundaries, packs a punch in this area as well. We are limited, so we must set limits and uphold them in order to thrive. What a mindset changer Unoffendable by Brant Hansen was! We learned how to practice overlooking an offense by giving grace. It totally reframed our thinking, kind of like swimming upstream.  Living for God not for self was also the theme in Goliath Must Fall. We learned we aren’t David in the story, Jesus is, He is our conqueror. The Tech-Wise Family was a recent read that gave many suggestions to help families be present and live creatively. By making a simple change you can make an upgrade! We are image-bearers to a God that is the ultimate creator, we need creative outlets. We should never consume more than we create. The Gift of Failure explained how learning that comes with challenge is stored more effectively! We should parent for tomorrow, not just for today. The Last Green Valley was an unbelievable journey back to WW2. Times were so hard they were forced to eat grass! The protagonist’s wonderful line can help us all. “I used to think life happened to me but now I know life happened for me.” Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth  taught us to stick with hard things and never quit on a bad day. Mindset  by Carol Dweck pairs well with Grit. When readers see  the fixed and growth mindsets playing out it is easy to choose wisely. We have to rethink our vocabulary, switching out  “You’re so smart” for a much more beneficial “Great effort” “Way to keep trying even when it is hard, it gets a bit easier every time”. The Five Love Languages of Children included a wellhouse of information in filling the love tanks of our children. A simple questionnaire is included to guide parents in discovering their child’s love language. Kids with a full love tank are less likely to act out and in turn will make better choices. Last but not least, The Read-Aloud Handbook by: Jim Trelease is a wonderful resource for parents that want to have a nightly read-aloud time with their kids, not all good books make great read-alouds. It is a huge help in creating a treasured memories in the lives of your children. 

A Door in the Wall ,

The Count of Monte Cristo Part 1, Part 2

Anna Karenina

People Fuel

Unoffendable

Goliath Must Fall

The Tech-Wise Family

The Last Green Valley

Grit

The Five Love Languages of Children

Massie Dobbs

Unbroken

*Some of the links are affiliate links to books and brands we think you will love.

My Brain’s Not Broken (Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD)

By: Tamara Rosier, PhD

“Where’s my phone?”

“ What did I do with my keys?”

“Was that due today?”

“ Wow! That took a lot longer than I thought it would!”

“Where did the time go?”

“I am sooooooo tired.”

This author has ADHD along with 3 of her 4 kids and her husband, so the girl knows well the crazy unpredictable journey that many of us fellow- strugglers are on which may be a bit of a challenge for our neuro-typical friends to understand.

ADHD has many faces along with many misconceptions. The author has her clients come up with metaphors to express their ADHD. Some were like Lucille Ball at the candy factory (where Ethyl and Lucy are trying to wrap the candy coming on the conveyor belt but simply cannot keep up) , dirty babies (even after washing, they’re dirty again), elves moving things around, monsters of many shapes, sizes, and strengths. 

Although very different, most ADHD peeps are passionate, strong-willed, extra extra curious with possibility brains. Most struggle with being patient, completing mundane monotonous tasks, and balancing time (time blindness is a real thing). Usually ADHD folks veer toward divergent creative thinking instead of convergent. 

The author’s daughter described her ADHD as being a misfit toy from the classic Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer cartoon that had a part on  the Island of Misfit Toys. Many think ADHD is a struggle that only affects kids that cannot pay attention. In fact, Many adults are affected and many are hyper focused (completely immersed in whatever intrigues them).

Her suggestions to help navigate successfully include, The Solve-It Grid.

Set a  timer for 20 minutes to complete mundane tasks (homework, housework, paying bills, proofreading…) in increments when working in the yellow quadrant. (Gradually depletes battery)

When the yellow tasks pile up and turn urgent, they turn red! (Kinda like cooking on high heat).

Stressful fight, flight, or freeze becomes the choices in this quadrant which is exhausting and can cause burn-out. Red quadrant may feel energizing but spending too much time here quickly depletes our batteries.

Blue quadrant is our comfort zone default, it’s as hard to get out of as the Molasses Swamp in Candyland.(playing games on our phones, binge watching shows, scrolling Twitter…) We need some time in the blue quadrant but like everything else balance is a challenge. Blue time slowly recharges but too much sends us into the red quadrant (because of things in the yellow quadrant left undone). 

