Book #43: Surfing For God - Michael John Cusick

In a day and age when just about everything is sexualized it's no wonder men/women are struggling.

Instant gratification is just a click away, but are men/women really searching to satisfy their lustful longings or is there something deeper rooted in their hearts longing to heard?

Book Description

“Every time a man knocks on a brothel door, he is really searching for God.” -- G.K. Chesterton

Could the growing struggles with pornography and fantasy really be reminding us of our heart’s deepest desire, something greater and more fulfilling than sexual gratification?

According to counselor and ministry leader Michael John Cusick, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Through personal examples, lively illustrations from Scripture, and twenty years of counseling experience, Michael helps readers to understand how porn struggles begin, what to do to prevent them, and most importantly, how to overcome them once compulsive behavior presents itself.

Freedom is not an easy, how-to process:

* 25% of search engine requests are for pornography – 68 million per day

* 70% of the hits on Internet sex sites occur between 9-5 on business computers

* Over 50 percent of evangelical pastors report they viewed pornography last year

* Over 70% of Christian men report viewing pornography in the last year

Surfing for God leads readers down a clear path toward understanding how porn struggles develop, how to distinguish between sexual gratification and intimacy, and how to break free from the shackles of this pleasurable prison.

Having the opportunity to receive books for free in exchange for a review means I get to read books I may not have normally picked up.
I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to step inside Cusick's own story of struggle and learn his steps to overcoming.We live in a time when everything is at our fingertips, instantly and I know that it is only going to get worse, which means it will easily affect more and more of the people we know.
It's important that we as women understand the struggle.
Viewing pornography grants instant gratification which in turn rewires the brain much like that of a drug.
Over time the amount needed grows and much like any other addiction, intervention and detoxification are needed to recover.
In my opinion knowing this allows us to arm ourselves with the tools to protect our own homes from being attacked.
You never know when someone in your life may admit to this struggle, at that time how would you react?Will you push them away, will you put them down, or will you do your best to help build them up to be the man you know God wants them to be?

Cusick warns the following, "Where in your life do you say,'This is living'? If you don't have something in your life that regularly inspires adventure, risk, and passion, beware.  Because if you don't, you will seek the counterfeit. 

This book is not for the faint of heart, it deals with a real issue that our society is currently exploiting.

If someone you know is struggling with a sexual addiction I strongly suggest gifting them this book or reading it yourself so that you can better understand the struggle.
If you are a mother of boys, I suggest you read this book to help to learn to protect them and raise them into Godly men.
I hope you have a Blessed Friday!

I received this book free from the publishers through the BookSneeze.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." 

Dare to… give homemade gifts!

It's time for week 3 of the Dare to DIY!

Did you check out all the awesome entries for week two?

If not go visit Kim, Michelle, Rachel, or Chelsea's blogs to see all the creativity!

I actually had the honor or being featured on Kim's blog and getting pinned on the 2012 Dare to DIYprojects Pinterest board!

Week 3's party will officially post on Monday December 3rd, but as usual I can't wait to share!

The theme...Dare to... give homemade gifts!

"DIY a gift made by you".!

Recently a friend of mine had a birthday and I wanted to send her a little something.

Now that we have our daughter the budget looks a little different and gift giving has been scaled back a bit.

With that in mind I knew I could make something that she would love and not spend too much!

My friend is a teacher whose classroom is all owls this year.

My friend is a KSU graduate and FAN!

I got this one in the bag!

First things first I needed to make a pattern.

Don't be afraid of this, it's so much easier than you might think.

Pictured above are the 'tools' I used to make my pattern.

A piece of newspaper (always perfect for pattern making).

1 circular lid, 1 glass, and a piece of cardboard.

Now I just needed to create an owl.

I used the large lid as my starting point and created the outline of the body.

Next I used the glass to create the head portion of my owl and the cardboard to add ears.

No, the ears did not stay like that...I adjusted them after taking this picture.

The cardboard piece also helped outline the beak.

I used my lid to make the wings by tracing only the side to get my perfect arch.

Not pictured is the pill bottle I used to get the perfect size pupils.

In order for my eyes to fit on the head I traced a slightly smaller glass than the one pictured.

Now you can cut out all your paper pieces and you have a pattern, Voila!

I used sheets of felt for the eyes, pupils, and beak.

I outlined these to the exact size of my pattern.

Gray chalk is my go to for outlining...

Now it's time to cut fabric.

I actually traced this about a 1/4" larger than my pattern to give myself a seam allowance.

See how that gray chalk is so light.

It's just visible enough to cut and then it virtually disappears the more it's handled!

I cut a circle to go on the owls belly, this was a slight after thought and involved me finding another circle in my house that would fit decently within my owl itself.

I wanted to give it a little more body though so I added some interfacing.

This stuff is really easy to work with and here is my big secret!

Don't buy prepackaged interfacing, it's expensive for no other reason then the fact it's prepackaged.

Go to the counter and ask where they keep the bolts of interfacing.

