My Scrappy Life

Twelve on the Twelfth: February 2012

2012-02-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

For the second month in a row, I jumped on the "Take 12 on the 12th" bandwagon, and set out on Sunday to take 12 photos that represented a typical Sunday.

Since I am a children's pastor, I thought it would be kind of fun to take "representative" photos of my day.

Well you can look at the results in two ways - 1) I was really busy and took a lot of photos or 2) I really "failed" the assignment because I took 32 photos (and since several are collabs, the number is actually closer to 50).

Lots of photos. I could probably "cut" a few, but since I wanted to document my day....well.... this is me, glitches and all.

As my dad would say, morning comes "awfully' early" on Sunday.
I actually got up at 6:30 a.m.
- but wasn't awake enough for a few minutes.

Burr...baby it's cold outside. The prediction of the "s" word (snow)
means the kiddos are a wee bit crazy

A February Self Portrait

What I put in the mail to mom today - no, it's not a Valentine
I found a "missing" Mother's Day Card in my car....
I really thought I mailed this....oh well.
Yes mom, it's in the mail.....surprise!

Look what arrived in my box - yea, a new book by a writing friend.
I find it ironic that tonight's MAD+ lesson on Patient revolves around
the story of Sarah and Abraham.

A new sign above my office door. Sometime in the last few days,
this appeared above my door - Wahoo!

One of my Sunday duties includes putting the attendance folders
in each classroom - and moving the carts into the
younger elementary classes (preschool to first grade).

My first Valentine of 2012: From Gabi and Micah.
Micah didn't want to be in the picture. Gabi made me a trinket box,
and the both gave me a "share of trees" through Heifer International.

Through the looking glass: A glimpse of the fourth grade class.
the last two weeks, we've had a "helper":but no teacher - so the
students have decided they can lead the lesson. It's worked so well,
I've "scheduled" pairs of girls for the next two weeks.
(the boys were offered a chance to teach,
but they don't want the responsibility)

I'm kind of excited to see how this continues. I'm excited that the kids
take initiative and be part of their learning experience.

Organizing the lesson for MAD+. I'm keeping the main lesson, but
changed some of the activities to be "Valentine's related."

I'm learning how to "step out of the box" and try to make the
lesson fit the "DNA" of my students. Maybe it's not so much
"learning" as giving myself permission to try other things.

Shopping the closet to find supplies for MAD+'s lesson.
I wish the closet was organized. It was...but people keep "cleaning"
other closets and putting the excess in my closet. I'm now calling it
the abyss because it's sooooo cluttered.

Two of the girls who make me smile, Emily and Kaitlyn.
Each of these girls have qualities that make my heart sing.
I'm so blessed to have them be part of my life and my ministry.

Poor Philip. I exercised my privilege as a children's pastor to
"embarrass" him - and sing Happy Birthday to him in
front of his class. I told the other kiddos that I freely
reserve the right to embarrass them at least once a year.

Passing out fliers of upcoming activities. Trying to not only
email or post info about events, but also going a bit "old school"
and passing out fliers in each Sunday School class.

Worship. I went to VE and ended up in the sound booth for a moment
and caught a glimpse of Katie dancing with Spenser on the monitor.

Lunch: I have a love/hate relationship with Mexican food.
I love it, but it doesn't always love me. Took a chance - it will
be a while before I eat it again. Oh well.

Had to pick up a few things for MAD+ and realized I hadn't thought
about Valentines for my kiddos. Bought Muppet cards for MAD+
and candy (to go with the iPhone treats I printed off) for Tween Time.
A few treats for the special kiddos in my life.

You can't see it well - but I sent home and watched Netflix while
I worked on Valentines and watched TV. It was a brief "rest" in
the middle of my busy day.

Scratch Off Valentines. Decided to make cards in MAD+.
Since it was Valentine's, we had silver, red or pink paint
to choose from. Why stop with just silver?

Playing the HA HA Game - because Sarah Laughed in our story.
It didn't work quite like I remembered from
my own youth group days. Oh well. The kids had fun.

Can you unwrap a Hersey Kiss with one hand? Micah, Landon
and Rachel were the first to show it is possible.

A fun lesson in Patience. They had to be patient and keep working
to open the "kiss".... but the reward was getting to eat chocolate!

Another lesson in patience. Playing Cupid's Arrow.
(A fuller post will follow outlining the game).

Found the idea on line, and let the kids play.
(You have to have patience to try to hit the baskets
with your arrows - the Qtips!)

A quick Facebook update before heading home.
Everyone is predicting bad weather tomorrow.

The church mouse got fed. Ran by to ask Marcia a
question at youth snack supper and they had left overs...
So I ate! Yum Yum.

My second home. I really meant to take a pic of the church during
the daytime, but I got busy and forgot - so here's a snap
on my way out of the parking lot.

The forecast that caused the kids to be CRAZY tonight
at MAD+ and Choir.

Stopping to get gas on the way home.
Yes, my mom will see this and say "you aren't keeping the
top half of your tank full."

I look at it and remember, that at one point in life, this would have just cost me $11.42. Oh to have gas below $3 (or $2) again.

Making a cup of hot tea after a long day.
I realized today, that I probably use this at least once a day.
I'll either use t-bags or k-cups, but regardless, it's the
Christmas present I told my family I didn't want, and the
present I use almost every day. So I guess they were right
to ignore what I said and get it for me anyway.

Updating the kidz ministry blog from home, to let Upward basketball
families know the "plan" should we have a snow day on Monday.

Updating my own blog. So far this year, I've managed to
have a post per day. Some are blog tour reviews, but others are
just my ramblings. It's making me write - or at least be creative.

Maybe this is a way to rest - because it makes me
stop and do something I enjoy!

Updating my "Project 365" photos for February.
I've figured out how to edit the text - so when I print off the
photobook pdf thru the app.

This is just a fun way to document my day - and again
make me stop and rest through a creative outlet.

Last thing for the day - trying to read from the Bible
using the YouVersion app. I'm taking the 21 day challenge
trying to read each day.

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Credits: Love You Forever by Little Dreamer Designs

Have a happy (hoppy) Valentine's Day

Blog Tour: The Wedding Kiss (Review & Q&A)

2012-02-13T14:54:00.000-06:00

What happens when a kiss between a new husband and wife turns a "practical" wedding venture into something else?

That's exactly the dilemma that Keara and Elam Jensen face when the kiss shared on their wedding day turns their decision marry for "non-romantic" reasons on its head.

The Wedding Kiss, set in Eureka Springs, Ark., is a sweet tale, filled with love, kindness and a twist of suspense - which Hannah Alexander is known for in their novels.

The novel opens with Keara needing to marry her friend Elam out of convenience - she needs a place to live - after her father loses the farm. He also needs someone to care for his children following his wife Gloria's death.

At first it seems like the perfect solution. Then an unexpected visitor (Gloria's sister) and the mysterious happenings in the countryside help Keara and Elam take a deeper look at their friendship - and ultimately - love.

I really liked The Wedding Kiss (and not just because I call Hannah Alexander - a.k.a. Cheryl Hodde a friend.) It's a nice story that weaves together love, suspense and a bit of Arkansas history.

The characters are vividly drawn - so you feel like they could literally walk off the pages. You'll find yourself cheering for Keara and Elem as their relationship deepens and becomes stronger - through adversity and trials. It will also make you slow down and savor the storyline as you dive into life in turn of the century Eureka Springs.

In all, picking up this book is like meeting a friend for coffee. It's warm, cozy and will leave you feeling happy at the end.

I give this book a solid four out of five. If you are looking for a nice "snowy day" read, then pick up The Wedding Kiss.

A Q&A With Hannah Alexander
1) Why a book set outside of Eureka Springs? What do you like about this setting?
I have been taking day trips to Eureka Springs for over thirty years. It is, literally, a small town on a hillside, with curving roads and horse-drawn buggies and Victorian homes.

Enchanting, with gardens and springs all over the town. I love the beauty of this place, which, in the setting of the book, was one of the three largest cities in Arkansas.

2) Why this time period?
This particular time period was when the railroad extended on from Eureka Springs, and therefore they had more conflict at that time. Books work on conflict.

3) Why do you like to write historical novels?
I love traveling back in time to get away from the stress of the day. I know there was stress during every time in history, but when folks talk about the "good old days" they feel more peaceful.

I feel more peaceful when I think about days in the past when I didn't have to answer the phone or keep up with all my deadlines. Of course, I might not have been a writer then, I might have been an explorer, or I might have taken a train west. Who knows? So many things to dream about.

4) How did you decide to turn Keara's idea of a "practical" wedding/marriage into something else?
When two good, kindhearted people who both dearly love the children and the mother who bore them, are placed together every day to keep a household going, they have enough in common for true love to develop between them. Besides, seeing Elam's devotion to his dead wife made Keara fall in love with him.

5) What is the one thing you hope readers take away from this novel?
True beauty comes from a heart of kindness and compassion, not from the clothing a woman wears or pretentious social skills.

6) Who is your favorite character and why?
That's a difficult choice. I began writing the book with Keara's difficult situation in mind, driven by her love for her best friend's children. Her love for those children was what gave her the courage to ask Elam to marry her. And Elam's compassion for her, and his desire for her to find true love in a real marriage were his reason for turning her down.

Both made their decisions out of compassion for one another. Of course, Susanna was the one who risked her life to save hundreds from genocide. She, too, was driven by compassion for others. In the end, though, I believe Keara is the character with whom I most identified.

7) What do you like most about this book?
I love to write about horses, so that was the easy part to write for me.

8) What's next for Hannah Alexander?
On March 1, Hannah Alexander will release their latest novel, Eye of the Storm, published by Love Inspired Suspense. Read an online except here. Find Eye of the Storm at Amazon.com

9) Anything else you want to add?
I would love to tell everyone how we met, Kaylea. You came to one of my speaking engagements at a local library, where you were researching the path of the 2004 tornado that destroyed our hometown, Pierce City. We really hit it off and saw each other at several meetings afterward, and have kept in touch--though not as much as we would like--ever since. Blessings to you!

More About The Book
A kiss can be life-changing. When Keara and Elam Jensen share their first kiss on their wedding day, a marriage of convenience becomes much less convenient! It also becomes more than they expected when God shows them what He really has in store for their lives.

Will their mysteriously injured visitor ruin their future, or will her influence—and her personal battle—draw them into deadly danger?

Visit Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in 1901, and discover for yourself what excitement and romance await along the White River Hollow.

More About The Authors

Hannah Alexander is the pen name for the writing collaboration of Cheryl and Mel Hodde. They chose the name "Hannah Alexander" to incorporate their two names into one.

They have read that Hannah means "her hope is in the Lord," and Alexander means, "servant of mankind."

Mel and Cheryl live in the Missouri Ozarks, where they like to set the majority of their books.

Online Resources

Find out more online @ http://www.hannahalexander.com

Buy The Wedding Kiss @ Amazon

Find out more about The Wedding Kiss on Facebook

Follow Hannah Alexander on Facebook

Read an online excerpt of The Wedding Kiss

Note: As a freelance journalist, I am often provided a copy of books for review. However I purchased this book gladly at Barnes & Noble. I will say that I consider Cheryl Hodde to be a good friend, but this review was not influenced by that friendship - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Sunday Thoughts: Snow Day

2012-02-12T20:33:00.000-06:00

Snow & Ice on the side of First UMC - Siloam Springs Feb. 2010

In honor of the students I work with - because there's a chance for a snow day tomorrow....

Four steps to guarantee a snow day (the youth were discussing it at supper and I found them online)

Put your pajamas on inside out (bonus points if your pajamas have feet).
Brush you teeth with the opposite hand (harder than it sounds).
Flush a minimum of 6 ice cubes down the toilet (cubes… not crushed ice… another common mistake).
Sleep with a spoon under your pillow (don’t ask me why, just do it).

Source: http://www.principalspage.com

A Few Quotes In Honor Of The Potential Snow Day

A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water ~ Carl Reiner

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? ~ J.B. Priestley

When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old. ~ Lady Bird Johnson

Snowflakes are kisses from heaven. ~ Author Unknown

Snowmen fall from heaven... unassembled. ~ Author Unknown

When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels. ~ Author Unknown

Valentine's Day Craft: (pt. 2) Scratch Off Valentines

2012-02-11T18:33:00.001-06:00

Question: How do you keep boys entertained during a Valentine's Day craft project?

Answer: "Boy-a-fy" the project.

Today's project was brought to you by some really cool mom volunteers who decided to come up with "boy-a-fied" craft projects for our district tween event.

Valentine's Vomit & Scratch Off Valentine's Day Cards.

Part one told how to make the "Valentine Vomit."
You can find that post here.

In part two of this project,
we make the "Scratch Off" Valentine Cards.

Note: this isn't an original idea - in fact a quick survey of Pinterest shows how you can use this in the classroom (click here for one idea I found!) I'm pretty sure the cards were inspired by Pinterest!

So here's how you can make really cool "scratch off"

(a.k.a. lottery style) Valentine's Day cards in four easy steps.

Step 1) Gather your supplies & make your "base card."

The Supplies: Clear dish soap & silver paint, paint brush, contact paper (and scissors to cut it to size) and your Valentine's Day card.

The Card: Create your "base" card. Make sure you leave a space for the hidden message.

In our case, the card read:

"I think you're a WINNER!

(Scratch here to reveal your prize!)

Below which, there was a rectangle approx. an inch tall by three inches long - for the hidden message.

Step 2) Write your message in the space you want them to "scratch off."

Here's a message one ornery girl wrote for her parents - got to love tween girls!

Step 3) Cover the "hidden message" with clear contact paper.

The clear contact paper "protects" your message - and gives you a way to "scratch it off without smearing the ink.

Step 4) Cover the contact paper with your paint/soap mixture. Basically two parts silver (metallic) paint to one part dish soap.

Repeat as necessary to make all of your cards! Lay them out to dry (they dried pretty fast!)

Valentine's Day Craft (pt. 1) - Fake Vomit

2012-02-10T14:43:00.000-06:00

Question: What do you do, when you have a tween gathering (from various churches) and want to make a Valentine's Day craft?

Answer: "Boy-a-fy" it!

Tonight (Friday) We had a gathering of tweens (a.k.a. fifth and sixth graders) from several district churches. We met at a central location, ate some yummy pizza, played a fun game - Grog - and created some care bags for a homeless ministry.

Of course, it wouldn't be a kid event without doing a craft or two. The moms in charge came up with some "boy-approved" Valentine's Day projects - Valentine's Vomit and Scratch-off Valentine's Day cards.

I know both of these ideas aren't original - but I was suitably impressed by the creativity and wanted to share the ooey-goey fun!

How to make the Valentine's Day Vomit in six simple steps!

Step 1) Gather your ingredients & supplies
Ingredients: Oatmeal, Rice Krispies, Spounges, Clear Elmer's Glue, Food Coloring (red or orange), and extra special ingredients - to make Valentine's Vomit, we used conversation hearts.

Supplies: A paper plate, bowl, spoon and plastic bag for each participant.

Oatmeal - the main ingredient

Rice Krispies - you'll just use a little!

Pieces of sponge - each child got one stick.

Clear Elmer's Glue with a hint of color - added by food coloring!

Step 2) Make the "Base" of your vomit.

Fill the bottom of a bowl with oatmeal. Add a "pinch" of Rice Krispies (Oats are the "main" filler for this project.)

Step 3) Add in the sponge and "extra ingredients"

The extra ingredients in this "mess" were conversation hearts - to give it that "Valentine's Day" charm.

Step 4) Cover the ingredients with glue.

Step 5) When it's "covered" and has enough to have a "wet" look (and be held together), pour it out onto the plastic bag (or you could use wax paper at home).

Step 6) Smooth it out onto the plastic bag (on the plate), so it can dry.

Nothing says "I love you" like fake vomit.

Happy Valentine's Day.
Tomorrow (Saturday) Part 2 - Scratch Off Valentine's Day Cards!

Blog Tour: Saving Hope (Review)

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Child prostitution, human trafficking and the dark side of humanity, are just a few of the issues Margaret Daley weaves into her newest release, Saving Hope, from Abingdon Press.

Through the eyes of a wounded young woman, a school director with a heart of gold and a brave Texas Ranger, Daley has created a story that is full of numerous twists and turns.

A bit "deeper" than Daley's offerings through other publishers, grabbed me at the beginning - and kept me engaged as I tried to figure out who was really the "bad guy."

I'll admit I suspected one person, only to find out he/she (not going to spoil it) was a victim as well.

If there's one thing I would have changed, I wish Daley would have had a bit more "closure" at the end. The book rushed to the conclusion with a crashing speed. When it was over, it was over. (But everything was resolved, so I guess, the good stuff was in the "chase.")

In all though, this was a fun read. The romance isn't too heavy - in fact it's more of a suspense novel, than romance. It shows the struggle that fathers have when relating to their daughters, the things people will do for a friend, the pain evil people can cause in the pursuit of greed and the strength that can be found through faith.

In all, it's a solid three and a half out of five. Saving Hope is set for a March 2012 release (but Amazon says it will be available as of Feb. 11. I'm going to enjoy checking out the next book in the series: Shattered Silence, set for an October 2012 release.

More About The Book
When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

About The Author
Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest.

Recently she has won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, Holt Medallion and the Barclay Gold Contest.

She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines.

Online Resources

Buy It At Cokesbury

Find it At Amazon

Grab it at Barnes & Noble

Check out Margaret Daley's Website

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Net Galley's blogger program. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Journaling My OLW: Rest

2012-02-08T22:38:00.004-06:00

Life is a great big canvas,

and you should throw all the paint on it you can.

~Danny Kaye

Let me say, that I'm not a art journaler - and I'm not an artist per se. I take photos, am a digital scrapbooker and I create things in photoshop.

Two people in my life - my cousin and a friend at church - on the other hand, are both artists. I watch enviously as they create amazing things with ink, pencil and paint. There's just something beautiful in what they are able to make out of simple items.

I guess, subconsciously, I want to be that creative.

While shopping last weekend at Hobby Lobby, I found a small "art journal" on sale - mixed in with the Mardi Gras stuff (the things I really went to check out.).

Somehow, that journal ended up in my cart. Since then, I've found myself "testing" out my skills at art journaling.

There's something about creating with ink and colored pencil.

I'll admit, I'm a bit clunky right now. I almost ripped out the first page (above) when I first started.

My attempt at art journaling isn't perfect. It doesn't look like the idea I saw on Pinterest (you can be inspired by that idea here).

So far, I've filled two pages - using them as a "launching" pad. A lot of scribbles, but some glimpses of creativity poking thru.

So this is my attempt to find rest thru art - a chance to stop, turn off the screens (laptop, iPhone, etc) and simply allow myself to make a few mistakes, in the hopes that I find art in the mix.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.

Art is knowing which ones to keep.

~Scott Adams

The Purpose of Life

2012-02-07T21:07:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure where this quote came from. But a few weeks ago, it surfaced - I think because of a sermon illustration - in the life of one of my parents at St. James.

We decided to turn it into the first "thought provoking" bulletin board in the kidz area.

The more I look at this quote, the more I love it. It's my hope that the kids not only think about what their gifts are, but how they can use them - to make a difference in the world.

Kind of a new way to think about the parable of the talents.

It also helps you think about life in a new way - because it reminds us that everyone has a gift. We just have to discover what it isn.

So what is your gift? How will you give it away?

(I'm not sure who actually said this quote. A search of the web has it attributed to several people.....)

Blog Tour: God Gave Us You (Review)

2012-02-06T16:50:00.003-06:00

Small (15 pages) but adorable, Lisa Tawn Bergren and Laura J. Bryant have created a beautiful board book (and series) revolving around a little bear and her quest to know things.

God Gave Us You, is designed to answer Little Cub's question, "Where Did I Come From."

The book provides a sweet, yet honest way to tell a child how they were born - through the eyes of Little Cub and her folks.

It's definitely a book for birth parents - since Little Cub "grows" inside of mommy's tummy. In fact, Bergren said on her website that many parents were disappointed in this fact - so she created God Found Us You, a book for adoptive parents.

She based this book on the experience of five friends who adopted children, building on the theme that adopted babies are "treasured, loved and wanted all along."

I'll admit, was a bit disappointed at first, when I opened up my copy of God Gave Us You. I was hoping for a general book about how all children are gifts from God (not from a parent perspective), that I could use in February during one of the preschool chapels. I really wanted a "God loves you" themed book.

However, putting that aside, it's a beautiful story book. The board book format would make this a perfect gift for a young child (it is very durable.)

It's a great way to tell children how much they are loved and cherished by their parents and God.

The series also includes: God Gave Us Two, God Gave Us Christmas, God Gave Us Heaven, God Gave Us Love, God Gave Us So Much. My guess is, God Gave Us Love might have filled my "February Chapel" need (so it's on order!)

In all, it's a solid three out of five! God Gave Us You is a beautiful children's book - and one that I might use as a "baby gift" for new parents.

More About This Book
When a charming polar bear cub climbs into bed one night, she asks her Mama a very important question--one that little "human cubs" often wonder about, too: "Where did I come from?"

As Mama bear tucks her youngest cub under the quilts, she gently, tenderly, and reassuringly communicates the message loving parents everywhere (bears and non-bears alike) want their little ones to hear: "We wanted you very, very much, and we are so very glad because—God gave us you."

Perfect for bedtime, naptime, storytime or anytime, God Gave Us You provides a valuable opportunity to build children's self-esteem every day and assure each one that he or she truly is a welcomed, precious, and treasured gift from the Lord.

Also available in the God Gave Us series:
God Gave Us Two
God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Heaven
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us So Much

About The Writing Team
Author
Lisa Tawn Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 30 books, with more than 1.5 million copies sold. She just finished writing a Colorado historical trilogy (the first book, Breathe, Sing and Claim), and has begun a teen series called River of Time (Waterfall, book 1, comes out in February 2011).

Bergen's time is split between managing home base, writing (including a fair amount of travel writing), consulting and freelance editing (with a little speaking here and there). She’s married to Tim, a liturgical sculptor, graphic designer and musician. They have three kids–Olivia (15), Emma (12) and Jack (7).

All five of the Bergrens make their home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Find out more about Bergren at http://lisatawnbergren.com

Illustrator
Laura J. Bryant attended the Maryland Institute of Art, where she received a strong foundation in drawing, painting, and print-making, with supplemental education in children’s writing and book making. Illustrating children’s books has provided her with both a rewarding and creative career.

Bryant's clients have included Simon & Schuster, McGraw Hill, Steck-Vaughn, and Penguin Putnam books for Young Readers, among others.

She currently lives with her husband nestled in the Shenandoah Mountains of Mathias, West Virginia.

Find out more about Bryant at: http://www.laurabryant.com/

Online Resources
God Gave Us You Coloring Page

Buy it at Amazon

Find it at Barnes & Noble

Get it at Christian Book Online

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Blogging for Books.. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

OLW: Rest Sunday Thougths

2012-02-05T17:27:00.001-06:00

Source: Click Here.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain...
-Vivian Greene (Source: http://www.beliefnet.com)

....to dance in the rain means you have to let yourself "rest" in the moment..... and not let it hurry by... to stop and smell the raindrops, to feel them touching your face and to splash in the puddles.

It means enjoying every moment in life, and not letting it pass you by.To learn to look at life in a half-full way.

Here's to learning to dance in the rain.

Blog Tour: Four Letter Words (Review & Q&A)

2012-02-04T19:37:00.001-06:00

How do you know what to say and how to say it, regarding your faith?

Dr. Bill Giovannetti hopes he's come up with the right answer, by creating "Four Letter Words: Conversations on Faith's Beauty and Logic."

The book focuses on topics surrounding these words:
- True
- Know
- Pain
- Ouch
- Evil
- Word
- Damn
- Wait
- Hope

Giovannetti said he wrote Four Letter Words for three goals:
1. Clarity: Know what you believe.
2. Confidence: Know why you believe.
3. Courage: Know what to say when you don't know what to say.

I think he hit the nail on the head. Written in an easy to read format, the manuscript seems to unpack each issue in an easy to follow format.

Each chapter ends with a set of "talking points" designed to help the reader pursue conversations with a friend.

Additionally, this book is one of the first I've seen (Giovannetti believes it is one of the first) QR-enabled book released on the general market.

QR Codes are "postage-stamp" sized boxes with indecipherable patterns inside – Quick Response codes.

Giovannetti said he wanted to make the book an interactive experience. In theory users simply scan the code with a smartphone and it goes straight to relevant videos, audio mp3 and websites.

"Each chapter has a lot more resources on the website (www.fourletterwords.org) which you can reach either through the QR code or just by visiting the site," Giovannetti said. "The geek-tech stuff in no way overwhelms the written word; it just supplements it. I hope readers like it."

I'll be honest, I think the QR codes are way cool - if they would work on my phone. I have an "old school" iphone, also known as a 3G model. I tried downloading four different QR code readers to see the interactive features. I couldn't make the codes work with any of the readers.

I suspect the inability to work was due to my phone's "age" since one of my students used his iTouch to successfully navigate the QR codes. Fortunately, it appears many of the same features are available on www.fourletterwords.org.

In all, regardless of the stumbles regarding the QR codes, I found this book to be a good resource - not only for youth ministries, but for multi-generations.

On the scale of one to five, I give it a solid three. It looks like a resource I can pass along to a friend who might use it as a sermon series - but it also looks like something I should keep on hand for when my older students have questions.

A Q&A With The Author
What's Four Letter Words about, and where did you get the title?
Four Letter Words is about defending your faith in Christ. If you've ever felt tongue-tied standing up for Jesus, this book can help.

Even though our culture claims tolerance as a virtue, that tolerance stops at Christianity's front door: witness the hostility directed toward a sincere Christ-follower like Tim Tebow. Judging by reactions to him, you'd think he just cussed out his grandma when all he did was say a word for Christ. Speaking God's truth and living your faith is quickly becoming today's profanity. Tougher days are coming; we need to get ready.

There has never been a truth-system more satisfying, consistent, logical and beautiful than Christianity. I wanted to help God's people rise up and say so.

What four letter words do you write about?
True: who says your truth has to be my truth too? Know: how do you know God is real? Pain, Evil, and Ouch: why doesn't God stop the bad stuff? Damn: how can a loving God send people to hell?

Word: What makes the Bible so special? Wait: isn't it unreasonable to expect today's people to live by biblical standards of sexuality? Hope: what good has Christianity done in the world?

The book has ten chapters, discussion questions (in the book and downloadable from the website), and 208 pages.

Who is this book for?
This book is for anyone who either struggles with faith or who wants to help friends who struggle with faith. I wrote to strengthen faith and equip believers to share faith. Our church has used this book with high school students, young adults, and senior citizens—it's been really well received across all age groups. Other churches are using it in small groups and youth groups.

I would love to see this book in the hands of every high school graduate and new college student: they need to be inoculated from the anti-Christian venom they're going to experience.

Toward the end, Four Letter Words invites readers to faith in Christ so it can be resource for evangelism too. Discussion questions are included.

If I read this book, what will get out of it?
I wrote Four Letter Words with three simple goals in mind:
1. Clarity: Know what you believe.
2. Confidence: Know why you believe.
3. Courage: Know what to say when you don't know what to say.

How did you pick the four letter words for each chapter?
I had a great team working with me to pick the topics. The young adult leadership team from my church hung out with me for a few coffee-shop meetings. We brainstormed ideas. We asked what questions kept surfacing in their relationships with seekers and what issues kept tripping up their conversations about Christ.

The topics came from them. Each chapter grew out of the real-life struggles of real people in my church. I think this is why the book has connected in some pretty deep ways with readers.

Would you say that Christians are persecuted?

Not so much in the U.S., but persecution is definitely coming. It's not that Christians are changing; it's that culture is running from God so fast that yesterday's normal is becoming today's weird. Christians will be increasingly marginalized.

Tell a typical college student he needs to be celibate till marriage and he'll look at you like you're Amish. Why don't you hop in your buggy and trot along. A generation ago, our culture would have supported that value. Today, culture attacks it. It's going to get tougher to stay strong for Jesus.

We need a new breed of Christ-follower: alert to the beliefs that tick people off, and ready to fire the weapons of truth and grace with courage, compassion, humor, and love.

More About Four Letter Words:
(From The Publisher)
Thou shalt tolerate every opinion... except the Christian's. Today's postmodern "prime directive" leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global village, isn't it unreasonable, and even dangerous, to suggest that the Bible has a monopoly on truth?

The church needs a new breed of Christ-follower. We need Christ-followers who are alert to today's touchy ideas, the truths that fire up more heat than light. We need Christ-followers who can make a clear case for the Bible's worldview; who are ready to help our friends think through their beliefs; who can recognize inconsistencies and challenge them; and who can do all of this with humility, confidence, humor, and love. For more information visit http://fourletterwords.org.

About The Author

Dr. Bill Giovannetti is a professor at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary and the senior pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. An experienced speaker and author,

Giovannetti informs the mind in ways that touch the heart. He enjoys life with his wife and two kids in northern California.

For more information about Giovannetti and his other books, visit http://maxgrace.wordpress.com and http://fourletterwords.org.

Online Resources
Follow the Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13338985
Amazon: http://amzn.to/tF3L3M
Direct from the Author (signed copies) http://maxgrace.1freecart.com
Website: http://www.fourletterwords.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BillGiovannetti
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/billgiovannetti
Blog: http://www.maxgrace.com

It's A Contest!
Giovannetti is celebrating the new Kindle edition of Four Letter Words (for only $4.99)! He’ll be traveling coast to coast over the next few weeks on this virtual book tour and he's celebrating by hosting a great giveaway!

Click here (http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway) to find out how you can win two gift certificates to Amazon (in the amount of $50 and $25) and free downloads of his yet-to-be-released title, Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World.

The whole scoop here: http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway/

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group.. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: Summer of Promise (Review)

2012-02-03T22:31:00.000-06:00

Concerned about her sister, Abigail Harding acts on impulse and travels west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, for a visit.

A stagecoach heist, strange happenings with her sister and family, and life at an Army fort await her.

Even though she plans to marry when she returns to Vermont, Abigail's life takes a variety of twists and turns as she begins to open up to Lieutenant Ethan Bowles - and explore the possibilities of remaining in Wyoming after all.

This novel, the first in the Westward Winds Trilogy, opens a wee bit slow, but then picks up speed as author Amanda Cabot unpacks the story.

A historical romance, Cabot also crafts a bit of suspense - with a surprising villain and a few unexpected twists and turns - in her tale.

The novel paints a picture of life in an Army fort in rural Wyoming. it shows the class structure between the enlisted soldiers and officers. It also shows how women existed in this setting - either as wives or as the "other"ones.

Summer of Promise ends with an expected twist. It will be interesting to see where Cabot plans to take the remaining two novels - which I assume will focus on Abigail s remaining sisters.

In all, I give this novel a three out of five . It's not my favorite novel, but it was a light read. I think it would be a simple, yet compelling read for someone wanting dive into Cabot's word pictures to escape the realities of 2012.

More About The Book
(From The Publisher)
Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming.

When her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.

Abigail plans to marry when she returns to Vermont, just as soon as she attends to her sister. As the summer passes, she finds herself drawn to this rugged land and to a certain soldier determined to persuade her to stay. When summer ends, will she go back East, or will she find her heart's true home?

About The Author

Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker.

The author of Paper Roses, Scattered Petals, and Tomorrow's Garden, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the cofounder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler. She lives in Wyoming.

Online Resources
Read a review of Scattered Petals here.
Find out more about Amanda Cabot here.
Buy Summer of Promise at CBD
Buy Summer of Promise at Amazon
Buy Summer of Promise at Barnes & Noble
Read an excerpt of Summer of Promise here!

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell Publishing, a division of Baker Books. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Project 365+1: January 2012 Photos

2012-02-02T23:08:00.000-06:00

I did it.
I not only snapped a pic each day during January, but I also jotted down at least a sentence (or two - I am wordy) about each pic.

Here's a quick look at my pics for January (Using the Project 365pro ap)

Simple, but there's something about taking a photo each day that makes me stop and reflect on life. It also serves as a great reminder of living life "half-ful."

So here's to living life, one photo at a time!

Lenten Journey 2012: A "Road Map" For Kidz

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

First off, let me say, I'm a Lenten nerd. Ever since I had the blessing to work on the Destination: Easter project for Abingdon Press oh, so long ago, I've loved digging into everything surrounding Lent, and finding ways to make it "come alive" for the kidz in my ministry..

It's still available for the grand price of $4!
Just be prepared to laugh at some of the dated things!

So when I saw an idea shared by Jessie, a fellow children's pastor, at a recent meeting, I was intrigued. She found it a few years ago on the web, and had successfully used it in her ministry.

I took one look at it and LOVED it. Some of the items were either created by Jessie and not electronic - so she could share - or not available anymore. So I found myself working on (and adding to) the "Great Lenten Road map of 2012."

