“Because I Said So” by Celine Sparks is one part humor, one part tribute to her mother, two parts Bible study, and at least one part toe-stepping. Sparks takes Momma’s old sayings and pulls the Biblical truths from them. There are plenty of scripture references (both direct and indirect), and lots of applications given. Well thought-out chapters are witty, steeped in scripture and fun to read. Of course, the sore toes may not be much fun, but, as the saying goes, if your toes are getting stepped on, move them… and this book will help you do just that: get your toes where they ought to be.
I love the serious and silly blend here. The meat of the chapters is serious enough to cause a moment of self-reflection and redirection, but there’s enough silly and witty mixed in to help the medicine go down. The questions included at the end of each chapter are excellent for solo study, but would also be appropriate for a group study. The questions hit all the bases, covering scriptures, the reader’s personal walk and general considerations. Each chapter also includes a “Spark Plug.” These are narrative reflections from Sparks’ own life told with a hefty dose of humor. I couldn’t help laughing aloud at least once during each one. So much of the book centers on Sparks’ mother’s common sense sayings, it’s only appropriate that pictures of her mother are included. Though they’re probably included more for visual interest than learning, I found the pictures caused me to remember the humanness of each of us. There’s a picture of Johnnia (Sparks’ mom) washing dishes in her first house as a new wife (38). Somehow it helps me to see and understand that most of the moms out there are really just young women doing their best and stumbling along in the hardest job on the planet: motherhood.
Something else I liked about this book is that it doesn’t hit just one demographic or group of women in the church. There isn’t too much focus on life as a young mother or as an older woman. A single woman would not find herself excluded nor would a widow or someone without children. The topics are broad enough in range that a new Christian would not be out of her depth, but a mature saint will likely not come off without at least a bit of toe soreness. I would definitely recommend the book for personal study or for group study. There’s a lot to be gleaned from this book… and plenty of laughs too. At $9.00 for a well-bound paperback book chocked with wisdom, it’s a steal of a deal.
Note: The author was in no way compensated for this review nor was Come Fill Your Cup, or its Editor or affiliates.
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Welcome! We are so glad you stopped by. Come Fill Your Cup is a group of Christian ladies dedicated to equipping women for study and service. We know you are busy and that life’s hectic pace pulls you in so many directions, but you can’t truly be the woman God desires unless you take time to fill your own cup…not with spa days (though we love a good spa!) or the latest novel…but with God’s Holy Word. We want to help you with that! Our goal is to reach you in the midst of your busy day and give you encouragement, education, and fellowship as you strive to live the life God has laid before you. Our prayer is that we can help fill your cup so that you, in turn, can overflow to all those around you. So, as we like to say…come fill your cup, and let it overflow!
This hurts me worse than it does you.
“Perhaps the fairies will do it”
(always made me feel like I had to do whatever “it” was….)
This is a wonderful book.
Someday you’re going to grow up and have a child just like you! (This was usually said when I was being stubborn!)
“I’m not going to ask/tell you again…” (But really, isn’t that what I just did…ask/tell them again?!) 😉
Your face will get stuck that way.
Don’t make me stop this car
Someday your sister will be your best friend.
“Pretty is as pretty does”
“Don’t make me stop what I’m doing and come over there…it won’t be pretty.” (Usually when sibling rivalry goes a little too far and mom is busy cleaning or cooking)
“It’s got to be somewhere!” I find this coming out of my mouth quite often now that my kids are misplacing things. This book sounds wonderful!
“Where are my keys?!”
“I’m erpy” – always meant nauseous! Maybe not the sort of comment you are looking for, but how amazing for me that these words always come to mind when I’m not feeling well. Mother died at age 57…I miss her more and more, even after 21+ years!
“Now, give me a hug”, after a spanking. Oh, that would burn me up and I say the same thing to my kiddos after disciplining them!
“Your dad is the sheriff and I’m the deputy.” I use this to explain that Chuck is the boss all the time! My mom is so creative!
“if you dont stop crying I will give you something to cry about”
She would always tell me, “it was better to go to the house of mourning than the house of laughter”, I would roll my eyes and say, “Oh mother” I just spent a week with her and I am married 22 years with teenagers of my own and we were talking about when she would say that and she asked me if I knew why now and I told her I really get it now.
“The poochy lip will get you if you start to pout” I used to HATE this and now my daughter hears it. mwahahah 😉
My mother always said, “Can’t never tried.”
“It must have been a lie!” (Said when I couldn’t remember what I wanted to tell her) 🙂
When I was being difficult she would say, “I hope you have a little girl just like you when you grow up!” This statement would make me so mad. I know I have said that to my kids a time or two 🙂
My mother came from a very large farm family in which most of them never graduated from high school, but went on to the army and work. She has many funny sayings from those old days, but ther eis one that served me well:”You can fall in love with anyone, but you can’t live with just anybody.”