Linda the Librarian

Freedom's Light by Colleen Coble A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden Two easy breezy reads for you to consider.  A Daring Venture is a sequel to the book A Dangerous Legacy, so you'll want to read that first.  With these two books it brings the final total to 97 books for the year.  I'm kind of excited by that! Until next time...

2018 is coming to a close and now we must turn our attention to a New Year full of new opportunities to grow.  It's exciting and daunting at the same time, isn't it?  I thought now would be a good time to reflect on my reading goals for 2018 and set goals for 2019 (that looks strange, doesn't it?). This year I followed the Christian Reading Challenge that Tim Challies has put together for the last few years.  My goal was to read two books a week for a grand total of 104.  I'm a librarian, for Pete's sake, how hard could it be?  If President George W. Bush could read more than 100 books in a year while leading the nation, I should be able to read 104 books while working as a librarian, right?   Mr. President, may I just say, "Uncle!!"  I didn't make my goal.  I will make it to the high 90's, which is about 20 books more than I read in 2017.  I'm glad I followed the plan even though I fell short.  I loved the structure of following a plan.  I

Lost Connections by Johann Hari My guess is that most of us know someone who struggles with depression or anxiety.  Maybe we are that someone.  If you or someone you care about has paid a visit to the doctor about depression or anxiety, chances are high that you were prescribed an antidepressant for your trouble.  In Lost Connections, Mr. Hari seeks to give real life reasons for our depression and anxiety and to propose solutions that are not solely based on medication.  Some of the causes for depression and anxiety that he includes are lost connections to people, nature, meaningful work, meaningful values, etc. I liked the fact that he did give real solutions for each of the lost connections (gardening, group projects/volunteering, changing jobs, etc.).  I like that the power for our own healing is put back into our hands and that this is a long term solution, a more permanent solution than a little pill can give.   I didn't agree with everything that was put fo

With all the comings and goings of my children for the holidays, I've been a little preoccupied.  My reading pace has slowed down a bit of late as well.  I know I'm not going to make it to my 100 book goal, but I'll be ending in the mid to high 90's this year.  Last year I read seventy-something books.  Stop Mass Hysteria by Michael Savage and Hit Makers by Derek Thompson To sum up what I learned from these two titles, we aren't as smart as we think we are.  Hit Makers describes the different media campaigns or perfect storm of circumstances that make people, music, art, etc popular.  So many times we like things because the right person at the right time comes along and tells us we do.  As far as Stop Mass Hysteria is concerned, we look around today and we see people frothing at the mouth over politics - from both sides of the aisle - again, this is nothing new.  We've had bouts of mass hysteria throughout our history (Salem witch trials, anyone?). 

All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. ~The Last Battle

When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only person in the world. ~Mere Christianity

When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world. ~Mere Christianity

We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.  ~The Abolition of Man

In our own case we accept excuses too easily, in other people's, we do not accept them easily enough. ~The Weight of Glory

If God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it's like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him. ~The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis

To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. ~Essays on Forgiveness

When you are arguing against God you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all. ~Mere Christianity

"You have a traitor there, Aslan,"said the Witch.  Of course everyone present knew that she meant Edmund.  But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he'd been through and after the talk he'd had that morning.  He just went on looking at Aslan.  It didn't seem to matter what the Witch said.  ~The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. ~Mere Christianity

Whatever you do, He will make good of it.  But not the good He had prepared if you had obeyed Him. ~Perelandra 

A pleasure is not full grown until it is remembered. ~Out of the Silent Planet

Sometimes when I'm making a cart of children's books up for the page to put away, a book will catch my eye.  I have no little ones at home anymore and I don't have grandchildren yet, so I get to or have to read a book like this on my own.  For this one I should have had a tissue or two at the ready. If your family has recently lost a pet, this was a lovely, peaceful book.  The illustrations inside the book are just as beautiful as the cover.  I found it comforting for myself and I think it would be a great way to help your child to talk about his or her feelings after the loss of a beloved animal.  My favorite part was when the angels call out to your pet they know his name.  When your pet hears the angel's voice it isn't a new voice, it sounds just like yours.  Yes, I'm tearing up writing this!  And now I recommend this book to you. Until next time...

