'The Way Home'

Randy Simpkins is a worksholic husband and father who's trying to appease his wife with a family vacation. Starting behind the eight ball by having gone in to work when he was supposed to be packing, the day gets worse when their youngest son, two-year-old Joe, disappears only minutes later.

It is difficult to remain impartial in the beginning of this movie as each parent presents a timeless, valid viewpoint for their recent actions that most married parents can identify with. As the movie progresses and the search for Joe continues, the plot deepens to include their struggles not only with each other, but also the scope of their faith. At times the action is maddeningly slow as it seems that the search will never progress, but at those times the emotion of each parent is most real. The entire movie forces the viewer to evaluate how s/he parents and if s/he is intentional and purposeful with the time given to them as parents.

I will definitely recommend this movie to my friends. Every parent can use a reminder of the preciousness of their children's lives, and this movie provides that in spades.

I was provided a free copy of this movie by Thomas Nelson in exchange for an unbiased review.

Purim

Here's a webpage that is written from a Jewish perspective that describes Purim - it's background, modern customs, and even contains a recipe for Hamantashen, a traditional cookie eaten during this celebration. I thought you might find this interesting!

"Faithful" by Kim Cash Tate

Cyd's world turns upside down on her fortieth birthday - and her friends aren't having such an easy time, either. Cedric, the best man at her sister's wedding, is attractive and smooth, but he doesn't share her faith. Dana caught her husband in bed with another woman, and Phillis wants her husband to share her faith more than anything and is depressed by his unwillingness to even listen to her heart. The members of the Daughter's Fellowship hold each other up through thick and thin - but will they be able to help each other through all of this??

Cash's book was not what I expected, and at first, as each woman's life fell apart, I was disappointed by the blunt and worldly view of sex that was presented. As the plot continued, however, more of God's truth entered the picture. By the end, a realistic view of sin and how to handle temptation had been presented. Cash's characters were believable and and real. I will definitely look for her next book!

I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson in exchange for an unbiased review.

Our Upcoming Schedule

Our schedule of events for the next few months currently looks like this:

Tuesday, August 10 - Book Club ('A Time to Mend' by Sally John and Gary Smalley

Monday, August 23 - Bible Study

Tuesday, August 31 - Book Club ('The Princess' by Lori Wick)

After that, we'll need to finalize plans for our new regular meeting day. The way I understand it, our book club schedule will then be as follows (with the meeting to occur on whatever day of this week we end up meeting):

September 28th - 'The Last Jihad' by Joel C. Rosenberg

October 26th - 'The Island of Heavenly Daze' by Lori Copeland and Angela Hunt

We have also scheduled these books and never talked about them, so perhaps these could be added again to the schedule following October:

'A Penny for Your Thoughts' by Mindy Starns Clark

'A Shred of Evidence' by Kathy Herman


Currently, all meetings are scheduled to be held at 8 PM @ Isabelle's house unless something changes.

"Resurrection in May" by Lisa Samson

Claudius, an elderly Kentucky farmer, finds a drunken May lost along a country roadside and takes her home to care for her until she can find her way home. May, a recent college graduate searching for meaning in her life, becomes fascinated with his simple, purposeful lifestyle and embraces it until she leaves for Rwanda to serve with a priest there. After being attacked during a war of ethnic cleansing in the village where she's living, May returns to Kentucky and tries to find the loving God of her farm and village amidst her memories of a violent world.

Samson has written an emotionally charged book. While the action is slow and much of it is conversational or simply describing the everyday work of a farm, the reader gleans the heart condition of each character from these simple actions. Samson has turned the reader into a cheerleader as May grows and recovers from her ordeal. By the last page, the reader finds that May is stronger - and less predictable - than one would think.

"Resurrection in May" is a wonderful book that will prompt the reader to affirm the power of forgiveness. I will definitely recommend this book and look up Samson's others!

This book was given to me by Thomas Nelson in return for an unbiased review.

Scratch that!

Scratch that! Wrong date. Our next meeting is tonight, July 26th, at 8 PM at Isabelle's. Sorry!

August 9th

Hey, everyone,

What a busy summer! It seems as if we're all being pulled in a zillion directions.

Since things are so crazy, we've reset our schedule for this next month and are trying to figure out a more workable schedule before school starts again. Our next meeting will be on Monday, August 9th at 8 PM at Isabelle's house. If you have any questions or need directions, let me know!

I'll post the dates for the next few weeks soon - my notebook isn't handy at the moment.

Have a fabulous week!

Like Dandelion Dust

Have any of you read this book by Karen Kingsbury? I have it if you want to borrow it ... it's really good. It's been made into a movie and is releasing this September. Girly movie night, anyone?

