(Note: I have decided to integrate some books for moms also into my Book of the Week feature. I hope you enjoy them as well.)

Sophie’s Heart is a touching story about the life of a young lady who leaves her only living relative, her aging grandmother, and migrates from Czechoslovakia to America in hopes of a better life.

She obtains a job as a waitress in an upscale Chicago restaurant, but having left the one place she called home to live in a foreign country, she struggles with language difficulties, loneliness and financial hardships.

After joining a ladies Bible study group, she becomes friends with its leader, Janet Ring. Janet is drawn to Sophie and feels that she and her husband, David, should take her under their wings and help her adjust to her new life.

Meanwhile, Janet’s brother Alec, who has recently lost his wife to a tragic car accident is struggling to keep his family and home together without his wife. The family is grieving and in desperate need of help in order to restore their relationship with one another and keep their home in order.

Since Sophie has expressed to Janet a desire to live outside the big city of Chicago, Janet and David believe they have the perfect solution to meet both Sophie’s and Alec’s needs.

Janet suggests to Alec that he hire Sophie as a housekeeper for his family and let her live in the apartment above his garage. Although, Alec does need the help, he is just not sure that Sophie is the answer to his family’s needs right now.

He decides, however, to give it a shot, but only on a trial basis. Now, only time will tell if he has made the right decision.

Sophie’s Heart is the first contemporary Christian novel I ever had the pleasure of reading, and it really blew me away. I absolutely couldn’t put it down. Whenever, I talk to anyone about reading Christian fiction, this is one I always strongly recommend.

I admit I’m a sucker for a good Christian romance, but this is a highly inspiring book about letting God lead your life and trusting him to place you where he wants you to be. This is truly a story of love and healing that you don’t want to miss.

Related posts:

1. Sunday Devotion: The Hidden Truth Having been raised in church I have heard this verse most of my life. However, I have to ask myself...
2. David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon Admittedly, we are a little partial to this story because my son's name is David. Still it is a treat...
3. Mom…and loving it! by Laurie Hilliard and Sharon Autry Let me just start off by saying, this is not going to be my typical Book of the Week article....

Posted on March 30th, 2009 in Book Reviews | No Comments

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“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14

Imagine walking into an art gallery containing only one particular artist’s paintings. As you gaze at the different pieces, you might notice that although the paintings contain different scenes, they have many of the same characteristics.

Many artists have a unique style or technique that is present in their work. For example, the painter, Monet used a technique known as impressionism in his paintings; therefore, you can see this technique throughout his artwork.

Just like those pieces of art, we too are works of art that our Creator designed. God gave all of us some of the same characteristics, such as blood, hair and eyes. However, we are all unique, and thankfully so. It would be quite boring to see a world in which everyone looked and acted identical.

The social world has made us feel that we should fit into a specific mold to be beautiful and socially acceptable, a mold that has certain facial or body characteristics. But, God never intended for you to fit into that kind of mold.

He created you exactly the way He wanted you to be, including your physical traits, your personality and your talents. You are one of His masterpieces.

The only mold He wants you to strive to fill is being like Christ. Of course, none us will truly be able to fill that mold until we reach heaven, but it is the only one truly worth filling.

Prayer Time: Ask God to help you see yourself the way that He sees you. (It will change your life.)

Related posts:

1. Sunday Devotion: Choosing to Be Content When I was a teenager, my Sunday School teacher gave each student in class an index card that contained a...
2. Sunday Devotion: The Hidden Truth Having been raised in church I have heard this verse most of my life. However, I have to ask myself...
3. Sunday Devotion: Come On and Get Your Praise On To behold the majesty of the Grand Canyon or the vast expanse of the ocean, I wonder how anyone could...

Posted on March 29th, 2009 in Mom's Corner | No Comments

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How many times have we heard that statement, or said it ourselves? Many of us enjoy having dinner guests at our homes and want them to feel at ease there.

Unfortunately, many of us stress over making everything perfect in order to make our guests feel welcome. Well, truthfully, one of the best ways to make them feel comfortable is to be prepared and thoughtful of their needs.

Through a little preparation, we can also make things easier on ourselves as well.

So how do we make our guests feel at home?

• Don’t try to make the house spotless - Okay, I know what you’re thinking. And no, I don’t mean for you to leave it dirty. What I’m talking about is letting your house look like you actually live there. I’ve been in a few houses that were so perfect that I was afraid to sit on the couch because I might wrinkle the cushions. It’s okay to leave a few things sitting around. This actually provides a more cozy feel to your home.
• Play light music in the background as your guests are arriving - Playing a little music is especially nice if some of your guests don’t know one another well, or even if you don’t know them very well. The music helps make the atmosphere light and also provides a filler if there are a few of those awkward moments of silence.
• Have nuts or other little snacks sitting out on a tray - Since sometimes guests are a little uneasy if it is their first time in your home, snacks give them a little something to munch on until dinner is ready. However, don’t do too much because you do want them to eat the meal you have worked to prepare.
• Cook casual foods that are easy to eat - The more casual the food you prepare, the more at ease your guests will be. Try also to cook things that are easy to eat, avoiding things like barbeque ribs, that tend to be very messy. Of course, foods like this are fine for really close friends or family.
• Find out about dislikes or food allergies beforehand - Try to find out if there are specific foods that your guests just cannot stomach, or if they have any food allergies. There is nothing worse than working hard to prepare Mom’s Meatloaf only to find out that meatloaf is the one thing your guests just can’t handle. Or, you’ve baked a cinnamon cake for dessert and two of your guests are allergic to cinnamon. Trust me, I’ve learned to try to ask these things in advance.
• Decide the seating arrangement in advance - If possible, try to seat guests that have common interest in close proximity to one another. Your guests will be able to enjoy more pleasurable dinner conversation if they find common ground with one another.
• Leave paper hand napkins in the restroom - Have you ever been to someone’s house, used their restroom and washed your hands, only to be left wondering which towel to dry your hands on? I have. Well, the solution to this problem is to buy some paper hand napkins that are made to sit beside the sink in the restroom. This way your guests have their own little towel on which to dry their hands. Since, they are available in  many styles and designs, these towels can also add a nice decorative touch to your restroom.

All these suggestions are things that I have learned by having guests in my home, or by being a guest in someone else’s home. It is always nice to feel like the host or hostess put forth a little extra effort to ensure that you are welcome in his or her home.

Remember, the best way to make sure that your guests feel welcome and comfortable is for you to be relaxed and just act yourself.

How do you make sure that your guests are at ease in your home?

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Posted on March 28th, 2009 in Food and Entertaining | 5 Comments

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