Commonplace Books: What Are They And Why Do You Need One (or More)?

Dear Lissy,
Hooray for summer vaca!  You'll be heading off to camp in a few weeks, but right now you're trying to keep yourself busy with everything from painting to reading to crafts.  You're old enough now to learn skills and read books that will stay with you for the rest of your life.  You've even started your very own commonplace book.

What is a Commonplace Book?  
 The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines a commonplace book as:  

"n.  A personal journal in which quotable passages, literary excerpts, and comments are written."

 

A page from my current book, started in late 2013.  Notice the blank facing page so I have room to meditate on (and maybe argue a bit) with these thoughts, or even add an additional similar idea from another source.

One Quick Tip: Toilet Tissue Reminder Roll

Dear Lissy,

We're at a stage of life where everyone in the house is using -- and using up -- supplies.   We do pretty well keeping a supply of high use items, but every now and then something slips through the cracks and we end up with an "emergency".  This easy failsafe was born after I pillaged our camping supplies and realized I could create the same result without compromising our camping kit.

I keep one paper-wrapped toilet tissue roll with our bathroom T.P. supply.  I only open it if our regular tissue supply is gone.  If I'm not the one to unwrap it, I still see the wrapper in the waste bin (or notice that my toilet tissue is definitely not "Soft as Old Linen").   I just have to remember to put both T.P. and the reminder roll on my shopping list. 

This reminder system works well for a variety of high use items from ketchup to laundry soap.  I purchase a sample or travel sized package of a different brand as emergency back-up.  I only use those items if & when I run out of our regular product. 

I'll never run out of love for you,

 Momma

Mom Review: Waterproof New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs

Dear Lissy,

Summer is in full swing here in New England, and I'm taking a few minutes to review an outdoor-friendly Bible.   This compact and unusual copy of the Word made it from Alabama to New England in just two days via padded mailer.

I am reviewing the Pink & Brown KJV Waterproof New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs from Bardin and Marsee publishing.  The KJV version is a text only, verse by verse copy of the Bible printed on synthetic paper. The New Testament retails for $24.95, the Bible for $44.95.  Bardin and Marsee provided my review copy, but didn't influence my review in any way.  I am not being paid, nor will I receive proceeds from future sales of this Bible.

Features I liked:

• Every bit of this New Testament is 100% waterproof. The cover, the binding, the pages --- all of it.  I can tuck it under the seat while I'm kayaking, and it will be none the worse for the wear.   Somebody (ahem) leaves the Bible tucked in the pocket on the back of their chair or lying on the picnic table overnight?  No problemo!  The dew, or even a thunder shower, isn't going to affect this Waterproof New Testament one. little. bit.  Our side porch at home eats books for breakfast, but I don't have to worry about this Bible being left out overnight by accident:  the dew or blown in rain wipe right off.  The Waterproof NT did not float in our unscientific home testing involving a stockpot and a drop from about 1.5 feet.
• Being waterproof means the New Testament is also wipeable.   Wipeable may not be quite as glamorous as scuba diving with the Word, but it ends up being a more important feature for me.  Despite my best attempts at hand-washing stations and General Cleanliness for the Greater Good, camp life is sticky, squashy, and dirty.  A damp rag and a quick swipe made quick work of all the grimy bits and bobs that clung to the Bible.  I also didn't have to fuss about making sure the table was dry or not setting the Bible THERE.  Nothing I tried stained it, even pizza sauce.  Wipeable=worryproof.
• The Waterproof New Testament doesn't feel waterproof.  I was expecting a plastic-y hand feel similar to children's books, but it's much more like a map or guide book.  The cover and pages are a normal thickness, and similar enough to paper that they aren't distracting.  You can write on the pages with a ball point pen or highlight with a dry highlighter if you so desire. The unique material left no ghosting from printing on the other side of the page.   The pages didn't glare when read with my headlight at night, either.
• The size.  At 4-1/4" x 7" x 3/4", the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs is the same dimensions as many maps and guide books.  It fit perfectly in both my daypack and regular overnight pack pocket. To keep the size this compact, the New Testament I reviewed has no internal references and very little extra material in the front or back.  The print is small, but similar to or larger than most outdoor guidebooks and maps.
• Instructions are included for caring for the unusual paper.  Waterproof doesn't mean indestructible.  A clear, concise set of instructions for use and care appear on the index page.  Most notably, don't let the Bible come in contact with petroleum products like bug spray, sunscreen, or even some wipes.  Anyone who's camped much knows to keep plastic and petroleum apart, but I was glad for the reminder.  Temperatures over 150 are not recommended, so the glove box of the car is not a great place to store a Waterproof (or any other) Bible.
• The extra material was well planned.  
• Front matter contains a presentation page, index, instructions, and a page of Quick References.  The Quick References includes topics such as Knowing Christ, True Hope, and Decision Making followed by a couple of references that speak to that subject.  Any one of the 35+ topics would be good for personal or family study.  (A note to parents:  s*x is one of the topics listed.)
• The back matter is 7 pages of lined notepaper.  Thank you, Bardin and Marsee -- a very nice touch!  

