Ridding Our Home of Chemicals!!!

Y'all, I have never done this before but I am so excited to tell you about something I recently discovered through a friend on Facebook!! Of course, many of you have probably already heard of it. I always seem to be "late to the game". LOL

I've never claimed to be a clean freak except when our Amy was alive and her health needs required that the floors and bathroom be super clean. Well, they should be anyway but now that she is no longer with us, I admit to not expending quite the energy I once did on making sure the surfaces were able to be "eaten off of" as my Momma liked to say. 

I keep a clean house but I know I use too many harsh chemicals to get that "clean feeling and fresh scent". Ordinarily I use paper towels for a lot of my cleaning, and a soft cloth and dusting spray to dust. 

Not any more!!! Oh, I still use a few paper towels for really heavy grease but not like I did, which saves us a TON of money!! And I'm not purchasing chemical sprays which is better for our health! 

What am I using, you wonder??

I'm using...

 

Have you heard of it? If you're on Facebook and would like to check out this product, or even if you're already familiar with it and want to see some of their new products they just came out with, come on over and join my party group, request a *FREE sample from my consultant, and then join us LIVE on Monday August 16th at 7:30pm for a 15 Minute FUN Party and maybe win a *prize!!!

FACEBOOK

If you want to skip the party and go straight to ordering, please consider using this link. 

Anne Payne's 15 minute Facebook Party -Direct Order Link

Yes, it will help me earn product but more than that, I really want you to see how amazing these microfiber cloths really are!!! I absolutely love my EnviroCloth and Dusting Mitt!! I don't love cleaning but it's so much easier and lasting than when I used ordinary --and costly-- paper towels and chemicals.

I really hope you'll come over to the FB party though!! It's going to be FUN. And there is absolutely NO obligation to buy a single thing. You can get a FREE sample ahead of time and maybe win some "door" prizes on Monday night.

I have a friend coming over today who is going to help me make a video (😲) showing how I use the Dusting Mitt (as if that's not self-explanatory 🤣) and also one using the Cleaning Paste and EnviroScrub cloth on my oven door since it seems to be a big challenge in keeping clean. If the videos turn out good, I'll be posting them in the FB group. Here's hoping!!! 😃

Please don't unfollow the blog because of this post. I know it's out of the ordinary for me but my main purpose in sharing this is to help you save time and money (in the long haul) in caring for your home and family. I'm not a consultant. This is a one time thing for me.

Be blessed and Keep on Cleaning!!

*FREE sample and prizes are for US residents only.

Giveaway ~ Farm to Table Linen Tea/Dish Towel

I'm always coming across the cutest decor items on sale. I can't remember where I picked up this gray linen tea/dish towel with white transfer lettering but I know there are some of you out there who decorate farmhouse style in your home.

If you are interested in this cozy tea/dish towel, please follow along through GFC in the right sidebar, and leave a comment below telling me your best bargain find, along with your email address. If you have your settings as a 'No Reply' blogger, please make sure you leave your email, otherwise I have no way to contact you if you win! Due to postage costs, this giveaway is open to US ONLY (48 contiguous states). A winner will be chosen on 7/10.

~Romans 15:5,6~
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.   

You Might Call Me Crazy!

1 Corinthians 3:6 

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 

I love plants. Seriously love plants. Now that I don't have small children at home or indoor animals, I can have as many plants as I want. Thankfully, my husband loves them too.  :-) 

I found a great deal on some large tropical house plants at my local grocery store so I bought several to place around our living room. The problem was that two of them had super dull looking leaves with what looked to be dried water residue and dirt all over them. I sprayed them down outside with the water hose but they still looked dirty and dull. Sooo, I went looking for solutions and found the perfect one on Chemistry Cachet.

Alexis, the chemist @ Chemistry Cachet, recommends cleaning house plants with a solution of milk and water mixed together in a spray bottle. Super simple to make and if you follow the link, you can get exact measurements and read all about why milk is good for your plants. She also recommends an Epsom Salt solution as a natural fertilizer. I'll be trying that in a few days. 

By the way, I read an article that said it's good talk to your house plants because as you talk to them you are breathing out carbon monoxide and that's beneficial to them too! I felt a little odd at first but once I got going, I had all kinds of things to say to Spike (above) and *Optimus Prime (below). Actually, that's when I decided on their names. Spike is obvious. He's spikey and I had to keep telling him not to cut my fingers! 

*Optimus Prime, on the other hand, has leathery like leaves that are absolutely gorgeous! He reminded me of a transformer toy with how his leaves transform from solid green to display striking streaks of red, orange, and yellow.

 *Optimus Prime (he's a Codiaeum variegatum, aka Croton plant) had the most dramatic 'transformation' in the cleaning too! See what I did there? hehe :-)

He has a lot of leaves! And they are fragile despite being leathery in feel. I found that if I bent one too far while trying to get into the ridges to get all the dirt out, the leaf would 'snap'. He calls for a gentle touch. It took me about an hour to water and clean these two plants but in the end it was well worth it!

Do you have any indoor plants? Have you named them? Do you talk to them? 

I would love to chat about your plants and any successes or failures you've experienced. 

~Happy Gardening~

*no copyright infringement intended - just naming my plants after a toy that my boys loved playing with when they were young.

The Art of Embroidery

In our family, my mother-in-law is known for her expertise in needlework. 

From sewing to quilting to embroidery, her art is superlative. 

 (Clicking on photos will enlarge them so you can see even more detail.)

