The Book Tree

Weight Watchers

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

Make good on those New Year's Resolutions to lose weight with a great deal on Weight Watchers magazine. It is being offered at $4.00 for a one year subscription today. Use code 7631 at check out when you go to Discount Magazines.

Rachael Ray

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

I am so excited about today's magazine special. Rachael Ray-for only $4.50 a year! Check it out at Discount Magazines. Be sure and use code 2537 at the checkout.

Teen Vogue

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

Check out a great magazine for your teen. Teen Vogue is on special for $4.00 for a one year subscription. Check it out at Discount Magazines. Be sure to use code 5004 at checkout.

Saveur Magazine

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

Saveur Magazine is on special today. It is only $5.00 for a year's subscription. Go to Discount Magazines to order. Be sure to use code 1599 at checkout.

Readers Digest Magazine

2012-01-13T15:09:00.000-06:00

Readers Digest is on special for $4.00 for a year's subscription. Check it out at Discount Magazines. Be sure to use code 1462 at checkout.

Budget Travel Magazine

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

I love to travel and dream of visiting locations around the world. The Budget Travel magazine lets you indulge in that as it offers great pictures, articles, and hints on traveling for the budget conscious. Today you can order a year's subscription for only $3.99! Just click the link below and enter in discount code 6301.Budget Magazines

Get Healthy with Zija

2012-01-09T09:05:00.002-06:00

I have been making the same New Year's Resolution for years-get healthy and lose weight. I often start off with the best of intentions and I work hard at making that happen and then a few weeks in, I stop. I am determined to make it work this year and have found a product that is going to help me stay on track. Many are having great success with these products and I know two people personally that have lost 65 pounds and kept it off for a year. I am skeptical of products but when I see it work, I want to try it for myself. These products are made with the Moringa oleifera-nature’s miracle tree and offers the following: *Supports normal blood glucose levels *Promotes healthy digestion *Nourishes the body’s immune system *Natural anti-aging benefits *Anti-inflammatory support *Heightens mental clarity *Promotes healthy circulation *Increases energy Moringa contains: *4 times the calcium of milk *3 times the potassium of bananas *4 times the vitamin A of carrots *7 times the vitamin C of oranges *2 times the protein of yogurt *Over 90 nutrients the body needs and is absorbed 100% by the body You can check it out at Zija. Not sure if this is for you? You can try a four day sample for $12 plus $3 shipping. Leave a comment below if you are interested in products or email me.

Entrepreneur Magazine

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

Are you wanting to start your own business? Get the latest tips and trends with a subscription to Entrepreneur magazine. Today you can get a full year subscription for only $3.99! Just click on the link below and enter in code 8755.Discount Magazines

Glamour Magazine Deal

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Start off the new year with a great magazine that is full of fashion and great stories for women. Today, you can get a year's subscription for only $4.50! If you think about the cost of a magazine, you are getting twelve issues at the cost of what one would cost you at the news stand. Click on the link below to get this great deal and enter in code 5997.Discount Magazines

GQ Magazine Deal

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Do you have a man in your life that would love to have their own subscription to GQ? Today, you can subscribe to this magazine for only $4.50 a year. Just think-you are getting twelve issues for the cost of one copy. Click on the Discount Magazine link below to subscribe and enter in code 9040.Discount Magazines

Tennis Magazine

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

I know that there are some sports enthusiasts that read my blog and what better way to start your year with a new magazine subscription. Today there is a great deal on Tennis Magazine. You can get a full year subscription for only $3.99! Just click the link below and enter in code 8986.Discount Magazines

Redbook Magazine

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Inside Out Christmas
by Debora M. Coty

My veterinarian friend, Dr. Katie, tells the story about the December when a woman brought a very sick black lab into her clinic. The dog was only ten months old, so she was really just a big puppy, but she’d been vomiting incessantly and her worried owner didn’t know what was wrong.

“Why don’t you go on home?” Dr. Katie told the owner. “I’ll need to run tests for about four hours. We’ll give you a call when we’re finished.”

Dr. Katie’s assistant took x-rays and hung them on the light panel for Dr. Katie to examine. Hmm. Something looked a little peculiar. Dr. Katie called her assistant over.

“Is it just me, or does that look like a … a camel to you?” she asked incredulously.

“Matter of fact, it does,” replied the astute assistant. “And look, there’s an angel here, a shepherd there, and down there in the colon, it’s Baby Jesus!”

