Which None Can Shut by Reema Goode

We don't know much about the author. She uses a pen name. She can't disclose where she lives, where she used to live, or what she does for a living. All I know is that as she and her family open themselves up to God's leading, He is doing amazing things in the Muslim community. From becoming the "neighborhood project" as Americans in a Muslim country that didn't know how to eat properly and needed to learn local customs, this woman and her family were able to witness for Christ with their neighbors and the spiritual and political leaders in the area. These true stories are told in Which None Can Shut: Remarkable True Stories of God's Miraculous Work in the Muslim World by Reema Goode.

This short book has a friendly tone, as if I was sitting down with a friend reporting on her missionary work overseas. I couldn't put it down. What was God going to do next? One thing that most impressed me was how the Holy Spirit was literally leading their movements. The stories will make you laugh, be sad, and ultimately rejoice because Muslims are coming to Christ!

I highly recommend this book. It opened my eyes to the incredible harvest taking place in the Arabic world. According to the author, "more Muslims have come to Christ in the past three decades than in the last fourteen centuries." This excellent book proves that "nothing is impossible with God." [In compliance with FTC regulations, I am happy to report that I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.]

The Double Pot Method of Herb Gardening

My latest post for BlissfullyDomestic.com has gone live today! Wondering how to keep herbs in your landscape without having them take over your garden? Check out my article with a fantastic idea given to me by a local landscape designer.

Pre-Printed Consumables List

Call us crazy, but my husband and I love making lists on the computer. My latest one is a list of food I commonly purchase at the grocery store. My thought was, I'll come up with everything I normally buy, then circle what I need each week.

I tried it out last week and it worked perfectly! Here is what I did:
1. Listed the foods I normally purchase.
2. Ordered it by how I shop at my favorite grocery store and its layout.
3. Left spaces for the things I need to write in. For instance, I just said "spices" and left space for whatever spice I needed to add. Same with the meat. Also, I left a little space at the end for misc.
4. Printed out the list. (I printed 2 per sheet to save paper.)
5. Wrote the meal list on the back of the paper.
6. Circled and wrote in what I needed for the week.
7. Took the list to the store assured that I wasn't forgetting anything!

I also did this a long time ago with the non-grocery consumables in my house. I would run through the list (and through the house) checking to see if I had everything I needed before driving to the nearest Wal-Mart an hour away. Unless it's a really obscure item, I don't forget anything now and this system works for me! For more great tips, visit Works for Me Wednesday.

The Best Pulled Pork

My sister-in-law always has some great new recipe that she makes when she comes to visit. Previously, she shared Lazy Stew. This trip it was pulled pork. She sent a picture of the recipe to my phone so I don't know which cookbook it comes from, but it's really good. Don't take my word for it.  Try it and put your slow cooker to work.

Pulled Pork
3 lbs. boneless pork loin or shoulder roast, trimmed, cut into 2 in. pieces
1 1/2 c. chopped onions
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
3 tsp. chili powder
1/4 c. vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 oz. tomato paste

Put everything except tomato paste into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (or high for ~4 hours). Once cooked, shred the pork with a fork and add the tomato paste. Stir well. Serve on hamburger buns.

I also think corn on the cob and Sunchips go well with this meal. And pickles if you like pickles.

Trapped

My hubby was out of town last night and I ended up taking a late shower after getting home from Bible study. Our bathroom door locks a little weird, so I had to pull up on it and lock it. I do this as a mental precaution, because otherwise I hear imaginary noises of strange people coming into the bathroom as I shower and end up flinging back the shower curtain a hundred times to check on these intruders.

I was doing great until I tried to get out of the bathroom. The lock wouldn't turn. I tried lifting the door handle, the door, and turning the lock forcefully. Nothing!

Finally, I prayed, "God, would you please get me out of this bathroom? I'm not opposed to sleeping on the floor (there are rugs), but someone has to take care of my little girl. No one knows I'm trapped in here. I don't have a phone and no one will even know I'm missing for another day. Please help!"

After a few more moments of desperation, I turned the lock the other way, to the left, and it unlocked! Guess I forgot which way it turned.

I got a good laugh out of myself and a little extra time to talk to God, even if it was because of my own ignorance. Have you ever locked yourself inside or outside of somewhere that you'd like to share?

Free (and Cheap) Books

I'm a bibliophile and information junkie. I have read 81 books in entirety this year (and many more in part). I can't afford my addiction, so I get them for free (or trade) from the following sources:

1. The library. This is my first choice. (This was also my secret weapon for free exercise routines.) In addition to requesting books from other libraries in the Montana Library Network, I can also request up to three inter-library loan books from other libraries at no charge. (How awesome is that?)
2. Friends. I have some really nice friends that loan me books. I try to return the favor.
3. Blogging review. In case you didn't notice my buttons on the right (which are multiplying like rabbits), I receive free books from both Thomas Nelson Publishing (Booksneeze.com) and Tyndale. All I have to do is read the book, post a review about it on my blog and on a retail website, and I get to keep the book. This has worked out well for me and could work for you if you blog too. The selection is limited, but you get new releases!
4. The Book Exchange/Chapter One Bookstore. These local stores (and you probably have a few around you) offer store credit for my old books. I just trade 'em in and get new ones. This limits my selection a bit, but I can still find some goodies.
5. Half.com. If I can't find a book anywhere else, I end up here. Sometimes I can get them here cheaper than Amazon.com, so check around.

