Phoning It In

October 31, 2014

By Missy

First, let’s dispense with the necessaries:

Happy Halloween!

I Made It!

Last Day of the Write 31 Days challenge!

Happy Halloween!

(I already said that, didn’t I?)

You know that moment where you’re driving along a highway and you are so zoned out that you miss your exit? Or turn? Or, state line?

I kind of feel that way about what just happened here, over these last 31 days. I assumed that there would be a few bumps in the road, as I sought inspiration each day. While I did, indeed, plan a few of the posts out ahead of time, most of them were written only a day in advance, if not the actual day of. Missing at least one day of writing, if not many, was what I believed would happen.

But, Grace pushed me through. It gave me the extra hour that I needed, encouragement in the form of your comments, and even a gentle nudge to check why my post still hadn’t “published” by 9:30 at night! (TIP: It helps to specify A.M. as opposed to, you know, P.M.)

Even the passage of time was a grace to me throughout this challenge. I feel like I must have zoned out for a while, because MY LANDS, how did the end of October sneak up on us this way?

You see, on the very first day, I mentioned that Commitment and I don’t get along too well.

Apparently, we are now friendly. Oh, yes we are!

Thank you Write 31 Days challenge, for that.

So, today, I’m phoning it in! With this picture of my Halloween Costume from 1981. If you can figure out what I was, comment. You’ll be entered to win a copy of The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful by Myquillin Smith (The Nester). I think it’s fitting, since she hosted us during this challenge. Yes?

P.S. HINT: I wasn’t actually all that hot, was I?

P.P.S. I’ll close comments on Monday, November 3rd at midnight EST.

(What comes after P.P.S.? This is day 31, OH YES IT IS, of the Write 31 Days challenge. Click my button below to be transported to a list of each of my 31 Days of Grace posts.)

And the Books Go To…

September 28, 2014

By Missy

Winning, even a book, is such a great feeling, isn’t it? Just know that I totally feel like I’m winning every time I read the comments that you all provide here in this little community of ours!

I’m praying that the women who won these books will be blessed BIG by the reading of them.

And the books go to…

Twirl Around the Living Room With Me

February 19, 2014

By Missy

I love to read.

Wait, we’ve been over my unhealthy obsession with filling my bookshelves before. But, you’re going to want to stick around here for a minute while I tell you about two books that I’ve recently finished reading. They were both the awesome sauce!

And…

Psst…

I’m giving away a copy of each one!

Have you ever lived with a man who hunts? Maybe you’re married to a man who feels the need to adorn your walls with the bucks and ducks who’ve had the misfortune of crossing paths with him? If you haven’t read “Antelope in the Living Room” by Melanie Shankle, I believe you’ll be able to look those poor things dead in the eye with a new appreciation. Oh, yes I do!

Here’s the beauty in Melanie’s book, though: while we often referred to Captain Ahab as the Great Redneck Hunter, my Sweetman is as far from a hunting enthusiast as you can get. And I still loved this book. Her insights into the marriage relationship had me in stitches and tears, and sometimes both at once. Good stuff.

More good stuff was found in “Twirl” by Patsy Clairmont. Have you ever felt like you were spinning around with no clear idea what direction you’d finally end up in? Each page was filled with wit and wisdom for this journey of life and how to get the most out of each whirl we take – planned or not!

Patsy takes you on a delightful romp through many different life stages and situations. Injecting each chapter with wit and wisdom, you will find it easy to pick and choose which chapters you’d prefer to read. I loved that possibility!

Since I can’t seem to give away any of the snow we’ve had around here lately, I’m giving away books instead. Comment below by telling me what you’re reading, and you’ll be entered to win. And if you tweet this post to your friends, you will be entered twice! Who doesn’t love that?

There will be two winners! One for each book. Double comments will not be counted twice. Giveaway closes on 2/26/14 at midnight!

A Little Summer Reading and a Giveaway

June 16, 2013

By Missy

Books…I love me some books. And I’m talking about the real, honest to goodness, Paper And Binding kind. I love to smell those books, fan the pages of those books, and feel the heft of those books as I use them to swat the back-end of a hornet. Can an i Pad, Kindle, or Nook do that? I. Think. Not.

We love books so much around here, that we have five full bookcases, in the basement, housing books we’ve read and loved so long that we just can’t bear to part with them. Oh, yes indeedy! And I’m not even counting the bookcase exploding with books from my elementary teaching days or the books my children have outgrown. I do believe I might have just nominated myself for an intervention.

Now, Sweetman counts textbooks among some of his favorites down in the Basement Library (as we affectionately call it), but he’s crazy like that. I mean, we’re talking about a man who is reading “The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach” by Michael R. Licona. For fun. FOR THE LOVE, people!

Below is a “small” stack of books that I hope to get through by summer’s end. One of these books I’m rereading for inspiration and information. The rest are all new to me. (And this doesn’t even include “What Happens When Women Say Yes to God” by Lysa TerKeurst, the next Online Bible Study I’ll be participating in over at Proverbs 31 Ministries!)

To celebrate the fact that summer is really and truly almost here (the kids only have school for three more days. LORD BE NEAR!), I’m doing my very first giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment below with the book you are most looking forward to reading over the summer. The rest is up to the random picker thingy at random.org. Easy peasy! (I’ll close out the giveaway on Friday, June 21st at 6:00 p.m Eastern Standard Time.)

If you’re the lucky commenter, you’ll be sent a copy of “Sparkly Green Earrings” by Melanie Shankle and, “A Little Salty To Cut the Sweet” by Sophie Hudson. Both of these books are delightful and poignant summer reads – or anytime reads, really. These two first-time authors are also two very funny bloggers, Big Mama and Boomama, respectively.

Sparkly Green Earrings