At that moment the phone rang. It was the dog’s distraught owner. “I can’t believe this! I just got home and glanced at the coffee table where I put my manger scene yesterday. There’s nothing there but an empty stable!”

As I thought about this quite literal technique for internalizing the true meaning of Christmas, it occurred to me that sometimes I have the opposite problem. With all the bustling busyness, my inner joy in celebration of my savior’s birth never really makes it to the outside.

Oh, I have plenty of glittery, festive evidences of the holiday in decorations, baking galore, and gifts under my tree. But those things are for show. They’re merely the pretty wrappings, not the gift itself.

Can people really see the core-deep joy that radiates within me when I think of the true gift that Papa God sent the world in his son, Jesus? Is my immeasurable gratitude for eternal life evident as I dash through this hectic season?

I’m afraid all too often, the answer is no.

I’m just too preoccupied to allow my outside to reflect my inside so that nonbelievers recognize that I rejoice because of the hope that is within me. My joy is obscured by the mounds of clutter. Gratefulness is sucked out of my soul by the vacuum called urgency.

“But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy” (Psalm 68:3, NLT).

This verse has become my prayer this Christmas season – that I would make the time to give priority to rejoicing, being glad in God’s presence, and letting my inner joy show for those who may be silently desperate to know the giver of true joy.

Yep, there’s a better way to internalize the gift of Christmas than the black lab technique. We can lodge the Little Lord Jesus in our hearts rather than our colons.

***

Debora M. Coty is a humorist, inspirational speaker, and award-winning author of twelve books, including Too Blessed to be Stressed, and coming in March, More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. Debora would love to swap Christmas hugs with you at www.DeboraCoty.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

***

Simple or Sparkle?
by Tracey Eyster

It’s a simple ornament made of thin cheap metal and it looks quite out of place on our CHRISTmas tree. But each year I lovingly and safely nestle it amongst its expensive and sparkly peers, without a care as to how unglamorous it appears.

Many of our CHRISTmas ornaments have a story and an uncanny way of welling up emotion in me, but this certain one causes an intense stir.

You see the ornament is engraved with the name of my grandmother, Sara, and was given to me by my mother, who ordered it from Hospice, after Grandmama’s death. Yes, the months leading up to her death carry memories of a frail and failing grandmama, but that ornament carries my thoughts to sweet CHRISTmas memories of the past.

CHRISTmas Eve dinners in her home, laughing, singing, gathering and celebrating a year filled with blessings as we remembered the birth of our Savior. CHRISTmas mornings, she was always there participating with glee, in our raucous CHRISTmas happiness. Her gifts were always bank envelopes gently tucked into the pine needles of our CHRISTmas tree, fresh cut from the property she grew up on.

All memories of my Grandmama make my heart swell. You see she was my Jesus with skin on. She lived her life full of joy, serving others and approached life selflessly with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?”

Just months before she left us, even as the Alzheimer’s was robbing her mind she shared her love of Jesus with a sweet little old lady friend, who came to know the Lord – a divine appointment. The very next day that little old lady silently slipped away to meet in person the One Sara introduced her to just the day before.

At the time I wept, realizing that regardless of our own frailties and failings, God can still use those of us who are willing to do His work and are well practiced at hearing His voice...no matter our lack of sparkle in comparison to others.

A simple life lived for Him, a simple ornament in memory of Sara...a simple truth for you to ponder.

***

Tracey Eyster wife, mom, relationship gatherer and Creator/Editor of FamilyLife’s MomLife Today is a media savvy mom making a difference where moms are, on-line. Through speaking, writing and video interviews Tracey is passionate about encouraging, equipping and advising moms on every facet of momlife. Her first book, Be The Mom will be released August 2012. You can connect with Tracey at www.momlifetoday.com, her personal site www.traceyster.com or www.twitter/momblog.com.

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Pearl Girls™ 12 Pearls of Christmas blogging series!

We've gathered several of today's most beloved authors to share their Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along beginning tomorrow (Wednesday the 14th) through Christmas day as Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Rachel Hauck, Sandy Ralya, Sibella Giorello, Susan May Warren and more, share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

If you'd like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers too, just email Christen and she'll send you the series.

AND of course there is a giveaway! Beginning tomorrow you and all your friends can enter to win a PEARL NECKLACE and EARRINGS valued at $450! The winner will be announced on New Year's Day! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

***

Just a quick note before the series begins on the 14th ...

