Evergreen by Susan May Warren

Book Description

As a beautiful blanket of snow transforms the north woods into a winter wonderland, a deep chill settles over John and Ingrid’s marriage. With the holidays fast approaching, their only hope of keeping their love evergreen depends on turning the page on the past and embracing a new chapter of their future.

My Review

If you are looking for a great way to start the holiday season than I know just the book for you! The Christiansen Family is the best place to visit for the holiday but especially this year.

John and Ingrid are emp­­ty nesters this Thanksgiving and Christmas season and both have different feelings and views about it. John can’t wait to rekindle the flames in his marriage with Ingrid with his surprise getaway but Ingrid feels alone as emotions rise on the memories of a child she lost 16 years ago.

However, a spark of hope ignites when Ingrid hears from her sister, who she hasn’t heard from in 16 years. She asks Ingrid to care for her son Romeo while she goes into rehab; her eldest son Matthew is over seas in the military. John is not as enthusiastic.
It's another great book by Susan May Warren! You won't want to miss it this Holiday season (or anytime!). Check it out today!


I give this book a 5 out of 5!!!

The Day After Thanksgiving!

It's here! The day after Thanksgiving! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Family and Friends and lets start celebrating Christmas! I'm so excited! Actually putting off even talking about and avoiding everything Christmas till now has me even more excited and in the Christmas spirit!

How did you guys handle the hustle of stores Christmas displays? Was it hard for you not to sing along to the tunes playing inside all the stores?

I know I had a couple slip ups, all because I had been in Walmart, Kroger, or Lifeway and they were all playing Christmas tunes! They sure do make it hard. But I kept to it! Thank you Brandon Heath for helping bring the spirit of Fall and Christmas back to us!

Figgy's Friday Spotlight #4

The curtains are drawing. Today's Figgy Friday Spotlight is

Thanksgiving in Utopia

by

Brooke Norris

Wow. Just...wow. I almost can't write the review for this I'm left so speechless. This is a magnificent story of Thanksgiving and finding the true peace and home. So beautifully written, it's inspiring. Keep up the wonderful work Brooke Norris!  

Check back December 6th for the next spotlight!

Living Attitude of Gratitude!

I hope y'all are ready for a November! I know I am! Good food, family and friends getting ready for the holidays, crisp air and falling leaves! I'm getting excited just talking about it!

Hopefully you will enjoy this next post, maybe even get a little kick out of it. 

Friday night about two weeks ago, I walked into the bedroom getting ready to watch the new episode of Legend of Korra don't know you! But when my sister and I turned on the TV Spongebob Squarepants theme song begins to play.

OH NO!

Korra would have to wait 30 more minutes. Sad.

Wait, don't go anywhere yet, there's more! Thank you. Comfy? Good.

As we we're waiting Squidward appears at his window (he is a really nosey neighbor!) to find spongebob cleaning and singing! Of course, Squidward being his neighborly self asks:

"Spongebob, whhyyy are you doing such a thing?"

And Spongebob replies (I love this):

"I’m just displaying for all to see, an attitude of gratitude."

"You've been wallowing in filth all morning, what could you possibly be grateful for?"

(cue song!)

"Oh, I've got a whole new attitude, a lifetime subscription to do gratitude, friend you've got to change your platitude, living attitude of gratitude!
I’m grateful for the life I am living who knows how long I'll have it, I’m thankful for all I've been given, we make appreciation a habit
there’s no time like the present day to have a present come your way
so now I think that you will see there’s nothing more you need."

I don't think he could have sang it any better than that! I truly loved what he said about displaying for all to see. It reminded me of how we're supposed to be examples to the eyes and ears around us. Part of me wants to just shout it out. "I'm going to show an attitude of gratitude for all to see!"

Not to be boastful, but just show to that you can be happy by just being thankful.

God wants us to be joyful all the time (1 Thes 5: 16) , but how can we when our hearts are crowded with complaints. Now, I'm no saint. I have my bad days and then I get easily annoyed by even the smallest of things. Left feeling discontent, I complain. It happens to us all, right? Bad day at work, a dispute with a friend or family, or just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

God's been changing my heart though. Recently, I've discovered complaining makes me sick now! No, literally, it twists my insides in all kinds of knots. Even listening to people around me complaining I start thinking to myself "Can't you do anything else?" Oops, that was a complaint too, huh? That wasn't even a verbal complaint so who cares... right?

Actually, God heard it as did my heart, which is for Him.

Each time I complain I'm not being thankful for all that He has done for me. Who would've thought.

I used to think--sometimes I still fight with this thought, especially when I'm in a mood--

"Why do I have to be thankful for everything when I'm having this problem right now?"

or

"I am thankful, why do I have to keep saying it?"

But that's not right. As Christians, we're called to live in peace  and ALWAYS be thankful. (Col 3:15-18) Even when we're praising and worshiping Him, we're to sing with thankful hearts.

Like Spongebob said there's no day like today to have the gift of peace come your way by having the attitude of gratitude and letting that light shine on the rest of the world! Cause there is nothing better than the peace of the Almighty in our hearts and sharing that with the people around you.