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Friday 29 May 2009

Friday Fill-In #126



And...here we go!

1. It's cold and wet, but I've got a good book to read.

2. You say tomay-toes, I say tomatoes.

3. My favorite health and beauty product is, well actually I don't have one.

4. Going to visit my cousins is a nice long ride.

5. Well, first of all I would like to thank God for always being there for me.

6. Two men in combat boots, and my sisters; those were the cast of characters in a recent dream and it was really scary.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to not doing much, but that may not happen, tomorrow my plans include more moving activities (next weekend is the big move day and Sunday, I want to try to remember all the stuff planned - Church, a luncheon, and a Church business meeting!

Wednesday 27 May 2009

Seeing

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Amy Wallace - Enduring Justice Blog Tour

I've never been involved in a Blog tour for a book before, so this is quite a new blogging experience for me.

To begin with I had no idea what I should do, but Amy suggested to me to look at what some fellow bloggers did for her last book, and the ideas started to flow.

Now, to get on with things.


Enduring Justice

Secrets Can’t Last Forever

A PAINFUL PAST

Hanna Kessler’s childhood secret has remained buried for over two decades. But when the dark shadows of her past threaten to destroy those she loves, Hanna must face the summer that changed her life and the man who still haunts her memories.

A RACIALLY-MOTIVATED KILLER

As a Crimes Against Children FBI Agent, Michael Parker knows what it means to get knocked down. Difficult cases and broken relationships have plagued his entire year. But when the system fails and a white supremacist is set free, Michael’s drive for retribution eclipses all else.

A LIFE-ALTERING CHOICE

A racist's well-planned assault forces Hanna and Michael to decide between executing vengeance and pursuing justice. The dividing line is the choice to heal. But when the attack turns personal, is justice enough?


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Amy Wallace is a wife, homeschool mom, author, speaker, and avid chocoholic. She loves crafting high-action suspense that delves deep into heart issues, but who she really is can be summed up in a few short words: Amy is a daughter of the King learning to live and love with laughter.Amy is also the author of the Defenders of Hope series: Ransomed Dreams, Healing Promises, and Enduring Justice, a contributing author of Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes, and God Answers Moms’ Prayers. Visit Amy at http://www.amywallace.com/ and join the Dark Chocolate Suspense newsletter http://www.amywallace.com/Newsletter.html

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Ransomed Dreams - Multnomah - April 07

Healing Promises - Waterbrook Multnomah - April 08

Enduring Justice - Waterbrook Multnomah - April 09

http://www.amywallace.com/

God has called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace

2 Timothy 1:8-9

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Since I'm not an author, I thought I'd ask Amy some questions about the books that she reads. Here are her replies.

Do you have a favorite novel?

Absolutely! My all-time favorite novel is The Restorer by Sharon Hinck. I love how Sharon’s book make me laugh, cry, and worship Jesus.

Are there any authors whose books you just HAVE to read as soon as they are published?

Again, absolutely! I think writers have to be huge readers too, and in that process we find favorites. My faves include Sharon Hinck, Mark Mynheir, Trish Perry, and Dee Henderson.

(Beth: Dee Henderson's books are some of my favorites too.)

Do you read to your children?

Long before I ever contemplated writing, I read to my children. It’s honestly one of our favorite things since we read together almost every day. Even my husband loves for me to read to the whole family, and we finished Little Women and Little Men by Louisa May Alcott in a few weeks’ time because they couldn’t get enough of it.

(Beth: Little Women was one of the first chapter books that I read as a child. I've loved all four of the books since then, plus many of Louisa May Alcott's other books.)

Is there a book that you remember from your childhood?

I read some creepy things as a young teen and unfortunately still remember them well. I don’t remember any childhood books, other than the silly It’s a Doggone Mystery chapter book I wrote in fifth grade. But the books I remember reading as a teen are Flowers in the Attic, Something Wicked This Way Comes and Catcher in the Rye. My current favorite children’s book from homeschooling my girls is The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Is there a book that has really impacted you in the past year?

Two come to mind. One is Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory and the other is The Restorer’s Journey by Sharon Hinck. Both books drew me closer to Jesus by showing me how He worked in the Bible and in the characters’ lives. Beautiful words, deep thoughts and intriguing stories. That’s why these two books stand out amid all the others I read in 2008.

(Beth: I've also read Dinner With a Perfect Stranger. It's a powerful story. The sequel A Day With a Perfect Stranger is also good)

Are there any books that you have read and then wanted to re-write the ending yourself?

Honestly, that’s how my husband knew I could write and why he pushed me into the writing journey. Back in 2001, before I’d even thought about writing, I rushed through seven books I’d found at the library and insisted my husband read too. When he finished, I’d tell him how I would change it, what the sequel could be, and even what back-story would have helped me understand the plot.

But… I’d hate to name names, since that could be super hurtful. And also because reading is so subjective. What I will say is plenty of writers have been inspired by something they read (in their opinion good or bad) simply because God gives ideas that are unique to them.
(Beth: I really know I'm not a writer, although I sometimes would like a different ending, I can never come up with anything.)

If you were stuck on an island and could only have 2 books with you other than your Bible what would they be and why would you choose those?

Sherlock Holmes, simply because I’ve never found the time to dig into the huge, imposing volumes.

The Restorer because it showed the gospel in such a way that I loved Jesus more after experiencing the beautiful story.

Thanks so much, Beth, for having me over to your blog for a chat!


