FIX-HER-UPPER CHRISTMAS: Book Review & Giveaway

Have you got everything in order to celebrate Christmas? If life circumstances are negatively affecting your planning, your gathering, and maybe even your attitude, then you’ll want to check out FIX-HER-UPPER CHRISTMAS by Beth Duewel and Rhonda Rhea. This book review also includes a giveaway!

The Authors

Known as “the Fix-Her-Upper Chicks,” Beth Duewel and Rhonda Rhea have written three other books in the FIX-HER-UPPER series.

Duewel is a writer, speaker, and blogger at fix-her-upper.com. She and her husband live in Ohio. They have three grown children and one grandbaby.

Rhea is an award-winning humor columnist and author of eighteen books. She and her pastor/husband live in Missouri. They have five grown children and say they’re working on a “bumper crop of grandbabies.”

These women are passionate about Jesus Christ. Throw in each one’s passion for Christmas and incredible sense of humor and you’re in for a gift!

You may remember my review of another book from the FIX-HER-UPPER series: RECLAIM YOUR HAPPY SPACE. If you’ve read any of their books, you know their transparency will make you laugh and their insights will make you ponder.

The Contents of FIX-HER-UPPER CHRISTMAS

The authors took turns writing twenty-four chapters. The twenty-fifth chapter they wrote together. Each chapter begins with scripture and scripture is infused throughout the chapter. Bible translations used are the ESV, NLT, NIV, KJV, AMP, and The Message. Also, I noticed a few from the CSB and HCSB.

I’ll not share all of the chapter titles, but here are a few:

Have Yourself a Fixer-Upper Christmas ADVENT-ure

Up in My Brain There Arose Such a Clatter

What Happened Was We Had a Little Trouble with the Tree

Fruitcake—You Are What You Eat

Yet in Thy Dark Streets Shineth

Ho, Ho, Huh?

As you can see, the humor is there. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s all swirly twirly gumdrops. The humor helps us laugh at our own mishaps, misguided ways, and misunderstandings.

Then, there are meaty nuggets of wisdom to savor. The authors often explain the original Greek meaning of a word used in the scriptures to help us with our perspectives. They gently unwrap truths with biblical accuracy.

A Taste of the Sweet

Both authors are skilled writers. However, for this post, I chose to share with you a sweet taste of Rhonda Rhea’s humor. Perhaps it has a hint of bittersweet mixed in as well.

     Anyone else get weary of the crowds and the crazy and the considerable consumerism? How are we going to fix-her-upper that? I try to prepare myself for all that. Prepare, not pepper. Because I was not the one with the pepper spray. That wasn’t me. Though if it was you, I will not judge.

     I confess, though, the seemingly never-ending shopping season is a Santa-sized bag of troubles I’ve all too often experienced. And I inflicted it on myself. That was me.

     When my five kids were little I remember sometimes feeling my children thought my Christmas list was some sort of magic lamp. Make a wish, rub the list, and POOF! It’s under the tree. I might even remember one of them wishing for three more wishes.

     Every year I would resolve not to over-shop. Not to get sucked in. Not to be manipulated. I would be very determined . . . as I wrote all their “wishes” down on my long shopping list and headed out to the stores. As I headed out, mind you, for getting everything on the list. All of it. Like a bit of mom-chump. Incidentally, just to be somewhat responsible, I would try to limit myself to five or six hours of shopping per trip, but it usually took about that long just to find a parking spot.  

– Rhonda Rhea, Fixer-Her-Upper Christmas, excerpt from Ch. 5.

A Taste of the Savory

Later in the chapter, after putting things in perspective with God’s Word, Rhea adds:

     You might be interested to know that I eventually got a better handle on my wishy-washy- “wishy” ways. Yes, more presence. Fewer presents. We implemented a three-gift rule. Jesus got gold, frankincense and myrrh. Even the kids agreed they shouldn’t get more gifts than Jesus. We pared back (although I should probably confess here I totally rocked out the stockings). Most of the time, I shopped, spent, and stressed less. Would you believe the kids did NOT feel less loved?

Rhonda Rhea, Fixer-Her-Upper Christmas, excerpt from Ch. 5.

Each chapter ends with a prayer. This is the prayer for chapter five:

Father, be my one true consuming desire. Guard my heart and my mind even right now. I don’t want to let the temporary distract me from the eternal. How I thank You that You’ve made it possible through Your Son, Jesus Christ, for me to experience Your presence personally. Real and close and sweet. May the Christmas season make me more aware of the privilege and blessing of Your presence than ever. May Psalm 27:4 continually be my testimony. My mind-set and my heart-set: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.”

Recommendation & Giveaway

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The 142 pages are the perfect length for reading during this busy season. We are offered humorous and wise reminders of exactly what we need to celebrate Christmas.

I highly recommend this book to all Christian women. But also, this book would make an excellent gift for any woman. It is well portioned with tasteful humor and the fulfilling truth of God’s Word. The gospel is clearly presented.

You can order FIX-HER-UPPER CHRISTMAS here. Or, you may win my copy of the book! Since this book would be perfect reading prior to Christmas, this will be a quick turnaround. A winner will be randomly selected from this blog’s email subscriber list on Dec. 14, 2020. That’s the fastest giveaway I’ve ever hosted!

While we’re waiting for Christmas, I’d love to hear what you enjoy during this season. Will you share one or two things you love about Christmas in the comment section below?

Congratulations to Sandra L. from South Carolina! Your name was drawn as the winner of this book. I’ll be in touch about where I should mail it. Merry Christmas!