Winter Wisdom

Don't you just love it when you've been wise?  I just knew seasons were about to change!!  In my last blog, I wrote that I wanted to take some photos of fall before it leaves...or leaves before they fall...and I did.  Wisdom.  And now I present to you the first snow of the season.

I got up at 6:30 to be at work early.  It had rained off and on all night (2.75 inches!).  And even when I woke up, I heard rain (or at least I thought I did).

But by the time I was dressed and looked out my front door, it had become SNOW!  And not just any snow...big, fat furballs of snow hitting the ground.  It was so beautiful, in fact, that I went and woke Andy up to come and see it.  And that's not something I do lightly....

I even texted David and tried to get him to get his kids up---they were so hoping for snow this week!  But David was a party pooper at 7 a.m.  So...the last of my fall decorations against the white of the snow.  I think I'll go turn on my Christmas music, light a fire in the fireplace and...think about putting up my Christmas tree!

Fall

When I came out of my office today, the sky looked different.  There was a feeling that a season had changed.  I hear we may get snow this week!  I had to get my camera out and get some photos of fall before it leaves.

Who is like You, O Lord?

You might be surprised to know that I've been teaching children's church this semester.   My mom taught Child Evangelism (flannelgraph stories of the Bible) when I was growing up and she even trained me to teach it.   I began to teach at the age of 9.  There was a need in our church right now for someone to lead children's church and God told me to step up.  So I did.  Now you might think flannelgraph is too "old school" for this generation of children who has grown up in the technological age--but these kids are eating it up!   Anyway, I've been teaching on the life of Moses.  And you'd be amazed at how they are soaking it in.

This week, the lesson is on the parting of the Red Sea.  I love this story.  Every aspect of it amazes me--God leading the Israelites (approximately 3 million people--a larger population than Houston, Tx!!) with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, God leading them til they're boxed in by the sea and the Egyptians, God telling Moses to lift his staff and He parts the sea. (Last week, we saw God raising Moses up as a fearless leader through a series of plagues.)  God killing the Egyptians.

It's all about God and His leading and His power.  It's been a great reminder to me of how God works in my own life.  So many times we blame Satan or others for our circumstances.  The Israelites blamed Moses (their leadership) for bringing them into the wilderness to die--saying they'd been better off to stay in Egypt and work as slaves.  But...God was leading the entire time.   Satan didn't box them in---God did!  And it wasn't to destroy them, but to save them.  God wanted to glorify His name and to let the Israelites see proof that their enemy was dead.  God wanted to do a miracle so His people would know how much He loved them.  God wanted to glorify His name.

I think it's a good thing to be reminded of today.  God still leads us--not by a cloud, but by His Spirit.  God still boxes us in with our circumstances.   God still parts the Red Sea to deliver us.  And God still destroys our enemies so we can have proof that they're dead.  He doesn't want us to live our lives as slaves--to sin or things.  God wants us to know how much He loves us and He wants His name glorified.  This might be an exciting story for children to hear, but I think I needed to hear it as much as they do.  

“Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods?  Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"  Exodus 15:11

Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler

I'm always game to read books from a new author--and Alice J. Wisler was a new author for me.  Although I felt that she was a nifty word craftsman, I found her book to be a bit depressing.  But even at that, I'd read another of her books---hoping for a happier theme.

This book centers around  30-year-old Jackie Donovan who lives in North Carolina's Outer Banks.  She writes for a newspaper and has a dream of opening a bed and breakfast in the Bailey House--a house she visited often as a child.  Jackie's best friend, Minnie, has recently lost her husband in a boating accident and she and her young unruly son have moved in with Jackie to survive financially.  Minnie's mom is suffering from Alzheimers and lives in a nursing home which Jackie and Minnie visit at least once a week.  Minnie's mom no longer seems to know her.  And then there are the love interests...and conflicts.  I felt the love conflict lasted a little too long in this book.  And I felt the best part of the book was the last fifty pages.  The ending was heartwarming and redemptive although I felt there were some issues left unresolved for the reader.

Most reviews I've read on Hatteras Girl are very positive.  But I'm giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishing Group for providing this book for review. 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.

The Veil

In Exodus 34,  we first hear about the veil that Moses wore to cover his face.  He'd gone up into the mountain to meet God and received the Ten Commandments on stone.  And when he came down the mountain, he didn't even know that his face shone.  Aaron and all the Israelites were afraid to come near him.  Moses told them everything that God had commanded them and then he went and put a veil on his face and kept it there unless he was meeting with God.

Now I always thought Moses put the veil on his face because the people were afraid--they were overwhelmed with the glory of God.  And maybe that was the reason in the beginning.  But this morning, I read II Corinthians 3 and actually "got it!"    Verse 13 says, "Nor (do we act) like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing (splendor which had been upon it)."  Then that chapter goes on to say that there is a veil on the minds of those trying to live by the law.  But once they repent, the veil is stripped off and taken away.

Moses put (or kept) the veil on his face so the people wouldn't see the glory fading.  Isn't that interesting?  I think when we choose sin, we also put on that veil.  Our pride covers us so others can't see the glory fading.  And then imagine a husband and wife both with a veil over their faces--how do they "see" one another?  How do they get honest with one another?

But the wonderful news is in verse 16:  "But whenever a person turns (in repentance) to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away."  It's simple, but not easy...in fact, it's costly.  The way to be unmasked is to repent---turn to God and ask His forgiveness.  Then we can see clearly.  And the glory returns when we meet with Him.

The chapter ends with this verse:  "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom)."  I'd say removing the veil is definitely worth it!

Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann

I'm reposting this book review as a part of a new start-up of the Waterbrook Multnomah Blogging for Books program.  And that's not a hard thing to do--I loved this book!  This Christian fiction book doesn't just deal with scary things going on in a community...things like two animals being mutilated and reattached to one another...but it also deals with emotional issues going on in the same community. Kristen is brave and deals with issues in her book such as a battered childhood, a germaphobe, betrayal, sibling rivalry, rejection, alcoholism...and an issue that becomes the surprise ending in her book.

Having read a similar book by Ted Dekker that totally took me by surprise, I have to say I wasn't completely taken off guard in Kristen's book. But I thought the surprise ending issue was pretty brilliant.

I love Kristen's writing. It's easy to read and it's a book you won't want to put down. I heartily recommend INDIVISIBLE to you. You can take a sneak peek at the first chapter here.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers for providing this book for review. 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.

Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

I received this book from Bethany House for review.  And I had no idea until I began doing research after reading the book, that it was the third book in a series.  Which says a lot to me---it could definitely be a stand-alone book.

I like Lisa Wingate's writing style.  Although when I read the first page of the book and it started out with what I later learned to be a little Creole accent that I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to wade through the book.  But it was a small spattering throughout the book.

I thought this book was highly engaging.  It tells the story of Kai Miller who has had a very hard upbringing--being dragged from pillar to post with her dad--and abandoned by her mom.  She feels unworthy.  She lives on the coast when a hurricane blows through and the book gives a great description of a hurricane evacuation and all of the dangers involved.  Kai runs into three older women from Daily, Texas and the rest of the book is the interaction between these four women, a nephew, and an African American church amidst a hurricane relief effort. 

I loved this book!  I give it 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to you.
Thank you to Bethany House Publishing Group for providing this book for review. 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.