As I write this, I imagine that we are sitting at my kitchen table and chatting over a cup of coffee while familiar Christmas carols celebrate the Season. My twelve year old Chihuahua, Pongo, barks for a pinch of pound cake while my Shih Tzu, Lilly, patiently sits by the chair and waits for a crumb to fall.

My name is not Martha Stewart, and I will never receive a neighborhood beautification award. Just look at my front stoop. Yes, my never-had-time-to-carve-the-pumpkin-that-now-suffers-from-frostbite slouches next to the front door which is decorated with a Christmas wreath. I plan to roll this large orange ornament to the garbage pile tomorrow. For now, however, I will pretend that my front stoop is a contemplative modern art exhibit capturing the essence of contrast.

Actually, I love the concept of juxtaposition – placing things together that don’t seem to belong together, yet somehow ultimately make sense being paired. A personal example for me this season is the phrase: “comfort and joy.” Having just completed my manuscript for New Hope Publishers about the aftermath of grief, I fully understand the contrast of those two words. How can comfort bring joy? How can one find joy in loss?

Perhaps, dear reader, you have experienced loss this year – loss of a loved one, loss of friendship, loss of health, loss of financial security, loss of trust, loss of love, or loss of direction. Even with the best intent, words of encouragement shared by others can somehow seem insufficient to address an inconsolable loss. A spoken word cannot fully restore joy to a broken heart; however the Word can. And that’s the bottom line message of Christmas! God gave us the most amazing gift: His Son - the Word of God, the Holy Comforter.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

You are not alone this Christmas, dear friend. Juxtaposed to the unexpected grit in life is the gift of God’s grace wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This year I purposely placed a pearl in the Nativity scene as a metaphoric reminder. When we place our grit into the hands of the Lord, His grace transforms our pain into a pearl.

“Joy to the world!”

Thank you so very much for sharing the JOY of the Season with us this year.

God Bless,
Margaret
@mcsweeny

***

Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts. Her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. She is also the host of weekly radio show, Kitchen Chat. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

Common English Bible Giveaway

2011-12-12T11:07:00.002-06:00

I have one copy of the Common English Bible to giveaway this week. Please leave a comment below to enter. The winner will be chosen on Sunday, December 18. Good Luck!

Common English Bible Winner

2011-12-12T11:06:00.002-06:00

Heather M from IL was this week's winner of the Common English Bible. Thanks to all that entered and remember I am giving away one a week for three months, so keep entering.

Happy Birthday Jane Austen!

2011-12-12T10:47:00.000-06:00

Jane Austen's birthday is not until Friday, December 16, but isn't it great to celebrate all week? SourceBooks is doing just that and offering some great deals on Austen related stories. Here are all the details.From Tuesday December 13th – Friday December 30th the following eBooks will be priced at $1.99 at all online e-tailers. Whether you like Darcy as a tortured vampire, a modern day rock star, a Texas rancher or anything and everything in between! There truly is a Darcy for everyone! A Darcy Christmas – Carolyn Eberhart, Sharon Lathan and Amanda Grange Darcys & the Bingleys – Marsha Altman Darcy’s Voyage – Kara Louise Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star – Heather Lynn Rigaud The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice – Abigail Reynolds Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One – Sharon Lathan Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard – Belinda Roberts Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife – Linda Berdoll Mr. Darcy, Vampyre – Amanda Grange Pemberley Chronicles – Rebecca Ann Collins Pemberley Ranch – Jack Caldwell Searching for Pemberley – Mary Lydon Simonsen Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy – Sara Angelini Darcy and Fitzwilliam – Karen V. Wasylowski Find these titles at the fantastic price at SourceBooks.

Book Giveaway

2011-12-08T11:41:00.001-06:00

The Tyndale Publishers are running a giveaway right now that some of you may be interested in. It started on November 29 and will end on December 24. All you have to do is go to their facebook page and like it and you are automatically entered. They are giving away a Life Application Study Bible Family Pack that includes: Guys Life Application Study Bible hc, Girls Life Application Study Bible hc, Student's Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible hc, Life Application Study Bible Large Print hc. They are giving away one of these packs a day! They are also giving an Apple iPad 2 away each week. So head on over there and enter to win some great prizes.New Living Translation Facebook Page

Giveaway-Brothers and Me

2011-12-07T10:57:00.001-06:00

Donna Britt has always been surrounded by men--her father, three brothers, two husbands, three sons, countless friends. She learned to give to them at an early age. But after her beloved brother Darrell's senseless killing by police 30 years ago, she began giving more, unconsciously seeking to help other men the way she couldn't help Darrell. BROTHERS (AND ME) navigates Britt's life through her relationships with men-resulting in a tender, funny and heartbreaking exploration of universal issues of gender and race. It asks: Why, for so long, did Britt-like millions of seemingly self-aware women-rarely put herself first? With attuned storytelling and hard-wrought introspection, Britt finds that even the sharpest woman may need reminding that giving to others requires giving to oneself.

