Then Sings My Soul Saturday

Music ministers to me in so many different ways. Especially the timeless hymns of the faith. Some comfort my heart when I'm filled with sorrow. Some convict me. Some tell a story or teach theology. And some fill my heart with joy and put a smile on my face.

This is one of those songs. Blessed Assurance has been one of my favorites since I was a child. One of over 8,000 hymns penned by Fanny Crosby, the story behind its writing is simple:

Fanny's friend Mrs. Joseph (Phoebe) Knapp composed a melody without the thought of any words. As she played it for Fanny Crosby, she asked, "What does this music say to you?" Without hesitation, Fanny responded, "It says to me, 'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!'" These thoughts became the first two lines of the hymn we love so much.

Source: How Sweet The Sound by George Beverly Shea, 2004, Tyndale

I love Avalon's rendition here. They start out with a verse of Holy, Holy, Holy, and then move into Blessed Assurance. I bet you can't watch this without smiling and swinging some arms and legs!! (And why would you even want to?!)

BLESSED ASSURANCE

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Words:Fanny J. Crosby, 1873
Music: Phoebe P. Knapp, 1873

Don't forget to go by Amy's for more songs for your Saturday!


Praising my Savior all the day long,

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"Bear" with Me

Yes, I kept some.

Before I loaded up the van with all the bags of my boy's childhood to take to Goodwill, I rummaged through them and pulled out a few things. Then in the parking lot of Goodwill, I grabbed a few more!

The traffic Hot Wheels cars were the hardest to part with. I cannot count how many hours he played with those. And how many hours I sat on the floor with him, trying to jump-start my uncreative imagination as we played cars together.

But he's defiitely not a little boy any more. Tomorrow he and my man leave for a two week Boy Scout trip - they'll be camping a week in Yellowstone and then backpacking 5 days in southern Wyoming. My boy is hoping that his pack won't weigh more than 40 pounds. Yep, I'd say he's growing up.

For those of you who think I have incredible kids who keep their rooms neat and clean out their closets spontaneously, let me assure you that my girl's room could be dubbed Tornado Alley. She lives life with gusto and the effect of the gusts are strewn across her floor. . . . at least, I think there's a floor under there. Under the threat of no fun this summer, she has slowly been cleaning and organizing this week as well. I may see her in July!

Actually, she and I will go spend some time with my mother-in-law while the guys are trekking. With all of her school activities, as well as some medical issues with my father-in-law, my girl hasn't seen her grandparents since Christmas. The facility where my FIL is has a piano and I'm hoping he'll have a good day while we're there and enjoy hearing her play some hymns and her recital pieces. Alzheimer's patients generally respond favorably to music, so I'm hopeful.

Meanwhile, I'll be trying not to worry that the guys are encountering bears. Which I've learned could be black bears or brown (aka grizzly) bears. Except, black bears in Wyoming are brown, cinnamon-orange, or blonde. And the grizzlies' colors vary from black to blonde. (So was Adam color-blind when he named the animals, or what?!) I don't need to know what kind they are to know I want my guys far, far away from them! And yes, the bear in that picture is a black bear!

BTW, I just saw this in the news. . . . Take your kids to Krispy Kreme for a free doughnut today!



Bear photo courtesy of Google images

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FROM A DISTANCE - Up Close!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
From A Distance
(Bethany House June 1, 2008)
by
Tamera Alexander

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tamera Alexander is a bestselling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots and poignant prose resonate with readers. Tamera is a finalist for the 2008 Christy Award Remembered, and has been awarded the coveted RITA® from Romance Writers of America Revealed, along with Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction of 2006 Rekindled. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in the quaint town of historic Franklin, Tennessee, where they enjoy life with their two college-age children and a precious—and precocious—silky terrier named Jack.

A Note from Tamera:

Stories are journeys, and each story I write is a journey for me.

Rekindled began with a dream—the image of a man returning home on horseback. He came upon a freshly dug grave and when he knelt to read the name carved into the roughhewn wooden cross, he discovered the name was…his own. The inspiration for Revealed grew from two characters in Rekindled whose stories needed to be told. But even more, whose stories I needed to tell. Writing Revealed was a very personal journey for me, and a healing one. For Remembered, I met that story’s heroine (figuratively, of course) while strolling the ancient cobblestoned pathways of a three hundred-year-old cemetery in northern Paris, France. And From A Distance came from a question I was struggling with in my own life at the time, “What happens when the dream you asked God for isn’t what you thought it would be?”

For me, the greatest thrill of these writing journeys is when Christ reveals Himself in some new way, and I take a step closer to Him. And my deepest desire is that readers of my books will do that as well—take steps closer to Him as they read. After all, it’s all about Him.

