This week’s Sunday reading is I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen by Kate Strickler.
I actually bought this book without realizing it was a Christian book, so I had no idea I would end up sharing it in my Sunday Reading series.
I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen is by Kate Strickler, who is also known at the founder of Naptime Kitchen.
The subtitle of this book, “And Other Lies I think Will Make Me Happy,” fits it perfectly.
Each chapter in this book addresses a different want that many of us, especially women, struggle with in our modern, social media-driven world.
I am not a loyal follower of Naptime Kitchen, but I have been a food blogger and recipe developer at Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures since 2008, so I definitely know who Kate Strickler is and have been to her website many times.
This book really surprised me in so many ways.
I have read quite a few books by bloggers and influencers over the years. I have found most of them to be lacking, especially in their writing. Just because you can write on a blog or on social media does not mean that your writing will translate well to a book.
I think a lot of books by bloggers and influencers are written because they have such big followings and influence, not because they can write or have anything particularly insightful to share.
I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen is the exact opposite of most of the books by bloggers and influencers that I have read. This book totally surprised me in a good way. I thought Kate had some great tips to share about wanting more and being happy with where we are.
I also wasn’t expecting much from this book because Kate and I are at very different stages of life. My kids are grown and out of the house, with lives and careers of their own. Kate on the other hand, is in the thick of motherhood with four kids at home.
And yet, Kate reminded me of the importance of embracing each stage of life without comparing our lives to others.
As a middle-aged mom, I can’t say it was deep wisdom or theology for me, but it was full of gentle reminders of things that we all struggle with and deal with.
I wish I had a bigger kitchen or house.
I wish I were a better friend.
I wish I had more money.
I wish I looked better.
And the list goes on.
We are constantly wanting more.
There are times when we might need to manage our time better or improve our health, which can improve how we look and feel. There are times when we need to evaluate where we are in life, but in general, when we aren’t happy with where we are and what we have, it is because we are comparing our lives to others’.
When I was younger and raising my kids, social media was new. It was a totally different social media from what we have now.
As a young mom, I struggled with contentment. I can’t imagine how much more I would struggle now if I were a mom, with young kids, constantly faced with social media and the perfection that it portrays.
I am glad for the reminders that Kate Strickler gave me in her book, I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen. If I were a mom with young kids now, I think I would benefit even more from this book and from Kate’s honesty about not always wanting more.
If you struggle with social media and constantly want more because of the perfect world of beautiful homes, trendy clothes, and perfectly plated meals that it promotes, I think you might find some helpful reminders in this book.