• A few technical details.  
• The pages are gluebound in signatures, not cut and glued individually.  Single pages aren't going to work their way loose and blow off the top of the mountain never to be seen again.  

•  A serif font.  I find sans serif fonts difficult to read once the print size is reduced enough for compact Bibles.  This copy appears to be in the 7 point font range. 
• The cover on the copy of the NT, Psalms and Proverbs I reviewed is pink brown with a modern design.  Not my usual choice, but very visible in a pack or at camp.  Sky blue and green/brown are also available.
• An elastic closure is offered as an accessory and highly recommended.  B & M will install the closure in-house if ordered with the Bible.
• Rounded corners.  Thank you, thank you.  Square corners are easily damaged in outdoor settings.  Rounded corners are standard on guidebooks, but unusual for a Bible.
• A tight binding.  Normally I'm looking for a binding that lies flat when open.  The opposite is necessary for a Bible in outdoor settings:  I want a Bible that naturally falls closed.  When we dropped the Bible in a pot of water, none of the interior pages got wet -- just the cover. Had interior pages gotten wet, the publishers recommend squeezing out the excess water, wiping the exterior, and then using normally. I expect looking at the binding that it will loosen and lie flat over time which is why the elastic closure is recommended.
• Covers can be stamped with your name.  Covers and pages can also be customized by organizations. 
• Waterproof notebooks and journals as well as suitable pens are also for sale on the site.

Features I would include:

This Bible was designed by people who love and use the Word of God and spend a great deal of time outdoors.   Every detail was considered.  I found nothing I would consider a negative in a specially purposed outdoor Bible.

• The one change I would make if I were customizing is including a clear gospel presentation with simple graphics in either the front or back matter, similar to the gospel of John put out by the Pocket Testament League.   The Gospel of Christ is one of the topics listed in the Quick References, and the introduction to the QR section specifically highlights that topic as being the most important truth of all.
• I would love to see Bardin and Marsee offer a Gospel of John with an included gospel presentation for outreach purposes.   Ladies' Kayaking trips, Sportmen's banquets, and Teen campouts have always been powerful evangelistic tools in our churches.  

My recommendation:
I highly recommend the Waterproof Bible for a variety of places that are normally a problem:  boating and the beach, camping, summer camp, porches, potting sheds, and even the kitchen.  The Waterproof Bible would have been ideal when I lived on the Florida panhandle and spent 2/3 of my life dripping wet.   I intend to buy a Waterproof Bible for high school grads planning to attend college or enter the military.  This Bible would also make an excellent gift for missionaries who are in tropical climates or third world countries.

Love you in sunshine and rain,

 Momma

Check(list), Please!

Dear Lissy,

Dad and the boys are already gone for the day, and I'm off and running on morning chores.  Years ago when all of you were little, I ran our home with checklists.  Constant interruptions gave me a perpetual case of Mommy ADD, and I relied on checklists to help me do during the busy hours what I knew I wanted done in the quiet of the evening.   

What's the difference between a checklist and a to-do list?  So glad you asked!  A to- do list is a list of tasks that need to be done once.  A checklist is a list of tasks that is repeated daily, weekly, or monthly.  "Vacuum entry" is a checklist item; "Pick up new exterior light fixture for side entry" is a to-do list task. 

I shed my checklists over the past few years as blocks of uninterrupted time became available.   May was exceptionally busy with a flurry of appointments, robotics events, farmer's markets, and sourcing out supplies for a Dear Lissy Bible marking kit.  Regular routines were bumped, and the house is run down.  I'm back to a season of busyness punctuated by constant interruptions, and I have to adjust quickly.  I've talked about "Plan B" before, so I'll keep this simple:

Checklists are an important tool for me when life changes pace.

I'm not taking time to re-invent the wheel.   I blew the dust off my Beautiful Life Manager, ordered new pages, and hit the ground running.   I even scored a DayTimer calendar for just a few bucks to help finish out 2014.  I do find it a little embarrassing to need a checklist to hold my hand at my age -- it seems like I should waft effortlessly through my housework by now.  Wisdom -- doing the next right thing -- reminds me that setting up a system of checklists to make sure the next right thing gets done is wiser than beating myself up for needing a checklist.

I've also noticed your brothers struggling with their day-to-day tasks as they take on new responsibility.  I'm going to be teaching them how to create and use checklists this summer, too.  They are still accountable for their chores, but they are far past the age where I set up "chore time" and oversee the minutia. Checklists give teens autonomy and accountability.  They can do the work anytime they want, provided the work is done to our family's standard by the set time. 

Checklists motivate pre-teens and provide a sense of accomplishment.  You are at the age where I give you a list (not just a task) that must be completed and checked at the time I hand it to you.  We set a timer for the list, and you "punch out" when you've completed the work.   

I need to weed and plant while the garden is still cool.  I hope we have a great summer -- fun is on the checklist, too! 

Love,
Momma