In the Potter’s Hand,

Tamera


ABOUT THE BOOK

What happens when dreams aren’t what you imagined,

And secrets you’ve spent a lifetime guarding are finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country’s premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he’ll do anything to protect his land and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He’s a man of his word, but repaying that debt will bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth’s lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met . . . from a distance.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

“…a rich historical romance by possibly the best new writer in this subgenre.”
--Library Journal

“…a most amazing story. The characters are more than words on the page; they become real people.”
--Romantic Times

MY COMMENTS:
I was so excited to have a chance to preview this book. Tamera Alexander is one of my favorite authors; I stumbled across her when her first book, Rekindled, came out, and I eagerly anticipate each of her new releases. From a Distance did not disappoint. Ten years after the Civil War and clear across the country in the Colorado Territory, folks are desperate to put the nightmare behind them and start afresh; however, they still bear the emotional and physical scars of the horrific chasm that divided the nation as well as the deeply ingrained cultural differences that started it all. Within this setting Tamera Alexander has penned this first novel of her new Timber Ridge Reflections series. And I am already looking forward to the next installment. Woven between adventure, danger, suspense, and heartache -- and with plenty of sparks flying in all directions! -- is the reminder to trust God's plan when our own dreams go awry. From a Distance is definitely a book that you won't want to keep at a distance!

Happy Reading!

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A Mom's Angst

It was time.

My head knew it. My heart, however, ached -- and still does -- yesterday at the realization that the last vestiges of my little boy are disappearing, piled in bags in the hall ready to be donated to charity.

I was thrilled in the afternoon when, with no prompting from me, my new high school sophomore started clearing out a few things from his room and closet. I walked in at one point and saw a stack of jeans on the floor ready for Goodwill; I think he outgrew his jeans twice during this school year, so that was great to discard those for more room.

He's an avid reader, and some reorganizing of his bookcase was necessary - that was all fine and dandy.


But then, while I was fixing dinner, he walked through the kitchen and announced, "There are 3 trash bags of Bionicles for Goodwill." I smiled, and only said "Wow!", but inside, my heart twisted, and a song (there's always a song!) began running through my mind. Along with those, I also saw discarded Legos, fire trucks, cars, and other little boy toys he had never before been ready to relinquish.

As a little guy (wasn't that just last week?!), he loved playing with his "traffic." That's what he called it when he was 3. After all, if lots of cars on the road = traffic, lots of cars on the floor should be called that as well, right?! And though he hasn't played with them in years, they've remained in his closet, steadfast and constant even through several previous clean-outs. Until today.

After dinner, he proudly showed me his closet, which once again was a walk-in. I smiled and told him what a good job he had done. (I did take comfort in seeing that he had kept one truck, an Electric Company bucket truck that the Houston Power Department sold as a special promotion when he was 3. My dad ordered it for my boy's Christmas present a week or two before he died - in fact, it was delivered a few days after my dad's funeral. My boy adored his granddaddy and although the memory is vague, he knew that truck was associated with him and kept it.)

As I left his room, I bravely walked past the bags and piles in the hall ready to be donated.

And came to listen to the song:


A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys. . . .

Photos courtesy of stock.xchng

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Blog Book Tour Plus A Giveaway!

UPDATE: GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
2
Timestamp: 2008-06-05 17:27:21 UTC
Congrats to Genny! Email me your address and I'll get your book in the mail to you!

I know it is no surpise that I love to read. I also enjoy crosswords, and my weekly tradition is doing the LA Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle. So imagine my delight at being part of the blog tour for a book that combines both of these passions.

FATAL DEDUCTION
by
Gayle Roper
Libby Burton longs to be close to her twin sister, Tori, but their lives have taken them in different directions. Forced to share Aunt Stella’s old Philadelphia home in order to receive their inheritance, Libby hopes for a change, but it isn’t looking good so far.

First, Tori tries to steal the affection and allegiance of Libby’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Chloe. Then when a crossword puzzle with a hidden warning shows up on their doorstep, Tori refuses to take it seriously—in spite of the dead man who delivers it.

Libby finds comfort in neighbor Drew Canfield, but he hesitates to trust her after his disastrous marriage. As Libby struggles to act faithfully in the midst of these confusing relationships, she must also deal with a stolen diamond and a botched kidnapping. The answer to her problems lies in the riddles of the crosswords, if only she can solve the puzzle before it’s too late.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gayle Roper has been writing mystery and romantic suspense novels for more than thirty years and is the author of over forty-five books. She is a three-time Christy Award finalist, the winner of three Holt Medallions, and the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine. Her novel Autumn Dreams won Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance. She and her husband, Chuck, divide their time between Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada.

