Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Books worth gifting

May 8, 2013 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Psst. It’s almost Mother’s Day. Consider this your reminder.

As a busy momma and writer, I don’t really know how I’ve managed to read books lately, but, goodness, I’ve devoured some good ones. And there are some deals on them, making them excellent gifts to stock up on or give away right now. If you needed some Mother’s Day {or Teacher Appreciation} gifts, these may do the job and would be immediately available if you were buying for someone with a Kindle.

Really, it’s hard to go wrong on giving a book you’ve loved because you’re sharing a message you appreciated with someone that matters to you. And aren’t some of the best gifts those things the receiver won’t go spend money on for themselves.

Mommas always need a reason to sit down and take a break, so with that in mind, I recommend these funny, encouraging words for four different authors. I picked a favorite quote from each, but those words are just tiny snapshots to the bigger stories told.

“Sparkly Green Earrings” by Melaine Shankle :: You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll want to call your friend. AND IT’S FREE RIGHT NOW for your Kindle {UPDATED on 5/9/13 … it’s no longer free, but $8.54 isn’t bad!}. But, hey. If you’d rather pay for the old-fashioned bound copy, it’s totally worth the $11.07.

“Because raising a child is a fleeting moment in time that sometimes gets swallowed up in the daily routine of car pools and soccer practice and Can I get away with serving tacos for dinner again tonight? And yet it’s quite possibly the most important thing we’ll ever do. It’s the daily balance of treasuring the moments even as we wish some of them away. It’s treading water in a sea of imperfections. It’s a delicate dance of guilt and joy.”

“Bittersweet” by Shauna Niequist :: I know, I know. She’s since written another book. And there was her first book. But this is the one I had, and it’s the one I can speak to. Her others are now on my list. Yes, I liked this one that much. {It’s $10.67 for the Kindle version and $12.79 for a hardback copy.}

“The big story really is actually being told through our little stories, and by sharing our lives, not just our sermons, we’re telling God’s story in as reverent and divine ways as it has ever been told. God’s story was told in Hebrew and Greek, and I believe that it’s also being told in whispers and paintings and blogs and around dinner tables all over the world. … My life is not a story about me. And your life’s not a story about you. My life is a story about who God is and what he does in a human heart. My story is about the people on my street, the things I read, the way we raise our child, the things I’ve done and the things that have been done to me. A story is never about one person. It has a full cast of characters, connected by blood or love or jealousy.”

“No More Perfect Moms” by Jill Savage :: I’m like a broken record, but, seriously, every mom should read this. AND IT’S JUST $1.99 for your Kindle right now. The paperback {$7.45} is worth it too, if you prefer.

“Control is really a mirage. The only control you and I can really have it self-control, and the Bible says that is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, we can’t have self-control on our own; it comes from letting God be the real leader of our lives and the manager of our hearts.”

“Start” by Jon Acuff :: Talk about motivation. This book will jump start all those ideas you have in your head. {I reviewed it here.} It’s a new release, but the hardback is just $12.99 and the Kindle version is $9.99.

“We want to plan the road to awesome. We want to talk about our ten-year visions. We want to detail every step before we take a single one. To make sure there’s no room for mistakes or failure. But when we do that, when we squeeze our lives and purposes that tightly, we eliminate any room for surprises. We don’t have time for them. They don’t fit within our plan. They don’t have any runway in our day to land on. We scowl when people interrupt what we’re doing at work, grumble when neighbors want to talk at the mailbox, and curse momentary distractions to a day we’ve planned. The road to awesome, though, is defined by the surprises. It’s not a block in a downtown city laid out long ago by methodical city planners. It’s a rambling dirt road with twists and turns that offers something new at every corner. Let’s leave room on our maps for some surprises.”

________

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which don’t change the price but generate a little financial support for my blog. And the deals I’ve mentioned were current when I hit publish. I can’t promise how long they’ll last. I updated the post to enter it in a contest about the best Mother’s Day present for less than $25. Really, who can go wrong with books?!

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Filed Under: books

Comments

  1. Mary Carver says

    May 9, 2013 at 2:57 am

    I just bought No More Perfect Moms yesterday! {And I just had to sneak over here and say how excited I am for your post to be at (in)courage tomorrow!} 🙂

    Reply
  2. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 9, 2013 at 11:28 am

    Thanks, Mary. I'm so exciting to have a guest post at (in)courage. I love it over there. Thanks for your sweet comment.

