Happy 4th of July & Upcoming Giveaway

I want to start off by wishing everyone a very happy and safe 4th of July. I am so thankful for the freedom we continue to experience. Freedom, as we all know, comes with a price. The men and women who put their lives in danger, and those who give their very lives, are to be honored not just on the 4th of July, but all year round.

If I see someone in uniform, as embarrassing as it might be, I go up to them and thank them for serving. I try to say it as fast as I can because I tend to start crying. I'm that thankful. If I see an older man wearing a hat signifying that he served in the past, I want him to know how much I appreciate him. I'd like to encourage you to do the same thing the next time you see a service person. Let them know that you appreciate what they are doing, even if you don't agree with the war.

Now to change topics, I want to tell you about a birthday celebration coming up. I'll be turning the big 4-0. I can't even begin to wrap my mind around that number. How in the world did that happen? What happened to the last 20 yrs?

So to celebrate I'll be doing giveaways every day during the week of the 13th. Keep an eye out and be sure to check back throughout that week.

Happy Freedom Day

A Dream to Call My Own by Tracie Peterson

A DREAM TO CALL MY OWN

by Tracie Peterson

ISBN: 0764201506

Publication Date: 2009

Number of Pages: 384

Vendor: Bethany House

I would like to thank Jim at Bethany House for sending me my review copy of A Dream to Call My Own. This is book 3 in the brides of gallatin county series. I have to admit that I'm very partial to Tracie Peterson and haven't read a book of hers I didn't like!


A Promise to Believe In was about Gwen Gallatin. A Love to Last Forever tells us Beth Gallatin's story. In A Dream to Call My Own we finally get to Lacy's story. For some reason, Lacy's story was the one I was most excited to read. Maybe because we only got parts of her in the first two books.


One of the major themes I like about this story is that we continue to interact with Gwen and Beth's families. Their stories are still woven together. Beth and Nick have their little boy Max at the beginning of this novel and that sets up their son, Justin, to cause all kinds of mischief. He believes they don't love him anymore because Max has come along.


Lacy and Dave find themselves stranded together at his parents house at the beginning of the story as well. The romantic tension that's been visible since book 1 comes to a head and choices have to be made, especially by Lacy. That choice sets Lacy up for the rest of the novel.


In the meantime, Hank and Nick decide that their little town is getting too rowdy. Rafe and his pal Mulholland have set up a scheme to draw people to their town and to buy up all the surrounding property. Their schemes have the good people looking to move towards the railroad and the prospects of a more civilized town.


Is that what Lacy wants? Is her heart where she is right now, and with Dave? Does she want to strike out on her own or move on with her sisters?


If you are interested in more books like this you can click the link on the right sidebar of my blog for Bethany House or click here. To order this book, or any book in the brides of gallatin county series you can follow the link to Christianbook.com on the right sidebar of my blog as well.

Ranting About Sons Baseball Games

I'm not a sports person. Meaning, I didn't grow up playing sports. I like watching games and love taking the boys to the Minnesota Twins and St. Cloud Riverbats. I have a feeling I'll make a very bad sport parent. I like things to be fair. Seems to be a word that doesn't fit well with the sports world.

My son's team started out the season playing everyone on the team. They all got chances to play and to sit out. The head coach made sure to tell the families he wanted it to be as fair as possible. Well, the season didn't start out so spectacular, but they put out the effort.

One game was keeping us from going to the "state" tourney. The boys ended up playing for an hour in the rain so that they could go. Yep, they won, but they were soaking wet.

So, I found out several days before the tournament began that the coaches had decided to get 3 other boys from 2 other teams in our town that DIDN'T make it to the state tournament to be on our team. I called him to find out what that meant. He explained that they had the right to fill the roster and he wanted to win.

My response wasn't so positive. I shared my thoughts on the matter and this is what they were (and still are). Bringing in 3 extra boys doesn't teach my son anything positive about sportsmanship. The only lesson learned is that "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game" doesn't apply to real life. My son went to every single practice and game. Yes, the coach let him play the entire season. So, he earned the right to play at the tournaments.

