When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister? [Paperback]

Mary Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2007

'Right foot, red!' Bad hair day. 'Left hand, yellow!' You're caught in a traffic jam---or a tragedy. Once upon a time you had the game of life all planned. Your dreams would come true and everyone would live happily ever after. So when did life become a game of Twister? Someone else is spinning the dial, calling the shots ... and today, hassles and heartaches have you twisted like a pretzel physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Ouch! Take a time-out from all your running, working, caring, and trying to keep it all together, and sit down for a grin break that will help untwist you. Mary Pierce offers laughter and wisdom for women everywhere. God cares about all of us who are trapped in the Twister game of life. He cares about you. And he wants to give you a better outlook and new moves that will free you up inside and out. Includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

'Right foot, red!' Bad hair day. 'Left hand, yellow!' You're caught in a traffic jam---or a tragedy. Once upon a time you had the game of life all planned. Your dreams would come true and everyone would live happily ever after. So when did life become a game of Twister? Someone else is spinning the dial, calling the shots ... and today, hassles and heartaches have you twisted like a pretzel physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Ouch! Take a time-out from all your running, working, caring, and trying to keep it all together, and sit down for a grin break that will help untwist you. Mary Pierce offers laughter and wisdom for women everywhere. God cares about all of us who are trapped in the Twister game of life. He cares about you. And he wants to give you a better outlook and new moves that will free you up inside and out. Includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Mary Pierce (www.laughlady.com) is a humorist and author, writing humor for Focus on the Family, Quality of Life Times, and other publications. Her books with Zondervan include: Confessions of a Prayer Wimp and When Did I Stop Being Barbie and Become Mrs. Potato Head?. An entertaining keynote speaker, Mary's been sharing laughs with community, church, and retreat audiences since 1996, and has co-hosted a monthly radio program. She and her husband, Terry, live in Wisconsin, where she dreams of getting her act together...someday.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (October 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310272378
• ISBN-13: 978-0310272373
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,006,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Pierce (www.laughlady.com) is a humorist and author, writing humor for Focus on the Family, Quality of Life Times, and other publications. Her books with Zondervan include: Confessions of a Prayer Wimp and When Did I Stop Being Barbie and Become Mrs. Potato Head?. An entertaining keynote speaker, Mary's been sharing laughs with community, church, and retreat audiences since 1996, and has co-hosted a monthly radio program. She and her husband, Terry, live in Wisconsin, where she dreams of getting her act together...someday.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Untangling Life, November 17, 2007

By 

Cynthia Ruchti "Hope that glows in the dark" (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister? (Paperback)

"Twister" is not only fun, over-the-top delightful, and an easy read, but it is Important. The term "Important" came to me like a voice from heaven. This is an important work. Mary Pierce's writing is an amazing blend of humor, vulnerability, insight, reality-check writing, and faith. All are communicated well in this book. I think it was Derek Prince who once said that if you get an audience laughing, you can sock them in the teeth and they'll keep smiling. Mary's laugh-a-minute stories turn corners and "pierce" the heart with their deep wisdom. We live in a tangled world. These pages help direct the reader through the process of untangling, smiling all the way.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Devotional insights cleverly disguised, July 31, 2008

By 

Jennifer Bogart "@ Quiverfullfamily.com" (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister? (Paperback)

Hey - I thought this was a humour title! The categorization provided on the back of the book is somewhat more accurate: Religion/Christian Life/Women's Issues. If I were providing categorization I would include Devotional as an apt description. Author Mary Pierce examines the many twists and turns that women experience throughout life, comparing them with a game of "Twister" where the players eventually find themselves wound into knots. When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister? is divided into 23 devotional-length chapters. Studies from Pierce's own life are cleverly tied together to illustrate a theme in each chapter; points to ponder (study questions) are provided at the end of the chapter to provide further delving and the devotional aspect of this title. While each chapter can be read rapidly, making this a quick read, the insights shared will benefit from a deeper, slower re-reading while working through the questions.

As I mentioned, much emphasis has been placed upon Pierce's comedic abilities. While I appreciated her brutal honesty and the insights she shared into her own life, I didn't laugh often. There was the odd chuckle and snicker, but humour is not the strength or lifeblood of this title. Perhaps if I were a more "typical" woman I would have been more amused. I couldn't commiserate with Pierce's nightly facial cleansing rituals and other elaborate personal care rituals -- makeup, manicures etc. -- because I don't participate in these sorts of activities. What I could relate to though were her struggles, her doubts and her fears, her feeling that some days she might lose it. Haven't we all been there? I could definitely relate to her needing a new "ati-toot" as then preschool aged daughter phrased it. I know I have moments when I need a new "ati-toot" as well, don't we all! It is her all too real and relevant issues that are shared from struggles that we can relate to. Many of her weaknesses and failings are those that I myself share and need to work through.

Through her own aggressive soul-baring we can see that in some cases Pierce has been too hasty to go her own way rather than listening to Jesus on the important decisions in life - a common human failing we are all guilty of at times. She is at times too quick to suggest decisions that the Bible does not support, such as divorce. When dispensing Christian advice I feel a more conservative, preventative approach would be better rather than simply recommending, "get out."

Pierce provides a valuable decision making process/life issues worksheet that I am hanging on to for future study and reference. She emphasizes the importance of turning to scripture and to Jesus to help us resolve our difficulties, to give us guidance and direction. I believe that this guideline for working through our "stuff" is worth the purchase price of the book alone, providing a clear and concrete method of examining our situation and seeking a way through it - untwisting us, as it were.

On first glance When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister appears light and fluffy with little substance, but don't let appearances fool you. While I was drawn in by the casual and carefree approach I soon find myself learning from a woman who has been there, and done that. I wonder if Pierce carefully planned this reverse mirage effect. It looks as though nothing is there, but when you get closer you find a wealth of rich insight carefully hidden within the pages.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top notch devotional for real women tied up in knots, June 30, 2008

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister? (Paperback)

When Did My Life Become a Game of Twister by Mary Pierce is a funny, brutally honest look at one woman's life and faith. Pierce is just like the rest of us: stressed out, running on empty, and wondering what happened to the life that she had planned. But she has hope for us all: a sense of humor and good relationship with God can get you through even the toughest spots. Again and again during the course of reading, I found her writing about just what was going on in my life or saying just what I needed to hear. She doesn't pull in punches with the reader or herself. Her story includes some pretty difficult stuff. One of the things I loved best about Pierce and this book is that she doesn't pretend that she's found a magic solution and will never struggle again. Sometimes having faith is hard, and it's easy to forget about leaning on the Lord in the hard times. Pierce comes across as real and open, definitely someone you'd love to sit down and have a cup of coffee with and never worry about having to censor your soul. I passed this book on to a friend; buy it for yourself and do the same, you'll both be blessed!