Mr. Boots Sifting Time, by Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON July 13, 2016 by Kester (from LILbooKlovers)

DISCLAIMER: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way.I also asked, but not required, the author(s) to subscribe and help publicize the blog. Some authors I request for signed bookplates and swag. These requests are not in exchange for a review.

Hi guys! Kester here. I’m currently traveling from the Philippines to the U.S., and as I am writing this review, I am in Tokyo! This was a quick (really really quick) read, so that’s why I’m pretty much done with this after I got a copy a few hours earlier.

10/10 stars

“Mr. Boots Sifting Time” is a collection of contemporary poetry that is meant to ispire, motivate, and teach you. Although really short (20 pages), it is sweet. Some of them will make you think, and others you will love.

Now, why am I giving this a 10? The hard thing about rating poetry is that it’s so subjective that a poem may seem really nice to one person and stupid to another. To me, these poems did not feel stupid. They truly fulfill the authors purpose!

Some of my favorite poems are the ones related to spirituality. The poem “Heavenly Father” reminds me of a few Catholic prayers I’ve prayed before, like a mixture of Prayer for Peace, St. Benedict’s Prayer, St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Prayer for Generosity, and more. I feel like I should use this during my morning prayers! Whenever I read something that focuses on faith quite a bit, I feel joyful!

Another thing I liked is that they made me think. I reflected over fun, optimism, and treating others carefully. I thought of how the character of a person is more important than the characteristics of a person and how each moment should be savored. There will be at least one poem that will inspire you to change for the better!

The final things I would like to add is that the symbolism is quite nice! I loved how the “Pen” poem shows what each color means to her.

There were a few issues, minor perhaps, I had with some of the poems. One would be that a few are more confusing than others. Because I have some difficulty in dissecting poetry, this isn’t big.

Two things I would like to point out really quickly: 1) Who is Mr. Boots? 2) I would like a little heads-up whenever a non-poem is included inside a poetry anthology. I don’t know why but somehow it just bugs me a bit. Not that bad, but a bit.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this short book! It was short and sweet! It’s like the middle porridge or the middle bed: just right.

Recommendation: Yes! You’ll like it!

If you want to buy this book, here are the links:

Amazon

What’s Next?, by Alex Abaz

by lilbooklovers

Hi guys! It's Kester, and I finally got another review together!

DISCLAIMER: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way.I also asked, but not required, the author(s) to subscribe and help publicize the blog.

Rating: 10/10 stars

Coping with a big loss or setback can be very challenging. Depression, financial distress, and anxiety can be very hard to overcome, but Alex Abaz in her 10-step outline will help you start over and open the next chapter in your life.

This short, quick read was very informative, and although I do not need any advice right now, I'd recommend it to anyone who is undergoing troubles. This book can be applied in any troubling situation, whether it be loss of a loved one or employment, and it will definitely help you when you need some help.

The ability of the author to be very informative and helpful yet still in a concise, short fashion is one of the best reasons why you should go to this book first. I know someone coping with troubles might not have the time to finish a 300 page, or even a 100 page book, but 25 pages is short enough to read in an afternoon.

It was a very informative book. I learned a bit about how to cope with loss, and I don't even need it right now! It was so well-written and useful that I'll keep this copy on my phone just in case something happens and I need some guidance. Reading the book felt as if the author herself was counseling me in person, comforting me along every step of the way.

I have nothing against this book. It was a fantastic read, one that anyone who is suffering through something should read!

Recommendation: Go ahead!

Catch the Spark Within! By Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON January 12, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

Catch the Spark Within: Transform a mere existence into a joy-filled authentic life!

I want to start something different with this book. To me, it’s not just a book… it’s more of a journey. Each day, I read one chapter, because it feels better to do so. It’s not about getting a book done within the smallest number of days; it’s about the aesthetic experience. About getting something out of what you’re reading. Enjoying what’s in front of you.

I got to chapter six (sadly, there were days I had to skip because I got home too late or I was way too busy…) before I began to wonder how I would review this unique book. Then I decided that I would do the same thing I am doing to read it: I will review it weekly. I am willing to do the first chapter today, and every week, two-three chapters all in one. That would let me read at least three chapters each week to review! They probably won’t be as long as the review for chapter one though. I will try to keep them short and simple.

Each chapter will be about a different topic. I will start the review of chapter one below: “Unlocking the Fullness of Life.”

Disclaimer: I have gotten a free ebook from the author, but this does not change my review in any way.

Thank you, Alex Abaz, for letting me review this book. Hopefully, this will work out the way I want it to! I was excited to read this the moment I read the first chapter.

“Unlocking the Fullness of Life” is an excellent start. It starts off with the question, “What is the secret to happiness?” And in just a few paragraphs, it gives me motivation. I knew right then that this was the book I needed to start off my year (and my Bible, of course).

This chapter shows me that the key to peace is to take life not as a rollercoaster. “Often times we lose ourselves. That happens when we’re moving too fast or when we avoid being who we are.” I made a connection through this statement. I have had the mind set of one who likes to get it done and over with. I had no idea this was some of the reason I felt dull and incomplete. For the longest time, I never could grasp the source of my loss of energy and awful attitude. This chapter also talks about how gratitude greatly influences us. If we stay, laying in the puddle of our own sorrows, where will we be? Taking in those little moments, those big moments, those everyday moments, those occasional moments will help us all to gain the habit of thinking about how important it is to be grateful. We will be filled with joy and transquility.

Since reading this, I have tried to find the positives in life. I try to live life slower and regain peace with myself. I can say that it does work. I pray every night about the blessings in my life. I try every day to get better. I fail a lot, but I try. I try everyday to “find myself.”

Life isn’t about finishing the race. It’s about journey. In the chapter, Alex says: “Life is a live performance. We have to be awake so we don’t miss any of it.” He also mentions “sleepwalking.” Are you sleepwalking in your life? Are you “looking” or “seeing”? I love how Alex phrased all of this. In life, we have to particpate in order to get what life has to offer. We all want respect. We all want confidence. We all want to feel alive. Alex reminded me that to get all of these things, it’s time to settle back down into my body and get going. Time to enjoythis performance before it is over.

“Life is a gift not to be squandered.” We can’t afford to stand around. Life is always moving, always turning this and that. We have to choose. We have to experience before we regret.

“Live, Laugh, and Just be.” Something so simple (something I want on a T-shirt) is so inspiring. Live in the moments. Laugh through the moments. Just be.

I really loved this first chapter. It was something I totally worked on. I count my blessings and I work on not wasting my time on things that do not matter. Thank you, Alex! I hope this first review was okay, and next week I will be back with chapter two!

Catch the Spark Within! By Alex Abaz – Chapter Two and Three

PUBLISHED ON January 17, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

As promised, I am back with the next two chapters of Catch the Sparks Within. Since this review will be covering two chapters instead of one, I won’t be covering all the amazing content.

Chapter Two: Friends are Essential

In this chapter, the truth behind friendship and words come into play.

Some of us out there (me included) have a tough time making friends. It was never my strong suit. I remember back in elementary school up until the last of middle school I went through a lot when it came to making friends. In Elementary, everyone turned their head away from me. In middle school, the special group of friends I had come to love were busy making others friends, leaving me feeling bitter and forgotten.

The first paragraph in this chapter kind of made me think back to those days. Even now. Abaz goes on talking about how friendship is based on trust and that for some of us, it is hard to show who we really are. In some ways, I could see myself as this type of person. How many of you could see yourself also? “It takes courage to be who we are.”

Are you afraid of who you are? Are you afraid other people wouldn’t accept you because of who you are? You’ve probably seen what it’s like when people don’t accept someone; you might’ve experienced it first-hand. It really does take courage to reveal yourself to others.

What else stood out to me was the whole thing about the meaning behind words. Abaz backs up her claim with a movie example, A Thousand Words. Long story short, the guy Jack ends up not being able to talk, because every time he does, it’s one step closer to him dying. What ends up happening is that his relationships begin to fade away. What he used to have, he can’t maintain any longer.

Words are nothing without meaning… choose them wisely. “It’s quite amazing how many useless words one can speak,”she quotes the character Dr. Sinja from the movie.

Jack’s wife ends up leaving him, and he learns that he wasn’t showing her that he loved her. Yes, he would say, “I love you.” But… those words were a waste if he couldn’t back up those words with his actions. He had to word harder to show his wife that he loved her. Tell her something that was truthful and living.

Which points back to friendship. Don’t just say you love them, show them. Trust them, and have them trust you. Don’t betray that trust. Actions. Words. They go hand in hand.

I agree with Alex on all of what she said. She is a-maz-ing. Seriously love her writing style, and the fact she helps me list some movies I REALLY need to watch for myself.

Chapter Three: It is Brave to Go After Your Dreams

Wow. Looking at this chapter, I have a lot of things underlined and marked on the first page. I just relate to this chapter a lot, because I worry every day about my future and where I will end up.

Mainly what stuck out to me: “Life’s too short, gotta live it long” which is what she quoted from Chris Rene’s song Hey Young Homie.

If not now, then when?

Life is too short. If you think about it, our life is the aglet of a shoelace. Our eternity is the actually shoelace, except it goes on forever and ever. By that doesn’t mean this life is meaningless compared to the other part of the lace. We must have meaning in this life, or we’ll all die regretting every single second we spent not pursuing our dreams.

Then Abaz goes on to to talk about the Wizard of Oz. Dorthy must set out onto the yellow brick road in order to get to her dream. A lot of us can related to her when she says she wants her dream to come true, but a lot of us won’t actually start walking that yellow brick road. “We wait for a miracle,” Abaz writes. I am one who waits for a miracle. At the beginning of 2017, I began a resolution: Follow more of my dream and grow closer to God while I do so. I hate waiting around now. I can’t stand it. I want to risk so I know at least that I tried, but it sure is hard.

I want to join the Volleyball team, but I know nothing about Volleyball and I’m about to become a Junior. I’m going to look pretty out of place.

I want others to view my work, but I don’t want to lose hope if people criticize it negatively.

I want to express myself to other (like in Chapter Two), but the thought of being regretted haunts the back of mine.

Think about what you want to do, but are afraid to. If I let these fears consume me, I have accomplished nothing. If I try, I have the ability to say that I tried.

This next paragraph really got to me: Finding the purpose in our lives. “Happiness is not the pursuit of pleasure. It’s the pursuit of necessariness…” Abaz quotes Arianna Huffington. Abaz explains that we all want and need to discover the purpose in our lives. Why am I here? We are desperate to find ourselves so we can start to feel complete.

“When I was young I had dreams of becoming this and that. My vision was a blurred outline which lacked specificity…” I have the same problem, Alex. Throughout middle school and my freshman year, I struggled to find something I dearly loved to do. I know this is a little off, but I did (still do) where I will be after graduation. I wanted to feel secure in the fact that I had a great future. In middle school, I was scared that I would never find my purpose. I just wanted to “be someone,” like Alex says. I’m in this world, why can’t I be a part of it?

This chapter really had me thinking. I love thinking about my future in term of I actually think I understand. It makes me smile. This chapter really and truly made me smile. So many sentenced I wanted to highlight and mark, but I settled for the ones I would try and use in my review. Thank you, Alex. You really do help guide me towards a positive mind.

End of review.

Wow. I didn’t get to cover all of both chapters like I wanted to, but I honestly do not think a ten thousand word review would cut it. Next week, I’ll have the reviews for Chapter Four and Five up!

Catch the Spark Within! By Alex Abaz Chapters 4 and 5!

PUBLISHED ON January 26, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have recieved a free copy of this book, but it will not influence my review in any way.Hello, book lovers! I want to apolgize for my late-ness. Tuesday was a very busy day with volleyball practice. I passed out as soon as I got home. But as promised, I will give you my review over the next two chapters.

UPDATE: I am SOOOOOO sorry. There was an error when I posted this Wednesday, and I did not realize it until today. Very sorry for the wait!

Chapter Four: Flexibility is an elastic fiber that stretches life

Now this chapter was interesting to me. I really love the word flexible. It reminds me of one of those bendy pencils elementary school teachers give you for being good.

While I consider myself to be flexible at some moments in my life, I do say there are some things I just cannot fathom changing to do. Becoming an adult where I have to manage my money and get a job and pay for my own electric bills? It may be easy as a teen with a parent helping me out, but one day I will not havethat privilege anymore. Changing to fit my life scares me. I want the stay the same, because I love the easiness of it.

I absolutely hate things being the same all the time. I love my bed, I love it more than anything, but after a week of Christmas vacation doing nothing, I start to go a little crazy. I hate it when I see something routinely done in my personality. I hate for things to be uniform. I love excitement and energy. (This is reason I adore fantasy reads. They give you so much more to look at.) Abaz tells her readers that we need to be able to transform when things are switched up on us. If we are too busy getting depressed that our lives are being changed in a way we cannot keep up, we will lose sight of what is important. Even though I love change, there are some situations I find myself in that give me the worst anxiety.

I’ll share this with you, because it is something that happened recently. I hate public speaking. I hate it so much. I stutter and figdet and lose my mind. If I think about what I want to say too much, I lose it altogether. I’ve never prayed out loud for a group before. Sure, I’ve been in a prayer circle and I contributed to it with a couple words, but I have never actually prayed individually for a group. Not too long ago, I was called on to take the group into prayer. Instantly, my anxious shot up to Mount Everst. I muttered, “No. No. You seriously do NOT want to call on me.” But then they all bowed their heads and I tried to think of something to say. “Uh… uh… Thank y-you for t-this d-day and I, uh…” I know how to pray. I pray every night. I pray in a tough situation, I pray in a good situation. I have a relationship with God. But every ounce of my knowledge from the lesson, every piece of love I have for God, was overrun with the thought that I could not do it. It nagged me. I was “stiff.” I couldn’t do it because it wasn’t something I could easily adapt to doing. I didn’t “enjoy the journey” because I could not “settle down and accept” the fact I could do it if I just relaxed. I was not being flexible.

Long story short, I did not even finish the pray. I went home thinking how easy it could have been if I just would’ve taken it with a little bit more ease.

Before I read this, all I thought about was getting the day over it. Check this date off so that now I am day closer to graduation. I don’t stop and take the time to see the “challenge” set before me to take it as an “opportunity.” I am going to be completely honest with you. This was a wake-up call. This chapter talks about opening up your eyes to what is laid out in front of you. I tried to open my eyes up to reality. Why am I even in school? What will I do after school? It blew up on me. The day I realized I had no idea how I was going to get into college caused me to march right up to the guidance counselor to ask her a billion questions. Opening up my eyes, it showed me everything that I was missing: the beauty in God’s creations and His doors opening up for me to step through.

Chapter Five: Serendipity is what happens when you stray off the beaten path

Destiny. When I think of that word, I think of knights in shining armor who are destined to save the world. But if I bring myself into the situation, I think of the life God has set before me. What I am called to do in life.

At first, I had no idea what serenditpity even meant, so I was a bit confused. But then Abaz define it as “finding a jewel of something when you’re not expecting it. That something may be an opportunity, a guide, a friend, cash, joy, or anything else that you weren’t seeking but will make your life easier or better.”

Mostly all of us go through something diffifult in our lives. Big or small, we have our moments of confusion, anger, depression… but then little things come at us that make us smile and help us keep going. Did we ever expect these small deeds? Probably not. But they sure are accepted.

We don’t expect good things to come out of stuff we don’t know anything about. We have to take risks. We have to get off this set course that we think is the best path, but in reality, it does not help you. It only weakens your spirit. We need to explore different areas that are available. They may not seem like much from far away, but once you start towards it, you may just see the beauty in it. In the end, the serendipity given you to just may change your mind. Those wonderful gifts help shape your “fate” for the better.

I am going to Ecuador this summer for missionary work. Only my friend and I are going plus some adults to help spread the Word. At first thought, one thinks, “Helping people! Yes!” But then you get it laid down on you: bad service. No WiFi. Need a bathroom? I think there’s a ditch somewhere. And you instantly began to think, “Oh no. I won’t be able to survive.” I’ve thought it. I know others have thought it. While my other peers backed out of it (possibly for that readon, I don’t know), I am still going, because I believe in serendipity. I believe good comes out of every situation. So I will go. And I will love on everyone there.

Take that different road. See how you like it. Spend time in the good things it has to offer. FIGHT for what you think is the best way. Do not be stubborn or afraid to tread onto new paths.

Thank you, Alex Aaz for two more wonderful chapters. You really open up my eyes. I think there you are part of the reason I tried out for volleyball. I’ve always wanted to play, but was too afraid to join. Now I have gone to my first meeting. Hopefully, I will continue to enjoy it!

alex abaz says:

January 27, 2017 at 2:23 pm

Thank you Cayli for another wonderful review. I so look forward to your take on what I’ve written and enjoy hearing about how you apply it each day. I think that one reason why most of us don’t like change or find it difficult to ‘show up and speak up’ is because we are tied to the outcome too much. Without knowing if something will work out or not, we get anxious and want to avoid stepping forward. Who’s keeping score? I have failed as many times as I have succeeded in life and while winning feels better for a while, failure teaches us so much more. In the end it doesn’t matter how well we do along the way. What matters is who we loved and did we try. Your trip sounds amazing and I know you will get so much from it!

The Spark Within! Chapters 6 and 7 by Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON January 31, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I did receive a free copy of this book. It does not affect my review in any way.

Chapter 6: Hardship and Poverty are an Assault on One’s Existence

I liked this chapter (totally not the fact that the Hunger Games were mentioned…) a lot. It had a lot to do with poverty and the hardships that come with it.

“An assault on one’s existence.” This was well explained through mentioning Katniss and Gale as they talk about what it’s like to leave in District 12. They are rules by a higher class of people, and the thought of rebelling was death. It was unthinkable at the time. It was their life and they had no idea how to live in otherwise.

I’m not the richest person in the world, okay. I go through my own little fits where I wish I could get something only to realize I have no money. I don’t have the newest brand of clothing. I have off-brands and hand-me-downs. Mostly I’m okay with it. They’re just clothes. But then you have those people who have a distaste for that kind of stuff. It’s “not in style.” And I think that’s when it really gets to me.

But we’re talking even lower than not being able to buy the newest jacket or Converse. When I read this chapter, I thought of all of those who fight and try to get food on the table every night. There are people out there who only own one pair of shoes. Some people don’t even have a home!

And if you have ever been on social media, I’m sure you’ve seen those videos that show a kind homeless man being attacked by people passing by. People judge him and tell him to get off his butt and get a job. It’s awful. Sure, maybe he did throw his life away, but pushing him down like that won’t help him back up. “We must cultivate a sense of respect for diversification and a desire for everyone to have the same opportunities.” That man will not get better, he will never find a job, he will never get his life in order, unless there are people out there willing to help him. Other than helping him, we shame him for putting himself into that situation in the first place. How cruel.

The poor single mother trying to get enough money to send her children to school will have a tough time saving money for their college. Yet for some of these parents out there don’t even care if their children even attend school half the time. Some of the high school students don’t even care if we get a diploma. And when they do get into college, they blow their money on parties and drugs. And still this mother raises her children on top of two jobs, telling them to get scholarships and make her proud. How we take our opportunities for granted.

I’m taking personal finance this semester. There is one thing that is told to us over our online classes: Save. Spend. Give. Once you’ve saved up, you’ll have money you don’t know what to do with. Give it to someone in need. Walk up to someone on the ground in the midst of a city sidewalk. Set a cheeseburger or an apple beside them. Tell him you will pray for them. Give them respect.

That’s what really went through my head throughout this chapter. I’ve always wanted to help those who struggle in their finances. Just to give them opportunities that they couldn’t get from anywhere else. Some people really deserve to have a nice home and other people to love on them.

Chapter 7: Most of Us have Unrealistic Expectations of What is Possible in a Day

This chapter was pretty short, but I did think a lot about it.

How much stuff do I want to become when I’m older?

I want to be a writer. I want to be a graphic designer. I want to go to college and I want to have a family of my own. I want to be well known for inspirational works of fiction.

This will sound weird, sometimes I daydream about being part of an announcement that my book will be turned into a movie, displayed for the whole world to see. I daydream that my life will still be together.

And yet there are people out there, people who are famous and known across the world that obviously do not have it together. They’re stressed out constantly. Between the fans and the work and the constant travel. I want YouTube a lot, and a lot of my favorite YouTubers (who are usually full of energy and smiles) post videos that they are taking a break for a bit to calm down. Too many things are happening and it’s making them sick.

It makes me think what if the life I want isn’t the life I need? What if the life I want isn’t realistic?

I know this chapter is about the possibilities inside a day. Getting things done within one day. Managing your time and admitting when something can’t be done, but all of it compared to a career isn’t all that different. Sometimes, you have to admit you cannot do both. You have to choose what you’re able to do. One of my favorite YouTubers said once at the end of a vlog (not quoted to exact words), “I’m not having fun anymore. I’m always stressed out and irritated and it’s affecting everyone around me as well. I have take a leave for a bit to catch up with myself.” He couldn’t take the pressure of having so many things placed on him. Many other celebrities have that same exact problems. Normal people have the same exact problems.

“When we plan our projects realistically we stand a better chance of achieving our goals,” Abaz writes at the end of the chapter. Look at the reality of your situation. Is it possible? Is it really? Be honest. I have to rethink a lot about what I want my future to hold. I have to know my limits.

Catch the Spark Within! Chapters Eight and Nine by Alex Abaz!

PUBLISHED ON February 7, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have been given a free book in exchange for a review. This does not effect my review in any way.

Chapter Eight: Generosity is Giving of Yourself and of Your Best

In this chapter, Abaz defines the true meaning of generosity and how people tend to misuse it.

We all know those people who do kind things for other people just for the reputation and the attention they get for what they did. It’s a common theme in stories. A person is seen helping others, but by the end of the story, they are revealed as selfish and greedy. Only in it for the money and the publicity.

Generosity is not defined as a way to “get rid of our clutter.” If you have an old shirt that you hate wearing, and have it shipped off to Goodwill, it really isn’t being generous; you’re just helping out your closet space.

“I believe that real generosity calls for a sacrifice.” Give up something you would rather keep to help another person out. In this chapter, Abaz makes good examples of types of generous actions:

“Giving your sister your favorite skirt is hard; giving cash thins out your wallet; volunteering at a soup kitchen steals your time; babysitting your friend’s children on your day off restricts your schedule.”

Generosity isn’t hard to reach. It’s the little things in life that bind us together. Small things have a big difference.

Generosity could even mean not doing something. We’ve all had those fights with friends and family. We’ve all had to go back and forth until someone won. In this world today, no one ever lets someone else have the last say. No one really cares what you think personally unless they believe it too. It’s hard, I know. I struggle expressing my beliefs and being shut down for it. If you find yourself being this person, stop for a second. “The most generous act is to listen patiently without argument or judgement.” Listen to someone say their side to the story, let them be heard for what they’ve experienced. Even if you still think they are wrong in the end, at least you were generous enough to let them have their say.

Chapter Nine: Entrepreneurship is a Wondeful Way to Capitalize on your Skill Set

A business starts with an idea; an idea that grows with the patience and the motivation. Business such as Apple or Nike started with an idea that could benefit people while also giving them money.

From afar, it seems that owning a business is the easiest thing in the world. You go to college, become smart, create an idea for the world to sing upon, and boom! Money. After all your minions build your temple, pasting your name on checks, copying your logos for advertisements, maybe even a statue for your achievement in waterproof underwear, you get to sit back and watch the view from your hot tub sprinkled in rose petals.

This isn’t Ancient Egypt. Don’t for a second think that being the owner of a business means you can skip the stress wrinkles. Owning a business means you have to maintain that business.

Abaz makes a similar introduction in this chapter, simply saying that owning a business is hard work. While you own the business, the clients own you. No clients, no business. You left in the awkward middle, trying to keep both sides from falling off your shoulders.

Where is this all leading into? Well, there is a reason people become entrepreneurs… no, it’s not for the money. It’s the satisfaction. Your idea that was once a part of your dreams becomes a reality before your very eyes. This dream of waterproof underwear was too good to be true, yet you went ahead and tried. You tried. It’s a big deal to try.

See, this person over here has a way cooler idea. Maybe their idea of undergarments was.. (at this point I have no idea what I’m making up here) a waterproof suit that went under your clothes and made you more flexible. I would love to do a nice toe touch. But I can’t, because the person never went along with the idea. Guess I gotta go with the waterproof garments.

But you see, your business is doing pretty well. No one has come along to top it.

If you have an idea, work on it. Work, work, work. Never stop until that dream has been made into reality. Never know when someone might want to a waterproof flexi-suit.

Okay, I’ll quit referencing the undergarments.

But the bottom line is, you can be so right. You may not have control over how the world will react to your idea, but there is a possibility people may love your idea. Your idea may work. But it will never work until you actually try. “Even if you don’t really have control, you feel you do. It’s better to try and fail than to not have tried at all. At least you know what was possible.”

Catch the Spark Within! – Chapters 10 and 11 by Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON February 14, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have recieved a free book in exchange for a reviee. This does not affect my review in any way.

Chapter Ten: The Sound of Silence can be Deafenig, Especially When You are Not Alone.

In this chapter, Abaz explains how silence can be deafening or it can helpful.

Silence… Being in a room full of people, silence seems “awkward.” Being with yourself, the noise of our minds fills in the absence. We can either take the silence as a way to clear our minds, to think things through; or we can allow the silence to crowd our minds with thoughts we don’t intend to be there.

I overthink…a lot. Especially when it’s silent. In some ways, I do not have a healthy mind, as Abaz says in this chapter. “Our thoughts are not always rational or true.”

But sometimes silence is the one thing we need. In an argument, sometimes you just need to stay silent and think about the situation. Let the silence cool things off.

“Silence is an intereuption to give chance for an idea to surface.” Most of us love to have peace and quiet when doing a project, writing, drawing, etc… We get annoyed and we cannot focus well when the silence is gone. You lose a piece of your mind, it seems.

Silence can be a good thing. But it can also allow unwanted thoughts into our brains. Remove those thoughts from your mind… “focus on what’s in front of you.”

Chapter Eleven: When We React to a Situation in Anger, It Always Makes It Worse

Anger. We’ve all dealt with it. Anger isn’t a bad thing, but it can make you do bad things. It can leave you with “resentment, hurt feelings, and regret.”

For most people, myself included, anger blocks all form of good communication. We are blinded with anger that causes us to lash out at the something or someone.

I used to be so bad in middle school when it came to anger. Every time I got angry or frustrated, I took it out on other people. I’d wait a day or two and then cry over the fact of what I did. Still today I feel guilty of snapping at people or telling someone off who didn’t deserve it. I let anger control me.

I still get angry. Everyone gets angry. It’s how to deal with it. Will we let it consume us? Let it consume our thoughts and our relationships?

Now that I know more about how to act when I’m angry, whenever I do I usually keep to myself. Going back to Chapter 10 above, I just need some silence to think it all over. Think about why I’m angry, how angry I really am, will it go away soon, and how I can resolve the problem. It’s good to step away from the argument at hand. It’s good to take a break for a little bit to gather yourself. Abaz recommends it. Have you ever let something slide for a little bit? Does the anger ever go away? Eventually it does. And if it doesn’t, think of mature ways to resolve the situation. Don’t lash out, don’t start yelling… Control your anger. Talk it through. Forgive the person who has done you wrong.

Sorry for the short reviews! I have the flu, and couldn’t read the chapters yesterday due to napping the moment I got home from school. I feel a lot better now (it isn’t Type A thankfully), but I’m still contagious so I’ll be napping for the next few days!

Catch the Spark Within – Chapters 12 and 13! By Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON February 21, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have received a free copy of this book for a honest review.

Hey, back and better than ever! These following chapters were very short, therefore the reviews may be short. But they were wonderful nonetheless!

Chapter 12: Crises are not fun but they do present opportunities to do more than just rescue and repair matters.

Crises are never fun. They cause tension between people that probably wasn’t there before. But are they necessary? Yes, sometimes they are.

Alex Abaz assures that crises bring opportunities to heal relationships and to grow personally. A fight with a best friend, we’ve probably all have had one, can strengthen the bond between two people, if it all ends well. You learn more about someone and understand each other a little more.

They can be hard to get through. They make you want to give up mid-fight. Voices inside your head tell you to give up. To walk away and pretend nothing ever happened.

Don’t do this. All you’re doing is hurting those around you. All you’re doing is making it worse. Try to find that finish line. Find the resolve to all of it. “Put aside the hyrt and reach out.”

Chapter 13: Our Children are Entrusted to Us for such a Short While.

Now, I’m not a parent. Far from one actually. I still have parents whom I trust to take care of me until I’m responsible to take complete control of myself.

But I do agree with Abaz that children take after their parents. They sponge off their parents’ actions and habits.

Let’s just say if my parents decided to follow the ways of their own family and didn’t raise me the way they did, I’d be a completely different person. They both changed so my brother and I could have a chance in making a difference in the world.

Parents should be open to the child’s interests. Discipline their child to do what is right. Don’t lay off raising them until it is too late. Be their parents so when they are ready, they will fly high.

Catch the Spark Within – Chapters 14 and 15

PUBLISHED ON March 1, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have received a free copy of this book. This does not affect my review in any way.

Hey, guys! I am back, bringing on the next review for Alex Abaz’s inspiring book. Let’s get started!

Chapter Fourteen: “Wit and Humor are So Underrated.”

I really enjoyed this chapter, because it made the point that in the deep sadness of life, it’s so important to know how to bring smiles to other people. I love making people smile. It brightens my day.

Alex Abaz talks about her uncle and all the things he had went though in his life. If some people were in his position, humor would be hard to come by. But he does it anyway. He keeps doing what he does best, and he does it in spirit. How beautiful.

It really encourages to have a sense of humor, even on those not-so-great days. Appreciate life with an open mind and heart. Be better than your situation.

Chapter Fifteen: “Fear can be Debilitating.”

We all have a fear of something. Mostly all of us have some kind of phobia… “a severe and irrational” fear.

Mine? Bugs. I hate them. They’re not a phobia, but they sure do make my skin crawl. A phobia of mine would have to be shots. I HATE shots. Never liked them. Never will. The thought of them make me anxious and uneasy. While others may call me pathetic for having a fear of shots, it doesn’t change the fact that I have an irrational fear of them. “You’re petrified… you can’t breathe.”

But we have a face our fears, as Abaz writes. When I found out I was going to Ecuador, one thing they mentioned was that I would have to get vaccinated so I would not get the diseases they have. In seconds, I was tense. I was shaking. Every day after that I would think about at least once a day about how I would have to get those shots. (Even I think I’m pathetic.) Even so, I never said I wouldn’t go to Ecuador. After all, in the long run, they are just shots. Shots over helping so many children. Of course I would take that. There’s no doubt in my mind. My fear is still there, but I will NOT let it affect how I choose to do something.

I’m also pretty shy. If I’m not comfortable around someone, I can be so silent. I hate public speaking. I hate being in public in general, to be honest. I’m as introverted as they come. But I will not let my fear of being around other people, my fear of not being good enough, my fear of people not liking me, my fear of failing in every way possible, to keep me from trying for my dreams. I constantly try and train myself to express myself more and more each day. I try to regain this confidence I haven’t had since I was a little kid. It’s so scary, especially when I look around and see other people living life so easily. But I will get out of my comfort zone. I will try.

And though I try, I will fail. I’ll get scared and turn away. Thank you, Abaz, for reminding me why fears are an obstacle that can be overcome with the right ambition. It reminded me to keep at it.

Catch the Sparks Within! by Alex Abaz -Chapters 17 and 18

PUBLISHED ON March 11, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have received a free book in exchange for a honest review!

Yikes! Where have I been? Tuesday was a mess, I dare say. I wanted to post Wednesday, but the schedule didn’t allow it until today. Let’s just get to the review, shall we?

Chapter Seventeen: “One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure.”

The minute I read the title of this chapter, Skyrim instantly popped up in my head. “Some may call this trash… Me? I call them treasures.” This is said by the clerks in shops, a phrase you end up saying with them because they will say it all the time.

But how true is this simple phrase. Abaz mentions how wasteful people can be… how unappreciative we can be. This is so true. It has been said over and over and over again. People throw away everything, just so they don’t have to mess with it anymore. Even today, there are people who go without food every day, who would love to take that sandwich you’re throwing away because you said you hated turkey.

