A little update

Today I put together my new bed with help from my Mom. I’m moving into a new bedroom, and we found a really cute bed frame that’s white with swirly metal pieces along the headboard and footboard. I am very excited because this is a room I’ll have all to myself to decorate how I like!

I have a few plans so far for how I want to decorate. I’d like a little reading nook in one corner next to my bookshelves, and I might paint an end table with some white paint to give it a new look. The room has some okay-ish wallpaper, but I think I’ll invest in some removable wallpaper to cover over it - I think I’ll have three walls completely white, then an accent wall. There’s one I’ve been eyeing that has stars printed on it, but I wonder if that would be too much? We’ll see.

I’ve been reading quite a lot too lately. Spring break has been fantastic for that. One of my friends at school lent me a book, but with the virus going around, I don’t think I’ll be able to get it back to him for a while since classes are moving online. I’m hoping I don’t run out of books to read. I know that probably won’t happen (and even if it did, there’s a whole internet full of free ebooks), but fingers crossed still.

Well, I see it’s been over a year since I wrote anything on this blog, which is shocking because I don’t know how that much time has passed since my last post. My grandma likes to read my posts, and I was thinking of her today, so I wanted to write something here for her to read even if it’s a bit short. <3

Hoping to write more here soon. Lots of love,

This week, I...

Just a little list of things I’ve done this week that I felt like sharing with you all. Enjoy!

• Found a love of waking up at 7-8am
• Visited my grandparents
• Almost went to a book store, but it turned out to be closed, so we went to a thrift store instead
• Went to the thrift store and came home with a book and a vinyl for My Fair Lady (record players are the best)
• Texted some friends
• Received two aloe plants (my collection of succulents is growing rapidly, but so far this plant mom has everything under control 😉 *that’s what they all say, right?*)
• Finished a book in two days and started reading another three the next day
• Fell asleep listening to a playlist of songs by a band called Sleeping At Last
• Took some Polaroid pictures and taped them into my journal
• Watched a bunch of krist + u videos on YouTube
• Saw the sun come out from behind the clouds for the first time in days (or weeks...I honestly can’t remember, haha)
• Drank canned coffee for the first time ever...it needed creamer
• Remembered I like Butterfinger candy bars
• Did some planning for when I redecorate my bedroom
• Watched snowflakes fall outside the living room window - while the sun was shining!
• Brushed up on French history because why not?
• Sketched in my notebook
• Decided to write a blog post, and here it is <3

Coloring Book Review // Picturing Heaven

Hello, everyone! It's been a while, but I'm back with a post about this beautiful coloring book for adults - Picturing Heaven, based on Randy Alcorn's book Heaven.

Besides pretty coloring pages, this coloring book also includes a devotion and Bible verse with each coloring page. The devotions read more like personal thoughts about heaven rather than an actual morning devo, but they were good nonetheless. The coloring pages themselves are very lovely with lots of intricate designs to color in.

Personally, I didn't like the extra gold details on each coloring page, but my sister did. It's just a personal preference, though I feel it hindered the way I would want to color in the pages since it was partially colored in already.

Overall, I found this coloring book very pretty, and relaxing to color in - a nice, reflective way to spend the morning or afternoon.

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

Book Review // Dorian The Daring

This book review is long overdue, despite my excitement to write it. I received this book a while ago for free from the authoress in exchange for my honest review. So, without any further delay, here is my review!

Dorian The Daring is an adventure novel set in medieval time, and is written by Camille Esther. The story follows a young man, Dorian, who discovers that he is not, as he believed, a noblewoman's son but the son of an impoverished villager. After a two-faced friend of his nobleman father gets him turned out of his grand home, Dorian sets out to find his true family and stumbles across some startling discoveries - including the fact that someone wants him dead.