When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place. ~Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too?  I thought I was the only one."  ~The Problem of Pain

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create).  It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.  ~The Four Loves

While friendship has been by far the chief source of my happiness, acquaintance or general society has always meant little to me, and I cannot quite understand why a man should wish to know more people than he can make real friends of. ~Surprised by Joy

What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.  It also depends on what sort of person you are.  ~The Magician's Nephew

There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer.  Then there's never more than one. ~That Hideous Strength 

There's a reason this book is in the top 10 of the current New York Times Bestsellers List.  It deserves to be.  I don't usually put much stock in lists.  I've found that books on lists typically aren't worth my time.  This one, however, is absolutely worth everyone's time. Ms. Goodwin highlights four presidents, republicans Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt and democrats Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.  The book is divided into three sections.  The first section deals primarily with the people and circumstances that formed each man's character.  The  next section goes over the personal crises that each man dealt with and how they overcame them.  The last section discusses the national crises that shaped each man's presidency.  I noticed common traits among these four men.  Each was a dedicated student in their own way.  The Roosevelts both came from money so their education was more formal, but Lincoln and Johnson were both men who studi

Imagine yourself as a living house.  God comes in to rebuild that house.  At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing.  He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on:  you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.  But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense.  What on earth is He up to?  The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.  You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace.  He intends to come and live in it Himself. ~Mere Christianity

Every Christian would agree that a man's spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God. ~The Four Loves

It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see one. ~Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer

To love at all is to be vulnerable.  ~The Four Loves

We're not doubting that God will do the best for us; we're wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. ~The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis

I have learned now that while those who speak about one's miseries usually hurt, those who keep silence hurt more.  ~The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis

No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice.  ~The Magician's Nephew

Straight tribulation is easier to bear than tribulation which advertises itself as pleasure.  ~Surprised by Joy

The Scotch catechism says that man's chief end is to 'glorify God and enjoy Him forever.'  But we shall then know that these are the same thing.  Fully to enjoy is to glorify.  In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.  ~Reflections on the Psalms

Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.  ~Mere Christianity

If God had granted all the silly prayers I've made in my life, where should I be now?  ~Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer

November 22 marks the 55th anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis.  I thought maybe we'd have a month of Lewis quotes in honor of his memory and in appreciation for his writings. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison.  'Equality' in Present Concerns

Bittersweet October.  The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter. ~Carol Bishop Hipps

When Mr. Krauthammer died earlier this year, this book enjoyed a new popularity in our library system.  I put it on my "want to read" list and now I've finally read it.  This is a book of essays about many things including politics, baseball, dogs, and people who influenced him along the way.  I enjoyed a walk down memory lane of sorts.  Essays dealing with the cold war, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and other people and incidents had me saying, "Oh, I remember that!"  I couldn't help but notice the truth of the adage, "the more things change, the more they stay the same."  Some of the issues of the last three decades (abortion, partisan politics, monuments) are still in the forefront of our news broadcasts today - and we still haven't resolved the debates. I found his essay about Soviet funerals for heads of state compelling.  I'll quote from it here, because my description won't do it justice: It turns out I'm not the

I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. ~L. M. Montgomery

I've been struggling with a cold lately.  I spent the weekend reading and drinking tea and hot cocoa with extra mini marshmallows.  This series is just what the doctor ordered for a lot of relaxation.  The first book, Treasured Grace begins in 1847.  The Flanagan sisters are on a wagon train headed to Oregon territory when illness strikes.  Oldest sister, Grace, loses her husband to illness, she and some of the travelers opt to winter at the Whitman mission.  Some local Cayuse attack the mission, because they're convinced Dr. Whitman is trying to poison them when he fails to cure their people of the measles.  Life for the sisters changes drastically.  Can they overcome?  Will they heal?  The next two books in the trilogy Blessed Hope and Cherished Mercy complete their story. This was a lovely way to spend recovery.  The main story about the Whitman mission attack is based on a historical event.  The Flanagan sisters are fictional characters, but Ms. Peterson worked to make

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. ~Emliy Bronte 

I read The Clean 20 by Ian K. Smith and 100 Days of Real Food on a Budget by Lisa Leake over the last week.  These are great books to read together.  Ms. Leake's book zeroes in on strategies to eat more real food and less processed without breaking the bank.  Dr. Smith's book takes the idea of eating real food and adds weight loss and fitness.  What I liked, the books' eating plans are very similar.  In a world of conflicting nutritional advice from experts this was a welcome change.  Neither author advocates a diet that removes any food group.  Both allow meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.  Neither plan restricts the number of times you eat or has a "no snacks" policy.  Both present a mindful approach to eating.   I thought both authors were clear and easy to follow.  Dr. Smith includes exercises in his book.  I felt that the directions made sense.  I'm currently participating in a 10,000 steps a day challenge in the county where I wor

