It’s my least favorite time of year—tax season. As I’m responsible for getting the paperwork ready for the accountant, I won’t be blogging for a while. I hope you’ll check back in a couple of weeks.
Thought for the Day: In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on. -- Robert Frost
Carol's Favorite Music Playlist
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Book Review--Mommy, I'm Still in Here
Mommy, I’m Still in Here, written by Kate McLaughlin, is a heart-rending book. It’s the true story of a family that goes from the all-American dream to the all-American nightmare.
As the children become teens, two of them, Chloe and Michael, develop bipolar disorder. This mental illness comes disguised as normal teen moodiness, forgetfulness, and rebellion. By the time her parents realize that Chloe is seriously ill, it is almost too late. She suffers from rapid cycling moods, sometimes seriously depressed—even suicidal—other times grandiose and irresponsible. Michael’s illness makes him more inclined to violence, and he self-medicates with drugs and alcohol. Their mother shares the story of this family’s fight to regain control of their lives.
I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. It is a moving story, and also offers information helpful to anyone interested in bipolar disorder.
As the children become teens, two of them, Chloe and Michael, develop bipolar disorder. This mental illness comes disguised as normal teen moodiness, forgetfulness, and rebellion. By the time her parents realize that Chloe is seriously ill, it is almost too late. She suffers from rapid cycling moods, sometimes seriously depressed—even suicidal—other times grandiose and irresponsible. Michael’s illness makes him more inclined to violence, and he self-medicates with drugs and alcohol. Their mother shares the story of this family’s fight to regain control of their lives.
I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. It is a moving story, and also offers information helpful to anyone interested in bipolar disorder.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Fun Facts
I thought I'd share some tidbits of information you might find entertaining. I didn't make these up, but can't guarantee someone else didn't:
The longest one syllable word in the English language is "screeched."
Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks, otherwise it will digest itself.
More than half of women in the United States will not leave their home without makeup on.
Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.
Licking a stamp leads to the consumption of 1/10 of a calorie.
No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.
Armadillos, opossums, and sloth's spend about 80% of their lives sleeping.
The ears of a cricket are located on the front legs, just below the knee.
By raising your legs slowly and laying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand.
Due to gravitational effects, you weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead.
The temperature can be determined by counting the number of cricket chirps in fourteen seconds and adding 40.
IF YOU CAN DISPROVE ANY OF THESE FACTS, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL REMOVE THEM FROM MY POST. I WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT OUT FALSE INFORMATION.
The longest one syllable word in the English language is "screeched."
Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks, otherwise it will digest itself.
More than half of women in the United States will not leave their home without makeup on.
Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.
Licking a stamp leads to the consumption of 1/10 of a calorie.
No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.
Armadillos, opossums, and sloth's spend about 80% of their lives sleeping.
The ears of a cricket are located on the front legs, just below the knee.
By raising your legs slowly and laying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand.
Due to gravitational effects, you weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead.
The temperature can be determined by counting the number of cricket chirps in fourteen seconds and adding 40.
IF YOU CAN DISPROVE ANY OF THESE FACTS, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL REMOVE THEM FROM MY POST. I WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT OUT FALSE INFORMATION.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Experiencing Joy
About 450 women, including me, attended a special program on Outrageous Joy today. We began the morning with scones and flavored teas, all served on beautiful china. After that we enjoyed a worship session, followed by a presentation by Glenna Salsbury, and a delicious lunch of pot roast, potatoes, and green beans.
The theme of our program was based on Nehemiah 8:10, which states “The joy of the Lord is our Strength.” Glenna did a great job of entertaining us with personal anecdotes while imparting her interpretation of biblical parables. We analyzed some of the parables from Matthew, Chapter 13. My favorite was regarding the pearl, discussed in Matthew 13:45-46. The main point was that pearls are all unique, and formed from the elements irritating the oyster. The pearls that are most valuable are the ones that grow large and polished from the flow of the water and deposits of sand inside the oyster.
Sometimes the irritations, tragedies, and unpleasantness that we face in our lives help us to grow into large, polished pearls. Sometimes they don’t. The people who learn from the experiences and trust that it is all part of God’s plan, shaping them into the kind of people He wants them to be, are the ones who will lead joy-filled lives. Those who focus on the problems, trying to solve them on their own, resenting the difficulties they must deal with instead of seeing them as opportunities to grow stronger in faith and obedience to God, will never be satisfied with their lives. They will miss out on the peace and joy that could be theirs.
