Author Erika Oliver’s book Happy Crap is a source for motivation and inspiration for restricting your negative thoughts to positive that can transform your lives.
Oliver provides eight tools for your journey to living a more positive life with a Happy Crap attitude. Begin by choosing your thought. Oliver writes, “The quality of our thoughts – negative or positive – determines the quality of our experiences and our lives.”
While that seems a simple strategy, if it were there would not be so many people living with negative crap thoughts in their lives. Negative crap, or crappy crap thoughts, influence daily lives that are not recognized, until you are willing to see the positive side.
Without realizing, crappy crap shows up through assumptions – which are simply guesses. How many times does anyone start his or her day with an assumption – whether it is a crappy crap day or a Happy Crap day?
Oliver advises for Happy Crap days; make “daily decisions, set goals, and craft long-term plans using assumptions.” Other people will also make their own assumptions, whether positive or negative. Their assumptions could well be towards you. However, you are not responsible for the assumptions of others, only for yours.
How does negativity affect your life? Oliver suggests it impairs problem solving, communication skills, health issues such as depression, physical, and relationships.
Positive thinking allows you to see life with possibilities, a willingness to take on challenges, and seeing life with a Happy Crap attitude. It means taking control over your thoughts. In Chapter 9, Oliver provides the Happy Crap Tool Box with Eight Tools, a Color Exercise, and a Happy Crap Pledge.
It is your life, your future that you have control of – through your thoughts – make them Happy Crap thoughts – and a happier, more positive life.
BIBLIO: February 2011, In the Affirmative Publishing, Adult NF, $14.95
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Adult
ISBN: 978-0-9799025-3-6
Reviewed for KSB Promotions Visibility Specialists, ksbpromotions.com
Showing posts with label inspirational fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspirational fiction. Show all posts
Monday, February 20, 2012
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
A Rose Revealed
Gayle Roper
Rose Martin is the witness to a horrific explosion. Why this should happen is yet to be determined, but two people died and Rose’s life could be at risk. She is advised not return to her home, but to find a safe place to stay. Something she is not prepared to do, to put her life on hold while the bomber is found. Until, she realizes the house she will be staying at has an apartment owned by a very interesting Amish man, Jake Zook. Her attraction to him is complicating, yet he appears to have no response to her at all. Living with the Amish, Rose learns about the politics between different families, districts, and even communities. The culture is very different for her, a telephone is available outside in a shed, and they don’t have a television or read the newspapers. The longer Rose stays in the apartment, the more her heart yearns for Jake, but the politics of his family could permanently divide them.
This is the third of the Amish Farm Trilogy, and was first published as The Decision. The main character, Rose Martin, struggles with forgiveness for herself. In the back of the book, the author addresses this issue, “God doesn’t ever ask us to forgive ourselves.” Again, “If we say we have to forgive ourselves, are we saying Jesus didn’t do enough when He died for us?”
The author makes it an issue within the text of the book and again at the end. For anyone who has committed a sin against themselves is having a difficult time letting go of that sin. Most within the Christian fellowship church of believers, would say, “Forgive yourself. Do not continue to carry this bondage against yourself.” This was not the place for Ms. Roper to place limitations on those who are dealing with spiritual bondages she doesn’t understand.
BIBLIO: 1999, Harvest House Publishers, Ages Adult, $10.99.
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Fiction Romance
ISBN: 978-0-7369-2588-4
REVIEWED FOR: Children’s Literature, Online Version, 2-15-11
Rose Martin is the witness to a horrific explosion. Why this should happen is yet to be determined, but two people died and Rose’s life could be at risk. She is advised not return to her home, but to find a safe place to stay. Something she is not prepared to do, to put her life on hold while the bomber is found. Until, she realizes the house she will be staying at has an apartment owned by a very interesting Amish man, Jake Zook. Her attraction to him is complicating, yet he appears to have no response to her at all. Living with the Amish, Rose learns about the politics between different families, districts, and even communities. The culture is very different for her, a telephone is available outside in a shed, and they don’t have a television or read the newspapers. The longer Rose stays in the apartment, the more her heart yearns for Jake, but the politics of his family could permanently divide them.
This is the third of the Amish Farm Trilogy, and was first published as The Decision. The main character, Rose Martin, struggles with forgiveness for herself. In the back of the book, the author addresses this issue, “God doesn’t ever ask us to forgive ourselves.” Again, “If we say we have to forgive ourselves, are we saying Jesus didn’t do enough when He died for us?”
The author makes it an issue within the text of the book and again at the end. For anyone who has committed a sin against themselves is having a difficult time letting go of that sin. Most within the Christian fellowship church of believers, would say, “Forgive yourself. Do not continue to carry this bondage against yourself.” This was not the place for Ms. Roper to place limitations on those who are dealing with spiritual bondages she doesn’t understand.
BIBLIO: 1999, Harvest House Publishers, Ages Adult, $10.99.
