Recently I put together a list at (in)courage of some of my all-time favorite books. These, however, are the reads and CDs I’ll forever connect with Summer 2011.

Recently finished reads or currently in my book bag(s) or on my iPad:

Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey—Because I like to think.

Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider—Because I’m organizationally challenged.

Do the Work by Steven Pressfield—Because I’m easily distracted.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield—Because I want to create.

Poke the Box by Seth Godin—Because I need inspiration and I want to ship what I produce.

The Best Camera is the One That’s with You by Chase Jarvis (short and easy reread or inspiring iPhone photography)—Because I’m addicted to camera phonography.

On heavy rotation:

Paul Simon: So Beautiful or So What—Absolutely Brilliant. Some songs grew on me instantly; some took time. There’s not a song that I skip. Incredible songwriting.

The Cars: Move Like This—Because I never really left the 80s.

Joshua Bell: The Essential Joshua Bell—Because I need to slow down and breathe deep. This album isn’t new, but it’s new to me. Songs like “Nocturne” and “O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi” (please don’t ask me to say it) make me go “ahhhhhhhhhh.”

The request:

Have you heard the buzz about the soon-to-be-released movie based on the book The Help? I’m attending a prescreening and have a chance to interview cast members as well as author and Atlanta resident, Kathryn Stockett.

My shiny new copy arrived last week, but I haven’t read it, yet. Have you? Do you have any questions for the cast and author? If so, please post them in the comments!

{Disclosure: Links are affiliate links}

What’s Floating My Boat: Summer 2011 (and a request) is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

I love the beginning of the book A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art by Dan McCaw. This book is written from the point-of-view of a painter, but he encourages the artist in us all.

Art is not something we learn to do but instead is a search to uncover and express that which already exists within all of us. We are the art. What we are searching for is our inner voice. I believe that most of us protect, deny or under-value this intrinsic voice, but we all have one. It’s that part of us that, when touched, moves our emotions and tugs at our hearts. It’s that part of us that responds to a painting a piece of music a beautiful scene. These things do not contain emotions, but only bring to the surface that which we already possess, both as the artist and as the art appreciator.

… We must learn to let go, surrender and trust that if we open our hearts, we will be destined to express the art that lies within us.

Does this speak to you as it does to me? Are you denying or encouraging your creativity?

We Are the Art is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

My second son is home from college for the summer. He is the dictionary definition of a voracious reader. His brain is like a sponge soaking up a broad mix of fiction, poetry, plays, art, science, and architecture.

I like to imagine that he inherited the creative juices and the untiring quest for knowledge from his mother, but surely I would flatter myself. He’s read books of mine from college that I don’t think I read. He enjoys Socrates and Aristotle, and writes poetry for fun.

I’m guilty of watching overflowing bookshelves sit unvisited, unappreciated.

My son comments on these rows of books that remain unread, unloved. Ever practical, he’s even gone so far to suggest I box some up and send them to the basement. He sighs when I suggest they’re sitting patiently, waiting for that moment when their information is needed and just the right book will be there.

Sometimes I secretly sigh, too, wondering when and if this will happen.

My son visits the library and brings home the kind of books that beg to be opened, tempt you with the promise of what’s inside.

I can’t wait to sit down at breakfast in the soft morning light and pore through something that feeds my brain.

I treasure the quiet and routine of it …

as I plant ideas in fertile soil.

Sometimes books from our own library are thrown into the mix and I marvel when a teen relates a scientific marvel from a volume that has been sitting on the shelf gathering dust.

What are you feeding your brain?

Brain Food is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

I have a bit of that first-born overachiever mentality about me (okay, maybe more than a bit) and do my best to avoid failure.

I almost didn’t start putting a linky with my weekly camera phone posts: What if no one participated? What if someone else was doing the same thing, only better? (with the number of blogs out there, that’s a given)

I recently poured my heart into a post that crept beyond my comfort zone, but seemed to go unnoticed. I felt a little naked hitting publish, but the words begged to be written and there was a peace in it and a valuable lesson learned: lack of praise or affirmation does not equal failure.

I’m currently reading Seth Godin’s Poke the Box, and while it inspires me to attempt and succeed, more importantly it’s given me peace to try without fear of, well, bombing. Here’s the kind of excerpt from the book that’s changing my way of thinking:

“This might not work”

Is it okay to say these four words?

Is your work so serious and flawless and urgent that each thing you do, every day, must work?

Change is powerful, but change always comes with failure as its partner. “This might not work” isn’t merely something to be tolerated; it’s something you should seek out.”

