Simple Gifts (and the Reason I Haven't Been Posting Much Lately)

You may have noticed that my blog posts have been few and far between lately. For the past few months, we've been preparing for a huge, brand new three-day conference and trade show that finally(!) takes place this week. I feel like we've been running a marathon and are at long last getting a glimpse of the finish line. The last few weeks have been especially hectic and most days when I get home from work I'm thoroughly exhausted and just want to lie on the couch and veg out; putting together coherent thoughts that I deem worthy of a blog post seems an impossible task of late.

I've had some major stress-out moments at work, and have had to do a lot of praying about my attitude. I'm trying to focus on the positive, so before this conference kicks off I wanted to share a few things that I'm thankful for from the past week:

• This rose given to me by our florist at work last week. After complimenting him on an arrangement he was making for the office, he pulled out this beautiful pink rose and gave it to me. It's not only beautiful but smells lovely. A gorgeous sight in my living room right now.

• Getting a magazine in the mail with a new soup recipe that includes ingredients that I already have on hand. I won't get a chance to go grocery shopping until later this week, so I might have to give this new recipe a try. 

• I had to work today to get ready for our conference. I'm thankful for technology that allowed me to watch a church podcast while I got ready for work this morning.

• I'm thankful that I have several friends who are praying for me this week. I've asked them to pray specifically about my attitude and to not let stress and lack of rest cause me to be short-tempered, unfriendly or curt with anyone. I want to show grace to everyone I encounter at this conference. 

What simple gifts are you thankful for this week?

Book Review: I Am Second

I Am Second by Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett is my most recent Booksneeze book sent for review. Based on a movement by the same name, the book is a collection of stories of people who have made a concerted effort to put God first and themselves second (hence, the title of the book).

The men and women featured in the book are from all walks of life. Some are famous--athletes, a former rock star, a season winner of "The Biggest Loser". Some are ordinary people who've been through some extraordinary circumstances. What they all have in common is that they've all hit bottom at some point in their lives, and they all (eventually) chose to stop relying on self and start relying on God.

I found the book to be a quick and interesting read. Some of the transformations that took place in the storytellers' lives are pretty remarkable. While this wasn't a terribly deep and insightful book (in my opinion), it was still an entertaining read for those who, like me, enjoy reading stories of how God has worked in people's lives.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through theBookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”