I see this a lot in school. Every day at the end of my lunch period (we’re the last lunch) my friends and I will watch the lunch ladies throw away buckets of good food into the trash bins. Like I’m talking about bananas, pickles, lettuce… good food that no one ate so therefore they throw it in the trash where no one will be able to eat it now. My friends constantly say that it’s so wasteful, and I agree. Lately, our Leo Club has been collecting items to bring to a nearby homeless shelter. We wondered if all this extra food could be brought to people like them. It would do them a service.

Chapter Eighteen: “Laundry is an Endless Chore.”

Sadly, I am not old enough to share my experience with the change in technology. To me, technology has always been there. I’m used to it (well, somewhat… I have horrible luck when it comes to electronics).

And yes, Abaz, I hate laundry day also. I do my own clothes, but knowing me, I never know which one is dirty and which one I left on my bed because I was frustrated with finding nothing to match it. I HATE folding clothes. It’s something I end up losing patience over. Blah.

And while I have no say in the evolution of technology, I do have to say we have have gone a long way. I’m going to go to gaming systems just as an example… and it’s something I have actually been around long enough to understand.

At first, my type of gaming was following people around and asking for food from random people who would stop by our house to hang out. Of course, with my cute, little face, no one could say no.

My next was the Nintendo. Not the handheld ones, but the big gray box that had two buttons in the front with a huge cord connecting to a small controller. I would play Super Mario on that thing for hours with my dad. Sadly, it’s so old now that it doesn’t work… I wonder if I even still have it…

Then I also had the PlayStation 2, now that I know we still have. I have some of its games on my bookshelf. I had a blast playing Mortal Kombat on it.

Then I got an Xbox one year. That’s when they started having the Kinect Adventures. You could move in front of the sensor, and it would respond. That was pretty cool to me. I also

Now I have a Xbox One, which is similar to the Xbox, but allows more commands and such.

And think, now they have a Virtual Reality gaming systems now. Not jsut the one you put on your head and look around, but where your chair moves to motion of your character. Isn’t that so cool? Where you can see around you, and it’s like you’re there. I never got to try one before, but I know one day I will have to try it out. I cannot wait!

And it just gets bigger from there. Around us, the world is changing. It’s gone so far from 2000. Not just with gaming systems… cell phones, home appliances, computers, education, medicine…Our expectations have risen, and now we are just waiting for someone to come up with something else that is even grander.

Abaz is right… We have come a long way. It’s so exciting to imagine where the world will be in a couple years.

Catch the Sparks Within! By Alex Abaz-Chapters 19 and 20

PUBLISHED ON March 14, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I’m here, and ON TIME, for the next two chapter reviews: chapters nineteen and twenty! With my pizza (with ranch…yummm…), I am ready to tell you my thoughts.

Chapter Nineteen: Fear causes a fight-or-flight response but shock stops us in our tracks.

I always liked the idea: Fight or flight. I never knew why. Maybe because he held options. If you run away, that’s your instinct. Nothing wrong with it. Sometimes all you can do is run away, create distance to plan everything over. That’s me in some cases. In other cases, I tend to fight. Not as in fist-fight. More like my anger gets the best of me and I snap. I chose to fight.

Then Abaz adds a new word: freeze. I have definitely frozen more than I have flown away or fought. When the anxiety kicks in, all sense of movement disappears. I’m left breathless and unable to process any kind of information. I am doing this more often now that we’re talking about the mission trip to Ecuador. They are all telling me I’ll have to get up and tell people my testimony. I will have to get up and speak to people and actually make sense. Public speaking is one of my worst fears. Telling me I have to do… you’ll have to wait until the end to tell me that or else I won’t listen to another word you’ll say after that. Just asking me, “Are you nervous?” makes me zone out immediately. I’m a hard person to deal with, I know… I have to deal with myself everyday. Lol.

Abaz does a wonderful job, outstanding even, at expressing what it is like to be caught in the “freeze” response. It’s a good in between the “flight” and “fight.” Sometimes we have no idea what to do with ourselves. People will act out when they feel backed into a corner. We all know what an animal does when it’s uncomfortable. It’s more than likely to bite you.

“Shock can paralyze us,” Abaz says. We need that predictability in ours lives. I agree that we often find ourselves desiring that. I can say this now, ever since I gave my life to Christ, it has not been predictable. One day I will act completely out of character. The next moment I’m back to my shy little self with my head in a book. Christ calls me to do things I would normally say no to. It makes me uncomfortable, but I still try because I understand it’s for the best. And guess what? I make it through it every single time. I take a deep breath, just like Abaz says to do, and I reset my thoughts and my perspective. Sometimes, you need to start from the beginning to understand the situation at its full extent.

I guess this is a good transition to move into the next chapter…

Chapter Twenty: Some Events are meant to change the directional flow of our lives.

To what I said about Christ changing my life… I did not expect to be where I am now. I really don’t. The directional flow of my life changed forever because of Him.

And it goes for a lot of other instances. Choosing to do something, like signing up for something you’ve never done before. Things happen: getting into a fight with a friend, having a close one pass away… when it happens, it’s like there are a millions arrows pointing in every direction. It gets crazy and you have no idea how you’ve come out of all. But either way, it changes you–for better or for worse. That’s for you to decide.

“A storm can blow things apart.” Yes, a storm can. It’s wild, you can’t predict it. It switches what you once knew around and around until you’ve lost complete sight of them.

But don’t worry. Abaz says it perfectly: “A new beginning is a chance at a better life.” Take that beginning as a way to grow stronger. Once something falls down, you don’t build it back up the way it was. It’s just going to fall over again. There are no specific steps on how to get over the storm that turned your life around, but there’s always a way. Never say you can’t get back up, because you can. And you tell yourself that you will.

Are you willing to adapt to the new beginning placed before you?

Catch the Sparks Within! by Alex Abaz: Chapters 21 and 22

PUBLISHED ON March 24, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Spring break, guys! So happy to have this week to work on everything. To be able to read and just have a week where I can just catch up on everything outside of school. It’s amazing!

I am here with the next two chapters of Abaz’s outstanding book. I encourage you to go check it out whenever you can. It’s an easy read, and it really opens up your mind.

Chapter 21: My Heart is Your Harbor and My Arms Your Shelter

I love the name for this chapter. I’m a sucker for metaphors.

In this week’s first chapter, Abaz starts to talk about Gypsies. Believe it not, their neglection is still happening today. In third-world countries, Gypsies are left poor and in shabby homes. I honestly never knew why exactly. I always thought they are a group people just did not like. I kind of knew that people thought they had magical powers or whatnot, but I never truly understood it all.

Abaz clears this up. People don’t like them because they are afraid of them? Because of that fear, people do not like to step out there and help these people. They are scared they will get pulled into something they cannot get out of.

But this is where the kindness of heart shows. With kindness, you go out of your way and you help those in need, no matter what their background is. No matter what they have done. No matter what other people think of them. It’s picking up the books the bullies knocked out of nerdy kid’s arms. It’s also telling someone who has done something horrible that they can overcome it.

I’m going to quote another book real quick. This is a devotional guide that I do every week. All Things New by Kelly Minter. This is what she says…

“Kindness can mean moral goodness in action. While patience is reactive, kindness is proactive. It is often related to helpfulness, actions or words that benefit others, or having a generous spirit.”

I really love reading from authors like Abaz and Minter. They really express their thoughts on a subject. As for me, I like to soak it all in. I love to see what I connect to and what I need help on. Kindness? In some ways, yeah, I have kindness. I want to help everyone. The minute their life goes downhill, I forget everything and just want them to get better. But how far does my kindness go? I have no idea. To have kindness, I better not have lost my patience. If my patience is gone, my kindness is right on its heels.

Abaz actually mentions this in this chapter. When someone drops by to live in your house, you’re okay at first. Yay, I have people over. We’re going to have a great time. But then they are still over after a week or two. You just want your house back. You just want to be left alone. The patience and kindness are drifting away.

But you want to help. You desperately want to help. You want your arms to be their shelter. You want them to trust in your love for them. Abaz gets it. WIth kindness, you have to be willing to go all out. It’s honestly worth it in the end.

Chapter 22: “If One Day is Cummy, the Next has to be Better.” Is That Right?

This chapter actually a different turn than I thought it would. It was talking about mental illness.

When it comes to mental illness, it always makes me feel awful. Mental illness is a whole other branch in the medical field. It’s a branch that is still unsolved in most cases.

