I'm a full-time mummy

Yeap! Another Max Lucado book review! For this round of review, I gladly downloaded the ebook version so that I could read it on my iPad at night hehehe... Anyway, here is my review of the latest book from Max Lucado entitled: "MAX ON LIFE: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions". This book is just recently published on April 19th and I'm so glad I get to review this new book of his!

Author: Max Lucado
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson (** Published on April 19th, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0849948121
Hardcover: 256 pages

Description from the Thomas Nelson product page:

"We have questions. Child-like inquiries. And deep, heavy ones.

In more than twenty-five years of writing and ministry, Max Lucado has been the receiving line for thousands of such questions. The questions come in letters, e-mails, even on Dunkin Donuts napkins. In Max on Life he offers thoughtful answers to more than 150 of the most pressing questions on topics ranging from hope to hurt, from home to the hereafter.

Max writes about the role of prayer, the purpose of pain, and the reason for our ultimate hope. He responds to the day-to-day questions—parenting quandaries, financial challenges, difficult relationships—as well as to the profound: Is God really listening?

A special addendum includes Max’s advice on writing and publishing. Including topical and scriptural indexes and filled with classic Lucado encouragement and insight, Max on Life will quickly become a favorite resource for pastors and ministry leaders as well as new and mature believers."

This book helps us to understand the questions we have in our daily life. We may have questions and doubts on our family, relationship, work life, friendship, financial and so on and each questions posed were answered beautifully and honestly by Lucado in this book and reassures us more in God's love towards each and every one of us.

Topics ranging from hate, hurt, resentment, sufferings and all are being answered and gives us the perspective from God's point (that is to trust and do things according to His will, not ours!)

I can't feedback on the physical touch and feel of the book since I'm reviewing the ebook version this time, but it appears alright (both landscape or potrait layouts) on my iPad and I'm so happy to be able to do the bookmarks and all!

And to be able to go back to the pages I've bookmarked and noted earlier with so much ease! Just look at the picture below taken of the bookmarks I've made from reading this book. Cool eh?

I particularly enjoyed the question posed on page 98 about anger and forgivenesss, how Lucado described resentment as a prison and pointed out the explanations on his reasonings.

I also enjoyed and felt inspired with page 139 & 142 on prayers and the purpose of praying. That praying reminds you who is in charge and that although prayer doesn't change anything, we can influence the details! You should really get this book to read on this to know what I'm talking about!

There is this sentence on page 143 that I particularly enjoyed: "Prayer pushes us through life's slumps, propels us over the humps and pulls us out of the dumps". Wow, right?!

There are many more questions posed in this book that you just have to read through each of them and get a better understanding and apply it into our own life and be inspired and have faith in our God that He will help us through each phase no matter how gloomy or endless it seems to be.

Do consider getting a copy of this book. You will be glad you did so as it does help to answer some of the many of our questions about life!

You can purchase the Max On Life: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions book from Amazon, Christianbook.com and many more. 

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with a copy of the book by Book Sneeze in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine. And if you'd like to read my previous book reviews, you can do so by reading this post of mine called "My Book Reviews"

Oh wow! I was pretty excited when I received an email (also posted on their blog) from Montessori Print Shop saying they are looking for bloggers to review their Montessori products. As I read on further, I was telling myself "I have to review this, I HAVE TO!!!!!" and then I read through their requirements and realised they are looking for someone who  love and  uses Montessori materials, but they also asked whether you love to blog and include pictures in your blog posts. 

FYI, we have been looking around (not actively yet...) for some sort of preschool or learning system for Ben to participate in and I've always been intrigued and very much curious with Montessori methods. So I decided to send them an email to try my luck. Never try, never know right?

Fortunately for me, Jennifer De Sousa from Montessori Print Shop replied my email saying "Thank you for contacting us regarding reviewing our products. I have taken a look at your website (very well done!), and even though it is not specifically a Montessori or Preschool Blog, you definitely have a preschooler in the family! I think you'd be a great Reviewer. I hope you and your son find our Montessori-based products educational and fun." 

Oh yeah!! Coolness! I immediately replied with my 3 choices of their Montessori materials which are: Alphabet Cards, Color Books (11 books) and Vehicle Match-Up and Memory Game. Although Montessori Print Shop gave me the 3 materials I requested, I only have to review 1 of them as the other 2 are a bonus for my effort. Woohoo!

Excerpts from the Montessori Print Shop website:

"Montessori Print Shop was founded in January 2004 and is located in Ontario, Canada. Montessori schools, private and public schools, as well as homeschooling families from 6 continents have benefited greatly from the wide range of Montessori materials that we have developed.

Our Montessori materials product line started with the phonetic language materials and branched in to all other areas (math, science, culture, art, classified cards, geography, French) as the demand grew. In 2008 we were approached by several schools who had Montessori Toddler programs but didn't have the materials to support them. We worked with the schools to ensure we were following the needs of the Toddlers and within a few months the basic design outline for our Toddler Montessori materials was complete. We now have over 950 Montessori Materials available (including Teacher Training Manuals).