Dorian The Daring was all in all a fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed how well the authoress developed the characters and the plot. Every new chapter - sometimes even the next page! - brought something new and exciting to the story. At times, however, it seemed that Dorian escaped dangerous ordeals too easily. However, that is my only negative feedback for the story. This book is not your average "brave prince saves the damsel in distress and lives happily ever after" medieval story. Dorian has many doubts and fears, and fights with his thoughts all throughout his journey. With would-be assassins and other dangers hiding in every shadow, he is always looking over his shoulder, thinking twice, trying to protect his newfound family from the evil plot he has discovered. With each new danger he faces, Dorian comes closer to uncovering the truth and realizes what he must do to set everything right.

Dorian The Daring is a book I would recommend to anyone looking for an adventurous tale!

Saturday's Selections

I cannot express how much I love Fall. The cold weather, the warm jackets, the need for socks so that your toes don't get too cold. Not to mention sitting on the porch with a cup of hot tea, watching the leaves fall off the trees and land on the lawn.

Frank Sinatra (and pretty much any singer in that era) has a voice with the splendid style that reminds me of driving in a car through the city on a cold night, not really going anywhere, just looking at the stores lining the streets, all locked up tight with the lights left on in the windows. This song, Autumn in New York, makes me smile.

Happy Fall, everyone!

Flowers | My Photography

In the midst of all the book reviews and scribblings I've been writing, I feel like I haven't quite been true to the reason my younger self started this blog in the first place - posting photos. (My blog name is The Godly Photographer, is it not?) So, here are some photos of flowers I have taken in the past couple of years. Hope you enjoy!

Most of these photos were taken while vacationing in Colorado. A couple were taken at a relative's farmhouse. I think it's a safe bet to say all of these were photographed using my 50mm lens (my favorite lens). I love that the photos that involve subjects other than flowers have flowery pieces - the floral appliques on my sister's dress in the photo above, and the flower curtains in the photo below.

I hope you enjoyed these photos! I'll hopefully be posting some more of my photography here on the blog. If you want to see more of my photos, you can visit my photo blog at DiverseReflections.com.

I Started A Book Club...

Over the years, I have acquainted myself with many intellectual people - people who like to get into deep conversation instead of the simple "how's the weather?" sort of talk. In TeenPact, we talk about politics, government, figuring out how we can fix the nation's problems when we grow up. I have my family to share opinions with, as well as awesome friends with whom to discuss big topics. I enjoy having discussions with others.

And I enjoy reading books. Grand books. Old books. Most books, really. I'm currently in the middle of Les Misérables, which is now one of my favorite books. At any given time, I am reading at least one book. I also enjoy talking to my friends about the books I've been reading.

So I decided to start a book club with some of the teens in a homeschool group I'm in. I chose to start the club with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - a book I had read and enjoyed (and also a book which is a favorite of my best friend, Paprika...she can quote it cover to cover!). We would read the book and meet the next month to discuss the book, what we'd thought of it, which character we most liked and why...That's what a book club is, isn't it?

I spent the month leading up to the first meeting re-reading the book, finding favorite quotes to share with my fellow club members, making little favors (bookmarks with some of the book quotes on them, with pieces of ribbon tied to the ends), and coming up with questions to spark discussion. I was super excited, positive the club's first meeting would be a fantastic one, and could hardly wait to discuss Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and Jane and Bingley. On the day of the club, I strolled in and met one person. Okay, I thought, I'm a bit early. Maybe the others haven't arrived yet. So I started chatting with the girl - I'll call her Rachel - who had already come. Five minutes passed, and no one else had arrived. I learned from Rachel that she had only read the first chapter of the book in the past month since I had announced the book club. The first chapter. If you have ever read Pride and Prejudice, you'll know that the first chapter is less than two pages long. Rachel had read two pages of the book, but hadn't understood it, so she had chosen to read a series of less-Classic books instead...which she had already read once before.

I supposed I hadn't been clear about reading the whole book before the first meeting. Maybe when the other teens arrived, we would be able to have a bigger discussion about the book. For the time being, I explained the first part of the book to Rachel without giving away too many spoilers (I hate spoilers, but I suppose nearly everyone knows what happens at the end of Pride and Prejudice?).