MY COMMENTS:
Occasionally, I will become immersed in a book to a point that I just want to step in and slap someone silly tell a character a thing or two. This is just such a book. I found myself wanting to help Libby and her daughter (not that they needed it; they managed perfectly fine without me!) and give Libby's sister Tori (as well the rest of her family) a good talking-to and set her straight on a few things! Family dynamics can be a challenge for many of us, even if we don't have mayhem and murder added in the mix. Learning how to live with each other (figuratively or literally) in peace -- or at least a cease-fire! -- is a great life lesson. And the bonus for word geeks like me? As each crossword riddle shows up with its cryptic message , the reader has the option to solve the crossword puzzle as well!

* * * * * * *GIVEAWAY!!* * * * * * *
I've been provided with a copy of this book to give away to one of you! Just leave me a comment by Thursday at noon CDT and I'll draw a winner later that day. (Continental US residents only)

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Washington's Lady

I've got several great books to tell you about this week, including a giveaway!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Washington's Lady(Bethany House June 1, 2008)
by
Nancy Moser


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Moser is the author of three inspirational humor books and eighteen novels, including Solemnly Swear, Just Jane, and Time Lottery, a Christy Award winner. She is an inspirational speaker, giving seminars around the country. She has earned a degree in architecture; run a business with her husband; traveled extensively in Europe; and has performed in various theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She and her husband have three grown children and make their home in the Midwest.

ABOUT THE BOOK
It has been said that without George Washington there would be no United States. But without Martha, there would be no George Washington. He called her "my other self."

Who was this woman who captured the heart of our country's founder? She dreams of a quiet life with her beloved George, but war looms...

Though still a young woman, Martha Dandridge Custis was a wealthy, attractive widow and the mother of two small children with no desire to remarry. But when a striking war hero steps into her life, she realizes that she is ready to love again. She is courted by, then marries the French and Indian War hero.

Yet she wonders whether this man, accustomed to courageous military exploits, can settle down to a simple life of farming and being a father to her children. Even as she longs for domestic bliss, Martha soon realizes she will have to risk everything dear to her and find the courage to get behind a dream much larger than her own.

Her new life as Martha Washington took her through blissful times at Mount Vernon, family tragedies, six years of her husband's absence during the Revolutionary War, and her position as a reluctant First Lady.

Known for moving first-person novels of Nannerl Mozart and Jane Austen, in Washington's Lady, Nancy Moser now brings to life the loves and trials of the First First Lady of the United States.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

MY COMMENTS:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although I love historical fiction, I am generally cautious about fictionalized stories of real people; it's hard to know where the line falls between truth and fiction. But Nancy Moser has done an incredible job with this account, and the appendix validated the plethora of factual details throughout the book. I learned much about our nation's first First Lady that I did not know, as well as a new perspective of the quest for independence waged by the colonies. We often appreciate and admire the sacrifices made by the men who fought so valiantly for our hard-won freedoms, but less attention is generally given to the women who were left at home in a time when even the routine demands of daily life were a struggle and disease & death were all too common. Fourth of July celebrations will have new meaning after reading this book.

Tomorrow, I'll have a giveaway of another book! Happy Reading!

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Wrapping Up May

Apparently my kids are not the only ones whose brains shut down when school ended on Friday.

I realized this morning that I neglected to draw a winner for the books from my 100th post last evening. Yesterday my "get up and go" definitely got up and went! We did take care of a couple of errands to get some additional equipment and clothing for the upcoming 2 week Scout camping and backpacking trek my son and husband are leaving on next weekend. But that was about all I was good for all day. It's funny how our bodies can sense when the frenzied pace of activity has finally subsided and all our energy drains out in a whoosh like the air leaving a balloon.

But I do indeed want to gift these books to 2 of you who commented on my milestone post. So before I went to church this morning the computer chose the following:

Here are your random numbers: 4, 12
Timestamp: 2008-06-01 13:56:23 UTC

Congrats to Chris and skoots1mom! Please send me your addresses, ladies, and I'll get your books to you!

Before the summer gets in full swing, a couple of things to catch up on. . . . .

I received a couple of books as a Mother's Day gift from one of the publishers that I review books for that I'd like to tell you about.

Rattled by Trish Berg
This is a great book for new moms. The subtitle is Surviving Your Baby's First Year Without Losing Your Cool. This book is full of anecdotes and advice, and sprinkled throughout each chapter are practical tidbits, prayers, and questions & thoughts to ponder as well as an appendix containing a plethora of resources. . Trish hilariously recounts her own crazed moments of motherhood, and deliciously celebrates sweet moments with the babies that will grow up all too soon.

Never Say Diet by Chantel Hobbs
Chantel Hobbs, a mother of four, recounts her struggles with obesity, body image and health in Never Say Diet. Realizing that choosing to live well was one of the best gifts she could give her family, Chantel is so excited to encourage YOU to take the small but meaningful steps towards a healthier life. Ditch the diet! Buy some new skinny jeans! And don’t forget to read the five tips to get your family fit this spring. This woman lost 200 pounds, so the concepts she stresses bear some weight (pun intended!).

A couple of you noticed that I had The Shack on my Spring Reading List and wondered how I liked it. To be honest, I was a bit mixed. The book was interesting to read, and it had some excellent and scripturally-grounded statements about God and faith. But although I will readily admit that I prefer realism to allegories, I must say that the aspect of how the book portrayed God bothered me. There is a difference between God meeting us at the point of our need and God changing Himself to be what we want Him to be.

I am also concerned that those who elevate this book on a theological pedestal are those who focus on the message of God's love and acceptance to the exclusion of the concept of God's holiness in regard to sin. Particularly in today's society of "feel-good religion," we frequently hear folks cite examples of how accepting and non-condemning Jesus was when He lived on this earth, reaching out to "sinners" when others would judge and stone. Yet they frequently ignore the aspect of "go and sin no more" and the fact that each of those individuals (such as Zaccheus, the woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well, etc.) repented and had a changed life. It was not an "anything goes" relationship.

The book has much to ponder. But God has already revealed Himself to humanity, and that is recorded in a divinely inspired Book. I pray that books like The Shack will point folks to those Scriptures, not become their theology in and of itself.

And my opinion is worth about what you paid for it! Have a great day!

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More Sorrow - Press On

My heart is broken yet again.

Many of you have been aware of and praying for Selah's Todd Smith and his wife Angie in the death of their sweet baby Audrey on April 7. Now they grieve anew. I quote from Angie's blog entry from two days ago:

Todd's sister Nicol (she sang in Selah) had her second child on March 18th of this year. His name is Luke.

Last night [Tues., May 27] around 9:00 central time, she went to check on him and he was not breathing. Paramedics were called but they were unable to resuscitate him.

Our nephew Gregory Luke Sponberg is now in heaven with Audrey, just 7 short weeks after we lost her.

I am overcome with sorrow for what this sweet family has had to bear in less than 2 months. Angie has more information on her blog. The cause of Luke's death was apparently SIDS and the memorial service will be on Monday.

I'm posting early for Then Sings My Soul Saturday. I may post another one tomorrow! But here are Nicol & Todd singing together (with the 3rd member of Selah, Allan Hall, on the piano) several years ago. They likely never dreamed the words they sang would become such a living reality for them both within such a short span of time.

PRESS ON
When the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard
When we're battered and scarred
When we've spent our resources
When we've given our all

Chorus
In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
In Jesus' name, we press on

In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
To press on

Written by Dan Burgess

I know many of you love Selah as I do and will lift them up to the throne of God.

Audrey, Luke, Maria Chapman. So much heartache, so many questions. . . .Come quickly, Lord! Yet I know each of these families are indeed pressing on with His strength and, if He tarries, the world will witness God's glory displayed in their lives as never before.

On Saturday be sure to stop by Amy's for more songs.

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100th Post - Praises & Prizes!

My 100th post. Who woulda thunk it? Certainly not I! Way back on January 2 of this year, I tentatively started this blog. I had no idea what I was doing. Or if I would enjoy it. Or if anyone would even notice my blog. Or comment. Or . . . (gulp!). . .like me! (Do we ever outgrow junior high?!)

What a difference a few months make! I quickly became addicted fell in love with this delightful blogging community. After all, what's not to like about friends & fun, challenge & conviction, parties & prizes, or recipes & reviews?!

Now for a fun way to commemorate my 100th post. I can't think of anything more narcoleptic than listing 100 mundane facts about me. I'm not even sure I could come up with that many, and I certainly don't want to chase you all away now that I've found you!

Besides, the joy of blogging has not been the quest for the wise or witty post to flow from my fingers. No, what makes me look forward every day to (b)logging on is each of you, my blog friends! So what better way to celebrate today than to celebrate you! So I have some prizes to share! If only I could send every single one of you something, or at least give you a hug in person!

• The sweet gals who commented on my very first post. . . . and most of them have hung around and become sweet, sweet friends. Thank you, Lisa the Preacher's Wife, Kim, Xandra, Lisa Writes, and Marina. You welcomed me with open arms right from the very beginning and warmed this newbie's heart!


• The one who left my 100th comment: Mel. She is one enthusiastic gal who is always an encouragement!


