WordPress just sent me a congratulatory email saying that I have now been using their blog template for a year. Sure enough, I have. My old archives go back 4 more years but the address I had then was too user surly even for me to remember. Wocket-in-my-pocket has proven to be a much better address.
The thing that makes blogging so much fun is the feed back from readers. It makes all the difference between, “I wonder if what I wrote was just MUD?” to “Wow, how refreshing to find that there are other people out there like me! or not like me! Either way, they read my stuff!”
I really value your comments. 😉
To show you how much I appreciate you, my kind readers, I am hosting a giveaway! Having been an avid reader of Elisabeth Elliot’s books for many years, I decided to give away one of my favorite of all her books, a collection of articles titled “Keep a Quiet Heart”. I pick it up when I feel frustrated, irritated, weary, overwhelmed, etc. You get the idea. 🙂 Her writings have given me courage to carry on when I think I am too tired to “do the next thing”. The most beautiful people I know have this quality… a quiet heart. Isn’t that what we all long for in this very unquiet world?
Here is how you qualify for the giveaway: Simply leave a comment with a book recommendation for me. See, there is something in this for me too. 🙂 It can be anything from children’s literature to historical fiction to classics. I will leave the giveaway open until August 1. Hope to hear from you!
wocket in my pocket 
Even tho I don’t comment, I faithfully read and enjoy your posts.
I’m always on the lookout for a good book. This one looks good.
As for recommendation, how do I narrow it down to just one? If you like old classics, Gene Stratton Porter is a good author. An short, inspirational read for moms is ‘The Invisible Woman’ by Nicole Johnson.
This is an inspirational book every woman should read….Title is “Treasures Of Encouragement”… Subtitle is “Women Helping Women in the Church”. Author Sharon Betters
It’s an older book and I honestly don’t even know if it’s in print/available on the shelf. My mom got me a used copy online.
OK, here are several recommendations: I recently found a book at the library entitled “How to Eat Fried Worms” that I read to my kiddos and we roared with laughter quite a few times. I will say that there were a few places I skipped over, because of language, etc.
I also read a book by Chris Fabry entitled “June Bug” while we were spending so much time at the hospital with Katelyn. Allan and I both loved that one.
One of my all-time favorites (and I’m guessing you already read this one) is “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp. “Kisses From Katie” by Katie Davis is great too!
I love anything by Elizabeth Elliott, I have quite a few of her books but I don’t have the one above.
Happy blog anniversary! 🙂 Your posts are always a bright spot in any day. Thank you.
~Judy
I enjoy reading your posts and I never comment either. Probably because we are complete strangers! 😉 My cousin Pauline Martin shared a post of yours on facebook one day and I’ve been hooked ever since. =) I am a SAHM with 3 children; ages almost 5, 2-1/2 and 6 mo. We live in Minnesota. I enjoy reading (although reading ‘for me, for fun’ seems to have hit the back burner at this phase in my life.) I am currently reading “The Excellent Wife” by Martha Peace with my early morning devotions. I did manage to get another book read earlier this spring- “The Pastor’s WIfe” by Sabina Wurmbrand. It is Voice of the Martyr’s book. I like to read biographies and inspirationals.
How fun! This would be a great book to read!! I am a huge fan of the book The Feeding And Care of a Husband by Laura Shlessinger.. But for a novel I really enjoyed The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
Yes! You have readers that are excited every time they see a link on facebook that there’s another post! (: My book study group is currently in the book Cat & Dog Theology by Bob Sjogren & Gerald Robison. I was at a Cat & dog Theology seminar by Luke Kuepfer in 2003 and I got the book recently. It’s a good read. I like Francine Rivers for inspirational stories and Deborah Raney for light reading. Your give-away book looks like a good one!
a book study group… what fun.
Now you are a real true bona fide blogger complete with give aways! But I don’t think I qualify, right? 🙂 you can give me books anytime! My book recommendation is (you guessed it) ‘Call the Midwife’ by Jennifer Worth. I have both snickered and been appalled by it. On a serious note, I am reading ‘The Grand Weaver’ which YOU recommended a while back on here. Very worthy read!! Okay, couldn’t help trying… so have a good day! 🙂
Of course you qualify!
This year I have read three fictional stories that I really enjoyed. “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith.
My current read is “Baby Catcher” by Peggy Vincent. If you are not too Victorian to enjoy the broad range of her (true) experiences, it is a highly captivating and easy to read book.
