A Healthy Read

For Christmas, I asked for a few books that would deepen my understanding of health and the incredible way the Lord fashioned our bodys to work. I have always been fascinated by health in general. I thought it was so funny when I opened up my present of two liver books. Who asks for liver books for Christmas? Ha! I do!

I'm almost finished with Sandra Cabot's, The Liver Cleansing Diet. I am absolutely loving it and plan to start eating in such a way to improve the function of my liver. Why did I choose to read about the liver?

A year ago, I was having some tests run, and we just happened to find out that I have a "fatty liver". I had never even heard of a "fatty liver" before. I never really followed up on it until now. Basically, having a fatty liver means your liver is bogged down with toxins.  I have no symptoms, but if I don't take active steps to improve my liver now, then it could possibly lead to cirhosis of the liver later in life. Yikes! I'm one that wants to eat well NOW, in my early 30's so that later in life, so that I can enjoy a life of health and not trying to turn over a new leaf in eating patterns when I'm in my 50's or 60's due to this or that health problem (that could possibly have been avoided). 

The liver is the only organ that can regenerate completely! Is that good news or what?! I'm continually amazed at the Lord and how He fashioned us together. What a Creator.

Everyone, not just those with liver problems, needs to cleanse the liver. It's functions as a filter for your body's blood, just like the drain in your kitchen sink is a filter for all that leftover food from dinner. Think of how icky and clogged your drain gets and the same is true about any other filter in your body. It will get bogged down if you don't cleanse it occasionally. Dr. Cabot also says that this is a great way of eating for school-aged kids as well...indefinitely, if you so choose. Or you can just choose to do the eight week cleanse every now and then. However, eight weeks of eating a certain way really helps you take a hard look at your eating habits.

I'm pretty much finished with reading the chapters. I'm now filtering through the recipes that Dr. Cabot gives for this 8 week diet that nourshes the liver with the foods on which it thrives. I plan to blog about it, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Have a great week choosing to eat well!

Your ______-Year-Old

A friend at church recommended this series of books a while ago. We were talking about difficulties I was having with both kids and she encouraged me to check these books out. The author is Louise Bates Ames and the series starts with one year olds and goes through 14 year olds! 

I was able to find the three above at our local library. I have not finished reading them - so I can't do a full review on each, but wanted to go ahead and put them out there. Obviously, we have a little girl that just turned 3. Our son is 4.5 and will be 5 in June. My friend suggested these on the basis of encouraging me that all I was experiencing with my kids was normal behavior for their age. It doesn't mean that its right, it just means that I'm not the only one to have to deal with it, discipline for it, etc. 

So far, they are really helpful in understanding a little better what to expect with each age. Obviously, all children are different, have different personalities and may not fit every description. But for the most part, I've found the book to be pretty accurate to both of my kids (who are still very different!).

I've been reading the three and four year old ones...and if you notice the subtitles of each, three year olds are "friend or enemy" and four year olds are "wild and wonderful." I'm looking forward to age five now! :) "Sunny and Serene" here we come! 

Leah F's "lite" reading suggestions

I love to read, and can easily be drawn into a book to the neglect of other things (like, say, laundry :-). I have always loved to read, and have wonderful memories of filling a tote bag to the brim with library books every week. My parents used to punish me by taking away my books. When I spent the night with my best friend, I took a book (or two) with me, and we read all night. Yes, I am that nerd.

So, I thought it would be fun to give you a list of books that I have enjoyed over the past couple of years. These are generally not educational, theological, or spiritual books (though those themes can be found in many of them). Most are novels. All have been read by me :-) Oh, and if you want to find a list of my favorite "reads" of 2010, check out my post here

Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society--written as a series of letters, this book is a very engaging and unique read .

Kite Runner--I have wanted to read this for several years and finally did last year. The story of two boys from very different backgrounds in Kabul will move you to tears.

Seabiscuit and Unbroken--both of these books by Laura Hillenbrand are non-fiction works that read like fiction. I cannot recommend her enough! Seabiscuit is the story of a horse that defied all odds and captured the heart of America, and Unbroken is about a man who defied all odds and survived being shipwrecked and held as a Japanese POW. These are amazing stories!

The Elm Creek Quilt Series (start with The Quilter's Apprentice)--this series of novels revolve around a group of ladies who run a quilting retreat. Each book includes wonderful descriptions of quilts, and the author has published a couple of companion quilt pattern books as well :-)

The Mitford Years series (start with At Home At Mitford)--I will confess that I don't care much for Christian fiction, and so I dismissed Jan Karon's Mitford series before I read it. Then I picked it up 'just because' after Georgia was born, and I was hooked. Her books are very enjoyable, and highly amusing, too!