Go here to watch the trailer and to sign up for updates!

'A Patch of Heaven' by Kelly Long

Sarah is a quiet, shy Amish girl who has spent years caring for the family's garden when she's suddenly given a new responsibility: managing and manning the family's roadside produce stand. Thrust into contact with the unfamiliar English world, Sarah meets her new neighbor, Grant Williams, a handsome veterinarian who wants to pursue a romantic relationship. Will Sarah venture further into the English world with Grant or will she remain alone in her familiar Amish one?

Long has created wonderful characters. Lifelike and honest, they are not perfect but reflect the situations in which they find themselves. Her writing is compelling and made it impossible for me to put this book down. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next, and that the characters did not always do the predictable thing made it even better.

With that said, though, for as interesting as the story is, I felt that it was not especially realistic. I grew up in an Amish community, and the biggest decision made by the main characters was one which I've never heard of happening, and despite Long's great writing, there were several gaps not filled in by the end of the book. Yet the strengths of this book far outweighed the weaknesses, and I can't wait to read the next in the series.

Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Book Club Schedule Update

Hey, everyone,

Here's an update of our book club schedule for the next few months:

June 22 - 'A Penny for Your Thoughts' by Mindy Starns Clark
July 20 - 'A Time to Mend' by Sally John and Gary Smalley
August 31 - 'A Shred of Evidence' by Kathy Herman
September 28 - 'The Princess' by Lori Wick
October 26 - 'The Island of Heavenly Daze' by Lori Copeland and Angela Hunt

Some of us have some of these, so you may be able to borrow a copy! Happy reading!

The Old Testament Kings

Today in her vlog Wendy recommended that we begin diagramming or charting the various kinds so that we can keep track of who's who. That's a great idea, but it's already been done for you! Some nice person included a link to an awesome chart in her comments this evening. I thought I'd pass it along! It's definitely worth the ink to print it out and save. :-)

"Love on a Dime" by Cara Lynn James

Lilly Westbrook leads a seemingly charmed life. Part of the social elite, she spends her 22nd summer vacationing on the beach in Rhode Island, where the rich go to play. Lilly doesn't let her social position define her life, however, and covertly does the mission work she feels called to do. Her biggest secret of all? Using her writing gift to pen dime novels under the name 'Fannie Cole;' but will her new publisher and former fiance keep her secret, especially when a scandalous reporter tries to blackmail her and publish her secret?

I admired Lilly for her faith, her determination to do the right thing in face of adversity, and her talent; however, sometimes she seemed unnecessarily scared of trusting those who loved her the most with her true self. To stand so strongly for keeping her work a secret and yet not also stand up for her faith to her parents and fiance irritated me. I found myself alternately annoyed with and admiring Lilly. Despite her quirks, something intrigued me and I couldn't wait to read the end.

This book was well written and I will definitely look for James' next novel!

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review. My opinions are my own.

Applying the Heart

Today Wendy used the very first verse of our reading as her focus. Her lesson today was very good and every second of the vlog was directed towards it. It will both encourage and perhaps convict you. If you haven't checked it out, please do so!

Bye, Bye, Pretend Christians

There are lots of people out there who call themselves Christians and say some pretty scary things. I typically tend to avoid the people on TV because I don't want to start to study someone's teachings and then find out that they've missed an important point of theology and then have to go back and evaluate everything else that I've heard from them. I read an article that was linked to KLOVE's website today, though, about a sermon by a famous preacher that I think deserves a second look.

Rick Warren is the pastor at Saddleback Church in California, a huge megachurch that just celebrated its 30th anniversary. He recently preached a sermon challenging everyone in his congregation - all 20,000 of them - to put their money where their mouths are, so to speak - or to find another church home. He's looked at the eight characteristics of the first original church as described in Acts and has set goals for his church based on these.

Warren says that in the original church there was no audience, but that everyone served and ministered in some way. He says that we are all there to support each other and that everyone has a calling, a talent, a gift, and a job to do. The Great Commission is for everyone - and over the next ten years, he's planning for everyone to be serving. He's even planning to send parishioners out to every country in the world. We're talking about radical, word-for-word obedience here.

I think that what he says makes sense. But don't take my word for it. Read the article for yourself and see what you think.

Do you have a gift or a talent that He's asked you to share??

Road Trip, Anyone??

Lysa TerKeurst is speaking in Apex on August 13-14! I am SOOO excited! This is a Friday night/Saturday morning conference. I realize that this is really far into the future, but ticket prices do go up a bit mid-summer, and I want to get this locked in on my calendar now. Anybody else want to go??

Tickets are $25 if we reserve our spots now. You can check it out here.

SoBo Faith Fest 2010

Faith Fest is coming to South Boston again! On Saturday, May 29th, from 12 noon until 9 PM a free Christian music festival will be taking place on in the Halifax County football stadium. Included in the day's activities are a car show, petting zoo, clowns, climbing walls, puppet shows, crafts, and concessions. Oh, and did I mention that the headlining band of the evening is Rush of Fools, best known for their song 'Undo?' (Three other Christian bands will also play. You can see which ones here.)

So, I thought that since our little group never did get together last summer, nor did we manage a winter thing this year, that maybe this festival would make for a fun day for all of us. Entrance and all children's activities are free, and it's not too far away. I realize, however, that it is a 'busy' weekend. We're planning to go; is anybody else in??

Oh, PS - KLOVE is one of the sponsors of this event. :-)

Mother's Day Giveaway

Jill at Titus24U is giving away one copy of "Letters from LeAnne - The Beauty of a Spiritual Mother-Daughter Relationship" on her blog today. You can post anonymously. Hop on over there for a chance to win!

Spiritual Gifts

Today on Wendy's blog, while digging for nuggets in the long lists of Levite names, several people drew out some really cool information. Rhonda pointed out that, once again, the names have meaning - they translate to what sounds like song titles. Brandee pointed us all to an online spiritual gifts test where you can answer questions to find out where your strengths are. Obviously for the men in today's reading it was related to music; maybe they were good exhortation, teaching, or administration.

What are your strengths??

A Day of Excitement

Today was a day chock full of excitement. Some more easily shared than others, I'm sure, but still ....

One event in particular has my daughter still talking.

Sure, the kids are excited about painting Luke's bedroom walls and picking out plants for our new garden, but ... it doesn't compare. This is making them really THINK.

We went to the mall today to look for a bed tent for Luke's new big boy bed, but we were barely out of the car when we saw a few men take off running through the parking lot. It scared me, and I started eyeing the distance to the mall entrance, when one started yelling and asking for a phone. I looked over - they were just in the next aisle - when I saw legs peeking out past a gold car. Finally understanding, I called 911 as I listened to the men look down at the fallen woman and speculate as to what happened. Slowly others began to gather around, and eventually a nurse turned up with a towel and began putting pressure on the gash on the woman's head. Throughout all the drama I continued relaying the conversation of the people helping the woman to the 911 operator and trying to answer his questions. By the time the fire and rescue truck and then later an ambulance made it to us, a small crowd had gathered to frantically flag down the paramedics.

A woman from the crowd helped the paramedics find and secure her personal belongings, and it turns out that her name was Rose. She rgained consciousness as they transferred her to the ambulance, and I think she'll be okay - not that I have any great medical knowledge to draw upon. She did lose a lot of blood, though, and my kids were quite scared. Could you please pray for Rose and her family?

Most Worthy of Praise

The psalms in today's reading were WONDERFUL! So open and honest and yet full of praise - even though David was full of pain himself. That's the hardest time for me to praise, yet that's exactly when we most need to praise. Wendy says that praise confuses the enemy, so we should not forget to praise even in the hardest of circumstances.

I've told a few of you about Baby Gabriel, who has neuroblastoma and has been undergoing testing to determine a course of action. His family received FABULOUS news yesterday, and Wendy talks about it in today's post. I can't share it with the same exuberance that she did, so please hop on over there and check it out.

Don't just stop the video after Gabriel's update, though. Wendy then shares about what "earnestly seeking" God means. Do you do that? Do I? Not always, I'm sorry to say. I think that her teaching today is especially applicable to my life. It has the research, the information of the era, but more importantly - it's all wrapped up in a neat little bow and handed to me to do. I need that honesty and pointedness sometimes.

Check it out. Maybe you need to hear this, too.

Anybody interested in a Mom's Nite Out??

Have you heard about the national Mom's Nite Out movement? They're having one in the Triangle, and I think it kinda sounds like fun. You pay a flat fee to get in for three hours of entertainment, pampering, prizes, and girly fun time, and all proceeds to go Nancy's Butterfly Fund, in memory of Nancy Cooper. You can find out more here. Is anybody interested???

"The Stones Cry Out"

Just a reminder - we're scheduled to meet tonight at Isabelle's to talk about The Stones Cry Out by Siobella Giorello. Hope to see you there!

"If I Could Ask God Anything" by Kathryn Slattery

If I Could Ask God Anything is just that - a series of questions and answers divided by topic and geared for children. The questions are open and honest, and the answers are, too. When an answer isn't known, Slattery says that, as well as explaining how she knows the answers she does. She lists references for known answers and explains in simple, clear-cut terms.