I have to comment on your book list, Linda. The first three you mentioned are in my favorites list. 🙂
Be ware. I read Baby Catcher and promptly got pregnant. =P
Beware, Dorcas! I read Baby Catcher and promptly got pregnant! =P
I love your blog! You are an inspiration! I love the book, “Loving the Little Years” by Rachel Jankovic
Yes, that is truly a great book for mothers, possibly my very favorite. I almost decided to give that one away, but thought with it being so recently published, a lot of people may have bought it.
Well…. interestingly enough, ”Keep a quiet heart” is one of my favorite mottos, but I have never read the book, so this looks fun! May I recommend Trim, Healthy, Mama??:) Ha-Ha, I know, it’s waaay too popular right now, but i really do love it. It’s packed full of great info, and yummy healthy recipes even if you don’t want to change your lifestyle. When I feel like light, humorous, down to earth writing, I’ve been reading Dorcas Schmuckers books, and have fallen in love with her. Homeschooling with Joy, by Terri Maxwell, has connected with me too! Hmmm.. the list could go on, but you probably read most of them anyway… Happiness to you
This is fun! (we get a better understanding of your fan base! 🙂
I chuckled through the last few weeks of pregnancy with a big fat volume of P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories. Maybe they are not your flavor, but they have been a great source of amusement for me when my own humor has ebbed a little. 🙂
I like Mike Mason’s book “Practicing the Presence of People” because there is a really great story at the back of the book about how to get to heaven.
A few more recent reads I can recommend: The Places in Between by Rory Stewart (a journal of his walk across Afghanistan in 2002), Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden (a North Korean story), and the biblical Gospel of John.
How will you determine the winner of this giveaway? Just curious.
I have a very high tech plan, involving writing all the names on slips of paper, shuffling, and drawing one. 😉
What a great idea! And by the way, your blogs are the highlight of my day. I read numerous others, but hearing from someone I personally know is very encouraging. As for a recent favorite read, I think I will be forever impacted with; “Into the Deep” by Robert Rogers. One who lost his wife and all 4 children in a flash flood in 2003. His testimony is one of no regrets and he challenges us to live our life to the fullest. I gleaned a lot from all the ways they treasured each other and lived life.
My stack of anticipated books to read keeps growing, but a few of the next ones to grab off the stack are;
“They Found the Secret” by Raymond Edman, presenting the lives of 20 well-known Christians (like Charles Finney, D.L. Moody,John Bunyan) testimonies to the reality of the joy and power of the Spirit-filled life.
“The Happiest People on Earth” by John & Elizabeth Sherrill, the personal story of Demos Shakarian touching on God’s guidance and prophecy.
“Secrets of the Secret Place” by Bob Sorge. A glimpse of the living relationship God has purposed to have with us and keys to igniting your personal time with God. All his books are divinely inspired.
“Supernatural Grace” by Ernest Weaver A highly recommended book at Leader’s Alive, as well as “Wolves in Sheep Clothing”
“They Speak With Other Tongues” by John & Elizabeth Sherrill for the open minded. (One that I read and loved.)
Try The Beatinest Boy by Jesse Stuart for children’s literature. And my recent heart grabber on mothering, The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson.
I guess I am being a last minute person! Certainly not that I don’t read and enjoy your blogs!! I love every one and feel like I can connect in so many ways. We too have 2 boys then 3 girls and knowing you personally certainly helps too even though we rarely see each other these days. What kept me from commenting was the fact that I didn’t know which book to recommend that you haven’t already read. I too love to read so looking at the books others recommended is fun but my own selection of books isn’t that big. A devotional that I have lying on my dresser that I often pick up and read is The Christian’s Daily Challenge by Edwin and Lillian Harvey.
It doesn’t matter if I already read them… Glad you got your name in!
I’m an avid reader too. I connect very much with most every post! We have 7 children, the oldest being 9 and youngest half a year. At times your post is just what I need at the end of the day, to make me smile or convict me in a better path, or simply just to relax. Thanks for being so real. A book on mothering that I LOVE is Prayers and Peanut Butter, but right now I’m walking through Keeping Your Child’s Heart by Steve and Teri Maxwell. So glad to kinda connect with you again. Maria Musser Stoltzfus
Does it annoy you at all that you get a record number of comments the one time something is FREE??? You must have a crowd of good Mennonite readers here.
LOL. No, it doesn’t. I hadn’t even thought of it. But it was so much fun to hear from all corners, I might have to do another giveaway. 🙂