Friday, January 02, 2009

Serials and Scenarios ~ Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight




Product Description:

Do you wish something in your life was different? Take heart! You already possess the first and most important ingredient for change. Don’t waste your dissatisfaction, wield it!

Intimate, humorous, and inspiring, Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight will take you on a journey from where you are to where you want to be. Do you long for a more rewarding career? A more passionate marriage? A healthier body, brighter future, or happier heart?

With her trademark blend of laugh-out-loud humor and sage advice,
Karen Linamen introduces you to 52 powerful actions
you can apply to any change you long to embrace.

In the process, you’ll discover the missing link between dissatisfaction and transformation; learn painless ways to remodel your habits; understand why you procrastinate and how to stop; learn how to generate the energy you need to pursue the life you want, and, above all, discover options and resources you never dreamed you had.

What are you waiting for? No matter what has been holding you back–fear, fatigue, adversity, heartbreak, failures, or even the choices of other people–get ready. Get set. Lasting change is possible and its time to get started!

Includes questions for reflection and discussion.


My Review:


This is the first of Karen Scalf Linaman books I've read and I enjoyed her cut to the chase style of putting it out there. I also enjoyed her sometimes subtle, sometimes in your face humor.

If you are looking for some enthusiastic cheerleading for choices you know you need or should make, you could benefit from Linaman's helpful ideas. If you aren't ready to do what you need to do to move forward with lifestyle changes, this book isn't going to make your life better.

I appreciated that all her wisdom and suggestions can be applied to all areas of life. You don't necessarily need a handful of how-to books to cover all your resolutions. Hers would be sufficient because her insight covers across the board. Her chapters are short and broken up into quick bite-sized nuggets and snippets of story.

Very conservative religious may struggle with some aspects of this book and the author's personal struggles. If you can't accept a Christian remarrying after divorce, then you'll want to pass because Linaman is honest about her own path in life that includes a failed marriage. If you are expecting very deep Biblical wisdom and counsel you might be disappointed. However, the author includes the basic Gospel message and several scripture references. That said, non-religious can find takeaways that will help them to focus on what they could do to move beyond a struggle or bad habit.

As with all self-help books if it just ends up on your bookshelf it's not going to benefit you. If you are going to buy it and not commit to pulling out what makes sense to you and using it, don't waste your money. But if you truly want to makes some changes Only Nuns could be just what you're looking for.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Happy 2009



Happy New Year

My house is full of awesome people and very good puppies. Don't know what happened to Lily and Lola but Tyson, the visiting boxer who had surgery during his trip to Iowa, is on drugs.

More about all that later.

But for now...Happy New Year. I went to bed late and woke up in time to greet the morning. Don't know why I'm not exhausted, but the house is so quiet, the sun was crawling up the horizon, and the big Dr. Suessian Christmas Bulbs glowed as attractive bright beacons of happiness, so I grabbed the camera and the laptop and decided to give in to the urge to wax on about a beautiful and peaceful start to a new year.

The picture of the bulbs shows raw wood. More about THAT later, too.

I hope your 2009 is blessed beyond your wildest expectations. A little whimsy, some peace and enough moments of pure beauty that you lose a breath now and again.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Friday, December 26, 2008

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Fudge Induced Rambling


With a thud, Santa crashed through the chimney. (It would definitely require Santa magic to get through our chimney...which may or may not be here next Christmas....In case you are following our on-going construction saga, Rob is tearing out the ceiling around said chimney today...)

But I digress.

Did he visit you as well? Santa, not Rob.

We gave books as gifts and opened several more. New C.S. Lewis works will take up residence on our shelves, a monster coffee table book about American history now lives here, and even a Max Lucado I haven't read before.

Speaking of books, I'm thinking through my favorites, gearing up for a Top of 2008 list. And I'm reading bits and pieces of books I've started or promised to read for review.

Stay tuned for updates.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Okay. A little tacky but...still. Gotta give it points for amusement value....


HOLIDAY CHEER

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas Favorites ~ No Eye.....



I LOVE this song. I first heard it on a cassette tape...remember those... and I may have worn the tape out.