Lord Peter Wimsy mysteries (start with Whose Body?)--I love mysteries, and just this summer discovered Dorothy Sayers' Lord Wimsy. He is a delightful character who makes a hobby of solving mysteries--the novels are pure fun.

Mrs. Pollifax series (start with The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax) --More mysteries, this series is about a retired grandmotherly woman who decides in her retirement that she wants to be a secret agent. And through a series of implausible happenings, she becomes one--a good one!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (start with The Lightning Thief)--I will confess that I enjoy reading children's and young adult fiction, and this series is one of my favorite to date. It revolves around children who are demi-gods (half god, half human), and what happens to them. The writing is witty and amusing without being crass.

And what would the list be without some classics? If you haven't, you should read Jane Eyre, Count of Monte Cristo, anything Jane Austen, Vanity Fair, and The Moonstone.

One last thing--did you know that you can download an Amazon Kindle application for your computer, smart phone or IPad? That means that even if you don't have a Kindle, you can take advantage of free Kindle books and read them on your computer or phone!

The Red Sea Rules

This little gem of a book was recommended to me numerous times as we've walked through a tough time over the last six months. (Regarding what I wrote in this post, but the story continued when we found more tumor on my other ovary...then found ourselves pregnant in October and faced surgery to remove my last ovary in January while I was 18 weeks pregnant!)  

I purchased it for our Kindle right before my second surgery and I'm so glad I did! The Red Sea Rules by Robert Morgan is definitely one I'll recommend to others. And I'd even recommend it to someone just facing everyday anxiety and worry as well. (Because ALL Moms face those fears at some point, right!?) 

The author of the book uses the story of Moses, the Israelites and the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) to illustrate how (as the subtitle goes) - "The same God who led you in will lead you out." He has written ten "rules" or strategies for facing fears, anxieties or difficult times specifically.

1. Realize that God means for you to be where you are.
2. Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief.
3. Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord.
4. Pray.
5. Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work.
6. When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith.
7. Envision God's enveloping presence.
8. Trust God to deliver in His own unique way.
9. View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future.
10. Don't forget to praise Him.


Many of these seem obvious and simple, but when you're in the midst of a struggle these are often the first things we forget! It was wonderfully refreshing to read these truths spelled out in practical ways. He uses tons of scripture, antecdotes, quotes and more to teach and encourage us how to trust the Lord in all kinds of situations. 


I urge you to check out the amazon link here to find the first chapter. It includes a journal excerpt from a South African pastor, Andrew Murray, that sums up the book very well. Included in that excerpt is this quote:

"So if you find yourself in a difficult spot, remember: you are there by God’s appointment, in His keeping, under His training, and for His time.

And all evidence to the contrary, there’s no better place to be."

Book Review - "Every Child Needs A Praying Mom"

Hello fellow POH readers! My name is Melanie. My husband, Aaron, and I have two wonderful boys. Josiah is 3 going on 30 and Casey is 20 months old. Our family currently has the privilege of serving the Lord in Thailand. I have been reading POH for the last 5 years and feel honored to be here today.

My friend, Krista, asked me to do a review on the book “Every Child Needs a Praying Mom” by Fern Nichols. Fern is the founder of Moms In Touch International - which is a really great resource for Christian moms. I recently read this book and I have to tell you…it has changed my life. Maybe I’m on my own here, but I have days when I’m pretty sure that nothing I’m teaching my children is getting through. Days when I go to bed and feel like a complete failure. Days when I am not proud of the way my children acted or the way I reacted to them. Days when I feel completely defeated…

Prior to reading this book, I was having one of those weeks where I was really struggling with wondering if I was doing the right thing with my boys. Then God brought Psalm 127:9 to mind. “As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.” As I began to think about this verse I thought about how arrows are aimed at a target before they are let go. Obviously, for our children this “target” would be a life that glorifies God. But then I started thinking about the person holding the bow and arrows - us as parents. What if we lose our focus and our eyes are not fixed on the target? When we let go, we’ll more than likely miss. What better way for us to stay focused than through prayer? That is why I picked this book off the shelf to read and I am so glad I did.

Reading this book has made me realize, more than ever, that we as Mothers have another role to play in our kids lives. Caring for our kids, disciplining, discipleship and showing love are all so important but what about prayer? There is a very real battle going on over the lives of our children. If we believe that, why are we not consistently on our knees fighting for them?

Fern encourages all moms to pray for their children as well as their husbands. She reminded me what a privilege it is to be able to bring my family before the Lord and uphold them in prayer. I love how she really emphasizes praying Scripture for your family. She also gives some very helpful prayer charts and scriptures in the back of the book.

