Have I really changed that much?

Seriously - I used to drink a Dr. pepper and eat a nutty bar almost everyday! I know that when people come to my house they are often perplexed by the myriad of weird food that sits in our refrigerator and pantry.

Then I read a book. The Amazing Connection Between Food and Love is an awesome book. Gary Smalley continually refers to this one book as his prime information source - What the Bible Says about Healthy Living. Worth a read!

Introducing Myself

To spend time with me means having a book recommended to you.
I once heard a statement that you are the same person you will be in 10 years except for the people you meet and the books you read. I love to read - especially books that challenge me. I rarely read fiction - but I'm always reading something.
When I'm not reading (or suggesting something for you to read), I love to cook. Not everyday cooking - I enjoy doing things in spurts. When I found about OMAC (Once a Month Cooking), I thought it was really cool. With Pete on kid duty (sometimes chopping veggies, too) I cook meals for an entire month all in a couple of days. It involves planning (which I enjoy), strategy (which I enjoy) and a sense of completion (one of my favorite things).

In conjunction with cooking, I am generally interested in wacky healthy stuff. This is somewhat Pete's fault, but I read a few books (of course) and am trying to move in small steps to a more natural lifestyle. What does that mean exactly? For the most part, we follow an Old Testament diet (not kosher, but baseline OT). We rarely eat pork. Our primary resource for this path has been the Rex Russell book (What the Bible Says about Healthy Living). I'll keep you updated on our progress.

Raising Arizona (or NC)

Parenting is a huge deal. I have read lots of books several were really good and seemed to have a good sensible approach. Making Children Mind without Losing Yours is good. I also liked The Keys to your Child's Heart. The Wonder Weeks are intriguing and BabyWise has some good points.

However the best parenting books I have found are Shepherding a Child's Heart and Don't Make Me Count to Three. These books reject manipulation for the purpose of immediate behavior. Both books emphasize the need for discipline to mirror the Gospel. I love both. Shepherding gives you the theological approach and Don't Make Me gives the practical, day-to-day application.