"No More Christian Nice Girl"

So I think I had mentioned a few weeks ago that I received this book via LibraryThing's ARC program. I just finished reading it, so here is my review!

No More Christian Nice Girl addresses an all-too-common problem facing Christian women today: The need to be Nice vs. being Good. Our culture, especially in the church, is telling women to be nice, even when it hurts. Always smile, always say something nice, don't make waves. This niceness-at-all-costs attitude leaves women as resentful doormats who can't, or won't, stand up for themselves. Christian women are especially prone to this because of the false assumption that to be like Jesus we must be meek and mild.

Coughlin and Degler make the case that in order to truly be a follower of Christ, women need to understand and emulate the real 360-degree Jesus of the Bible, not the meek Jesus portrayed in children's books. The real Jesus knew when to be nice, but also when to stand up for what was good. The real Jesus was even *gasp* mean, when the situation called for it. By grasping who Jesus really is, women can get out of the false-niceness loop and start being good. They can fix their relationships and stand up for themselves when they need to.

This is an easy read. A short book, with stories in each chapter illustrating the main points. The authors discuss how to be one of God's Good Women in friendships, the workplace, dating and marriage relationships, even in the bedroom. Very easy to understand and follow. Good illustrations for each point.

I liked it, especially the part about the real Jesus (goes along with another book I recently finished, Jesus Mean and Wild). But there was something I didn't like that I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it was just that since I'm not dating, married, or in a very competitive work place I couldn't relate to half the book. Overall, it was a good book. Good points and tips.

Rating: 3/5 Stars. I recommend it!

Secret Life of the American Single

These gorgeous daffodils were at McDonald's, of all places. I LOVE the two tones! God is so cool :)

I can't believe Easter has passed already! I feel like it was just New Year's Eve! But, April it is and I have my European trip almost completely paid for! I know some of you are curious about the details, but beyond what countries I'll be in, I'm still waiting for details myself! I'll post about that when it gets closer.

Cala and I decorated eggs. Somehow, I didn't get pictures of the eggs we dyed, just the veggie tale ones.

The beginning of the week had AMAZING weather! It was almost like summer; it was wonderful. Easter Eve was a cookout and bonfire with friends. Perfect weather for it! Played some Bocce Ball, ate yummy food (Kristin's dessert was completely delicious!), the fire almost went out of control. Easter Sunday, after lunch with my family and our "extended family", I played on the playground with a friend. Its great to be 23!

Wednesday night, I went to karaoke with some friends at the Woburn Applebees and had a ball! So much fun, I almost want to stop working Wednesday nights! I even won a prize pack: a t-shirt, glass and pin. Not bad ;)

At one point in the night, My friend Chrissy looks over at me with a "look". The kind of look that makes me think I should've dished about a boy but didn't....mostly because there is no boy. Our friend Kathryn looks at her and magically knows what she's thinking, so they whisper and then share with me: "So...what do you think of (insert boy's name)?" Now, to understand why this question made me screechy-laugh at them and drop my head on the table, we need to back up a few weeks.

One nice Sunday afternoon, we were driving around, talking about the fact that everyone is getting married or having babies. They both have their crushes and couldn't believe that there is no one for me to even like, so they developed a plan. They decided it was their mission to be my personal matchmakers and set me up with someone from their church or Bible study. That is how the whole karaoke thing came about. They invited me to come and said they would hook me up with someone there. They named a few guys and told me to pick (issue number one: how am I supposed to decide that someone is crush/date/spouse material by their name alone?!). So I laughed along, thinking they were joking.

Fast forward to this Wednesday. They gave me "the look" because the guy who stopped and said hi to them (I was not introduced) and then sang a song is one of the guys they had mentioned two weeks before! (insert hysterical laughter-breakdown here). So, they recruited another friend into KC Matchmakers Inc. who made it a point to drag him over to our table and introduce him to me. Very awkward...made more awkward by the fact my mouth was full of chocolate-chip cookie sundae, which then fell out of my mouth. Very graceful.

So, at the end of the night, one of the guys they had named appeared to have a girlfriend, the other, from the story above, seems very nice but not really my type (I'm not what you'd call a biker chick...), and I am still single. Which is okay. Most of the time I really am happy to be single. I like my life and look forward to it getting better. The only time my singleness really bugs me is weddings....or when I'm out with all couples and my brother...that's not too exciting. But all in all, I'm happy in my singledom for however long it lasts and plan to enjoy my life to the fullest!