I really hope this will be a good resource not only for my ministry, but also for others looking for a way to unpack Lent for their students.The one that Jessie had was made like a "lap book" and had you fold the file folder in a "tri-fold" - like the sample below.

The front view of the "tri-fold" version

The inside view of the "tri-fold" version.

But since Jesus was "cut" down the middle (I really didn't like cutting the coloring sheet in half) AND because I would be folding a TON of the folders this way - I decided to stick with the "normal" folds.

"New version" front

"New version" inside.

You can download the color sheet - on the cover - here

I loved the Lenten map - it's like an "advent calendar" for Lent - the resource was created by http://catholicicing.com. Honestly, it works as a great "focal" point for this project. It was one of the original items from Jessie's lap book that was still available. Links on this site gave me other ideas for the individual pieces.

The Lenten Navigational Page - Made by Catholicicing.com

You can download the "map" directly from www.catholicicing.com or here!

With each piece, I tried to include a "little bit more" that could not only teach the students in my kidz ministry, but also their parents. I figured this is a multi-generational project!

The original lapbook idea Jessie used - which you can see here - included the plus and minus card. I added the info about fasting, taking a lot of it from what we wrote in Destination: Easter.

Outside View (pst. the bad "type" break has been fixed!)

Inside View

Download the Plus & Minus card here.

It also included a "prayer slip" spot - see the original idea here - that helped give the kids "prompts" for their Lenten prayers. I changed it a bit - and made the pictures so they could be colored by the kids.

Download the prayer slips here

The original lap book also contained a Stations of the Cross booklet - which is no longer available. I looked online for a suitable replacement, but found myself re-typesetting it for two reasons.

First, the original was designed for Catholic users - which is great, but did contain non-Biblical stations. By re-creating it, I was able to focus on the Biblical stations (I used the list we created for Destination: Easter). This journey walks through the Gospel of Matthew, using the other gospels as secondary sources.

Second, I wanted this resource to include a small space, which could be used as a mini-journal, leaving space for either notes, journaling or even pictures. An added bonus: The clipart I used made it a "coloring book" version, which I think will make the youngest students happy.

A Journey To The Cross Cover (yes, same image as the front)

The inside view

Download the Journey to the Cross book - Top Fold here.

Download the Journey to the Cross book - Side Fold here.

I also included some recipes - so kidz could have some activities to do with their parents.

One is for soft pretzels, which were often made just during Lent. I included some information about the tradition surrounding the pretzel - how monks would shape it upside down, to look like a traditional form of prayer (arms crossed over your chest), as well as the recipe.

Outside view of the pretzel card.

Inside view of the pretzel card.

Download the pretzel card here.

The other recipes were included in a "don't open until Easter weekend" card. They include an "empty tomb biscuits" (thanks Julie for reminding me about them) and Resurrection Cookies.

Both could be made on Holy Saturday, for Easter Sunday treats.In this folder, I "tucked" it under the "road map" so it could be "revealed" at the end of Lent.

I ended up making it so it could be tucked
behind the "map" and revealed on Easter weekend.

You can download the Easter recipes as a combined file
- to print as a two sided 8.5x11 sheet
Note - new version uploaded on 02/06 - typo on front cover fixed. Sorry!

You can download the Easter recipes as a combined file
- to print as a two sided 11x17 sheet.

Here's just the Resurrection Cookies
as a single 8.5x11 sheet (like a greeting card)

Here's just the Empty Tomb Biscuits

as a single 8.5x11 sheet (like a greeting card)

Feel free to use this for your ministry. I've included the sources below, because well, this idea was created on the shoulders of others. Please make sure you give credit, where credit is due, for any idea you use from this post!

Enjoy the Lenten Journey!

Sources:

Pretzel Recipe Card

Graphic

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/pretzel.gif

Recipe:

http://catholicicing.com/2010/02/pretzels-for-lent/

History of Pretzel:

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=543

Lenten Navigational Map:

http://catholicicing.com/2011/02/printable-lenten-calendar-for-kids/

Lenten Lap Book:

(Idea based upon)

http://thankevann.com/homeschoolgoodies/?p=4974

Prayer Strip Idea:

http://paperdali.blogspot.com/2010/02/prayer-jar.html

Plus/Minus Explanation:

Taken from Destination: Easter (Hershman/Hutson) Abingdon Press.

Resurrection Cookies

http://www.iccreligiouseducation.com/easter.cfm?subpage=309406

Biblical Way of the Cross

Destination: Easter (Hershman/Hutson) Abingdon Press

Clipart for Stations of the Cross, Prayer Card & Front Cover

Churchartonline.com

Fonts

Pea Jay
(www.kevinandamanda.com)

Century Gothic

Blog Tour: Sound of Red Returning (Review)

2012-02-01T23:15:00.003-06:00

A concert pianist, Lisel Bower uses her music as an escape - but what happens when the very music, she loves, becomes part of a nightmare?

Since her mentor was killed as a result of his espionage efforts for the KGB, Bower has felt like someone has been watching her. It's only after her life is threatened that she find out that she has a piece of music - which contains a secret coded message "outing" a Russian mole in the Israel's Department of Defense.

Through a variety of twists and turns - some very unexpected - Brower goes on the run trying to find the music and along the way, find a way to rely on God.

This was an interesting book. I'll be honest, it took a few pages for me to "jump" into the story - I kept feeling like I was missing something.

But once the plot captured my attention, the twists and turns built in by Sue Duffy kept me reading for more.

This story weaves together political intrigue - pitting Russians against Americans, along with the complications of the Israeli government and the CIA.

It also captures the journey Bower's faith takes in the light of personal heartbreak and struggles.

In all, I found this to be a well written book. It has a strong plot line that will keep your attention. The ending, while it wraps up the book, leaves little doubt that Duffy plans to write a second installment in this series.

On the scale of one to five, I give this a a solid three. If you like political intrigue and suspense-filled novels, I think you'll enjoy this read.

About The Book
(From The Publisher)
After losing everyone she loves, concert pianist Liesl Bower has nowhere to go but to escape into her music. Searching for the peace she usually finds in her concertos and sonatas, Liesl can’t shake the feeling that she is being haunted by her past . . . and by someone following her. When she spots a familiar and eerie face in the audience of a concert she’s giving for the president in Washington, DC, the scariest day of her life comes back to her with a flash. It has been fifteen years since Liesl watched her beloved Harvard music mentor assaulted on a dark night in Moscow and just as long since the CIA disclosed to her that he’d been spying for Russia. She had seen that man--that eerie face--the night Professor Devoe was attacked. And now he’s back--and coming for her.

On the run and struggling to rely on the protection of CIA agent Ava Mullins and handsome newspaper reporter Cade O’Brien, Liesl learns she is the prey of an underground cell of Russian KGB agents determined to restore their country to its former Soviet might. But what she doesn’t know is that she is in possession of something--a piece of sheet music--that Russian intelligence is now frantic to find. Inside that music is a secret code, the hidden transcriptions of her deceased mentor, that clearly identify a Russian mole operating inside Israel’s Department of Defense, a mole with enough power and access to execute a daring assassination that no one would see coming.

Caught in a deadly conflict between American and Russian undercover agents, this innocent young pianist is just trying to survive her own personal trauma. Through it all, Liesl must learn that no matter how dark her world grows or how fiercely her enemies pursue her, God is still in control--if only she can yield herself to His grace. Read an excerpt here: http://www.sueduffybooks.com/#!vstc1=books

More About The Author
Sue Duffy is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in Moody Magazine, The Presbyterian Journal, Sunday Digest, and The Christian Reader.

She is the author of Mortal Wounds (Barbour, 2001) and Fatal Loyalty (Kregel, 2010). Duffy has also contributed to Stories for a Woman’s Heart (Multnomah).

She and her husband, Mike, have three grown children.

Find out more at www.sueduffybooks.com.

Online Resources
Buy it here: http://ow.ly/8B9HT
Find out more at www.sueduffybooks.com.

Read an excerpt here: http://www.sueduffybooks.com/#!vstc1=books
Follow the blog tour: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13452833

It's A Contest
Win a Kindle Fire from @SueDuffy2 and @KregelBooks in the "Red Returning" Giveaway!

Sue Duffy and her publisher, Kregel Publications, are celebrating the release of The Sound of Red Returning by giving away a Kindle Fire prize package worth over $200 to one lucky winner!!!! (1/23-2/11)

Enter the Sue Duffy’s Giveaway today and you could win:
* A brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
* The Sound of Red Returning (Book One in the Red Returning series) by Sue Duffy

To enter click one of the icons below. But, hurry! The giveway ends on 2/11. Sue will be announcing the winner of the “Red Returning” Giveaway on February 13th on the Litfuse website!

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group.. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

OLW Blog Hop: January Wrap-Up

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the February 1
One Little Word Blog Hop.

The blog hop is designed for alumni and members of the Ali Edwards' class at Big Picture Scrapbooking to show off their progress in this year's class or just showcase what they are learning about their word for 2012.

My word for 2012 is Rest.

Here's my completed January assignment.

I'm still trying to embrace my word - which is hard, since I'm neck-deep in several big projects at work (church).

I'm really enjoying the class because it's making me stop and focus on my word. Which means I turn off the world (and work) and really reflect on things.

So in a way, the class is making me "rest" in my word.

For that, I'm grateful.

You can read other posts about my One Word journey (I've been doing this off and on since 2007) here:

Oh yeah, I'm doing the project digitally, so my credits are:

Kit

DeLovely - Paislee Press, originally purchased at

Songbirld Avenue in 2009

(Paislee Press is based out of www.oscraps.com)

Fonts:

typewriter hand - dafont.com

aa typewriter - dafont.com

pea jay - kevinandamanda.com

before the rain - dafont.com

Actions

chalk - atomic cupcake

burnished silver - atomic cupcake

corner rounder brush set - jessica sprague

Ready For The Next Stop On The Hop?
Nikki - http://www.inkyart.com.au

Want To Sign Up For The Class?

It's Not Too Late!

Click here for details.

One Little Word - February 2012 Blog Hop
Posts go live at 8 a.m. PST, February 1
Margie - http://xnomads.typepad.com
Sharyn - http://www.lavieenchic.com
Jill - http://jillconyers.com/
Lynn - http://www.crafty-creativity.blogspot.com
Jenn - http://www.studiojenn.blogspot.com
Carmen - http://www.carmenpaulsorthner.com
Marilee - http://rose-brier.blogspot.com
Kristina - http://hrinspirationfromthe403.blogspot.com/
Cindy C - http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com
Kelly - http://mindingmynest.com
Cheri - http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com
Amanda - http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com
Cindy - http://seriousplay.typepad.com
Brooke - http://www.everysnapshot.com
Naomi - http://www.poeticaperture.com
Melissa - http://www.smudgetime.com
Karen - http://breathenowsmile.blogspot.com
Melissa S - http://blog.mshanhun.com
Devon - http://www.youhadmeatneurotic.com
Donna - http://holimess.blogspot.com/
Dawn - http://www.sunshineandcreativity.com
Katrina - http://www.katrinasimeck.com
Sam - http://learncreatedo.wordpress.com
Monica - http://scrapinspired.com
Kimberlee - http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com
Missus W - http://mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.com/
Kaylea - http://www.myscrappylife.com - you are here!
Nikki - http://www.inkyart.com.au - Go here next!
Erin - http://erinsparkes.typepad.com/optimstic-fascination/
Jo - http://www.curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com
Coley - http://coleybelle.blogspot.com/2012/01/focus-word-for-2012.html
Beth - http://www.thesingularlyordinary.blogspot.com
Veronica - http://www.veronicanorris.typepad.com
Jamie - http://jmpgirl.blogspot.com/
Monica B - http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/
Lisa - http://backtoallen.com/writers_blog
Rebekah - http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com/
Jan - http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com
Veronica - http://www.veronicanorris.typepad.com
Cate - http://www.lifebehindthepurpledoor.com
Stephanie - http://www.scrapworthylives.com
Orange Gearle - http://orangegearle.blogspot.com
Tere - http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/
Junelle - http://yesandamenblog.blogspot.com/
Ruth - http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com
Becky - http://www.becky-handforth.blogspot.com

Blog Tour: Jerk Magnet (Review)

2012-01-30T22:49:00.000-06:00

Chelsea Martin lives life as a wallflower.

That is, until her future stepmother turns into a "fairy godmother" and helps her transform from geek and gawky into a "hot" blond "popular" gal.

Suddenly, Chelsea is no longer living life from the sidelines.

But she finds that life as a popular, "hot" girl, has its disadvantages - especially when she discovers that she is a "jerk magnet." Attracting all of the wrong types of guys, Chelsea only has eyes for one guy - who decides based upon her looks, that she's not the gal for him.

Through a series of events - including a surprise "make under" at camp, Chelsea and her friends learn that true beauty isn't just what you see on the surface.

What I Thought About The Book
This is a fun read. It really highlights stereotypes of today's teens - especially what revolves around the "popular" or "beautiful' people, and those, who well, find themselves on the outside of the popular crowd.

I loved the lessons Melody Carson highlights in this book - in subtle, yet humorous ways.

I really liked some of the twists she included - including the "make under" at camp, and the lessons that Chelsea learned as she grew in her faith.

Ultimately, this is a good read. I'd be glad to pass it along to a tween reader - in fact, it might even be a good book to use for a middle school girls book club.

On the scale of one to five, I give this book a solid three. I It has a solid plot line, lots of humor and a great moral message.

More About The Book
What if beauty is more than just skin deep?

When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. Oh, and stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't exactly make her BFF material for the girls.

Finally a great guy catches her eye. But he's the only one around who doesn't give her a second glance. Can Chelsea come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will her new image ruin everything?

About The Author
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books from Revell, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, and Christmas at Harrington's, which is being considered for a TV movie.

She is also the author of many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, Double Take, The Jerk Magnet, and the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. Carson was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books in 2010 and 2011.

She and her husband live in central Oregon. For more information about Carson visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com.

Online Resources
Buy at Amazon
Find it at Barnes & Noble

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell Publishing, a division of Baker Books. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

OLW: Rest: Sunday Sabbath Wisdom

2012-01-29T22:48:00.001-06:00

Words of wisdom from one of my favorite writers - I really need to dig out some of my Merton books and become reacquainted with him. Maybe this will be a good way to rest on a day off.... Merton and Starbucks....hum....maybe a plan for next Friday.

A Prayer for the Simplicity of Life and Love
By Thomas Merton

Justify my soul, O God, but also from Your fountains fill my will with your fire. Shrine in my mind, although perhaps this means “be darkness to my experience,” but occupy my heart with Your tremendous Life. Let my eyes see nothing in the world but Your glory, and let my hands touch nothing that is not for Your service.

Let my tongue taste no bread that does not strengthen me to praise Your great mercy. I will hear Your voice and I will hear all harmonies You have created, singing Your hymns. Sheep’s wool and cotton from the field shall warm me enough that I may live in Your service; I will give the rest to Your poor. Let me use all things for one sole reason: to find my joy in giving You glory.

Therefore keep me, above all things, from sin. Keep me from the death of deadly sin which puts hell in my soul. Keep me from the murder of lust that blinds and poisons my heart. Keep me from the sins that eat a man’s flesh with irresistible fire until he is devoured. Keep me from loving money in which is hatred, from avarice and ambition that suffocate my life.

Keep me from the dead works of vanity and the thankless labor in which artists destroy themselves for pride and money and reputation, and saints are smothered under the avalanche of their own importunate zeal. Stanch in me the rank wound of covetousness and the hungers that exhaust my nature with their bleeding. Stamp out the serpent envy that stings love with poison and kills all joy.

Untie my hands and deliver my heart from sloth. Set me free from the laziness that goes about disguised as activity when activity is not required of me, and from the cowardice that does what is not demanded, in order to escape sacrifice.

But give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love.

Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for you alone.

For there is only one thing that can satisfy love and reward it, and that is You alone.

OLW: Rest Reminder

2012-01-28T22:34:00.000-06:00

A few reminders I've found on Pinterest in the last month, to help me remember my word for 2012 - Rest.

I'm still working on being better at resting....

How do you rest?

http://pinterest.com/pin/123426846007334340/

http://pinterest.com/pin/123426846007322560/

http://pinterest.com/pin/123426846007409435/

The quest for 50 states

2012-01-27T20:45:00.000-06:00

My friend Stacey's daughter "M" is collecting postcards from all 50 states for a class project. This afternoon, I (along with a friend) went on a quest - thanks to her Garmin - to find the perfect Arkansas postcard for her. (We found two...because we couldn't decide which one was best!)

