Book Review:: Running for My LIfe

With the Olympics in full swing, it was the perfect time to receive this book. I knew nothing of this runner even though I faithfully watched the 2008 summer Olympics, especially the opening ceremonies, when Lopez Lomong carried the American Flag with pride. I don't remember his story, which I'm sure they talked about at some point during the games. I wish I did. It is a story worth reading. A story of hope and dreams, determination and survival.

In Running For My Life, Lopez Lomong (born Lopepe Lomong in war stricken South Sundan) tells an inspiring story of a six year old boy, ripped from his mothers arms by rebel solders, who grow up in a refugee camp in Kenya and, years later and a dream come true, became an American Olympian. He tells of escaping a rebel camp that turned children into soldiers with three 'angels', being taken to a refugee camp to live off UN scraps on Tuesday and a chicken on holidays. While at the camp, Lomong fell in love with soccer. In order to play he had to run 18 miles everyday. Yes, you read that right: 18 miles. Through God's blessing and mighty hand, Lomong was chosen to come to America through a program for the Lost Boys. He was placed with a family in Syracuse, New York (close to where I grew up!)

"Ten years after the rebel soldiers ripped me out of my mother's arms, I finally had a place to call home." 

He struggled with understanding that someone would actually want him. Who would want a boy with no country, a boy with really no past.

"They were so nice but apparently so clueless. Why would they ever think a lot boy like me belonged in their home."

Though he wanted to play soccer, the cross country coach bribed him with a jacket (yes, a jacket with his name on the back). Many years later, after stating to everyone who would listen since the time he saw Michael Johnson run in the Olympics on a black and white TV in Kenya, he did make it to the Olympics.

We live in American not knowing how blessed we really are, how children long to come here because it is the land of dreams and opportunity. This story proves America is still where dreams can come true. A heart wrenching, inspiring, eye opening read. Definitely one you need to get your hands on, especially during these exciting summer Olympics. And cheer on Lomong as he runs for the USA!

Lomong didn't write this book to show how good he became at running because he, in all seriousness, ran for his life many times but he is also running for the lives of other Lost Boys in Sudan. He travels and back forth, using his athletic standing and status as a platform to share the terror still going on. Visit his website to find out more of what he is doing for the Lost Boys and the Sudan.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review:: Trusting God

"Dear Lord, help me look past my problem to see Your provision and protection. Help me rest in the truth that Your ways are high than my ways even when I don't understand"

Trusting God is a series of daily devotionals meant to reignite a 'girlfriends' trust in God. Each day one of the three women (Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith and Mary Southerland) take you through some very personal journeys during which they learned a lesson on trusting God. These journeys range from meeting friends, having children, loss and gaining. The fruit of trusting God through everything is evident in the happy endings. Throughout the book, you can see how God is there, always. These women want you to see this, embrace this, live this. Fully trusting God. Always. Their life stories are proof and they want to share. Girlfriend to girlfriend. Heart to heart. Woman to woman. Through their pain and triumphs they want you to know that letting go can be more ever more rewarding than clinging to the stump holding you to earth. God can do amazing things, as the ladies share, when we release and let go to Him. Trust Him. Trust His ways are better. How much more evidence do you need than three women pouring their hearts onto pages and glorifying God for all He has done?

None. Although it would be nice for you to experience it on your own, right? At the end of each section there is a chapter to reflect. Ways to apply what you've just read about to your own life. Ways to 'let go and let God'. Without these chapters I think the book would have been redundant. But hey, God never changes. His blessings come when we trust Him. They never change. So I guess hearing over and over how God can bless any circumstance can never get old. If you don't want to take the time to read, then don't. But if you need to know, need to be reminded that God is in control, His ways are better than ours, His plan is eternal than this book is for you. Trust is hard, especially with someone Who we cannot see. But know that when you do, there is nothing better.

"God is not human. God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He says what He means, and means what He says. God cares for you unceasingly, provides for you immeasurably, and loves you unconditionally. And you really can trust Him"

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah for this review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Just How Important is Reading?

Extremely!!!

I cannot stress enough how important reading to your child is.

Baby had her 9 month well child check up on Monday. The pediatrician was impressed by how much this girl talks! He asked us if she talks. Our response was "when doesn't she talk?".

To be on track Baby should be proficient with mama and dada as well as imitating sounds. (I don't say this to brag but to stress the importance of reading) Baby is well beyond that.

She says:
Mama
Dada
Ticky ticky
Ducky
What's that?
Kitty
Papa/ baba
And other repeated words

And she uses these appropriately.

I can only attribute this is us reading to her everyday. A lot too. We spend a lot of time with books.

So please don't say she's too young to really understand what's in a book. They never are!! And the impact is HUGE!

Book Review:: Monday's with My Old Pastor

This is what you'd call a highlighter book (I struggled against it because I love to pass these books along and I'd rather have the next reader decide what they feel is 'highlighter' worthy). The quotes from this Pastor could cover a wall. If you write them all down, you'd be violating copyright laws! I wish I could give you more quotes but I can't decide which ones to write. The wisdom in this book is beyond comprehension. It's one you'll need to take your time reading, mediating and praying for it to seep into your own life and soul.

Monday's with My Old Pastor chronicles the journey of Jose Luis Navajo through the struggles we all face at some point in our lives. Navajo is a pastor who suffered from the medically diagnosed disease of 'burn out'. He was at a point in his ministry and life where he felt he just couldn't finish, just couldn't go on. He was ready to give up, ready to say this was not what God had called him to do even after many fruitful years. Through the urging of his wife, Navajo schedules a meeting with his aging Pastor. The man who first led him to the ministry. Every Monday, for about 12-13 weeks, the men met. Through stories of personal growth, age old stories fables, and, most of all, a life the bleeds the cross, Navajo comes away with a renewed love for God and His calling. Even in the face of death, the "old Pastor" held the cross in front of him:

"I was born in the shade of the cross. I want to live anchored to it, and may it be the ladder that lifts me up to His presence when my time comes."

I cannot say enough about this book. There is no way I could put into words the wisdom this man held and passed to future generations. There is convictions, hope, tears and pure honesty. I cannot write the thoughts and feels I had while reading this book. They swirl about daily in my mind. They convict. Even if you're not at the point of giving up your faith, you feel like you've lost it already, this book is for you. It doesn't matter how much you know. It doesn't matter if you have the Bible memorized front to back. It doesn't matter how long you've been a Christian, how long you've preached the Word. This book will scream that you can never know enough. 

Soak up this wisdom. True, pure wisdom is hard to find these days. 

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.

Proverbs 16:16

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from booksneeze.com for this review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Things to See:: Word World

We've been watching PBS a lot now (since our newly discovered obsession with Curious George). There are only a few shows that catch Baby's attention and this is one of them. I think it's pretty cute too.

Word World is a show all about, you guessed it, words. Every character is spelled with letters, such as the frog seen to the right. The barn they play in and all their homes are also built like that. The scenery too.

In every episode they have a problem to overcome and they need at least one object to do it. With the letters and letter combinations they find, the team has to come up with the 'thing' they need by putting them all together. They sound out the letters and as they do, the letters squish together to make the object.

I have never seen such a fun way of learning how to spell and read. Not only are you seeing the words come together but they stay together so you can see the letters as the word. I'm a huge advocate for teaching your child how to read and spell by reading books. But this is a fun and imaginative way to aid in learning.

Here's an episode to check out: