"Slightly Imperfect" or better?

   I love reading Christian non-fiction books and this year I hoped to do more of that than I have in the past.  There was an email in my inbox from christianbook.com so I decided to take a look to see what they might have.  Of course, I hardly ever pay retail price for things so the first section I went to was one titled "slightly imperfect" books.  Here is the website's definition of a slightly imperfect book:

It's slightly imperfect, so you get it for an outstanding price! Minor flaws on this spectacular deal may include wrinkled pages, stray marks, missing dust jackets, dented corners or spines, dusty page edges, or minor cracks in CD cases.

I thought why not take a chance since I care more about the content of the books that what they look like.  My total order contained 7 books for just under $21 shipped so about $3 per book!  My order came in about a week and I was very surprised at what came!  Honestly the biggest flaw I saw in these books was one had a spot where a price sticker was ripped off and it was a bit sticky.  The other books looked just fine!  Now I can't say this will happen with every order, but if you are looking for some great Christian books to read, I suggest going to christianbook.com and check out their sales and "slightly imperfect" books.

Here is my stack of books I got in the mail!

Here's a list of the books I got and their descriptions in case you are interested: (Note some of these titles may  no longer be in the slightly imperfect category)

The Vow: The True Events that Inspired the Movie

When you marry another person, you make a vow to love and cherish your spouse through thick and thin, as long as you both shall live. But what if that commitment is tested by serious illness, or financial difficulty? Would you stay together? Are there limits on how far love can go?

Kim and Krickitt Carpenter never expected their commitment to each other to be tested so early, when 2 months after their wedding, a car accident left Krickett with a traumatic head injury and in a coma. When she awoke several weeks later, her rehabilitation began, but Krickitt had no memory of her husband. The previous 18 months when they had met, fallen in love, and been married were completely erased. Kim and Krickitt had to start all over again with the stress of physical rehabilitation, mounting medical bills and amnesia against them.

In The Vow, the Carpenters share their story of how, against enormous odds, they stuck together, fell in love again, and kept the marriage vows they'd made to each other. They also share their Christian faith, and how it sustained them through their most difficult times. In this volume, you'll read about the true events that inspired the February 2012 movie starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, and see personal photos from Kim and Krickitt.

Who's Pushing Your Buttons?

Dr. Townsend introduces a revolutionary approach for reaching out to, confronting, negotiating with and setting appropriate limits for the difficult people in our life.

Take A Closer Look

The Bible. You may have grown up reading its pages, memorizing its stories, considering its claims. Now you can take a closer look at those familiar passages in this uncommon series: Take a Closer Look, Take a Closer Look for Teens, and Take a Closer Look for Women. Discover a new power-packed and personal perspective that can't help but change your world. You'll experience a fresh encounter with God, the author of the most compelling book in history, and embark on a lifelong adventure designed just for you.

Think No Evil

On October 2, 2006, the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, was in shock after a truck driver shot 10 young girls---leaving five of them dead. In this first-person account, counselor Beiler describes the families' responses to the horrific act---and how they demonstrated God's love by reaching out in forgiveness to the killer's family. 224 pages, hardcover from Howard.

The Shelter of God's Promises

Gain a trust in God that will sustain you for life! Weaving together her hallmark storytelling, personal experience, and Scripture, Women of Faith speaker Walsh unveils 10 foundational promises of God that safeguard our lives during the most difficult times. Discover how encounters with Christ are the eternal fulfillment of his unrelenting commitment to us. Includes a free, in-depth Bible Study. Hardcover.

Sexy Christians

"Sexy Christians." The phrase sounds like an oxymoron, but God never intended it to be. Sexual fulfillment is, in fact, God's idea. Yet many Christians seem to think the more spiritual they are, the less sexual they will be, and the more sexual they are, the less spiritual they will be. Dr. Ted and Diane Roberts want to turn this thinking on its head. Readers will learn why men and women see sex differently, what the greatest aphrodisiac is, and how to avoid the most lethal killer to a great sex life. The authors also explore what men's and women's sexual needs are and why they are so different, what sex is all about from God's perspective, and what the differences are between male and female sexual response cycles. End-of-chapter questions encourage couples to apply the book's principles at home. Readers and groups can go a step further with the Sexy Christians Workbook. Loaded with additional content, this workbook is designed to challenge couples to explore the rewarding work of intimacy.