Here she is adding finishing touches of grass to an embroidered *barn. 

Y'all know I ♥ barns, right? 

And she has incorporated a Cardinal in the design, too. 

Oh, I love birds!

I love how authentic the Pine Tree looks.

When she is finished, there will be four designs and she will quilt them 

together to form the wall hanging. Isn't this awesome?! The first square is finished. 

It's so much more dramatic in person. I can't wait to see all four pieces put together.

 Did you know the earliest surviving embroideries are Scythian and date back to the 5th-3rd centuries BCE? There's a form of embroidery called Blackwork, where they only use black thread to make the designs and twist it in a certain way to give it dimension. I'm not sure what technique my MIL used on the barn but it seems awfully close to Blackwork. 

And look at this finished wall hanging...

Isn't it phenomenal?!

It's an ancient art form of Embroidery called Thread Painting or Needle Painting.

And the detail is absolutely stunning.

Can you tell that my mother-in-law's reputation is well deserved? 

But being the humble woman that she is, she'll be the first to tell you that it is a gift from the Lord. 

: : : : :

When I started writing this post I was only intent on sharing how much I admire and love my MIL's ability with a needle. I was going to attach a Scripture verse here but I have to say that after knowing her for 33 years, she is truly the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman. She is an awesomely dedicated wife, mom, MIL, grandmother and great grandmother who aptly fits the description. She has always put the welfare of her family first. Her faith in the Lord and love for hearth and home is what is to be admired. Her handiwork with a needle second. She may or may not read this post but I want to say Thanks, Mom. I love you. 

Have a blessed day in the Lord, my friends!

*The barn pattern is by Beth B Dix/ Primrose Lane, Black Mountain, NC. 

Sharing with

Trailer Tuesday ~ Before the Season Ends

This is absolutely my favorite "new" Regency Era story. It's been out for several years but just in case you haven't heard of it, I thought I'd post it again today. You can read more about the author, Linore Burkard, at www.linoreburkard.com.



About the book

In her debut novel of what she calls "spirited romance for the Jane Austen soul," author Linore Rose Burkard tells the intriguing story of Miss Ariana Forsythe, a young woman caught between her love for a man who doesn't share her faith and her resolution to marry only a fellow believer in Christ.

Trouble at home sends the young woman to her aunt's townhome in the fashionable Mayfair district of London. There she finds worse troubles than those that prompted her flight from home. Ariana is soon neck--deep in high society and at odds with Mr. Phillip Mornay, London's current darling rogue. Then a scandal changes Ariana forever. Her heart, her faith, and her future are all at stake in an unexpected adventure that gains even the Prince Regent's attention.

Will Ariana's faith survive this test? And what about her heart? For it's Ariana's heart that most threatens to betray the truths she has always believed in. When she finds herself backed against a wall, betrothed to the wrong young man, how can it ever turn out right?

Jane Austen readers and fans of Regency romances everywhere will love Before the Season Ends.

 

Learn How to Transform Your City

I'm sharing the following information from The B&B Media Group, Inc.

_____________________________________

Movement Day Helps Leaders Transform Cities through the Gospel

Impact and change the lives of youth, the poor and the marginalized 

Leaders Changing Cities through Gospel Movements.

Click here to watch the Movement Day Video.

The Movement Day Congress Thursday, September 27, 2012 at the NYC Hilton will feature remarkable global leaders such as Richard Stearns of World Vision; Luis Palau of the Luis Palau Association; Ajith Fernando, formerly with Youth for Christ; and several others. This event promises to inspire and challenge leaders, churches and ministries to cultivate partnerships and share best practices to resolve some of the biggest issues facing our cities.

Through consultations hosted during the last 15 years by The New York City Leadership Center (NYCLC)—and Concerts of Prayer Greater New York—for more than 10,000 leaders from 50 cities, it has been confirmed that cities all over the U.S. face many of the same spiritual and social issues. These issues include vast populations unreached by the gospel, profound poverty and an emerging youth population that is struggling to surpass the 50 percent high school graduation rate.

Click here to learn about City Movements

To address these critical issues, The NYCLC hosted the inaugural Movement Day event in September 2010, which was a significant success with more than 800 leaders attending from 34 cities and 14 nations. More than 1,000 leaders attended the second annual Movement Day in 2011. And it is anticipated that the 2012 event will exceed the previous one-day events as this effort gains momentum and excitement builds.

Click here to learn about Authentic Communities



Mac Pier, president and visionary leader of The NYCLC and author of Consequential Leadership (InterVarsity Press 2012), said, “A ‘gospel movement’ is considered to be happening when the Christian population is growing faster than the general population in a city and/or region. We believe Movement Day can help make that happen by convening powerful ministry and community leaders to share innovative ideas and best practices and to advance collaborative partnerships across business sectors within multiple cities. The Apostle Paul set the pattern for us, because he most often went to the largest cities of his day to preach and teach. By following his example and delivering the same message of Christ as Paul did, we can transform the spiritual and social culture of U.S. cities and beyond.”

The Movement Day Congress is being hosted and designed by The NYCLC with Redeemer City to City and American Bible Society, along with 20 national and local Christian organizations.

_____________________________________

Movement Day is a leadership development initiative of The New York City Leadership Center founded by Dr. Mac Pier. Their vision is to become a model of Christian leaders impacting the spiritual and social climate of an urban center. Their mission is to exponentially increase the leadership effectiveness of ministry and marketplace leaders. Visit their website at www.NYCLeadership.com.