• And speaking of encouragement, a few of you have even given me an award! Not for a minute do I think I deserve any kudos for anything on this blog, but your friendly stamp of approval meant more than you could possibly know! So thanks Denise, Kelli, Xandra, and Angela. And of course CWO for the fun surprise of being Blog of the Month for April!

And since it's fun to get a reward without even trying, just for being your normal sweet self, I am giving away 2 Starbucks gift cards to that group above! My girl drew one name out of those first commenters, and Lisa Writes won. And then, each of you whose names were mentioned above were in the second drawing, and Denise was the lucky gal! Send me your addresses, ladies, and pretend I'm having that mocha right there with you!

But Wait. . .There's MORE!!

• If you have left a comment on my blog, I thank you. You have ministered to my heart more than you know.


• If you read and don't comment, I thank you for stopping by. And I invite you to leave a comment sometime and let me get to know you! Who knows, you might be planting the seed for an award!

I am also giving away 2 copies of this book, Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories. Most of you probably know how much I love the great hymns of our faith. Leave me a comment on this post to be included in the drawing. I'd love it if you would include the name of a hymn that is or has been particularly meaningful to you. Leave a comment by Saturday at 6:00 CDT and I'll draw Saturday evening. (Continental US addresses only)



Finally, the One I celebrate most of all is He who ties our hearts together. And how fitting that this song of praise, the Doxology, is to the tune Old 100th!



Thanks for your friendship! I pray that you will be blessed as much as you have blessed me.

Just a reminder: don't forget to comment on the blog tour for Skid by noon CDT Friday for a chance to win a copy of the book! Tell me your dream vacation destination!

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Book Tour - Ruby Among Us

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Ruby Among Us
(WaterBrook Press May 20, 2008)
by
Tina Ann Forkner
ABOUT THE BOOK

Sometimes, the key that unlocks your future lies in someone else’s past...

In Ruby Among Us, Lucy DiCamillo is safely surrounded by her books, music, and art─but none of these reclusive comforts or even the protective efforts of her grandmother, Kitty can shield her from the memory of the mother she can no longer remember. Lucy senses her grandmother holds the key, but Kitty seems as eager to hide from the past as Lucy is eager to find it.

From the streets of San Francisco and Sacramento, to the lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley, Lucy follows the thread of memory in search for a heritage that seems long-buried with her mother, Ruby.

What she finds is enigmatic and stirring in this redemptive tale about the power of faith and mother-daughter love.

“What an incredible story. As both mothers and daughters, Ruby Among Us struck a special cord in each of the four of us. Tina writes in a way that makes us feel like we’re there; from the first line, we were captivated and drawn into an intricate weaving of the precious and fragile relationships that define us.”
~Point of Grace~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. Originally from Oklahoma, she graduated with honors in English from CSU Sacramento before ultimately settling in the wide-open spaces of Wyoming where she now resides with her husband and their three children. Tina serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors and enjoys gardening, spending time outdoors with her family, and works as a full-time writer.

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Book Tour Plus A Giveaway!

UPDATE: WINNER!

Congratulations to Xandra, winner of the drawing!
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 2
Timestamp: 2008-05-30 18:44:04 UTC

(I love this tool! I started to do the names-in-a-bowl since there were only 4, but I was too lazy!)

Summertime and the living reading is easy! Are you heading to the pool with your kids and want to take along a book containing a combination of suspense and laughter? High prices got you staying home this summer and you'd rather fly the friendly skies vicariously? Keep reading for a chance to win a copy of this week's blog tour book, Skid!

SUMMARY:
Blissfully unaware that Atlantica Flight 1945 from Atlanta to Amsterdam is about to make aviation history, First Officer Danny McSweeney focuses his energies on navigating the turbulent personalities of an eccentric female captain, a co-pilot with a talent for tactless comments and conspiracy theories, and a lead flight attendant with an outsized attitude that definitely exceeds the limits for carry-on baggage.

On the other side of the cockpit door, the unscheduled in-flight entertainment includes a potbellied pig, a jittery diamond courier, and the recently jilted Lucy Meredith, whose personal mantra of “What Would Oprah Do?” will be challenged by the sudden appearance of her ex and his new traveling partner. On her left sits Hank Hazard, whose unusually polite but constant requests–prompted by his covert role as a spy for the airline–test the limits of the crew’s customer service.

But as Lucy and the rest of the crew discover, Hank’s odd behavior is linked to a quiet faith that may play a key role in the fate of everyone on board. Especially when an unexpected traveler sets this already bumpy flight on a course toward the unfriendly skies.

AUTHOR:
Rene Gutteridge is the author of twelve novels, including the Boo series, the Storm series, and the novelization for The Ultimate Gift, as well as Scoop and Snitch, the first two Occupational Hazard novels. She lives with her husband, Sean, and their two children in Oklahoma City.