I love the way that this book starts out with simple questions like "Did Jesus ever do anything wrong" and works up to harder questions like "If God loves people, why do bad things happen?" Slattery doesn't dodge difficult questions and gives them the same honest consideration as the simpler ones. Written from a Christian perspective, the answers in this book are encouraging and appropriate for a child of any age who asks them. The scripture references make it easy to go back to the Bible and see for yourself, in context, what God has to say about any given topic. This book is a must for any parent who has a curious child asking those hard-to-answer questions.

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a free copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I expressed are my own.

Sandpaper People

Do you have any sandpaper people in your life? How do you treat them? Are you a sandpaper person for someone else??

Wendy talks a lot about sandpaper people in her vlog today. If you've got any of these people in your life or your sphere of influence, head right over here and check out this vlog. This is not one to miss!

Also, Debbie from NC posted in today's comments about Max Lucado's Brook of Besor devotional. You can sign up for his free daily devotionals, and if they're all as thought-provoking as this one, I just might. There are lots of golden nuggets in this one - be sure to check it out.

'Letters to God' Road Trip

The votes are in, and it looks like most of us are free on Tuesday, April 20th, for a road trip to Danville to see 'Letters to God.' So ...

Let's plan to meet at my house at 6 PM. That should get us where we need to be in time for the movie.

The movie begins at 7:10 and is just shy of 2 hours. It should end right around 9 PM for our trip back home.

Tickets for this show are $9. They are available online here.

If you have any questions, let me know!

PS - Don't forget to read 'The Stones Cry Out' by Siobella Giorello for April 27th! :-)

A Change of Pace

We're finally out of the war stories - at least temporarily - and we've read the book of Ruth. Isn't it so amazing how God redeems even the ugliest, bloodiest stories? I was so happy for a break from the gore that I didn't think about how it happened. Wendy pointed out that at this point the Israelites did not have a very good track record of obedience - just the opposite. And if I'm understanding this correctly, the story of Naomi begins with a famine in Israel - which God promised WOULDN'T happen as long as they obeyed. Only a few years later, however, Naomi and Ruth head back into a land of abundance.

What changed?

I don't know exactly. Maybe God was extending grace to them. He does, of course, know the whole story and how it will ultimately end.

But as Wendy pointed out, somebody amongst all of those crazy, irreverent, bloodthirsty, pagan-worshipping Israelites, somebody was teaching God's word. Somebody loved Him. Somebody had "committed themselves wholeheartedly to these commands ..." Somebody was "repeating them again and again to their children," and somebody was "walking about them when [he was] at home and on the road, when [he was] going to bed and when [he was] getting up. (Deut. 6)

Somebody, for all of those yucky generations, was obedient to God and was quietly following His will. How do we know?

Ruth's son Obed was the grandfather of King David. THE King David. The one who wrote tons of Psalms and praised God throughout some really dark times. THAT King David.

So even though Boaz, Ruth's new husband, was a descendant of Rahab, the prostitute, and somewhere back in there was Tarah (SP?) the tricky daughter-in-law, God used them. God really can redeem anything!

If you haven't had the chance to watch Wendy's vlog , check it out!

Joshua, son of Nun

Did you hear about Joshua? People will be flocking to visit his gravesite soon. You can read more about it here. Reminds me of how it says throughout the Old Testament that "and it remains there until this day."

God's Promises Fulfilled

Do you have a special verse that you cling to when life gets hard? Do you sometimes need to be reminded that God HASN'T forgotten you and that He DOES keep His promises? That was stated unequivocally in today's reading - but, like an infomercial, WAIT! There's more!

Today Wendy challenged everyone to post their favorite promise of God at the top of their comments. As of right now, more than 20 verses have been posted, with more coming in all the time. Wendy also linked two websites that are full of His promises to her comment section. If you're one of those card-carryin' Bible verse-readin' ladies, don't miss this chance to see a wealth of God's promises all on one place - no searching or concordance necessary. :-)

Wendy also requested prayer for the P31 family. Melissa Taylor's mother's funeral was today, and there have been three other deaths in recent weeks, as well as job loss and health issues. The Executive Director's best friend's son is also in need of prayer - he's an eight-month-old baby named Gabriel with a brain tumor behind his ear. His parents are Chris and Rhonda. Please remember them in your prayer time.

Don't forget that tomorrow we'll be meeting to discuss 'A Can of Peas' at Isabelle's at 8 PM! Diana, if you read this, I haven't forgotten you - I'm just not done yet. Having trouble focusing my eyes with all of this pollen floating around ... off to try again.

"The Chronological Guide to the Bible" published by Thomas Nelson

The Chronological Guide to the Bible walks the reader through the Bible book by book. Each section contains historical information pertaining to the events of that book, as well as a timeline and summary of the book's individual background.

The Chronological Guide to the Bible definitely adds a great deal of background information to Biblical reading. Timelines, summaries, further information, commentary style, help fill in the full picture of what each particular Biblical era looked like. The information seems reputable and I have seen no disagreements with Scripture.

With that said, I was disappointed with how short each section is. The Bible does have 66 books, but each related section is only 3-4 pages in this guide. In addition, while there are sometimes pictures of particular items being explained, there are no maps of the changing borders boundaries, or travels taken at any time. Being able to see how this part of the world changed during Biblical times would have enhanced this book greatly.

The Chronological Guide itself is of very high quality. With thick, glossy pages and full color illustrations, the book is beautiful.

This book would be a wonderful addition for a new Christian or for someone trying to read through the Bible for the first time.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Reading It Daily

I've heard recently that several of you have gotten a bit behind with your reading. No, I'm not complaining - I know how easy it is for that to happen! - but Wendy talks about it today in her video. She gives a little pep talk and shares about why she thinks it's so important to be reading His word each day - and even to keep a copy with you at all times. Be sure to check out her blog and watch her video!

Also, if you've ever wondered why we no longer follow the OT dietary guidelines, that's been heavily commented on since Tuesday. Today Wendy talks about that in her blog, too, and the comments continue. If you've got pork tendencies and you're not sure about them, be sure to check it out!

I hope that all of you are feeling better! Since we had to miss again, may I propose something? If you have prayer requests, could you go ahead and forward them on? I'd hate for us to miss prayer time for those who need it. Thanks!

See you next Tuesday at Isabelle's!

The Verdict is In ...

and we're meeting for dinner next Tuesday - March 9th! We'll meet at my house at 6:30 for dinner and some girly fun time with Betsy Durand, a very wise seminary grad who's agreed to let us pepper her with our questions from the Old Testament. Looking ahead, we'll have read Genesis, Exodus, Job, Leviticus, some of Chronicles, and lots of Numbers by that time. Make a list of any questions you may have and come ready to solve some of those ancient mysteries ... well, maybe not, but I'm sure Betsy will be able to shed lots of light on them, at the very least.

Oh, and bring your appetites! :-)

That means that tomorrow, March 2nd, we will meet at 8 PM at Isabelle's to discuss what we're reading about right now. See you there!

A Family Banner

So the people of Israel did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses. Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the Lord had instructed them. ~ Numbers 2:34

This verse really struck me. As was repeated over and over, the tribes were following God's directions exactly and completely, including the making of, flying, camping under, and marching under of family banners.

What did these banners look like?

Wendy's comments are full of information. Jan from TN quotes Vernon McGee and describes these banners. He says that Judah's banner featured a lion, that Reuben's had a man's head on it, Ephraim had an ox, and Dan's had an eagle. McGee notes that these line up with Ezekiel 1:10. Grace and Peace quotes Courson and says that from the air, the encampment would have been shaped like a massive cross.

If you read on to today's comments, Karen from Basel describes the significance of the colors used for securing the Tabernacle pieces for transport. I wonder how these might have been used in the banners?

At MOPS they talk about how important it is for our families to have our own traditions and identy; how this will help our children feel secure now and confident moving out on their own when the time comes. Thinking visually, if our families were to have a banner now, what would it look like? What rallying point do we have? What sets us apart and identifies us as belonging to each other? What mark would we camp out under and fly proudly as we follow God?

I think my family might just have to create one of these. I like the idea of this rallying point. Even more, I like what the author of Psalm 20 has to say about it. I see a project just waiting to happen .....

What would be on YOUR family banner?


In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
May He send you help from His sanctuary
and strengthen you from Jerusalem.
May He remember all your gifts
and look favorably on all your burnt offernings.

May He grant you your heart's desires
and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy when we hear of Your victory
and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Updated Book List

The votes are in, and it sounds like we're changing a book! I've reposted the list below. Happy reading!

March 30th ............ 'A Can of Peas' by Traci DePree
April 20th .............. 'The Stones Cry Out' by Sibella Giorello
May 25th ............... 'The Stain' by Harry Kraus, MD
June 22nd ............. 'A Penny for your Throughts' by Mindy Starns Clark

I'm not sure what the plan is for Tuesday. As soon as I receive confirmation, I'll let you know!

'The Clouds Roll Away' by Sibella Giorello

Raleigh Harmon is a forensic geologist with a secret life as an FBI agent. Following her father's death and her return to her Richmond hometown, she works a civil rights case with a famous victim and a drug-running task force when her files begin to intersect. With a suspicious boss, the return of a love interest and an emotionally frail mother, how will Raleigh solve the case without anyone else getting hurt - including herself?