We're moving into the season of donating money, time, and goods in part to lighten our own load and, hopefully, do some good for others less fortunate.  Before you decide to donate your used items to your local library, women's shelter, rescue mission, etc here are a couple of things that you may not think about if you have never been on the receiving end of such donations. Before you give your item to the library, women's shelter, rescue mission, etc, look at it with the eyes of the person receiving it.  Seriously, if you would be grossed out or offended if you received those books, clothes, baby gear, etc chances are really great that the person on the receiving end will not feel blessed by your "gift."  Before you give your item to one of the aforementioned charities, ask yourself if you'd be willing to pay to have it hauled away with the recyclables or trash.  Your "gift" is more than likely costing your charity of choice money to have it hau

Oh dear!  I forgot to post about this book!  This is the third book in the Hawthorne series.   Lord Trent finds himself in a pickle when he must propose marriage to Lady Adelaide after being trapped in some ruins alone with her overnight.  He must do the honorable thing and save her reputation.  He had so hoped that he could, like his parents and sisters before him, marry for love.  Can this hasty match turn into a union built on love?  There's only one way to find out! Until next time...

I really didn't feel well Sunday.  I stayed home from church and stayed on the couch for the whole day.  I don't like feeling punky, but on the positive side I did finish this book that I had started a few days before.  An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter is the fourth and last in her series about the Hawthorne family.  Griffith Duke of Riverton is the last of the Hawthorne siblings to remain unmarried and is finally looking for a wife.  He is a thoughtful man and logically decides which of the available marriageable women should be his wife.  It's too bad another lady captures his heart!  It might spoil all of  his well thought out plans!  This was a pleasant way to spend my recovery day.  I now recommend it to you. Because I finished my other book early in the day, I started and finished My Name is Victoria by Lucy Worsley.  This is a Young Adult novel set during the girlhood of Queen Victoria.  It's a story of re-imagined history, what if everythin

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

Book number 79 for the year!  One more book and I'm back on track!  That will happen before the end of the week, I'm sure.  I'm half way through a work of fiction and I have two works of nonfiction waiting to be enjoyed. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to you.  It's 10 chapters in length, each chapter talks about a different area of life that can bring joy (color, play, surprise, etc).  If you're like me and don't always have large chunks of time to read, you'll appreciate that each chapter had natural stopping points so you can read a complete thought and bookmark your spot for later.  I loved that this isn't a "get your life in order plan" or "buy these gadgets to make you feel better plan."  This is mindful seeing.  I came away feeling encouraged to open my eyes and look around me for the beauty that's mine for the enjoying.  I was also encouraged to really think about color, pattern, texture, order and how the

This is new to me author recommended to me by my 85 year old friend who enthusiastically told me, "Oh! I think you'll like this one!"  Who was I to argue with a recommendation like that? She was right.  I did enjoy this new to me author.  The book is set in Williamsburg, Virginia right before the Revolutionary War began.  A young Tory woman is preparing for her arranged marriage; she finds herself left behind when her father, the lieutenant governor, flees the city to save his own skin.  She, like her mother, has patriot leanings, which are solidified when the only person who comes to her aid is a patriot.  The story itself is fictional, but the setting is accurate to the time.  It was not only an enjoyable read, but a plausible story.  Many families did find themselves divided because of politics, some never to be reconciled.  This was a good read.  It was both relaxing and able to hold my attention.  I recommend that you head to your library and check it out!

I can't decide if I liked this book or not.  I didn't know much about it going into it, but considering the title is Love Does, I expected it to have more practical ideas of how to actually express love.  There was some of that, but there were also a  number of essays about the quality of love, and God's love.  I know those topics are necessary in learning how to express love.  It felt like the essays lacked order, ideas jumped around a bit.  His writing voice was hard for me to settle into and learn from and enjoy.  Having said that, there were a lot of good things that I gleaned from the book.  Mr. Goff shared a story about hitchhiking and a lesson he learned: I learned something hitchhiking that day.  I learned that even though I needed a ride to get somewhere, I had a lot of power over who I'd hitch a ride with.  I know it sounds simple, but life is like that.  You become like the people you hang around, and to a great degree, you end up going wherever they

Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have. ~Unknown

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. ~Maya Angelou

This morning my husband stumbled out of bed as I was getting ready to start my exercise routine.  He gave me a bleary eyed look and said, "I feel like you.  I stayed up too late last night because I wanted to finish the book I was reading in one sitting."  Why thank you!  I take that as a great compliment!