I got 3x as much for the price of 1 package of this stuff!

I did interfacing on the belly and the wings, but only on the contrasting color...you'll see.

Now you get to place your belly on you owl.

Maybe I should have ironed that wrinkle out of my owl?

I had never attempted to applique prior to this project, but let me tell you it's not as difficult as you might think.

Also, it's okay if it's not perfect....your making a home made gift.

Sew a line around the edge of your circle, like pictured above.

Now change your settings on your machine to give yourself a zig zag stitch that is fairly close together.

Proceed to go over your initial line and just far enough to cover the edge.

Honestly, this might take a little fiddling around with so if you want to practice on a scrap piece first go ahead....no one is grading you on this ;) 

Now we get to start building our face.

Place your beak and do the same process as you did with the belly.

Outline and then....

....Cover.

Place your eyes next.

I overlapped mine a bit to add dimension.

Outline.

Cover.

Lastly you'll place and 'attach' your pupils.

Have fun.

I have done a few of these now and the placement of your pupils can totally add to the character of the owl.

Here you can see the finished front.

Now let us focus on the wings.

Place pretty sides together.

The contrasting color has the interfacing.

Stitch a 1/4" seam along wing leaving an opening at the point where it will be attached to the body.

Carefully go around the edge and cut slits in your fabric.

This little tric will help the fabric lay better and hold a better shape overall.

Now flip that wing right side out and iron it flat.

Once both of the wings are done you can place them on your own just so.

I suggest pinning them at least once with a safety pin so that they hold their spot while you are sewing.

Now place the owls back on top.

All your pretty parts are now inside and you can sew your buddy up.

Sew a 1/4" stitch around the owl leaving an approximate 2" opening at the bottom for turning him right side out.

Now stuff stuff stuff!

I was surprised at home much stuffing was needed to really make this guy look good, but it's totally worth it.

Do you see the opening at the bottom there?

This was honestly the part I was most worried about when I started!

But I found a great tutorial here.

Not to bad for my first invisible stitch.

Now guess what....

Your done.

This is the owl I gave my KSU loving, Owl themed classroom teaching friend.

The verdict?

She loved it!

Here is another beauty I made for a raffle at Bud's work.

I also made a few others for my younger cousins.

I was fortunate enough to have fabric left from the quilts I had made each of them, so their owls match their quilts.

Ultimately, the goal here is to show you that anyone can make a home made gift.

Take your time.

And Enjoy the process.

Also, let me tell you that if pattern making is not for you, there are a lot of free patterns out there on the internet so take your pick :)

And if you want an owl all your own feel free to stop by my Etsy shop!

I would love to coordinate a color scheme that would work just for you!

Also, from now thru December 15th if you order an owl use the code DARETODIY and get 15% off!

Now go check out the DIY challenge and see what other people are making!

Get inspired!

I hope you have a Blessed Thursday!

Pssst!  Don't forget to enter the Woolzies Giveaway!
I'll be announcing a winner December 5th!

Woolzies Giveaway!

I love when opportunities present themselves that allow me to try something new and share it with you!

Have any of you heard of Woolzies?

Let me share a little bit about what they are....

WOOLZIES, The All Natural Dryer Ball Set. This set of six handmade pure wool dryer balls are special in several ways. They deliver the same benefits for laundry as conventional fabric softeners WITHOUT all the nasty chemicals. They save everyone a lot of money by eliminating the need to continuously spend on fabric softener liquid and sheets. They cut down on the time it takes to dry a typical load by at least 25% thereby saving everyone even more money and cutting down on fossil fuel usage. Finally, being as that they are handmade in the democratic republic of Nepal, they provide a steady source of income to the desperately needy women of that developing nation.

Do you have any questions about Woolzies?

Here is a Q & A that might answer some of your quandaries.

Q1: What are WOOLZIES and how do they benefit me and the environment?

A: Regular fabric softeners, both in liquid and sheet form, contain numerous harsh chemicals which are toxic to the environment and even more dangerous to many people who have serious allergic reactions to them. The elderly, ailing and small children can suffer from a variety of negative symptoms which are really just allergic reactions to the harsh chemicals contained in these commercial fabric softening products.

Additionally, because WOOLZIES bounce around in your dryer, they naturally separate and create space between your laundry, thereby allowing the hot dryer air to circulate better and subsequently cutting down on drying time by about 25% in large loads and as much as 35-40% in small loads. This of course saves both time and money for you and energy for the environment.

The 6 WOOLZIES dryer balls contained in every box that we sell are enough for a small. medium or large load. If you are drying an extra large load, we recommend using 8 dryer balls.

Q2: How long will my WOOLZIES last?

A: For at least one full year or 500 loads, and in most cases even longer.

Q3: If I have an allergy to wool, can I still use WOOLZIES?

A: Yes! Absolutely! Since the wool is not directly touching your skin and does not shed, everyone can use WOOLZIES without any allergic reactions.

Q4: Why are WOOLZIES better than rubber/plastic/tennis balls in the dryer?

