Amy Inspired, Hatteras Girl, A Rush of Wings

What I like best about Bethany House's book reviews program is that they have no problem sending you several books at once!  I received these three books in the mail a while ago and it didn't take me long to finish them...getting a review posted on the blog, however...that obviously took a little bit longer.

Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce is a modern fiction story; Amy gave up her steady job to pursue a career in writing but finds herself on the other side of a rejection letter every time she submits an article or story.  She teaches part-time at a local college in order to pay the bills, but it's not the lifestyle she's dreamed of since she was a little girl.  Soon an artist named Eli comes into her life and she is forced to reevaluate her life and her inspiration.

I enjoyed this book, but it did seem that it ended rather abruptly.  I felt there could have been more character development and the relationship between Amy and Eli definitely needed some more development as well.  Overall, the writing was enjoyable and the subject matter refreshingly honest.  Pierce doesn't pen a picture perfect heroine, but rather exposes her flaws and struggles.  It's nice to read a book that is actually realistic.

Hatteras Girl was actually my least favourite of these three books.  Also a modern-day fiction story, Alice J. Wisler tells the story of Jackie Donovan who above anything else wants to own a bed-and-breakfast on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  When she meets the realtor who has the ability to sell the famous bed-and-breakfast, Jackie falls head over heals in love with Davis Erikson.  But she soon begins to suspect that Davis and her beloved Bailey House are not what they seem.

The book was well-written, but it simply wasn't a page turner.  I fell asleep several times while reading this book.  However, I do appreciate the hilarious characters instilled throughout the pages.

A Rush of Wings is the final book I have to review today.  Author Kristen Heitzmann writes the story of Noelle St. Claire, a wealthy young woman who is running from something- of what, she isn't exactly sure.  She finds herself at a Rocky Mountain horse ranch owned by rugged mountain man Rick Spencer.  As Noelle learns more about the ranch, Rick tries to unlock the secrets she holds.  Soon the past becomes a threat from which she can no longer hide.

This book was definitely more of a drama and read a lot like the typical historical fiction: strong man, rugged scenery, damsel in distress.  Heitzmann touches on some pretty serious topics and issues, and for the most part, deals with them appropriately. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Would You Like To Know...

...one of the funniest scenes from television I have ever seen?  It's from The Vicar of Dibley, a hilarious show about a female vicar in a tiny village in the UK.  The show is a bit older, but you don't have to know any of the background story to enjoy this exchange between Geraldine and Alice.

You Were Made to Make A Difference

The lovely folks over at Thomas Nelson sent me You Were Made to Make a Difference by Max Lucado and Jenna Lucado Bishop (his daughter).  I'm normally not a big Max Lucado fan, but the title hooked me; it seemed like a book I might applaud.

And so I do.  The book is obviously geared toward teenagers, but that's okay because the message is something teenagers need to hear- especially in our Western world of ipods, Xboxs, and general over-indulgence.  The book is somewhat interactive, giving the reader the opportunity to reflect and journal to a small extent.  Lucado and Bishop also highlight several young people who have made a difference in the lives of others.   The book is simply all about encouraging the reader to live for a higher purpose- in short, to realize they can and should make a positive impact on their world.

A caveat: the first chapter or so focuses on realizing that we are each special, but it focuses a bit too much on that for my taste.  Yes, we are all unique and different and very important to God, but in today's world, I think children and teenagers get too much of the "You-are-so-special-you-can-do-anything-you-want-to-because-you-are-great-at-everything!!!" jargon.  Every person simply cannot be the best at everything (and this attitude leads to a generation full of those who feel entitiled to anything and everything); I think many people in my generation are struggling with low self-esteem issues now because for years in grade school and secondary school, they were told they are talented and special and wonderful and the secret to the world's success...and they are out in the great big world now, realizing they are not, in fact, the secret to the world's success.  They realize that they need other people, that they are not great at everything, and that life doesn't always go the way you planned it- even if you scored well on your SAT and got a great internship in university.  They're having a tough time realizing that even though they're not making millions and jet-setting around the globe that their life is still worth living and can still impact others for the better. 

I would encourage teenagers to read this book, but I would also encourage parents and those adults involved in the teenagers lives to remind them that yes, they can make a huge difference in the world and to always pursue their dreams...but to also realize making a huge difference won't necessarily mean saving millions of children from malaria but in fact may mean helping one family by purchasing their Christmas gifts in their time of need or helping one refugee learn English or volunteering one night a week at the local soup kitchen.  Just because you may not see big results doesn't mean that you actually didn't make a difference- a big difference. 

And in the end, I hope my nieces and nephews will read this book sometime very, very soon!

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Season Has Begun

In my book, it's officially the holiday season once I've watched this movie:



...which I did last night after putting up our tree and wrapping a few presents.  Therefore, Happy Holidays to everyone!

Would You Like To Know...

...what is in my desk drawer at work?  Some of the following items are sure to be found in my top left hand drawer throughout the week:

The Happy World of Haribo: the best gummy candies of all time- specifically, Haribo Frogs

My favourite tea (I also adore Twinnings Irish Breakfast as well): perfect anytime of day

Chocolate, as in good chocolate.  As in, most likely not American chocolate

Before you chortle, I will have you know this drawer is very necessary not only for my survival, but also for the survival of several other coworkers.  Notice the (over) abundance of chocolate, sugar, and caffeine.  Does this say anything about my job?