.Just like a physical disability, it affects your daily life. It makes it harder to live a normal life. You see a lot of people today, especially in my age group do I see this a lot, suffering from Anxiety or Depression. Some are not about to comprehend as easily as others. And it’s a medical part where doctors are always stumped.

So some people, they find the happiness in their daily lives even if the the last one was crummy. I’ve seen people do it. I’ve seen people making the best out of the worse and it is so inspiring.

Alex Abaz talks about the brain and how complex it is. And it really is.

“While it may be hardwired to the rest of us, it is elastic with a virtual capacity. It is known now that the brain can regenerate and if necessary can transfer a function to a different part of itself-real metamorphosis.”

It’s almost like there is no limit, not stopping the way the brain works. Constantly, our minds are reshaping ourselves to fit our experiences. These memories are forever inside of us. Abaz is correct when she says that if we lose our memories, we lose ourselves. It’s hitting that restart button. I could not imagine what it would be like for me personally to wake up one day and not know who I am, where I am.

The one show that pops in my head is Beyond, which I think comes on after my show Shadowhunters. I actually tried watching the first episode, and it’s actually pretty good. If I remember correctly, he doesn’t lose his memories, but he goes into his coma for most of his childhood, waking up when he’s like seventeen. And knows his parents and his brother, but then he doesn’t. Things have changed around him, and his mind is constantly trying to cope to things. (I really need to get caught up on that show, now that I think about it…) He’s disconnected from everyone because his mind is still progressing the lack of information.

Then you have all of these other stories that I can compare to. Like the book I am currently reading The Enemy Within by Scott Burns. He sees things no one else can. The girl Jamie can actually speak into his mind. I’d honestly be scared if the person beside me could read my mind. Like my mind is my mind, stay out of it. Anyways, he is obviously different from everyone. His mind is something that is unique from everyone else’s. A talent unlike any other.

Authors can literally do anything if given the writing prompt to use the mind. There are even more stories out there that involve the mind, how it works, what it is capable of. It’s so interesting to me.

And as Alex says in the end of this chapter….

There is magic and malice in the mind. It’s the source of our smiles and our sorrows.

Catch the Sparks Within! By Alex Abaz – Chapters 23 and 24

PUBLISHED ON April 4, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

Hey, guys! I missed last week. My Tuesday was taken up and I lost my only chance to post. But I am here again, and this time actually on a Tuesday. Since I’m so irregular with posting, especially these coming weeks with Kester’s blog tour, don’t think I’ve give up just because I missed a week or something. It’s probably going to happen more often as all these other posts are in session.

Let’s roll into the post, shall we?

Chapter 23: We all aspire to being patient and loving with our children, but they do try our patience.

As a child, I am deeply offended. LOL Just kidding. I do get on my parents nerves a lot, because I can be so hard-headed. I guess I’ll be reviewing this in a child’s point of view, because as you know-I’m just in high school.

Whenever I think about growing up to marry and have kids, I have this perfect false reality of it all: Lovely mornings eating chocolate chip pancakes, perfect relationship between all my children and husband, all smiles with Game Nights every Friday. I want to be an awesome parent. Like yeah, I’m pretty young, but I look into the future a lot, even if it’s a long way away. How would I want to raise my child?

If anything, I always wanted to raise my children to look at the world in a different perspective as it is something very important to me. I want them to see the world and realize its beauty–not the ugliness of the people at school or the rudeness of the daily pedestrian.

But this chapter also talks about patience, which I have very little of. And I know I trample on my mom’s all the time. It’s not that I mean to, I just don’t like the whole “waking up” part of the day. I am not a morning person.

My parents and I will argue a lot. Some moments more than others. But nonetheless the thought of leaving one day to go to college terrifies me. I won’t be next to them like I have all my life. I may try their patience, but I do love them both a lot. They’ve never failed at taking care of me.

I honestly have no idea how else to approach this. I’m saying this all in a child’s perspective, so it’s really hard to relate to this chapter other than saying my parents try my patience as well. But I know they do it because I love them, and I try their patience because I have no idea what I’m doing.

Chapter 24: Our lives can change on a dime.

I will admit, I’m that person who goes on a church trip for the weekend and brings luggage big enough to last me the week. I’ve gotten better deciding what I definitely don’t need. but my mind over-thinks everything as I stare at my empty suitcase. Not kidding, these are the things that go through my mind:

What if it rains and I get soaked? I should pack an extra shirt and jeans.

What if it gets really hot at the hotel? I’ll throw in some shorts to change into.

Okay, extra socks. Extra socks. I need extra socks. I got to have them.

Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, face cleanser thingy, more soap, razor, makeup… Oh, which one do I put in? This shampoo dries my scalp… I just throw in extra bottles just in case.

Like, it’s awful. I double check everything. I make sure I am prepared. And it’s always that I forget to bring my toothbrush or something and I’m left sitting there with thirty bags going, “I’m so ill-prepared…”

My life is a world of unexpected events. If I hope for something too much, it will not happen. If I think something won’t happen, it ends up happening. So like that extra pair of jeans I brought in case it rained? Never rained. But when we went skiing, guess what I didn’t pack? The bottom part of my pajama outfit. And it’s not like I can just put on my leggings or something, because EVERYTHING IS SOAKED. Oh, my life. Lol!

Abaz is right. Things will be thrown at you left and right. It can be so hard to catch it all. It’s important to stop moping in your situation, because you are only sitting there. You can only get out if you move. It’s best to look up instead of down. It’s important to see your goal. It’s best to think you can do it. Stay strong. Don’t let anything throw you off and mess up anything. These unexpected events in our lives are like the holes in our path. We might be able to jump over some of them with ease, but sometimes we’ll trip and fall. And the ground becomes quicksand instantly. And freaking out and twisting is only making you sink faster.

Anger will not cure an injury only aggravate it.

Guilt and regret are downward spirals.

Shame contaminates the spirit.

Secrets embolden the perpetrator and trap the victim.

And sometimes you can’t get out of the quicksand all by yourself. You need someone to hand you the rope.

I’m actually listening to King by Lauren Aquilina right now as I write this, and I’m actually tearing up writing this because this and the song relate a lot. And also because I am struggling with this right now. I don’t know… just writing out what I should do really helps me, and it’s thanks to Abaz. She helps to start the ball rolling. She is literally my inspiration. I hope I could do that for someone one day.

“You’ve got it all,

you lost your mind in the sound.

There’s so much more,

You can regain your crown.

You’re in control,

rid of the monsters inside your head.

Put all your faults to bed.

You can be king again.”

Put everything useless away. They are distractions. Bring out the rope. Bring out those you love and trust. Bring out your success. Hang in there, says the cute kitty.

And know you’re not alone. We all are struggling by these things that pop up in our lives. It’s a matter of how you approach these situations… it will change the effect of it all. I encourage everyone of you to see the glass half full. It can be hard. Some of us need that push. We don’t like walking outside that zone of comfort. We’re that terrified person in the corner in a horror movie. The killer isn’t going to stop and give you pity just because you’re sitting there with your hands over your eyes. Get up and fight back. Show the world they can’t keep you down.

So happy to have another review in! I should be free next week so expect one next Tuesday.

Catch the Sparks Within! Chapters 25 and 26 by Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON April 11, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

Disclaimer: I have received a free copy in return for a honest review.

Back with two more reviews! Nothing much going on lately. Getting ready for a yard sale to raise money for a mission trip. That’s about it. As I type this, in about two hours I will be preaching to middle schoolers, so wish me luck!

Chapter 25: I am a procrastinator.

I used to be one of the biggest procrastinator. But then high school started… constant worry about getting things done. Especially in English…. even if I do love to write and when I get in my zone, it’s all good… I can’t help but hate the anticipation about starting. I am not the type of person who likes to section an assignment. I like to get things done all together.

Which brings me to what Abaz says in this chapter:

When our expectations are unrealistic or blurred we get discouraged.

I get easily discouraged. Again with writing, I can get so discouraged when it doesn’t represent what I want my writing too. After that, it goes downhill for a while and I fall into a writer’s block. I don’t consider what “all” means when it comes to my writing. I want it all done now, I want where I want it now, and I want to get my ideas through now. That’s my main problem when wanting to become an author. It’s something I have to work on. Writing is not a patient task for me.