I have 3 copies of this book to giveaway. The contest is open to US and Canada only and no PO Box addresses please. Please leave a comment to enter. Winners will be chosen on December 20.

Win a Nook!

2011-12-06T10:26:00.001-06:00

Would you like to win a Nook? I know I would. Well, here is your chance. Please click on the link below and get the details for how to enter. I hope one of my readers is the lucky one and would love to hear if you win.Win A Nook

Giveaway-Common English Bible

2011-12-05T08:32:00.001-06:00

This is week 3 in a 3 month giveaway to win a new Bible translation. Please leave a comment below to enter for your own FREE copy. The winner will be selected next Sunday, December 10. Good Luck! Don't forget to click on the badge for the Common English Bible on the right side of my blog for great information on this translation.

Common English Bible-Winner

2011-12-05T08:30:00.001-06:00

This week was the second week for my giveaway of the new Bible translation-The Common English Bible-and so happy that several signed up to win a copy. The winner this week is Alice W. from Kentucky. Congrats Alice! I have another giveaway this week, so if you haven't won a copy yet, enter!

CraveBox

2011-12-01T11:27:00.001-06:00

Have you heard of CraveBox? I came across this via a post on facebook and had to check it out. You can go to this site and sign up to get a box each month filled with goodies. It only costs $10 a month and you get products that will exceed that amount to include trial and full size products. Go and check it out and join like I did.CraveBox

Coupons

2011-11-30T21:27:00.002-06:00

I have recently started couponing and I love the savings. I know it is getting more popular these days but I am wondering if any of you don't use them? If you use very few or none at all and would be interested in sending them to me, I would greatly appreciate it. Please leave a comment below with your email so I can contact you if you are interested.

Common English Bible Help for Today

2011-11-29T12:39:00.000-06:00

I went out to get in my car to drive to work this morning and barely made it down the road, only to discover that I had a flat tire. As I looked at the tire, I noticed a large slash that could really have only occurred if someone had slashed it. So, I spent my morning waiting on a cop to show up and take a report. He very graciously put my spare on for me while he was there. I have a very good idea of who did this but since I didn't see it take place, I can't say for sure. However, we have a neighbor that has been causing a little havoc on our street and seems to be the most likely culprit. The cop mentioned her by name to me when he realized where I lived as there have been other reports lately on her. So, I am putting it mildly when I say that I am very upset. I have to miss a half a day of work and spend money for a new tire, that I did not have. I thought this would be a very good occasion to consult my new translation of the Common English Bible to help me lose the anger and practice forgiveness.

Please join me today in reading your Bible to help with whatever trials you have had today. You can register in a post from yesterday to win your own copy of the Common English Bible to be given away next Sunday. I will be giving away one every Sunday for three months, so you have tons of chances to win a copy. I have the badge posted on the right side of my blog so you can link straight to their site to find out all the information of what this translation offers. Enjoy! And I hope your day is much better than mine has been so far.

Book Giveaways

2011-11-28T08:39:00.000-06:00

I wanted to make a post about the book giveaways that I offer here on my blog. The giveaways are sponsored by publishers that allow me to post about them on my blog. Once the winners have been randomly selected, I send the name and address directly to the publisher. The books are sent out from the publisher, I do not send the books out. I do not have the books in my possession to send out and I felt I needed to clarify as there has been some question as to the delivery of books that are won on my blog. I apologize if anyone has not received a book that was won on this blog as I have submitted all names up to this point for all contests ever held on this blog. If you do not receive a book, I contact the publisher to let them know and then it is again up to them to research as to whether the book was mailed out and/or send out a new copy or not. Often a winner will have won the book on more than one blog but the publisher will only send the winner one copy and that can play a factor as well.

I do want to be notified if you do not receive a book so that I can do all I can do and work with the publisher to get you a copy. However, I do ask that you please do not email me numerous times with harassing comments about me sending out a book that was won. With that being said, I hope that everyone will still enjoy the blog and the contests I offer and understand how the process works.