 

Trailer Tuesday ~ Trinity: Military War Dog

For lovers of military suspense comes Ronie Kendig's new series A Breed Apart, beginning with Trinity: Military War Dog.



A year ago in Afghanistan, Green Beret Heath Daniel’s career was destroyed. Along with his faith. Now he and his military war dog, Trinity, train other dogs and their handlers. Though his passion is to be back in action, the medical discharge has forced Heath—and Trinity—to the sidelines. Military intelligence officer Darci Kintz is captured while secretly tracking the Taliban. Only one dog can handle the extreme conditions to save her. Trinity. Only one man can handle Trinity. Time is running out on the greatest—and most dangerous—mission of their lives.

Now available for purchase at CBD.

Dr. Dobson's Handbook of Family Advice by Dr. James Dobson

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

 

Dr. James Dobson

 

and the book:

 

Dr. Dobson's Handbook of Family Advice

Harvest House (August 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Ginger Chen of Harvest House for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

James C. Dobson, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and counselor and host of the daily radio program Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson, is author of more than 30 books including the recentNew York Times bestseller Bringing Up Girls. He is founder and chairman emeritus of Focus on the Family. Dr. Dobson is married to Shirley and is the father of two grown children, Danae and Ryan, and the grandfather of Lincoln.
Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

 

Respected counselor and internationally recognized radio host Dr. James Dobson offers families godly wisdom, encouraging stories, and practical insights. With expertise and compassion, Dr. Dobson provides his sought-after advice on vital topics including: marriage, love, discipline, boundaries for kids of all ages, money, and God’s truths for decision-making.

Paperback: 288 pages

List Price: $14.99

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Reprint edition (August 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0736943730

ISBN-13: 978-0736943734
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Boundaries

 

The Security of Boundaries

 

Children feel more secure, and therefore tend to flourish, when they know where the boundaries are. Let me illustrate that principle.

 

Imagine you’re driving a car over the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, which is suspended hundreds of feet above the canyon floor. As a first-time traveler, you’re pretty tense as you drive across. It is a scary experience. I knew one little fellow who was so awed by the view over the side of the bridge that he said, “Wow, Daddy! If you fell off of here, it’d kill you constantly!”

 

Now suppose there were no guardrails on the side of the bridge. Where would you steer the car? Right down the middle of the road. Even though you don’t plan to hit those protective railings along the side, you just feel more secure knowing that they’re there.

 

It’s the same way with children. There is security in defined limits. They need to know precisely what the rules are and who’s available to enforce them. When these clear boundaries exist at home, the child lives in utter safety. He never gets in trouble unless he deliberately asks for it. And as long as he stays within those reasonable, well-marked guardrails, there’s mirth and freedom and acceptance.

 

Your children need the security of defined limits, too. They may not admit that they want you to be the boss, but they breathe easier when you are.

 

Mom’s Football Team

 

In the late 1960s, the phrase “If it feels good, do it” made its way around the counterculture. It meant, in effect, that a person’s flighty impulses should be allowed to overrule every other consideration. “Don’t think—just follow your heart” was the prevailing attitude. That foolish advice has ruined many gullible people. Those who ignore lurking dangers are casting themselves adrift in the path of life’s storms. We must be prepared to disregard ephemeral feelings at times and govern our behavior with common sense.

 

Not only can emotions be dangerous—they can also be unreliable and foolish. I’m reminded of a story told by my mother about her high school years. They had one of the worst football teams in the history of Oklahoma. They hadn’t won a game in years. Finally a wealthy oil producer asked to speak to the team in the locker room and offered a brand-new Ford to every boy and to each coach if they would simply defeat their bitter rivals in the next game. The team went crazy. For seven days they thought about nothing but football. They couldn’t even sleep at night. Finally the big night arrived, and the team was frantic with anticipation. They assembled on the sidelines, put their hands together, and shouted, “Rah!” Then they ran onto the field—and were smashed thirty-eight to nothing. No amount of excitement could compensate for the players’ lack of discipline, conditioning, practice, study, coaching, drill, experience, and character. Such is the nature of emotion. It has a definite place in human affairs but is not a substitute for intelligence, preparation, and self-control.

 

Instead of responding to your impulses, therefore, it is often better to hang tough when you feel like quitting, to guard your tongue when you feel like talking, to save your money when you feel like spending, and to remain faithful when you feel like flirting. Unbridled feelings will get you in trouble nine times out of ten.

 

So, before you chase after something that simply feels good, you might want to think it over. You could be about to make one of your greatest blunders.

 

Children and Materialism

 

It’s not easy to say no to children, especially in an affluent and permissive society. Toy companies are spending millions of dollars on advertising aimed at children—not their parents. They know boys and girls are the very best customers. But by giving in to this pressure, parents may actually deprive their children of pleasure. Here’s why.

 

Pleasure occurs when an intense need is met. A glass of water is worth more than gold to a person who’s dying of thirst, but it’s worthless to the person who doesn’t need it. That principle applies directly to children. If you never allow a boy or girl to desire something, he or she will not fully enjoy the pleasure of receiving it. If you give him a tricycle before he can walk, and a bike before he can ride, and a car before he can drive, and a diamond ring before he knows the value of money, you may actually have deprived him of the satisfaction he could have received from that possession.

 

How unfortunate is the child who never has the opportunity to long for something, to dream about that prize by day, and to plot for it by night, perhaps even to get desperate enough to work for it.