Also, please know that I do have a toothbrush, toothpaste, and even floss in my drawer as well.  Yes, friends, I take my tea, chocolate, and dental hygiene very seriously.

Would You Like To Know...

....my favourite piece of music?  It's Vivaldi's Four Seasons.  Hands down- best.music.ever.  I know it sounds lame, but in college and graduate school, I would study with classical music in the background; I like to think I produced some of my greatest work while listening to Vivaldi, Brahms, and Grieg.  Here's a great clip of Summer; just try to ignore the nutter violist in the background.

Now Accepting Suggestions

I'm now accepting suggestions for my 2011 Reading List.  Yes, I realize it's barely November (and that indeed, it doesn't appear as though I will finish all the books on my 2010 Reading List), but I am most excited about making this list!  I've already chosen several books to read next year, but I am desperately in need of some suggestions in terms of Children/Youth Lit. and Biographies/Memoirs/History.  If you have any ideas, please let me know.  And just so this post isn't a grand total of five sentences, here are a few of the books which I am planning on reading next year:

What about you?  Have you ever made a reading list for the year?  What types of books do you like to read?  

Would You Like To Know...

...what my husband reads to me at night (or rather, tries to read to me since I am generally passed out well before he's finished all of his studying and reading and researching and writing for class)?  This lovely book:

The Jesus Storybook Bible is amazing.  If you have children, this is a definite must-get for them.  It goes through all the major stories of the Bible- both Old Testament and New Testament- and delivers the stories accurately, but in such a way that it is easier to understand how Jesus is seen throughout the entire Bible, and not just the New Testament.  Seriously, it's the best children's Bible ever.

Isaac's Birthday

Today is my wonderful husband's 28th birthday.  He had a pretty low-key day; he went to work, he did some research, he translated some Greek, and he studied.  Not exactly all the typical activities one wants to be doing on one's birthday.  He's got a lot on his plate right now with his classes and his two jobs and decided it wouldn't be the wisest decision to have a full-blown birthday extravaganza.  Even though we didn't get into a massively celebratory mode, we did still manage to celebrate Isaac and all those things with which God has blessed him.

We went to The Irish Rover, a yummy restaurant which serves up the best pub grub in the area (and heck, maybe even on this side of the pond).  Several friends, from various 'groups' (i.e. neighbors, community groupers, high school buddies who live in Louisville, seminarians, and college classmates), joined us in our endeavor to celebrate.

Rob, John, and Isaac

The Buchans!

Ashley looks unsure in this picture, but she really is enjoying her beer.

Fish and chips, only some of the greatest food known to man!

Chocolate cake, also some of the greatest food known to man.

Yep, not much conversation going on here- just chowing down!

Isaac also enjoyed some delightful birthday gifts, including cards, books, and probably most importantly, Series 1-3 of The IT Crowd on DVD.  I think he was happy with these gifts!

Happy Birthday, Isaac!  I love you!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from...

Jen and Moss from The IT Crowd! 

Notice the Internet (black box with red button) and the milk in the beer glass.

And just so you can see how spot on our costumes are:

The real Moss, Roy, and Jen

Bonus: full length photo of Isaac as Moss

What were you for Halloween this year?

Goals Update: October

It's almost the end of October, and I feel as though Kentuckiana still hasn't experienced a true autumn season.  It was too dry this year for the leaves to turn those deliciously bright shades of yellow, orange, and red.  And it was just too bloody warm to really feel as though summer had finally released its grasp.  It is finally starting to cool down a bit (and I mean a bit), but when I realize November and December are rapidly approaching, I feel as though I should be needing to wear my winter coat every now and then.  Of course, I realize that in a few months time, I will probably be complaining about the cold and how I'm tired of wearing seven different layers of clothing at a time.  Okay, I exaggerate.  This part of the world doesn't exactly require seven layers of clothing during the winter months...but you get the idea.  Now that I've rambled on about our lack of autumn and my desire to wear a winter coat, how about an update on those goals?

Become a faithful member of the 5 am club.  So maybe not 5 am every day (or any day for that matter), but there were definitely several days which I got up fairly early.  For instance, on Wednesday I was up at 5:30 baking a birthday cake.  How many people are up at 5:30 to bake a birthday cake?  That's what I thought. 

Memorize 52 verses. Pass...

Memorize (the first half) of the book of James. No excuse; I just suck.

Continue in the SWI program. I finished term one (Cross Cultural Ministries) and am now halfway through my term two class, Baptist Beliefs.  On Monday, I will be registering for next semester.  I'm hoping to take Biblical Parenting (no, we are not pregnant and are not planning to be any time soon, so just put that question back inside your mouth where it came from) and Old Testament/New Testament Survey.

Read through the Bible. Fail...I have confessed this to the girls in my community group and they are starting to hold me accountable.  That, dear friends, is hard.

Continue to think through our family traditions. Again, it's hard to quantify this one, but I feel we have great holiday traditions (our Jesus tree, Advent celebrations, cream cheese Christmas cookies) and am excited to experience them again this year. 

Communicate with our family (and friends) more. A fair success; I should probably still take some more time to call some individuals with whom I haven't spoken in a while.

Build up our emergency fund. Nada...but we will be adding to that very soon.

Make a huge dent in our car loan. Dent?  What dent?  There is NO LOAN!!!!  Because we paid it!  I'm removing this goal from the list for updates now.  YES.

Cut our grocery bill. The hubs is going to help me with this one...I am going shopping once a month for everything, but am allowing myself to go mid-month for milk and additional fruit and veggies if needed.  Anything else has to wait for next month.  I already went shopping for November's meals; I was so on top of things I even remembered to get enough frozen pie crusts for all the pumpkin pies I will be making for work, family, etc in the nest few weeks.

Develop a consistent and workable cleaning schedule. I pretty much just pick up in the morning and evening, and then try to do a thorough cleaning once a week.  It's worked out really well, except our spare bedroom is getting a bit hectic...the Christmas presents are starting to pile up in there, but I am not letting myself wrap them until about mid-way through November.  I love wrapping Christmas presents...

Read 30 books.  I reviewed several books for different blogging programmes this month, and I finished A Prayer for Owen Meany.  I'm enjoying Tess of the D'Urbervilles right now, and I am also hoping to finish a few more books on my 2010 Reading List.

Scrapbook.  So...I think I might join my friend Liz and try out the digital scrapbooking.  She pretty much convinced me the last time we chatted...so, I'll let you know how that goes.

Continue blogging. All right; I apologize for the video-laden blogging recently.  But, all in all, I felt this month was a good blogging month.  I am been a wretched blog-reader and blog-commenter and am going to work diligently on that next month, bloggy friends.

Today Is National Chocolate Day!

Yes, it's true.  There is a National Chocolate Day.  Praise the good Lord in heaven it is so!  Here is how I celebrated:

Milka Chocolate with Toffee...my new addiction

Coconut M&M's...but limited edition?  Make them a permanent staple of the M&M's family!

Kinder Chocolate, perfection itself.

Would You Like To Know...

...whose birthday it is today?  It's this girl's:

That is, it's Jen's birthday.  I'm not even sure when Jack's birthday is.  This chica (also known as smuckabeine, skank, and hoochie mama- all lovingly endearing terms) is one of my best friends.  We were roommates basically from 2002-2007 (in two different states, two different dorm rooms, and two different apartments).  She moved out of the country right after Isaac and I got married, but I was able to convince her to move to Louisville when she came back to the States.  Let me tell you, it's weird to be living in the same city but not in the same house as Jen.  Still, I'm glad I get to celebrate her birthday with her- in the flesh- for the first time since 2006.

Happy 27th Jen!

Voices Behind the Veil

Yet again, I've slipped into posting way too many video clips recently.  The autumn months tend to be the busiest for me- not just because of all the holiday preparations approaching- but because of the continuously-expanding list of reports and service plans at work.  So while I apologize for my lack of creativity (not that my posts are particularly creative in the first place) in recent days, I'm not offering any promises of it improving any time soon.  But for now, I have an actual book review-not a video- for you.

Voices Behind the Veil claims to explain women's experience with the religion of Islam.  The book is edited by one of the authors of a book I finished a few months ago: Unveiling Islam.  Each of the chapters is written by a different woman; some chapters discuss the history of Islam while other chapters deal with more practical and daily living for women of the Islamic faith.

Honestly, the book was not all that helpful.  Most of the information found in the book is not new information to most people, and it's definitely not worth purchasing the book just for that.  In addition, I felt the same way as I did about Unveiling Islam; the tone throughout the book was pretty negative and derogatory.  I've read and heard more details about Ergun Mehmet Caner (the editor of this particular book and one of the authors of Unveiling Islam), and I don't think that I will be reading any other books which he authors.  While I don't recommend this book on the whole, there were some parts that were wonderfully written and expressed.  My favourite few lines:

"Until we stop being casual Christians, Muslim women will never know Jesus.  Until we are broken for the lost, Muslim women will continue to die in their sins.  Until we grieve as Jesus did for His lost children, we are ignoring the greatest opportunity God has ever afforded us- to share Jesus's love with a world that is listening.  Until we can look into our Savior's eyes and realize that He died for Muslim women as well as for us, we will never see the depth of his love."

United Nations Day

Today is United Nations Day, which celebrates the day the United Nations Charter entered into force in 1945 after five member-states signed the resolution.  To date, 192 nations are members of the United Nations.  Though not many people in the United States even know of this day's existence, it has actually been an international holiday since 1971.  So how am I going to celebrate United Nations Day?

By watching this amazing (and terribly outdated) clip from my childhood:



Happy United Nations Day, friends!  I hope peace will be the sentiment of the day for you and others around the world.

'It's That Throw Up Orange'

You might have seen this in the past, but in honor of Alabama traveling to Knoxville for their game against Tennessee today, I thought I would share this hilarious interview with a Bama fan explaining his reasons for disliking Tennessee.



We all know how I feel about Tennessee, but the Gators have been playing too horribly to watch, so I've pretty much chucked their season out the window.  I'm going to start watching cricket and curling instead of collegiate football.