Yes, I did read another mind candy book.  Do I feel guilty?  Um, maybe a little bit.  I have a heftier line up to follow the four mind candy books I shared with you.  I really did need the break.  I've loved what I've read so far this year, but I was tired from all of the thinking.  The best way that I can describe how these volumes of light fare reading have served me is to say, "think of taking a really great nap."  You know when you're over-tired or feeling unwell and you take a nap and wake up feeling like you can take on the world....or at least the laundry pile?  That's how I feel now.  I have a book on joy and another about the history of leadership in the US.  I'm also part way through The Confessions of St. Augustine.  As you can see, meatier fare is on the way. About this book, it takes place in Michigan in the late 1800's.  A widowed lighthouse keeper with a young son rescues a woman when the steamboat she's a passenger on sinks.

Why?  Because I had some lovely lazy time this Saturday morning and I needed to know what happened next!  I enjoyed this light, breezy story just as much as I did the first book in the series.  Because there weren't any major surprises, I found it very restful reading.  I'm finding great value in rest right now since both of us are struggling with colds and the lack of energy that goes with them.  I can absolutely recommend this book to you.  Enjoy! Until next time...

I just finished this book yesterday.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I must say that I enjoyed Mrs. Gifford's book.  The book's beginnings are rooted in a trip she and her late husband took to Israel with Ray Vander Laan.  Some of you may be familiar with his videos in the That the World May Know series.  He takes tour groups to Israel and explains people, places, and events recorded in Scripture within their historical and cultural context to give more understanding to the participants.  Mrs. Gifford's book seeks to give that historical and cultural understanding to her readers as well as share how this knowledge changed her and grew her understanding. I loved that the chapters were short.  This would be a great book to use as part of a daily reading habit.  It's also great if you're like me and take a book with you to make the wait in line at the grocery store more pleasant!!  I enjoyed being reminded of what I already knew

Are any of you runners?  I don't mean fitness runners, I mean marathon runners?  There's an expression used by marathon runners "hitting the wall."  It means when they get to that point in the race when their body says, "no, I can't go any further" and they have to talk themselves into completing the course.  I've felt lately like I've hit a literary wall of sorts.  My goal for the year is to read two books a week so that I will have read 104 books at the close of 2018.  I'm a librarian for crying out loud, this should be a piece of cake, right?!  I'm not sorry that I set the goal.  So far this year I've read more books than I read all of last year (in 2017 I read between 60 and 70 books, in 2018 I've read 72 so far), but I'm four books behind if I'm going to meet my goal.  I've read a number of stretching books.  They've stretched my thought life spiritually, culturally, and emotionally and I'm thankful.

It was a long week.  A. really. long. week.  By Sunday I was exhausted.  I limped home after church and took a great nap.  The rest of my afternoon and evening consisted of drinking tea and reading this book, Across the Blue by Carrie Turansky. It was just what the doctor ordered.  It was pleasant and breezy.  There weren't any major surprises.  It was a restful way to spend my Sunday afternoon.  The story revolves around the race to be the first aviator to fly across the English Channel.  A newspaper has offered a financial reward to the first pilot to complete the task.  Of course the newspaper owner has a daughter who falls in love with one of the pilots!  Would we have it any other way? The one thing I did learn (actually it was more that I was reminded of it) was how few years there were between the beginnings of aviation and World War I.  Airplanes were in their infancy when war broke out.  It's a little surprising to me that both sides chose to use planes for the

If you talk about it, it's a dream, if you envision it, it's possible, but if you schedule it, it's real. Tony Robbins

When I was working at the library the other day, a patron returned this book.  It perfectly described my mood for that day.  All I wanted was to put my jammies on, have a big cup of tea, and curl up with a good book.  In short, my attitude was, leave. me. alone.  When has a book described your feelings?