    Reply

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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I know traveling is a privilege, but I will always I know traveling is a privilege, but I will always tell you: Take the trip. It may not be easy or convenient, but it’s always worth it. And always take lots of snacks along for the ride! 

HOW & WHY TO TRAVEL WITH KIDS is #ontheblog today. The post includes some of our travel experiences, tips for including the kids, and a tip to make it more affordable. Plus there are links to posts about some of our recent trips. 

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I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by P I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by Prince Harry. But I also keep hearing different opinions about it. So here’s mine!

I am intrigued by the royal family and I liked watching “Suits,” just so you know my very loose interest. I had also watched the @netflix documentary Harry and Meghan released. 

Short answer: I really enjoyed listening to this book. 

An heir, then a spare. Deep grief as a child when his mom dies that he doesn’t really confront until he’s older. An institution that governs every decision in his life yet doesn’t protect him when he felt like he needed it. That’s some heartbreaking makings of a good story. And I appreciate Prince Harry telling it — even though I’m sure parts were incredibly difficult. I also appreciate why he and Meghan did what they did and are trying to establish new, different roots. 

Ultimately, this book is about death and life and all the moments in between. I’d recommend listening to it because his voice is a good one. 

One minor, silly complaint: There are 232 chapters, although they’re numbered starting with one in each of the three sections. That makes the audiobook not flow quite as well as it would otherwise because most of them are just a few minutes long. 

I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I’d love to hear what you think because, you know, everybody is reading it! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #readersofinstagram #audiobooks #audible #princeharry
We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @ We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @murraystateuniv Spirit Night at the @memgrizz game. We had some pre-game fun with friends, watched the Grizzlies come back from 19 down to win, and witnessed Ja Morant’s triple double.

#memphisgrizzlies #basketballseason #NBA #TeamTaylor #bettertogether #weekending #favoritethings #RacerNation #MurrayState #WeAreRacers
Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most ever Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most everything in life — is more fun with friends! What an awesome atmosphere at the CFSB Center today with a Murray State win, Ja Morant in the arena, and more memories.

#RacerNation #MurrayState #collegebasketball #basketballseason #bettertogether #WeAreRacers
I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let heaven and nature sing” twice this week. I may not be singing Christmas carols anymore, but I still felt the depths of winter this week. The sweatshirt seemed right. 

The sun didn’t shine much this week, although seeing on Friday as we wrap up the work and school week was welcomed. It’s mostly been cold and gray. It’s felt like winter. 

A lingering tension needs resolution and understanding, but honestly the gap between seems so vast. I crave slow time at home and meals around our table. I miss some friends and was reminded of the heartache that can come with community, but I also felt the deep appreciation of friendship and remembered the beauty of sharing this life with others. I was excited for an invitation and easily accepted it. I started a new habit (hopefully) walking with a friend. 

While driving through my days, I remember how uncertainty is what makes me look up. I remember my Creator when I am slapped in the face with the reality I’m not actually in control. I remember (again) to surrender. 

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This is hope. Even in winter. Thank God for it all. Let’s let heaven and nature sing. 

#countryliving #latergram #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #reallife #weekending
I heard mixed reactions about this book from two d I heard mixed reactions about this book from two different friends, but I enjoyed it! 

I liked the backward timeline, although I was uncertain about how it would work until the end. Some of the twists and connections were so good! 

I also liked the bigger ideas Gillian McAllister tackles: We miss things when we are living our life at our normal pace. What if we could go back? What would be notice that would change our reality? And, of course, perhaps, there would be unintended consequences. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It did get a little slow in the middle, but the end and beginning are quite good! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #kindleoasis #readersofinstagram
This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in the middle rebounding and playing hard and little sister photobombing the moment! 

Honestly, parenting has been hard lately. Nothing major. But so constant and always adjusting. 

Even so, I love watching them on the court and in life. There is so much excitement and goodness among the repetition and exhaustion. 

This is real life. And those are our 10-0 Lady Lions out there. 🦁💛

@ncca.lions #momlife #reallife #basketballseason #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #girlmom #firstborn #thirdchild
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“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — Colossians 2:6-7

Too often I step out of God’s presence for two minutes while are loading up the van in the morning or I’m rushing kids to bed. Too often I don’t surrender my fleshy desires and feelings to the One who holds this whole wide world in His hands. Too often I think my plans are worth holding onto tightly. Too often I think I can bring peace to my household, minivan, or dinner table. 

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I’m thankful for access to medical care and an unexpected night at home.

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