Green is the Happy Place quadrant, it is where we are reminded of what we value. This is the fastest way to be rested, restored, and recentered. The Green requires little (having a meal with family, going for a walk, watching a sunset…) but gives much. Some avoid this quadrant thinking they are too tired but in reality, green gives the most energy!

“He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.”

Michel de Montaigne

Don’t fear the unknown or assume you know all there is to know about ADHD. Let’s embrace strategies as we strive to conquer our quest for balance and help others do likewise.

Let’s meet Henry (14), Jessie(12), Violet(10), and Benny(6) Alden, a.k.a. The Boxcar Children!

Henry is hard-working, responsible, and protective. Jessie is brave, a talented cook and  a great problem solver. Violet is the  quiet and shy Alden. She has sewing skills beyond her years. Benny has the  ability to boldly say what is on his mind, often in a funny way. He loves a cracked pink cup he found at the dump and Jessie’s dog, who he tried to label by cutting  a J out of  Watch's fur.

The Aldens are on the run because they overheard the baker and his wife as they discussed keeping the oldest three children to work while sending Benny to an orphanage. It is hard to believe that this endearing book series met with criticism when it came out in 1924.

“Warner once wrote that the original book ‘raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it!’”

It is difficult for me to criticize hard-working, problem solving, kind and caring kids but there are always those who look for the negative and if they don’t find it, they supply it. These books have given young readers chapter books they are able to read successfully which builds confidence as well as proficiency.  

The first 19 books in the series were written by the author, Gertrude Chandler Warner. She has the kids realistically get older  in her books, such as Henry getting a driver’s license. The rest of the books (20-100+) keep the kids' ages unchanging.

Find out why the Alden kids are fearful of their grandfather and how they got the nickname, 

The Boxcar Children. Find The Boxcar Children’s Cookbook and whip up the stew Jessie made in the cauldron they found at the dump or try your hand at Hobo Stew or Sea Biscuits. The fun thing about cooking for this family is they really appreciate the effort that goes into the task.

What a wonderful take-away from this endearing book, appreciate those around you, be grateful, see possibilities instead of problems, and learn to laugh. A joyful read, indeed!

It’s me again, Hank, the Cowdog…is the opening line in every Hank book by John R. Erickson. This entertaining series about a comical canine who boastfully touts himself to be the Head of Ranch Security has become a favorite for all ages.

Readers join Hank and his sidekick, Dover, while they relentlessly tease Bruno, the boxer, on their uninvited trip into town. When Bruno calls Hank a 2 bit cowdog, 

 Hank replies, “Do you mean that as an insult or a compliment?” 

Back on the ranch, Hank is wrongfully accused and punished for a crime he did not commit, the lack of justice gnaws at his sense of fairplay until he decides to leave. Hank is a might conflicted because he knows Drover is afraid of his own shadow, his hands (er, paws) are less than capable for the job of Head of Ranch Security but Hank hits the outlaw trail anyway. 

He meets a stuttering buzzard who thinks Hank is du-du-dead because of the chicken head Sally Mae had tied around Hank’s neck in an effort to thwart his chicken killing habit. Let’s be clear here, Hank ate a dead chicken, however, he was not the reason for her death, readers will discover the killing culprit in the book.

Soon, our runaway Head of Ranch Security meets the first outlaw on the trail, a beautiful coyote named Missy. This encounter makes Hank’s heart go pitter patter, love is in the air you might say! She takes ‘Hunk” home to meet her folks and as one might predict things begin to get dicey. The situation really heats up when Missy’s  brother, Scraunch, challenges ‘chicken dog’ to a battle!

We get help in this podcast from the youngsters who  really enjoyed the different characters and the Me Just a Worthless Coyote song, and Drover’s dry humor. If you are already a Hank fan or if you are excited to become one be sure and check out 

hankthecowdog.com for cool games like Whack a Coyote, Ranch Memory, & Find Your Age in Dog Years-Yikes!

Remember readers, things are not always what they seem. 

Keep on reading and working towards your dream!

“That’s one more thing I detest about war. It’s not over when it ends.” Lady Rowan

Join Maisie Dobbs as she takes on a challenging case when she is hired by Mr. Waite, an august person who strives to control everything and everyone in his circle. He has met his match with Maisie who works in her own time and in her own way. She knows the value of letting fact, thoughts, observations, and feelings simmer whereas ‘Mr. Gungho’ is full steam ahead. Jacqueline Winspear masterfully weaves mystery with history in this sequel. Readers are invited to solve who’s behind 3 murders and how they are connected, while at the same time readers discover a well hidden piece from the past, The Order of the White Feather.

