The weather is changing here in Georgia. It’s becoming cooler, and tonight it was breezy outside, so I could almost imagine I was sitting out near the ocean. I was petting one of our cats, and I realized a slow evolution has taken place at our house: we’ve become cat people.

I didn’t have a cat growing up. Our family had one dog most of my childhood, along with an assortment of caged feathery and furry creatures and, for a while, a horse. We did acquire one stray cat during my high school years.

Now, we’ve discovered cats to be good pets for kids. They’re pretty low maintenance if you have to go out of town for a day or so. Our cats stay outside and spend most of their days hunting mice or sleeping on the porch. We have three permanent feline pets, and one who drops in on the weekends smelling like perfume. We’re not sure where she spends her week.

Last summer, two of our cats had litters, and it was my job to find homes for 11 kittens. It was an enlightening experience for me. One lady called several times and wanted to talk about her old cat that had recently passed away. She told me story after story, and I could tell she was really grieving. Thankfully, she adopted one of ours, and I hope she’s beginning a new happy chapter of her life.

The other people who adopted our kittens routinely call us and tell us how spoiled they are, and what they’re getting into. Just like they’re describing children. “You won’t believe what Merlin and Lancelot did today,” my cousin told me. “They’re just breaking all the rules and climbing into the silver punch bowl in the dining room. Can you believe that?”

I checked, and we’re not alone in our cat ownership. According to a United Press statistic, 34% of American households claim to own a cat. That means people in nearly 100 million homes are petting a cat today.

In our extended family, all of our siblings own cats. And both sets of our parents own cats. Altogether, that’s at least a dozen.

Underneath our porch we have four new kittens. I know what you’re thinking. OK! I told everyone that as soon as my son started preschool I would take the cat mamas to the vet to prevent future litters. But it was too late. Now, I’ll soon be starting the process again of finding new homes.

Since it’s October, maybe these kittens will make perfect Christmas presents for someone. They’re adorable and of course kid-friendly. Any takers?

My husband’s parents have bought an old cabin and are in process of moving it a few miles down the road to the family farm. It’s a rustic-looking homeplace with a tin roof and deep porches, built around 1870 by a man who’d returned from fighting in the Civil War.

Last night, we went to look at the grassy spot where the cabin will rest. There were eleven of us, all walking around, imagining what the cabin will look like…where the driveway will come in and which way the porches will face. We could hear the creek gurgling nearby, and a V-shaped flock of geese flew over us.

“I like it out here,” my sister-in-law said. “It’s going to be really dark at night, so you can see the stars.”

I have to say, seeing stars is one of the best advantages of living out in the country. Our bedtime skies are pitch black, studded with brilliance. When we returned home, we stood in our own driveway, staring up at the night. We could see the white swirl of the Milky Way overhead. The kids all danced underneath the October sky, enjoying the cool air and display of lights.

How about you? Can you see the stars at night from where you live? Do you take the time to look up at them? A missionary, Jim Elliot, once noticed the stars and took the time to write down these words:

Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on Earth! I care not if I never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him. Mayhap in mercy He shall give me a host of children that I may lead them through the vast star fields to explore His delicacies whose finger ends set them to burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, touch His garments, smile into His eyes — ah then, not stars nor children shall matter, only Himself.

Jim Elliot lived from 1927-1956, dying at the hands of the Auca Indians in South America, the people group he was sent to serve. His wife, Elisabeth Elliot, went on to become a well-known writer. I’m thankful Mr. Elliot took the time to record his words because I thought about them last night as I watched our “host of children” enjoying the stars.

My two-year-old sang at the top of his lungs, “Jesus loves me! This I know! For the Bible tells me so!” This is all I can do as a parent — teach my children that yes, Jesus loves them. Nothing — nothing at all — gives me greater purpose.

I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that I’m starting a new book club this week! It has been a couple of years since I’ve been able to join a group. We’re going to meet at a church and study a new Beth Moore book. I don’t know which one yet, but all I have to do is show up with $12, and someone’s already ordered me a book. And the absolute BEST part? Free childcare. My infant daughter will be taken care of while I sit and chat with ladies about grown-up things!

So, I started thinking – what is it that makes a good book club? I know there are a lot of you ladies out there who enjoy your book clubs. Why? And what are you reading?

Here’s a quick list of Eight Ways to Create a Great Women’s Book Club:

1. Have a purpose.
Why is your club meeting? Are you just trying to get friends together, and a book is a good excuse? Or do you need some intellectual stimulation or parenting ideas? Knowing why you’re getting together will help you pick out the best book. For example, this will make a difference as to whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction.

2. Pick a great book!
This is key to your group’s success. Maybe you’ll have a core group of members submit ideas of their favorites, and you can all vote. Or pick out something new and exciting you hear about!

3. Publicize your group.
Decide if you want your group open to new members and brainstorm ways to help women know about it. Put ads in your church bulletin or local newspaper. Call lists of organizations. If you’re really wanting to reach out to people, a book club is a great way to expand your women’s ministry.

4. What time will you meet?
If you meet in the daytime, you’ll be excluding the women who work outside of their homes, unless they can come during their lunch hour. If you meet in the evening, I suggest NOT holding it during the dinnertime hours of 5-7 pm. That’s when everything meets these days, and it’s so hard for moms to get a good meal on the table when everyone’s running out the door. I was in a nighttime group that met at 8 pm, which was convenient for women who could leave their children home with their husbands.

5. Location, location, location.
Where will your group meet? It’s always nice to have a home-like setting. If you can’t meet in someone’s home, be thinking of how you can make the group informal. I’ve been in groups that met in a church, as well as people’s homes. It’s important that people who are a little shy (like me) have an opportunity to feel comfortable.

6. Childcare.
I almost put this as number one. The book clubs I’ve belonged to in the daytime ALWAYS provide some kind of childcare. In fact, that’s why I’ve gone! It’s such a relief not to deal with the hassle of finding someone to babysit. Plus, many mothers are foregoing their incomes to stay home, so the expense of babysitting may prevent them from being able to come. My favorite book club was a group where we dropped off our children at one house (where we all pitched in to pay for babysitters), and went down the street to another house for coffee and book discussion. It was fun for the kids and a blast for the moms. (Oh, I miss that group! We’ve since moved away from that area.)

Don’t forget homeschoolers! I’m convinced there’s no more difficult job in the world than being a homeschooling mom. These ladies sacrifice so much to stay home and teach their children, and they need fellowship and encouragement. One church book club I was in provided a homeschool room where kids brought their books and schoolwork to complete while the moms went to the book club. The paid worker was a college student who enjoyed making sure the students got their work done, and they also got some playground time.

7. Fellowship opportunities outside the group.
Be sure you provide ways for the club members to get together on a regular basis outside of the group. One group I was in went to Burger King immediately afterward, so we could talk while our kids played on the playground.

8. Small-group time.
Lastly, if the group is larger than about ten people, be sure and allow a time where you can break into smaller groups for discussion. This also offers a great chance to share prayer requests and more personal needs.

A new trend today is online book clubs. I know Today’s Christian Woman has one, which might be good for women who just don’t have a minute to join a local group.

Thanks for stopping by!

First of all, you don’t have to be a mom to come on in and visit. What I’m interested in is hearing your views and opinions on topics that relate to families. We may not all have the same backgrounds or lifestyles, but when it comes to children, we have an incredible amount in common.

I’d love for this to be a forum where it’s not just my voice you’re reading. So, I’ll be looking out for interesting ideas and opinions to share with you. My passion is to encourage and inspire others through helping them connect to what they need. I’ll be updating frequently, so check back in when you can!