I admit out loud that until now I have never read an Agatha Christie novel.  Ever.  It wasn't because I had anything against her or her writing, I had just never got around to reading her work.  I'm glad for the push that the reading challenge gave me to read a classic novel.  I had debated about rereading a Jane Austen novel, but decided instead that I needed to branch out.  I still need to read a book that I've read before as part of the challenge, so Ms. Austen isn't out of the running yet! I really enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express.  It's different from other "whodunnits" I've read before.  The story is really all about the events and the dialogue.  If you want to know what color dress someone was wearing and whether or not there was lace, you'll be disappointed.  I didn't see the ending coming (I was blinded by my belief about who committed the crime).  I can also say that I will be reading more Agatha Christie novels.   I'm o

I always get to where I'm going by walking away from where I have been.  ~Winnie the Pooh

C.S. Lewis' Little Book of Wisdom I've probably told you before, and just a warning I'll probably tell you again, that one of the great things about working at a library is that when people return books I often run across titles that I must check out for myself and end up enjoying them immensely.  This one came across my desk last week and being a lover of C.S. Lewis, I needed to read it.   This is simply a book of quotes from Mr. Lewis' various books and articles.  They're divided into sections on friendship, love, Aslan's country, etc.  It would make a great Christmas, graduation, Mother's/Father's Day, birthday, or any other occasion gift for someone who loves Mr. Lewis' writings.  I read a section or two before bed each night, which gave me something to ponder as I drifted off to sleep. I'll leave you with a quote from the section Aslan's Country: But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it

My favorite poem is the one that starts "Thirty days hath September" because it actually tells you something. ~Groucho Marx

Born for This by Chris Guillebeau I needed to break out of my reading rut.  I came across this book about business building.  He had great ideas for making more money and diversifying for greater and more stable income and it was clearly written and practical.  I struggled with the attitude that you should not only love what you do, but also get paid big bucks to do it.  There's a difference between making a living and making a life.  Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better and simplicity isn't a dirty word.  I can absolutely recommend his ideas for making more money and that you should find something you love to do.  Just know that I think it's OK if you don't want to buy the big house, shiny car, and wild vacations.  Build a life that makes you happy. Until next time...

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows I decided to watch something on Netflix last week and I saw a trailer for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society starring Lily James.  I loved Lily James on Downton Abbey, I loved her as Cinderella, and I loved her in The Darkest Hour.  Naturally I want to see her latest role, but first I needed to read the book.  Off to the library for a lovely weekend read! The story takes place right after World War II. Juliet Ashton is a writer who had a successful morale boosting column in the London paper during the war and is now getting ready to embark on a book tour around England.  Her publisher is waiting - not very patiently - for her next book to be ready for the presses.  A chance letter from Dawsey Adams sets her on the path to an end to her pernicious writer's block.   The book is written completely in letter format.  Even so, I felt that the story was complete and didn&

Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler All three of my children have been safely deposited at their respective institutions of higher learning.  That meant a lot of travel for us, which is tiring.  On the upside, that also meant a lot of miles of reading time!  I read three books.  Actually, I read two books beginning to end and I completed a third that I had started before the trip.   I really wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book at the library.  I haven't read Ms. Bowler's other book nor had I heard of her before coming across this one.  I was a little afraid that I was in for a whiny "woe is me" book that I'd have to return to the library unread.  I was wrong Ms. Bowler was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.  She has a husband whom she met as a middle school aged girl and a preschool aged son.  Life should be just starting for her not possibly coming to its conclusion.  She wrestles

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future. J.R.R. Tolkien

I've been struggling to get my reading time in the last week and a half, so I'm about a book and a half off of my schedule right now.  I was happy to have a lazy Sunday afternoon to finish the third book in the Amory Ames mystery series by Ashley Weaver.  I know I've already told you how much I enjoy these light reads. Amory and Milo are invited to a house party at Lyonsgate, the scene of a suspicious death seven years earlier.  When one of the house guests is brutally stabbed to death during the current house party, Amory and Milo are once again on the trail of a killer.  What I loved about this book is that I didn't even come close to guessing who the killer was!  Until next time...

The Secret of getting ahead is getting started.   Mark Twain

Can we see God in the middle of adversity?  Can we hear Him?  Is He there?  Does He care?  Ms. Couchman's book is an experiential answer to these questions.  This would be a great book to use as part of your daily devotional time.  It's divided up into eight sections with essays that range in length from two to four pages each.  Most of the essays were penned by Ms. Couchman, but she sprinkles the thoughts of others throughout the book.  I'd like to leave you with two thoughts from the book. Even the teacher who sentenced me to performance nightmares dispensed wise advice to choir members after he announced the leads for our musical.  "If you didn't get a part, give yourself time to feel bad."  He believed that when we're hurt we should allow ourselves enough time to grieve in proportion to the event that stabbed us.  "Then pick up and go on."  I've followed that advice most of my life, recognizing the chasm between grieving a death and