 

Excessive materialism is not only harmful to children—but it deprives them of pleasure, too.

 

Children and Television

 

There’s been considerable debate in recent years about television rating systems. That kind of information is desperately needed by parents who want to protect their kids from harmful content, and I’m among those who believe that the present system just doesn’t get the job done.

 

But even if changes are implemented, there’s a new wrinkle to be considered. Social research conducted by Yankelovich Partners, Inc., has analyzed the television-viewing habits of Americans. What they discovered is surprising. Forty-two percent of children between nine and seventeen have their own cable or satellite television hookups in their bedrooms.¹ The image of families gathered around a single TV set in the family room is fading. Instead, many kids are off by themselves where they can choose anything that they want to see.

 

Ann Clurman, a partner at Yankelovich, said, “Almost everything children are seeing is essentially going into their minds in some sort of uncensored or unfiltered way.”² Considering the explicit sex, violence, nudity, and profanity available now, especially on cable and satellite television, this is a disturbing revelation.

 

Children need to be protected from adult programming, and yet almost four out of every ten kids have parents who don’t really know what they’re watching. I fear that situation will come back to haunt us for years to come. 

 

 

Trailer Tuesday

Have you read The Wings of Morning by Murray Pura? If so, what did you think?

You can purchase a copy through CBD. You can also read an excerpt here.

Nora St Laurent and TBCN's month long PARTY!

There's a party going on, a celebration lasting the entire month of August! Let's find out how you can win books, books, and more books!!!

Hi Nora! Welcome to Stuff & Nonsense II. What inspired you to start TBCN?

The Book Club Network was born out of a desire to share Christian Fiction authors with other book clubs, share book club ideas with other leaders and to encourage the authors who are writing such amazing books. The economy has been really tough for a few years and people are not parting with money like they used to. Through TBCN they can take their time and find the right book or win it. We have give away opportunities each month. ALL of our contests are from the 19^th – 21^st of the month.

I run two face to face book clubs one at the Christian Book Store I work at and the other at the church I attend. It’s a position I never imagined I’d be in since I didn’t read for pleasure much before I started working in a Christian book store 11 years ago.

But since I love talking with people and the main thing to talk about in a book store is books I started reading Christian Fiction (publishers sent ARC copies to our store and I started checking them out) The first book that rocked my world and got me hooked in Christian Fiction was a book by Linda Nichols called Not a Sparrow Falls her next book did me in and I couldn’t stop talking about it, At the Scent of Water was her next book that prompted me to contact the author and let her know how much her book touched my spirit.

After reading these two books and telling customers about these reads I had a reason to read. These books spoke to me because I wasn’t expecting it. It reminded me of the stories in the bible. Jesus is the greatest story teller and He knew a story could change a life or prick our spirit and move us in a direction we never thought we’d be in.

I tell you all that to say I’m dyslexic and I have not been a fan of reading. Movies were more my thing. I could watch a movie of a book and have a lot more fun. Reading Christian Fiction changed my life in more ways than one. I wanted to tell everyone about the greatest book I read, and I’d do that at the book store. It was possible to talk about the new book I read and loved for about a month or more but when At the Scent of Water and Not a Sparrow Falls were not on the shelf anymore, I had to find some other books to talk about at work. I’m not a very fast reader so; discovering the next new book was a challenge. Would I get the book read before it disappeared from the shelf? How long do books live on a book shelf? The shelf life of a book was a mystery to me and still is.

I was whining to my husband Fred about my problem. How can I get the word out about great books for a very long period of time??? Being a man who likes to face challenges head we began to talk about how we could do this and the fact that I can’t read books fast enough to keep up with it’s shelf life at the store.

I also told him as a book club leader I wanted to promote great books and share them with other groups. Not everyone has the advantage of working at a book store and see what new books hit the shelves each week. Another struggle I had was if I had an author speaking at my book club I wanted to share them with other book clubs in the area. How could I do that? Where are book clubs meeting?

Our answer to many of these questions and more was the birth of The Book Club Network - TBCN. Connecting authors to book clubs and readers to their books; it’s also a network of book clubs as they post what they’ve read and how the meeting turned out.

It’s a place to find where a book club is located. We have a member map where you can find a book club near you. Message them and see if they are accepting new members. I envision it to be similar to be similar to the Weight Watchers program (don’t laugh Grin) you can go to a meeting anywhere in the country right? All you have to do is look on line and get connected. This is my hope for the future of TBCN.

I love TBCN and am so glad I found y'all on the internet 2 years ago! 

Have there been any surprises for you @TBCN? What benefits have you seen by bringing readers and authors together?

I’ve been encouraged and fascinated by our growth. I can see there were other people out there like me wanting to connect with other book club members.

I’ll tell you what has surprised me is the author/reader interaction each month. This is something I didn’t foresee as I’ve watch the authors are having a blast interacting with the readers and visa/versa. The beauty of this discussion is it’s there forever for all to read no matter when you join TBCN.

The authors have done a great job coming up with questions for reader to answer that give them a peek into their book – create interest and then the discussion helps book club leaders connect with the author. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of authors that want to be featured @The Book Club Network. It’s been a great thing.