Well, after a bit, Rachel told me that the people who were going to come - a couple other girls - couldn't make it. So it was just me, who had read the entire book and craved intellectual discussion, and Rachel, who had read one chapter and didn't want to continue reading Jane Austen's writing style.

So instead of discussing Mr. Darcy's trying to break up Jane and Bingley's relationship, or how hilarious Mrs. Bennet's attempts were at getting her girls to marry richer men, Rachel and I ended up talking about other books which she had read - and a few that I had read that she knew of.

"Have you read Journey to the Centre of the Earth?"

"Uhhh, no. Have you read the Lunar Chronicles?"

"Can't say I have...um, have you ever read The Time Machine?"

"Hmm, no, I haven't. But I've read (lists book I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, while other homeschoolers might love it as much as Rachel did)."

"Oh," I tried to sound just interested enough, but not too much so that she shared everything I didn't want to know about this book.

"Yeah, I love it so much. I've watched all the movies."

"Oh, yeah?"

We tried. A few books we had both read - all modern - and we casually chatted about those. I didn't expect her to have read Arabian Nights, which I had read and really liked (I mean, c'mon! A girl who cheats death by telling stories?). But when I told her the next book would be The Hound of The Baskervilles, she asked in a bit of an anxious tone, "So are all the books going to be Classics?"

I understand that people don't read like they used to. Most books nowadays are written on an eighth-, even sixth-, grade reading level, so trying to read Jane Austen can be a bit foreign to some. But even though I like the average modern book just as much as the next person, the Classics are the books that I love, the books I want to share with others. But I couldn't have the first book club meeting I had been so excited for because the one person who could come hadn't read past page two.

So what I've learned from that first book club meeting is this: Some people won't ever get to grin at Elizabeth Bennet's wit, or shudder at the thought of the footprints of a gigantic hound, or feel relieved when Jean Valjean and Cosette escape Javert on the Cul-de-sac Genrot. These are the books I want to share with people. I want them to feel the excitement I had felt, or something like it. And while modern books can sometimes be just as good as Classics, some people just won't get past the "antiquated" writing style to see the adventure in it.

It is a sad truth, but Mr. Darcy was right when he said not everyone reads the same, or with the same feelings.

Book Review: Meals from Mars

Hi everyone! Today I have another book review: "Meals from Mars" by Ben Sciacca.

First off, I must say that I got this book in high hopes that it would be a inspiring book and not just another polarizing or sympathetic read. The front cover itself called the book "a parable of prejudice and providence." However, in some ways it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The book begins toward the end of the story, then backtracks twenty hours before the end, telling the story of a well-to-do white guy from the suburbs and a black teen from the inner city. Through a twist of fate, they end up stuck in an icy storm at night in the country together. Neither cares much for the other, and the well-to-do man, Jim, argues about how Malik, the inner city teen, could be something better than he is if he "moved on" or "got a job" while Malik argues about how bad things are and how nothing ever matters and how much he dislikes false sympathy. This arguing (which seemed like whining) continues through the night, and there is little to no resolve between the two men.

I won't spoil the ending (which was a bit predictable, in my opinion), but when I finally turned the last page, I felt that there were more arguments and sympathy than mutual understanding and relief of prejudicial tension between the two characters. I do, however, appreciate that the author wrote the book in such a way that I was given two sides of the story and was not told what to think. Also the book is written with interesting imagery, humor and some relatability. The characters were polar opposites (one has a great, well-paying job, great house, good family life, etc, and the other lives in the bad side of town, is dirt-poor, gets into trouble, speaks very stereotypically, etc), but seemed real enough to be believable. While the book was well-written, I still wish there had been at least some sort of real resolve instead of the sudden, almost unreal ending.

(I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.)

Book Review: Bible Promises for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Today's book review is from my Mom, Amy from Raising Arrows.

A book like Bible Promises for Parents of Children with Special Needs would be a perfect gift for a mom with a baby in NICU, or a mom with a child who has a condition that makes normal feel like a foreign word.  