The first game my 10yr old went in during the last inning as a pinch runner. One of the extra boys hit a double so my Jake went out to 2nd base. He stole 3rd, made it home and helped win the game. Next game I believe he didn't play at all. The 3rd game he was up to bat once. The 4th game Jake hit once and was in the outfield once. Do you think ALL the coaches kids played even if all they did was stand around or not even hit at the ball? Oh, you better believe it.

The 3 extra kids, they played every single inning. They were on the starting line up every single game. What a bunch of baloney. I tried to stay kind and positive, even invited everyone to my house after the 3rd game to eat the meal from my daughter's grad party.

Then tonight happened. The last game of the season to see who won 1st place and goes to Michigan. Do you think he put my son in? NOPE. My little guy sat there and watched every single other player go out and play. By the 5th inning we were ahead by 8 and the game was called since we were winning. That meant we came in 1st place and could go to Michigan.

To say I was furious is an understatement. I was saying some not so nice things and pretty much lost it. One of the moms from the team, who's son struck out 3 times, came up to me wanting to give me a high 5. I said something to the effect of, "Why would I high 5 you when all my son did was sit on the bench for the tournament? What a bunch of b-------t!" I called to Jake to leave, but they had an award ceremony where the kids got medals.

Was I putting forth a Christian attitude? Nope, I'll admit it right now. There was not a thing that was godly in my response to how this tournament has gone. I wish I knew how to be more graceful about my son being left out, but I'm not. Something I've asked from God for years is to not be me so much, to have a much more graceful spirit. Apparently that won't be happening any time soon.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this. I understand that they needed to recruit a couple more kids so that they'd have enough pitchers. Kids can only pitch for 18 outs and then they're done for the day (or something to that effect). I don't know all the rules for baseball at this level. I did call the league rep in our area and shared with him my disgust.

He was so kind and understanding. He gave me a lot of insight to how this all plays out and it doesn't change. I should be thankful my son even played baseball this year on a traveling league. I guess he'd had 2 calls from parents saying that we should have tryouts and only have 1 team with all star players. Those parents didn't like the fact that their star athlete was having to play with lesser kids. Our town had 3 evenly divided teams.

That parents would be so heartless at this young age is astonishing. We want our boys to grow up to be thoughtful and caring and courteous, yet this is the message we send to them. My 6 yr old and I just read a children's book by Boomer Esiason. It had a great message that Boomer always picked the kids who were always picked last. It made him a better player because he had to play harder. Wish all kids did that.

I don't know what more to say, other than I'm thankful that I have a way to get my feelings out. I can be very vocal when I have an opinion. Unfortunately, it can be detrimental. I have no idea what it will be like for Jake next year when he wants to play baseball again. And yes, he wants to play again next year. He's so positive and wants to be part of it all, even wanting to go to MI knowing he won't play.

Mom NEEDS Chocolate by Debora M. Coty

Debora M. Coty is a woman on a mission. Since answering God’s call to write six years ago, Debora has published over 80 articles in international magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, and signed 11 book contracts! Her latest, Mom NEEDS Chocolate, just released from Regal Books and is endorsed by legendary funny ladies Martha Bolton and Patsy Clairmont.

Mom NEEDS Chocolate: Hugs, Humor and Hope for Surviving Motherhood puts moms back in touch with rejuvenating joy and empowering faith. From outrageous coping tips to off-the-wall insights, Coty’s humorous book will have you laughing out loud. With witty frankness and wild abandon, she tackles the highs and lows of marriage, the horror of embarrassing children, and the defeat (and re-defeat) of depression. If you’ve been wondering lately why in the world you embarked on the journey of motherhood, then Debora Coty has the perfect reminder in this book.

You can learn more about Debora (and her other books) at http://www.deboracoty.com/.

Debora has a great perspective on being a woman. Her introduction lets us know that her book isn't going to be your everyday, run-of-the-mill devotional. She's down to earth, funny, and as she says, "...I don't lollygag around hot topics...".

At the beginning of each topic Debora has a quote from a wise person and a scripture. The she uses her wisdom and humor to bring to light topics such as pregnancy, motherhood, self-worth, and so on. She follows that with a prayer and encourages us to put our Faith in Action with several questions that make us think more deeply about what she's just covered.

This is such a great little book to have. It would make a fantastic gift for new moms, Mother's Day, a b-day presesnt, etc. Any mom would be able to relate to the topics in this book. Debora really does give us "Hugs, Humor and Hope for Surviving Motherhood".