Those are my sources and they work for me! How do you get your books? For great tips every Wednesday, visit Works for Me Wednesday.

A Christmas Prayer by Amy Parker

In the delightful board book A Christmas Prayer, Amy Parker has written a story that highlights the true reasons for Christmas. In the story, a child recounts the different characters in the Christmas story and thanks God for them. The child uses Christmas decorations as props for the characters, including Gabriel, Joseph, Mary, the donkey, and baby Jesus.


The book is sturdy. The illustrations by Marijan Ramljak are beautiful. The rhyme helps the story along. My particular baby is a little too rambunctious to stay still during the story, but I think she will enjoy it when she's older. I had a little difficulty with the child thanking God for a manger as a precious Christmas gift. I might have left out the thanks for everything until the end of the story where she thanks God for Jesus, the perfect Christmas gift. That part makes sense. The overall message of the book is great: Christmas is about Jesus, not toys. I recommend it for the little ones in your life. [I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing's Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.]

Ladies' Man

In honor of hunting season, I thought I'd share this picture that my friend Jen took at a local drugstore while she was here in August. 

Saving Mylar Balloons

My husband had a birthday recently, so my mother-in-law sent home this balloon from the Candy Store. It may have been more for the baby than my husband, but they both enjoyed it.

I did too, until I started hearing a scraping noise at night and became convinced that our house was infested with rats. (Just the balloon scraping the ceiling, I later discovered.)

Then, there was the time I opened up the laundry room in the middle of the night and saw an alien - my greatest phobia! (Once again, just the silver side of the balloon.)

I decided that was the end of the balloon. Now, how to deflate it quickly and save it for later?

Take a drinking straw.

Insert the straw in the little hole.

Push out the air.
(I had a hard time doing this, so I had my husband help. I think it was because the balloon was older
and I messed up the innards.)

Deflate fully, fold, and save for later.
Take to a party store or somewhere with helium to reinflate.

Ever had a scare from a mylar balloon? Leave me a comment below! For more great tips, visit Works for Me Wednesday.

A Life That Says Welcome

Calling all hostesses! A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others is a personable book that brings back the true meaning of hospitality. (Hint: It's not "entertaining," where the focus is on impressing others. Need I remind you of the teddy bear cake?) It was also one of the few non-fiction books I couldn't put down.

Author Karen Ehman shares simple, Biblical ways to offer others our hearts and homes, beginning with our families. Ever have your husband complain that you're making a delectable dessert for someone else? Been there, done that. Karen tells of one time she made a delicious homemade meal for another family while her family had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. Hence, family first! I tried to do this yesterday while cleaning my house well and adding some beautiful fall decorations, just because.


Sunflowers from my garden!



In addition to recipes, she shares low-cost decorating tips and cleaning suggestions, including how to declutter. Karen offers practical ways to welcome people into our home as well as to offer encouragement and love in other ways outside our homes, such as sending care packages to people in college and taking dear friends out to coffee.

One of my favorite chapters is "The Myth of the Too-Small House." In it, she debunks the idea that we have to have a large home in order to invite people over. It's our thoughts and our welcoming attitudes, not our material possessions, that we want to impress on others. What a great reminder when I often use that excuse because my house is smallish.

I have been humbled and encouraged by this book and highly recommend it to all Christian women who want to expand their hospitality horizons. It would also be a nice wedding present for the right kind of gal. So, "Welcome, Welcome, Welcome dear friends!" (PG for a mention of horizonal hospitality and Rahab, who crops up everywhere)

Smokin' Salmon

Over Labor Day weekend, we took a day trip over to Salmon, ID. Aside from the baby whining in the backseat and my having to contort my arm to feed her pretzel pieces, it was a great trip and a beautiful drive. There wasn't much (that we saw) to do in Salmon, but we ate lunch and walked along Main Street for a little while before heading back home. Here's what we saw:

We had soup and a grilled cheese sandwich here. Baby loved the soup!
At first I thought they carried ice cream (due to the refrigerated cases), but on further inspection
realized it was just lots of beer. (And some cheesecake and tiramisu)

This one's for you Ali! We didn't read the history in History Park,
but they did have a free restroom.

Seen outside a bar on Main Street.

The Hairy Truth

You may have noticed my new Blogging with Integrity button on the right here. To better share the truth, I have a confession to make: I had hair extensions the last 6 weeks. That's right. I wore other people's hair with reckless abandon.

