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Chocolate for a Mother's Heart: Inspiring Stories That Celebrate the Spirit of Motherhood

1 rating: 5.0

A book

A timely addition to the bestselling "chocolate" series that has won the hearts of women throughout the country, this collection of 50 heartwarming stories captures the joys, pains, and adventures of motherhood.

Tags: Books, Cafe Libri, Family & Relationships, Selfhelp, Fiction Themes

Genre: Fiction Themes, Self-Help, Family & Relationships

Publisher: Fireside

Date Published: May 06, 1999

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My Two Favorite Topics: Mother and Chocolates!

May 21, 2001

by Dunkjam
posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

Rating:

Pros: Nuturing and inspirational stories of motherhood!

Cons: None.

The Bottom Line: Great short stories that enlighten your heart and give you encouragement!

This book, "Chocolate For A Mother's Heart" written by Kay Allenbaugh, was a Mother's Day gift from my daughter, Heather! She writes of a collection of short stories, usually about four pages in length, that are selected to lift our spirits and encourage us to laugh at ourselves!

Right at the beginning of her book, Kay describes mothers as teachers, friends, chauffeurs, cooks, nurses, stage managers, career counselors, and safe havens. This book is not just for mothers, but for any one with a motherly nature, to help inspire, empower and delight you!

Kay Allenbaugh divides her short stories into five categories listed below:

1.Milk and Cookies
2.Moms Know Best
3.The Intuitive Edge
4.Divinely Sent
5.Between Us Girls

Kay has collected heartwarming stories throughout the country! One of my favorite short stories under the "Milk and Cookies" section is "The Rare Mongolian Rabbit" by Maureen Nunn. This story reveals a family and trials and hard times they had to face while their father lost his job when the company phased out his position. It talks about how the mother would go to her usual supermarket and tried to purchase fruits and vegetables that were overly ripe or outdated. She encountered a young box boy that was packing the outdated supplies. The mother was too proud to ask for handouts, so she asked the young man if she could purchase the outdated fruits and veggies for her "Mongolian rabbit". So this young box boy had her a box of produce available every week when she would come in and sent it to her rabbit. As the story unfolds, the mother found other things in her box of rabbit food, like outdated or damaged items of peanut butter, soup, cheese, etc. Why sometimes there was even laundry powder, milk, juice and butter in the box! Eventually the husband found a job and the box boy grew up and left the store. If you would like to learn what happened to this wonderful and kind young box boy, you will have to read the story!

Another great story is titled "A Long Way From Home" written by Joan Roelke. This short story is about a cat named Snoonie and the love he had for his family. There are so many short stories in here, that I will not be able to discuss them all.

There are also some meaningful statements that are quoted in this book. Oprah Winfrey said,"Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother." Erma Bombeck states a humorous quote,"My mother phones daily to ask, "Did you just try to reach me?" When I reply, "no," she adds,"So, if you're not too busy, call me while I'm still alive," and hangs up!

Another favorite short story is titled "The I Am's" by Joy Boyd. Instead of the regular spankings that did not seem to change her son's behavior, Joy sat her son down and had him repeat the following:

I am smart
I am talented
I am creative
I am trustworthy
I am loyal
I am truthful
I am athletic
I am loving
I am kind
I am brilliant
I am skillful
I am honest, and most of all
I am beautiful

By saying these phrases during his childhood, it gave he son, belief in himself and a positive attitude. Joy is now using the same technique with her two younger children.

One of the stories in the third section labeled "The Intuitive Edge, a mother tells the story of how her instincts pulled her outside and her adrenaline took over as she saved her child's life as he had climbed on a chair and followed his father up on the roof top without his father's knowledge!

This book offers many more short stories that will make you reflect on things that may have happened in your own life. Since the stories are very short, you may read at your own pace and linger longer on the stories that inspire you!

My daughter gave me this book as a Mother Day's gift and I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys humor, warmth, and heartfelt stories. This book has 127 pages of pure entertainment. The author, Kay Allenbaugh, invites anyone that would like to contribute to her future projects to send her your special story for consideration. If she uses your story, you will be listed as the contributing author with a one time honorarium fee including a biographical paragraph about you!

If you are interested in learning more you can contact her at her web site
http://www.chocolateforwomen.com

I hope that if you purchase this book, that you will enjoy the short stories as much as I have! This really is a great book to help celebrate the spirit of motherhood!

Recommended:
Yes

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