This is the sequel to Ms. Higgins' book The Great Hunt.  We're back in the fictional kingdom of Lochlanach.  The magical beast controlled by Rozaria was killed and Princess Aerity is to be given in marriage to Lord Alvi of the Coldlands.  All should be well and they should be rebuilding, but more is yet to come.  Rozaria herself was not defeated, she has issued her demands - the lists of magical families should be burned and those possessing magic should be able to practice magic freely - and war has begun. I liked the pace of this book.  I needed to know what was going to happen next and ultimately how it would end.  There was nice character development - there were no caricatures.  It did end neatly (as in the couples you wanted to end up together did).  My only caution is that there is a sex scene in the book.  The full sex act was not described, but you didn't have to wonder where they were going to end up.  If you are a parent of a younger teen and this bothe

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. - John Wayne

Prepared for a Purpose by Antoinette Tuff If you follow the news, you probably already know what happened on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at McNair Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia.  A young man entered the elementary school armed to the teeth ready to end as many lives as possible, including his own.  Ms. Tuff was the fill-in receptionist during the lunch hour that day.  She calmly talked the gunman to a place of surrender and no one was hurt. My take away from the book had less to do with the story of that day and more to do with how God had specifically prepared her to speak to the gunman.  Ms. Tuff's life had been filled with difficulties that God had graciously carried her through.  She could speak life to the gunman, because she knew from personal experience how God had spoken life into her own heart and mind.  We all go through difficult situations that we want to end immediately.  God has plans for those difficulties.  He is using them to teach us about Himself

Death Wears a Mask by Ashley Weaver This is the second book in Ms. Weaver's Amory Ames mystery series.  I have so enjoyed her books.  I'm absolutely a fan of Nick and Nora Charles of The Thin Man movies and these books are similar in feel to Nick and Nora stories.   Amory Ames is invited by a long time friend of her mother to a dinner party.  While there Mrs. Barrington asks Amory to investigate the theft of several pieces of jewelry.  They lay a trap for the thief, but when someone is murdered as they wait for the thief to take the bait....  Well, you'll have to read the book to find out! This book has a nice pace.  It kept my interest throughout.  I liked the character development of Amory and her husband Milo.  It was just a fabulous way to spend a Sunday afternoon relaxing.  Throw a cup of tea into the mix (which I did!) and you have a perfect day. Until next time... 

Freedom is the oxygen of the soul. -Moshe Dayan

Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges I'm not even going to add my words to this, I'm just going to quote a passage from the book itself. In Proverbs 18:10-11, there is a very interesting and instructive contrast drawn between the righteous and the rich.  The passage says: The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall. The contrast is not between the righteous and the rich in an absolute sense, as there are many people who are both righteous and wealthy.  Rather we should see the contrast drawn between the two primary objects of man's trust:  God and money.  Those who trust in the Lord are  safe; while those who trust in their wealth only imagine  they are safe.  There is a much wider principle for us in this passage.  All of us tend to have our fortified cities.  It may be an advanced college degree with its ticket t

                The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. Oscar Wilde                                 

The Power of Half by Kevin and Hannah Salwen First of all, I want to put a plug in for having a furry reading buddy.  Whether you are a dog person or a cat person, a reading buddy is a friendly thing!   When 14 year old Hannah Salwen saw a homeless man she was bothered by the inequity she saw right around her.  The man in the next lane was driving a Mercedes while the homeless man was begging for a meal.  That started the Salwen's journey into giving.  They decided to sell their home in the suburbs of Atlanta and move to a home half the size so that they could donate half of what they made/saved to help others.   I love this concept.  Many of us have extra time, talents, or treasures that we can give to those in need. What was hard to relate to was the scale of the Salwen's donation.  When they sold their large house and moved to the smaller house, they were looking at an $800,000 gift to give.  If my family did this (and I'm sure we could), our gift would h

Waking Up in Heaven by Crystal McVea In 2009 Crystal McVea went into the hospital for a routine procedure and died.  For nine minutes she was in Heaven with God.  This is the story of God's leading in her life all along the way and the most important lesson she learned: God is real, and we are all worthy of His love ans salvation because He finds us worthy. page 233 Here is what was convicting to me, Mrs. McVea shared a story about going to a pizza place with her daughter, when she was paying the bill she felt a "nudge" from God to tip the waitress $100.  She talked to God about it and she felt that He was telling her it would be OK to tip her $50 instead.  Finally after speaking with her husband by phone, she was obedient.  Later she found out that the waitress was praying that she'd make $100 in tips that night, she already had $50 and with the tip Mrs. McVea gave her she made her $100.  Here's what she said: God even used me to answer someon