Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Finding God at the Kitchen Sink--a book review



Life has thrown me some curve balls lately, and more than ever I find myself gravitating toward faith-based reads. I hope you don't mind if I speak a bit about one of my new favorites, Finding God at the Kitchen Sink by Maggie Paulus. The back cover note from the author says this:

"I want you to know--
you with your brokenness, your chaotic days, and your one, fleeting life--
I want you to know there is a Maker who isn't far from each one of us.
He very much wants to be found.

So I scribble down my stories for you. 
And I testify to this--that I have seen God-glory.
And now I can't help but live in awe of the Eternal One who has woven
His narrative into my days.

I hope you see Him too.

Isn't that beautiful?

Have you ever had a troubling situation? A rough day when you sometimes feel overwhelmed by it all? Me, too. And I tell ya, this book is like a big warm hug on days like that. My copy is now dog-eared, with little hearts next to my favorite passages. I've read the words of hope and encouragement over and over again.

I usually blog about writing lessons learned, but in this case my main writing lesson is to write from deep within your heart about what moves you.

This book is beautifully written by an author with an open heart and an imperfect life. I'd highly recommend it not only for you, but as a gift for someone you love--especially moms.

Have you ever gone through seasons when you gravitate toward the spiritual? Do you have a favorite book that calms your soul? Please share!

9 comments:

  1. I bet my wife would really like that book.
    I think things become troubling, or at least stale, when I drift away from God. Or rather, I don't place my focus on him.
    Hope this is the end of the curve balls for you.

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  2. Oh, that's a lovely passage :) Sounds like a wonderful book! I, at times of difficulty, find myself leaning toward certain types of books and movies~ not necessarily spiritual, but with values-based, family-based, love-based themes. It may sound funny, but I read middle grade book favorites as well--Danny, The Champion of the World is a favorite, and much of that has to do with the wonderful father-son relationship depicted.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful book. I have periods of time when I feel so blessed by what I have that I feel high with it.
    Susan Says

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  4. Sounds like a worthy book. Sorry to hear about your life's curve balls. A friend of mine in her 30s was just diagnosed with an early stage of cancer. She'll probably be okay after surgery and treatment, but talk about a curve ball. I think I will buy her that book. Thanks.

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  5. Those of us out here with other imperfect lives will appreciate this one. The title made me laugh and "understand" immediately.

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  6. My husband and I read this together, one chapter per night after dinner. It was like sitting down each evening with a cup of coffee and an old friend - a pleasant interlude away from the worries of the day. We've given several as gifts and have seen it bring joy and comfort over and over. May God bless you through it and may God continue to bless this little book - and Maggie Paulus - as it spreads the gentle reminder of God's love.

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  7. It's so great when you find a book that really speaks to where you are at a given moment.

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  8. Believe-you-me, dear, I found Jesus a looong time ago.

    But, seriously, folks, as I stand-up
    here on this Great Stage of our lifelong demise
    (only 66ish feet across and 1-outta-1 croaks),
    what's the MOST important objective in your
    finite existence, dear? I certainly know what mine is:

    Hope2God this provides some knowledge
    on your everlasting, spiritual journey;
    I may see you again Upstairs... maybe not...
    depending on how well WE mortals have fulfilled
    our voyage to the Great Beyond by 1) loving God
    and 2) loving our neighbor to the best of our ability.

    Why else does a moth fly FROM the night
    than to a bold, attractive candle Light??
    Don’t let His extravagant Brilliance be extinguished.
    You’re creative, yes?
    Then, fly-away with U.S. to the antidote…

    Whether you obtain morality4mortality to wiseabove
    or just glean tantalizing specimens for thy next best seller,
    you shall find in our blogs a lotta (subliminal) moxie
    which has taken this sinfull mortal yeeeeers to compile!
    I lay it ALL out for you, dear, with All-Star-Oxygems:

    Wouldn’t ya love an endless eternity
    of aplomBombs falling on thy indelible cranium?
    An XtraXcitinXpose with no zooillogical-expiration-date?
    An IQ much higher than K2 all-go-rhythm?
    An anti-establishment, savvy victory +
    and avant-guarde-humility =
    you’re promptly astonished, ain’tcha?
    withe extraordinarily explosion of the mellowdramatic maelstrom??
    Ha. Yeah. Me, too, for eternity.
    Here’s what the exquisite, prolific GODy sed
    (with a most-excellent-detector of bull§ht):

    “Faith, hope, and love,
    the greatest of these is love –
    jump into faith…
    and you’ll VitSee with love”
    Doesn’t matter if you don’t believe (what I write);
    God believes in you.

    Meet me Upstairs, girl, where the Son never goes down
    from a super-passionate, lucrative iconoclasm where you’ll find
    nonillionsXnonillionsXnonillionsXnonillionsXnonillionsX…
    of deluxe-HTTP [<- pi] opportunities for excitement BTW.

    Do it. Do the deed, dude. Sign into the Big-Zaftig-House.

    PS “It is impossible that anyone should NOT receive all that they have believed and hoped to obtain; it gives Me great pleasure when they hope great things from Me and I will always give them more than they expect”
    -our Lord Jesus to Saint Gertrude

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