The interaction with the authors is almost like having a book club meeting on line. It’s a huge benefit for both the authors who’ve wanted to ask clubs questions and readers who want to get to know authors. The authors are catching on. Our sponsors have loved the interaction as well. Members have told me that they love the author interaction from the 19^th-21^st as much as having a chance to win all these books. It’s hard to know if a book will be a fit for your group so these interaction times are helpful for that and so much more. Another thing I love about TBCN members is the fact they are not afraid to share what they think in a good way. I’ve learned so much and laughed out loud in some discussion where the questions lead to sharing funny moments.

My hope is that book club leaders and/or members participate in the discussions and make that book connection with the author and their book. I want TBCN to be a tool for them in picking out their books. Maybe invite the author to speak to their book club on the phone. It’s my hope. The discussion will be there forever. No worries about a books shelf live here @TBCN. So, everyone has time to get to know each other!! It’s a beautiful thing!

I know I have discovered lots of new authors and read a great many books that I would not have otherwise known about.

How can readers join in the anniversary celebrations?

It’s easy to sign up to be a member of TBCN. We ask a few questions for you to answer and for other information that helps us keep spammers and other information seekers out of the network. It’s also FREE. You have opportunities to win lots of books. For our BIRTHDAY BASH we are giving away 10 books a day and announcing winners once a week. You’ll have all week to enter the daily featured contests. 

Ok, y'all! Did you hear that?! 10 books a day, EVERYDAY in August, so hop on over to TBCN and join up so you can have an opportunity to win some books. 

Do you have any other comments for my readers?

If you are an avid reader, this is the place for you to learn about the latest in Christian Fiction and interact with the author each month.

Are you a book club leader? Well this is the place for you to find your next book club pick. We’d also love for you to set up your Book club page at our site for others to see. It’s a place to share your latest featured book. Post pictures of your club and the field trips you’ve taken. The authors you’ve met and the book fun you’ve had. Learn from other book clubs that have already set up their pages.

Want to start a book club but felt it was too overwhelming? You can learn from other experienced book club leaders, and you can start right away making your book club list!

Do you like to win books? This is the place for you. You’ll have a chance to get to know the authors and their books and read genre’s you normally wouldn’t. We’ve been giving away about 100 books a month and for our birthday bash it’s going to be 10 books every day; starting August first. Winners are picked weekly and announced each weekly.

THANK YOU! You’ve been a grand host to have me here and let me talk about The Book Club Network and our Birthday Bash!! I hope to see you there @TBCN www.bookfun.org

You are a Blessing!!

Nora :o)

The Book Club Network CEO

 

 

Trailer Tuesday ~ Inescapable

Lizzie Engel left Kingdom, Kansas, and her Conservative Mennonite faith five years ago, fleeing abuse and rejection aimed at her when she became pregnant with her daughter, Charity. However, when a strange man begins to hang around outside her apartment building in Kansas City and she receives several odd, threatening messages, she begins to fear for their safety. When an untrue accusation of theft causes her to lose her job, she has no choice but to return to the small Mennonite town. Unfortunately, evil follows her, and she will have to face a storm of lies, deceit and murder as a winter blizzard rages around her and the residents of Kingdom.

I recently won a copy Inescapable by Nancy Mehl so I thought I'd post the trailer for y'all to enjoy.

Have you read any Suspense/Mennonite books? If so, would you leave a comment with some recommendations? Thanks!

Review ~ Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Review of Short Straw Bride, Karen Witemeyer  

Guest Reviewer Judy Burgi

I loved this book by Karen Witemeyer. To be completely honest with you this is the first book of hers that I have read. And it won't be the last.

The author has a way to rope you in with her writing style. Her characters truly come to life. This book is a real page turner from the very beginning.

This book isn't a mystery, or suspense, but it is definitely filled with drama. Chapter after chapter you will want more. I hope that the author will do a sequel or follow up with the characters in this book. I want to know what happens to each and every Archer brother!

Travis Archer is very protective of his brothers and of their land. He made a promise to his dying Father that he would look after both. He has every intention of keeping that promise. There are people out there that want his land and will stop at nothing to get it. Will they succeed? After all, the odds are against the brothers; four brothers fighting for their land. How long can they hold intruders off?

Along comes Meredith Hayes. She happens to over hear of a plan to burn the Archer brothers off their land. Meredith feels she must warn the brothers of this plan because of the kindness once paid to her by Travis Archer when she was yet a young girl. Does Meredith succeed in warning the brothers before this happens? Will the brothers even believe her if she does get to them in time?

Get ready for some action. I guarantee you will love this delightful read. Meredith Hayes has some spunk! I fell in love with this character for that reason. How far would we go to protect those we love?

I wish to thank Bethany House Publishers for sending me a copy of Short-Straw Bride to read and review. The opinions in this review are mine alone.

Thanks Judy, for that enthusiastic review! I just received my copy in the mail today, so hopefully I will have my review posted in the next few weeks. 

Have you read this book yet? What did you think?  Don't you just love this cover? Bethany House has some of the best designers.

 

From Westbow Press...

Has anyone read this book? It sounds different but intriguing.

Overview

Come take a sacred journey.

Meg Crane has never had a longing for adventure. She’s never even traveled more than two hundred miles from home. But when she receives an invitation from the New Hope Retreat Center to travel deeper into the heart of God, Meg finds herself saying yes.

Against her better judgment.

What will she discover if she begins to walk the winding path through the broken pieces of her past?

Meg isn’t the only one who feels apprehensive about the journey. Though the other people gathered at New Hope appear to have life well put together, each of them has a story to tell.