It's been fun to talk to friends - via email and Facebook - all over the country, asking them to pitch in to help M "rock" her assignment. So far if they all come in, we have at least 75 percent of the states represented - hopefully even Alaska and Hawaii.

It was fun and random to help M with this project. Sometimes living so far away from friends, I can't be part of their everyday life. This was one chance to do something - despite the miles that separate us.

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.
~Author Unknown

What little things have you done for a friend this week? How has it made a difference in your friendship?

Blog Tour: Alienation (Review)

2012-01-26T23:33:00.000-06:00

For Colt McAlister, life changed dramatically when his parents were killed in a car accident - which wasn't quite the accident people initially thought.

Through a series of events, Colt learns of a world that he never imagined - filled with jet packs, flying motorcycles and a grandfather who was the "Flying Phantom" during World War II.

Colt wants to be normal, but normal is no longer an option.

Instead he finds himself in the midst of a epic battle to save his life - and attend school at a top secret training center for C.H.A.O.S. - the Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural.

Ultimately, Colt has to decide who he can trust - and what friendship truly means.

What I Thought
I thought this book was well written and filled with intrigue and suspense. You can tell how writing for D.C. Comics has played a role in the development of Jon Lewis' writing style, because his words seem to come alive due to his vivid descriptions and wording.

This novel - and ultimately the series - plays on Lewis' writing strengths as he creates an alternative universe, where aliens and humans can come into contact, and people can ride around on flying motorcycles and use jet packs to fly.

It was interesting and fun to watch Lewis unfold Colt's character, as he not only learns to be with- and understand - his grandfather. He is also left maintaining his new and sometimes fledgling friendship with Oz and Danielle.

Because it's the second book in the series, readers may find it easier to "track" what is happening if they read the first book - Invasion. I know I found myself understanding Alienation more, once I went back and explored the first novel.

In Alienation, Lewis uses an allegory to structure his manuscript - drawing inspiration from the story of David, Jonathan and Saul. The parallels between Jonathan and David, and Oz and Colt are striking. This allegory added an interesting rhythm and strength to the story line - and truly served as the backbone of the novel.

Ultimately, this novel is written for young readers - but like most well written young adult fiction, this novel (and series) will appeal to readers of all ages.

However, unlike many young adult novels in today's marketplace, this book (and series) is not dark and depressing. It does deal with some strong themes, but somehow Lewis keeps it from being too harsh.

On the scale of one to five, with five being the highest, I give it a four. From reading the ending, I'm guessing there's at least one more book - because Lewis closed with a cliffhanger. I'm really hoping my 11-year-old nephew will dig into this series - so I have an excuse to check out the next book in the series.

About The Book:
From The Publisher
After his parents were killed in a car accident, Colt McAlister was drawn into a world he thought only existed in comic books-one where mind control, jet packs, and flying motorcycles don't even scratch the surface.

Along with his best friends Oz and Danielle, Colt is now training at the secret Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural academy. But strange accidents seem to follow him. . . even with the security of the school grounds. What first seems random soon turns deadly. But who is targeting Colt?

As the alien invasions increase in frequency and force, C.H.A.O.S resources are taxed to the limit and they're forced to utilize the new recruits. In the midst of battle, Colt will discover some startling revelations . . . about himself, his friendship with Oz, and why he has been chosen to defeat this alien attack against earth.

About The Author
Jon S. Lewis is the coauthor of the Grey Griffins trilogy (over 500,000 books in print) and the upcoming Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He also writes for the DC COMICS family of publishers. He resides with his family in Arizona.

For more about Jon and the series, visit www.chaosnovels.com.

Read my review of book one: Invasion here.

Online Resources

Link to buy the book & see an excerpt online: http://ow.ly/8wW4O
Buy it at Amazon: here.

It's A Contest
Win an iPad from @JonSLewis and @NelsonFiction in the Alienation iPad2 Giveaway!

The invasion was only the beginning! Jon Lewis is celebrating the next adventure in his fast-paced C.H.A.O.S. series with an explosive giveaway!

One thrill-seeker will receive:

iPad2 with Wi-Fi
Copies of the C.H.A.O.S. novels, Invasion and Alienation

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 7th. Winner will be announced at the Alienation Facebook Party on 2/7. Jon will be hosting an Author Chat, giving away copies of the books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the intrigue!

Grab your copy of Alienation and join Jon on the evening of February 7th for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about alien invaders?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group.. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Quote of the Day: Life is...

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Something to think about.....

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.

~ Mother Teresa

A Family Moment

2012-01-24T13:31:00.000-06:00

A few days ago, I ordered this picture. It's one of my favorite pictures of Collin - literally spraying me with silly string - with the present I had just given him.

It's also one of my favorites, because of the pure joy on his face and on my dad's face (left corner). I just happened to snap it - I think I was walking away and Collin yelled for me to turn around - and zap, he got me! (Teach me to buy a messy present.)

It has new meaning this week, because it also contains my "Uncle" Steve - (really my dad's cousin if someone can explain family tree stuff, but I grew up calling him Uncle Steve) - top right corner, with the puppy.

Steve was killed over the weekend in a farming accident. The funeral is tomorrow in Western Kansas.

The package from Shutterfly was a bit bittersweet, because when I opened it today, this was the first picture to great me in the package.

I love this picture, and I love the memories surrounding it. I remember how much fun we had at Aunt Pauline's farm (Steve's mom) and everything we did that visit. It's still one of my favorite pictures, but now it has new significance.

I thought I'd share this today, because it reminds me that regardless of "label," family plays an important and vital part of our lives.

Maybe today, you should hug someone in your family (either by blood or by choice) and tell them how important they are to you.

Because, as we learned this weekend, things can change in an instant.

Blog Tour: Invasion (Review)

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

Life seems pretty normal for Colt McAlister, until that faithful day when his parents are killed in a freak car accident.

Everything changes when he moves to Arizona to live with his grandfather and starts attending classes at a new school.

Suddenly, he finds out his grandfather and his family has connections to a secret organization - and his mother's investigative journalism piece on one of the nation's largest companies is probably why she - and his father - were killed.

Life as a 16-year-old isn't so simple after all.

I picked up Invasion to read after I was given the second book in this series, Alienation. I found as I started reading the second book, I really wanted to know what happened in the first.

I was not disappointed. Invasion is an interesting book. Three friends work together to solve several mysteries - and along the way discover some sinister plots to end the world as we know it.

I wanted to find out more about this series, because I have an 11 year-old nephew, who is reading books like this with a voracious appetite. I thought this book would interest him for several reasons: the main character is a boy (that has become a new request), the main character is a "surfer/skater" dude; and it does involve a multi-dimensional world. (To say more might spoil the book.)

This book (and series) showcases Jon S. Lewis' experience of writing for DC Comics. I think the plot lines and the writing style will attract young readers - like my nephew.

Written for a Christian publisher, Invasion is not "heavy" on preaching, but rather showcases a "real-life" faith. The first book sets up a Biblical allegory that structures much of book two.

While I'm not the target market for this novel (the target, I suspect is my nephew), I found this book to be an intriguing, suspense-filled and well, simply a great read.

In all, on a scale of one to five, with five as the highest, I give this book a solid four. Reading book one left me wanting to know more (and I'll be honest, I finished book two over the weekend and I really don't want to wait a year for the third installment!)

More About The Book
(From The Publisher)
He didn't ask to be a hero, but now all that stands between us and chaos . . . is Colt.

Colt McAlister was having the summer of his life. He spent his days surfing and his nights playing guitar on the beach with friends. He even met a girl and got his first car. But everything changes when his parents are killed in a freak accident.

He's forced to leave his old life behind and move to Arizona with his grandfather. The only person he knows at the new high school is a childhood friend named Dani. And Oz, a guy he's sure he's never met but who is strangely familiar.

But what if his parents' death wasn't an accident? His mother, an investigative reporter, was going to expose a secret mind-control program run by one of the world's largest companies. Before she could release the story, what if agents from Trident Biotech made sure she couldn't go public?

Vowing to uncover truth, Colt is drawn into a secret world of aliens, shapeshifters, flying motorcycles, and invisible getaways.

The invasion has begun.

About The Author

Jon S. Lewis is the coauthor of the Grey Griffins trilogy and the Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He also writes for the DC COMICS family of publishers. He resides with his family in Arizona.

Online Resources
Read more about Invasion here.
Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at Barnes & Noble

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Net Galley's blogger program. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Stay tuned for the review of book two, coming later this week!

Blog Tour: Chasing Mona Lisa (Review & Interview)

2012-01-22T20:21:00.000-06:00

A hidden masterpiece. Protected during the war, becomes the target of a massive chase through Europe.
Who will win? The good guys - spies for the OSS or the Nazis'.

In their second book - Chasing Mona Lisa - Mike Yorkey and Tricia Goyer dive back into the political intrigue surrounding OSS spies at the end of World War II, as they show how Gabi and Eric (who appeared in their first book - The Swiss Courier) take part in their mission to protect the Mona Lisa - the French prized jewel - from German thieves.

"It [Chasing Mona Lisa], is history rich and full of plot twists," explained Goyer. "For me, I was most interested in the stolen art. I read a book Rescuing Da Vinci that fascinated me. And the spy part is just plain fun.

"One of my all time favorite books is The Spy Wore Red. I also wrote about spies in my Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War Series. (A Valley of Betrayal, A Shadow of Treason, A Whisper of Freedom.) It's the cleverness of spies that I like best I suppose."

Goyer said she became acquainted with the stories surrounding stolen art when she was in Europe, after touring salt mines iin Austria which were used by the Germans to hide art during the war.

"I was fascinated by those who did what they could to protect art, hiding it away in unexpected places. The Mona Lisa hung in a young girl's bedroom for part of the war--that amazes me," Goyer continued.

While the story surrounding Chasing Mona Lisa is fiction, the novel is inspired by true events.

"The Germans did load up trains filled with art at the end of the war," Goyer said, "and many of the events that happen in the book, like the parade down the Champs-Elysees after "liberation" was true. The attempted theft of the Mona Lisa is fiction...as far as we know!"

Throughout the book, Goyer and Yorkey provide some twists and turns that often have "good guys" who turn out to be "bad" in the end, as well as some characters who seem compromised by life choices, who turn out to be "good."

"What we tried to portray is that everyone has their own motivations and goals and the truth always will come out," she said. "We tried to make the characters true-to-life and live with the desires and motivations of real people during that time. It's amazing what someone will do for a cause they believe in."

Goyer said the book was fun to write, because it incorporated characters from her previous work.

"Gabi and Eric were too good of people just to forget," Goyer said. "I was thankful to be able to spend more time with them! And in this novel I really love Colette. It was great to be able to step into the shoes of a curator for the Louvre. The mix of protector and servant was the essence of who Colette is."

Goyer said she hopes readers will walk away from this novel asking themselves several questions.

"I hope readers (examine) their own hearts and ask, 'What am I willing to fight for? Sacrifice for?' It's easy to live our lives without fighting for something we believe in," she said. "But maybe walking through this "fight" with the characters will make readers consider their own path and call."

Through writing this book, Goyer said God has taught her several lessons on trust.

"I needed to trust my co-writer. I needed to trust the process. And I learned trust through the character's lives," she said. "Do we trust we can make a difference? Do we trust God has a plan for individual lives in the midst of a big world? ... Yes."

What I Thought
Chasing Mona Lisa is a suspense-filled novel with a romantic twist. I enjoyed reading it. While it's a "second book," for the most part, you can pick up this book and read it as a "stand alone" work.

The plot, crafted around a Resistance fighter and a curator at the Louvre, truly has a lot of twists and turns. Good guys turn out to be not so good, while others pegged as "bad" turn out to be ok in the end.

The novel's descriptions let you feel like you are driving all over France and Austria trying to save the Mona Lisa along with Gabi and Eric. An unexpected kidnapping - and subsequent chase - provided an unexpected turn in the novel.

Overall, this novel is intense - but not terrifying. It's a great read that will keep you guessing what happens. It's would truly make a great movie because of the intrigue and suspense.

On the scale of one to five, with five being the highest, this book is a solid four. Once again Yorkey and Goyer have created a great novel steeped in history and intrigue. While they are not planning a third novel at this time, I would definitely be ready to read another book by this pair.

More About The Book
It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

About the authors:

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas. For more about Tricia and her other books visit www.triciagoyer.com

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California. For more about Mike and his other books visit www.mikeyorkey.com

Online Resources
Link to buy the book: ow.ly/8sRzd

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here. http://www.triciagoyer.com/historicalfiction.html#ChasingMonaLisa

Follow the blog tour here: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13449999

It's A Contest!
Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The
Swiss Courier). This time the due are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)
Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great
handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. The winner will be announced at the Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia's website) and giving away their books and a Book Club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (do you know how to pick a lock? ) and lots of giveaways.

Quote of the Day: Eleanor Roosevelt

2012-01-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

I gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which I must stop and look fear in the face. I say to myself, I've lived through this and can take the next thing that comes along. We must do the things we think we cannot do.
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

An Attitude of Gratitude

2012-01-20T22:42:00.000-06:00

In the last week, I've started keeping a gratitude journal.

The idea came from Ali Edward's 52 Creative Prompts newsletter. In the first issue she wrote: Write a personal daily gratitude. I've started doing this using a great little One Line A Day 5-year Memory Book. Before I go to sleep I'm thinking back on the day and documenting one gratitude with just a couple lines of text. This is a practice I've thought about doing for years and I'm finally taking action on it. You can read more about it Ali's creative prompts here: http://eepurl.com/igdoU

I decided to make this a goal for 2012 - to write a line or two of gratitude as a way to document a thought or an idea from each day. (The fact that I had a blank journal lying around was an added bonus!)

I guess this is my attempt to live life "half full." I end each day writing in the journal. If I miss a day or two, it's OK - but I'm going to strive to make this a daily discipline.

Yes, I've only done it for a week - but I can already tell it's helping me "focus" on the positive aspects of each day.

Tonight, I'm grateful for the giggles of little kids who attended the family movie night at church. A couple decided the "game" of the night involved sneaking up on me while I watched the movie. The way they enjoy life is awesome.

So what are you grateful for?

Where Do You See God?

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1372168

Where do you see God?

That's the question posed by a friend, who is collecting answers for a project (and potentially a future book).

Do you see God in nature? In your family? In a sacred practice of faith?

The answers are endless.

So where do you see God?

More info, from my friend: I'm working on finding as many answers/responses to the question: Where Do You See God? Will you help me by responding to the question at this very simple website I've set up.....

www.wheredoyouseegod.com

Ideally, I'd love for you to then share it with folks you know. I literally need hundreds of answers, and all are welcome, especially from other parts of the world.

Blog Tour: The Sacred Meal (Review)

2012-01-18T22:13:00.002-06:00

Making The Ordinary Holy
http://instagr.am/p/iMri5/

What is communion? Why is it important, let alone sacred?

Those are just two of the questions examined in Nora Gallagher's contribution to the Ancient Practice Series - The Sacred Meal.

Mixing memoir and prose, Gallagher examines the practice of communion and how it relates to the Christian faith.

I found Gallagher's writing to be authentic, warm and engaging. Her writing style pulled me into the book, while her stories helped me look at communion in a new way.

"The sacred meal that is part of our faith does more than connect us to the holy. It connects us to each other."

I think what I enjoyed most about this book is that Gallagher really dives into why communion is truly an invitation to a deeper relationship with God.

Reading this piece of the Ancient Practice series has made me want to explore further titles - if they are all as inviting as this offering, it is a series that breathes new life into " old" practices of faith - thus truly making them new again.

An additional bonus: The study guide at the back of the book, would allow a small group to use this book to dive into the "holy mystery" known as communion.

More About The Book
(From The Publisher)
Unlike every other Christian practice, communion is meant to be done together—as the Gospel of Matthew tells us, where two or three “gathered in my name.” You simply can’t do it by yourself. You can pray alone and fast alone. You can even go on pilgrimage alone. Communion, on the other hand, forces us to be with others.

But like these other practices, communion has the same intention: to gradually move us out of one place and into another. Author Nora Gallagher says it’s like taking a journey to a foreign land, and she divides the trip into three parts: waiting, receiving, and afterward. While we wait, we sort through our baggage, filled with worry, guilt, anxiety, and pain. Communion teaches us how to receive—that God’s gift of grace comes to us by doing nothing. Finally, we surrender our invisible baggage and, now lightened, are free to reflect upon and understand the journey we have shared.