Fan-Freaking-Tastic News!!!

Last week, this:

(Not our actual car, but the same model, make and colour)

became 100% officially ours.  Yes, that's right.  We completely paid off our Corolla- more than two (and a half) years ahead of schedule!  Remember last year when we set the goal of making a huge dent in our car loan?  Well, I'm pretty sure we made one heck of a dent!

What is amazing to me is that we accomplished feat while living on the smallest amount of income we've ever had since we got married.  It reminded me that if you set a goal and are diligent, there's not much you CAN'T accomplish.

Since we will not have to make any more payments on the car, we plan on first saving up for Isaac's tuition and fees for the next term, then shoveling the vast majority of what was our car payment money into our student loan accounts.  Now, we owe a lot more in student loans than we ever did on the car, but we are still encouraged by our accomplishment and know that slowly, but surely, we will be completely debt-free...or maybe almost debt-free with a nice vacation to Sweden...

Would You Like To Know...

...my favourite magazine?  It's the only one to which I currently have a subscription (but due to budget constraints, I won't be able to renew that.  Good thing it's got a great website):

One of the best things about Good?  You pay for the subscription, but the money is donated directly to charity; they raise all their money from advertising.

New Music Monday

As I've mentioned before, in order for our house to enjoy quality entertainment, my husband typically finds the good music for us, while I determine the best shows on the telly (we both, of course, locate the good reading).  But for once, I have found the good music before he did.  This is a triumph indeed!

Mt. Desolation releases their album in the UK today; it will be available in the States tomorrow (and yes, I pre-ordered the CD, thanks to Amazon).  I discovered this fun new band a few weeks ago, and in my mind, their music has been alternating with the glorious Mumford and Sons and the beauty of The Swell Season.  Mt. Desolation is the side project of Keane's Time Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quinn; for the project, they enlisted the help of several of their friends for some of the songs, including Ronnie Vannucci of The Killers and 'Country' Winston Marshall of none other than my beloved Mumford and Sons.

I think it's necessary you read an excerpt of how this journey began before you get to hear the resulting amazing music.  Here is the gripping tale, taken straight from Mt. Desolation's website:

Those who have visited Dublin will know that sipping Guinness by a fire in a nice old pub while it's chucking it down outside is one of life's great pleasures.  It's also, as you can probably imagine, the perfect setting for eagerly hatching wild ideas and schemes.  And so on one such blustery and cold night in September two friends, Time Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quinn decided (whilst in wildly animated conversation about music and probably also well on their way to needing a taxi home) that they would make a country album.  As with so many ideas that come about on a belly full of Jameson's, in the cold light of day it did not seem like such a good plan.  Two English men trying to sing like Hank Williams was definitely a recipe for disaster.  The whole idea was forgotten about in the time it took to recover from the headache that morning.  But the headache was to return...

I'm going to show you the official videos found on Mt. Desolation's website.  You can find other amateur clips floating around YouTube, but for the most part, the quality of those videos really aren't that great.  Here are two strikingly different songs for you to enjoy:

Would You Like To Know...

...what I bought at Target last week?

Oh.yes.I.did.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Recently, I watched this amazing film set during the Irish War for Independence (1919-1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922-1923).  The Wind That Shakes the Barley won the Palme d'Or (the highest prize awarded to competing films) at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.  It tells the story of two brothers, Teddy and Damien, who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for complete independence from Great Britain.  A bit of a warning: the film as a whole was incredibly intense and very difficult to watch at times. After seeing this film, I realize just how little I know of this particular historical period (Irish history wasn't exactly a priority in the American and Department of Defense schools I attended).  Some critics claim the film is strikingly anti-British, but overall the film has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. 



The film takes its title from the ballad of the same name written by Robert Dwyer Joyce.  The lyrics are below:

I sat within a valley green
I sat me with my true love
My sad heart strove to choose between
The old love and the new love
The old for her, the new that made
Me think on Ireland dearly
While soft the wind blew down the glade
And shook the golden barley

Twas hard the woeful words to frame
To break the ties that bound us
But harder still to bear the shame
Of foreign chains around us
And so I said, "The mountain glen
I'll seek at morning early
And join the bold United Men
While soft winds shake the barley"

While sad I kissed away her tears
My fond arms 'round her flinging
The foeman's shot burst on our ears
From out the wildwood ringing
A bullet pierced my true love's side
In life's young spring so early
And on my breast in blood she died
While soft winds shook the barley

I bore her to some mountain stream
And many's the summer blossom
I placed with branches soft and green
About her gore-stained bosom
I wept and kissed her clay-cold corpse
Then rushed o'er vale and valley
My vengeance on the foe to wreak
While soft winds shook the barley

But blood for blood without remorse
I've taken at Oulart Hollow
And laid my true love's clay-cold corpse
Where I full soon may follow
As 'round her grave I wander drear
Noon, night and morning early
With breaking heart when e'er I hear
The wind that shakes the barley

Okay, I Lied...

Warning: You must have eight minutes and 42 seconds to dedicate to listening to the musical genius of Mumford and Sons before beginning to read this post. 