If we want true joy we must look inside ourselves, not at outward circumstances. Joy is a choice, an attitude. We can change our attitudes, so it is never too late for us to find true joy in life.
I’m thinking I must be destined to be one huge, shiny pearl…
The theme of our program was based on Nehemiah 8:10, which states “The joy of the Lord is our Strength.” Glenna did a great job of entertaining us with personal anecdotes while imparting her interpretation of biblical parables. We analyzed some of the parables from Matthew, Chapter 13. My favorite was regarding the pearl, discussed in Matthew 13:45-46. The main point was that pearls are all unique, and formed from the elements irritating the oyster. The pearls that are most valuable are the ones that grow large and polished from the flow of the water and deposits of sand inside the oyster.
Sometimes the irritations, tragedies, and unpleasantness that we face in our lives help us to grow into large, polished pearls. Sometimes they don’t. The people who learn from the experiences and trust that it is all part of God’s plan, shaping them into the kind of people He wants them to be, are the ones who will lead joy-filled lives. Those who focus on the problems, trying to solve them on their own, resenting the difficulties they must deal with instead of seeing them as opportunities to grow stronger in faith and obedience to God, will never be satisfied with their lives. They will miss out on the peace and joy that could be theirs.
If we want true joy we must look inside ourselves, not at outward circumstances. Joy is a choice, an attitude. We can change our attitudes, so it is never too late for us to find true joy in life.
I’m thinking I must be destined to be one huge, shiny pearl…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Book Review--This is Your Brain on Joy
I just finished reading This Is Your Brain On Joy, A Revolutionary Program for Balancing Mood, Restoring Brain Health, and Nurturing Spiritual Growth. It was written by Dr. Earl Henslin, and published by Thomas Nelson.
Dr. Henslin explains how the brain should function in easy to understand terms, and describes the symptoms seen in people whose brains are not working properly. He discusses each section of the brain, and explains which areas are involved in mental health problems--including attention deficit disorders, addictions, obsessive/compulsive thinking, depression, uncontrolled anger, excessive fear, and poor judgement.
This book describes the latest research, offers practical suggestions for improving our brain’s health, and gives insight into treatment possibilities. It includes information about brain scans that can help diagnose problems so the proper treatment or medication can be determined.
My favorite bit of advice is on page 43, where he says to achieve joy in life we need to enrich our outer world (by creating a joyful, brain-stimulating environment), our inner world (by feeding our mind and soul with nourishing thoughts), and our body-mind chemistry (through what we put in our mouths and through exercise).
While no brain operates perfectly, a healthy brain helps people improve their relationships and lead more productive, satisfying lives. This book is full of tips for improving the health of our brains, and therefore improving the quality of our lives. Dr. Henslin approaches the subject from a Christian perspective, but not in a preachy manner.
I enjoyed reading this book, and highly recommend it. It provides insights that make it easier to understand and sympathize with those who suffer from poor mental health.
If you’d like to buy this book, the product page is located at: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=078522873X
Dr. Henslin explains how the brain should function in easy to understand terms, and describes the symptoms seen in people whose brains are not working properly. He discusses each section of the brain, and explains which areas are involved in mental health problems--including attention deficit disorders, addictions, obsessive/compulsive thinking, depression, uncontrolled anger, excessive fear, and poor judgement.
This book describes the latest research, offers practical suggestions for improving our brain’s health, and gives insight into treatment possibilities. It includes information about brain scans that can help diagnose problems so the proper treatment or medication can be determined.
My favorite bit of advice is on page 43, where he says to achieve joy in life we need to enrich our outer world (by creating a joyful, brain-stimulating environment), our inner world (by feeding our mind and soul with nourishing thoughts), and our body-mind chemistry (through what we put in our mouths and through exercise).
While no brain operates perfectly, a healthy brain helps people improve their relationships and lead more productive, satisfying lives. This book is full of tips for improving the health of our brains, and therefore improving the quality of our lives. Dr. Henslin approaches the subject from a Christian perspective, but not in a preachy manner.