Does fear of failure stop you from possibly flying? It’s okay to fail. What’s not okay is never to try.

Fear of Failure, Fear of Flying is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

A Card Basket for Heather

Heather, from Especially Heather’s, sweet little Emma passed away on Friday. My heart aches for the family. DaySpring is sponsoring a card basket for them and you can create and send a card for free. Details can be found here.

Book Review Posts on the Bloom (in)courage Book Club Page

This week a few of the (in)courage gals are sharing about some of our favorite books. Here is my post. Affiliate commissions earned from books purchased using the Amazon links will go towards buying books for the next Bloom (in)courage book club selection for readers who can’t afford them.

31 Days to Clean

Sarah Mae has written a new ebook, 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way, currently the #1 bestseller in Amazon’s Home Cleaning, Caretaking, and Relocating category. It’s more of a “why to clean” than a “how to clean” book:

“The heart of our homes is not in the ability to keep it perfect at all costs; the heart of a home is love. We live in a thing, a non-eternal structure that needs to be maintained. The thing is worthless without the life we bring to it and through it. This book is about bringing life to the mundane in order to love well.” ~Sarah Mae

A busy school year of  homeschooling has left our house a mess! I can’t wait to dive into this book and enjoy my home again.

(in)courage Community Video

I love this new video about the community that has grown at (in)courage!

(in)courage-related links is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

[Contest is closed. Winners are Jen and Brigit.]

Do you often feel like a failure in the motherhood department? Like there should be a big “L” stamped on your forehead? Like surely your kids would fare better with a mom who’s a little more, well, competent.

Do you tend to shoulder life’s burdens, forgetting to pass them to Him who promises to make your burden light?

Then honey, this book’s for you.

Kristen Welch’s Don’t Make Me Come Up There is a gift to frazzled mothers everywhere. She shares the nitty gritty details of motherhood in a way that speaks comfort and relief, and makes you realize that you aren’t alone.

Don’t Make Me Come Up There! contains 52 devotionals: stories, scriptures, and prayers. Motherhood is revealed in all its chaotic, beautiful, messy glory.

Here’s more from Kristen on why she wrote this book:

If you’ve ever wondered if it was safe to go into your child’s room, locked yourself in the bathroom for a personal time-out, or felt ridiculously proud and horrified (all in the same hour) at your children’s behavior, this book is for you.

I’m a mom. I’m not an expert on parenting (but I can nurse a baby while loading the dishwasher and clip tiny fingernails while reading a bedtime story!). I know how stressful being a mom can be: balancing duties, caring for needs, and loving them so much it hurts.

Motherhood isn’t for cowards. I’m so thankful Kristen wasn’t afraid to share her struggles, her heart, and her faith in this book. Visit her blog at We are THAT Family.

How to win one of two copies of Don’t Make Me Come Up There! (do one or all, leave a separate comment for each)

1. Leave a comment on this post and tell us what you do when you need a quiet moment.
   
2. Tweet about it.
3. Share on Facebook.

Giveaway ends on Saturday evening, April 9.

{I really hope you win a copy, but even if you don’t, please consider buying this wonderful devotional for moms. Royalties from Don’t Make Me Come Up There benefit The Mercy House, a home started by Kristen for pregnant girls living on the streets of Kenya.}

[Disclosure: Links are affiliate links.]

“Don’t Make Me Come Up There!” Review and Giveaway is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

[Contest is closed. Winners are Mindy (comment #42), Bethany (comment #106), and Sandra (comment #131).]

“There is no reason to complicate your family culture just because the culture at large is complicated.” – Tsh Oxenreider

As a somewhat disorganized person, I have been drawn to Tsh Oxenreider’s new book, Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living, from the time I heard the title and saw the crisp, clean cover. Tsh’s website, SimpleMom.net, inspires me to simplify and organize, simplify and organize. It’s a mantra.

In this interview with Tsh, I asked questions that are relevant to my family; I hope they are relevant to yours, too. Leave a comment at the bottom of this post for a chance to win one of three copies of Organized Simplicity!

Interview with Tsh

What suggestions do you have for delegating, motivating, and holding your children accountable in the cleaning of your home?

I’m a big believer is leading my example. My kids are little right now, so my husband and I are mostly the ones molding the world for them. When they see me clean, they want to clean. I like taking advantage of this little stage, when they think it’s fun to clean — I give them a spray bottle of water and a rag, and let them clean cabinet doors and windows.

I also think it’s important to do a little at a time, as we go about life. Every now and then, those day-long cleaning sprees are useful, but since kids tend to have short attention spans, it’s helpful for them to see that if we just do a little all throughout our day, it really doesn’t take too long.