A friend offered me her old extensions, so I decided to try them out around my birthday. No one commented on them, so I guess they must have looked like I just grew 6 inches overnight. If you're contemplating adding them for either length or fullness (I miss the fullness!), here are my thoughts on them:

Pros

• Immediate results
• Hair looked longer and fuller
• Can get them to match your hair color
• Easy to wash
• Husband could remove them with pliers

Cons

• Pulled on my hair in the beginning
• Couldn't use a comb for my hair (used a bristle brush instead)
• My used extensions had more split ends than my natural hair
• Baby was able to pull a few out
• I saw one on the ground and was scared it was a snake
• Cost (I only had to pay for having them put in, which was $30. To get hair too, it would have been around $400.)

When I shower now, I keep reaching around to grab my hair and realize it's gone. I really miss the fullness and body, but will probably wait awhile to get them again. Here are some pictures to prove I'm full of integrity (just not hair).

With most of my extensions. By this time,
the really long, wavy ones had fallen out.

Sans extensions. Hair was attached with little beads.

What do you think? Should I get them again?

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews

This short children's book tells the story of Norman Borlaug's contribution to feeding the world's hungry. It begins with Norman growing up in the cornfields of Iowa and thinking about people without food. From there, the story traces the lives of other people who prepared the way for Norman's great work, including Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver, and Moses Carver. At the end, Andrews explains that the small things we do make a difference in the world and encourages children to make the most of their lives for God.

I like the message of the book. Kids, and everyone else, want to know that their lives are making a difference, that the small things they do matter. I had heard these names before, but never pieced together how they all connected. The only small issue I had was with omitting that Moses Carver owned slaves. The book called them "workers." I still heartily recommend this book, in part because the illustrations by Philip Hurst are gorgeous. The tale is a sweet reminder of the interconnectivity of our lives and that our actions can make a big difference. (Recommended, G) [Thomas Nelson Publishing's Booksneeze program provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.]

For a review of The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews click here.

Making Money from Home

As I shared previously, blogging hasn't been a lucrative business for me. I blog because I enjoy the challenge of coming up with new ideas and actually committing them to (self-)published words. I haven't seriously tried to make money from this blog.

If you are trying to make extra income from home, I suggest reading Making Money from Home by Donna Partow. This excellent, practical book takes the guesswork out of starting a new business. It's published by Focus on the Family and includes many references to her webpage, http://www.makingmoneywithdonna.com/, which includes additional resources that are up-to-date.

I loved the chapter about writing a business plan, which included simple, necessary things to do if you want to start a professional, legitimate business. She has great ideas for holding garage sales and starting to sell things on Ebay. If that's not your focus, she also has practical tips on starting a direct marketing business (like Mary Kay) or selling information products. She gets into the nitty-gritty of setting aside time and office space (down to office paint color suggestions) and about how to honor your family at the same time as trying to make extra money. I highly recommend this resource, which approaches the topic with balance and faith. (Rated: G)

Fair Parade

Yes, I'm going to bore you with yet another parade here in town. (I think this is the last of them until the Parade of Lights after Thanksgiving.) It's one that announces the beginning of the fair and it's a nice, long parade (over an hour!). My husband appeared in it twice. See if you can spot him and my charcoal grill below!

The Bogus Band was an elderly man playing the radio out of his car.

Loved the hair on the groom

The theme was backyards and barnyards.
This float advertised an eye care practice.

Donaldson's sent candy flying off the conveyor belt.
You should have seen the kids pile up to get the sweets.
I avoided candy and instead ended up with some free grass seed from Lakeland Feeds.

Hint: Here's one of my hubby and the grill.

We braved the autumn weather and a hint of rain for a great parade. And then we went to the fair on Thursday when it warmed up.

Volunteered Scones

I made half chocolate chip, half currant,
which look like chocolate chips but definitely are not.

I love it when my husband comes home from work at 6pm and says, "Honey, I need you to make 4 dozen cupcakes by tomorrow." Although I can find my way around the kitchen, I can't make time and ingredients magically appear.

This happened last week when he came home and told me I was providing breakfast for some of his coworkers the following morning. Hmm... I thought about what I had on hand and made some scones. From what I hear, they liked them, so here's the recipe, courtesy of Pam Anderson (not THAT Pamela Anderson - what a bad name to share with someone!). 

I just hope he doesn't get huffy when I spring this line on him sometime: "Honey, I need you to do the dishes before tomorrow." I mean, what if my coworker really needs it?

Another Garden Goodie!

The first yellow squash from my garden.
And the baby even liked it.

Crocheted Cloches

A bit too big for baby doll's head.

I love the flower. It's one piece, but has a nice dimension to it.

I was inspired to crochet this baby cloche after finding the pattern here. I made the 6-12 month one, which will be given to my little niece sometime soon. You can't see it very well, but there's an eyelet row right above the scalloped edging. I think they're darling and don't take that long. Next is a slightly bigger one for my sweet little one.