Gallagher writes,“Every time it is the same, and every time it is different.” This is your family, your table, and act of community—the gathering of the body of Christ.

About The Series
The Ancient Practices
There is a hunger in every human heart for connection, primitive and raw, to God. To satisfy it, many are beginning to explore traditional spiritual disciplines used for centuries . . . everything from fixed-hour prayer to fasting to sincere observance of the Sabbath. Compelling and readable, the Ancient Practices series is for every spiritual sojourner, for every Christian seeker who wants more.

More About The Author

Nora Gallagher was born in New Mexico, the daughter of Julie Walcott Gallagher, who taught herself architecture, and David Gallagher, who learned the law at Yale Law School and in practice. (He favored bow ties.) She grew up catching crawfish on the irrigation ditch that ran past her house, riding horseback in the desert, and smoking illegal substances in high school which she subsequently quit to attend St. John’s College, a place one studied the Great Books of the Western World. At St. John’s, she read the Iliad in Greek, Plato in English and made lifelong friends.

She learned writing on the ground, first in San Francisco, where she was hired as a stringer for TIME Magazine. (Later, she asked her boss at the time why he allowed her in the door and he replied, “You were a good writer. I figured I could teach you reporting.”) Later, she free-lanced with the idea of travel: she went anywhere on someone’s dime. Prague, Nicaragua, Texas. Her essays, book reviews and journalism have appeared in many publications including The New York Times Magazine, DoubleTake, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Utne Reader, The Village Voice, Mother Jones, and The Los Angeles Times.

Recently, Phyllis Tickle, founding editor of the religion department at Publisher’s Weekly, asked Gallagher to write a book about communion for a series on Christian practices. Not knowing that taking communion was a practice, and not having been successful at any other religious practice, the idea intrigued her. The result is a book rather like a memoir about taking communion: The Sacred Meal, 2009.

A few more items: She is the editor of the award-winning Notes from the Field, published by Chronicle Books, 1999. A sermon is collected in Sermons that Work and a poem in the anthology, September 11, 2001: American Writers Respond. She was lucky enough to be a fellow at both the MacDowell Colony and Blue Mountain Center.

She is preacher-in-residence at Trinity Episcopal Church, Santa Barbara, and sits on the advisory board of the Yale Divinity School. She is represented by Philippa Brophy, president of Sterling Lord Literistic, New York.

She lives with her husband, novelist and poet Vincent Stanley, in Santa Barbara and New York.

Online Resources
Buy it at Amazon


Buy		Read

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by BookSneeze's blogger program. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: Decision Points (Review)

2012-01-18T05:00:00.000-06:00

Working as a journalist in southwest Missouri in the early 2000's, I had the opportunity to cover President George W. Bush, as he traveled to the area for a variety of reasons.

It was interesting to watch him interact with the crowds on the ag tour, and to see how he responded to survivors after a tornado swept Pierce City, Mo.

So when I had the chance to read his memoir, I agreed. It might surprise people who know me, but I wanted to see what he said - and see his take on history.

I found a memoir that was both surprising and interesting. I thought his approach and writing style was intriguing. I'll admit, it's a bit unusual - since it's not chronological, but I enjoyed reading about a certain issue or decision from start to finish.

This was especially true regarding the section which focuses on the decisions made surrounding Sept. 11. President Bush's recollection seems authentic and real.

Will this book make me change my political beliefs one way or another? Probably not. Has it given me a new perspective on President Bush? Yes. Am I glad I read it? Yes.

Time is the true test of a President and a memoir. I think that's true both for President Bush's tenure in office and for what he has written.

However, I think this book will definitely give you something to think about - and isn't that what a good memoir is meant to do?

More About This Book
(From The Publisher)
Decision Points is the extraordinary account of America's 43rd president. Shattering the conventions of political autobiography, George W. Bush offers a strikingly candid journey through the defining decisions of his life.

In gripping, never-before-heard detail, President Bush brings readers inside the Texas Governor's Mansion on the night of the hotly contested 2000 election; aboard Air Force One on 9/11, in the hours after America's most devastating attack since Pearl Harbor; at the head of the table in the Situation Room in the moments before launching the war in Iraq; and behind the Oval Office desk for his historic and controversial decisions on the financial crisis, Hurricane Katrina, Afghanistan, Iran, and other issues that have shaped the first decade of the twenty-first century.

President Bush writes honestly and directly about his flaws and mistakes, as well as his accomplishments reforming education, treating HIV/AIDS in Africa, and safeguarding the country amid chilling warnings of additional terrorist attacks. He also offers intimate new details on his decision to quit drinking, discovery of
faith, and relationship with his family.

Decision Points will captivate supporters, surprise critics, and change perspectives on one of the most consequential eras in American history—and the man at the center of events.

Online Resources

Buy it at Amazon
Pick it up at Barnes & Noble
Read and excerpt online
Read more about the book here

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Deep Thought: Genius

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

Found on Pinterest - a place I find myself when I need a dose of creativity. I love this sign because it's a message I need to hear - and I want the kids I work with to hear LOUD and CLEAR.

Isn't it true, we judge ourselves not by our own abilities, but by what the world convinces us is right.

I need to remember that just because I'm not living up to the world's standards OR even the "little voice" in my head, doesn't make me stupid.

In fact, I only need to live up to God's plan for my life. Period. That's much better than living life like a fish who wants to climb a tree.

So here's to living life like a goldfish.

You can find the original source of this picture here!

Blog Tour: The Keeper (Review & Interview)

2012-01-16T08:30:00.000-06:00

With the release of her new series, Susanne Woods Fisher dives back into the Amish faith community, examining the lives of three sisters, Julia, Sadie and M.K., and how they interact in Stoney Ridge.

The drama deepens as Julia's plans for her life go haywire, when her plans for marriage dissolve and her father's health drastically deteriorates.

In all, Julia has to learn how to rely, not on her own plans, but instead on what God has in store for her life.

Once again, Suzanne has created a story that is warm, inviting and fun to read. While the book is set in am Amish community, it doesn't focus on "buggies, bonnets and beards" (as she puts it), but rather focuses on a family, living in a faith community.

On a scale of one to five, with five being the highest, I give this s solid four. I'm looking forward to where this series goes - Sadie's and M.K.'s stories are future releases. If book one is any indication, this series is off to a great start!

A Q&A With Suzanne!
“The Keeper” is part of a new series, how do you describe this series? What made you delve into a new community of Amish?
“The Keeper” kicks off a new series, Stoney Ridge Seasons, about three sisters. Each sister will take a turn as the main character (Julia in “The Keeper,” Sadie in “The Haven,” M.K. in “The Lesson). The series is set in the same town of Stoney Ridge, with a few crossover characters.

Years ago, on my very first visit to Lancaster County, I came across an Amish farm with a red windmill. I stopped in, visited with the family, and a friendship developed.

In the back of my mind, I wanted to create a story about an Amish family that doesn’t quite meet your image of the Amish—because that’s how I have felt about the Amish. They are always surprising me! Endlessly fascinating. This series introduces the Lapps--a quirky family that doesn’t quite fit, though they have huge hearts.

Interested? Meet them in “The Keeper!”

How do you describe “The Keeper” to potential readers? What is it about?
The basic storyline is about Julia, the eldest sister, as she tries to convince her former fiancé to “man up” and marry her. Along comes Roman Troyer, known as the Bee Man for his migratory beekeeping, to complicate matters for Julia. You’ll meet Julia’s family and discover added layers of the story through their lives.

What drew you to write this story? Why a story about an Amish beekeeper?
I had read in “The Budget” (an Amish-Mennonite newspaper) about a fellow who traveled from place to place with a horse pulling a white wagon. That’s what gave me the idea and then I morphed it into a beekeeper—someone who needed to take his bees from community to community to pollinate the orchards/fields.

I interviewed a commercial beekeeper over in the valley in California—he had lots of information about how a hobby beekeeper would manage (traveling at night, for example, when the bees are calm and quiet).

Would someone who is Amish choose to live a nomad life like this?
I've met a lot of young Amish people who are crazy about traveling. They head off on mission trips (rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina) or join disaster relief (fire fighting) using the Mennonite relief organizations. Or take bus trips out to the national parks.

So in some ways, I could see an Amish person living such a life. Maybe not as detached from community as Roman Troyer…but then again (as you will read)…he had “issues.”

How did you decide to weave in the storyline of a heart transplant? Is this something that might have truly happened in the Amish community?
Organ transplants are acceptable for most Amish. Menno and Amos’ story might be stretching things a little, but I do know of organ transplant recipients among the Amish.

I chose the heart transplant because of a wonderful man in my church who shared his transplant with me. Some of Amos’ lines are directly taken directly from this faith-filled gentleman.

Here’s a brief example, as Amos is wheeled off for the transplant.
“Joy will come in the morning.” Either way, he meant.

Which character in the book was your favorite? Why?
Mary Kate (M.K.), the youngest sister, was so much fun to write—her character jumps off the page. I just turned in the manuscript for her story (book 3) and there were no revisions! Woohoo!

But I loved Sadie, too, and Rome—wow. What a guy. One reader wrote that she is praying for a fellow like Rome Troyer to head her way! I’m praying for her, too.

What do you hope readers take away from the book?
God has a plan. His plans don’t always suit us, they don’t always make us happy, but His ways are always best.

What has God taught you through writing this book?
This last year, there have been some extra pressures on my extended family that could have easily de-railed meeting deadlines…but God is so faithful. Word by word, book by book, He guided me toward completion.

I’m not saying my books are the world’s best—but I know God is working with me to write a book that is better than the one before it. That’s my goal—to continually improve my craft. He is answering that prayer.

Why write Amish fiction? What do you like about this genre?
For me, it’s not about the buggies and bonnets and beards. It’s really about faith-based communities. Next year, I’ll be starting an historical Quaker series for Revell, set in Nantucket during the whaling period. What draws me to faith-based communities is their desire to live a life pleasing to God.

Anything else you’d like to share?
In the summer of 2012, I have a new project releasing: A children’s chapter book series called “The Adventures of Lily Lapp.” I’m co-writing the stories with Mary Ann Kinsinger, a popular blogger (www.ajoyfulchaos.com) who was raised Old Order Amish.

Mary Ann’s childhood is the inspiration for the series. I am so excited about it! The books are similar to “Little House on the Prairie”—a peek into the windows of a happy, healthy family, living a different kind of life. And even though it’s aimed at children, there is something enjoyable for all ages. Fans of Amish fiction will love this series.

I enjoy interacting with readers. You can find me at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SuzannewFisher

Thanks for hosting me today, Kaylea!

More About The Book
Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

More About The Author
Suzanne's interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Online Resources
Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
Buy The Keeper online
Follow the blog tour here!
Follow her on Facebook
Follow her tweets on Twitter

It's A Contest
It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
A $25 gift certificate to iTunes
A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group.. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Finding Rest In Random Ways

2012-01-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

You made what? While I'm not going "granola" I did spend time Saturday making my own laundry soap.

I've been wanting to do this for quite a while - my cousin and others have been telling me about making your own soap for two distinct reasons: 1) You can control the scent and 2) it's budget friendly.

So when I found myself staring at the laundry soap today at the store - and being frustrated at a) the price and b) the scents (it seems I've become a bit extra sensitive to some of the smells), I thought, "I have extra time, why not try Rebecca's recipe."

So I found myself purchasing the ingredients and making soap - a batch of liquid AND a batch of powder soap (I found that recipe thru Google)..

Ingredients For Both Recipes

Borax Laundry Booster - $3.38 (box)

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda - $3.24 (box)

Three pack Ivory Soap - $1.24

Supplies:

For Both: A Cheese Grater (I started with the one pictured and ended up with a hand-held small grater.)

For The Liquid - a sauce pan, measuring cup and wisk.

For The Powder - a bowl, spoon and measuring cup.

Grate the soap, like cheese. I found the smaller grater worked easier (along with a small bowl, rather than a plate).

Rebecca's Liquid Soap

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Borax

1 Cup of Washing Soda

1 Bar of Soap
(I used Ivory, my cousin has used Dove.)

3 gallons of water

Directions:

Grate the bar of soap, and mix it into the borax, soda and water.

Heat over a medium/low heat until it is clear.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. When it cools, it will get this "gel like" texture. Mix it up (she said you can whip it with a mixer if you like). Pour it into a gallon bucket (or re-use bottles like I did). Make sure to leave enough room in the bottles so you can "shake" or mix it up before each use.

Note: I made a third of the recipe, because I don't have a huge pot, like my cousin. This made two "regular size" bottles of soap (about what I would have paid at least $8 for each, at Walmart).

Use a bit more than you would of "commercial" soap, because it's not as concentrated.

Powdered Laundry Soap

I found the powdered recipe here.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Borax

1 Cup Washing Soda

1 Bar of Soap (again, I used Ivory, since I had a three pack), grated.

Directions:

Mix the grated soap, the borax and soda in a bowl until it becomes a very fine powder. This recipe makes approx. 32 ounces of powder. Store in a sealed container.

Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load of wash. I had a small scoop that I decided would work great for this.

It was easier - in that you don't have to "cook" it,

You do the same steps, but you don't add water, obviously. The Ivory soap grated well.

So Why Did I Do This.....
It's been a long week. I've felt like I've been wound up, tighter than a 10-day-alarm clock trying to get everything done. As I drove away from Upward's practice, I realized for the first time since the New Year, that I really didn't have anything to do this afternoon.

I knew I wanted to work on my One Little Word project, and read a bit, but for the most part, I didn't need to go anywhere or do anything.

That's how I ended up at the store, purchasing laundry soap (or the ingredients) because well, I could do laundry while watching a movie this afternoon.

It took more than an hour for me to "unwind." Having to grate bars of soap proved a "great" way to make me rest, because well, you can't "hurry" that process.

I also had to "wait" and "rest" while the soap "cooked" on medium heat. While it didn't take a lot of effort, I just couldn't leave my apartment because well, the stove was on.

So I watched Netflix (yes a crime show...and even started watching a movie).

And I sat. quiet. resting.

Finding peace.

I guess that's a good trade off for making laundry soap today.

Quote of the Day: Creativity

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

"Creativity isn’t just the things we chose to put in, it’s also the things we chose to leave out."

~ Austin Kleon from "How to Steal Like an Artist (And 9 Other things Nobody Told Me)"

All too true..... thanks Ali Edwards for the quote that makes me think today.....

Twelve on the Twelfth: January 2012

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-06:00

Several scapbooking sites are promoting a new idea this year: Capture twelve photos on the twelfth of each month, during 2012. (You can read more about this idea here).

I decided to try this - at least for one month - to see what photos I could take. It sounds easy, but actually, I had to consciously think about what photos would be in my "twelve."

Here's the shots from 01.12.12. Some are pretty boring, but they actually capture a compete snapshot of my life today.

Not So Early Morning Wake Up Call: I didn't really want to get up this morning - I spent time after my alarm went off, laying in bed listening to NPR give results for the recent presidential primaries. It reminded me that I really need to register to vote with my new Arkansas address. (I always wake up listening to NPR).

Taking Note Of The Weather: Canadian winds I guess - brought snow to NWA and cold weather to Little Rock. Made it hard to get out of bed and the warm covers today.

Self Portrait Of The Day: I decided to try wearing my contacts today, the first time since "eyegate" 3-1/2 months ago. I made it most of the day before coming home to swap out for my glasses.

First Stop Of The Morning: I decide to use my free "sweet 15" coupon to get a vanilla, caramel latte. I bought a Venti because, well, it was free. I've realized that I'm satisfied with a "Tall," - because I never finish the venti size when it's in my hands.

I forgot that they were having taste tests this week at the "bux" for their new coffee. I found out I'm "mellow" because I like the new "blond" roast.

So it was a double "free" day at Starbucks - a free latte and a free "pot" of blond coffee.

It was also interesting, because during my stop I ran into three parents from St. James (one kidz ministry, two Upward dads). It was one of the first "small town" feeling things I've had happen since moving to Little Rock.

One Of Today's Tasks: Making sure the children's bulletins for both worship services were printed on time. I don't always remember on Thursday...but this week, I did!

Still Aunt Kaylea: I may be in Little Rock, but I can still send the scrapbooking stuff (thanks to Carl's meeting in Little Rock today) so Kiki can have a scrapbook "theme" birthday party on Saturday. Fortunately, this was part of what got unpacked and sorted over the Christmas holiday.

Shoveling Away: I'm trying to weave through the pile of stuff in my planner - I just seem to be on "catch up" all the time. Would like to be ahead at some point.