MY COMMENTS:
As a rather down-to-earth, non-creative type, I am always fascinated by the variety of storylines and characters that authors create -- as well as their experiences as they research their stories. (The author got to "fly" one of Delta Airlines' 767 simulators!) This book is full of unusual moments. At the point in the flight that they needed a doctor, I thought surely Leslie Nielsen would show up! (I know, don't call him Shirley!) But in the midst of the laughter, when some tense moments arise, the importance of faith emerges and suddenly the odd man out doesn't seem so odd after all.

The publisher has graciously provided a copy of this book for me to give away here. To enter, just leave a comment below by 12:00 noon Friday CDT and tell me your dream vacation location. I'll randomly pick a winner Friday afternoon. (Continental US addresses only)

You can also buy a copy of the book here.

Happy Reading!

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True Love

In my past experience as a nurse in the Home Health setting, and more recently as we are supporting my mother-in-law in the journey of my father-in-law's Alzheimer's, I've learned some wonderful lessons about love. Commitment. What it means to serve your spouse, in sickness & in health, for better or for worse. When age & illness have taken up permanent residence, and when "better" and "worse" are only relative terms that can change on a daily, or even hourly, basis.

And as the annual "wedding season" is upon us, with its blushing brides (I pray that there are still a few who DO blush!), nervous grooms, tender vows, and dreams of "happily ever after," I've been thinking about how I've seen love in the waning years demonstrated .

When all that remains is a shell of the person you married, what then?

As I was with my mother-in-law this weekend, and we made daily trips to the facility where my father-in-law currently is, these words came to mind:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Corinthians 13:4-7

Familiar words, no doubt. But they have taken on a whole new meaning to me now:

• Love is patient. When you can't understand what he says. When you tell him "Hi, honey, it's me" 3 or 4 times in the same visit. When his condition is the same day after day after day.
• Love is kind. When he doesn't know or care if you are there, you go anyway. When he can't manage his basic needs, you willingly do it for him, whether it is brushing his teeth, wiping his nose, or other personal matters. Love speaks kindly of him to others.
• Love does not boast, it is not proud. It's about his needs being met, not about you receiving accolades.
• Love is not self-seeking. You do what you do because because you love him and it is the right thing to do, not for attention. Nor for martyrdom.
• Love is not easily angered. When he's confused and agitated, you don't take it personally. You know he doesn't understand or intend what he says or does.
• Love keeps no record of wrongs. You let go of what happened 10, 20, 40 years ago, not thinking "he deserves this" or "I don't deserve this."
• Love always protects. You "go to bat" for him, making sure he gets the best of care. Even if you'd rather not make that phone call or confront that staff member.
• Love always perseveres. You "keep on keeping on," with God's grace, strength, and presence, fulfilling your vow 'til death doth us part.

(Of course, this demonstration of love isn't limited to marriage relationships. These examples are also ways we honor our parents and our husband's parents in their twilight years. Much easier to type than to do, 'tis true. I struggle with this on an almost daily basis with my mom.)

All that I learn, all that I know, all that I expound upon, are worthless trash if I don't live in this "most excellent way." The key, I suspect, is to use opportunities to sacrificially show love to my husband now as a dress rehearsal, so to speak, for the grand finale, so that by then it will be second nature.

Impossible? Absolutely -- in my flesh! -- but God's grace is sufficient, and His power provides all I need.

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Memorial Day

A brief but moving tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. May we never forget them, nor take for granted the freedoms they fought so dauntlessly for.

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Then Sings My Soul Saturday

This week has tugged at my heart. I've been reminded anew of the brevity of life. Grateful for God's sovereignty. Awed by how the Holy Spirit enables us to bear one another's burdens. And blessed as I have shared another's grief.

In addition to being touched by the pain that Steven Curtis Chapman and his family are experiencing, grief has also struck closer to home. Today I attended the funeral of a woman who died (ironically, also the same day as Maria Chapman) of the ravages of breast cancer. Although as a believer, she has traded her suffering for joy, another journey marked with heartache and sorrow is just beginning for a husband and 3 little girls, ages 11, 9, and 7.

Though I had only met this woman once that I recall, her sister is my sister-in-law. And my sister-in-law also has breast cancer. Fortunately, she has no evidence of disease at this moment. We all pray that she will continue to be so.

As frequently happens when I am sorrowful, music ministers to me. One blessed old hymn, while appropriate for all occasions, is especially fitting for difficult times when our burdens are great and questions fill our mind.

And the man who wrote it, Joseph Scriven, experienced heavy burdens and the peace that resulted when He leaned on God. A wealthy and educated young Irishman in love, Joseph was happily anticipating his wedding. The evening before the wedding, his fiancee tragically drowned. He moved to Canada after this tragedy. He later became engaged again, only to lose this fiancee to pneumonia.