As a mom who has a daughter with a syndrome that will affect the rest of her life, I appreciate being able to flip through by topic and find Scriptural answers to exactly what I am feeling.  Everything from finances to accepting the diagnosis to dealing with the loneliness of being a mom with a child who isn't quite "normal" is addressed in this small purse-sized book.

It answers the hard questions of raising a special needs child with grace, mercy, and God's Word.  It is exactly what every mom walking this road needs in her arsenal of encouragement.

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

Book Review: Different

Hi, everyone! Today I'm reviewing a great book called Different.

Although I love to read, there aren't many books that leave me feeling the way this book did. After I finished the very last page, I wished there was more. I felt encouraged and empowered.

As some of you may know faith does not always come easily to me. I've always had a lot of questions about a lot of things, including faith. Part of that is because I have something called Aspergers, which means I'm basically high-functioning autistic. I've never felt degraded by Aspergers, but that doesn't mean it's easy being an Aspie. I deal with things like being socially awkward and having sensory processing issues, and I also have a hard time understanding faith. I tend to feel disconnected during worship, and sermons can be difficult for me to wrap my mind around.

But this book has helped me with some of that.

Different is written by Sally and Nathan Clarkson. Nathan has OCD and a few other diagnoses that make him, well, different. He sees the world in his own unique way - which sometimes makes him misunderstood by others. However, through all the highs and lows, he and his mom have believed that his differences are all a part of what could build him up.

What I like most about Different:

1.  It's easy to read. There's no 'Christianese' (I've never been able to understand those types of phrases) or long chapters. Each chapter is divided into a section written by Nathan and a section written by Sally. It's a super quick read (so quick it left me wishing there was more).

2. It's not about how to "fix" a person who is "different." It doesn't talk about all the things that are wrong about OCD or ADD or ADHD. Rather, this books is a compilation of personal stories (and pencil sketches drawn by Nathan) that share what it's like to be different and how Nathan and Sally have grown closer to God because of it.

3. This book does not condone hiding behind a diagnosis. It's not about making excuses for mistakes you've made or the way you live your life just because you have a "problem." Nathan and Sally encourage you to believe in your (or your child's) potential. They have a calling to be a hero in their own way.

I am beyond elated that I came across this book. Different has not only inspired me in ways I'd never felt before - it has also taught me that being different is 

If you or your child is out-of-the-box, and you want to be encouraged and uplifted, read this book! You won't regret it! No matter how different you are, you can still dare to make your story a great one.

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

Book Review: Hidden In My Heart Scripture Memory Bible

Hi, everyone! I'm back with another awesome book to review!

Recently, I had the chance to review the Hidden In My Heart Scripture Memory Bible, and it is amazing! It's not your usual Scripture memory Bible - it's better!

With this Bible, you get access to free songs that use memory verses as the lyrics. Studies have shown that music aids in memorization (which is why you'll never forget the Kit Kat song or Jesus Loves Me), and memory verse songs are a fun way to encourage memorization.

The text is very easy to read, and memory verses are highlighted in special sections. Each section contains a memory verse in 3 translations (NLT, KJV and NIV) for various ways of memorizing them.

My favorite part of the Memory Bible is the thematic memory verse plans. This section provides a list of verses to guide you in memorizing verses based on a theme, such as peace, joy, and hope.

The only disappointment I have with it? Most of the memory songs do not have the contemporary sound I like. They're more written for children ages 6-10. If they were a bit more like the contemporary worship music I listen to, I would definitely be more prompted to memorize the verses that way.

All in all, this Scripture Memory Bible is perfect for any age, and is a wonderful prompt for easy Bible verse memorization. I would definitely recommend this Memory Bible!