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Fiction Romance
ISBN: 978-0-7369-2588-4
REVIEWED FOR: Children’s Literature, Online Version, 2-15-11
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
God Found Us You
Lisa Tawn Bergren
Illustrations by Laura J. Bryant
This is a story of a mother with an unfulfilled heart longing to love a child. The only way she knew to have a complete family was through prayer and faith. So she waited and believed, and seasons changed while she prayed “like crazy”, and one day, she believed God would bring a Little Fox for her to love. Finally, her prayers and dreams came true, and Little Fox die come into her life. It’s a story he loves to hear over and over … the day he came home. And so, Mama Fox explains to Little Fox how lonely she was before God brought him for her to love. She tells him how she waited and prayed for him … how he would look, and how he would smell.
This is a charming story of adoption, when faith and hope are given free reign and the timing is given to God, whose timing is always perfect. The illustrations are perfect for this book: reflecting Ms. Bryant’s talents with the detail. Adding to the frivolity of the book is the typeface used on the pages.
BIBLIO: 2009, HarperBlessings, Ages 3 - 7, $10.99
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-06-113176-9
REVIEWED FOR: Children’s Literature, Online Version, 9/3/09
Illustrations by Laura J. Bryant
This is a story of a mother with an unfulfilled heart longing to love a child. The only way she knew to have a complete family was through prayer and faith. So she waited and believed, and seasons changed while she prayed “like crazy”, and one day, she believed God would bring a Little Fox for her to love. Finally, her prayers and dreams came true, and Little Fox die come into her life. It’s a story he loves to hear over and over … the day he came home. And so, Mama Fox explains to Little Fox how lonely she was before God brought him for her to love. She tells him how she waited and prayed for him … how he would look, and how he would smell.
This is a charming story of adoption, when faith and hope are given free reign and the timing is given to God, whose timing is always perfect. The illustrations are perfect for this book: reflecting Ms. Bryant’s talents with the detail. Adding to the frivolity of the book is the typeface used on the pages.
BIBLIO: 2009, HarperBlessings, Ages 3 - 7, $10.99
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-0-06-113176-9
REVIEWED FOR: Children’s Literature, Online Version, 9/3/09
Saturday, April 25, 2009
CRYSTAL LIES
Melody Carlson
Cover Design by John Hamilton
Geoffrey, husband, has a high-profile job that is the perfect culmination of a career that driven him from childhood; his home is the reflection of his drive and the expectations of his family. Glennis is the perfect wife that is the reflection of her husband’s demanding career; her home is nothing of her life her or her tastes.
Seemingly without notice, their world starts to fall apart. Their son, Jacob, becomes involved in drugs – and not just any drug but crystal meth, “one of the most addictive substances known to man.” Glennis’ only solution is to leave the marriage to fight for her son’s survival. Over the months she realizes that healing is meant not just for Jacob but for her also.
The children – Sarah and Jacob – are exactly what Geoffrey wants and wouldn’t tolerate anything less. Sarah fortunately grew into a successful young woman. Jacob had drug problems from high school on.
The characters are well developed, especially between Glennis and Jacob. The reader recognizes that the conflict between Jacob and his father is a source of pain between them, while Glennis is desperate to save Jacob. Dialogue between all flows naturally and timely; the story takes place in the current time.
This is an inspirational fiction written with sensitive and reality. As Glennis grows through the story, the reader realizes that “but by grace” is a possibility. The author, Melody Carlson, has done an excellent job bringing the story through sensitivity and humor. An excellent read.
BIBLIO: 2005, WaterBrook Press, Ages 14 to 18, $12.99
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Chapter Book, YA, Adult
ISBN: 1578568404
REVIEWED FOR: Christian Library Journal
RATING: *5
Cover Design by John Hamilton
Geoffrey, husband, has a high-profile job that is the perfect culmination of a career that driven him from childhood; his home is the reflection of his drive and the expectations of his family. Glennis is the perfect wife that is the reflection of her husband’s demanding career; her home is nothing of her life her or her tastes.
Seemingly without notice, their world starts to fall apart. Their son, Jacob, becomes involved in drugs – and not just any drug but crystal meth, “one of the most addictive substances known to man.” Glennis’ only solution is to leave the marriage to fight for her son’s survival. Over the months she realizes that healing is meant not just for Jacob but for her also.
The children – Sarah and Jacob – are exactly what Geoffrey wants and wouldn’t tolerate anything less. Sarah fortunately grew into a successful young woman. Jacob had drug problems from high school on.
The characters are well developed, especially between Glennis and Jacob. The reader recognizes that the conflict between Jacob and his father is a source of pain between them, while Glennis is desperate to save Jacob. Dialogue between all flows naturally and timely; the story takes place in the current time.
This is an inspirational fiction written with sensitive and reality. As Glennis grows through the story, the reader realizes that “but by grace” is a possibility. The author, Melody Carlson, has done an excellent job bringing the story through sensitivity and humor. An excellent read.
BIBLIO: 2005, WaterBrook Press, Ages 14 to 18, $12.99
REVIEWER: Debby Willett
FORMAT: Chapter Book, YA, Adult
ISBN: 1578568404
REVIEWED FOR: Christian Library Journal
RATING: *5
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