The Week's Big Event: The First Soupier Games. Trying to organize a HUGE district event - with lots of help, thanks to Laura and the crew. We have at least eight churches and more than 75 kids and adults coming to tomorrow night's event. Exciting times!

What I'm Reading Today: The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carson. One of the newest young adult books I'm reading, to review for Revell Books. It's a decent read for probably younger high school gals. (Maybe even middle school.) It focuses on the idea that you can't judge a book by it's cover (or in this case, a girl by her beauty.)

Upward, My Upward. Two weeks into the 2012 season. Still working out the bugs, but things are going OK. (And we haven't needed the first aid kit yet!) Seeing the kids have fun makes all of the stress worth it.

Feeling Special: Today I wore a pair of my Christmas shoes - that John bought me. It was an unexpected Christmas present - but he wanted to take me shoe shopping because he knows shoes are one of the last things I'll buy for myself. Wearing these today made me think of our friendship and how it's grown over the years - since we first met my sophomore year in college. It takes a really good friend to go shoe shopping with ya. I'm glad John's in that category

Finding My Writing Niche: I'm trying to write more - for myself on my blog. It's a dose of creativity. I'm not sure I can keep it up, but so far, I've posted on my blog each day in 2012. If I miss a day, it will be ok... but I'd like to see how many days I can post in 2012. (This picture also reminds me that I need to re-design the blog - maybe that's a task for a snow day.)

Blog Tour: Shadow of Your Smile (Review)

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

What would you do if you woke up and 25 years of your life was gone?

Noelle faces a new reality - and a blank past - when she wakes up from an accident without a memory. She is left trying to build her future, without letting her past tear her down.

In The Shadow of Your Smile, Susan May Warren examines the life and marriage of Noelle and Eli Hueston, and how secrets, pain and grief can tear down the very structure of a marriage.

I found this book a bit heavier than Warren's usual contemporary romance novels. At times it was down right sad. But I think ultimately, Warren has captured a side of marriage - and life - that normally doesn't find its way into the a novel.

Frankly, she has captured well, reality. She shows what goes into a marriage when the "for worst" pops up.

Yes it's a novel, and yes, there's a "happy ever after" ending. But ultimately, Warren portrays one key message when it comes to marriage - it must be built upon the love of Jesus.

On a scale of one to five, with five being the highest, I give it a three. It's not my favorite Warren book,(frankly, I like the humor in her PJ Sugar series) but it's a solid addition to the Deep Haven series. If you are wanting a novel that makes you think - or are ready for another visit ot Deep Haven, then this is the book for you.

More About The Book
(From The Publisher)
A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future? Read the story behind the story here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/the-shadow-of-your-smile.

More About The Author
Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com.

Online Resources
Follow the blog tour here!
Buy it at Amazon

It's A Contest
Come Back to Deep Haven and Win a $200 Visa Card from @SusanMayWarren!

Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

The entire set of Deep Haven Books

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Quote of the Day: Joy

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Just something to think about today....to remember that joy ultimately comes from relinquishing control.

Maybe a lesson I need to learn in life.

Found on Pinterest, (source: http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality)

Random iPhone pic

2012-01-12T00:08:00.001-06:00

Found this on my phone. Not sure when I saved it.

Decided to share it as my test Blogger ap post. Wanted to see how a "mobile" post looked - and if I liked typing a blog post with my thumbs. Lol.

So enjoy!

A Lesson In Sharing

2012-01-11T21:50:00.000-06:00

During Tween Time tonight, we started our new study/series on the subject of service.

My goal for this semester is to start building a culture of service within the kidz ministry at St. James.

The lesson focused on learning to share what we have, using the model from Acts 2:44 (NLT) "and all believers met together in one place and shared everything they had."

To do this, we made “Sharing Soup," that the girls (our guys were absent tonight) could share with someone - maybe a teacher, or a friend, or even a neighbor.

We did this by mixing in a large bowl:

1 lb. dried lentils
1 lb. split green peas
1 lb. pearl barley
1 lb. brown rice
1 lb. alphabet (or elbow) macaroni
2 cups instant onion flakes

Once you mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and stir, you divide up the soup into resealable bags - 1-1/2 cups of the mixture at the time. You keep making bags until the mixture is completely divided. It made at least seven bags.

When you are finished, you attach a card with this info to the dried ingredients

“Sharing Soup”

1-1/2 cups of dry soup mix

6 cups water

Simmer for 1-1/2 hours

Then add ingredients of your choice, such as celery,

shredded cabbage, tomatoes and/or leftover meat.

As I share this soup, I’m sharing my faith.

Remember, that Jesus Loves You!

I guess part of this lesson sunk in, because during the prayer time, I asked the girls to think about one thing/way they could share with others this week – and give it as an offering to God.

Here’s what they said:

My Talent

I can share my time

Love (x 2)

I will share my soup.

My awesomeness

I can share God’s love

When my friend’s pencil ruined, I gave her my pen.

I really like working with the T2 kids - even when they drive me crazy when it seems like they are ignoring me. That's life right? Short attention spans, big hearts. One mom already told me on Facebook that her daughter plans to share her soup with her teacher tomorrow.

I really hope this semester lives up to my goal. I think these kiddos could truly "rock the world" if I can "tap into" their passion for service.

We'll see what happens.

Welcome 2012.....

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

As I started to wrap up the January One Little Word assignment, one of the things left on the "check list" included taking a photo of myself.

Ok, let's face it. I'm a lot more comfortable on the other side of the lens - definitely not on the "front" side.

But in the spirit of the class, I decided to take the picture - in a non-traditional way.

Using the Pocketbooth ap on my phone - I took a series of "photo strips" and ended up creating a mosaic photo. (I bought this ap a year ago, and it was well worth the .99 cent price tag!)

Click here for details.

Random, quirky and well just a bit of fun. Who said the assignment had to be normal.......

So welcome 2012....ready or not, here I am!

Need a Laugh?

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

A humorous look at the "cost" of using cell phones in a church.... please watch with humor... it might even make you smile....come on, ya know we've all thought it when someone's phone went off during prayer time....or worse, during the sermon.....(and yes, I was guilty of being on my phone during the service Sunday, answering a text from a parent....)

Remembering Your Baptism

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Sunday's service at church focused on remembering the importance of baptism.

I think one of the messages that resonate from me is that baptism is a sign of God's love & grace in my life - that began as an act of my parents (and the congregation of our United Methodist Church), and now is something I claim as an adult.

I joked that today's service made me want to have a sketch pad, to make a visual representation of what I was hearing - which is shocking, because I'm not an avid sketcher.

Instead, I settled for snapping a few pics at the end of the service.

I'm still processing the service - and the liturgy.

But it reminded me of the importance of baptism as a sacrament.

Baptism is the beginning of the faith journey.

I'm thankful that it is part of my journey.

Blog Tour: That's My Girl (Review)

2012-01-08T20:23:00.000-06:00

I didn't know what to expect when I had a chance to review "That's My Girl" by Rick Johnson.

I hoped the book would not only be a resource that dad's could use, but also one that didn't come across as preachy or obnoxious.

Well, I can safely say that I can recommend this book to the dads in my ministry.

Johnson has written a intriguing parenting book that weaves together insight from his life as a dad, along with stories from raising a strong-willed daughter (with her permission).

This book has an authentic tone. Johnson's writing style is warm and inviting. I can't explain it, but you can almost feel how much he cares for his daughter. This is especially true as he describes the different aspects of their relationship and how other dads can learn from it.

I'll admit, at times, Johnson seemed well, a bit conservative. But his tone helps keep the book from being "overbearing." It's definitely not obnoxious or preachy. Instead the reader is allowed to make their own decision and judgement about the content of the book.

I could definitely see this as a small group resource for a dad's group since each chapter ends with a couple of discussion questions.

In all, I give this book a solid four (on a scale of one to five). If you know a dad of daughters, you might want to pass this book along to them. I'm planning to give it to a friend who is raising four girls - ages kindergarten to sixth grade. I think - based upon recent conversations - he will find this a worthy resource.

More About The Book
(From The Publisher)
Dad, you shape your daughter's future.

You impact every aspect of your daughter's life. You show her how women should be treated, how men should act, and how a man shows healthy love and affection toward a woman. And, perhaps most importantly, you set the standard for how your daughter feels she deserves to be treated by men.

This is a big responsibility, and it's not always easy to carry out.

But parenting expert Rick Johnson is here to help. In That's My Girl, Rick shows you how to develop the close relationship with your daughter that you both crave. His plainspoken common sense, humor, and advice will give you the confidence and the encouragement you need to take up the active, positive role that can change your daughter's life--starting now.

More About The AuthorRick Johnson is a bestselling author of That's My Son; That's My Teenage Son; Better Dads, Stronger Sons; and Becoming Your Spouse's Better Half.

He is the founder of Better Dads and is a sought-after speaker at many large parenting and marriage conferences across the United States and Canada.

Johnson, his wife, Suzanne, and their grown children live in Oregon. To find out more about Rick Johnson, visit www.betterdads.net.

Online Resources
Read an excerpt here.
Buy it at Amazon.com
Buy it at Barnes & Noble
Buy it at a local bookstore.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell Publishing, a division of Baker Books. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Project 365+1 (Today's photo & more!)

2012-01-07T21:18:00.002-06:00

Last year I decided to try Project 365 - taking a photo each day, to capture a slice of my life.

I did pretty good, only "falling off the wagon" when I had a detached retina/surgery in September... (but that's another story).

When I sat down to put together my Christmas card together, I had a ton of fun sorting through photos and picking out a few highlights to showcase.

So when January came around, I decided to start again. Last year, I just didn't think I could do this...this year, I can't imagine living without this way of capturing my life.

One thing I found as a resource to use in this journey is Capture Your 365 (http://captureyour365.com/) - a daily prompt to just "get the juices flowing" and provide some ideas on what to take each day.

Today's prompt involved capturing your One Little Word in a new way.

Since I'm a wordy person, I decided to take a photo of my word as it appears in The Synonym Finder (by J, I. Rodale). (See the top photo!)

Before I sign off, here's a few of the photos I took this week, as part of my renewed Project 365+1. The photos are shown through the lens of http://instagr.am/ (one of my favorite aps) and http://www.dipticapp.com/ (an ap that lets you put more than one photo in an instagr.am photo!)

So how are you capturing 2012?

OLW: Why Rest

2012-01-06T15:30:00.000-06:00

I'm still pondering my word for 2012....

Part of the assignment for this square included really just explore "why" I picked this word.

I'm still trying to really embrace my word, understand what it means to me and how it might impact this new year.

So no deep profound thoughts...just taking the journey one step at a time.

OLW: Spell With Flicker: Rest

2012-01-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

I love Spell With Flickr

It's just a fun way to spell words using a variety of photo letters.

I saw a cool idea - to print these out as 4x6's and turning it into a framed letter sign.

That may be a future project - on a weekend that a embrace the meaning of "rest."

This has almost made me want to start my own collection of letter photos.

What word would you spell with photos?

OLW: Defining My Word, Part 2

2012-01-04T23:05:00.000-06:00

Another part of the January assignment for OLW involved finding words that are similar - synonyms - that help tell the story of the word.

It was actually kind of interesting to see the words that were linked to "rest."

Who knew "coffee break" and "Sabbath" were related to rest...although my perfect rest would be sitting at Starbucks with a beverage - either shaken ice tea or mocha frappachino - and a Sunday New York Times and at least an hour or more to read it..

I'm hoping this card helps me continue to define this word and watch how it evolves during 2012.

So here's to the next stop in the journey..... savoring this process...

OLW: Defining My Word

2012-01-03T23:36:00.000-06:00

I've started working through the January assignment for the OLW class. One of the first pieces of the word puzzle, is to find a definition that explains your word.

Out of the multitude of definitions for rest - everything from the interval of silence in a musical piece, to the absence of motion - I've isolated three, which seem to be at the heart of why I my word for 2012 is "rest."

Spot of Light by Ayla87

I want to find the peace and tranquility shown in this picture. I think it really showcases the last definition: "a sunbeam rest upon an altar." What an amazing word picture that truly captures the mood of what you can accomplish - or find - when you truly rest.

So here's to a way to find rest in the midst of the chains known as life.

....Because I'm trying to "dwell" or "linger" on this project - I'm breaking the first assignment into lots of chunks - and will probably share it in progress here; kind of as a form of accountability.....

OLW 2012: Rest

2012-01-02T23:22:00.002-06:00

Well I did it. I picked "Rest" as my word for 2012.

I really think it chose me - rather than me picking it.

It just seemed like the last few weeks, I've been hearing a message that revolves around one word - Rest.

I'm still trying to figure out what it means to me - and how it will impact 2012.

To start my journey, I signed up tonight to take Ali Edwards' One Little Word class at Big Picture Classes (formerly Big Picture Scrapbooks). You can read more about it in her blog post here: http://aliedwards.com/2011/12/one-little-word-2012.html.

I've thought about it for awhile, I almost took the class in 2011, but I talked myself out of it. This year, I talked myself "into" taking it for several reasons.

I want to experience an Ali Edwards class. I've followed her blog for several years (and interviewed her by email at least once for a freelance project). I admire lots of things about her - including her outlook on life. I especially love how she tells her life story through scrapbooking and journaling. A few years ago, she called herself a "life artist" and I've loved that description - and have embraced it as a way to describe the type of writing/photography I've done as a journalist.

I also thought this class would help give me structure. I hope the assignments will help me really dig into my word - which will let me truly embrace my word, letting me live and learn throughout the year.

I want to savor my word.. I really want to let it shape and mold me. It's my hope that It also lets me deepen my faith.

I feel like I've just taken the first step on a year long journey today by signing up for the class.

So here we go!

A Final Thought - My One Little Words
(yes, I usually end up with two words each year)

Can you see a theme emerging?

2007 - Wonder & Seek

2008 - Simplicity & Joy

2009 - Dream & Hope

2010 - Half-Full & See

2011 - New & Renew

2012 - Rest

BTW, if you are interested in taking this class, or signing up for Big Picture Classes, I'd be grateful if you use this referral code: C09B0869. If I understand the refer a friend program, once you purchase your first class, we'll both get a 10 percent off the future purchase of a class.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T22:25:00.000-06:00

Found this on a friend's Facebook wall (originally posted by Melissa Bolton. I thought this was a great way to sum up the beginning of 2012!

Here's to a "sparkly, do-over, shiny" new year!

So Happy New Year!

A Year Full Of Memories

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this idea pop up on a friend's Facebook feed, and well, it struck me as a great way a family - or an individual - could jot down a few memories for 2012.

A Memory Jar.

The original author (see below for source) said she kept a stack of 4x4 pieces of paper next to a Mason Jar, along with things to write with.

Every few days someone in the family would jot down something that made their family laugh or smile. On New Year's Eve (think Dec. 31, 2012), the family bulled out the papers, unfolded each one and read through a year's worth of memories.

Simple huh?

But the cool thing - what struck me as I read this - is that a lot of times we dwell on the "junk" that happens in life. This jar helps the entire family remember the "good" stuff.

Kind of a gratitude journal for multiple generations.

There were a few other cool ideas on the blog post I found this idea - like a memory box of days - you might want to check it out!

Source: http://steamykitchen.com/19992-memory-jar.html#.TvyNpYw24_I.facebook

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 12 - Jesus, The Reason For The Season

2011-12-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoyed these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you missed a few posts, I hope you'll be able go back through and read them on this blog over the next few days. If you'd like to keep up with Pearl Girls and our new book project, Mother of Pearl, coming this spring, just click this link and sign up for our newsletter (lower left sidebar).

Also, just a reminder that today is the last day for the pearl necklace and earrings giveaway! Enter now by filling out this {form}. The winner will on 1/1 at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Jesus -- The Reason For the Season
By: Rachel Hauck
Through the narrow scope of 2000 years, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appears to be one lucky woman. Chosen by God to give birth to His son, the Savior of the world? All right, Mary, way to go.

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,” Gabriel said.

How many of us would like a declaration like that? Highly favored. The Lord is with you. But Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Mary’s seems confident and resolved when she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

She’d just been told the Holy Spirit will come upon her, that God’s power will overshadow her, that she’d become with child even though she wasn’t married, and she said, “I’m the Lord’s servant. Let your words be true.”

I find this amazing! A young woman. Ancient Bethlehem. Unwed mother. They stoned women for such things in her day. But Mary believed in God. And submitted to His will. He gave her the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit given to us. If He gave her confidence, He will give us confidence. Even though, like Mary, our situation seems impossible.