I shared my new found love for Mumford and Sons a few weeks ago, and I mentioned that my favourite song of theirs was Dust Bowl Dance, but I must have lied because I have become even more enamored with M&S- the more I listen to their music, the more I am just in awe of their talent; it's not that generated typical pop music, but sheer raw talent.  Just reading the lyrics of one of my true favourite M&S songs emphasizes their giftedness:


Awake My Soul

How fickle my heart
and how woozy my eyes;
I struggle to find
any truth in your lies.
And now my heart stumbles
on things I don't know;
my weakness, I feel,
I must finally show.

Lend me hand
and we'll conquer them all,
but lend me your heart
and I'll just let you fall.
Lend me your eyes-
I can change what you see-
but your soul you must keep
totally free.

Awake my soul,
awake my soul.

How fickle my heart
and how woozy my eyes;
I struggle to find
any truth in your lies.
And now my heart stumbles
on things I don't know;
my weakness, I feel,
I must finally show.

In these bodies,
we will live;
in these bodies,
we will die.
The way you invest your love,
you invest your life.
In these bodies
we will live;
in these bodies 
we will die.
And the way you invest your love,
you invest your life. 

Awake my soul,
awake my soul,
awake my soul-
for you were made
to meet your maker.

Awake my soul,
awake my soul,
awake my soul-
for you were made
to meet your maker-
you were made
to meet your maker.

Even though I already posted three different videos of them (which I know you all watch multiple times a day), these three songs (from the lyrics above and the two videos below) are really my favourites.  White Blank Page follows Roll Away Your Stone on their album, so I'll follow their example and let you see the videos in the same order.  My favourite bit of Roll Away Your Stone comes at 2:45 until the end- it is simply brilliant. I love the syncopation...Oh, what I wouldn't do to see them perform!  Unfortunately, every single show on this continent is sold out and has been for weeks.  The next time they come across the pond, however, I.will.be.there.



And just a word of warning- this clip of White Blank Page is almost hard to watch its so full of emotion.  But oh soooo good; I get chills up my spine multiple times during this performance:



Okay, really, how can people listen to Justin Bieber and whatever else is out there right now when you could listen to this pure amazingness instead?  It is so raw and brilliant.  What's your favourite Mumford and Sons song?

The Vigilante's Bride

All right kids, this will be my final Bethany House review for a while. The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris is set in the Montana Territory of 1884; Emily McCarthy is forced to leave her position as a teacher at the Chicago orphanage where she was raised in order to marry a widow out west.  Though she has never met her future husband, she realizes what little options are available to a young woman such as herself.  Christmas Eve, she finds herself on a stagecoach on the way to met the man she would marry.  In the darkness, however, the stage coach is robbed by Luke Sullivan; when Sullivan finds out Emily is supposed to marry his enemy, he not only takes the money from the stagecoach- he takes Emily as well.  Sullivan brings Emily back to his home- an orphanage.  And though Emily doesn't take kindly to her so-called rescue, she is hoping her situation will turn out well, especially when she begins to work with the children at the orphanage.

This is, of course, one of the typical historical romance books.  After the first page, you know how the story will end, but you're not too sure of the middle.  The book was enjoyable- a good distraction at the end of a long day.  It's not definitely a great work of literature, but the story is uplifting and encouraging.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

When It's Time To Go

This little book was our required reading for Cross Cultural Ministries.  Even though we were supposed to read the book over the six-week course, I read the entire book by our second class.  I read it so quickly for two reasons: 1) The reading assignments were out of order (e.g. read chapters 1 and 5 this week and 4, 6, 9 next week).  I'm not a big fan of that. And 2) The book was an easy read and chock full of great information! 

When It's Time to Go: Preparing for the Mission Field as a Wife and Mother by Brandi Biesiadecki offers advice and encouragement to those women who are planning to head to the mission field with their family.  Brandi has served over seas and shared what she learned from her experience as a missionary; she made no qualms about the difficulties we could expect to face, but also offered potential solutions and ways to circumvent some issues (such as depression and intense culture shock).  Brandi explicitly discusses our roles as wives and mothers; it was humbling to read her words.  My call to serve my family is one which I should take seriously (and not just once we've moved wherever the Lord takes us).  Even though I'm not yet a mother, I can only imagine how much of a challenge it will be- and even more of one living overseas.  This book really made me think about some difficult issues, but I am so thankful it did.  I will definitely be revisiting this book in the future!

Oh, and bonus bit: I was reading the reviews on the inside jacket, and I saw two names and did a double take.  Apparently, my old youth minister and his wife (who have been missionaries in Europe and Central Asia) knew the author quite well.  The both had written a review of the book.  Crazy to see names you haven't seen since you were 12 years old!

Would You Like To Know...

...my favorite websites to visit on a regular basis?  Here's another infamous top five list; I did not include checking my email or even visiting facebook, because as much time as I spend 'writing emails, sending emails, deleting emails...I could go on' (a little nod The IT Crowd, only the greatest show of all time) and as much as I enjoy looking at my friends' pictures on facebook, it's not really a favourite place on the web.  Here are my true favourites:

1.  BBC News- This is my all-time favourite news site (no surprise there, I'm sure).  It is packed to the gills with information from all over the entire world (and it obviously does not have a US-centric view, which can get quite annoying), but it also has one of the coolest features in the entire world: the one-minute world update- the latest news in literally one minute.  Whenever I need a break from work, I usually pop on over to BBC News and watch the one-minute clip.  My other favourite bit is the 'In Pictures' section, which contains pictures from the day from around the world.  Granted, it's not as intense as The Big Picture, but it still pretty cool.

