Book review AND giveaway of The One Year Uncommon Daily Life Challenge by Tony Dungy

This is an exciting, most excellent, day for me; my blog's very first book giveaway!!!

(Yes, in my opinion, it deserves three whole exclamation points.)

Here's the book:

And here's the scoop...

Now, a confession that may just rock your world.

I'm not a football fan. Not even a little bit. 

I'll wait a sec while that little snippet of info seeps in.

Thoroughly seeped?  Sorry, I mean, steeped?

Ok, the question I'm sure you're dying to ask.

Why then, did I pick this particular title, written by a beloved Super Bowl winning coach, to review?

I love my husband. (And enjoy earning brownie points to cash in for future use...)

So when he shows significant interest in obtaining a copy of this very book, I jump on it, while cringing at the same time.

The F word (football) nags me right up until I crack open the first page and start, what I'm sure will be, an arduous task.

Upon skimming the beginning entry, I relax a tad, before moving on to day two.

Not so bad.

Before I know it, February's section has come and gone, with March firmly in sight.

Victory is mine! (I'm also completely sure Tony Dungy himself would swell with amazing pride over my great accomplishment.)

Eventually, fall enters the picture, and suddenly, I'm not ready to face winter. A bleakness fills my soul.

No more pages???

Dismal as this thought is, it propels me forward in my quest to uncover any remaining hidden gems of wisdom, lurking just beneath the surface.

(Somewhere, in a snake infested pit, Indiana Jones and Steven Spielberg are lamenting the disappearance of a trade mark whip and fedora.)

Treasures found, I can, at last, safely close the final chapter of my adventure with a new, transforming, experience under my belt.

In case you missed it:

I read a book, written by a football guy, containing more football references than the amount of times Charlie Sheen coined the phrase, "winning"...

And I honestly liked it!

In conclusion, Mr. Dungy has hit a home run.

(I know, wrong sport. )

Writing in a relate able, easy to understand style, he touches on the important topics in every guy's life. He's careful to use biblically sound replies when approaching each subject, not giving pat answers, but speaking openly and plainly throughout. Also, sharing from his own unique experiences, and those around him, brings an authenticity to his words. You're left feeling as though you just had a one on one conversation with the man himself.

This devotional is sure to encourage, motivate, and enrich, numerous men out there who are striving to become the person they know God wants them to be. It truly has something for pretty much everyone and is a great opportunity for football fans to see another side of this popular, well-respected, coach, off the field. His strength, humility, and leadership qualities, are clearly evident; a tribute to the core values he holds dear.

In this day and age, there honestly aren't enough positive male role models in the public eye, so Tony Dungy's willingness to step up, sets a great example to others.

In short, I highly recommend reading this book and taking the challenge yourself. Start out the New Year, determined to live an "uncommon" life, and see what happens.

To get you started, I think it's time for a...


GIVEAWAY!


To enter for your chance to win a copy of The One Year Uncommon Daily Life Challenge, simply leave a comment below in the comment section, with your email included, so I can contact the winner for their mailing address, etc. This drawing will be open for a week, so you have plenty of time to join, and I'll be announcing the results next Friday, January 6th!

If you're not sure what kind of comment to leave, how about one of the resolutions on your New Years list?

And, finally, as a way of saying thank you, I'll award a bonus entry to anyone that already is a follower, or decides to start, following my blog.

If you haven't yet introduced yourself, I'd love the chance to see your face and get to know a little bit about you, reader. So please, pull up a chair, grab some slippers, and make yourself at home. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

(P.S. I'll only be accepting entries within the U.S.)


If you'd like to check out Tyndale House Publishers site, click here: 

http://www.tyndale.com/00_Home/index.php

You can also find further info on author,Tony Dungy, here:

http://www.coachdungy.com/



As a disclosure, I receive a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I also received a certificate for one complimentary copy of this book to be given to the winner of this giveaway.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Crescent Poppers!

With New Year's right around the corner, these little melt in your mouth delights are perfect for your New Year's Eve smorgasboard of snack foods. They're sugar, and spice, and everything nice. Literally.

Trust me, they are the whole package, minus all the work. 

And they actually taste as good, or even better, than they look!

Here's the original link:

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/the-gangs-all-here-jalapeno-cream-cheese-crescent-poppers/

But if you're in a hurry, here's the condensed version.

