My recent bout with the flu was, of course, unpleasant.  However, I was able to spend a lot of time reading and that really did make it seem a lot less worse.  Okay, maybe not, but I did enjoy being able to put my feet up, cozy up with warm blankets and read.  I finished quite a few books, and started a few more.  Had it not been for the flu, it would have been bliss!  What follows is just a brief recap of what I've read.  If you'd like more information about any of these titles, feel free to email me (copperswifeATsoftcomDOTnet) and I'll be happy to give you more details.

     Back to Basics: Rediscovering the Richness of the Reformed Faith, by Douglas Wilson, Douglas Jones, David Hagopian, Roger Wagner.  Copper and Aaron read this book a couple of years ago as part of a book study with a group from our church.  The book does a pretty good job of outlining the basic principles of reformed doctrine, though I found a couple of the contributing authors a bit harder to read than the others.

     What to Do on Thursday: A Layman's Guide to the Practical Use of the Scriptures, by Jay E. Adams.  This book is outstanding.  The basic premise is this.  While we might have the ability to read a Scripture and apply it to our lives, what we lack is the ability to go to the Bible in time of need to find the Scriptures we need to help us with the problems we face in our daily walk.  To really put this book to its best use, it would need to be read through once to get a grasp of what is being taught.  Then, a more thorough study (the author outlines a year long study) would enable the reader to put all of the book's content to good use.  Be advised, though, that the author advises the purchase of multiple suggested resources to assist in this study.  While these additional resources would be a terrific investment, they are also very expensive. 

     Teach Them Diligently: How To Use The Scriptures In Child Training, by Louis Paul Priolo.  Excellent!!!  We parents tend to think we need to attend child training seminars and read book after book about raising our children.  While these may be helpful, God has already given us everything we need in His Word!  Lou Priolo does an excellent job of explaining how every parent can use the Scriptures in training their children. 

     The Wine-Dark Sea (Aubrey/Maturin Series), by Patrick O'Brian.  The is volume 16 in this wonderful series set in the time of Nelson's Royal Navy.  This is historical fiction at its best!  (This is not historical fiction suitable for children, and sensitive readers will want to avoid it, too.)  Personally, I find the main characters very likable and the story lines captivating.

     Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, by Francis Chan.  I'd had this book on my "to be read" queue for quite awhile.  When I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Georgene in real life, she had so many wonderful things to say about this book, I immediately downloaded it in audiobook format.  The audiobook is read by the author, which I very much like.  However, this book has a lot to say and it was too easy for me to let Mr. Chan's voice go in one ear and out the other.  I ordered a copy of the book and read it through, with the added benefit of being able to "hear" Mr. Chan's voice as I read.  Crazy Love will be on Aaron's reading list this spring, and I'm hoping to read it again myself before then.  The book gave me a lot to ponder and consider, and that's a very good thing!

     The Commodore  (Aubrey/Maturin Series #17), by Patrick O'Brian.  Mr. O'Brian died before finishing this epic series.  The series ends, really, with book 20.  There is a #21, but it is an unfinished manuscript.  I am almost dreading that there are only three "real" books left in the series.  I've enjoyed it that much!   (Be sure to read my caution about the series above.)

     Please remember that I think it is vitally important that your are reading!!  The Bible first and foremost, and that daily; but do not underestimate the importance of reading other books.  Please read this post for more information and to understand why I think it is so very important that you have a good book or two to read at all times.  Read!       
      The books I am currently reading, as well as the books that I have already completed this year, can be found on the side bar.

God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27 

Disclosure:  All of the books reviewed are books that I have chosen and purchased with my own money, or books that I have received as gifts from friends.  I do not receive free books from authors or publishers, nor do I receive any sort of compensation for the reviews I write.  I do maintain an affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.  This arrangement allows me to receive a very small percentage (pennies on the dollar) of any purchases made when readers click through to Amazon from my blog.  Though I see a list of what has been purchased, Amazon never discloses their customer’s names or other personal information.  For those of you that make Amazon purchases through my blog, thank you.  Your doing so is a tremendous blessing to my family.  I use the credit I receive through Amazon in three ways:  To help offset the cost of maintaining this blog, to purchase books for our home Heritage Library, and occasionally to purchase prizes for drawings offered to readers of this blog. 

