What's On My Bookshelf? - 05/06/11

I began reading "Mothering Heights" by Keitha Smith and Susan Brereton about a month ago. What caught my eye were the chapter titles. Basically, this book takes some of literary classics and applies them to motherhood. The idea? Great! The execution? So-so. The book is a good read, but it isn't on my top 20 list. It was an enjoyable book even though I didn't agree with everything that the authors wrote about. I liked the fact that several classic books were used to glean knowledge from such as Pride and Prejudice, Pilgrim's Progress and several others. This book is not geared toward moms who homeschool and it includes several mentions of the joy of getting away alone without the kids - one of the things I do not agree 100% with - but I can't throw the baby out with the bath water because overall this book was loaded with uplifting writings to speak to the heart of a mom. Using quotes from each classic, they spun their chapter around each thought theme. For example, "Great Expectations" was a about what our own expectations as mothers are, as well as meeting the expectations of those around us, as we parent our children. My favorite chapter, based on the novel "A Room with a View," centered around servanthood, which essentially, is another name for motherhood.

Again, a good read, but not a book that ascends to the "heights" of what I believe motherhood is.

It was several years ago when I read the first book in the "Yadda Yadda Prayer Group" series by Neta Jackson. Book one begins with a woman who goes to a Women's Conference and, when meeting with her assigned prayer group - full of women from all different creeds, colors, and backgrounds - her life is changed forever. Actually, ALL the women's lives change. It's a cute, humorous series. The book I am currently on is book #6 and, so far, it keeps the same feeling as the others before it. I have enjoyed reading about each unique character, her background, and what she goes through and grows through with each book. There are a few minor things (such as the beliefs of some of the women in the book) that I disagree with but, overall, it's a light-hearted novel.

A dear friend of mine gave me this book, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, months ago and I am still going back and gleaning from it. It is WONDERFUL!!! I'm not going to sugar-coat it. If you open this book, be prepared for conviction to follow suit. I have always thought of myself as a grateful person....until now. I was (and still am!) enormously convicted every time I open it. Simply put - Gratitude is a choice. If we fail to chose it, by default we choose ingratitude. Think about that. And once allowed into the heart, ingratitude brings a lot of other seedy companions that only succeed in stealing joy. But by intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are. It's a GREAT read and I highly recommend it!


What's on YOUR bookshelf?