Several years later upon hearing of his mother's illness, he sent her a poem he titled "Pray Without Ceasing." This poem was what we know today as What a Friend We Have in Jesus.

Most hymnals only have 3 verses, but I discovered a beautiful 4th verse as well. I love this simple piano version:

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

WORDS: Joseph Scriven, 1855
MUSIC: Charles Converse, 1868

Be sure to visit Amy for more songs! Have a blessed weekend!

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Hurting With The Chapmans

UPDATE: The Chapmans have set up a blog in memory of Maria where folks can express their condolences. It contains a precious, precious fun video of Steve & Maria recently goofing around washing dishes!

As we remember Steven Curtis Chapman and his family in our prayers as they are facing unimaginable grief, this song of his gives words to the cries of our hearts.

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Songs for My Blog Friends

My girl's school choir had their spring performance last week, called Follies. It was a Broadway musical revue and such fun. I love music (surprise, surprise!) and there were some cute songs I was not familiar with.

This one is for Linda in response to her first impressions post. (She and I have waaay too much in common!) I can definitely relate to this song. And I love the ending! (Although I have to brag that the guy from my girl's choir was even better than this one!)



This is a sweet song of friendship; the Girls Choir sang this as a group, and it was touching to see many of them reaching out and clasping hands while they sang it:



I just had to share that one, because you, my dear bloggy friends, have changed my life For Good!

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Click on the banner above to register to win!

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May-hem & Memories

Whew! I thought toddlerhood and the preschool years were busy, but it's a whole 'nuther kind of crazy when the kids hit these middle years! Orchestra concerts and choir productions and piano recitals and field trips and award ceremonies and my calendar looks like the Sharpie package exploded. After this week, the extra-curriculars will all subside as my kids have their finals next week. Of course, with a high-schooler, that just means more trips back and forth to school as my boy can exempt up to 3 finals. And the finals he does take are in 2 hour blocks. Not that I'm complaining....these years are sifting through my hands like windblown sand.

And speaking of quickly flying years, I am surely too young to be celebrating such an auspicious occasion as the one occurring today! I even received this card in the mail acknowledging this grand event!

For those of you unfortunate enough not to recognize that beautiful landmark, that is the Tower on The University of Texas campus. The inside of this beautiful card read:
Sigh. May 21, 1983. Has it really been 25 years? I used to think people were really old who had been out of school this long. They must have been younger than I thought. Or I'm older than I want to admit!

One of the fun things about graduating in 1983 was that it was UT's centennial. So there was even more fanfare surrounding the graduation ceremonies. And we were the cool class that got to wear the burnt orange graduation gowns instead of the traditional black.

The fact that black is a much more flattering color on me, and burnt orange makes me look like death warmed over, is totally irrelevant, of course! School spirit takes priority on such an occasion!

Of course, I can't remember graduation without remembering the NCLEX-RN, also known as State Boards, which followed 6 weeks later.

Yuck. It almost makes me break into a cold sweat just thinking about it and looking at that website. And way back then, there was no vast internet with oodles of websites for review. We had to bubble in the answer sheets. (Yeah and if it hadn't been July, I'm sure I would have walked barefoot in the snow to get there! Actually it was probably 103 degrees!) Two solid days of testing, 8 hours each day, and it took a month to get the results. So it was mid to late August before I got the letter in the mail that said I was officially a Registered Nurse. Now they test for 5 hours on a computer and get the results almost instantaneously.

I'm officially old. Think I'll go churn some butter....

Before I forget, like I have for the past month. . . . be sure to notice the blog button at the top of my sidebar for the Siesta Fiesta in San Antonio August 22-23! My girl has the nerve to turn 13 on the 22nd, so I may not get there until the 23rd, but I'm sure hoping to meet lots of you! And be sure to visit the blog, whether you are going or not. Kim (connorcolesmom) and Patty (of Girlfriends in God) have done a fantabulous job on it.

I know the button's big, but hey, it is gonna be in

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Book Tour & Review

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Embrace Me
(Thomas Nelson March 4, 2008)
by
Lisa Samson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Samson is a Christy Award-winning author of 19 books, including the Women of the Faith Novel of the Year, Quaker Summer. Lisa has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks."

In Embrace Me, the latest novel by acclaimed author Lisa Samson, readers are privy to the realization that regardless of outward appearances…hideous, attractive, or even ordinary…persons are all looking for the same things: love, forgiveness, and redemption.