Join Meg, Hannah, Mara, and Charissa as they become unlikely companions on the road to healing, transformation, and self-discovery. Because the long walk leads through the unpredictable terrain of the inner life, the travelers will need courage, patience, perseverance, and of course…

Sensible Shoes.

From Westbow Press website:

Free Preview

PrologueMeg, 1967A solitary little girl in a gray wool coat and red knit cap flitted through the snow, searching for a glimmer of gold. Someone had given the jingle bells to Mama for Christmas, and Mama had smiled when she hung them on the front door. So when the wind snatched the bells and spirited them away, five-year-old Meg was determined to find them and make Mama happy again.

Meg hummed as she searched around bushes in the yard. She loved hide-and-seek. She wished Mama or Rachel would play hide-and-seek with her; but Mama was too busy to play, and eleven-year-old Rachel always said she was too big for baby games. If only Daddy hadn’t gone to heaven to be with Jesus! Daddy had been very good at hide-and-seek.

Meg patiently pursued the lost bells for almost an hour, finally spotting one of them peeking out from a snowbank near Mrs. Anderson’s garage. Clutching her prize, Meg skipped down the driveway and up the front steps.

Mama was standing at the door, scowling and scolding. “Margaret Fowler! Didn’t you hear me calling for you?”

“Mama, I found them!” Meg beamed as she offered her gift.

Mama stripped off Meg’s hat, revealing thick blonde curls. “How many times do I have to tell you? Take your boots off outside. I don’t want snow messing up this floor.”

Meg left her boots on the porch and danced inside, jingling the bells. “Look, Mama! I found your bells!”

Mama frowned as she shut the door. “What bells?”



* * *Meg Crane stepped across the threshold of her childhood home in Kingsbury, Michigan, the jingling of her keys echoing in the foyer. Though she had spent almost forty of her forty-six years in the Fowler family’s large Victorian house, it had never felt this cavernously lonely. Shutting the door behind her, Meg sank slowly to the floor and leaned her head against the wood paneling.

Gone. Becca was gone. Her beloved daughter had flown away.

Meg wished they could have had more time together. The fourth of August had arrived too quickly, and now her only child was on a plane to London, where she would spend her junior year of college.

Becca’s lively presence at home had kept Meg happily preoccupied. There had been so much to do together, so many preparations to make for the overseas adventure. Becca’s joy and enthusiasm had temporarily buoyed Meg’s spirits above her own grief.

But now the empty house engulfed her with dreadful stillness.

Mother was also gone. Still gone.

Months after Ruth Fowler’s death, Meg was still fighting the impulse to call out a greeting to her mother whenever she arrived home. She still expected Mother to appear at the dinner table. She still listened for her footsteps on the staircase. She still paused by the bedroom door, stifling the urge to say goodnight.

Meg supposed she would be slow to process Becca’s absence too. She imagined she would still look for Becca’s pink water bottle on the kitchen counter. She would still listen for her daughter's cheerful voice humming along with her iPod. She would probably still awaken around midnight and expect to hear Becca arrive home safely after an evening out with friends.

But now the only sounds in the house were the melancholy sighs of an antique grandfather clock and the low hum of the refrigerator.

Meg Crane was alone. Truly alone.

Now what?

Slumping forward, Meg cradled her head in her hands and wept.

If God is Good ~ An excerpt from Randy Alcorn

In light of the recent tragedy in Denver CO, here's an excerpt from Randy Alcorn's book If God is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil.

If God is Good by Randy Alcorn (Chapter 1)
And here is Randy talking about If God Is Good with Greg Laurie:


Here are some of Randy's resources to review:

If God Is Good (Hardcover)
If God Is Good, Why Do We Hurt (10-Pack, Small Booklets)
Randy Alcorn's Website

Psalm 23:4 ~ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...

My Dearest Naomi by Jerry and Tina Eicher, FIRST Wild Card Tour

I didn't sign up to review this book, but thought I would share with y'all anyway. I know many love to read Amish Fiction (me too!) so I am looking forward to checking this one out :)

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card authors are:

 

Jerry and Tina Eicher

 

and the book:

 

My Dearest Naomi

Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Ginger Chen, Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Jerry Eicher’s bestselling Amish fiction (more than 210,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies.

Tina Eicher was born and married in the Amish faith, surrounded by a mother and sisters who were great Amish cooks. At fellowship meals and family gatherings, Tina’s dishes receive high praise and usually return empty. She and her husband, Jerry Eicher, author of several bestselling Amish fiction titles, are the parents of four children and live in Virginia.
Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Jerry Eicher's many devoted fans will be enthralled by this endearing novel in letters based on Jerry's letters to and from his future wife, Tina, and their discovery that, indeed, absence does make the heart grow fonder.

When Eugene Mast leaves his Amish community in Worthington, Indiana, to teach in faraway Kalona, Iowa, he also must leave the love of his life, Naomi Miller.

For the next nine months of the school term, Eugene and Naomi keep their romance alive through love letters from his heart to hers, and from hers back to his.

Eugene writes of his concern that in his absence Naomi may find the attractions of another suitor to her liking.  Naomi worries that Eugene may fall prey to the "liberal" Mennonite beliefs in the community where he now lives.  Both can hardly wait until the school year is up and they're finally reunited.

A poignant and tender love story that will warm the hearts of readers everywhere.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (July 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0736939423

ISBN-13: 978-0736939423

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Naomi Miller stood beside the buggy, the corner of the front wheel inches from her side. Eugene Mast’s fingers were wrapped around hers. She looked up at him, the shadows from the moonlight hiding his blue eyes, leaving only the sides of his face visible.

