Book Review: EverAfter

"Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale"

~Hans Christian Andersen

L.O.V.E.D.

this 

book.

I hope you get your hands on a copy and read away.

Vicki is an empty-nester who now gives great words of wisdom learned from her trenches.

This book is geared towards wives and mothers.

It is much from the mentality of do what I learned....not as I did.

Here are a few things that I highlighted....

.....on HOME....

"If I get caught up in the comparison trap of always wanting what I don't have, I miss the joy of appreciating what I do have.  Once I realized that dream houses don't always translate into dream homes, I was ale to see my house through a different filter.  We alone determine whether or not our houses will be homes.  And we will pass that attitude along to our children.

"Dream homes, on the other hand, have living rooms that are lived in and furniture that is comfortable.  Dream homes are places where the neighbor kids gather to play because they are always welcome.  They have walls with tiny handprint smudges and kitchens with sticky floors and doggie nose prints on the storm door.   Dream homes have garages that store sports equipment, bikes, and all other manner of riding toys but rarely the family cars.  They have dinner tables where family members sit for a meal and talk about their day.  Dream homes have chair cushions that have been flipped over to hide the scribble marks from the toddler who got into his older sister's craft box.  Dream homes have squeaky ceiling fans from little boys who thought it would be fun to see how far their stuffed animals would fly if tossed into the blades.  They have Lego pieces under the sofa cushions and stickers on the bathroom mirror."

....on MARRIAGE....

"There is no such thing as the "whole package" when it comes to a husband or a wife.  Every person comes with flaws, so let's be careful not to cherry-pick the best qualities we see in other men and create a mental prototype of our perfect soul mate."

....on FAMILY....

"At the end of the day, your family doesn't particularly care if the things you said 'yes' to made the world a better place.  You still said 'no' to them.  But your family members aren't the only ones who suffer.  When you say 'yes' to too much, you also say 'no' to time with God - valuable time you need to refuel and rest.  Ecclesiastes 4:6 says, 'Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind'." 

....on BUSYNESS....

"Everything is permissible for me'- but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible for me' - but I will not be mastered by anything" (1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV)

"At the end of the day, you are in charge of the family calendar and the only one who can make the necessary changes.  Every family is different, and only you and your husband are qualified to know what needs to be eliminated from the calendar or where you can cut corners to redeem a more simple life.  Pray about it and ask God to show you the areas in your day that can be eliminated or adjusted."

"In God-centric homes, time devoted to God is a priority rather than an afterthought.  In God-centric homes, the family bows to God rather than a calendar of activities. . . or worse yet, the children.  In God-centric homes, the marriage is prioritized over the children and date nights are not shoved aside for the children's activities.  In God-centric homes, children are taught the value of hard work and service to others.  In God-centric homes, children are taught that money is a gift from God and to be used according to his will.  In God-centric homes children grow up knowing it's all about God because their parents have made it all about God"

"Happily-ever-after is a choice, 

not a prize offered to a chosen few who find the fairy tale"

>>>>>This book was on my Fall Reading List<<<<<