A Visual History of the King James Bible

It's been 400 years since the King James Version of the Bible was first published and thus became the most influential book in the English language. In A Visual History of the King James Bible, Donald Brake brings to life the fascinating story of the Authorized Version, how it came together and its continued proliferation throughout the English-speaking world. Using over 90 Illustrations, as well as insightful photos, charts and sidebars, Brake invites readers to explore the KJV's mysterious beginnings, the men who translated it and the manuscripts they used, the significant people and places that influenced its production, and even William Shakespeare's involvement in it. In an era when numerous translations of the Bible abound, discover what has made the King James Version an enduring legacy for 400 years.

Pinterest Please

    Now that Christmas is over, I can actually post some of the Pinterest projects I've been working on for gifts (and some not).  You may automatically think that making gifts is less expensive than buying something already made, but it's not always the case.  I tend to throw away or give away things if I no longer have a use for them (yes we had to buy wine so that I could use the bottles, but the wine itself tasted pretty good too) so sometimes my organization works against me.  But I think our gifts turned out great, so here are a few of the things I was frantically working on before heading home...

I found a wood burner in one of my boxes from an auction and it still worked!

     

I saw this idea on Pinterest and fell in love!  I took two wine bottles
and spray painted them white.  Then I used my Silhouette Cameo machine
and an old book to cut out the butterflies and tree.  Lastly I used my
Xyron sticker maker to make the backs sticky to put on the bottles.

I saw some Christmas signs on Etsy (for mayself that I really liked and decided to make my own.
The wood pieces were actually a bit pricey ($20 for both) but I couldn't find them
anywhere else and they were perfect for the project.  I found a guide to making
your own wood stain - I filled a jar with apple cider vinegar and placed a piece of steel wool
into it.  After a week it was ready to use.  Since my two pieces of wood have different colors
in the first place, my final results weren't exactly alike, but I actually like the different colors.

These are the final results!  I used my Silhouette Machine to cut out the words
on a piece of cardstock, then I used it as a stencil and painted in the design.  I thought
about using contact paper for this since the machine can cut contact paper but I was worried
that the stain would come off.  I noticed after painting them that a bit of stain came off where
I place the tape to hold the stencils down so I'm glad I went the cardstock route instead.

Dreaming Big

     Last night around 8:30, I crawled into bed to read for a while - that only lasted like ten minutes.  The blankets were extra warm and inviting so I soon fell asleep on my back (which is a rare thing for me).  Since Matthew and I have been watching Once Upon a Time on Netflix, I began to dream of the Evil Queen and Snow White kicking butt in the kingdom :)  We were chasing the Evil Queen by ship and she always managed to escape no matter how close we got.  I don't remember much more than that, other than it was a true adventure - the kind of dream I like.

     I've always wondered why God gave us the ability to dream.  There are lots of theories out there like it let's us play out the things we wish we could do, or that our brain is trying to dump information from the past day.  Honestly, if it's dumping information, why did I dream a few weeks ago that I was in a huge meat locker running from the poisonous gas in the air vents?  Never heard of that one before....   There has to be more to it than just being a cleaning out process.

    I have to believe that many authors get their story ideas from dreams.  Haven't you ever said while reading a book, "Where did they ever come up with an idea like that?"

     They just seem out of this world sometimes, right?  We wrote lots of stories in fourth grade and I often used my dreams as starting points for many stories (and reading through the journals again, I wonder how on earth did I ever come up with such ridiculous ideas?)

    No matter the reason God gave dreams to us,  I am amazed at how they work.  There are multiple instances of God using dreams in the Bible, so I believe he still uses them today to speak to us in such a way that our minds are a little more....open to suggestion.  I'm not saying you should go out and buy a dream interpretation book from Barnes and Noble cause I don't think each scene can mean the same thing for everyone.  But, be open to the ideas and feelings your dreams bring before you.