2. BBC Pod Casts- At 9:00 am, NPR broadcasts the BBC News Hour; unfortunately, I'm rarely in my car at 9:00 am.  I'm either sitting in my office or at the Refugee Elder Program, and I therefore miss the News Hour pretty much every.single.day.  Enter BBC Pod Casts (cue angels singing).  Check out this website to download the latest News Hour on BBC Radio.  I listen to it while I'm typing on reports, lesson planning, and heck, even while I'm on hold with the SSA (which ironically enough, hold music at the Downtown SSA office= church music.  Hmmm, I'm all for church music, but a government office selects it as their hold music?  My church doesn't even have church music as their hold music).

3.  NPR- Again, I'm not always in my car to listen to the different broadcasts on NPR, but I can pop over to NPR's website and listen to just about whatever show I want.  The site isn't just a bunch of podcasts; they have excellent news coverage with great analysis, including national and world news, art, film, and music, as well as editorials and random other fun tidbits.  Be sure to check out Will Shortz's Sunday Puzzles section!

4. The Big Picture- I've shared this website with you in the past, and it's really one of my favourite places on the web to visit.  The Big Picture is the photo blog of The Boston Globe and gathers images from around the world to convey newsworthy stories.  Each week, the editor publishes a few different collection of photos (generally Monday, Wednesday, and Friday); the photos are always high-quality and include detailed captions.  Most of the time the images are related to popular current news, but sometimes the photos focus on lesser-known news; historical photos are also published as well.

5. FreeRice- The site has been around for a few years now; it was created in 2007 by John Breen, who donated the program to the United Nations in March 2009.  The site is now run by the United Nations Food Programme and has two goals: 'provide education free to everyone' and 'help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free'.  Basically, you choose a subject and are quizzed; for every question you get correct, ten grains of rice are donated to the UN World Food Programme.  Money comes from corporate sponsors and advertisers.  Ten grains may not sound like a lot of rice, but over half a million people have been utilizing the website every day for the past three years.  All that rice certainly does add up!  In Uganda, 66,000 school children were feed for over a week; in Nepal, 108,000 refugees were fed for three days; in Bangladesh, 27,000 refugees were fed for three weeks.  That's just a snippet of the work FreeRice is helping to accomplish.  Click here to see a great video explaining how FreeRice is making a difference.

The Mockingbird Parables

I have to admit- the first thing I noticed about this book was the cover; I really like the art and color scheme.  Then I read the title and the description: "In The Mockingbird Parables, Matt Litton journeys through Harper Lee's beloved 1960 literary masterpiece, introducing each character through the lens of faith."  Of course I was hooked on the idea and couldn't wait to receive the book so I could review it for Tyndale House.

The author is an English teacher who has taught To Kill a Mockingbird to his high school students for several years.  I would venture to say that by the time most American students (and indeed students from all over the world) have graduated from high school, they've read Harper Lee's classic (and if you haven't read it, go.read.it.now).  I think I first read the book sometime in middle school and I remember falling in love with the characters and story on a deeper level than I had previously understood with things literary.  One statement on the back cover resonates with me (and probably millions of others as well): "For many of us, To Kill A Mockingbird was the first book to evoke a moral and spiritual stirring."

Litton works his way through several of the main players and key events of To Kill a Mockingbird and draws a parable from the individuals' character, beliefs, and experiences.  Each chapter is titled appropriately; for example, some of the chapter titles are: "The Parable of House Fires and Church Collections: Our Responsibility to Care for the Neighborhood", The Parable of Atticus Finch: The Model of Christian Courage", "The Parable of Miss Maudie's Azaleas: Our Responsibility to Care for Creation", and "The Parable of Tom Robinson: How Compassion Can Overcome Our Differences."

I very much enjoyed being reintroduced to some of the characters from Lee's novel, and for the most part I agreed with the parables and teachings Litton explained.  There were definitely some moments where I didn't agree with his theology, but overall the book was well written and very engaging.  Litton's strongest arguments dealt with our responsibility to care for the earth and for others, as well as that teaching our children a global understanding of the world is of utmost importance.  As the book description states, "The Mockingbird Parables compels us to ask these often-ignored questions: Do we truly love our neighbors?  Are we building community?  Are we influencing society for the better?"

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In Every Heartbeat

Bethany House also sent me this book by Kim Vogel Sawyer to review.  In Every Heartbeat follows three friends as they venture off to college together on the eve of the First World War.  Libby, Pete, and Bennett all grew up together in the same orphanage and have been the best of friends since childhood.  As the orphanage's only three graduates, they are also the only children who were never chosen for adoption.  They are offered scholarships at the University of Southern Missouri, where women are allowed to study alongside men; though they all have very different lives planned, each one is determined to maintain their friendship.  Libby hopes to become a famous journalist; Pete studies to become a minister, and Bennett plans to pledge a fraternity and have as much fun as possible.  It isn't long before they realize their friendship is slipping from their fingers, and when Libby discovers something shocking about Pete's family, it seems a final wedge will be driven between the three.

