Tuesday’s Tips: The Book Bucket List (Or a basket of great summer reads)
Have you ever wished you had a treasure trove of great ideas for those days when motherhood feels draining and mundane?
Ever longed for just one tried and true tip that has actually been used successfully by REAL MOMS with REAL KIDS?
Me, too!
That’s why I’ve created Tuesday’s Tips–
a weekly post designed to reduce frustration and multiply inspiration in the wacky and wearisome trenches of motherhood.
Of course, a good idea is meant to be shared. So don’t keep those jewels for yourself!
If you discover something that makes motherhood a little easier, a little more exciting, or a bit more meaningful, please let me know. I’d love to feature your idea on an upcoming Tuesday. Just leave a comment after this post or email me at rbruxvoort@iowatelecom.net.
The Book Bucket List
(Or a basket of great summer reads)
Last week I shared my strategy (or my bribe?) for getting the kids under my roof to read this summer.
And since I don’t want to be left behind when my book-lovers head to the amusement park, I’m clocking plenty of reading minutes, too!
Of course, anyone who knows me would assure you that I don’t need a roller-coaster to encourage me to pick up a book.
I love to read.
Any time. Any place.
I’ll read curled up in a lawn chair on the deck (yeah, right- who’s life am I dreaming of?), riding in the car, walking on the treadmill, or snuggled on the couch with my kids on all sides.
Every summer I fill a basket with the books I want to read and I hope that by the time September rolls around my basket is nearly empty.
If you’d peek into my book
basket right now, you’d find…
I’ve never read a book by this author that I don’t love. Buchanan is the perfect blend of story teller and wise spiritual guide.
*One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land by Priscilla Shirer.
The back-cover paragraph on this one intrigued me long before I even finished the first chapter…
The back-cover paragraph on this one intrigued me long before I even finished the first chapter…
When you meet someone who lives, eats, and breathes Christian faith, you want what they’ve got more than anything… But how badly do you want it? Enough to toss anything from your life that keeps you from being 100 percent His? Enough to allow God’s Spirit to bring radical spiritual change that might just scare you right out of your comfort zone? Enough to wait on God long and hard and invite whatever He requires to get you ready for what’s next?
That’s how one-in-a-millions do it.
When approximately two million Israelites left behind their slavery in Egypt…only two made it safely to the Promised Land. That’s One in a Million who were brave enough to put abundant life to work no matter where they were, no matter how easy it became just to blend in and be average…
Admit it, you want to be one in a million, too! Grab this book for some inspiration. I’m just three chapters in and I need a new highlighter 🙂
*Six Ways to Keep the Little in Your Girl: Guiding Your Daughter from Her Tweens to Teens by Dannah Gresh.
This one’s been sitting on my bedside table for a while and I can’t wait to crack it open.
I’ve been using Dannah Gresh’s Secret Keeper Girls series with my oldest daughter for a few years now and I’ve totally enjoyed Gresh’s passion for raising godly girls. I’m fully expecting to delight in this book, too. As a mom of three daughters, I’ll take all the encouragement I can get!
*7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.
After reading all the buzz about this book on my friend Amy’s blog, I just had to order a copy for myself. Now, for the courage to open that front cover and be convicted toward change!
*Six Ways to Keep the Little in Your Girl: Guiding Your Daughter from Her Tweens to Teens by Dannah Gresh.
This one’s been sitting on my bedside table for a while and I can’t wait to crack it open.
I’ve been using Dannah Gresh’s Secret Keeper Girls series with my oldest daughter for a few years now and I’ve totally enjoyed Gresh’s passion for raising godly girls. I’m fully expecting to delight in this book, too. As a mom of three daughters, I’ll take all the encouragement I can get!
*7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.
After reading all the buzz about this book on my friend Amy’s blog, I just had to order a copy for myself. Now, for the courage to open that front cover and be convicted toward change!
*After Anne by Roxanne Henke.
I read this debut novel by Henke a decade ago and it’s still one of my favorite pieces of Christian fiction. I re-discovered it at our library last week and decided to relish it again this summer. This is book one in a series that celebrates the friendships of women and the strength of faith.
*Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan.
Each summer I choose one book to read aloud to my children. This year I decided to read the kids a book that I loved as a youngster. I fell in love with this classic story of courage and adventure in the fifth grade. I can still picture my very large teacher propped in her big green chair as she read this tale to us every day right after noon recess.
So what’s in your summer reading basket?
Ann’s book changed my life.. is still changing my life. And I love the title of that memoir 🙂 I’m anxious to hear about your new homeschooling endeavor- girls only? Sounds fun!
What a great idea! You could say I have a “Basket List” but it’s in the form of a pile on my desk. 😉
I would love to read Dannah Gresh’s book, too. Especially since I’m going to be homeschooling Hannah from now on. I’ll have to write that down. Thanks for the idea!
My own list:
“1,000 Gifts” by Ann Voskamp (I’m halfway through it. AMAZING book.)
“Bringing Up Girls” by Dr. James Dobson (I read “Bringing Up Boys” years ago and can’t wait to dive into the world of girls.)
“Faith and Other Flat Tires” by Andrea Palpant Dilley (This is a memoir I’ve offered to review. I love reading memoirs.)
And I have several novels on my shelf that I got at the writers conference or have been asked to review. Gotta love summer reading!
That is a fantastic list of books….you always have the best reading material!