Desiring God

I have recently finished reviewing Desiring God, a DVD Study, by John Piper.  Quoting Piper, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."  So simple, yet so profound.  Piper supports this premise scripturally and it is a result of many years of study. John Piper is the Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  This DVD presentation is set up as a 5 hour topical study to a small audience.  While the trappings of this presentation were a bit less sophisticated (use of overhead projector as opposed to powerpoint), Piper's delivery was both personable and engaging.  I found the message of this text both challenging and thrilling. 

From the back of the study guide - "This study guide companion to the DVD version of Desiring God - the classic explanation of Christian hedonism by John Piper - will help individuals and groups understand that the supreme calling of life is to "glorify God by enjoing Him forever." "

I received a complementary copy of this book for review from waterbrookmultnomah.com   The opinions are my own.

Growing Up Amish ~ a compelling read

When I was a young girl, I checked out biographies by the stack, laid across my bed and read my summer days away.  When I was in my early twenties, I read through the published diaries and letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  Since that time, my taste has shifted more to prefering fiction titles.  Then, I read Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler.  I have read many fictional accounts of Amish life, all of which have been written by women.  Most of those women had a least some real connection to people of

 Mennonite or Amish backgrounds, lending credibility to the accounts. 

Never have I read a like book from a male perspective. 

This non-fiction story is an autobiographical telling of Wagler's childhood up until his mid-twenties.  He recounts details of Old Order Amish life and many challenges he faced.  This work was both compelling and provocative.  Even though the back of the book tells you clearly that Wagler leaves the religious background of his youth, even knowing how it would end, I could barely put the book down.  Wagler has such a gift for capturing his experiences in words, that the end result is a life-story that is both honest and yet tender.

I recieved a complementary copy of this book for review from mediacenter.tyndale.com 

The comments are my own.

from the gratitude journal

1363.  friends enjoying Gracie in Sunday School

1364.  focusing

1365.  setting boundaries on commitments

1366.  sunlight spearing up and down on a strand of cobweb

1367.  M and J cleaning laundry room on their own

1368.  Gracie sleeping

1369.  coffee ready to drink

1370.  a day spanning before me unmarked by outside obligations

1371.  being able to work on projects

1372.  being reminded - nothing matters more than each interaction - careful attention to words and attitudes

1373.  14 years of marriage marked today!

To learn more about the joys of journalling gratitude visit aholyexperience.com !

Please Pray

Please pray for my dear homeschooling friend Marie, who blogs at justcallmerei.blogspot.com  She is having surgery Tuesday.  Please pray for peace and healing.  Thank you!

may book of days

 Papa has been playing and repairing his clarinets.

S learns to ride her bike without training wheels!

We celebrated Mother's Day.

We visited our local agricultural museum.

We also visited our local science museum!

The children have discovered the wondrous possibilities of hot glue!

We celebrated the end of the school year with our homeschool group.

E, M, J and S participated in the homeschool play.

J won first place in the derby car races!

We all signed up for the summer reading program at our library.

E played beautifully in her piano recital!

We watched our nephew/cousin graduate from high school.

Papa was promoted to Captain in the State Guard and participated in the security detail for the annual

Trail of Honor.

Also during this month, as a family, we learned Matthew 6:9-13 and read The Ordinary Princess, poetry of A. A. Milne, and continued The Hobbit.  Last week, we brought home our ninth foster baby, Gracie!

It was truly a fun and busy month!