My kids also like lists. So even if it’s a no-brainer, I’ll make lists. Part of their chore list is “put away jammies,” for example. That’s obvious, I think. But it’s not so much for the kids, so they get a kick out of crossing that off the list.

And finally, I need to regularly remember to show them grace, especially since they’re young. They’re not going to fold towels perfectly. They’re not going to naturally think to pick up the clothes off the floor (at least mine don’t…). Holding them accountable for age-appropriate responsibilities means loosening up my expectations and showing them grace. It tells them I know they can do what they’re capable of, but that I don’t expect perfection. I’m not perfect — why should they be?

Some of my children don’t want to part with anything. How can I make it easier for them?

I always make sure I’m setting an example. Am I holding on to things I don’t need also? Secondly, I encourage them to ask the same questions I ask myself — is it beautiful? and is it useful? I take these from the quote from 19th century architect William Morris — “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” This can mean different things to a kid than to an adult. I need to remind myself that sometimes. My daughter’s rock collection on the window sill is beautiful to her, and since I believe the relationships in our family are more important than a perfect house, I also have to throw out the window my idea of what should stay and what should go.

Lastly, when they’re younger, I help them go through their items and decide whether things stay or go. As they hear me process, the same decision-making hopefully embeds in their minds. “You have seven My Little Ponys, and you don’t really play with this one, so how about we put this in the donate pile, so another kid can have a turn playing with it?”

I tend to have organized cabinets and drawers, but disorganized surfaces. How should I tackle this problem?

You and me both. I think the issue there is more of a time one than a need for organizing skills, because you already have the skills you need — the cabinets and drawers speak for themselves. It’s just a matter of making the time in your daily routine to put up clutter. I’ve found that setting up specific times throughout my day — 20 minutes after lunch; 15 minutes before story time, etc., surfaces slowly but surely start staying more organized.

I also know it’s time to get rid of stuff when not everything has a home. If the reason it’s out in no-man’s-land is because I have no where to put it, then I need to either find a place for it, or it needs to go. If it needs a home, and there’s no room for a home, something else has to go. I can’t defy the laws of physics; I only have so much room for my things.

Project: Simplify

Today Tsh kicked off Project: Simplify, a five week project for tackling those messy hot spots in your home. The first target is your wardrobe and closet. I was really excited when I read: “Yep — this week we are going to touch every. single. item of clothing in our wardrobe, and make a decision whether it stays or goes.”

I keep a “donate” bag in my closet floor. When I come across items I’m not wearing or that no longer fit, they go in the bag. Actually touching every item of clothing in my closet, however, is huge. It’s a big project, but one I’m determined to tackle.

How to win one of three copies of Organized Simplicity (do one or all, leave a separate comment for each)

1. Leave a comment on this post and tell us where’s your biggest hot spot, that place you can’t keep clean?
2. Tweet about it!
3. Share on Facebook.

Giveaway ends on Saturday evening, March 12.

{Disclosure: Book links are affiliate links. Copies provided for review and giveaway.}

Organized Simplicity: An Interview with Tsh Oxenreider and a Book Giveaway is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

The (in)courage Bloom Book Club kicks off this Sunday with the first vlog (video blog) discussion for chapter 1 of Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. I have my own copy and handed out three more to girlfriends last week. Vlog discussions of each chapter will post on Sundays and Wednesdays.

One Thousand Gifts is available now in stores, or downloadable in Kindle ebook format. I wouldn’t worry if you can’t get it in your hands by Sunday; with the book club moving at the rate of two chapters per week, you won’t have trouble catching up.

Groupon has a great deal that’s good until Monday night: pay $10 for $20 worth of books, toys, games, and more from Barnes and Noble; it can be spent either in stores or online. I bought mine yesterday, printed it today, and plan to get some work done at B&N this afternoon while my kids go to the movies with friends. (Click the button to buy your Groupon.)

Here’s the full Bloom Book Club schedule for One Thousand Gifts:

Video Chapter 1 Sunday, February 06, 2011
Video Chapter 2 Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Video Chapter 3 Sunday, February 13, 2011
Video Chapter 4 Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Video Chapter 5 Sunday, February 20, 2011
Video Chapter 6 Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Video Chapter 7 Sunday, February 27, 2011
Video Chapter 8 Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Video Chapter 9 Sunday, March 06, 2011
Video Chapter 10 Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Video Chapter 11 Sunday, March 13, 2011
Video Chapter 12 Sunday March 16, 2011

{Disclosure: Links are affiliate links.}

(in)courage Bloom Book Club: One Thousand Gifts (I think you’ll really want to be a part of this) is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

I have a special request from Thomas Nelson publishing for reader questions from you for a radio interview with Sheila Walsh about her upcoming book, The Shelter of God’s Promises, available February 1. The interview is next week, January 19, and I need to submit your questions by the 15th, this Saturday.

