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melaniespickett@gmail.com

Book Reviews, Giveaways

Giveaway: Heart Sisters Book

Update:  And the winner is…By random draw via Gleam, Brandi Clevinger at http://www.beingfibromom.com/ is the winner of a brand spankin’ new copy of Heart Sisters! Congratulations, Brandi! Please email me today and I’ll get you book to you!

(Disclaimer: I am in no way being paid for this post or giveaway.  I am offering my feelings about this book and am offering the giveaway on my own). 

It’s a great day for a giveaway!

I had the pleasure to read the recently released book “Heart Sisters” written by Natalie Chambers Snapp. Many of us have sisters and all of us should have friends, but do we have friends who are as dear and close to us as sisters? This book digs deep into the relationships of women and the sister-like friendships that are born in our hearts. Continue Reading

May 6, 2015
Encouragement, Life Is Beautiful

Mother’s Day: Words from Mothers’ Hearts

  • “Best thing ever is…..when your children know the LORD and live for Him. Hardest, when one of your children calls you to tell you she has cancer.”

Mother’s Day is just a few days away. The reminders are everywhere: TV, radio, social media.

I posed these questions to my Facebook friends: What is the best part of being a mother? And what is the hardest part? With the permission of those brave mothers, I’m sharing their responses here.  Brace yourself. They’re not all easy to hear. Continue Reading

May 5, 2015
Encouragement, Life Is Beautiful

You Want to Write…Now What?

You want to write, so now what? What should you do to propel your writing career forward? Or to begin it?

Since I’ve really devoted some serious time and energy into my writing over the past year, I’ve been approached privately by several people who’ve confided in me that writing is something they’ve always wanted to do, felt like they should do, but just didn’t have the confidence or know where or how to begin. Although I’m certainly no expert, I can share what I’ve learned from published veteran authors, newly published authors, and those like me…aspiring authors. Continue Reading

April 30, 2015
Life Is Beautiful

Prom: How Much is Too Much?

Prom season is here and I read a recent statistic that the average cost of Prom is $900 per person.  That’s nearly $2000 per couple! For Prom! I was stunned by this figure and when I was with a group of moms recently who expressed similar concern over the growing expenses surrounding Prom, I knew I wasn’t the only mom not fully in favor of such lavishness at these young ages. Now that my daughter is preparing for her own Prom, it’s given me pause to recollect the Proms of my high school days versus Prom of today.

Prom should be a fun night full of wonderful memories. But is it necessary to spend this amount of money and have such luxuries for Prom that rival a small wedding? What comprises this statistcal $900 per person?

Of course, there’s the dress and it’s perhaps the most important detail for us girls. When I went to my first prom as a high school sophomore, my frugal parents made me wear my sister’s bridesmaid’s dress she’d just worn for her best friend’s wedding. It wasn’t as heinous as it sounds… Continue Reading

April 24, 2015