Fern says “I found that if I’m to keep my zeal and passion for God, I must “plan to neglect” anything that would hinder me from prayer. Like anything that brings about great results, prayer requires discipline.”

She also says “How often are you coming into God’s presence? The privilege, the power, the authority is yours. Do you think that Satan could be running rampant in your homes because you are not bringing your husband into the Holy of Holies as often as you should? Are you taking your children in, claiming the Word of God for them?” Ouch.Talk about convicting...

I found her “Four Steps of Prayer” (which are basically taken from The Lords Prayer) so helpful. I think that sometimes I get stuck on one area of prayer (usually asking for stuff) that I forget to praise God and give thanks. 

I believe that every Christian mom should read this book. It offers hope and encouragement as we fight this spiritual battle over our homes and our families. I know you will not regret it.

Book Reviews Week

Hey POHers! It's great to be writing a post. . . it has been awhile since I've written on POH. This week we are doing book reviews. Two books I'm reading currently are Bringing Up Girls by James Dobson and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding 2010 edition.

A fun, easy, and interesting read for any parents of girls. I like Dr. Dobson and his ministry, I think he has a lot of wisdom and insight, and this book is similar to others he has written. It is nothing earth shattering that will cause you to do a 180 in how you parent; it will confirm the things you are doing right and challenge you in areas you have to grow to raise a godly, beautiful-in-the-Lord's-eyes, confident young woman that seeks to live her life for the glory of His Name. I did find myself laughing and crying and dreaming as I read the book and I have even come up with the rough idea for Josh's father's day gift this year. (No, I'm not giving him this book. . . ) There is a chapter, though, with wisdom and insights from dads of daughters. They are one or two sentence snipits and they will bless your heart. . . and put a lump in your throat! Things like, "'Relish the moments when she toddles up and for no reason at all throws her arms around your neck. Resist the urge to buy her the world.' 'Trust her mom to understand the mystery of little girls. You have yet to figure out the mystery of big ones.' 'Be prepared to watch Walt Disney movies with her some 200 times. Each.' 'Read to her often. Very soon, she'll be reading to you.' 'Take her for a walk in the woods. Show her what poison ivy looks like, how to cross a steam, how to find her way back.' 'There will be days when you think you've raised an alien. Those are the same days she feels she's being raised by one.' 'Teach her how to look a boy in the eye and say "No."' ''Visit college campuses with her in her junior year. (This is not the time to get emotional. There will be plenty of time for that.)' 'Tell her she is the daughter you always dreamed about.'" And so many more. I'm thinking of taking these words of wisdom and making it into something creative. . . actually, I'd welcome ideas of how I should do this - all you creative women out there!!)

Another great chapter is on the princess movement and it's impact on girls. Dobson had some interesting insights and, while he notes it is a 6 billion dollar-a-year business for Disney, he sees many positive influences it can have on our girls - modesty, inner beauty, waiting for her prince charming/husband and so on. It really made me think about it, maybe because my daughter loves the Disney princesses, but there really are many, many positives to this creative, imaginative play.

And, as with Bringing Up Boys this is a good book for both moms and dads to read.

Specifically, this newly revised 8th edition. It reads like a song and is really an enjoyable, easy read, with all updated research and information on every aspect of breastfeeding - pregnancy, getting started, the first year, starting solids and weaning, and all the trouble-shooting problems that could possibly happen. Yes, it is a wonderful reference BUT it is also a must-read for every pregnant mom who either is having her first baby or whose past breastfeeding experiences weren't all she had hoped for.

This newly-revised edition is a more enjoyable read than past editions. Don't hear me wrong, I definitely consulted my WAB 7th edition many times through my breastfeeding experiences but this 8th edition is one I enjoyed reading from cover to cover. It deals more with the relationship you have with your baby rather than just a how-to or problem-solving nursing reference. The beginning poses this question: "What if you had to choose? You can either bottle-feed your baby with scheduled feedings and little body contact, but with your milk in the bottle. Or you can breastfeed your baby, responding to his cues, but only formula comes out of your breasts. . ." What a choice! (And one I'm personally glad we don't have to make!)

It is a great book of encouragement, help and information. It really is the most helpful and research-based breastfeeding book written. Please, moms, if you are pregnant or nursing, make sure you get a copy of this book and read it.

My "to read" list includes Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl, The Mission of Motherhood and The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson, and Living a Life of Fire by Reinhard Bonnke. (I'm also hoping to add to this list by reading your recommendations and reviews throughout the week.) What are YOU reading? Please share books that you are enjoying, that have challenged you, that have given you a good laugh and breath of fresh air, or that you consider "must reads" for every mom.

Happy reading!