This book was okay; the storyline had a good beginning, but then it seemed as though Bennett's character wasn't as developed as the other two.  I was hoping that there would be more discussion about the war and how it affected the characters' lives, but it seemed as though the actual setting was somewhat of an afterthought.  What I did thoroughly enjoy however, is that the author made no qualms about presenting the characters as they are- with all of their flaws.  It is encouraging to read a book which have characters that are not the stereotypical 'knight in shining armor' and 'damsel in distress'.  I would like to see more of that; the author also did bring into light some deeper social issues- mainly poverty and class- with which I was impressed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Masquerade

Here comes another review for Bethany House- my faithful supplier of historical fiction books.  This time around it's Masquerade by Nancy Moser.  It's 1886 and spoiled Charlotte Gleason leaves England, heading to America to marry one of the country's wealthiest heirs- a man she has never met.  Charlotte is determined to marry for love, but her family's fortunes are in a precarious position; marrying the American heir may be the only way to save face and ensure her family's survival.  But on the voyage to America, her doubts gain the upper hand and she swaps places with her maid Dora, who also happens to be her closest friend.  For Charlotte, it's a chance at a 'real life'; for Dora, it's the chance of a lifetime.  But as the two women settle into their new lives, they both realize that life on the other side is never what it seems.

The concept behind this book was intriguing, but I must admit that it was a little slow at times.  However, the slow (but usually steady) pace can easily be forgiven simply due to the sheer volume of historical information woven into the story throughout the pages.  Moser writes about the girls' experiences at Castle Garden (the place where immigrants arriving in New York were processed before Ellis Island opened), the tenement housing where most immigrants lived, the high society names of the day, and the efforts of some to better the horrid living conditions of the poor class.  One of the characters was a Scandinavian photographer inspired by Jacob Riis, a photojournalist who published the book How the Other Half Lives in 1890 in order to elicit social change in the slums.  Moser even includes an index which describes the historical truths found throughout the book.

Overall, the book was well-done, and what I liked most about it was that it was more about the two women struggling in their new lives and less about the romantic fancies.  I would recommend it, especially if you are interested to understand what daily life in New York was like in the late 19th century.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review 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: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

A Swiss Giggle-Fest

I generally dislike speeches made by politicians, but this one takes the cake!  Hans-Rudolf Merz is a Swiss politician who burst into a fit of giggles while reading a parliamentary speech concerning spiced meat imports.  When he read the word Bündnerfleisch (air-dried beef), he couldn't contain his amusement, and other politicians joined in the giggle-fest.  Apparently, the outburst has caused one producer of dried beefs to advertise their product with slogan of "Never lose your sense of humor."

October's Focus: Amy in Uganda

One of my dearest friends from college is going to Uganda with her church this month, and we decided to make her and the country of Uganda in general our focus for the month of October.  While Amy is traveling with a team to do some specific tasks, I thought I would share with you some things about Uganda which I learned from the fantastic book Operation World (the new updated version is coming out later this month; if you don't have it, I highly recommend it).

Uganda is a central-African country long known as the 'Pearl of Africa'.  The capital city is Kampala and is the largest city in the country, with a population of over 1.2 million.  The economy is largely based on agriculture; Uganda boasts fertile soil and three annual growing season; the main export is coffee.  The economy was healthy in the 1960s, but warfare in the north and west and the ravages of AIDS and disease keep the majority of the population in deep poverty.  The average income per person is $330.  The official language is English, but there is a total of 46 languages spoken throughout the country; the literacy rate is sixty two percent.  The country gained its independence from Britain in 1962, and in Idi Amin seized power in 1971, brutalizing the country as the army pillaged and murdered.  During his reign, there was intense persecution of Christians; in 1979, Tanzanian and Ugandan exile troops deposed the regime after Amin invaded northwest Tanzania.

There is now freedom of religion in Uganda, and Christianity is the major religion.  There are also Muslims, those who practice traditional ethnic religions, non-religious individuals, and followers of the Baha'i and Hindu faiths as well.

Operation World listed three answers to prayer:

1) Uganda is the first country in the world with a massive AIDS problem to halve and even reduce the numbers of the afflicted from possibly 25% in 1992 to possibly 8-10% in 2000.  Both government and churches faced up to the terrible calamity and have successfully worked to achieve this reduction.

2) The East African Revival brought new life and fervency to the large Church of Uganda and other smaller denominations for 30 years after its beginnings in 1936.  Its characteristics were the centrality of Christ expressed in repentance, brokenness, and walking in the light.  Internal divisions and the awful years of persecution and suffering between 1967 and 1986 damped the fires of the revival.

3)  Renewed revival from 1986 onwards- widespread prayer movements, the amazing growth of the Pentecostal Assemblies and a revival moment in the Catholic Church in 1955 are manifestations of this.  Renewal in the latter has led to gospel preaching, healings, and the burning of fetishes.

