Sisterchicks!

I've been a big fan of the Sisterchicks books by Robin Jones Gunn since I read the very first one.  While I'm a huge mystery/suspense fan, these books are light, fun "chick lit" perfect for a break from heavier reading.  I was very excited recently to get the latest release, Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes, to review.

The latest book in the series shares the adventures of two long-time pen pals who finally get to meet face to face.  Summer has raised a family of six and juggled all the challenges that her busy life has thrown her way, but an abnormal result on a routine test throws her life into turmoil.  She decides to make the long dreamed about trip to the Netherlands to meet her friend Noelle.  As the two friends share a week of adventures, they learn to find God in the small, everyday moments and to trust Him with the big and small challenges. 

Robin makes each location she writes about in the Sisterchicks book come alive, and this one is no exception!  Although I had never really thought about traveling to the Netherlands before, I would now love to go.  From stories of Corrie ten Boom's home to the tulip fields to the famous artwork, she makes it sound like an amazing place to be.  I would deinintely recommend this book, especially to anyone who loves to travel - or those who only dream of it.

*In exchange for reviewing this book, I received a free copy from Waterbrook-Multnomah's Blogging for Books program.

Simple Joys

I've been having some problems with my Simple Joys linky...the links have not been showing up.  I'm hoping to have it fixed this week.  If you link up, please leave a comment as well, just in case I'm still working the bugs out!

This week, blogging has honestly brought me a lot of joy.  I started a new feature on Monday called Working With Delight.  It's all about the challenges and joys of being a Christian working mom.  The feedback I've gotten so far has really been incredible.  There is so little support and information for Christian working moms, and it's desperately needed.  I'm so excited to see where this goes!

Back to Work

Your best advice for a new, returning to work Mom

I was really excited to see this as a prompt for this week's Working Mom Wednesday!  Next month, I have a guest post on this very topic that will be featured at Our Mommyhood - I'm so excited!  So today I'm choosing the one tip that I think will help new working moms the most:  Go easy on yourself.

Being a working mom is hard.  Being a new working mom is even harder.  Your first few weeks on the job are going to be a big adjustment, so go easy on yourself.  If you pick up a drive-thru dinner instead of cooking, that's okay.  If you fall asleep on the couch after dinner, that's fine - you need your rest.  If the house isn't as clean as you'd like it to be, don't worry.  This is an adjustment period, and it will get better.

Every working mom I've ever talked to agrees that the first few weeks are the hardest - you're exhausted, stressed, and probably fighting guilt, too.  But you're doing what's right for you and your family, so hold your head high and remind yourself of that.  You'll find yourself soon moving into a new routine, and you'll find that it all gets easier.  One day, your kids are going to look back and say, "Wow, Mom worked so when we were younger - I'm proud of her."

Okay, now I hope you don't mind me putting in a shameless plug here for my new blog feature...beginning this week, each Monday I will post on Working with Delight.  This new feature is for Christian working moms.  There is so much support out there for SAHM's, as there should be, but too many Christian websites are geared exclusively to SAHM's, while Christian working moms get left out in the cold.  You can check out Monday's post here.  I hope you enjoy it!

Working With Delight

We hear the message over and over, from many different sources:  Staying at home with your children is the right thing to do.  Godly women stay home.  The best moms are stay at home moms.  The tide has definitely shifted from the days when stay at home moms were looked down on.  I'm so glad that attitudes have changed when it comes to mothers who choose not to work outside the home.  Staying home with your children is an amazing, incredible experience - I know because I did it for almost four years.
But what about those of us who can't afford to stay home?  What about the moms who spent years building their career and don't want to walk away from it?  What about the moms who truly feel that God has called them to their work?  Where do Christian working moms turn for support?  The tide has turned in support of staying at home - but it's turned so much that Christian working moms, who have a foot in two worlds, often feel left out in the cold.  So many times, the message now seems to be that if you're not staying home, you're not a good enough mom.
I've searched for online resources and books for Christian working moms, and I've found that they are few and far between.  Many offer ways to reduce your spending and tell you that you can tighten your belt and stay home, or they offer ideas for starting your own home business.  For us, that's not option...unless we sell our 1,600 square foot house and live off ramen noodles and hot dogs.  I need real, practical advice on how to balance my life - family, home, work, church, and everything else I juggle in a day.

After months of wondering where all the resources are and not finding them, I decided to start building my own resources.  I've talked to many other moms who feel the same way.  I'm very excited to start my new weekly feature, Working with Delight.  Proverbs 31:13 describes a Godly woman, saying, "She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight."  As Christian working moms, it's my prayer that we'll learn to find delight in the roles that God has led us to.  I'm looking forward to sharing resources, interviews, guest posts and more!

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas!  You can connect with me through comments, email me at amandablogs79(at)yahoo(dot)com, or Tweet me @amandablogs.

Simple Joys Weekend

As you read this post this weekend, I am enjoying a weekend away at a women's retreat!  I love retreats.  I don't get to go very often, but it's such a great way to get away with friends and relax.  There's always lots of eating, talking and shopping, in addition to all the retreat sessions.  I hope you have a great weekend - thanks for linking up!

Working Mom Wednesday: How do you stay current?

Before I get into my post today - I'm very excited to be guest posting today at a great blog, Savvy Spaces!  I hope you'll stop by and check it out! 


One of the great things about my job as manager of a gym is that I can really identify with the women I work with.  We're all striving to reach the same goals - feel better, be healthier, and for a lot of us, lose some weight.  I'm constantly on the lookout for new ideas.

I love to read, so of course, I read a lot about fitness and health.  I'm always on the lookout for healthy fast food options, lower calorie versions of my favorite coffee, great snacks that you can stash in your purse, or fun new ways to squeeze in some extra workouts.  I like to try new things out so I can tell our gym members if they work.  Nothing speaks as loud as experience!  I also listen tips from others.  I've found some awesome ideas just by talking to members and hearing what has worked for them.

I have never been to the national convention that our fitness chain hosts every year, but this year may be different.  My boss is going to try to take all of us.  It should be a lot of fun...especially if we end up going to the one in Vega!

Hiding His Word

<a href="http://www.donotdepart.com/p/hiding-his-word.html"><img src="http://i1038.photobucket.com/albums/a463/ckopb/HidingHisWord-2.jpg" /></a>

One of the areas I've never been particularly strong in is Scripture memory.  I learned some basics - John 3:16, the 23rd Psalm - but that's about as far as it got.  The past few months, that's been changing, though.

It all started with a post at A Holy Experience.  More recently, I found Do Not Depart and the Hiding His Word challenge.  So I'm signing up!  I'm working on memorizing Ephesians by the end of the year.  I've already finished chapter one, and I'm working on chapter two.  I have a commitment book where I track what I'm learning, and this week I added index cards to carry in my day planner do I can study at work, too.  I just need to get myself a webcam so I can link up clogs.

I can already see how Scripture memory is changing me.  Its pushing God's word deeper into my heart.  Its on my mind more.  I reflect on it more.  I know its going to keep changing me, and I'm so excited about continuing with it!

A New Direction

I'm very excited about an upcoming blogging project...my Monday posting will be getting a makeover.  I'm ending my "Survival for Working Moms" series.  Starting next week, I'll launch "Working with Delight," a blog series written for Christian working moms.  I have searched the internet for resources for Christian moms who also work outside the home, and they are really pretty limited.  I know from experience that it's a tough role to fill!  I would love to hear feedback and ideas for things you'd like to see featured.  You can leave a comment or email me at amandablogs79(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Simple Joys Weekend

I got a rare treat this week - a massage!  My sweet hubby got me a gift certificate for Valentine's Day, so I got my massage on Wednesday.  There's nothing like getting to relax and just be pampered for a half hour!  Afterwards, I went out to eat and went shopping with my husband and kids - it was awesome!

Other little things I've enjoyed this week:

• Watching our new favorite TV show, The Chicago Code, with my husband
• Hearing my youngest pray for his sick friends (beginning his prayer, "Dear Ward," - he has trouble with his L's)
• Reading what my oldest wrote about how he is learning lessons about lying, something he's been struggling with lately - I'm beginning to see the heart change I've been praying for
• Our family "Italian night" - we had spaghetti at our "fancy" table (set by my boys) while listening to "The Godfather" soundtrack

Faith Lived Out

I came across the most amazing article a while back on a blog that quickly became one of my favorites, A Holy Experience.  Ann shares the story of finding Scripture memory books that belonged to her grandmother - dog-eared, marked up books, full of Scriptures with dates and notes on when she had learned them.  She shared the wonder she felt when she realized the spiritual impact of those books.  That post made me start thinking about the legacy of faith I'll leave behind one day.

One of my goals for this year - for every year, really - is to be closer to God, to spend more time with Him.  When I asked for His help a few weeks ago, He poured it out, bringing me some amazing resources to inspire me and challenge me, starting with Ann's blog.  I started quickly finding blogs, books, and articles that covered exactly the areas I needed help in.  In short order, I created my own committment book (I'm memorizing Ephesians this year) and signed up for the Hello Mornings Challenge at Inspired to Action.  I finally finished my prayer journal...the one I'd planned to finish a couple of years ago...and actually started using it daily. 

It's been challenging, but growth never comes without a challenge, and God is definitely growing me.  I'm continually finding new ideas and new resources.  Recently I bought the ebook Warrior Prayers - from the first time I opened it, I knew it would become a much-used resource as I pray for my boys.  I had it bound and covered at Office Depot, and now it holds a spot in my Bible study notebook as something to use daily.

I know it's worth it the time and effort.  I want my life to make a difference.  I want to make an impact during my time on earth.  I want to leave a legacy for my kids.  When my life is over, I want to leave my children a worn, marked up Bible; dog-eared books of Scriptures memorized; and a marked up prayer journal that is worn from constant.  I want to leave my children a legacy of faith lived out.   That is my heart's cry.