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

Christmas 2016

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Mine was absolutely spectacular! My family and I opened presents and stockings, watched some shows together (Mission Impossible and Star Trek...yes, very non-traditional things to watch on Christmas day. 😉), played Twister, tried out all our new gifts, put together Christmas supper, and in all, spent a great day with each other. It wasn't a white Christmas unfortunately...but it did rain, so I guess that was okay. Better than nothing at all (and you ought to know how much I love rain). 🙂

Aside from telling y'all about my Christmas, I wanted to share a little something. On Christmas Eve, my family and I went to a Christmas Eve service at the Church. The place was all decorated up with wreaths and garlands, and everyone received a candle which was lit at the end of the service. Towards the end of the service, the pastor showed a short video - rather, a commercial - about an event during World War I where the British and Germans stopped the fighting to celebrate Christmas together. The video was quite awe-inspiring, and so I want to share it with you. You can watch it below. December 25 may be over this year, but I hope the joy and love and peace that comes with the Christmas season never ends.

Christmas Truce of 1914, World War I

May your days be merry and bright, everyone!

à la prochaine,

Time

Wow. It's a bit hard to believe my last post was over a month ago. A lot of things have happened since then, and now Christmas is coming and so is New Years and...all I can say is wow. I wish time went slower than it does. Moments seem to be here one minute and gone the next.

Life is calming down somewhat here after a busy month in our household. We've geared up for the Christmas season. We have our Christmas tree by the front window - something I've wanted for ages! I love seeing Christmas trees in the windows of people's houses as we drive by to look at the lights. :)

I've been making presents for my family too. Mostly sewing projects - toys and such. I'm hoping to crochet a teddy bear for some family friends who are expecting a baby really soon. I'm also crocheting little baskets for a Tea Party my Grandma is having this Spring. They're so cute! We chose Spring colors, so the baskets are yellow, pink, green and blue.

My family and I have been watching a lot of Studio C since a friend introduced us to it a while ago. My younger sister loves it so much - she gets to laughing so hard! :D

Not too long ago, my best friend, Paprika, and her family came to visit for a day. It was awesome. Paprika and I went to the coffee shop three times (I live so close to it - why not?). At one point, we tried some of each other's drinks, and the "friend" part of me was all for it, but the sensory part of me was like "no, don't do it!" Paprika could tell part of me wasn't very willing (I'll bet it wasn't too hard to notice), and remarked, "This is killing you, isn't it?" But we shared anyway, which is something I wouldn't do with many people. Guess that's why she's my best friend though. ;)

While she was here, we spoke with British accents for quite a while - although I did eventually switch to Scottish because I like it slightly better. We pretended to be cousins during the 1400s too. She actually taught me how to play pretend. I didn't really pretend with anyone before I met her. And now whenever we get together, we're in a Nancy Drew mystery or making up our own adventure. :)

A very special event is coming up for me soon. I'm super excited and a little bit sad. There is an ornament on our tree that my Mom made for me before I was born. It is a clear glass ball filled with heart-shaped confetti and one note rolled up into a scroll. All my life I have waited to read that small note (and I've come pretty close to it...but that was when I was an impatient little six-year-old who tried to open it in secret. ;) ), and now this December I will finally read it. I am counting down the days. The reason why I'm sad is because I can't help but think, Wow, I've waited all this time and now the waiting is almost over. It's a bit hard to believe I will get to open the ornament and read the note inside. Believe me, I am super curious to know what it says!

My special ornament

On another note, my newest sibling was born! And now we have an equal ratio of boys to girls! It's kind of been we girls' "competition" to finally "catch up" with the boys again. And, well, we finally did. ;) So, yes, that is very exciting. After some waiting and doctor visits, Baby Ten is doing very well.

Well, this is as good a place as any to sign off. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

à la prochaine,

November

Happy November! Seems like time is going so fast!

I think Fall is having a bit of trouble. It's been surprisingly warm for the time of year. I just hope that cold weather will arrive with the coming of November. :)

I went to see a ballet with a family friend earlier this week. I've always found it so amazing how dancing can tell a story without words.

Matt Smith, the (awesome) actor who plays the Eleventh regeneration in Doctor Who, had his 34th birthday this past week, so I crocheted up a pair of bow tie boot cuffs. I got the inspiration from a boot cuff pattern from Crafty Tuts. Eleven is my second favorite regeneration (and if you're curious, my favorite is Tom Baker...he is the Doctor.), so I was super excited to crochet something "Bowties are cool" related. ;)

Funny thing is, once I finally finished the baby blanket I started forever ago, I thought I'd take a nice break from crochet. Not so - after a couple days, I was back to crocheting. I've completed three projects since then, with a fourth one half-done.