“Do you really have to go?” Naomi whispered.

“Yah,” Eugene said. “It’s something I need to do. But I’ll be back before you know it, and things will be like they always were.”

“Nine months is an awfully long time.”

“Yah, but Da Hah will be with us. He will help us bear the pain of absence. And we are promised, you know.”

“But what will Bishop Enos say about this? We are both members of the church.” Naomi’s hands shifted in his. “What if there is trouble?”

Eugene laughed. “I don’t think there will be trouble. Bishop Enos knows I have no plans to forsake the church.”

“Even though you are running off to Iowa to teach at a Mennonite church school? It’s a terribly long way from Indiana.”

Eugene leaned forward, kissing her cheek. “I will write often, and that will help with the loneliness.”

Naomi pulled away. “Will you miss me? Perhaps a little?”

Eugene laughed again, causing his horse to turn his head to look at him. “I will miss you terribly, Naomi. I just believe this has to be done. If I don’t take the chance now, I’ll always look back and wonder.”

She sighed. “But it’s so dangerous out there. And the Mennonites can put all kinds of ideas in your head. Then you’ll never come back.”

He shook his head. “Please, Naomi, don’t make this harder than it is. I’ll come back. I promise.” He glanced at the envelope she had given him earlier. “Thank you for the card. I’m going to save it to open when I get to Iowa.”

“Okay. I think you’d better go,” she said. “I can’t stand this much longer.”

“I’m not much at goodbyes anyway,” he said. “I will always love you, Naomi. Goodbye…for now.”

“Goodbye,” she said, stepping back as Eugene climbed into the buggy. He slapped the reins against his horse’s back, waving once on the turnaround in the lane, his hand a brief movement from the dark interior. Watching the buggy lights move down the road and fade out of sight, Naomi stared long into the darkness. She then turned to walk back toward the house, pausing to look over her shoulder once more.

AUGUST

Monday evening, August 30

My dearest Naomi,

Greetings from Iowa. This finds me installed in the upstairs bedroom of my new home. The time was a little past eleven o’clock the last I looked. We pulled into the driveway of this little farm around nine, but I couldn’t see much in the darkness. We were met at the front porch by Lonnie and Luella Hershberger, the older Mennonite couple I’m staying with. The school board members who brought me out said their goodbyes and drove off in their van. I was shown around the house by Lonnie and Luella. After the tour, we ended up in the living room talking.

They seem like very nice people even though I’ve only just met them. Their house is a white bungalow with everything inside neatly arranged and in order. The kitchen is by the front door, with the living room in the back. I’m in the front bedroom, upstairs, overlooking the lawn. They said I could see the schoolhouse from my bedroom window, but it’s dark right now.

I feel strange and a little frightened to be out here alone. I’m missing you, of course, and the community. This awful sensation is wrapped around me, as if all the familiar props are knocked out from under me. In the meantime, I have to act as if everything is okay and be full of smiles. I can imagine right now you’re saying “I told you so,” but then maybe not, being the nice person you are.

I can’t thank you enough for the card you gave me before I left. It means so much to me. If I didn’t have your love to fall back on, I don’t think I could stand it right now. I know part of my problem is that I’m just so dead tired I could fall off the chair. The trip was long and more tiresome than I expected.

I suppose I’d better be off to bed. I won’t even start unpacking tonight. The suitcase is still open on the floor with only the things taken out that I need immediately. And that’s good enough for now.

Tuesday morning…

Good morning. I awoke to Luella hollering up the stairs. We had decided last night she would be my alarm clock since I didn’t bring one along. There is an electric alarm clock sitting on the desk, but I told Luella I didn’t know how to run one. And I sure wasn’t going to take the time to figure it out last night. She laughed and said hollering would be the Amish method anyway, and that it should make me feel right at home.

I smiled and said yah, but I didn’t mention that any reminder of home causes more pain than comfort right now.

I came downstairs to a breakfast of eggs and bacon, which I ate quickly. Then I stepped outside for a look around. The weather is nice, and I can indeed see the schoolhouse down the road. It’s a large, white, wooden structure with tall windows on the side. There’s a bell tower on top, placed toward the front. There’s a single tree in the yard.

Back upstairs, I started to unpack until I saw your second card. That brought a halt to the unpacking for a while. Who would have thought being away from you would be this hard?

As of now, the plans are that I will take the rest of the week to settle in at the schoolhouse. They only have a half-day scheduled for school on the first day, Friday. Then no school on Monday, since it’s Labor Day. Beats me how I’m supposed to keep myself occupied all that time with so little work to do.

The chairman of the school board told me the teacher who taught last year will be at the schoolhouse today by 10:00. She will give me details on the lesson plans and other pointers she might have on how to do things around here. I’ve been told it shouldn’t be that different from the year I taught at our Amish school, but I shall see.

While I think to mention it, I forgot to give you the other dove from my farewell cake at our families’ going-away supper. Somewhere in all the goodbyes it slipped my mind. I have the one, and you were supposed to get its mate. My sisters have it now and are supposed to pass it on to you. Hopefully we can match them up when the school year is over.

Luella said the mailman goes past at quarter till nine, so I’d better get this letter out. Here’s my address and a little rhyme. I know it’s not much, but it lets you know how much I’m missing you.

When the new moon hangs in the starry sky

I think of love, of ours, of you and I.