And back with high school. I can’t lay things off anymore. I have to get it done if I want to be stress-free and tear-free. Having it done means I can put it aside. I don’t have to worry about it until the day it is due. In addition, putting things off means it won’t be your very best… sometimes, you won’t have it completed. I have been in that position many a times and I hate it so much.

It’s so hard to discipline myself. I can’t make myself write when I don’t see progress in my writing style. I quit and wait later to try again. I get discouraged. Really, I only have myself to push me to keep trying, so it makes it ten times harder.

Chapter 26: Homemade pizza tastes different from store-bought pizza.

Ever have that habit that is just so unhealthy? Where do I start?

I have an unhealthy habit of biting my nails and my lips when I’m nervous or uncomfortable. I keep doing it until I draw blood. Yuck, I know. But it’s a habit I thought was harmless at first, but then it escalated into something I can’t stop doing.

Abaz reveals this problem by comparing it to home-made pizza and store bought pizza. At first, I was a little confused, but by the end, I understood.

I love store-bought pizza. Not as much as home-made pizza WHICH IS THE BOOM.COM but I could settle with some 20 minute pizza.

Store-bought pizza is unhealthy though. And so many people buy it because it is way easier and simple. It’s a habit to go after these small things that make our lives a little easier, but in the end, it damages us.

I have family members who damage themselves through smoking and other horrible habits. Then they turn around and say that they are having to go the doctors all the time because of it. Yet… they don’t stop? I understand that smoking is addictive. Just like drinking. Once you get into the habit, you can’t stop. At one point, my dad had this problem. He smoked, he drank. But then I heard before I was born, he forced himself to stop smoking for my sake. Then not too long ago, maybe two-three years ago, he went through a lot to top drinking. He actually did it. With the right motivation, you can do it too. It wasn’t easy for him. He had to make a commitment.

So try that homemade pizza. See if you like it. If you don’t, what habits make it hard for you to like the healthy things in life?

Catch the Sparks Within! Chapters 27 and 28 by Alex Abaz

PUBLISHED ON April 22, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

Hey, guys! We’re close to finally finishing this amazing book. It has definitely been a journey.

Click the name of the title to see Kester’s recent review on Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schroder!

Click the name of the title to see Kelsey’s recent review Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past by Paul Cude!

Click the name of the title to see Cayli’s recent review The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo!

Also, if you happen to be new to Abaz’s reviews by me click HERE to see the very first post and HERE to see Chapters 25 and 26 reviews!

As I was linking the first ever review of this amazing book, I just looked at the editting and also looked back to where I was in that time. In retrospect, it was not that long ago, but I guess that’s the magic of time. I feel like I have learned a lot more about WordPress and about this blog as a whole. This is one of the best things I could ever do. I cannot wait to grow even more, and one day be able to moderate giveaways and interviews. I’m not there yet, but I’m willing to take it one step at a time. I also noticed around the time I agreed to do these reviews, I also agreed to start a bible study group with three other great women. I feel myself growing a lot with Alex Abaz’s chapters and with the friendship I have in my bible study group.

Disclaimer: I have received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chapter 27: Being single and independent is hard to do.

This chapter is about the importance of a romantically involved partner. Alex Abaz includes in the very beginning that people are shunned from society when someone chooses to not marry.

And this is honestly true when looking around my high school. People constantly date just because they are too embarrassed to be seen without someone. It’s getting to a point where there is no longer a commitment… They just love the fact that they are with someone. They are in love with the thought of them. I’m sure we have all read a book about this type of central idea. It stands true.

As for me? I have never dated anyone. I have never kissed anyone. And like Abaz (thought I should not at my age), I sometimes worry I will never find someone and everyone else around me will pass that threshold while I am still on the other side.

But even though it’s kind of sad, I don’t let it put me down, you know what I mean? I am not desperate. Yes, I have had boys who have come to me telling me I’m beautiful, telling me they like me. And I turn them down. And why do I do that? Because I have standards. This is not like applying for my first job. It’s deciding who will take care of me for the rest of my life. And yeah, maybe one day I will meet someone who meets my standards, and it may not work out, but at least we tried, right? Date to marry. Not to break up. That’s my number one standard.

While we want to believe that love and passion are the emotions that bring two people together naturally, this is only true some of the time.

Have you had a friend who thought they were completely in love with their new boyfriend they have had for a week? Who was so in love they ditch their plans with you to go hang out with them, or constantly talked about them? They post on Instagram of them kissing saying, “Love you, bae! Happy two week anniversary!” As I type this, two people are on my mind and I can’t help but smile. Kelsey knows who I am talking about.

But it is so hilarious, because they are guided strictly on love and passion. They have no standards. They believe love is all they need. Back to books and movies, we have all read or watched that movie where the main character and her/his lover are constantly arguing, constantly having different views, constantly mad at each other. Maybe I should throw Mal and Alina in as an example, but I rather not… Anyways, they go throughout the entire series, thinking love with always keep them together: Sorry to break it to you, but this is a load of toad crap. You need guidance, you need trust, you need to have a bond that doesn’t just draw you in romantically, but draws you into a healthy relationship where you two pick each other up in the down times, and you two don’t go to sleep until the argument is resolved. Going to sleep angry is the worse way to go to bed. There has to be committment.

Now as the chapter goes on, Abaz mentions the role of marriage, and I agree when she says that marriage is not an obsession for me. Like her, I dream now of falling in love with someone and having that commitment, but the dream of growing up, going to college, and making a strong living for myself is so, so much bigger. I won’t work to please someone. When they want to step in and be like, “Oh, cool, you read books and are socially awkward? I like it!” I will happily accept it, but I will not stop and run away from my ultimate goal just to catch them.

Chapter 28: Loss in inevitable.

This chapter is about loss and the grief that comes with it.

I’m going to be completely honest: I have never had someone super important to me pass away. Sure, I’ve gone to funerals and I’ve known some of the people whom I went to see, but I never really had a high personal connection with any of them.

Which frightens me sort of. One day someone important to me will die, and it will be the first time that has ever happened me. How will I handle it? That’s a big fear of mine. I’m afraid of grieving. I see the way it hurts other people, and in truth, no one can make them stop grieving. I have heard from so many people that the pain in a loss never goes away, but it becomes manageable.

“One must feel and process the pain, the anger, and the grief until the hurt gradually subsides.”

Note that Abaz never said “until the hurt gradually goes away.” It just becomes less intense.

But I do cry for others. Not too long ago, an unexpected death happened in my friend’s family and I went to pay my respects. She was crying when I went up to hug her and it took all of me not to cry with her. I didn’t even know the name of her grandfather, yet I understood how much he meant to her.

And I do believe in an afterlife. I believe in Heaven. I believe when I die, I will be granted the glorious gift to see Jesus, and to live my eternal life with Him. I am so scared at the thought of death. I will lay awake at night sometimes thinking about how one day I won’t be here and my name will wear through the fabrics of time until it no longer exists. That’s a scary thought. (CUE EXISTENTIAL CRISIS…) But I always calm down knowing when I die, I won’t be scared of anything anymore. And I know those around me: my brother, my mom, my dad, my grandmother, they won’t be afraid anymore either. That’s the most comforting thought.

So happy to have another review in!

I am currently reading five other books to review! Wish my luck, and look out for my coming up reviews. My next review on one of these books will be Sanctum by Madeleine Roux!

Catch the Spark Within! Chapters 29 and 30 by Alex Abaz (Review!)

PUBLISHED ON May 8, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

So happy to finally be able to post again. Over the past two weeks, I have been devoting my time on reading mostly. I am actually hooked on Pigeon Blood Red by Ed Duncan. And of course! The Trials of Apollo book two: The Dark Prophecy came out recently and I have been reading that also. I can’t wait to have Duncan’s review ready for you all to see

Click HERE to read Kester’s recent review on Caraval by Stephanie Garber.(I cannot wait to be able to read this book >.<)

Chapter 29: Selfishness and self-care are altogether different.

This one popped up as I was watching this anime Silver Spoon. I saw it on Netflix, and I decided I would give it a try. This chapter came into play as I was watching it, because the main character Hachi (I haven’t finished it yet, so I’m scared to look up his name to see how it is spelled… lol) is very much what Abaz describes in her chapter.