Aside from feverishly crocheting things, I've also been writing short stories and poems to put in a book. So far, I have about five. I'm hoping to have twenty at the very least. Let's hope inspiration comes over me. ;)

Aaaand I went to the library for the first time in months! I love books. I've read nearly every book in our home library, and whenever I can get to the city library I have the time of my life. I usually check out a couple books I've read before...usually good books on how to write stories. This time, I also picked up some Tea Shop Mysteries (I've loved those books since my Grandma accidentally left one when she visited our house...I found it and read it cover to cover in a matter of two days), a Sherlock Holmes mystery, and a few books full of famous short stories and poems. Fiction is hard to come by at my house...our bookshelves are mostly non-fiction, save for Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, and some novels by my Mom's friends. So when I can get my hands on decent novels, I delve into them.

I think I hear a library book calling my name, so I'll sign off here. :)

à la prochaine,

Autumn Playlist

Hi, all! I am currently sitting in front of the computer eating cookies and listening to music through headphones (and I have a baseball cap on - who knows why I decided to put it on when I found it in the bedroom while cleaning the house). And since I'm listening to music - one of my favorite things to do - I'm gonna write a post about what I've been listening to lately and why. 😄

1. "My Victory" - Crowder

(I saw Passion in concert a couple months ago, and they sang this song and I was so inspired by the lyrics and what the band talked about during the concert. Every time I hear it, I break into a smile.)

2. "If We're Honest" - Francesca Battistelli

(I first heard this song on the radio earlier this year during TeenPact, and it's so lovely.)

3. "La Esperanza Frente A Mi" - Danny Gokey

(It's the Spanish version of "Hope In Front Of Me." For some reason, I like listening to the Spanish version of the album, though I haven't taken Spanish in ages - want to, but haven't picked it up again.)

4. "Live For The Drop" - Capital Kings

(I don't usually listen to rap, but I really like Capital Kings. And I got the chance to meet them on the Air1 Positive Hits Tour. So it's kind of like a flashback whenever I listen to their music.)

5. "The List" - Matthew West

(I love how upbeat and inspiring this song is! One of my favorites!)

6. "Start Over" - Flame

(Honestly, I don't like any other song by Flame besides this one. But it's such a deep song about God's forgiveness, and I like the vocals.)

7. "No Turning Back" - for KING & COUNTRY

(I attended a for KING & COUNTRY concert a while ago, and this song was one of my favorites from the concert. I'm so excited for Priceless the movie! Can't wait to see it!)

8. "Love/War" - Jonathan Thulin

(This song almost makes me cry. It's beautiful.)

9. "Happiness" - NEEDTOBREATHE

(I like watching the music video because everyone is running, and then it slows down and I feel sad. But it's called "Happiness," so I should be happy-ish, right? I don't know...)

10. "Northern Sky" - Capital Kings

(I think of the Northern Lights when I hear this song. At the Air1 concert, KB wasn't featured in the concert version...and I like it better that way. I wish Cap Kings would release a live music album.)

11. "Live Like That" - Sidewalk Prophets

(A great song with great lyrics. It's actually one of the first songs I listened to when I first started listening to the radio. Funny how songs like that just stick with you.)

12. "I Am The Doctor" - Murray Gold

(I started learning this song on the piano. I have a friend who loves Eleven, and I used to not really like Eleven...then I did. And now I miss Matt Smith's regeneration so much. And to think I used to not like Eleven!)

13. "Love With Your Life" - Hollyn

(One of my favorite songs ever! It's awesome!)

So that's my playlist! I listen to way more songs than just the ones on this list, but these have been my go-tos lately.

Happy Fall!

Book Review: Can I Really Know Jesus?

Happy Fall, everyone! Today I am reviewing a book called "Can I Really Know Jesus?" This book is full of questions and answers (101, to be exact) regarding a relationship with Jesus.