Giorello writes beautiful, descriptive text that draws the reader in. Although seemingly distant at times, throughout the book Raleigh takes on a life of her own until she seems to be munching on a Big Mac write next to the reader. The history of the Richmond area is included in a realistic way, not only bringing the area to life but helping to round out the edges of Raleigh's case. The plot keeps the reader in suspense while not being too over the top. While faith was definitely a part of Raleigh's make-up, it seemed to be a distant part. A deeper exploration of her return to faith would have made her character's transformation more complete.

My biggest concern with this book lies with its history. This is the second Raleigh Harmon book, and apparently much happens in the first book that is relevant to her Richmond roots - only it isn't fully explained here. I felt as if I would have been better able to understand Raleigh throughout the first half of the book had Giorello taken a bit more time to explore her background here and catch new readers up to speed. This will not deter me from reading these books - they are very well written - but these are definitely not stand alone books. I will recommend these to my friends - starting with the first one.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guidelines Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

We're Reading ...

On Tuesday we chose books for the next several months. Here's a list of dates and the book information as I recorded it. If you see any errors, please let me know. :-)

March 30th ............................. 'A Can of Peas' by Trace DePree
April 20th ............................... 'The Clouds Roll By' by Sibella Giorello
May 25th ................................ ''The Stain' by Harry Kraus, MD
June 22nd ............................... 'A Penny for Your Thoughts' by Mindy Starns Clark

I am still waiting for the exact date of our dinner with our special guest. It's coming ... I'll post it as soon as I have confirmation!

Someone also asked for the Christian websites that I frequent for money saving deals. You can find them here and here.

Wendy has posted some wonderful vlogs lately! Leviticus is hard, but if you're really struggling, try to take some time to watch her videos or read through some of the comments. The extra information can really make these passages come alive! If you've gotten behind and you want to catch up - which is extra hard for me when I'm in Leviticus! - maybe a treat will help. Maybe you can settle down with a favorite snack or head out to a shop or restaurant to hang out with a cold drink in a quiet corner to spread out your stuff and catch up. Think outside the box!

Anybody Interested?

When I opened my Bible this morning and saw that we're still reading about the legalistic technicalities of sacrificing, I wasn't exactly thrilled. There's definitely interesting stuff there, but it's not the riveting adventure story that Genesis was! It got me thinking ... Wendy's been talking about all the foreshadowing that she's seeing within these rules, and others are posting about it, but lots of questions came up on Tuesday. If our favorite local peace-filled seminary grad and mommy-to-be-again was willing to do a Q and A with us about that, would you be interested? Maybe we could meet a bit earlier for dinner somewhere and pick up her tab for her trouble? Just a thought ... Let me know .....

Tim McGraw's 'Love Your Heart'

Katie McGraw is getting ready for her school talent show. Which of her many talents would best be suited for the show - and will her dog Palio agree to go along with her plans? Katie's daddy supports her every effort - funny and charming as they are. Who will win at the show - and is that what's most important?

Little girls will love reading about the all of Katie's talents. Although quietly confident, efforts don't always proceed as planned, and readers will see that it's the heart - not the final outcome - that determines a winner. Readers will relate to Katie's diverse talents and laugh along with her struggle to find the perfect talent for the show.

With short conversations on each page and very colorful illustrations, this book can be read to the very young toddler and taught to older elementary students. This book is definitely a winner!

For more information about Love Your Heart, go here.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson.

Ark of the Covenant

Oh, my, but for a day that I found so hard to read, there is TONS of good stuff within! I wish I'd been able to read the comments before we met last night. Karen of Basel did some research about the Aaron's breastplate, and others had lots of good nuggets, too. I'll try to update this later and include some of it, but since life is a bit hectic here right now, I wanted to post this, at least, in case I don't make it back. If you don't normally watch Wendy's vlogs, definitely check it out for Tuesday, Feb. 9! She included this link to see a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. Don't miss it!

Contrasts of Moses

Jan from TN posted a list of how far apart Moses' beginnings and earthly plans were from where he eneded up in God's plan. It's really neat, so I thought I'd share it here.

• He was the child of a slave but the son of a queen.
• He lived in a hut and in the palace.
• He inherited poverty but had unlimited wealth.
• He was the keeper of flocks and the leader of armies.
• He was the meekest of men and the mightiest of warriors.
• He was educated in court but dwelt in the desert.
• He was fitted for the city but wandered in the wilderness.
• He was given the wisdom of Egypt but had the faith of a child.
• He was tempted with sin but endured hardships of virtue.
• He was awkward with speech but spoke with God.
• He held the rod of a shepherd but the power of the Infinite.
• He was a fugitive from Pharaoh but an ambassador of Heaven.
• He was the giver of the Law but the forerunner of Grace.
• He died on Mt. Moab but appeared with Jesus in Judea.
• No on assisted at his funeral but God buried him.