Palm Sunday Plus!

This past Sunday was Palm Sunday. I love Palm Sunday (as long as you keep your face away from kids with palms...that can get dangerous). Unlike Christmas or Easter, its less somber and more celebratory. Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas and Easter, too, but Palm Sunday is like a party. We celebrate that Jesus came to town, just like they did in Jerusalem all those centuries ago. So I was a little disappointed when service started with slow worship songs, and none of them traditional. I was actually getting a little steamed (nothing against the chosen songs, I really like some of them, they just weren't Palm Sunday material). But then, it shifted. And Pastor exhorted us to dance and become like little children. He called the kids up and prayed over them (and myself and Jen as directors of the children's ministry). Then it became a real party! Singing Undignified and Dance as David Danced we did just that. And I of course did it with some of my kiddies :) My beautiful girls.

Although I was originally going to be in service for only the second time in as many months, I ended up sitting with a four-year-old girl in her Sunday School. She's incredibly shy but has really started to cling to me since I met her a month ago. When I noticed she was staying in service with her mom (she cried when her mom tried to drop her off), I volunteered to take her down. I even left her twice for a few minutes each time, and she did great. A little crying right before I came back the second time, but overall, very good. I'm making it my goal to get her into Sunday School with no problem.

After church, I finally was able to see my friends for the first time in at least two weeks. We hung out at the mall for a bit, went for a drive, played Life and watched our favorite, Tool Academy. I lost a bet with my brother on this mall trip, so now I owe him a soft cover book from the used book store. I also got a check from my cousin for our trip to Europe. After I book the flights tomorrow we're almost halfway paid!

On a not-so-happy note, all weekend and into the week I was having gallbladder pain....which is odd since I no longer have a gallbladder. Monday was the worst, but even then, not very bad. Just enough to kinda concern me since the only thing there is my liver. Not something I wanna mess around with. So on Tuesday morning I called my surgeon who sent me for labs. Since they came back perfectly normal, she said its probably just leftover blood or something from her poking around in there. She didn't seem concerned, and since its starting to get better, I'm going to trust her on this.

Yesterday I got an email saying that I'll be getting another free book from LT! A Christian Fiction/Romance. Exactly my style :) Its called Finding Jeena by Miralee Ferrell .
I haven't read anything by this author, but it sounds like an interesting story. Can't wait til it comes! Of course, I should finish my other Early Reviewers book and review it first. Lastly, there's a new Twilight book coming out! Not sure how I feel about such a minor character getting a book, but since it'll be online for free, we'll read it and find out.

What a Week!

This has been a jam-packed week of awesomeness! (And by "This week", I mean last week...I'm a little behind on the the blogging aspect of it). After a marathon work week, I skipped church on Sunday in favor of sleep. I woke up to a missed call from a friend and a text from my brother saying that friend was officially engaged! I'm going to be a bridesmaid and make the cake...two firsts! We went dress shopping the following Sunday. She's going to be a beautiful bride! Here's a peek into our day

(this isn't the dress she chose).

Most of the week was spent working and friendless since some were on a missions trip, but on Friday I spent the day with one of my girls Erin. We had AMAZING weather, so we decided to drive up to the mountains. It was a gorgeous day for driving, even if the water in the river was too cold for even our toes. We enjoyed lunch at our favorite restaurant up there and even got to sit on the patio.

A lovely, long-overdue day!

Also over the weekend, our youth leader announced they were adopting a baby, a family friend announced she's pregnant, another friend from church got engaged, and yet another friend had a really sweet pseudo-almost-date with someone she's crushing on. Aaahhh!! Its almost too much! I'm so happy for each of these people, although I can't help but feel I missed some special after-church lunch or something that's making everyone get married or have babies! I was talking with a friend at church the other day and we figured out there's only five of us single people left!

Other fun, not quite so huge things that occurred this week: I got my copy of New Moon! Haven't watched it yet, though. And I booked my trip to Europe!! I think I got a little too excited, though, because I booked it and then realized I don't know what my work schedule is going to be like next month. So now I'm praying super hard that I'll have enough hours to pay for this trip!! Well, thats all for now. Keep my work situation in prayer so I can take this trip!

**Ashley**

Happy Friday

It was indeed a happy Friday :) I chaperoned a field trip to see Alice in Wonderland in IMAX. We stopped at the mall for lunch where I got this yummy ShotCake.

The cake part could've been better, but love the idea and presentation! Being a chaperone, my ticket was paid for, so free movie! Then I came home to find a small package waiting for me. My free book came today!!

As part of my LibraryThing, I joined the Early Reviewers club. Every month, I request from their list and occasionally get chosen to review a book before its available in stores (so far, this has only happened twice, but still!) Now, I shall go get started on this book before youth group.

Happy Friday!

**Ashley**

Cure for Shock(ing)

Does anyone have a cure for shockiness?? Not in the medical sense of shock. The kind of shock where everything I touch emits a vibrant and painful blue spark. It happens most when I get out of the car and close the door, but it also happens when I'm out and about....even at work! Last night I shocked an old man on his chin when I went to give him his pills. I felt so bad!

It must be the weather. Its getting to the point that I freeze and cringe before I close the car door or anything metal. Anyone have an idea of how to stop this??? Or do I have to wait til its warm again, cuz that would be a huge bummer.

On the bright side, the weather was beautiful today! I think in the 60s! Such a nice spring-preview for March in New England. Sadly, it goes back to coldness tomorrow, but still.

Happy March everyone!

Here I Sit. Thinking.

Here I sit. Thinking.

A week and half since I came home from Peru. I've delayed this post because I couldn't decide what to write. I said I'd share all the stories here, but that's impossible! I could just copy all my journals to here, but that would bore you, and you'd miss so much. I'm also sharing about this trip in the elementary school chapel tomorrow, and have no idea what to say. So here I sit. Thinking.

How do I neatly sum up all my experiences in a way that you'll want to read and in a way that will challenge how you think, the way this trip has done for me? How do I boil a week of adventure and growth into a quick message? I don't have any answers, so here I sit. Thinking.

A part of my heart is forever lost to Peru and the people in it. Their faces are etched into my brain. Eduardo. Rosie. Junior. Milena. And the dozens of others I loved but didn't catch their names.

You know what I want to say? What's really really bugging me? The way people here at home judge. The prejudices so many form based on absolutely nothing! And it starts young. I work with teens and kids through the church and school. I've heard some of the teens talk about different countries and people groups and totally look down on them. I mention a country and I get "eeww, _(insert country name here) ". They don't even know why they feel this way, they have no good explanation. They just have a great dislike for everything from this country. Last week I was subbing in the first grade and we were learning a little bit about China. A little girl said, "I don't like China". When I asked why, the best she could do was "I just don't". Its been nagging me all week.

Where do they get this?! Parents? TV? Internet? My heart breaks to think that even children in our country are prejudiced against other people. Like we're somehow better than people in China or India or Peru, simply because we live in the United States.

They may look different, or speak different, but we all have the same needs. We all need clean air and water. We need food. We need friends and a purpose. Most importantly, we all need love. I've been there. I've hugged and loved on more children than I can count. And when I hugged them, they thrived on it. It was all they wanted. To know someone cared about them. Most of them don't get hugs, even from their parents. They're starving for love.

I don't even think I have the words to get this all out. How do I possibly make this change? How do I make people see that these are people. People with lives and dreams and needs. People just like us. Just like you. Just like me.

I have no more words for this. I wish I could just load people on a plane to meet these people. To talk to them, get to know them. Then maybe ...but would it really help? or are people so set in their narrow-minded ways that they wouldn't care.

I feel like Moses or Jeremiah, saying to God "Lord I don't know what to say. My tongue is slow. I'm just one person. What do I tell them?" The only answer, the only word that keeps running through my head as I sit here thinking, heart breaking, is Love. Love. Love the people around you. Love the people thousands of miles away. Love.

"Love is here. Love is now. Love is pouring from His hands, from His brow. Love is near, it satisfies. Streams of mercy flowing from His side. 'Cuz Love is here." (Tenth Avenue North)

I brought Love to the Amazon. I brought Love home. I want to give Love and change the world with Love.

God is Love. "The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both." (1 John 4)

"Why do we go with the flow? Or take an easier road? Why are we playin' it safe? Love came to show us the way. Love is a chance we should take. I'm movin' out of the way." (Britt Nicole)