April & May Reads

April and May were simply full of fantastic adventures traveling to visit both family and friends!  Here are some of the books that I read the past few months.  

The Life Giving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming by Sally & Sarah Clarkson: Sally & Sarah Clarkson are two ladies that I would simply love to have over for tea.  As I read through this lovely book it just felt like having sweet friends over curled up in my living room while we discussed all things pertaining to the home.  This book is simply delightful and provided so much encouragement.  It's definitely one of my favorites that I have read this year!

Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters to God by Courtney Reissig: I was so excited about reading this book that I not only purchased the book, I pre-ordered it!  It sure did not disappoint.  I loved this thoughtful book on the importance of work in the home.  Reissig encouraged me to think deeply about the importance of home work in light of eternity.  I found myself looking at my typical week and thinking through how I myself can be more intentional.  At first glance it may look like a typical stay at home mom book but it is anything but that.  What's unique and interesting is the fact that I think all women (regardless of their working situation) would benefit from reading this book.  I look forward to reading her other book The Accidental Feminist sometime soon.

No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer: This was my light, relaxing fiction read for the month of April.  (Unless the month involves an extended car ride I try to limit my fiction reads to one per month.  There is so much else out there that I want to read to help myself grow as a person.)  This book chronicles the tale of suffragette Emma Chandler who operates a women's colony that offers a fresh start for women in need.  An assailant tries to drive out the women who refuse and stand their ground.  Emma's old friend Malachi Shaw comes to town to lend a hand which only complicates the situation.  I enjoyed reading this book but I didn't find myself incredibly tempted to stay up late at night to finish it.

The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis: As I've mentioned before on this blog, I have read nearly every book Beverly Lewis has ever written.  When I saw this Amish looking beach read at my local library I snatched it up to take along on my beach trip to Florida!  This story involves Sallie Riehl, an Amish girl who longed to see the world.  When the opportunity comes to nanny for a family in Cape May, Sallie jumps at the chance.  She sees a whole new world while enjoying the beach and wonders where she fits into God's creation.  This book was very typical of Lewis' novels but also quite enjoyable.

For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaefer Macaulay: I re-read this book on our last flight to Dallas and found it so refreshing.  As Macaulay writes, "education is an adventure...It's about people, children, life, reality!"  The author talked a lot about the importance of one's home life in regards to education.  I absolutely love the practicality of the book and how the ideas can be used in any home setting around the world.  I wrote down a number of things that I hope to implement in our own home life this summer.

Read Aloud to Children:

Errand Boy by Edith Witmer: This book tells the tale of six year old Larry and his family who move to Honduras to tell the people there how much God loves them.  My children both enjoyed hearing the adventures of what life is like living in a new country as a missionary.  It was a wonderful way to not only spend time talking about life as a missionary but also to spend time together praying as a family for mission work in Central America.  Our family is blessed to have very dear friends who serve as missionaries in Mexico.  This really helped my children to see what life as a missionary is really like.

Applesauce Weather by Helen Frost: We enjoyed this sweet poetry book that I read aloud last month.  This heartwarming book chronicles the heart and strength of a family.  It was a neat book but I"m not sure both of my children really followed who was speaking.  The poems go back and forth between Lucy, Peter, Faith, and Uncle Arthur.  Honestly I'm really no expert when it comes to poetry.  At the conclusion of this book I felt kind of neutral about it.  That's not exactly the feeling that I"m going for when I finish a book no matter what genre it is.  I want a book to move me!  I'm going to have to seek out some good poetry to read aloud over the summer.

Teddy's Button by Amy Feuvre: This was an audio book that I purchased from Lamplighter Publishing for our nearly ten hour road trip to Arkansas to visit family.  It was fabulous and inspired fantastic conversations in the car.  I'm already saving up so we can purchase more audio books from Lamplighter in the future.  

Currently Reading:

When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch-(I've really been enjoying this book but it is definitely one that I need to read slowly.)

The Happiness Dare by Jennifer Dukes Lee 

What books did you read the past few months?