Maisie is simultaneously searching for Mr. Waite’s missing daughter, Charlotte Waite, and struggling to help bridge the growing chasm between her and her father, while also helping Billy overcome his precarious method of coping with his injured leg before it injures his family. (And we thought we had a full plate!)

Inspector Stratton returns and readers learn that he is a widower with a young son. Dr. Dene, the witty and kind doctor that worked his way across the tracks, is eager to help our hard- working heroine. (Miss Dobbs doubtlessly has sparked their interest.)

Join us in solving these murders before Inspector Stratton and company send the wrong guy up the river. What an amazing job Winspear does of showing both sides of the situation! In a male dominated profession, Maisie excels not by complaining and pointing out injustices, but by action. Actions that are well-thought out and executed with the precision of a surgeon. She plans her day and works toward that end but is not frazzled when a curve ball is thrown her way. We could learn much from Maisie! Let us slow down and strive to thrive and help others to do likewise.

“May I not sit in judgment. May my decisions be for the good of all concerned. May my work bring peace.” 

Maisie’s silent prayer reminds me of the street sweeper quote by Martin Luther King,Jr. May we always do our best in the plethora of endeavors that lie before us.. Let mediocrity be ousted by excellence!

Recipe for The Hungry Place Recap

  Ingredients:

1 horse lovin’ girl without a mom aka Rae

1 hard working creative dad 

1 wise grandma aka Gammer

1 beautiful pony - Princess

1 kind hearted sickly owner - Roland

2 unsavory hired hands - Charlie, the trainer & his wife, Darlene

2 encouraging friends - Tully & Sam

1 concerned owner of pony camp - Tish

Mix together a girl who yearns for a pony and Princess, the pony who loses the charmed life she’s always known for an enduring story of hardship, resilience, patience and persistence. 

   The Hungry Place takes readers on a journey of hope. Gammer tells Rae, “I don’t see you as someone who doesn’t have a pony. You’re someone who’s going to have a pony. Focus your mind on it…eyes wide open for opportunities.”

   Add in wise advice from Gammer who tells Rae not to ask ‘will I have a pony? but instead ask, ‘How will I get a pony?’ When Rae decides to earn money to go to Pony Camp, Gammer tells her, “Money is useful. Don’t fall in love with it though. It’s like junk food, tastes good going down, ½ hour later you’re hungry again.”

   Blend in Roland being taken away in the ambulance, Charlie and Darlene cleaning him out. Ponies being left to fend for themselves for so long they ate the bark off the trees. Sadly, Roland had trusted the wrong people and his ponies had to pay the price.

   Stir in the meeting of an observant guy on a motorcycle and a brave pony that had never asked a human for anything in all her life.

   Princess is taken to Tish’s pony camp, where the vet doctors her wound and Tish is given strict instructions on how to feed the starved pony.

   The only pony Rae’s been riding is the metal one her dad created out of garbage he’d collected. She named him Rusty. Rae tells Tully and Sam that “ponies don’t panic. They think.They live longer than ponies. They have a different mind.”

   What has life given you? That’s what you have to work with. Rae uses what she has to move forward, “Without struggle, there is no progress”,  Frederick Douglass once said. Gammer calls these unexpected details ‘spice in the pie’. 

   Variation: “When Princess was abandoned she could be with the other ponies at last but…There were fences here too, invisible, but very real.” Do we put up fences unknowingly? When we, like Roland, choose the easy way for our loved ones, we can inadvertently bring them pain. He kept Princess isolated for her safety but her isolation made her life harder when everything went south.

    Enjoy an unforgettable book uniting a girl with a dream and a pony with a powerful purpose.    

In this podcast episode, we open up our Kid Lit Locker delve into the world of Ted Hughes' classic novel, The Iron Giant. With our special kid guest we explore the themes of environmentalism, friendship, and the power of imagination through the story of a giant metal robot who arrives on Earth. Join us as we discuss the significance of the Iron Man's most memorable moments, from his fiery battles with a dragon to his transformation into a protector of the planet. Along the way, we analyze the similarities and differences with the 1999 movie. Whether you're a fan of sci-fi or just looking for a thought-provoking read, The Iron Giant is a must-read that will leave you questioning the nature of humanity and the world around us.

Also mentioned in the episode for young readers who are not quiet able to tackle The Iron Giant on their own, is a series call Hey Jack.

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