Book Giveaway: Common English Bible

2011-11-28T08:24:00.001-06:00

I have one copy to giveaway of the new translation entitled Common English Bible. Please leave a comment below with a way to contact you if you are the winner. Good luck! Be sure to click on the badge on the side of my blog to learn more about this translation.

Winner-Common English Bible

2011-11-28T08:22:00.000-06:00

The winner for the first week of the Common English Bible is Steve C. in Kansas. Congrats Steve!
I have a copy of this new Bible translation to giveaway every week for three months so if you didn't win this week, you still have plenty of chances. Look for a post each week to enter.

National Bible Week

2011-11-22T10:22:00.000-06:00

In celebration of National Bible Week and the new translation called the Common English Bible, I started thinking about the different translations. I am a King James version girl and I always have been. I do consult other translations from time to time but I have always used the King James as my main source. I think it is because that is the first translation I ever had and I just got used to always using it over the years before other translations began getting popular. It got me curious as to see what translations that others use the most and are you open to trying new ones?
You can check out the Common English Bible and tell me what you think.

Book Giveaway: Spontaneous Happiness

2011-11-22T10:16:00.000-06:00

Everyone wants to be happy. But what does that really mean? Increasingly, scientific evidence shows us that true satisfaction and well-being come only from within.

Dr. Andrew Weil has proven that the best way to maintain optimum physical health is to draw on both conventional and alternative medicine. Now, in Spontaneous Happiness, he gives us the foundation for attaining and sustaining optimum emotional health. Rooted in Dr. Weil's pioneering work in integrative medicine, the book suggests a reinterpretation of the notion of happiness, discusses the limitations of the biomedical model in treating depression, and elaborates on the inseparability of body and mind.

Dr. Weil offers an array of scientifically proven strategies from Eastern and Western psychology to counteract low mood and enhance contentment, comfort, resilience, serenity, and emotional balance. Drawn from psychotherapy, mindfulness training, Buddhist psychology, nutritional science, and more, these strategies include body-oriented therapies to support emotional wellness, techniques for managing stress and anxiety and changing mental habits that keep us stuck in negative patterns, and advice on developing a spiritual dimension in our lives. Lastly, Dr. Weil presents an eight-week program that can be customized according to specific needs, with short- and long-term advice on nutrition, exercise, supplements, environment, lifestyle, and much more.

Whether you are struggling with depression or simply want to feel happier, Dr. Weil's revolutionary approach will shift the paradigm of emotional health and help you achieve greater contentment in your life.

I have three copies of this book to giveaway. The contest is open to US and Canada, just leave a comment below to enter. The winners will be chosen on December 20.

Book Giveaway: Queen of America

2011-11-22T08:51:00.000-06:00

After the bloody Tomochic rebellion, Teresita Urrea, beloved healer and "Saint of Cabora," flees with her father to Arizona. But their plans are derailed when she once again is claimed as the spiritual leader of the Mexican Revolution. Besieged by pilgrims and pursued by assassins, Teresita embarks on a journey through turn-of-the-century industrial America-New York, San Francisco, St. Louis. She meets immigrants and tycoons, European royalty and Cuban poets, all waking to the new American century. And as she decides what her own role in this modern future will be, she must ask herself: can a saint fall in love?

At turns heartbreaking, uplifting, and riotously funny, QUEEN OF AMERICA reconfirms Luis Alberto Urrea's status as a writer of the first rank.

I have three copies to giveaway and it is open to US and Canada only. Please leave a comment below. The winners will be chosen on December 15.

National Bible Week

2011-11-22T08:47:00.000-06:00

In celebration of National Bible Week and the Common English Bible translation blog tour, I am going to post some Bible verses and other information about the new translation over a three month period. I hope you will enjoy the posts. You can learn more about this translation at Common English Bible.
Don't forget to look at my previous posts and enter to win your own copy for free.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (CEB): “15 Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, 17 so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.”

Giveaway: Common English Bible

2011-11-20T10:00:00.000-06:00

I am participating in a 3 month long blog tour for a new Bible translation. I hope you will watch for my daily posts on this translation and great stories, verses, and information. I am giving away one copy of this translation for each week of the blog tour. Please leave a comment below with an email address so I can contact you. Also, you must follow the blog to be entered. The contests is open to US residents only and the winner for this week will be chosen on Sunday, November 27.

For more information on this translation: Common English Bible

Blog Tour: Thank You-Come Again-I Promise

2011-11-20T08:00:00.001-06:00

I am participating in a three month long blog tour that is starting today, in honor of National Bible Week. The tour is to celebrate the publication of a new Bible version called the Common English Bible. I hope that you will watch my blog over the next three months for various posts about this Bible translation. I wanted to start this off by giving a few resources.

