Great books for Moms...and quick update...

Hi everyone!

I was just over at Joy's blog and she had asked everyone to post what their best resource or mom/wife books were and she got a huge response. I started drooling over these books on Amazon.com and thought I would share the list I compiled of "Really want these someday" books:


* The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace

* Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl

* Keeping Our Childrens Hearts by Steve and Terri Maxwell

* Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by the Maxwells (found at titus2.com)

* Sacred Marriage - Gary Thomas

* Mommy Manual - Barbara Curtis

* CAPTIVATING by John and Staci Eldredge.

* The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson.

* Anything from Nancy Campbell at Aboverubies.org (A magazine subscription from them would be a wonderful gift to any mother or grandmother)

* Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

* A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

* The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

My personal recommendations are as follows:

* Shepherding Your Child's Heart by Ted Tripp (a must have for parents...I refer back to this book sooo much - it's used almost as much as my bible)

$4.00 on Amazon right now...

* For Better or for Best - Understanding your husband - Gary Smalley
There is also a book that is for the husbands to read - "If Only He Knew" - Understanding your wife. These books have been such a blessing to John and I. I believe Gary Smalley knows more about women than any one man on earth should know! These books are full of insight and I HIGHLY recommend them.

$5.99 on Amazon.com

I have not made much time for blogging this past week. I've been staying very busy. One of the newest things that keep me busy is my new God given ability to be disciplined enough to exercise!!!!!!! I can't believe it but I'm really doing it. I have been for almost 3 weeks now and I can feel such a difference. I pop in my Kathy Smith interval training DVD and go at it for about 45 minutes and follow it up with some crunches and stretches.

I have been consistant now doing this every other day and I can not tell you how good it feels. I have struggled with this for so long...wanting to exercise but never wanting to get sweaty and lacking the will power to do it. The words at the end of Kathy Smith's video just kept coming back to me "And if you do this workout 3 times a week you'll have the greatest body and FEEL GREAT!"...I kept thinking...oh to feel great....

To not feel worn out and to have energy...what a wonderful thought. So...I chose to trust her and tried to start doing it at least 3 times a week and I FAILED! I was so frustrated with myself. I started asking the Lord to help me because it seemed beyond myself to be disciplined enough...

And He did...I don't know exactly when or how but...wait...yes I do. It just everyday...CHOOSING to do it. Just like everything else in life. WE have to choose to do the right thing. And when I'm sitting there...already hot because of the weather and no air conditioning...I just had to take the steps. I still remember sitting there going "oh God help me get up...I don't want to do it. I don't feel like doing it...and if I do do it and then don't do it again in 2 days then it will have been for nothing..."

I then take a deep breath...try not to think about the fact that in 30 minutes I'm going to be sweating like crazy...walk over to the DVD player...grab the Kathy Smith DVD and stick it in as quickly as I can before I change my mind. I hit play and let myself think that I'm only going to do the first few exercises...The really great thing about this interval training is that it allows me to feel like I can do it. I know that probably sounds funny but you're not pushing through the whole video. It's just in spirts to get your heart rate up and then you slow down to get it back down.

It's supposed to boost your metabolism and it does! My metabolism is officially boosted and I am loosing inches...although I can not report that I have lost any weight. I'm just going to keep going...day by day...and continue to pray that God continues to help me have the discipline.

It feels so good and it's not as hard as I thought it would be to find the time. I just take the 45 minutes during naptime that I would noramlly be doing some form of cleaning or preparing and use it for that and somehow...there is still time for everything!

So! Maybe I'll be able to post some before and after pictures? We'll see. OK...as far as everything else goes. John is doing wonderful in language (ผุคภาษาไทยได) and is almost finished with Module 3 and will be heading up north to Korat to work with a wonderful family up there for a week. Clinton and John will be taking the ministry vehicle (this vehicle can bring the Jesus film anywhere...no electricity needed...has it's own generator) up there.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I can't wait to see all the kids. I have more to write but am really exhausted and it just hit me ever so suddenly. :) Please keep praying for us! We are currently raising money for Josiah's homeschool curriculum that we wish to purchase from Sonlight ($575) and we've received $250 dollars!!!! Isn't that awesome! God is so good!

Please check back to our prayer request page and please pray for Nawng Noon and Candy. They really need our continued prayer...

Thank you for stopping in!