This story explores a world that is neither comfortable nor safe, a world that people like Valentine know all too well. Masterfully crafted by Samson and populated by her most compelling cast of characters yet. It is a tale of forgiveness that extends into all spheres of life: forgiving others, forgiving oneself, forgiving the past.

She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and three kids.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Biting and gentle, hard-edged and hopeful...a beautiful fable of love and power, hiding and seeking, woundedness and redemption.

When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattooed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster...and improbably close to grace.

Valentine, due to her own drastic self-disfigurement, ahs very few friends in this world and, it appears as if she may be destined to spend the rest of her life practically alone. But life gives her one good friend, Lella, whose own handicap puts her in the same freakish category as Valentine. As part of Roland's Wayfaring Marvel and Oddities Show, a traveling band of misfits, they seem to have found their niches in an often curiously cruel world.

Residing in a world where masks are mandatory, Valentine has a hard time removing hers, because of her disfigured face but more so because of her damaged soul. It is much easier for her to listen endlessly to different versions of a favorite song, Embraceable You, and escape reality. Yet, life has more in store for her when she meets Augustine, replete with the tattoos, dreadlocks, and his own secrets. With his arrival, Valentine's soul takes a turn.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

MY COMMENTS
While I probably wouldn't have picked this book up on my own, I'm glad I read it. It forced me out of my comfort zone and made me look beyond the superficial to see folks for who they are inside, rather than judging them based on the outside package the world sees. The book expanded this lesson beyond the usual level of loving the unlovable to humanizing those who are generally outcast and ogled. It was also a sobering reminder of how daughters can bear long-term emotional and physical scars from the emphasis their mothers place on that outside package.

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Recognizing & Recalling Wonders

Amy is celebrating her 100th post and giving away some goodies. If you hurry you can join in - the deadline is today, and you can enter by commenting at her blog or posting about a sign, miracle, or wonder in your life.

In our overview study of the entire Bible this school year, I was convicted by how often the Israelites recounted God's faithfulness -- even including the details of their disobedience -- many years after the event. (I discussed it here if you're interested.) Those thoughts came back to me as I tried to think of some spectacular "thing" that I could relate that qualifies as a sign, miracle, or wonder.

And then I thought: "Why do we I always require an earth-shattering event to get our my attention?" God has declared His wonders in so many ways in my life. How often I have taken for granted....

• Waking each morning to a new day
• The intricacy of the physical body; I don't have to tell my heart to beat or my lungs to breathe or the myriad of cellular functions to do their "jobs."
• His faithfulness, grace and mercy.
• The steadfast love of my husband
• The wondrous blessing of being a mom to my son and daughter
• Spring's fresh newness following winter's dormancy
• Food, clothing, and a roof over my head
• A church family and the freedom to worship
• Laughter
• Tears
• Friendship

I could go on and on and on.

A specific wonder in my life came when my mom's health declined and we moved her from Houston to an Assisted Living facility near me in 2001. Because she was in a health crisis, things needed to be done rather quickly. She initially was hospitalized in Houston and then transferred to a hospital here. I looked into several Assisted Living places while she was in the hospital, and the one only 5 minutes from my house just "happened" to have the best type of room become available right when we needed it and in the most convenient spot in the whole place!

Next, my attention (with my siblings' help) was turned to cleaning out her house and preparing to sell it. (My dad had died 4 years previously and not much had changed since then - I think she had gotten rid of his clothes.) My folks were classic Depression-era Pack Rats. They had fortunately moved when I was in high school and so had "only" lived in that house about 24 years. They had saved not only every bill they had received (and most other pieces of mail), but kept them in their envelopes as well as all the little junky inserts that are included in them! We are talking major volume of stuff!

We made a few weekend trips to do a little and move the things my mom would need up here. I figured it would take months to clean out the house. My brother and my husband and I tackled it with a vengeance that Memorial Day weekend. Wow! People were knocking on the door to buy furniture and kitchen items, and by the end of the weekend the house was empty; my brother got it on the market by Thursday, and within 24 hours we had 3 offers.

This was just a nutshell version - it was uncanny the way every detail just clicked into place. Almost before we knew a need, it was answered and supplied abundantly.

The significance, besides the obvious comfort and easing of our way, is this: Years before, when I had related a divine "coincidence" to my mom and said "God handled that one", her reply was that "God's awful busy to be worried about your {insert minor detail}." Having been raised with that mindset, even though my folks were believers, I was now convinced as never before that God was indeed involved in the details of my life!

But there is a wonder that exceeds -- or maybe just demonstrates & encompasses -- all this. I must piggyback it onto my Then Sings My Soul Saturday post. This beautiful song, written by George Beverly Shea, depicts it perfectly. What a blessing to hear him sing it here:

There's the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me.

Refrain
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.

There's the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is a wonder that's only begun.

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