Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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{Review & Giveaway} Mothering from Scratch

January 22, 2015 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Most of you know, I don’t bake. But I want to embrace the message from “Mothering from Scratch,” a parenting book that offers practical advice using a baking analogy. Although the subtitle “Finding the Best Parenting Style for You and Your Family” makes mothering sound more like a recipe than we all know it actually is!

“Mothering From Scratch” by Melinda Means and Kathy Helgemo is the kind of book I wish I had in my hands when I quit my job to stay home with my 4-month-old daughter. Even so, reading it now, as a mom to a 7-year-old girl and 5-year-old, was certainly still helpful. The authors share real-life stories from their own lives.

I was encouraged in being the mom God created me to be – which is different probably looks different than the mom he created you to be. I was spurred on to continue seeking God – on the days I have it figured out and certainly on the days I have no idea what I’m doing. I was reminded that just as every child is different, so is every mom, but together we can build communities that foster what is the gospel is all about.

ABOUT THE BOOK :: Trying to follow someone else’s rules for mothering can take the joy out of being a parent. But “Mothering From Scratch” shows you how to develop your own style that helps you be the best mom for your kids. Full of solid biblical truth, this book will help you explore your personality and examine your strengths and weaknesses in order to find what works for you, tap into the resources surrounding you and get mentoring and support from other moms, and push past the fear of change or doing it wrong and allow room for grace in your mothering. Paperback. 208 pages.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS :: Melinda Means is a writer, speaker, and mom blogger at Mothering From Scratch, as well as women’s ministry director at First Alliance Church in Port Charlotte, Florida. Her work has appeared in Focus on Your Child newsletters, CBN.com, In Touch magazine, and Lifeway’s Journey magazine. She is mother to two teenage children, a daughter and a son. She and her family live in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Kathy Helgemo started out as an English teacher after graduating from Florida State University, moved through various other jobs, and landed in her current one as a freelance writer from home. She blogs with Melinda at motheringfromscratch.com. Her blog posts have been featured on thesitsgirls.com, the Women of Faith website, and Parent Society’s Mommy Blog Hot List. She and her husband, Ben, have four children and live in Port Charlotte, Florida.

GIVEAWAY! :: I have a paperback copy of “Mothering From Scratch” to give one of you. Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win. A winner will be selected randomly on Thursday, Jan. 29.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

___________

I was part of the launch team for this book, so I got an advanced copy to read and review. The authors and Bethany House Publishers also provided the copy I’m giving away. The opinions of the book are my own. 

Want more stories? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

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Filed Under: books, faith, motherhood, review

Comments

  1. Kristen says

    January 23, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    I received an advanced copy as well and just started reading it yesterday, after finishing "Fringe Hours." You are right. It is a mothering book that speaks straight to the heart. I am very thankful for this book – and I'm not even half way finished yet!

    Reply
  2. Beth White says

    January 23, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    I'm not a "mom" just yet but know I mother many in different areas of my life (Sunday School, nieces, nephews, friends). I just found your blog from Beauty in the Mess.

    Reply
  3. KristinHillTaylor says

    January 23, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    I'm glad you're here, Beth! Mothering can be such a broad role like you mentioned. I'm grateful for those influences on my kids' lives.

    Reply
  4. KristinHillTaylor says

    January 23, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    So many good books to start the year. I read "Fringe Hours" too. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the rest of it – although I'm sure you will.

    Reply
  5. Kristen says

    January 24, 2015 at 1:03 am

    Yes. Not only was "Fringe Hours" delightfully encouraging, but I stumbled upon your lovely blog thanks to our Facebook launch page!

    Reply
  6. Sheila says

    January 27, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    I am excited to read this book. I am still trying to figure out this mothering gig. I have realized that just when i think i have it all figured out, i'm thrown a curve ball.

    Reply
  7. KristinHillTaylor says

    January 27, 2015 at 9:09 pm

    Ah, yes, I know that feeling! Seasons in mothering change so quickly! I'm glad you entered to win, Sheila!