A: Rubber and plastic balls are made from harsh chemicals including PVCs which are released onto your laundry by the hot dryer air. Not only are these types of dryer balls dangerous to your health, they are toxic to the environment as well. Additionally, the harsh tumbling action of rubber, plastic and tennis balls can damage your dryer's sensitive electronic sensors. Finally, some of these types of balls may even melt slightly and cause fabric staining.

Q5: Why do the dryer balls seem to each vary slightly in size, shape and texture?

A: Our dryer balls are completely handmade. They are not mass produced by machine. Therefore you will notice variations in size, color and texture.

P.S. Did you know that many commercial dryer liquids and sheets contain chemicals that destroy the fire retardant qualities of children's and adult's clothing?!

So with all that said let me just say that I received a set of Woolzies to try and review and I have to admit that they are....

AWESOME!

They have helped reduce static in my laundry (which is vital as we move into the colder months) and they have reduced my drying time (which is also vital since we do a lot of laundry)!

So are you curious how you can get your very own set of Woolzies?

Just enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners will be announced next Wednesday, December 5th!

So get your entries in quick!

I hope you have a Blessed Wednesday!

What We Did Wednesday-Michigan Part 1

I think everyone needs a place they can visit that is totally relaxing.

Not a luxury vacation spot.

Rather, a family spot, where life is simpler.  

For us that is my grandparents home in Michigan.

For my birthday this year (a few weeks back...) my grandparents flew Bud, Bitsy, and myself out to visit for 9 whole days!

It was there first time meeting their great granddaughter.

She's their only great grandchild

The first full day we were there was a beautiful and balmy 70º.

We took the opportunity to stow away to Grand Rapids and enjoy the outdoors and one of the museums there.

Part of the museum is set up just like old Grand Rapids used to look.

They encourage touching and being interactive.

There are even people in some of the stores and business that show what they used to do.

Including an old printing press where the volunteer was making actual book marks for the museum!

It was pretty interesting to see how calculated each plate must be and how they did multi colored items.

The feature exhibit was all about beer.

This was one man's collection of beer cans from all around the world and from varies time periods.

I thought this was interesting.

It showed where each beer stems from.

One of the best parts of the museum is by far the carousel.

It's the same carousel I've ridden since I was a child.

We were fortunate to be the only ones on it!

Grandma snapped a quick family photo of us.

I think Bitsy liked it ;)

(pssst....someone told me that the giraffe appears to be photo bombing this picture!)

She got to ride the horse that went up and down.

The lights and music had her attention 100%...okay maybe 90% since we did get a few pictures.

Daddy was holding Bitsy tight....

Uh....Dad....make sure she doesn't lick the horse.

Ewww!

Crazy child!

I had to get a picture on that giraffe, he was my favorite.

When on vacation many people sleep in.

Not me.

I'm not wired for it.

The good part about that though is that it meant I got to steal away for an hour or so with my Grandma each morning.

She would make us lattes with her fancy coffee machine and we would sit and chat.

Some mornings it was light hearted conversation, others were deep and more serious.

I walked away from each one with a wonderful appreciation of who my Grandma is.

This is the view from my Grandparents back porch.

The first days we were there the leaves were full of colorful trees.

Towards the end of our vacation the leaves had all fallen off.

No matter where we lived growing up, and we lived a lot of places being military, this was and always will be home.

It's the only place that has remained constant in my life.

This is the view from the pond up towards my grandparent's home.

I love this land.

I love this home.

Our time there was a wonderful time of rest and relaxation.

One day during Bitsy's nap....Bud may have been napping too....I stowed away to snap a few pictures...and to sit on the dock of the pond and revel in the calm quietness.

Below are a few pictures of the turkey's my Aunt is keeping in my grandparents coop.

These ladies were funny.

We would practice our turkey calls on them and they would gobble right back as though we were carrying on a wonderful conversation.

Bitsy thought they were funny.

Heck, I thought they were funny too...

and honestly I thought they were kinda cute.

One afternoon there was a fox hanging out by the shed.

I went out and stalked him.

This was the closest and best shot I could capture of him.

In all the years I've been to my grandparents I've seen deer and wild turkey, but never a fox.

Another wonderful thing about vacation is that you get to do special things.

Special things like allowing your daughter to have her 1st taste of ice cream....

...so everyone can see her reaction.

Even she's not sure what she thinks.
But it was fun to try.
We bought ice cream cones just for this.
Since our child refuses to be fed from a spoon/fork/utensil of any kind...we had to give her a way to do it herself.
Let me tell you, my family didn't believe me that went straight from milk to solids.
Not solids like pureed food either...solids like food she can pick up and put in her mouth on her own.
They got a kick out of it though.

I'll be back next week to show you some of the family.
Where is your get away spot?
How often do you get to stow away to said location?
I try to get to my grandparents ever couple years.

I hope you had a Blessed Wednesday!

P.S. I'll be posting a special giveaway next!