If you leave your name, I’ll do my best to mention it on the air if your question is used. Unless I get nervous and freak out and forget, which is always possible.

Sheila’s book focuses on something that’s been on my mind since listening to a sermon I heard this weekend: God’s promises. God makes some pretty amazing promises to us in His word. He is faithful and constant in nature; we should embrace these promises.

Here’s a quote from The Shelter of God’s Promises:

Why would God want to keep us and His promises to us when we mess up so badly?

The Bible reminds us of a truth we too often forget, a truth that shines as clear as daylight: because God cannot help Himself. The force of His righteousness and mercy, which were from everlasting and formed the covenant with us, are the unchanging foundation upon which His promises are built. God does not change, nor do the glories of His person and the salvation He engineered for us. God’s promises are as dependable as He is. Because they are Him.

Read a sample of the book here.

Check out this preview video from Sheila. Her Scottish accent is so charming.

What question would you like to ask Sheila?

{Disclosure: Book link is affiliate link.}

Your Questions Needed for an Interview with Sheila Walsh is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved

Why, you may ask, is a mother of eight children reviewing a book written for men who don’t want kids? In my opinion the very existence of this book is a public service, and if spreading the word about it helps at least one couple, it will be worth taking the time to write this post.

I didn’t know this book existed before Photoshop World in Orlando last month. I saw it in the Scott Kelby display at the Peachpit Press booth and thought, “Huh? How did I miss this?” Laura, who operates the Peachpit Twitter account (follow!) later sent me a copy to review.

Just as Alice was unable to resist the tiny bottle that said “Drink Me,” this small volume is oddly compelling—it seems to whisper “Read Me.” My 19-year-old son carried it on the deck and finished it the day after it arrived, and I read it in the car later that weekend.

The Book for Guys Who Don’t Want Kids is a conversation-turned-book, the result of a friend’s wife’s plea to share with her husband, a reluctant father-to-be, why Scott enjoys being a father.

The title is perfect considering the assumption that the reader is uninterested, if not hostile to the subject matter: there’s no patronizing “Fatherhood is Bliss” or “Having Children is the Best Decision You’ll Ever Make.” Scott Kelby originally didn’t want kids himself, but now loves fatherhood.

He totally “gets” his intended audience, and that’s what makes this book work.

For me it was a fascinating read, viewing parenthood from the opposite end of the spectrum. Apparently a lot of men suffer from two fears when considering parenthood: uncertainty whether they’ll make a good dad, and a general “I don’t want to give up a life of fun and freedom and exchange it for sleepless nights, crying babies and dirty diapers” fear of fatherhood.

Rather than sugar-coat the truth, Scott shares his experience in a profoundly honest manner, as in the following excerpts:

Look, I’d be lying if I told you that you’ll be able to do every single thing you did before you were a dad (well, you could still do them all, you’d just be a really bad dad), but I will tell you this, and it’s absolutely the truth—it won’t matter. I know that’s a pretty bold statement, but once you have a kid, you’ll find out that your personal priorities have changed. I’m not talking about your fatherly responsibility and all that; I’m talking about what you, personally, find important.

I can see you parents nodding your heads now. Let’s continue:

I must admit that this is one of the hardest concepts to come to grips with in the entire book, because you’re sitting there thinking, “This guy is whacked if he thinks I’d rather be on the floor with a rattle than watching the game on my big screen,” but that’s one of the most amazing things about this whole process—things that used to be so incredibly important suddenly (and almost overnight) because somehow not that important.

Here’s the thing: Babies make you do weird stuff. Not all babies, mind you—your baby. There’s no more powerful object on the planet than your own baby.

I truly enjoyed The Book for Guys Who Don’t Want Kids even though I’m far from the intended audience. My son summarized it when observing that it would make you stop and appreciate why you love being a parent. It’s a small hardback, only 72 pages long, and easy to finish in one sitting. If you or someone you know is a reluctant father, this book could be a valuable resource.

{Disclosure: Book provided by Peachpit Press. Amazon links are affiliate links.}

Scott Kelby’s The Book for Guys Who Don’t Want Kids is a post from: My Home Sweet Home
© 2012 My Home Sweet Home | All rights reserved