Live Deeply and Live Relationally by Lenya Heitzig and Penny Rose ~ FIRST WildCard

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:

Lenya Heitzig



AND

Penny Rose

and the books:

Live Deeply: A Study in the Parables of Jesus

David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009)



AND

Live Relationally: Lessons from the Women of Genesis

David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHORs:

Lenya Heitzig is an award-winning author and popular Bible teacher. After beginning her ministry as a single women’s counselor with Youth With a Mission, Lenya married Skip and together they started Calvary of Albuquerque, one of the fast growing churches in the country. The author of Holy Moments and coauthor of the Gold Medallion-winning, Pathways to God’s Treasures, Lenya currently serves as Director of Women at Calvary, overseeing weekly Bible studies and yearly retreats. Lenya and Skip live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.



Visit the author's website.





Penny Pierce Rose is the award-winning author/coauthor of several books and Bible studies, including the ECPA Gold Medallion winner, Pathways to God’s Treasures. She has served on the board of directors for the Southwest Women’s Festival and develops Bible study curriculum for the women’s programs at Calvary of Albuquerque. Penny, her husband, Kerry, and their three children, Erin, Kristian, and Ryan, live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.



Visit the author's website.



Product Details:



Live Deeply:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 288 pages

Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1434799867

ISBN-13: 978-1434799869



Live Relationally:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 288 pages

Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition edition (June 1, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1434767485

ISBN-13: 978-1434767486



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTERs:

LESSON ONE



Root Determines Fruit



Matthew 13:1–23



Lenya adored Mrs. Johnson, her elementary school teacher, because she had the ability to bring Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to life. Lenya’s sister would anxiously wait for her to arrive home to retell the story in every detail. Penny loved nothing more than spooky bedtime tales from her granddaddy. She’d lie awake at night, jumping at every sound, wondering whether the boogeyman was real. All our kids loved trips to the library for story hour.





Since ancient times, storytellers have enthralled audiences with tales both entertaining and instructive. In 300 BC, Aesop, the Greek storyteller, featured animals like the tortoise and the hare in his fables vividly illustrating how to solve problems. The Brothers Grimm gathered fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel in nineteenth-century Germany to teach children valuable moral lessons. Baby boomers were mesmerized when Walt Disney animated their favorite stories in amazing Technicolor.





However, throughout history no one has compared to Jesus Christ as a storyteller. Rather than telling fables or fairy tales, He told parables. A parable is a short, simple story designed to communicate a spiritual truth, religious principle, or moral lesson. It is a figure of speech in which truth is illustrated by a comparison or example drawn from everyday experiences. Warren Wiersbe simply says, “A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.”1 Throughout this study we’ll learn from the stories Jesus told, comparing them to our lives and putting His eternal truths into practice.





Day 1: Matthew 13:1–3 Floating Pulpit Day 2: Matthew 13:3–9 Fertile Parable Day 3: Matthew 13:10–13 Few Perceive Day 4: Matthew 13:14–17 Fulfilled Prophecy Day 5: Matthew 13:18–23 Four Possibilities







DAY 1



Floating Pulpit





Lift up…





Lord, I love to gather with Your people and listen to Your Word. Help me to be a faithful hearer, not only listening to what You say but obeying Your commands. Thank You for being in our midst. Amen.





Look at…





Jesus proved Himself to be the promised King—the Messiah of Israel—through His impeccable birthright, powerful words, and supernatural deeds. Despite His amazing miracles and the many ways He fulfilled prophecy, the religious leaders rejected His lordship. Knowing the religious leaders had turned on Him, Jesus directed His attention to the common people. Matthew 13 tells how Jesus stepped onto a floating pulpit on the Sea of Galilee and spoke in parables to explain how the gospel—the good news of salvation—would inaugurate the kingdom of heaven on earth.





The parable of the Sower is one of seven parables Jesus taught to describe what His kingdom would look like as a result of the religious establishment rejecting Him. This parable was a precursor to the Great Commission that Jesus would give His disciples after His death, burial, and resurrection: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). There is no evidence that the religious leaders stayed to listen to Jesus’ simple stories. Yet after this teaching session, the resentment of the religious leaders only deepened.