Beth here again. I feel so privileged to be part of this blog tour.
Before I go, there's a few other things I would like to mention.
If you would like to start reading this great book please click here for the first 2 chapters.
Amy puts out a really insightful newsletter on a regular basis. I have greatly appreciated reading it and would recommend it to you. For more information please click here.
Amazon is selling the book, along with many other online and walk-in stores. You can also purchase the first two books in this series - Ransomed Dreams and Healing Promises.

Monday 25 May 2009

Friday 22 May 2009

Friday Fill-In #125



And...here we go!

1. Moving is something that currently occupies many of my thoughts, since that's what my family and I are in the process of at the moment.

2. The truth will set you free.

3. My best quality is listening.

4. Please, give me all the details I can't do your tax without them.

5. In nearly 10 years, I have moved house nearly 5 times (the current move will be the 5th).

6. Less stress is what I need right now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to preparing my bedroom wall for painting, tomorrow my plans include moving boxes and painting my bedroom wall and Sunday, I want to plan GNG for this week, enjoy the fellowship, teaching and worship at church and have a relaxing afternoon, hopefully doing some cross stitch and watching a movie on DVD!

Wednesday 20 May 2009

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Oh, this is so sad. I hope Rosie doesn't feel like this when we move. We're going to have to keep her shut in one room for most of moving day, just to keep her safe and out of the way. But when she comes out when we're going to take her to the new house ...

Is there anyone out there who has tips for moving house with a cat?

We're only going across town, but even so it will be a big change. We've all looked at the new house, but Rosie has no idea what's going on. All she is seeing are boxes all around the house being packed and stacked ready for moving.

Friday 15 May 2009

lolcat chares

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Friday Fill-In #124



Spring Fill-In

And...here we go!

1. If we had no winter spring wouldn't be so appreciated.

2. A daffodil looks like a face in a perpetual astonishment.

3. If I had my life to live over I would still choose spring as my favorite season.

4. Everything happens inside of four and twenty hours.

5. If you've never been thrilled try watching the ocean waves in spring - powerful one day, gentle the next.

6. To be interested in the changing seasons one must appreciate that we have seasons.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing something at home, tomorrow my plans include taking things round to the new house and putting up curtain rods and Sunday, I want to enjoy the fellowship, worship and teaching at church and have a relaxing afternoon!


For those of you who comment on my Friday Fill-Ins, I really appreciate it. I just wish I had time to return the favour.

Friday 8 May 2009

Attics

With the upcoming move to our new house, and making room plans for where furniture would go, I have been thinking about the layout of various houses and the differences between houses in Australia and other countries.

The average Australian house (at least to my knowledge) is a single level dwelling. In movies and books I frequently hear about American and English homes that have either (or both) and attic or basement. My focus here is attics.
In books attics are generally used for the storage of heirlooms that are not on display and other random objects that are too good to throw away because they have special memories attached or just because they might be useful some day.

The way it seems at the moment, our new house won't fit everything comfortably, or without rooms looking squished. Although we will have 4 bedrooms instead of 3, the other living areas are smaller and I guess you could say there are less of them.

Dad doesn't want a whole heap of things in the garage like we have had in our rented house, but some family members seem reluctant to part with various things, some for sentimental reasons. Inherited items that we just don't have room for, but are still good, are the main issue.

I still don't have all the rooms measured and drawn, nor do I have all the furniture done (although I think the main items are complete), so this may not be as much of an issue as it seems at present.

Ok, so you're still wondering why I'm thinking about attics. Well, if we had an attic in our house we could fit these items in there until such time as we found a use for them (such as the extra lounge suite which my sister may need when she moves out of home).

I know it would increase the cost of the house, but I really think they are a great idea. Instead of paying for an off-site storage facility, as some people do, you have the convenience of it right there, the things are covered by your contents insurance, and you can access them whenever you need to.

Friday Fill-in #123



Last week I was sick with a cold (not swine flu) and not using the computer, but here I am back again this week.


And...here we go!

1. Apples are to oranges as cats are to dogs (actually, to be honest, I have no idea).

2. Moving is stressful and that's all I have to say about that.

3. I think I hear someone coming this way.

4. I love our national flag but I would like to change our national anthem to something that actually means something to current day Australians, and was written by an Aussie.

5. Do what you want to do, but keep in mind that everything has consequenses.

6. Dan looked over his shoulder and behind him was a Radio Flyer wagon; in the wagon was a bucket filled with rusty nails.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to celebrating the settlement of the house my parents have bought, tomorrow my plans include something, but what I'm not sure and Sunday, I want to get back into planning for Good News Gang, enjoy being at church again after missing it last week, and resting!

Monday 4 May 2009

Wet Pants

Come with me to a third grade classroom...... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.

She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."


May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good..

Remember.....Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.

Each and everyone one of us is going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.

This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.


The Prayer:

Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy.
Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings.
Amen.

Sisterchicks In Wooden Shoes


Summary: "Summer and Noelle, two pen pals since 4th grade, meet for the first time in the land of tulips and windmills. An abnormal mammogram sends Summer on a quest to fulfill her lifelong wish before she begins the same struggle her mother fought against breast cancer. The story of these two Sisterchicks is brimming with hope and cheer and will bring encouragement for any woman who has faced a fearful future."
Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes! by Robin Jones Gunn, in stores May 5, 2009.


Looks like Robin's been having some fun with the Clogs!!
Makes me think of the year in Primary School, Grade 6, to be exact when we learned the Dutch language, well, a little of it anyway.
Can't wait to read this one, although I've been told that it's the last planned Sisterchicks book.
What will Robin do next, I wonder?

What the Cats Have Been Doing

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