We love books!

If there's one area where we're really tempted to spend more than budgeted at our house, that would be books! We love 'em! It was my love of books that persuaded me to sign up for Swagbucks, and in July of this year I received my first installment of free books! If you haven't signed up for Swagbucks yet, I would highly recommend it!

As I thought about my plan of posting Book Reviews, it occurred to me that I'm actually right now doing something I do not prefer doing – I'm reading several books at once! (And that may be a mark of mom-hood!) So, I'll start this introductory post to what will hopefully be a weekly review by telling about the books I'm currently reading.

Besides the Bible, I'm reading two other books on childrearing:

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
My husband and I especially appreciate the emphasis placed on the Gospel, both in the parent's responsibility and in the child's response. As a Christian parent consistenly shepherds in love, he or she continually points the child to his or her own inability to please God and, therefore, his or her need of Christ to save. You can read an excellent review of the book here. We recommend this book as a useful tool in counseling teens as well. I'm very happy to say that this book is also available in Spanish: Como Pastorear el Corazon de su Hijo.

The Mother at Home by John S.C. Abbott
First published in 1833, this book was written by a pastor in Maine who desired to help the mothers in his congregation. As the author's preface states: The object of this book is practical utility, not literary effect. It is written for mothers in the common walks of life. There are many mothers in every village of our land who are looking eagerly for information respecting the government of their children. It is hoped that the following treatise may render them some assistance . . . especially to help to lead their children to the Savior and prepare them for their heavenly home.

I'm also reading Gifted Hands, the inspiring autobiography of Dr. Ben Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. More than anything, I would say that it's a story of faith in God and a mother's courage and love in the face of, what would be for most of us, disheartening odds. I'd like to write a fuller review on the book – when I finish reading it! I think Dr. Carson is a much-needed role model for children and teens, especially in inner-city settings; I certainly wish it were required reading in our public school literature classes!

Girl Talk by Gigi Garner
This is basically a collection of useful tips and anecdotes such as we women might share with our girlfriends over coffee. It's the kind of book that can be picked up and then easily set aside when the next duty calls. I'm especially eager to try out some of the recipes included! This will be the first book I'll be reviewing for Mama Bzz, and I'll be posting a full review on it next week. (Admittedly, when I saw the opportunity to review Girl Talk, I thought it had to do with the Girl Talk Blog I've recently been reading. There's obviously no connection. But, by signing up to review it, I did get a book of useful and amusing tips for free!)

As mom to a toddler, I'm also reading a wide assortment of children's books. (It's so much fun to be a child again!) I plan to post reviews on at least some of those, as well. A current favorite is Curious George and Friends. The amusing story of Elizabite, a carnivorous plant, is a current favorite with our Elizabeth!

Disclaimer: Just because I list a book on this blog does not mean that I wholeheartedly endorse the entirety of its content, or its philosophy, or its world-view, etc. (But those of you who know me personally already knew that!)