Read Matthew 13:1–3.





On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. Matthew 13:1





Explain what Jesus did on this day in His ministry.





Matthew 13:1 is the continuation of a critical day in Jesus’ ministry. Briefly scan Matthew 12; then answer the following questions to learn more about this “same day.”

What day of the week is referred to here?

What miracles did Jesus perform on this day?

Describe Jesus’ encounters with the religious leaders.

What did He teach about becoming a member of His family?





According to Mark 3:6, what did the Pharisees begin to do on this fateful day?





And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.” Matthew 13:2–3





Explain why Jesus got into the boat.

How many people stayed to hear Jesus’ message?

What method of teaching did Jesus use in speaking to the

multitudes?

What types of things did He teach in parables?

Galilee was an important region to Jesus. Fill in the following table to learn more.



Scripture Galilee’s Significance



Matthew 4:18–21

Matthew 17:22–23

Matthew 26:31–32

Luke 1:26–28

Luke 2:39–40

Acts 10:36–38





We’ve learned that many people came to know Jesus in Galilee. Journal about the place where you encountered Jesus and how meeting Him affected your feelings about that location.





Jesus was “moved with compassion” for the multitudes that followed Him. Circle below to indicate how you respond to the many people who are lost and looking for a shepherd.









Eager to share the gospel



Impatient with their ignorance



Anxious to get away



Concerned for their eternity



Frightened by their unruliness



Other __________________







Journal a prayer asking God to supernaturally fill you with compassion for the multitudes that don’t know Him.





The multitudes crowded around Jesus, so He turned a boat on the Sea of Galilee into a floating pulpit. In his book Fully Human, Fully Alive, John Powell tells about a friend vacationing in the Bahamas who was drawn to a noisy crowd gathered toward the end of a pier:





Upon investigation he discovered that the object of all the attention was a young man making the last-minute preparations for a solo journey around the world in a homemade boat. Without exception everyone on the pier was vocally pessimistic. All were actively volunteering to tell the ambitious sailor all the things that could possibly go wrong. “The sun will broil you! … You won’t have enough food! … That boat of yours won’t withstand the waves in a storm! … You’ll never make it!”





When my friend heard all these discouraging warnings to the adventurous young man, he felt an irresistible desire to offer some optimism and encouragement. As the little craft began drifting away from the pier towards the horizon, my friend went to the end of the pier, waving both arms wildly like semaphores spelling confidence. He kept shouting: “Bon Voyage! You’re really something! We’re with you! We’re proud of you!”2





If you had been there as the boat was leaving, which group on the pier would you have been among: the optimists or the pessimists? More importantly, if you had been in the crowds along the Sea of Galilee, would you have joined the Pharisees seeking to harm Jesus or the crowd eagerly listening to the stories Jesus told?







Listen to …



The best leaders … almost without exception and at every level, are master users of stories and symbols.



—Tom Peters

LESSON ONE



Eve--Trouble in Paradise



Genesis 2:18-3:24



The first trouble in paradise was man's aloneness. For six consecutive days--as God created light, the cosmos, the land and sea, the stars and planets, the creatures in the sea and sky, and every living thing that moves, including the ultimate creation of man--God declared, “It is good.” But there was one thing that wasn't good: Man did not have a companion. So God created the perfect mate for Adam. She would be the counterpart for him physically, spiritually, intellectually, and socially. She was intended to complete him. She was more than a mate--she was a soul mate.





We know this woman as Eve. Although the Bible does not describe her, there is no doubt that she was the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Why? She was God's masterpiece. The Divine dipped His paintbrush into the palette of dust and clay and breathed life from His wellspring of inspiration to form a portrait of perfection. Just imagine a woman with a face more beautiful than Helen of Troy, a body more statuesque than the Venus de Milo, a personality more captivating than Cleopatra, and a smile more mysterious than the Mona Lisa. She ate a perfect diet, so her figure was probably flawless. Because of an untainted gene pool, she was undoubtedly without physical defect. Due to the antediluvian atmosphere, her complexion was age-defying perfection. She was never a child, daughter, or sister. She was the first wife, the first mother, and the first woman to encounter evil incarnate. That's when real trouble in paradise began.