Constantly, Hachi is battling with himself. He thinks that he has to make everyone happy; he will do whatever he can to make others cheer up, even sacrifice his health. There was a time when he was so busy trying to get a million things done for a school festival, he fainted with fatigue as he went to go give his dog a walk. He woke up in the hospital, so scared that his friends were mad at him for leaving them to take care of the stuff he should have been there to do. He got back to school after the festival was over, and told his friends he didn’t mean to leave them, and that he didn’t deserve to go to the afterparty with them. His friends told him that he was an idiot for thinking he was going to skip the after party. They had used his very detailed notes to finish the festival which went without a hitch.

And this is what this chapter is talking about. It’s good to be selfless. It’s highly encouraged. But when is it too much? What if one day you work yourself so much you hurt yourself? Everyone needs time to care for themselves. No matter who you are.

“I have to continuously reminds myself that making me a priority is not the same thing as being selfish.”

I struggle with thinking that caring for myself is equal to being selfish. Mostly because I love helping people. I want everyone to understand that I love them, and that I’m here to help with anything they need. But I have had times when I had to say no because I just couldn’t do it. Next thing you know they quit asking me for help altogether. I don’t want people to doubt my will to help. I have been getting better at saying no lately, because I constantly tell myself I have to take care of myself.

And even on this blog, I do this. I talked with a couple friends about how I have a load of books to review. I was stressing over them. I couldn’t focus on a lot else other than getting these books read. I almost overpowered myself. I could have said no, but I didn’t. I still would have read them all, because I love to help authors with reviews and all of that, but I should have made it a note that I could not read five books at the same time. Instead, I should have said I would not get them done by this specific time more than likely. I learned my lesson.

“Nurturing ourselves makes life better… [I]t’s not either them or us; it’s them and us.”

Don’t be in a relationship where you’re constantly caring for one someone and you’re not getting anything in return. I talked with one of my friends. He told me he was always giving his friend money for gas and for other things he want, but he has not paid him back yet. That stuff makes me furious, because I have been working on myself to get out of the habit of giving to people who use me. I have to take care of myself, too, and I can’t let people run over me in that way. Make your friendship, boyfriend/girlfriend relationship and “them and us,” not a “them or us.”

Take care of yourself, take care of others. Love on them, but also love on yourself.

Chapter 30: “Beluga is my Beethoven,” said the 90-year old Betty White to Anderson Cooper.

In this chapter, Abaz told the story about how she was stuck in a bad storm with her family. Popped in a Beethoven CD and everyone fell asleep through the storm.

And I related this to my faith, honestly. When things get horrible, and I have no idea what to do, I immediately turn to God. I ask him for help. I ask him to make the pain go away. I want to fall asleep and wake up to see everything fine again.

The problems don’t go away. They don’t just disappear into thin air, and I’m left all happy again, but I do feel a better joy in what I’m going through. Through putting my faith in the Lord, and just letting him guide me through, it makes me stronger. I feel myself growing a better confidence that I can get through it. I am not alone; God won’t just walk away.

So yeah, I guess God is my Beethoven. I encourage others to take him as your Beethoven as well. He’s gotten me through times in my life just by being there. He made the problems seem not so bad. Praise be to Him and His glory.

Who is your Beethoven as of right now? Who gets you through the storms, and distracts you from the scary noises? Bestfriend? Parents? Siblings? Actors? Singers?

“When we woke up, the storm had cleared and daylight had returned as if uninterrupted.”

Catch the Spark Within! By Alex Abaz- Chapter 32 and 33

PUBLISHED ON June 23, 2017 by Cayli Lambert

What a summer it has been so far! I hope that your summer so far was as delightful to you as it has been for me.

I haven’t done another one of these in awhile, but don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten about it.

CHAPTER 32 – Are you a big prankster?

This chapter could not be anymore right. Now in school, we all have those boring classes. Those classes that just feels like a waste of time or maybe you just find the whole thing uninteresting.

But then throw a class clown in there. Throw in a teacher who loves to joke around. Maybe a friend or two who get you in a way that makes you bust out laughing in the middle of lecture. It makes it ten times tolerable, right?

As Abaz says in her chapter, “injecting humor into our lives id necessary and not hard to do.”

As for me? I don’t find myself being a “clever” comedian. Sometimes it takes me a minute or two to get a pun, but once it clicks I hardly know how to stop laughing. I love puns…

But I love making other people laugh. I love watching people smile. I love making someone’s day. I have friends who tell me they enjoy talking to me just because I make them laugh.

And Abaz says in her chapter how it’s not good to not know how to laugh and have fun. It reminds me of Elf, when his father was always frowning and never laughed at how silly his son elf was being; everyone else on the other side of the screen was cracking up. You miss a lot by letting seriousness take over too much.

And when I try and tell a joke, saying something very sarcastic here and there, and someone doesn’t get it–it’s a bit of a downer, you know?

I remember one time when I was playing a card game with a friend’s family, and I said something sarcastic because the guy was trying to teach me something I already knew how to do; then he got onto me for not thinking it through… the whole table told him “hey, you know she’s being sarcastic right?” And I continued to sit there and smile at him while the realization hit him.

Maybe there’s a little humor in that too. Seeing someone laugh at themself for missing the joke completely.

And TV shows. Oh myyy. I think my favorite comedic show ever is Impractical Jokers. I absolutely love that show. Oh! And The Office. And Parks and Recreation. I love getting on social media, seeing people upload memorable moments from these shows to laugh at once again.

And for my favorite movie, I love Ride Along! Any movie with Kevin Hart I know it’s going to be good.

What’s your favorite comedic show or movie? Comment below! Maybe I know what you’re talking about. If I don’t, I’ll definitely give it a try!

CHAPTER 33: My child has always been enamored with cats and dogs.

Okay, I love dogs. I love, love, love dogs. I tend to enjoy big dogs a lot more, like German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, Great Danes, the like. But I also lovvveee small dogs. Right now I have two yorkies that I love to cuddle with when I sleep. They’re spoiled brats and sometimes take my food when I’m not paying attention, but I love them to death.

My parents and my grandmother used to tell me stories about how protective the dogs we owed were over me. I would go outside to play and they would follow me around to make sure I didn’t run off. When I was still in my crib, my mom used to have a husky that would wake my mom up whenever I started to cry.

When I was around five or so, a friend of my parents gave me a baby Siberian Husky. I named her Jackie. She was also a very protective dog. When my brother was born, he was crawling around dangerously close to the stairs. My mom was there watching Jackie as she stepped in front of him to block him off from falling. My brother would try to get around, and Jackie would position herself to guard him again.

This one I consider a funny story but nonetheless terrifying when it happened. I would hang out at my grandmothers all the time because my mom had to work. Two houses down was my cousin who would walk up to play with my brother and me. Well this small blue house had this dog. I believe it was around the pitbull mix (disclaimer: this is not claiming the breed is a harmful). The house had a “Beware of Dog” sign, and the dog was kept on a lease. BUT for some OOODDDDD reason the dog was off her lease. So my cousin comes down to play. He calls me and tells me that he can’t come down, because this dog is growling and snapping her teeth at him.

When I get outside, the dog is cornering him. And it’s not if he runs away, the dog will be satisfied, right? It’s asking for a game of tag. So I run up (because I’m such a hero…) to try and distract the dog. The dog turns his attention on me… and my blood runs cold. I backed up, she stepped up. My cousin took off back to his house to get his grandmother. My brother was watching from the porch.

And so I backed up a bit more, and took off. That dog chased me down the road, his paws scratching my heels, until I got into my driveway, into my grandmother’s arms. I want to say that that what I did showed the bit of bravery in me, but believe me… that courage ran out the door pretty quickly. I guess I didn’t understand at the time how scary dogs could be. I always grew up around sweet and lovable dogs.

But I’m guessing the reason was territorial. After all, the road led right by the house, where the dog is usually chained up in the small driveway. She probably didn’t like that we were invading her. Who knows? After that day, I never really saw that dog again. I think it was relocated to a safer place.

But either way, I love dogs. Whenever I see one I want to go up to it and hug and kiss it. But as Abaz says in this chapter, all creatures have a wild side. That dog that chased me had a wild side. Jackie disappeared one day because she loved to adventure into our woods. We believe a pack of coyotes found her, but who knows? That was the wild side of both Jackie and the coyotes.

What are some of your tales about canines? Funny ones? Scary ones? Stories that make you go “awww…”?