Thursday, April 25, 2013

Carry On, Warrior (and giveaway!)

I will be honest- when I originally saw this tour available, I skipped over it as soon as I saw that it was written by the creator of momastry.com. Not because I have anything against the website, but because I really hate mommy bloggers. I hate the "my kids are my life and it's always amazing and I am so blessed by Jesus" bloggers. I really would like them to show up at my house when I'm performing an enema on a seven year old while my five year old screams that I'm not spending time with him.

Like if I had a choice, I would chose an enema over Lego's.

But then I agreed I would do it and hot damn, I'm glad I did.

Carry On, Warrior - Glennon Doyle Melton
Carry On, Warrior

An inspirational, side-splittingly funny exploration of the power of living with love, forgiveness, and honesty.
In Carry On, Warrior, Glennon Doyle Melton shares new stories and the best-loved material from Momastery.com. She recounts her mistakes and triumphs with candor and humor, and gives language to our universal (yet often secret) experiences. She believes that by shedding our armor, we can stop hiding, competing, striving for the mirage of perfection, and making motherhood, marriage, and friendship harder by pretending they’re not hard. In this one woman trying to love herself and others, readers find a wise and witty friend who will inspire them to forgive their own imperfections, make the most of their gifts, and commit to small acts of love that will change the world.
 Carry On, Warrior features new material and selections from Momastery.com.

Largely, my gripe about other moms is that they aren't really honest. If you can't be honest with yourself that's a shame but to not be honest with the outside world is equally terrible. I have, to the chagrin of my extended family, been honest on my blog to the point where it is embarrassing for them. They feel upset with me and they don't understand it. But you understand it, because you are maybe like me. Immediately what won me was a little paragraph towards the beginning that made me say YES, Glennon is my kind of girl. 

"After reading a few of my essays, my dad, Bubba, called and said, 'Glennon. Don't you think there are some things you should take to the grave?' I thought hard for a moment and said, 'No. I really don't. That sounds horrible to me. I don't want to take anything to the grave. I want to die used up and emptied out. I don't want to carry around anything that I don't have to. I want to travel light."

And it just felt... good. It felt good to have someone else see it exactly as I do. Sure, some things I have to say maybe are embarrassing for someone else, or it makes them feel a certain way. But it's not really for me to worry about, is it? That means they have things they need to work through and it can't be my fault. I can't worry about that. So as I get older, I am getting closer and closer to dealing with things from my childhood that I know hinder me in some way as an adult. Slowly, I am getting there. 

But another theme through the book is how moms especially, feel a certain stigma about being honest. You know what, parenthood sometimes really sucks. And it's OK to say that. It doesn't make you a bad mother. Sometimes it is really hard to keep up appearances and be a really great mom, wife, friend, whatever. It's really hard to juggle it all and I am a poster child for that. Glennon struggled with addiction and other things during her younger years so she literally fell into motherhood completely not ready and anyone can appreciate that would be difficult. And one day in the park she decided to fuck it all, and she told another mom all of these things. Not only was it freeing to Glennon, but to the other mom as well. And think of how free you would feel if you just let it all go. Be honest. Live in the moment and not be worried about other people's perceptions of you. 

It would be momentous. 

Basically, I am telling you that as a vagina card carrying woman, you need this book. If you are a mother in any degree, you need this book. It does have a vein of religion in it which isn't my thing at all, but it's OK. I was able to pull enough out of it to overlook it. It's really just refreshing to read. It's not quite self help, but it's a memoir... kind of. Frankly, I don't know where you would peg this book but it's good nonetheless. And it also shows how no matter how put together you see a person, it's maybe hiding something totally different. 

GIVEAWAY TIME!
To win a copy of this book (US/Canada only), there are only two rules: 
1. Leave me a comment on this post with your email address
2. Follow this blog using Bloglovin (link below)
Good luck! 
Follow on Bloglovin

4 comments:

Tales of a Misfit Housewife said...

Because I want new books, and parenting does often suck...
jessicadaley7795@gmail.com
Thanks lambwhore leader!

Life Love & High Heels said...

BAM. I followed you on bloglovin even though you were already in my feed there ;)

I would super love this book. Right now I'm totally in that place of being open & honest about feelings & experiences & just not giving a damn what others think. Live your life & be happy! So this sounds right up my alley even though I'm not a parent ;)

Anonymous said...

Wow, I'm glad you decided to give this book a chance - sounds like it was PERFECT for you!

Thanks for being a part of the tour.

Steff said...

Of course I follow already!

srprideau@gmail.com