Day 1: Genesis 2:18-25 Paradise Found



Day 2: Genesis 3:1-6 Innocence Lost



Day 3: Genesis 3:7-13 Hiding Out



Day 4: Genesis 3:14-19 Judgment Pronounced



Day 5: Genesis 3:20-24 East of Eden







DAY 1



Paradise Found





Lift up …





Thank You, Lord, that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You have created me in Your image to glorify Your name. May I fulfill Your will in my heart and home. Amen.





Look at …





We begin our study when God made man and woman. Though God created both humans and animals, this does not mean that they are on equal footing. People are made in God's image, setting us apart from animals in a profound way. We possess a soul. The soul refers to a person's inner life. It is the center of our emotions and personality. The word soul is first used in Genesis: “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being [soul]” (Gen. 2:7). In other words, humans possess intellect, emotion, and will.





For instance, dogs aren't bright enough to realize they'll never catch their own tails; cows don't weep over the beauty of a sunset; and a female praying mantis can't keep herself from chewing her spouse's head off. People, on the other hand, have the ability to acquire knowledge and experience deep feelings. They also have the capacity for self-control. While animals act instinctively, we as humans should behave transcendently. We are God's special creation endowed with the gift of “soul-power.”



Read Genesis 2:18-25.





And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:18-25





Explain the problem and solution God first spoke about in this passage.





Describe in detail the task God assigned to Adam.





Compare and contrast Adam to the rest of the living beings.





In your own words describe how God created woman.





a. When Adam met his mate he made a proclamation. What do you think “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” signified for Adam?



b. What did he call his mate and why?





Here we find the first mention of marriage in Scripture. Explain God's intent for marriage.





a. What else do you learn about the man and wife in this passage?



b. Why do you think this is relevant?





Live out …



a. God declared that man needs companionship. Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and explain some of the reasons why it is better to have a mate to come alongside you.



Read the sidebar concerning “Threefold Strength” and talk about how you have experienced God's supernatural strength in your life and/or marriage.





Many women today struggle with the way they look, think, and feel. But when God made Eve from Adam's rib, this was not His intent. When He made you, He made you to be the person you are too. With this in mind, journal Psalm 139:13-14 into a personal psalm praising God for making you just as you are.





For You formed my inward parts;



You covered me in my mother's womb.



I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;



Marvelous are Your works. Ps. 139:13-14





Before the fall, Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed. It's probably difficult to imagine being unashamed about our looks, actions, or thoughts. But Jesus came to free us from condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Read the following Scriptures and talk about how we can either stand ashamed or unashamed before God.



Psalm 119:5-6



Isaiah 41:11



Isaiah 49:23



Jeremiah 8:9





It's safe to say that none of us is perfectly content with our frame. We all wish we were better, thinner, richer, healthier, smarter, or younger. We may think that if we were different in some way people would accept us, respect us, or love us more. Maybe we'd even love and respect ourselves more. Like Eve, we would walk in this world unashamed.





A recent University of Waterloo study determined that people's self-esteem is linked to such traits as physical appearance, social skills, and popularity. Research associate Danu Anthony noted that acceptance from others is strongly tied to appearances. Furthermore, the study found that self-esteem is connected to traits that earn acceptance from other people. “People state emphatically that it is 'what's inside' that counts and encourage their children not to judge others based on appearances, yet they revere attractive people to an astonishing degree,” Anthony says. “They say they value communal qualities such as kindness and understanding more than any other traits, but seem to be exceptionally interested in achieving good looks and popularity.” The bottom line is that people's looks and behavior are intimately linked to being accepted by others.3





As women of faith, we know that acceptance from others is not nearly as important as our acceptance of One Man--the God/Man Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Only by accepting Jesus Christ's sacrificial death will you be made whole: “You are complete in Him” (Col. 2:10).



Listen to…





The woman was formed out of man--not out of his head to rule over him; not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him; but out of his side to be his equal, from beneath his arm to be protected, and from near his heart to be loved.



--Matthew Henry

I thought I'd be able to have my review up today with this post, but the last couple days have been filled with getting ready for my daughter's grad party Saturday afternoon. I will have the review up by the end of the weekend hopefully. Let me just say to anyone who visits before I get my review up, I really like how the devotionals are set up. I will give more details with my upcoming review. Thank you for your patience.