Listen to Mary’s song later on in the first chapter of Luke.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me Holy is his name…”

Conceiving a child out of wedlock, by Divine intervention. Not a girl’s every day existence. Yet she had a Yes in her heart to God. She rejoiced. She boldly said, “Generations will remember me!”

How we struggle to trust God with our children. Our finances. Our emotional well-being. We worry. We fret. And wonder why we have no peace.

Christmas is the season where words like joy, peace and love are bantered around like Christmas candy. Let’s not take them as just words, but as truth. Let’s be like Mary and embrace God’s favor on our lives. Boldly declare "He’s done great things for me!”

Out of the grit of our own souls, we can reach His heart, and feel Him reaching for ours. No matter the pain of our past, present or future, God is there for us. He is able. Best of all, He is willing. “My soul glorifies the Lord this Christmas!”

***

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author who believes God has done great things for her. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and ornery pets. Her next release is Love Lifted Me with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, January 2012. Then in April, look for The Wedding Dress. www.rachelhauck.com.

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 11 - The Panhandler's Breath

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

The Panhandler's Breath
By Robin Dance

He slipped in sideways between the closing elevator doors, as if he were late to a meeting; he pressed the "5" without looking. Instead of suit and tie, though, baggy pants and faded navy hung on his tall, slim frame...and his stealth entry stiffened the hairs on the back of my neck.

I had noticed him a few seconds earlier, just after we had parted a sea of clamorous teens. He was smiling, grandfatherly, standing maybe 30 feet away where the electric shuttle picks up.

I had no idea he had been watching us, studying us, predator patiently awaiting his next prey.

The four of us were sealed in a four- by six-foot metal tomb. Tomb--that thought really scampered across my mind. I wondered if he had a knife in his pocket. I wanted to protect my son. Fight or flight pumped adrenaline but there was no where to run.

Extreme and ridiculous, these thoughts - and more - flashed through my mind. The Stranger began speaking.

"Yessir, I see you're a family man with your wife and your son here..." and he nodded in my and my son’s direction.

"...you see I'm homeless and all I've got..." and on queue, he reached into his left pocket and pulled out two old pennies blackened with age. Two cents to his name?! It was all too contrived, too practiced, and I didn't believe a word he was saying.

It was then I smelled it ~ the small space lent itself to that ~ and I doubted my doubt.

His breath.

It wasn't the scent of alcohol. His eyes weren't red, his voice didn't waver; his wizened face matched his graying hair.

His breath was morning's, zoo breath, the pet name I'd given to the scent inhaled when kissing my children awake when they were little.

He needed to brush his teeth. I wondered how long it had been since he brushed his teeth.

The elevator door opened and I handed him my leftover pizza as my son and I brushed past him. My husband handed him a bill and the Stranger thanked and God blessed him.

The elevator door closed behind us. Conflicted, I was relieved.

We got in the car and blurted first reaction--

"I didn't believe a word he said."

"That made me nervous."

"I wonder if he'll really eat the pizza."

In the quiet, we were left to our own thoughts, contemplating the right thing to do. At the end of the day, this is what I decided: It doesn't matter whether or not his story is true; for an old man to resort to begging, he has to be desperate. The money my husband gave him will never be missed. It was a reminder we've been entrusted with much and given much. Materially, yes, but more so spiritually. Loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed, graced, lavished--every spiritual blessing. E v e r y.

There's a part of me that wishes I would have been brave enough to ask the man his story, made sure he knew he was loved...and bought him a tooth brush.

Later, it occurred to me he could have been an angel. Doesn’t that mean generosity, kindness and hospitality is always the right response? Then it's not about you or the stranger or the circumstance, it's about a simple, God-glorifying response.

Had we entertained an angel unaware? We'll never know.

But it wouldn't be the first time the Breath of Heaven smelled like a zoo.

***

In a decades-old, scandalous affair with her husband, Robin also confesses mad crushes on her three teens. As Southern as sugar-shocked tea, she’s a recovering people pleaser who advocates talking to strangers. A memoirist, Compassion International Blogger, and Maker-upper of words, Robin writes for her own site, PENSIEVE, and also for (in)courage by DaySpring (a subsidiary of Hallmark) and Simple Mom. She loves to get to know readers through their blog comments and on Twitter and Pinterest. www.pensieve.me

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 10 - Inside Out Christmas

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

***

Inside Out Christmas
by Debora M. Coty

My veterinarian friend, Dr. Katie, tells the story about the December when a woman brought a very sick black lab into her clinic. The dog was only ten months old, so she was really just a big puppy, but she’d been vomiting incessantly and her worried owner didn’t know what was wrong.

“Why don’t you go on home?” Dr. Katie told the owner. “I’ll need to run tests for about four hours. We’ll give you a call when we’re finished.”

Dr. Katie’s assistant took x-rays and hung them on the light panel for Dr. Katie to examine. Hmm. Something looked a little peculiar. Dr. Katie called her assistant over.

“Is it just me, or does that look like a … a camel to you?” she asked incredulously.

“Matter of fact, it does,” replied the astute assistant. “And look, there’s an angel here, a shepherd there, and down there in the colon, it’s Baby Jesus!”

At that moment the phone rang. It was the dog’s distraught owner. “I can’t believe this! I just got home and glanced at the coffee table where I put my manger scene yesterday. There’s nothing there but an empty stable!”

As I thought about this quite literal technique for internalizing the true meaning of Christmas, it occurred to me that sometimes I have the opposite problem. With all the bustling busyness, my inner joy in celebration of my savior’s birth never really makes it to the outside.

Oh, I have plenty of glittery, festive evidences of the holiday in decorations, baking galore, and gifts under my tree. But those things are for show. They’re merely the pretty wrappings, not the gift itself.

Can people really see the core-deep joy that radiates within me when I think of the true gift that Papa God sent the world in his son, Jesus? Is my immeasurable gratitude for eternal life evident as I dash through this hectic season?

I’m afraid all too often, the answer is no.

I’m just too preoccupied to allow my outside to reflect my inside so that nonbelievers recognize that I rejoice because of the hope that is within me. My joy is obscured by the mounds of clutter. Gratefulness is sucked out of my soul by the vacuum called urgency.

“But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy” (Psalm 68:3, NLT).

This verse has become my prayer this Christmas season – that I would make the time to give priority to rejoicing, being glad in God’s presence, and letting my inner joy show for those who may be silently desperate to know the giver of true joy.

Yep, there’s a better way to internalize the gift of Christmas than the black lab technique. We can lodge the Little Lord Jesus in our hearts rather than our colons.

***

Debora M. Coty is a humorist, inspirational speaker, and award-winning author of twelve books, including Too Blessed to be Stressed, and coming in March, More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. Debora would love to swap Christmas hugs with you at www.DeboraCoty.com.

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!”

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 9 - Simple or Sparkle

2011-12-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!
Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Simple or Sparkle?
by Tracey Eyster

It’s a simple ornament made of thin cheap metal and it looks quite out of place on our CHRISTmas tree. But each year I lovingly and safely nestle it amongst its expensive and sparkly peers, without a care as to how unglamorous it appears.

Many of our CHRISTmas ornaments have a story and an uncanny way of welling up emotion in me, but this certain one causes an intense stir.

You see the ornament is engraved with the name of my grandmother, Sara, and was given to me by my mother, who ordered it from Hospice, after Grandmama’s death. Yes, the months leading up to her death carry memories of a frail and failing grandmama, but that ornament carries my thoughts to sweet CHRISTmas memories of the past.

CHRISTmas Eve dinners in her home, laughing, singing, gathering and celebrating a year filled with blessings as we remembered the birth of our Savior. CHRISTmas mornings, she was always there participating with glee, in our raucous CHRISTmas happiness. Her gifts were always bank envelopes gently tucked into the pine needles of our CHRISTmas tree, fresh cut from the property she grew up on.

All memories of my Grandmama make my heart swell. You see she was my Jesus with skin on. She lived her life full of joy, serving others and approached life selflessly with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?”

Just months before she left us, even as the Alzheimer’s was robbing her mind she shared her love of Jesus with a sweet little old lady friend, who came to know the Lord – a divine appointment. The very next day that little old lady silently slipped away to meet in person the One Sara introduced her to just the day before.

At the time I wept, realizing that regardless of our own frailties and failings, God can still use those of us who are willing to do His work and are well practiced at hearing His voice...no matter our lack of sparkle in comparison to others.

A simple life lived for Him, a simple ornament in memory of Sara...a simple truth for you to ponder.

***

Tracey Eyster wife, mom, relationship gatherer and Creator/Editor of FamilyLife’s MomLife Today is a media savvy mom making a difference where moms are, on-line. Through speaking, writing and video interviews Tracey is passionate about encouraging, equipping and advising moms on every facet of momlife. Her first book, Be The Mom will be released August 2012. You can connect with Tracey at www.momlifetoday.com, her personal site www.traceyster.com or www.twitter/momblog.com.

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 8 - Enjoy The Ride

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

***

Enjoy the Ride!
Susan May Warren
We sit poised on the top of a cliff, a near drop off before us, that falls to a rushing river. In the middle, a bridge of snow and ice hints at our destination. My husband guns the snowmobile engine. “Ready?”

Ready? For a face plant into a tree, maybe reconstructive surgery? To feel my stomach ripped from my body as we plummet down the mountain? Let’s do it!

We live on five acres of woods in northern Minnesota that butts up to a national forest. Hence, our backyard is about a hundred thousand acres. Aside from harboring deer, lynx, fox, cougar and bear, it also makes excellent snowmobile terrain. And not long ago, Mrs. Claus gave her Santa a snowmobile for two.

I love snowmobiling. Flying over the snow, catching air over drifts. I love to drive, to be at the helm of the beast as I weave around trees and over hill and dale, my husband sitting behind me. I also love riding behind my husband as he drives, feeling those powerful arms as he’s muscling the snowmobile into the wilds. We follow unknown trails, driven by a Magellan spirit, hoping that we have enough gas to get us back to civilization. I love hanging on, simply trusting him, knowing that wherever he’s taking me, he’s going first.

But there are times, when I see where he’s taking me, and I just have to bury my head in his back. Like straight down a cliff.

However, my heart cheers, despite the terror as we gun it down the hill, over the river, up the opposite side. And, if we hadn’t let ourselves go, we would have never discovered the beauty of a winter river, a hidden jewel buried deep in the forest. Nor the exhilaration of facing the challenge together.

Further on, we find an enchanted forest of towering white pine. Catch a view of Lake Superior, discover an old cabin in the woods.

It occurs to me that snowmobiling is much like my spiritual life. Occasionally, I drive, and it’s me setting our course, weaving through the trees, getting us hopelessly lost. But when God takes the “wheel” and I hang on, trusting Him for the speed and destination, I see the scenery. I trust him to keep me safe. I trust him to bring me home, where there is an eternal supply of hot chocolate.

As Christmas season becomes more hectic, what if I let God drive? Maybe everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and maybe I don’t have to control every tradition, every holiday nuance. What if I just held on for the ride?

I’ll bet I’ll still get there, and I might even enjoy the scenery along the way.

How have you let go, and “enjoyed” the scenery of this hectic, exhilarating Christmas season?

Merry Christmas!

***

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of thirty novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award.

A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 7 - Family Traditions

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Family Traditions: A Glimpse into Christmas Future
by Tricia Goyer
Have you ever thought about family traditions? As I helped my 1-year-old place ornaments on the Christmas tree this year I imagined her doing the same thing with her children—and maybe even grandchildren—one day. Traditions are beliefs and customs handed down through generations. By sharing meaningful moments with your kids you're sending yourself into the future. How amazing is that?

Sharing family traditions cause us to slow down from the busy, adult world for a while. We ignore the laundry to set out the nativity set with our kids. We set aside time in our schedules to drive around and look at Christmas lights.

Holiday traditions aren't only fun, they also help strength family bonds. Through traditions kids trust in the security of family unit. They think, “This is our family and this is what I do.” Of course, the most important thing to share isn't just what we do ... but why. Why do we put out a nativity? To remind us the real meaning of the season—Jesus coming to earth. What do the Christmas lights represent displayed on homes and on trees? They represent the Light of the World, Jesus.

Using traditions to bond our families and share our faith isn't new. I love these two Scriptures that talk about that very thing.

Exodus 12:25 says, “When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.”

Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

What are you're traditions? Here are a few of ours:
Baking a Birthday cake for Jesus

Buying a new ornament every year for each child

Acting out the Christmas story (with props!)

Praying together before opening presents

What are your traditions?
Write a list and appreciate them in a new way this year. Then ask, “If I could add one new tradition this holiday season, what would it be?” I'd love to hear what you choose! It also makes me smile to think of your children's grandchildren doing the same.

***

Tricia Goyer is a CBA best-selling author and the winner of two American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Awards (Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights).

She co-wrote 3:16 Teen Edition with Max Lucado and contributed to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Also a noted marriage and parenting writer, she lives with her husband and children in Arkansas. www.triciagoyer.com

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 6 "Let The Baby Grow Up This Christmas"

2011-12-19T12:52:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Let The Baby Grow Up This Christmas
By Shellie Tomlinson
When I was a little girl, Christmas seemed to take forever to make its way back to our little house on the end of a dirt road called Bull Run in northeast Louisiana. We kids started counting down the days before the leaves ever began turning. Sure, the adults said it came once a year but I wasn't so sure. Once Santa Claus left our humble abode it seemed like light years before he found his way back to the Delta.

That was a child's perspective. I imagine it hasn't changed all that much for today's kids. On the other hand, I'm operating under a completely different time frame these days. It seems like it was just yesterday when I pulled the boxes down from the attic and began pulling out the nativity scene, the miniature lights, and the keepsake ornaments. And now, just that fast-- Christmas Day is right around the corner. Soon the tree will be striped naked and the piled up presents will all be distributed. After a few more day it'll be hard to remember who got what from whom, and once again, I'll start packing all the decorations away for another year.

I was thinking about how bare and cold the house always looks after the holidays when I realized that, sadly, this scene would play itself out in many hearts as well. A lot of people will have had expectations that weren't filled and many of those same souls will be left with hurts that don't seem to heal. Unless this year is remarkably different from past seasons, my bet is, the New Year will bring magazines full of articles on combating depression and the talk shows will have experts on offering ways to fill the long days ahead and cure the winter blues.

I'm no expert, dear readers, but I'd like to offer you a suggestion that will go far beyond the creature comforts of a nice warm bath or a delicious bowl of hot soup. Your heart doesn't have to be bare and naked after the holidays. Do you want to know the real secret? It's simple, really. Don't pack up Christ with Christmas! As beautiful and special as the Christmas story is, it's only a part of heaven's miracle. The Christ child grew into a man and the man became a Savior.

This year, may we be determined to let the babe from Bethlehem live on in our hearts. If we'll allow Him to become the Messiah He was born to be, the joy of Christmas can be ours all year long.

***

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is an author, speaker, and radio host from Louisiana. Her latest release Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy was endorsed by Jeff Foxworthy as "laugh out loud funny!"

You can find Shellie's weekly southern features, podcasts, video chats and more at http://www.allthingssouthern.com/ Make sure to get by the blog and read about the Super Christmas Giveaway Shellie is hosting for her readers and secure your chance to win a Mort Kunstler print valued between $700 and $1400. www.allthingssouthern.com

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

Joy?

2011-12-18T10:30:00.002-06:00

An online acquaintance/friend posted this on her blog, along with a sad update on her life. I found this quote spoke to me as I read her post because she's really trying to live out the words of this message - despite the unexpected turn in life.

I see this sentiment reflected in the lives of others, who are living lives different than they expected.

Sometimes we have to choose to find joy in life.

I'll be honest, some days - and this weekend is one - I don't know how to do this, except through prayer - and a deep faith that surpasses all understanding - and knowing that there is a God, who loves me. period.

It's times like this, that I'm profoundly grateful that I memorized this through youth group in high school:
(Apparently, I memorized the New KJV version with a few "changes"...) Numbers 6:24-26....

May the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
May the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

That's my prayer for everyone who may want to "fix" the sorrows, but can only focus on finding joy in life.

Maybe that's my word for 2012..... hum....although it was a word I picked in the last few years....... maybe there's still a lesson to learn here.
.....

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 5

2011-12-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!
Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

The Snowflake Party
By Deborah Raney

The first snow of winter hasn’t fallen yet, but in our kitchen tonight we’re doing a pretty good imitation. The whole family is circled around the huge old oak table. The snip, snip, snip of scissors is background music as tiny scraps of white paper float down, making our floor look like a giant brownie sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Tonight has turned out to be the night for our annual Snowflake Party, a tradition that began when our children were toddlers. There has never been a date blocked out in red on our calendar, but one day we wake up and the brisk autumn air has turned bitter cold. Naked tree branches trace their stark calligraphy on a dull grey sky and we need a taste of the joyful promises of Christmas and snow. It’s the perfect time for a party.