I jumped at the chance to review this book because faith does not always come easily to me, and I am naturally curious about a lot of things, especially regarding faith. I'm the kind of person who has a lot of questions about a lot of things, and this book helped to answer quite a few of my faith-related questions. One thing that really stood out to me is that the authoress does not answer questions through pure speculation. Each answer is based on Scripture and history.

The book features whimsical artwork which subtly decorates each page, and the text is easy to read. No flowery language or hard-to-understand theological wording. The book is divided into three topics - Jesus, Salvation and Prayer - and answers questions related to those topics. Each page ends in a Bible verse relating to each question and answer. Questions range from "Is Christmas Day really Jesus' birthday?" to "Is Jesus mentioned in the Old Testament?" to "How can I be sure I'm saved?"

It was a quick read - very short pages that left me feeling like I could read another...and another...and another. In no time at all, I had read the book from cover to cover. It's a book that can be flipped through to find an answer to a certain question, but it's so full of information that it can be read page-by-page in order.

All in all, "Can I Really Know Jesus?" is a great read for Christians who are curious and searching for answers, and I can see it being a great book for new believers. If you're looking for a book to strengthen your faith, this book is for you!

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

Book Review: Gratitude - A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

Hey, all! I'm super excited to tell you about this beautiful book - the Gratitude Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal!

Teen/Adult coloring books are rising in popularity, and this one is simply stunning. From the Living Expressions Collection, the Gratitude coloring journal is page after page of lovely designs and Scripture to color through. There are blank pages with instructions to draw a certain feeling, memory, or passion. The journaling part comes in with lines for you to write on about prayer requests and praise items (and these pages are surrounded by even more designs to color!). It's peace, quiet and time with God, all wrapped up in one coloring book.

The journal is small enough to fit in a purse for road trips or lunch breaks or just about anywhere else you'd want to color! Scripture verses and motivational words on nearly every page are typed in pretty fonts that add an extra dimension to each picture. This book is full of inspiration and designs to spark one's creativity, and I can't wait to get out my pens and color in this book again!

I hope you will check out the Gratitude Coloring Journal and be as motivated by it as I am! It's a wonderful way to grow closer to God, one coloring page at a time.

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

🍂 Fall Is Here 🍂

Hi, all! It's been quite a while since I last posted, and I have just one excuse for that - I've been busy, busy, busy working on photography-related things and odds-and-ends that I just haven't thought to write here. But I've wanted to write a post on the blog for a while now, so without further ado, here goes.

For the past couple of days, the weather has been fantastic! The windows have been opened to let the cool air enter the house, and the backyard porch swing has been very inviting since these past few evenings have been cool with a slight breeze.

In my spare time, I've started writing a book of short stories and poems I've written (and will write). My Granny inspired me in this particular venture - A while ago, she asked if I was writing much because she'd seen me writing stories in a notebook once, and she expressed how much she would love to read one of my stories. So I'm in the process of coming up with some writing prompts and the like for my book. :)

Now that the weather is gradually becoming cooler, I'm super excited to delve into my closet for some warmer clothes. Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons, especially since I turn into more of a fashionista during the cooler months. I'm a big fan of layers, boots with boot socks, scarves and knit hats, so I really get into the style side of myself then.

As of late, I've also started to attempt certain hairstyles I've found on Pinterest - I really like doing things with my hair, but sadly my go-tos are ponytails and braided buns. And then there's the fact that my hair is long, so I can't do every single hairstyle I see. (short story: I was attending TeenPact one year, and once decided to leave my hair down with just a flexi clip for decoration. One of the staffers really liked my long hair and she had hers up in a chignon, so she offered to put my hair up like that with my flexi clip. Well, my hair was so long and thick that the flexi clip couldn't hold it all up! But I've loved chignons ever since, and remind myself to bring bigger flexi clips to TeenPact. ;) )

September is ending and Fall is happening! I am beyond excited for this beautiful season. Hot tea, cute clothes, cool weather, bright leaves...What's not to love about Fall?