All our Montessori materials have been designed by an AMI Certified Primary Montessori Teacher who was trained by Renilde Montessori (the granddaughter of Maria Montessori). Our designer has over 17 years of experience; in the Primary Montessori classroom, as a Homeschooling parent, a Montessori Consultant, and as Head Administrator of a Montessori school.

It is our goal to provide top quality Montessori materials for Toddlers, Primary (Casa) and lower Elementary children at affordable prices."

I decided to try the Vehicle Match-Up and Memory Game with Ben since he loves vehicles! I started out by printing out the PDF document using hubby's color printer and decided to glue the match-up sheets onto this hard board I have (recycled) and I cut out the matching vehicles images and kept them into this tiny container. Picture below before I started cutting up the printed lesson...

You can also view the following video which was recorded the moment we started the Montessori lesson. Noticed he takes a longer time to search and understand my instructions hehehe... but don't you think it's pretty awesome for my 2 year old boy to accomplish this in his first attempt? I'm so awfully proud of him!

You can browse through the many selections of Montessori materials right at the Montessori Print Shop website itself! They have a great selection, great customer support, and affordable prices for their materials as well! 

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with some free Montessori materials (selected by myself) in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine.

Max Lucado. Need I say more...? I'm always on the look out for good Christian books. I  immediately jump at the chance to request this book the moment I saw it on the list of books available for review. Here is my review of the latest book from Max Lucado entitled: "LIVE LOVED: Experiencing God's Presence in Everyday Life". This book will be published on May 3rd and I'm so glad I get to review this book firsthand!

Author: Max Lucado
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson (** To be published on May 3, 2011)
ISBN-13: 9781404190061
Hardcover: 320 pages

Description from the Thomas Nelson product page:

"Imagine how your life would change if you were sure God loves you!
Using the same popular format as Grace for the Moment, Live Loved brings fresh, new devotionals based on the writings of Max Lucado. Included is a broad range of topics such as facing your fears, accepting His grace, and truly knowing God’s omnipresent love. Each devotional is accompanied by an ending prayer to nurture a stronger prayer life for new believers, as well as long-standing Christ followers. It’s a new devotional from one of America's leading Christian writers that will help men and women experience life from a whole new perspective."

This book is an assurance and gentle reminder to each of us on how we are loved by the One and Only awesome God. Now back to the book, it is broken down into 5 chapters, which I will note down my feedback in red for your easier reading:

# 1 - LOVE WITH A STEADFAST LOVE
My feedback: In the "Problems Have a Purpose" subchapter, I like the points where God will use whatever he wants to display his glory and  Rather than begrudge our problem, explore it and use it to the glory of God. I also like the verse given which is Psalm 34:19.

# 2 - LOVE WITH A PERFECT LOVE
My feedback: I love the 8 worry stoppers which were made up of the word PEACEFUL, taken from the "P-E-A-C-E-F-U-L" subchapter. You really have to read it to know it more!

# 3 - LOVE WITH A WISE LOVE
My feedback: In the "Slay the Desire to Be Noticed" subchapter, I like the following phrases mentioned: Hypocrisy turns people against God,  Don't fake spirituality. When you talk, don't doctor your vocabulary with trendy religious terms and Slay the desire to be noticed, stir the desire to serve God.

# 4 - LOVE WITH A MERCIFUL LOVE
My feedback: Negative thoughts never strengthen you. Wow! What a strong and inspiring phrase taken from the "Positive Thoughts Purvey Hope" subchapter. I learned to think positively and not let negative thoughts drain me down.  

# 5 - LOVED TO LOVE OTHERS
My feedback: I am particulary attracted to these 2 subchapters: "Cherish Your Children" and "Our Kids Are God's Kids". In "Cherish Your Children", I learned that Children spell love with 4 letters: T-I-M-E. Not just quality time, but hang time, downtime, anytime, all the time. I totally agree with it as it is one of the factors I thought of when I decided to quit my IT job to be a SAHM to take care of Benjamin full-time. In the "Our Kids Are God's Kids" subchapter, I am greatly reminded and humbled when I read these 2 phrases: Before they were ours, they were his. Even as they are ours, they are still his and  Wise are the parents who regularly give their children back to God. As parents, too often we forget that we are just the guardian of our children and we think we have the rights and final say in matters related to our children when in fact, we don't! We forget that God has the power of all things including us!

Apart from the above feedbacks for each of the chapters and subchapters, the one thing I don't like about this book is the cursive title on each subchapter. Maybe it's just me, but I find some of the title a bit difficult to read as I actually have to read the title at least 3-4 times just to be sure that I'm reading and understanding the correct title! Other than that, this book is just perfect!

We do need assurance that we are loved by God again and again despite of our shortcomings and all the mistakes and sins we made.

In any case, I beg you, consider getting a copy of this book when it is out for sale. You will not regret it!

You can purchase the Live Loved: Experiencing God's Presence in Everyday Life book from Amazon, Thomas Nelson and many more. 

I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with a galley proof of the book via my association with netGalley as a reviewer in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine. And if you'd like to read my previous book reviews, you can do so by reading this post of mine called "My Book Reviews"