I enjoyed reading this book, and highly recommend it. It provides insights that make it easier to understand and sympathize with those who suffer from poor mental health.
If you’d like to buy this book, the product page is located at: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=078522873X
Friday, February 13, 2009
Some People
Some people complain about their job, their family, their friends; not you.
Some people expect everything to be handed to them without having to work for it; not you.
Some people take what they can get from life without offering much in return; not you.
Some people act like they know everything even when they don’t know anything; not you.
Some people survive cancer, and live a full, joy-filled life; not you.
Some people leave a hole in our hearts when they pass away; that’s you, dear friend, that’s you.
For Kevin & For Mary
Some people expect everything to be handed to them without having to work for it; not you.
Some people take what they can get from life without offering much in return; not you.
Some people act like they know everything even when they don’t know anything; not you.
Some people survive cancer, and live a full, joy-filled life; not you.
Some people leave a hole in our hearts when they pass away; that’s you, dear friend, that’s you.
For Kevin & For Mary
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Great Book
I'm reading City of God, which was written by Saint Augustine in 1467. It amazes me how relevant his thoughts are even all these years later (I'm no good at math, but isn't it 542 years?)He explains how the pagan and philosophical beliefs of his time, and earlier, were false, and how Christianity is different. The book is over 1,000 pages long, so I'm probably not going to be done reading it for years, but it's the kind of book I enjoy flipping through for gems of knowledge and points to ponder. His musings on Good and Evil made a big impact on me today, as he says basically what I've been trying to express in the novel I'm working on--only he sounds smarter. I won't go into detail about it since it would take a lot of background explanation, but I will say it has me fired up to finish writing my book. I don't expect mine to have the lasting impact of Saint Augustine's, but that's OK. It will be shorter and easier to read.
Does anyone else have a book to recommend that makes a real impact on their thinking?
Does anyone else have a book to recommend that makes a real impact on their thinking?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Oh,Joy! I Got My Book Today
What incredibly fast shipping from Thomas Nelson Publishers. The book I signed up for on Monday just arrived by UPS. It is in perfect condition, so pristine that I hate to open it and bend the spine. The lovely yellow book has a gorgeous black jacket, with embossed flowers in the oval shape of a brain. Oh, I forgot to mention the title is This is Your Brain on Joy. I flipped through it quickly as I have to do some paperwork today, but there seems to be a lot of helpful information in it. I noticed some quizzes, complete with answers, and recommended books to read for more information on the topic of brain function.
So, I guess I'll be setting aside my current treasure, City of God, by Saint Augustine, until I get this book read and reviewed. I don't want to dilly-dally and miss out on picking one from the next selection of free books.
So, I guess I'll be setting aside my current treasure, City of God, by Saint Augustine, until I get this book read and reviewed. I don't want to dilly-dally and miss out on picking one from the next selection of free books.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Free Books!
WooHoo! I just got accepted into the Thomas Nelson book reviewer program. This gives me free books in exchange for agreeing to review them on my blog, and on one review site--like Amazon or some other public site. Here's the link if you are interested in signing up with the program yourself: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/join
I'm awaiting my copy of This is Your Brain on Joy, by Dr. Earl Henslin. I'll tell you all about it after I read it. I alreadly love the cover; it shows a brain full of flowers, and I love flowers. The hardcover book is 240 pages, so it will take me a while to get through it.
I'm hoping to have the book finished before February 21 as I'm attending a women's retreat on Outrageous Joy that day and want to be prepared. We're having a speaker from Arizona, Glenna Salsbury. The day will start with an English Breakfast Tea, followed by praise and worship, a message, luncheon--with dessert bar--and another message. By the end of the day, I should be full of both joy and food.
I'm awaiting my copy of This is Your Brain on Joy, by Dr. Earl Henslin. I'll tell you all about it after I read it. I alreadly love the cover; it shows a brain full of flowers, and I love flowers. The hardcover book is 240 pages, so it will take me a while to get through it.
I'm hoping to have the book finished before February 21 as I'm attending a women's retreat on Outrageous Joy that day and want to be prepared. We're having a speaker from Arizona, Glenna Salsbury. The day will start with an English Breakfast Tea, followed by praise and worship, a message, luncheon--with dessert bar--and another message. By the end of the day, I should be full of both joy and food.
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