Ingredients:

  

• 1 package Cream Cheese (8 Ounce Package)
• 4 ounces, weight Canned, Diced Jalapenos
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 8 ounces, weight Tube Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

Directions:

Open crescent rolls, lay them out on the counter, and flatten into one straight sheet, pushing together the perforations. In a bowl, stir cream cheese, sugar, and jalapenos till well combined. Spoon mixture over crescent sheet and roll, wide end up. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 pieces, then place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Pull em out, and begin popping into your mouth!

P.S. If you stick the knife you're using to cut the poppers into hot water between slices, it keeps the cream cheese from sticking. I learned this the hard way. :)

Is age really just a number?

Ok, so as you've gotten older, have you noticed the years piling up a lot faster than they used to? 

Birthdays seem to come at warp speed and you gradually begin feeling like an overwhelmed batter, stuck at home plate, ducking and dodging for survival. Or perhaps crouching and wheezing. 

If only that pitcher would slow down, just a little, maybe we could limp, awkwardly, to the sidelines and slump over the bench, unnoticed...

I remember, clearly, a time when I wanted to be 16 so bad because then i would finally be able to make that penultimate trip to the DMV every child dreams of, and every parent dreads. You know, where they give your Jenny permission to sit behind the wheel of a car, most likely your car, and drive out on the open road where speed limits reach a staggering 65. And half-blind seniors hold their wheel in a paper thin death grip, lest the urge to top 35 miles per hour suddenly overtake them.

Yup, you know.

But that was only the beginning. After 16, the next target was 18, because that meant high school would be a thing of the past and I could start earning money working at our local library. With the accrued cash in my pocket generously outweighing my monthly bills, I couldn't wait to be a mature 21. Everything was just cooler once you left the teens, right? I was on to bigger and better things. 

I liked 21 a lot and decided it would be nice to stay there for a while. It was the perfect compromise between young and adult. I got the respect I wanted without too much pressure to change my still slightly childish ways.

My 22nd birthday came and went with only a little shrug on my part. Another year, no big deal. After 23, though, I began experiencing a twinge of reluctance to turn 24. Somehow, that was too close to 25, which meant I'd be a middle aged 20.  

(And yes, I imagine some eye rolling, along with a few groans of "I wish I were still that young." Believe me, I get it.)

Well, that moderately dreaded 25 came and went, but it was nothing compared to 26. Let me tell you, I pretended to be outwardly happy, but inside, the number danced around my brain like a cat chasing its tail. 

Summer arrived and with it, 27. Ugh, I was over the hill and on my way to the big 3-0. I thought about applying wrinkle cream because surely those lines would be showing up in droves now. For once, I was happy that my pasty white Irish skin had seen less sun than most vampires.

Right after turning 28, I found out I was pregnant with my first child. Amid the excitement and busyness of her impending birth, a new year started and, with it, one last stop before 30.

Dum dum. Those dreaded numbers which send a chill down my spine and keep me reaching for the age defying masks.

I'm currently in that limbo between two age brackets, waiting for May to boot me over the fence with a kick of finality. 

But if age is only a state of  mind, why does it matter so much? Why am I obsessing like an OCD fanatic jacked up on mountain dew? Perhaps it's because I have no control over this particular aspect of my life. Or maybe I envy Peter Pan's world of never never land...

Whatever the reason, I'm trying to stay positive and upbeat.  I have no idea what's waiting for me on the other side of 20 something, but I'm hoping it's good.

Al though I won't say my birthday and I are best buds, we are at least on speaking terms. Hey, if it brings me gifts and a free burger at Red Robin, there should be a small, grudging, level of respect, right?

While I still haven't conquered my turning older phobia, and maybe never will, I'm trying to live in the moment and not focus so much on the age thing. I gotta say, watching my daughter grow before my eyes, brings a whole new level of "time flies" to my awareness.

I'm aware that I want to take part in my life fully, not as a spectator watching from the sidelines, but as the person in the middle, actively taking those swings, even if they don't always garner massive home runs.

I want to be comfortable in my own skin, crow's feet be darned, so numbers won't control my happiness or sense of worth. 

Hey, I'm a work in progress, so be patient with me. 

My new favorite quote: