Just Give Me a Little Piece of Quiet: 60 Mini-Retreats for a Mom's Soul

THIS IS A WONDERFUL, EASY, LIGHT HEARTED, AND GUILTFREE BOOK. EVERY MOM REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET THIS ONE....IT IS PERFECT, VERY SHORT STORIES! THANK YOU MRS CRAKER FOR YOUR HONESTY IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE!

Every mom with little ones can benefit from and appreciate the amusing, thoughtful and profound "mini-retreats" from Lorilee Craker. She draws from her experience as a busy mom, understanding that women don't have time or energy to read preachy meditative volumes. The chapters are short and sweet, yet they leave the reader with words of wisdom and encouragement to chew on all day. One of my favorite chapters relates the story of the little pregnant stray cat that Lorilee's family adopted. I laughed as I read her concerns about her willingness to act as doula for the little feline. You will laugh and you will cry as you read Just Give Me A Little Piece of Quiet. It's a PERFECT baby gift - especially for a second-time mom. I highly recommend it. Check out all of her books! You'll be so glad you did - and you'll be a better mom and wife because of it.

Lorilee Craker has got to be the funniest writer I have read on motherhood. This book is set up for short reads. I read a little two or three page blurb before bed and it has validated me as a momma and remind me that "I am not the only one". Craker has a definite gift at conveying her humor, I can't wait to read another book by her!

Lorilee Craker's book is like a great conversation with a friend. She understands that moms need adult conversation. She knows mama is tired, but that she loves her job. I loved the short chapters - perfect for a life of constant interruptions! I have 3 boys under 4 years old, so reading big-girl books is a luxury I can't always afford...this one was like a breath of fresh air to remind me that I'm not crazy, my kids are normal (most of the time), and that you just have to laugh at this season of life. Loved it! (Get all her other books, too - you deserve it, mama.)

I recently received Lorilee Craker's book, Just Give Me a Little Piece of Quiet, as a freebie through my membership in MOPS (Mothers of Pre Schoolers.) I had thrown it on my nightstand, along with the 50 other good books I had planned to (hopefully) get to before my young children graduated from college. However, on one of those days where I wanted something to read that fell somewhere between People Magazine and "War and Peace", Craker's book fit the bill beautifully (and then some.) It quickly turned into one of those "I'll-read-just-one-more-chapter-then-go-to-bed" books for me! If you've read any version of the "Chicken Soup for the (Fill in the Blank's) Soul" series, you'll be familiar with the format. Quick, enjoyable vignettes that can be read individually, or, time permitting, in one long sitting. "Sixty mini retreats for a mom's soul" is how the content is presented, and retreats they are. If you're a mom in your mid to late 30's, you'll recognize many 1980's cultural references (the advent of "Friday Night Videos", and pretty boy glam band "Stryper", to name a few) that pepper Craker's writing. Throw in a healthy dose of parenting and friendship anecdotes and you will find yourself chuckling out loud. These are real world laughs that Paris Hilton's Hollywood antics in "People" cannot provide! What sets this book apart are the gentle mentions of and parallels to Scripture in every retreat. If you're looking for a Bible Study curriculum with in-depth analysis, cross-references of different Biblical translations, and a body of work that's heavy on Christian theology...keep looking. This isn't it. It's not supposed to be. But if you are looking for a gift (even for yourself) for that friend who could use a little uplifting "Mommy Time" reading break, would appreciate the musings of a Midwestern mom of three, and can identify with the "that-could-be-me!" stories, with a just a splash of Scripture, this is it. Get your hands on "Just Give Me a Little Piece of Quiet", head to the tub, and go on retreat!