Isn't that cool?

One of those points brought to mind that scripture I was searching for the last time we met. This isn't it exactly, but it does move Moses forward into the New Testament. Mark 9:2-4:

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

See you next week!

Postponed!

Since so many of our books for next week's book discussion have not yet been delivered, we're going to postpone this meeting until the February 25th. Our new schedule will be:

Feb. 2: Cancelled due to road conditions
Feb. 9th: Discussion of Exodus at Isabelle's house
Feb. 16th: Regular Bible study at Amy's house
Feb. 25th: Book club discussion about Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark

See you next Tuesday!

Cancelled!

Due to bad road conditions on the streets of Isabelle's neighborhood, our Bible study has been cancelled for tonight. We'll meet again next Tuesday, February 9th, at 8 PM to talk about the book Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark.

See you then!

Intercessory Prayer

A new group has formed from those following Wendy Pope's blog. It's kinda neat how it sprung up from comments left when we were reading Genesis. An intercessory prayer group has formed to pray for salvation for the souls of the spouses of those doing this study. If you'd like to join in, you can find a list of prayer requests on Wendy's page under "We're praying." Brandee from TN has also started a prayer blog and is posting prayers to guide this effort. Won't it be wonderful to see how God works on this list through the upcoming year??

Indescribeable

Isn't God just awesome? I love the passage in today's reading where He describes just a few of His many wonders. He even uses sarcasm with Job! As someone said on Wendy's blog, "Our God is so funny." :-)

Wendy posted an amazing video set to Chris Tomlin's Indescribeable. It really is wonderful, so I'm adding it here, as well. Happy viewing!

PS - I have received my copy of our book Whispers of the Bayou and finished it this morning. If anyone still needs a book, you're welcome to borrow mine - although I would love to have it back a day or two before we discuss it. Let me know!

My Redeemer Lives

I had no idea that Job was the one who first said that! How awesome! After that, what else can you really say??

Turn up your speakers and go here! :-)

The Map Link is Here!

The missing map link has been found! Karen passed it along in Saturday's comments (thanks, Karen!). I've modified the link a bit to send you to the homepage of that section so that you can see all available Biblical maps and choose the one that you want to study. To see the map that applies most to our study during the times of Genesis, go here. For all other maps, check this page out.

Happy 'traveling!' :-)

A Voice of Truth

I never realized just how bad Job had it. I knew that he'd lost everything - his money, his livelihood, his house, his children, and his health - but how hard must it have been then to sit there and listen to his wife nagging him and his friends berating him? Nobody on earth was on his side, and that must have been such a lonely place to be. Even then Job wouldn't curse God as they all asked him to do, but he continued to praise God's power even in the midst of his honest complaints.

But ...

Job asked for a Mediator, someone to go to God for him.

We have One. His name is Jesus.

There may come a time when those around us stop supporting us or when their words hurt. It may not come from a human, though, and may be 'pushed for' by Satan - by the one who lies.

But ...

We have a Voice of Truth.

That's what I couldn't stop thinking about today. When it seems as if there's trouble on all sides and we're all alone, isn't it awesome that, like Job, we're really NOT??

Check it out!

Although, this may be pretty applicable for Job, too. He sure was good at this!

PS - As usual, Grace and Peace has posted some wonderful thoughts about Job over on Wendy's blog. Don't miss it!

Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman

Carley Marek's world shatters when she survives a horrifying accident, and she doesn't know how to pick up the pieces. Trying to rejuvenate her career, she takes a trip to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to stay with a friend in an Old Order Amish home and write an article about the Amish culture. Although she expected to ask questions and be an impartial observer, she finds herself becoming a part of the community as she helps a sick child's family and begins to fall for Dr. Noah, a man shunned from the very family she's visiting. With all of these new pieces to the puzzle of her life, where can Carley go from here?

Beth Wiseman has written the best Amish novel I've read in years. True to the Amish culture of central Pennsylvania, this book does not romanticize their lives, nor does it make their culture seem foreign or strange. She creatively uses the characters and the plot to keep the reader in suspense while introducing real-to-life drama. Carley's turmoil and questions regarding her past experiences and her faith are real and are not resolved in a paragraph. She struggles to understand the mystery surrounding the events of Noah's shunning and the difficult ramifications his family faces because of that years later.

Plain Pursuit will challenge any reader to seek out forgiveness and to understand how they, too, can be a "child of promise." If you've ever been interested in Amish culture or have questions about how God relates to His children, this is a book for you.

For more information about Plain Pursuit by Beth Wiseman, go here.
For more information about Thomas Nelson products, go here.


** Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

A Great Start

We're off to a great start! We had lots to share last night, and everyone had nuggets of truth to share. We parked ourselves in Genesis and got caught up there. Next week we'll move on to Job, but ...

Genesis is just full of action-packed stories with lots of hidden truths. This one is too good not to post here:

In Genesis 5 the entire Gospel message is hidden within a few short lines of geneology. If you look up the meaning of the names, you'll see that:

Adam - Man
Seth - appointned
Enosh - mortal
Kenan - sorrow
Mahelalel - the blessed God
Jared - shall come down
Enoch - teaching
Methuselah - His death shall bring
Lamech - the despairing
Noah - comfort, rest

So, what this means is that:

Man [is] appointed mortal sorrow, [but] the Blessed God shall come down teaching [that] His death shall bring the despairing comfort [and] rest.

How awesome is that??! Thanks, Grace and Peace!

Tonight's Meeting

Just a reminder ...

Tonight's meeting is at Amy's house @ 8 PM. I've heard about several people recently who are jumping on board with this daily chronological Bible reading plan. Isn't it exciting?

If you've talked to someone who's begun to read their Bible this way or wants to see what our group is like, bring them along! The more, the merrier!

Joseph Like Jesus?

Oh, there are such exciting nuggets in Wendy Pope's comments! Her vlogs are awesome, but sometimes there is news just as fantastic within the comments left behind by other readers. Today is one of those days.

Have you noticed how Joseph's life, in many ways, parallels Jesus' life? What a way to foreshadow His plans! You can go here to read a complete list. Thanks to Grace and Peace for making this observation and providing the link.

Happy reading!

Where Are We?

If you're just joining us or if you don't have a Chronological Daily NLT Bible, you can still read along! This reading plan is accessible online. You could then use your regular Bible or use a website like Bible Gateway to look up the passages you need to stay on track. Someone also suggested printing this reading plan and then checking off each day as you read. If you get behind, it will be easy to see what you need to catch up on later. You can find the PDF file here.

Happy reading!

Whispers of the Bayou

So we've made our selection for February, and we're moving south! Mindy Starns Clark's Whispers of the Bayou is up next. You can read more about it here. We'll meet at 8 PM on February 9th to talk about this fairly new mystery. Happy reading!

In the meantime, we'll keep reading through our Daily Chronological NLT Bibles. Next week, January 19, we'll meet at Amy's house to talk about what we've learned so far.

See you then!

Amazing Men of the Old Testament

It may be the weekend, but life on Wendy's blog has not slowed down! People are continuing to read and post about what they're learning, and there are two bits of information posted there today that are pretty helpful.

First, Wendy has asked everyone to start a comprehensive list of the names of God. (I'm putting mine on the very last page of my notebook so that I can find it easily.) As we found out, in the beginning He wasn't called by name, and each name that has been added so far has been quite powerful. Rochelle posted the names that have been used so far, and Judi B. added to them. Their complete list is here:

El Elyon - God Most High - Gen. 14:18-19 page 17
El Shaddai - God Almighty - Gen. 17:1 page 19
El Roi - The One Who Sees - Gen 16:13 page 18
Yahweh Yireh - The Lord Will Provide - Gen. 22:14 page 26
El Olam - Eternal God - Gen. 21:33 page 25

Also, many of the men that we've been reading about so far, although seemingly rather far apart, actually lived during the same times or during overlapping times. Grace and Peace describes each man - Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, King Abimalech, etc. - and their life span, as well as how old they were when certain events happened. If you missed it, head over here to check it out! She also recommends a book called Halley's Bible Handbook to help us put some of these pieces together. It's actually quite inexpensive and has great reviews. You can find out more about it here.

Happy reading, everyone!

What a Kickoff!

So we've decided to read through the Daily Chronological Bible in 2010. I'm way excited about this - for lots of reasons, but especially for the accountability and the opportunity to discuss the things that we're learning.

Wendy Pope, a Proverbs 31 speaker, is guiding a cyber-group through this very same adventure. She both blogs and vlogs about what she's learning and posts it early each morning. The really great thing about this forum is that there are people all over the world reading along with her, and God is showing each of them different things. The comments on each post are a wealth of information. If you haven't checked this out yet, today's the day to start. Wendy's vlog has an amazing message to it, and in a way, it's a fitting challenge for those of us just starting out on this journey. So hop on over to Wendy's blog and join this community!

Heaven's Wager

It's book club week! We'll be talking about Ted Dekker's Heaven's Wager. We'll meet at Isabelle's house on Tuesday, January 12th at 8 PM. Be ready to tear into it!

For more information about Ted Dekker, visit his website at http://www.teddekker.com/.