    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.

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🎶 All throughout my history / Your faithfulness 🎶 All throughout my history / Your faithfulness has walked beside me / The winter storms made way for spring / In every season, from where I'm standing / I see the evidence of Your goodness / All over my life … 🎶 @joshbaldwin in “Evidence”

I love summer. But my summer has started off busy: appointments, book edits deadline, establish new habits with the kids at home. All that’s necessary and good, it just cuts into my down time beside the pool. 

Today we have two open gyms for our basketball players, my book study with a few friends, a new weekly high school girls’ book study at our house, and a monthly dad-son character study. 

I long for a little more white space on the calendar, but I also wouldn’t change a thing because the kids are only 16, 13, and 7 once. This summer will only be this summer once. And I’ve already learned time flies with big kids. 

So here we are finding out footing, singing praises with church friends on our porch, grilling delicious chicken, and squeezing in the wide-open spaces when we can. This is evidence of the good stuff. 

#84daysofsummer #poolpeople #momlife #momconfessions #faithlife #livingfaithfully #favoritethings #choosingJOY #countryliving #reallife #PorchStories
The Hill family reunion at @shelterpointretreat ha The Hill family reunion at @shelterpointretreat has become a favorite tradition to kick off summer! The weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed one another. 

#familyreunion #lakelife #kentuckylake #kylake #getoutside #familytime #memorialday #memorialdayweekend #favoritethings #84daysofsummer #summerisbest #choosingJOY
Hello, #84daysofsummer! ☀️ #TeamTaylor #girl Hello, #84daysofsummer! ☀️ 

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First of all, who else has read this book? The plo First of all, who else has read this book? The plot was promising as a thriller and the setting really worked. There were some good twists, and then there were ridiculous twists. I skimmed the end only because I wanted it to make sense. And it didn’t. It was too weird for me. 

But this made me wonder: how do we know if a book is going to be weird, contain elements we don’t like, or go places that don’t make sense? I don’t like to read much about a book before I read the book. Usually, I do a better job of picking books for myself. 

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I needed this low-key weekend that was pleasant we I needed this low-key weekend that was pleasant weather, a mixture of productivity and rest, and had plenty of wide-open space to enjoy our property and each other. 

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And that’s a wrap on soccer season! I love watch And that’s a wrap on soccer season! I love watching them both play. 

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On Mothers Day, I wanted to sit by the pool with a On Mothers Day, I wanted to sit by the pool with a book, but I didn’t know what I wanted to read. Whenever I have indecision about books, picking up a thriller usually helps because of the story’s pace. 

“The Only Survivors” worked well because there was a lot happening! Lots of creepy, mysterious moments. Only so many people could be guilty of infiltrating a small group who had lots of secrets! 

I loved the timeline of this one. The back story about an accident was told in seven one-hour segments. The present mystery was told in seven days. 

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Y’all we are very ready for summer. ☀️ And Y’all we are very ready for summer. ☀️ 

And when I say summer, I mean we are ready to shake up the routine, mentally regroup, turn off the alarms, establish some new habits, soak in the sun, and catch up with friends we’ve been crossing paths with too quickly. 

I want to savor the #84daysofsummer and I want to embrace this new season. And it’s almost time. Three more days of school. (Deep breaths.) 

Meanwhile, I’m going to keep collecting the moments — the hard, hurried, happy, and heartfelt. The seasons do change, but this is the life we are living. 

“The moments you collect may not be loud or flashy. They might be quiet or covered or a far-off view you were lucky to catch. But this I know to be true: A moment savored says to your soul, ‘You have lived something beautiful.’ And it keeps you buoyed. It sustains you when you’re running empty. It lifts you up and carries you forward.” — Joanna Gaines in @magnolia summer 2023 journal issue no. 27 

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I’ve read quite a few World War II novels, but t I’ve read quite a few World War II novels, but this one by Soraya M. Lane focused on three nurses, their friendships, and how the war changed their lives. It’s a hard story, but it’s full of love and hope despite the destruction around them. 

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