Operation World also gives some specific challenges for which prayer is greatly needed, including healing from the devastation of past governments; unity and revival in the church, as well as the training of new workers; the AIDS issue; the refugees housed in camps throughout the country; and the remaining unreached people groups in Uganda, including the Muslims.  Please continue to pray for the people of Uganda and for Amy as she works to share the love of Christ with them.

Goals Update: September

What?!?!  Tomorrow is October?  As each month passes, I am slowly coming to realize I probably won't accomplish all of my goals this year and that even though I've read well over thirty books already, there are still some books on my 2010 Reading List I most likely won't get to finish.  But that's okay.  I'm okay with not accomplishing a goal- as long as I put worth my absolute best effort.  The thing with which I am not okay is not accomplishing something simply because I'm a slacker.  And while the reasons why I won't accomplish some goals are legitimate, I have been quite the slacker in a few select areas...and I know I can do better.  That is what I find disappointing. 

The year is rapidly drawing to a close, but I still have three solid months.  And I intend to live the heck out of those three solid months and to hopefully come a little bit closer to accomplishing my goals.  Here's an update from September:

Become a faithful member of the 5 am club.  Fail!  But I did at least get up about 6:30 this morning...trust me, when the sun doesn't get out of bed until past 7:30, it's difficult to get yourself out of bed...but my friend Heather called me this morning at 6:36, and I was already up and getting my butt kicked by Jillian Michaels.  So...a teensy weensy bit of progress. 

Memorize 52 verses. You see, this is one of those goals that I know I can accomplish if I would just stop being a slacker.  I'm not sure how this one will play out over the next three months...

Memorize (the first half) of the book of James. Refer to my explanation of the previous goal.  Hmmm...

Continue in the SWI program. Check, check, and check!  I am actually going to my final class of this term tonight (although I am super sad because my new beloved friend Julia will not be in class tonight).  We have a week off, and then we return for next term; I'll be taking Baptist Beliefs.
Read through the Bible. Fail.  Again.  This goes back to the being a wretched slacker.

Continue to think through our family traditions. I'd classify this as a success; it's just difficult to quantify it.  With the holiday season approaching, I am getting more and more excited about traditions; I tend not to think of family traditions throughout the summer, but tradition tends to be a big topic around Thanksgiving and Christmas time.

Communicate with our family (and friends) more. I've done well with the emailing, but I've been a bit out of it since getting back from New York.  I'm still playing catch up on some things, and I realized I am in need of some massive reorganization of some files, etc.

Build up our emergency fund. Nada.

Make a huge dent in our car loan. So.close.

Cut our grocery bill. I have no earthly idea.  I still have to meal plan and shop for October, and we all know how much Jenny *loves* grocery shopping.

Develop a consistent and workable cleaning schedule. I have been most pleased with how we've kept the house recently.  It's not perfect by any means, but neither are we!  I usually try to just pick up in the morning and then again at night; I'll do a thorough cleaning once a week, and that's it.

Read 30 books. I've had a lot of books to review lately, and I've also been focusing on the book about genocide.  However, I can't necessarily sit down and read that one for hours on end because I generally find myself wanting to do one of the following: throw the book across the room, sit down and cry, cuss (out loud), or begin packing my bags to move to another country.  I really would like to (start) and finish A Prayer for Owen Meany and Tess of the D'Urbervilles before the end of the year, however.  I think those two classics will be my focus over the next several weeks.

Scrapbook. Ugh.  This one kind of goes back to the slacker issue, but I also simply don't think about scrapbooking too much.  It's not exactly on the forefront of my mind.  I really, really do want to be consistent in this endeavor.  I know that it will be a joy to go through all our scrapbooks with our children someday, so I really need to get on the ball.

Continue blogging. Not too shabby, my friends.  I apologize for failing to comment for the last two weeks.  As I said, I have been playing catch up since getting back from New York.  I'll see what I can do for you this weekend.

So, there is the ugly (and not-so-ugly) truth.  Even though I've been quite the slacker in some areas, it's nice to look back and see what I have actually accomplished thus far.  And it's good to remind myself that it's okay not to perfect, but to see where I need some improvement.  And it's good to realize that I still have a few more months to work on some of these goals.  And it's good to realize that it's acceptable for me to begin these sentences with a conjunction because this is not formal writing.  Students, for the love of all that is holy, please take note of that.

How have you done this month with your goals?

Would You Like To Know...

...what we had for dinner last night?  Delicious Deutsche food in honor of Oktoberfest's final week.  I told you I was going to enjoy some overly-fattening German cuisine this week!  The hubs took me out to Erika's German Restaurant, where we enjoyed not only delectable food, but also the wonderful hospitality of Erika, the ridiculously cute owner of the restaurant.  Seriously, I wanted to take her home with me.  Erika is originally from Nurnberg (bonus material: I got my elbow x-rayed in Nurnberg when I broke it as a child.  The x-ray machine in Bamberg was broken...) and came to the states twenty-four years ago.  She opened the restaurant seven years ago and has been serving up authentic German dishes ever since.  Behold our meal:

Spatze, made by request.  Oh how I love this concoction.

Schnitzel and spatzel.  To.die.for.

Black Forest Cake- the best I've ever had. 

The best thing is that the portions are huge, so we took home plenty of schnitzel and spatzel.  I am so excited for leftovers!