With all my heart,

Eugene

Q & A with Alton Gansky and MAJ (Ret) Jeff Struecker, Authors of Hideand Seek

From B&B Media

Alton, what was it like as a writer to work with a soldier and capture the stories for the new book Hide and Seek?

AG: It was enlightening. At first, I thought my biggest challenge would be learning the terms and tools of the contemporary soldier. As it turns out, the great challenge came in understanding the soldier's mind and heart. A novelist must be able to see through the eyes of others, to feel their joy and their pains, and then put it on paper. In writing this book and the others that came before it, I had to imagine what it was like to leap out of an airplane in the middle of the night, to be hunkered down under live fire, to see a comrade wounded and killed and to stand on a foreign field when my mind was home with my family. Doing so gave me the new insight into the work and the sacrifices made by the dedicated soldier.

Jeff exemplifies the qualities of the 21st-century soldier: intelligent, brave, sacrificial, but very human. In my discussions with him I came to understand the split loyalties that every soldier faces: duty, country, family.

I tried to take some of the admirable qualities I saw in Jeff and put them into the fictional soldiers who risk their lives and transfer all that to the printed page. I could come up with the plot and the twists and turns, but Jeff had to provide the realism. The series of books has been a real education. I am blessed for having been a part of them.

­­Jeff, now that you are retired from active service, do you reflect on some of the stories that developed differently than what you thought they would?

JS: I don't think that being retired from active duty in the US Army has changed the way that I reflect on these stories, but it has given me a greater appreciation for the quality of men and women in the military. Now that I am a private citizen (so to speak), I have the chance to compare the work ethic, the sense of duty and the patriotism of the men and women in the military with the rest of the US population. I never realized how different many warriors are from the citizens that they protect and serve. I am also seeing the selflessness and sacrifice of the military family compared to that of the average family in our country and am surprised by these differences.

Alton, did the process or the relationship change the way you view those in the military and what their families go through?

AG: Absolutely. I always knew there was great sacrifice involved in being a soldier. Coming from a Navy family I even knew the families of military made their share of sacrifices. Writing about them, however, made it real for me. One thing every novelist does is to insert himself or herself into their characters–good or bad. It can be an emotional roller coaster. Writing these books has tattooed the image of their sacrifice on my mind and heart. From the beginning, Jeff insisted that we show the heroism of those who remain home while their husbands and fathers face death in some foreign territory. In the case of our heroes, they did not even have the satisfaction of knowing where their loved ones served. In many ways, they waited in the dark.

I've always admired those who serve in the military, but now I admire their families just as much.

Jeff, what are your thoughts on this?

JS: Writing with Al has been eye opening for me personally. He really gets it. I have never known someone to be able to pick up the dedication and motivation of a warrior and their family as quickly as Al. On a couple of occasions, I commented to Al that he writes like someone who has been in the Army all his life. He has a great grasp on what a warrior's family goes through when the phone rings in the middle of the night and they have to say goodbye to a loved-one, knowing that they may never see them again. It takes a special kind of person to be a military family and Al depicts that as well as anyone I know.

Alton, do you have some funny stories about connecting with Jeff while he was still in active duty? Code language?

AG: Mostly I teased Jeff about the superiority of the Navy or the Army. I don't think I've been able to convince him yet. There were a few interesting times when we would exchange e-mail or talk on the phone and I had no idea where Jeff was. I would simply receive a quick note that he was going to be out of town on business. There were times when we spoke that I was pretty sure he was in some far-off part of the world. I still don't know.

In one of the previous books, I had written a scene that I was especially proud of. I struggled to get the details right, to create a believable scenario. When Jeff was reviewing the scene he called to say, “You can't use that.” I argued that it was a good scene, that it helped the plot, that it tied up some loose ends. He agreed then told me to take it out. When I asked why, he replied, “You aren't supposed to know that.” I protested that I didn't know it. I'd made the whole thing up. He sympathized with me and told me to take it out. I've often wondered what I got right.

Jeff, what are your writing goals now that you are not in active service? Do you have more leeway/freedom to pursue some things that you were not able to previously?

JS: My writing goals have become a bit more ambitious now that I am retired. For the rest of my life I will have to balance describing cutting-edge military technology and procedures without giving away national secrets. (Some of those secrets I have sworn to take to my grave.) At the same time, I think the reader deserves an accurate picture of what life is like for a warrior on a dangerous mission somewhere around the world tonight. I hope to be able to continue to paint that picture for readers.

I also had to balance a very difficult workload of trying to communicate with Al and writing some of these books while I was away in Afghanistan or in Iraq. (Needless to say, my mind and attention were a bit preoccupied at those times.) Now that I am retired from the Army, I hope to be able to dedicate more time to writing books that will exalt the great name of Jesus and inspire readers.

Alton Gansky is a Christy Award-nominated and Angel Award-winning author who writes to stimulate thinking about spiritual matters. He served as a pulpit minister for twenty years and has published nearly thirty books.

Chaplain (Major, Ret) Jeff Struecker is a decorated member of US Army Rangers, the Army’s most elite fighting corps. His personal experiences in Mogadishu, Somalia were documented in the New York Times bestseller and major motion picture Black Hawk Down. During his thirteen years of active duty, he also fought in Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Iris Gold in Kuwait. As a chaplain Jeff has done multiple tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now retired from military service, Struecker currently serves as the associate pastor of ministry development at Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia.

For more information visit www.JeffStreucker.com

And www.AltonGansky.com