Why I Prefer Print — in Pictures

 These two books were passed down to me from my Grandpa, whose name you see inscribed inside and who received them from his young son, who grew up to be Uncle Jimmy. I was captivated by the stories and ended up collecting 34 of the 38 books that were published in the Trixie Belden mystery series.

The first book is 56 years old, and the other is 51! They are showing their age and falling apart, but that is part of their charm. I am holding something in my hands that my grandfather, who passed away in the early 1970s, held in his hands and kept on a shelf. Maybe he shook his head and smiled at his young son’s choice of book for him. After all, these books feature a set of teenage, horse-loving sleuths and were marketed to young girls. Maybe Uncle Jimmy gave these books to his father to hide the fact that he wanted to read them himself?

Can you pass an e-book down to your children and grandchildren? Can you write in it, run your hands over it, and know you are holding a piece of the past?

You can have a device and know that there are 483 e-books saved in it, or you can have shelves of history that you can see, touch, inscribe, cherish, share, and hand down. That keeps me firmly in the world of print.

Getting Organized for the Holidays and for Life

One of the biggest concerns many of us have during the holidays is the state of our homes and their readiness for company. I know I’m not the only one who has felt that my home was not visitor-worthy or who wished that I had time to be more organized.

Three books tackle the problem from different angles. They are pictured below:

Organizing from the Heart: Change Your Mindset, Conquer Your Challenges by Baker, Beutler, and Whisnant

Total Home Makeover: Renewing Your Space & Spirit by Renee Metzler

Declutter Now! Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life by Lindon and Sherry Gareis 

Each book has a different way of presenting the material, so readers can choose from among them which style best suits them. 

Organizing from the Heart is the shortest book at 119 pages. It offers a fun organizing personality quiz; short chapters that include a small amount of story in addition to introducing a concept linked to Scripture and a reflection, action, and inspiration; space for journaling, and a leader’s guide in the appendix for use in small groups if desired (with 12 chapters, the book lends itself to use in a quarterly study). The authors suggest that getting organized can be an act of worship—an intriguing idea. If you like variety, you will enjoy this book. You can check it out at their blog: http://www.organizinghope.blogspot.com.

Total Home Makeover is 222 pages long and offers a 20-day planner with a short daily devotional and space for journaling, followed by coaching sessions, to-do’s, anecdotes, worksheets, and ideas for rewarding ourselves each week for following the plan. The purpose of this book is to transform you, your family, and your home. If you like charts and worksheets, this book is for you! You can check it out at http://totalhomemakeover.com.

At 248 pages, Declutter Now! is the longest and perhaps most intensive book. The authors are certified Christian life coaches. Not only do they discuss decluttering your home but also your heart, mind, body, and soul. There are no charts or worksheets; if you prefer to read without the pressure of journaling or filling out worksheets and charts, you’ll want to get this book. You can check it out at http://actionplanministries.com/declutter-now.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am an editor at Ambassador International, the company that published two of these three books. Of those two, I was the editor for one. The third book, I edited freelance. No one asked me to review these books. I only recommend books that I have personally read and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I never thought I'd switch

I loved my old template that looked like an old-timey newspaper. However, just for fun I checked out the new stuff. And wow! The options were amazing! Being a lover of books, I had to choose the background with the most books in it. It kind of looks like my office would look if I had enough shelves for all my books. LOL


I just felt like sharing. :-)