     
     Home improvement projects have always been done here on a limited basis.  The projects have usually been funded outside of our normal household budget, which means they were funded through monetary gifts received at Christmas or on birthdays, or, more often, through my husband's gracious willingness to work overtime.  However, overtime work was discontinued at my husband's work site months ago as the county made serious cutbacks to the sheriff's department.  We are thankful that my husband's job is safe and that he is able to continue in his same position.  

     We started work on our main bathroom ten months ago.  Over the course of several months, we had saved money from other budget areas, accumulated enough My Points (*) gift cards, and a bit of money received over the holidays to start the bathroom.  My husband removed the old sink, counter and light fixture.  A new sink was installed, along with beautiful new faucets.  The light fixture was also installed, but there were no globes for the bulbs. 

    

     The yucky old fake leather formica counter was replaced with beautiful, new tile.  Seriously, I do not know who would ever put a textured formica surface in a bathroom or kitchen.  I still have it in two of my bathrooms as well as my kitchen.  The hard water from our well water stains the stuff horribly and we have to use Comet and bleach to get it anywhere near clean.  Yucko!









My husband did an excellent job on the tile!  Our funds ran out just as the sink and counter were completed.  However, I just kept on earning with My Points (*).
    
     (*) My Points is an incredible program.  My Points has enabled us to purchase multiple Home Depot gift cards simply by spending a few minutes a day reading emails, and occasionally 10 - 15 minutes filling out an online survey.  We've earned further points by making online purchases with merchants through the My Points system.  I've purchased on sale dress pants for my boys from Old Navy, shoes for myself through Payless, printer ink through e-bay, and gift items for others.  These are purchases I would have made anyway so why not score a few points in the process?  I almost always redeem my My Points points for Home Depot gift cards, but there are oodles of other merchants and restaurants that you might redeem your points with.  Right now, this is the only way that any home improvement work can be done here.
     If you think that My Points might be something you'd like to try out, I'd be pleased for you to allow me to send you an invitation.  You can join directly through My Points, of course, but if I may send you the email invitation, I earn a few points, too.  If you'd like to give My Points a try, email me at copperswifeATsoftcomDOTnet (replace the words in caps with the appropriate symbols, please).  Thanks!!

     Since February, the bathroom has remained unchanged.  I've continued earning Home Depot gift cards and making purchases with them for the bathroom as I could.  Paint for the walls and cabinet.  Globes for the light fixture. Hardware for the cabinet.  New baseboard material to match what we've done in other parts of the house.  New towel hooks.  Dani chipped in with some gift cards of her own toward the project.  We kept our purchases stashed away until we had everything we needed.
 
     
  

    A couple of weeks ago, Copper began painting the bathroom cabinet.  That first stroke of Cathedral on the bathroom cabinet was so beautiful!  The cabinet was finished and the new hardware was installed. 











     The walls were painted with a gorgeous shade of aqua blue called Ocean Kiss.  (Both paints are Behr paint colors.)

    










     
     We priced out replacement hinges for the cabinet and bathroom doors, as well as a new door knob for the bathroom.  The old "antique brass" hardware was horrid with the new brushed nickel finishes, but replacements were pricey.  Dani suggested we try spray paint.  We had a couple of false starts with paint that was too silver or too sparkley, but Copper found a paint for us at Jo-Ann that was perfect.  Two cans purchased with two separate 40% off coupons, saved us a bundle.  We used the spray paint on the bathroom door hinges and door knob, the cabinet door hinges, the brass hook on the back of the bathroom door, and the spring door stop.

    








     I really wanted a small lamp for the counter in the bathroom, but thought we'd have to wait until we found one we could afford.  Then it dawned on me that I had a lamp that was just the right size on the little desk in the school room.  It's mate is in the master bathroom, and I use that lamp every evening.  The one in the school room was rarely used.  The lamps are gold with cream shades.  We'd had such great success with the spray paint, I figured it was worth a try.  It turned out great!  A bit of white spray paint applied to the shade and the lamp is perfect!  Even better - this pair of lamps was a free gift with a purchase from a year or two ago! 



     
   

      The shower curtain and bathmat, which were the inspiration for our color scheme,  were purchased over a year ago at Target.  I've been saving up nickels and dimes for the last several weeks and last Friday, during our regular mega-shop, Dani I were able to purchase new towels, a few odds and ends for the counter, and a pretty little plant.

     My husband is installing the baseboard today, and then the bathroom will be done.  Pictures tomorrow.

God bless you as you look well to the ways of your household!
Proverbs 31:27