On such a day, one of the kids will fly in the back door, fresh home from school, and declare “Hey, Mom! Tonight would be a good night for the Snowflake Party!” First we round up every pair of scissors in the house. This is one time when sharing is not a virtue. While the kids search for scissors, I cut white paper into squares and fold them caddy-corner multiple times. The resulting triangles are artfully arranged in a basket, awaiting the beginning of the party.

Later, while the supper dishes dry on the counter, I recruit a volunteer to help me stir up a big pot of hot cocoa. For the next hour it will warm on the back burner, tantalizing us with its aroma.

Now the fun begins with careful cutting and snipping, shaping plain white paper into intricate works of art. Each snowflake we create seems as unique and spectacular as the genuine variety created by God himself. As each masterpiece is unfolded, collective oohs and aahs go up.

When the last dregs of our creative juices are drained, Dad oversees the vacuum patrol while I pour cocoa into generous mugs. We spread our handiwork on the floor around us and sit, quietly admiring our work while we dunk marshmallows and sip rich chocolate.

With empty mugs piled up in the sink, it’s time for the judging to begin. There will be awards for ‘prettiest’, ‘most unusual’, and as many other categories as we need for everyone to be a winner. Dad is the judge because he studied art in college. He also usually wins one of the top prizes––because he studied art in college.

Snowflakes deemed runners-up might be pasted in scrapbooks or hung on the refrigerator. A few even “melt” into the trash that very night. But the winners are taped proudly to the picture windows in the living room for passersby to enjoy while they long for the day when genuine snowflakes will color the world clean and white.

Our oldest daughter went away to college last September. She called just after Thanksgiving to tell me that her dorm window was covered with snowflakes. No, not the real thing, but the ones she remembers from her childhood––paper ones that she spent an entire evening cutting and snipping while sipping hot cocoa.

That’s the neat thing about traditions: They go with us no matter how far from home we travel.

***

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her books have since won the RITA Award, ACFW Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists.

After All, third in her Hanover Falls Novels series will release next spring from Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Their four children are grown now and having snowflake parties with their own children––and they all live much too far away. Visit Deb on the web at www.deborahraney.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 4

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Why I Decorate for Christmas
By Elizabeth Goldsmith Musser

An old cassette tape of Christmas carols—received in a package twenty years ago when we had first arrived in France as missionaries—fills our den with delightful piano music as I place one more ornament on the already over-laden Christmas tree. This one is a little white wooden rabbit with pink ears that move back and forth. It actually doesn't look much like a Christmas ornament, but I bought it for our baby Andrew when my husband Paul was in seminary, and I was working for less than minimum wage in the library. This ornament was literally all I could afford.

As I hang it on the tree today, I get goose bumps and then a rush of warmth. And that’s why I decorate for Christmas. Not to impress but to remember. I remember those lean, lean years, and God’s faithful provision for us.

There are the cross-stitched ornaments I made our first year in Montpellier—for the boys (for by now we had two sons) and Paul and me. How I ever had time to do that, I don’t know. I remember our puny little tree—the kind they sold in France back then—in a pot so that it could be replanted later. We perched that tiny tree on a small table out of baby Christopher’s reach. I guess I watered it too much, because about halfway through December, it started smelling and then stinking, and it rotted there on Christmas Day!

I smile with these memories.

I look at the other ornaments on the tree. Many were purchased—one for each boy—when we attended conferences around Europe, and that makes me smile too. Getting to travel on a missionary’s budget to exotic places! There are the waxed red bear and red baby carriage from Wales, the brightly painted clay sun and moon from Portugal, the blue and white porcelain windmill and wooden shoes from Holland, the hand-blown glass Snoopys sitting on gondolas from Venice, and the delicately decorated eggs from Prague.

Other ornaments include the little pinkish shiny ball ornament with Paul’s name written in glitter—I think he made it when he was about six , and the little red velvet bows, bought at Michael’s after Christmas one year for a dollar. They bring a unifying theme to the tree. I say this, smiling, because our tree is, and has always been throughout the years, a hodge-podge of our life. And I like it that way. I don’t think I could ever have a ‘theme’ tree. Mine is a ‘memory’ tree.

The music plays softly in the background and I smile through tears, remembering God’s incredible faithfulness to call and keep us here in France for so many years. Heart-breakingly hard years, overwhelmingly joyful years—the same years, the same amazing God, our keeper.

Before we left for the mission field, I memorized Psalm 121 in English and in French, and over the years I have held on tight to those last beautiful words of the psalm: The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (NASB)

Of course He will. He is God with us.

We decorate to remember Christmases past, our lives, our legacy, and mostly, for those of us who have embraced Christ, we decorate to honor and praise Him for coming to us—Emmanuel! We make our homes ready to receive the Christ Child, with soft music and candles burning and the sweet flickering of angel wings on an over-laden evergreen.

***

ELIZABETH GOLDSMITH MUSSER, an Atlanta native and the bestselling author of The Swan House, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For more than twenty years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions work with International Teams. They presently live near Lyon, France. The Mussers have two sons and a daughter-in-law. The Sweetest Thing (Bethany House, 2011) is Elizabeth’s eighth novel. To learn more about Elizabeth and her books, and to find discussion questions as well as photos of sites mentioned in the stories, please visit www.elizabethmusser.com and her Facebook Fan Page. www.elizabethmusser.com

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

Blog Tour: Real (Review)

2011-12-16T09:22:00.000-06:00

Wow.

If pictures are worth 1,000 words, then Shelley Malcom and Terilee Dawn Ouimette have captured a priceless treasure in their collaboration known as Real.

The book is a collection of 60 inspirational stories, illustrated by amazing, yet anonymous, photos focusing on the subject's hands.

Wow.

The publisher describes the people featured as ranging "from adolescent to elderly, former gangster to humble homeless, international refugee to hero-housewife, and pro athlete to Hollywood celebrity."

Each story and accompanying photo are unique. This book is not designed to be read straight through, but instead, savored like a fine wine or dessert.

I can see the stories - and photos - serving as a launching point for small group discussion.

There's something Real about the power of words and images. This book is the REAL deal. The photos are amazing and the stories will inspire you.

More About Real

“REAL” is a collection of 60 inspirational stories by Shelley Malcolm, with photos by Terilee Dawn Ouimette.

The stories are deeply revealing, while the photos are anonymous, focusing only on each subject’s hands. Subjects range from adolescent to elderly, from former gangster to humble homeless, international refugee to hero-housewife, from pro athlete to Hollywood celebrity.

While “Real” is her first published book, Malcolm is no stranger to creative projects, as co-owner and restorer of an historic chapel, La Perla del Mar in Shell Beach, CA, and a set designer for theater and film.

She was named Pismo Beach’s Citizen of the Year in 2011 for her extensive contributions and involvement in the community.

Malcolm graduated from University of Southern California with a degree in dental hygiene. She resides in Shell Beach, California with her husband, Doug.

Malcom has four adult children. Her interests include painting , drawing, sculpting, building, playing piano and other musical instruments, outdoor activities including hiking, ocean kayaking, running, water and snow-skiing, international travel, sewing, reading, writing and others.For more information, please visit http://marthamartha.net, http://shelleymalcolmblog.wordpress.com or http://realthebook.blogspot.com/

Online Resources
Proceeds from Real go to various charities. Want to know more? Visit http://realthebook.blogspot.com.

Cards and bookmarks, from various images in the book are available here: http://marthamartha.net/shop/shopnotecards.html

See what others thought about this book: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13440889

Buy the book: http://marthamartha.net/shop/shopbook.html

Real - The Book from David Malcolm on Vimeo.

If the video link doesn't appear, see it here: http://marthamartha.net/media.html

Before You Go... A Q&A With Malcom

What prompted you to start this project?
Inspiration from a dream of similar images, that revealed the beauty in imperfections... the hand image is made beautiful by the life behind it, and it is a body part that is impossible to enhance or fake.

Is that why you chose the hands to symbolize a life lived?
The hand is more anonymous than a face or even eyes which show identity and emotion. Also, they portray our work, our affection, our worry, scars, and even our mistakes...

What is unique about Real?
I believe the concept is unique, the layout is different, and it feels like reading a yearbook or journal. It can easily serve as a devotional and it appeals to a widespread audience.

What do you hope the reader takes away after reading Real?
The simple pleasure of reading it, and more so, an appreciation of the beauty of authenticity of others or their own, and the "perfect plan of diversity". You can read more about this in my article on diversity located here. http://focusonwomenmagazine.net/pdf/FOWMSeptOctFinalScreen.pdf Pg. 35

With Christmas coming up, why would Real make a great gift for anyone on your gift list?
Real is artistically beautiful, gentle and inspiring, and can be enjoyed by men or women of all ages. It is easy for all to relate to and feel comfortable with. The subject matter feels familiar, even though it’s new, and readers always relate and have something to say about their hands or their story. Real stimulates memories and discussion and has even been used in several ways: a memorial, a devotional, as a hostess gift, and other gifts of course.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 3

2011-12-16T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!
Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Babbie Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)!

Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Where is Comfort and Joy Found?
By Sandy Ralya

The year 2006 ushered unwelcome emotions into my life. My husband was unhappy in his job, two of my grown children were making poor choices, my mother-in-law was showing signs of Alzheimer’s, extended-family issues were surfacing, and I was writing a book. Things only got worse. Much worse.

Early in 2007, I was asked to represent the mentoring ministry for wives I founded, Beautiful Womanhood, and lead a women’s conference in Uganda, Africa. My husband wasn’t sure if traveling to Africa was a good idea, so we committed it to prayer. While we were listening for an answer, I sensed God asking me to fast from spending, except for groceries, for thirty days. Sometimes you know that you’ve heard God’s voice because you’d never have come up with those words on your own. This was one of those times. I’d never heard of a fast from spending. Tom needed no convincing that a fast from spending came directly from the mouth of God. He still gets excited just thinking about it!

During the fast, it became clear I had used spending as a way to gain a comfort fix. When I was spending money, I felt carefree and lighthearted. Instead of dwelling on the unpleasantness in my life, I was thinking of my purchases and how they would bring me pleasure. Not until I stopped spending did I realize how short-lived the fix really was. During the fast, when I felt the urge to spend—to anesthetize my pain—I pictured myself running into the arms of Jesus, the Great Comforter. Oh, what comfort I received!

One night, I told good friends my experience of gaining comfort through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than money. I exclaimed that I had never felt so comforted. One friend then told us about a dream he’d had shortly after hearing about the invitation from Uganda. After the dream, he had awoken and recorded the following thoughts:

“. . . this is for Sandy. Christ’s redemption of women is beautiful. Beautiful Womanhood is a result of redemptive wholeness. The visuals the ministry uses on the books, etc., are like a piece of beautifully veneered furniture. There is something going on with the ministry to the brokenness of abused women. In Uganda, there are hurting, abused women, and something is connecting their need and Beautiful Womanhood. Though there is nothing wrong with veneer, it is only the topping—the covering, and without good structure it is shallow and will not hold up. It is time to add a new depth to the ministry.”

Then these verses came to my friend’s mind:

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NL

When my friend was finished sharing, everyone in the room broke down in tears, praising God for His work in my life. I’d learned to listen and God had spoken. I’d obeyed, and He’d acted. When He acted, I was changed.

Needless to say, I packed my bags and experienced some of the best days of my life in Uganda—offering God’s comfort to His troubled women.

***

Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980 and live near Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have three adult children and a growing number of grandchildren. When not writing and speaking, Sandy enjoys shopping at yard sales for vintage clothing, cooking, travelling, and drinking really good coffee (black is best) with her husband.

For more information, contact Sandy at sandy@beautifulwomanhood.com. Subscribe to Sandy’s blog at www.beautifulwomanhood.com/blog. Find Sandy on Facebook at Beautiful Womanhood. Follow Sandy on Twitter @MentoringWives.

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

Nativity Told Through Facebook

2011-12-15T19:30:00.000-06:00

Here's another nativity story, as told through social media (aka Facebook). Enjoy.

Giveaway Results: My Favorite Bible

2011-12-15T09:56:00.000-06:00

Congrats to TammyIsBlessed for winning the drawing for the copy of My Favorite Bible. The results were generated using Random.org.

There were 3 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

TammyIsBlessed
maddiemommie
Mickeyrenee

Timestamp: 2011-12-15 15:51:51 UTC

12 Pearls of Christmas: Day 2

2011-12-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!
Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

***

Advent
By Sibella Giorello
Consider the bride's walk down the aisle. We all know where that woman in the white is going but somehow waiting for her to arrive at the altar is an essential part of the ceremony. In fact, the waiting is so essential that even cheapskate Vegas chapels include wedding marches.

Why?

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

At Christmas time, we tend to forget this essential truth about anticipation. We're lost to shopping malls and checklists, rushing toward December 25th so quickly that we forget the quiet joy of the month's other 24 days -- and then we wonder why we feel so empty on the 26th, amid ribbons and wrapping paper and our best intentions.

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

And that is why Advent is so important to Christmas.

I'm as guilty as the next harried person. This Advent was particularly tricky because just six hours before it started, I was still trying to finish a 110,000-word novel that was written over the course of the year -- written while homeschooling my kids, keeping my hubby happy, and generally making sure the house didn't fall down around us.

It's an understatement to say my free time is limited. But waiting adds meaning, and Advent is crucial to Christmas, so I've devised several Advent traditions that are simple, powerful and easy to keep even amid the seasonal rush.

When my kids outgrew the simple Advent calendars around age 7, I stole an idea from my writer friend Shelly Ngo (as T.S. Eliot said, "Mediocre writers borrow. Great writers steal." Indulge me.)

Here's how it goes: Find 24 great Christmas books, wrap them individually and place then under the tree. On the first day of Advent, take turns picking which book to open. When we did this, we would cuddle under a blanket and read aloud -- oh, the wonder, the magic! We savored "The Polar Express," howled with "How Murray Saved Christmas," and fell silent at the end of "The Tale of The Three Trees" (note: some of the picture books I chose were not explicitly about Christmas but they always echoed the message that Jesus came to earth to save us from ourselves and to love us beyond our wildest imagination. In that category, Angela Hunt's retelling of The Three Trees definitely hits the Yuletide bull's eye).

This Advent tradition lasted for about five years. It gave us rich daily discussions about the season's real meaning, without being religious or legalistic, and it increased family couch time. But like the lift-the-flap calendars, my kids outgrew the picture books.

Because the wait adds meaning, and Advent is crucial, I prayed for another way to celebrate anticipation of Christmas. By the grace of God, last year I found an enormous Advent calendar on clearance at Pottery Barn. Made of burlap, it has large pockets big enough to hold some serious bounty.

But my husband and I didn't want the kids focusing only on the materialist stuff for Advent -- we already fight that on Christmas day. We decided to fill the daily pockets with simple necessities and small gift cards. We also printed out the nativity story from Luke 2:1-21 in a large-sized font and cut each verse out. From Day 1 to Day 21, there is one verse to read aloud. The kids memorize it, then get to open their present (again, on alternating days for each person). Then we tape the verse to the wall in order. By Day 22, all the verses are on the wall, in order, and the kids now try to recite the entire nativity story from memory. That's not as difficult as it sounds because they've been memorizing one verse each day. Still, the entire recitation -- verbatim -- usually requires Day 23 and Day 24. Whoever does memorize the entire thing -- without mistakes -- earns a bonus gift of $25.

Does that sounds extravagant?

It is.

Because we want our kids to understand that God came down and humbled himself and taught us about love right before He suffered and died on behalf of the undeserving -- which is every one of us.

"That's" extravagant.

And in the waiting, we find even more meaning.

***

Sibella Giorello writes the Raleigh Harmon mystery series which won the Christy Award with its first book "The Stones Cry Out." She lives in Washington state with her husband and children, and often wishes there were 36 hours in a day.

Note from Kaylea: The following is a series of thoughts, from some of today’s Christian authors, designed to help you find a “pearl” of faith during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season. – Enjoy!

A Digital Nativity

2011-12-14T17:17:00.001-06:00

Discovered through a friend, good enough to share! Enjoy!

Like I tried to tell the second graders a couple of weeks ago - God used messengers to spread the good news oh so long ago, just imagine what could be done today, with Facebook, Google, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube and more!