à la prochaine,

"Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons." - Jim Bishop

Book Review: Brave Enough

Hi, all! Today I am reviewing a book by Nicole Unice, Brave Enough.

Brave Enough is a book about courage. Or, rather, having just enough courage to be yourself, to follow God and do what He asks of you. Not brave like the heroes in the movies, but brave enough.

The book reminds me of the song "Brave" by Moriah Peters, where she says "I know I'm no superwoman/But impossible is possible with You." It's all about the fact that, while we're not always brave and confident by ourselves, with God we can be a little brave and do somewhat small, yet daunting, tasks and work our way up to being just a little braver, then a little more, and a little more...

I'm not an exceptionally outgoing person, so this book was encouraging since the author doesn't have a "Become Super Brave In 10 Days Or Less" approach. It's just a simple calling to not be afraid to be a little brave. The book is full of real-life stories from the author and her friends, which she uses to emphasize certain truths about bravery and trusting God. And at the end of the book, there are pages full of Bible verses about courage. I like that verses are also spread throughout the book, and she explains how each verse can draw us closer to being brave enough.

The one "problem" I had with the book was that the chapters seemed a bit long. While a very good read, I had trouble reading an entire chapter in one sitting.

What I took away from Brave Enough is that there is no such thing as a perfect life, that I can't do everything by myself, and that bravery can be quiet and a little - just enough - bravery is sometimes all you need.

(I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.)

Slow

There’s absolutely no reason for being rushed along with the rush.

Everybody should be free to go very slow.

~ Robert Frost

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if people went about life in a slower manner. I'm pretty slow when it comes to some things anyway. Mealtimes, for instance. I've nearly always been the last person to finish eating because I'm slower than everyone else (There's a really funny joke about that: Doctors say that if you eat slowly, you eat less - You certainly will if you're in a large family.), and when I used to wash dishes during table chores, I'd spend at least 30 minutes longer than the next person, because I'd stare out the window (seriously, windows above sinks were created for the sole purpose to make you feel cooped up washing dishes, and stand there pondering everything that is) and also make sure the dishes were spotless. Doing laundry is only fun when I fold it. I have time to think, folding things - towels are my favorite because they are symmetrical, and therefore easier to fold the neatest. And folding seems to take at least 10 minutes for me (That might not seem long, but I feel very slow when I'm folding, and I see dust on the window sill, and I remember that I didn't dust it the week before, so I search for a paper towel, and I dust it, then I see a sock from who knows how long ago, so I put it in the dirty laundry, and then I start folding again...).

I go about things slower (but, admittedly, not always methodical) than most people. I'm usually the last one out the door on Sunday morning, because I left my shoes somewhere, or I had to find a pencil for my notebook for taking notes. I think and think and think some days on what to wear...a week in advance. When I put my clothes away, I color-, and type-code them. My closet is ordered like this: long-sleeved outfits, patterned skirts, solid-colored skirts, jeans, capris, gray shirts, blue shirts, purple shirts, pink shirts, white and tie-dye shirts, orange and red shirts, and TeenPact blazers and skirts. I've ordered my closet since I was 11 years old. Occasionally I'll find that someone has put away, say, one of my blue shirts in with the white shirts, and I'll put it back with the blue shirts. No big deal, but I like having sections in my closet.

I focus on details rather than the big picture. I watched a trailer for a movie recently, and I noticed little details that another person might have missed. I like seeing a painting from a distance, then pulling in and seeing all the dots or swathes of paint. I do magic eye puzzles because it's all about patience and slowly blurring everything until the picture comes into view. I stare out the window on road trips just in case I see a deer, or a change in the colors of a sunset. When I mow, I look for wild strawberries growing in the yard. 

I like the feeling of slow most days. Slow is calm. Slow is inviting. Slow is knowing that everything will wait for you. Slow is peaceful. I wonder what it would be like if slow was accepted in society. If the rush wasn't so important. If a focused, peaceful slow was the norm. If we cherished the moments that disappear so quickly.

What's the hurry?