Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is supposed to be a happy occasion but for many it is not. It brings reminders of a mom or a child who isn’t with us anymore. It is easy to get lost in our own grief because it is such an all encompassing emotion. When you’re in the midst of those early days and weeks, perhaps even months and years,  you’re apt to walk through life with blinders on, singularly focused on taking one step at a time, not glancing left or right or up for fear you might fall.

Thankfully, there comes a day when you not only look up but out, toward others, toward life. Your eyes are opened to the beauty that still lives on in God’s creation. Perhaps you notice a single flower, a beautiful sunset, or hear a child’s laughter. Maybe these things bring to mind your loved one that has passed away, and you realize you no longer feel the heavy weight of grief. The kind that robs you of breath.

That’s where I am today. I can breathe again without feeling like I am suffocating. It doesn't mean I’m not deeply saddened. I am. I don’t have my mom or oldest daughter with me anymore, but what I do have is hope for the future. I see it every day in the eyes of my children and grandchildren. I feel it when their arms wrap me in a loving embrace. I hear it in their voices as they mingle together in laughter.

If you’ve experienced the loss of your mom or child, I pray that you are on the road to healing; to hearing and seeing all the Lord has for you. It’s a difficult journey to be sure. Know that we are in this together. I pray that you know how much you are appreciated and loved today, 

dear Mom's.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

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Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of a good report – if there is any virtue and if there is any praise- think on these things. ~Philippians 4:8

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Sunday Stillness
Scripture & a Snapshot

Fledglings

These sweet baby birds were playing among some limbs and branches Wednesday evening while trying out their little vocal chords.

They flitted and fluttered, hopping up and down while catching the breeze in those fuzzy downy tufts on their head. 

 I sat on the front porch step, afraid to move too much for fear their mama (who was watching me like a hawk) would call them away. She was definitely giving out some warning trills. But this one stayed right up there on a limb, just like he knew I was photographing his cuteness.

They couldn't fly all the way up to their nest, so they hopped up the side of the tree. Those photos didn't turn out very well. 

Baby Carolina Wren's are adorable, aren't they?!

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Review ~ Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson

A courageous young noblewoman risks her life to hide French resistance fighters; seventy years later, her granddaughter visits the family’s abandoned chateau and uncovers shocking secrets from the past.

Releases May 13th

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My Review

Riveting! I knew when Melanie contacted me about reviewing this book that I was going to enjoy the story but little did I know how much. Chateau of Secrets is a historical-contemporary novel expertly written to engage the reader in both the past and present.

With alternating chapters, this story gripped my heart from the opening scene in the chapelle, to the ending  scene in the same chapelle some 70 years later. I don’t know a lot about France during WWII but I was mesmerized from the start by the story of Giselle, a young woman fighting for her country in the only way she could during a most horrible time in history.

Emotions of fear, angst, loyalty and love were prominent throughout this superbly written novel. I could feel the horrors of death and war, and at the same time I was swept away by the love Giselle had for her family and country. The pages are filled with faith, intrigue, suspense, drama and romance. This is a story of secrets that are kept out of shame and fear and love.

It’s also a story about another young woman in today’s world suffering heartbreak, an identity crisis and foundering in her faith. Chloe is searching for answers. She needs to find out who she is, where she is supposed to be in this life, and why her grandmother won’t talk much about when she lived in France during the war.

There are a lot of characters in this story but I had no problem keeping them straight. As much as I enjoyed the contemporary scenes, I could have reveled in it being a total historical, those sections are that good! It was so hard to put this book down when I absolutely needed to, that I kept thinking about it as I was doing other things, anticipating the next time I could pick it back up. Finally, I decided I just could not wait any longer and stayed up from 3:30am until 6:00am so I could finish it! This is definitely one of the best books I have read so far this year. I highly recommend it to any historical/contemporary fan. If you haven’t read a book written this way, you really should give it a try. And it’s loosely based on a true story so that makes it even better!

I want to thank the author, Melanie Dobson, for sending me an Advance Uncorrected Proof for review purposes. I wasn’t required to write a positive review, just my opinion of the book, which I have done. No compensation has been received.

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By using the widget below, you can pre-order your own copy. I make a small commission on the sale of the book.

Christian Book Store

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To read more about the inspiration behind the novel, visit Melanie at her blog, Dobsons 411.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

{Sunday}

Thinking about my mom and daughter as Mother's Day approaches. 

The wisdom my mom passed on to me, precious moments with my daughter, 

and the fact that they are together for eternity. 

Have a blessed Sabbath!

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Cowbirds

Brown-headed Cowbird

(from All About Birds.com)

The Brown-headed Cowbird is a stocky blackbird with a fascinating approach to raising its young. Females forgo building nests and instead put all their energy into producing eggs, sometimes more than three dozen a summer. These they lay in the nests of other birds, abandoning their young to foster parents, usually at the expense of at least some of the host’s own chicks. Once confined to the open grasslands of middle North America, cowbirds have surged in numbers and range as humans built towns and cleared woods.

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These birds are NOT our friends. 

They are aggressive bullies. 

While the other sweet birds are being neat and polite by sharing the feeders, 

these meanies swoop in, making all kinds of noise and chasing all the other birds away. 

They then proceed to swoosh out all the food onto the ground, 

nit-picking to find just the particular seed they want.

They. drive. me. crazy.

I have even let my feeders go empty for days, sometimes up to two weeks, 
in hopes they would forget about them and fly away to another place. 

But noooo...

They just keep coming back. 

Has anyone else had to deal with these irritating birds?

Any ideas on how to get rid of them?!

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Sharing with

in hopes that SOMEONE can help me!

I sound really desperate, don't I?

Well... I AM!!!

Have a blessed day in the Lord!