You can like the Facebook page.
If you like the page, you will be able to immediately print off beautiful calligraphy Bible verses. A great way to share your favorites with friends and family during the National Bible Week or during the holiday season. I hope you will check it out.

Book Feature: Inspired Design

2011-11-18T09:23:00.000-06:00

Drawing from a rich family history and her own collection of acclaimed designs, California-based interior designer Roxanne Packham has joined with her teenage daughter Hannah to create Inspired Design (Inspired Design Publications), an idea-provoking book filled with stunning photographs, treasured family traditions and a plethora of truly inspirational tips for creating a warm and welcoming home, not just throughout the holiday season, but every day to follow.

Whether seeking unique ways to entertain for the upcoming holidays, celebrate with friends, begin new family traditions or showcase the family history, talents and passions in the home’s interior design, the Packhams have shown the way. In doing so, they have utilized the beautifully structured pages of Inspired Design to reveal the classic truth that any home is made more beautiful when it is filled with love, joy and the determination to make those who enter it feel welcomed.

10 Tips for Setting a Beautiful Holiday Table

By Roxanne Hughes Packham,

Co-Author of the Hospitality Book: Inspired Design

In today’s rough economic climate, keep in mind that although I hope to inspire you to set a beautiful Thanksgiving or Christmas table the real beauty comes from the thought and love you show your friends and family. Beautiful tables comprise equal parts from the “Inspired” & the “Design” categories. See examples: http://www.inspireddesignpublications.blogspot.com/.

Inspired

~Place cards

I love to use the ceramic place cards that can be written on with a wipe-off marker. You can quickly write people’s names, a favorite quote or sentiment. Friends love that you thought about them before the dinner and even something as simple as writing their names on the place cards really makes them feel remembered.

~Welcome Sign

It is so welcoming, to have a sign somewhere near the front door to greet your family and friends. From a very personal “Welcome Smith Family” or a seasonal “Merry Christmas” to “We are so glad you are here” on a casual chalkboard or an elegant mirror or glass framed, and write with a wipe-off marker, that welcome sets the tone for the rest of the event. I used an antique French cupboard door and painted it with chalkboard paint on the raised panel part.

~Quote or Scripture

The most inspirational part of the Holiday table is the beautiful quotes and scriptures. It depends on the occasion, but a quote that is either inspiring or focused on gratitude is the favorite. There is nothing like feasting your eyes, and then your thoughts, on what we can be thankful for, especially as an example for our children. Scattering them around the home (powder room, end tables, above door jam’s) is a great way to elevate your family and friends thoughts.

Design

~Fresh Greenery

Sometimes we mistakenly think a tabletop has to have flowers as a centerpiece to be really elegant and festive. Greenery is a wonderful, fresh and festive way to make a beautiful Christmas table. Simply cut a few small twigs of trees/bushes like pine or ivy, or my favorite boxwood branches, bay tree and magnolia leaves and put them in three smaller glass or crystal vases.

~Candles

No table is complete, in my opinion, with 5 to 7 little glass votives with white candles in them. The light sparkles and makes everything else on the table more beautiful and sets a soft, relaxing, often more romantic tone.

~Seasonal Piece

By seasonal I suggest a “Santa” figurine or such, a gingerbread house, or a standing cross to have in the center of the table. A clear jar of candy canes, M&M’s or such would do just fine, as well. Think: Something available only at this time of year. I usually have plenty of items in the Holiday Decor that I switch out to put on the table for each dinner.

~Napkin Rings

These can be such a pretty way to pull a linen napkin through to set on a place and make a really beautiful table setting. You can use french ribbons, or plain silver rings and they help to really make a bigger impact for an inspiring table.

~Sparkling Glasses

Whether crystal or glass, tall freshly washed glass sparkle so much with the votive candles that it is hard to wrong with this combo. A tall glass and short glass of whatever kind you like is very dramatic and beautiful, set together. Whether colored or clear the sparkle is crucial for the holiday table.

~White Plates

Although I love to use seasonal chargers and salad plates a crisp white plate is the most beautiful element to my favorite tables. They can be dressed up or down, and makes each setting look fresh and not heavy and overdone.

~Seasonal Linens

Of course, linen napkins add the most wonderful touch of elegance to any table, and Christmas plaid or red and green are no exception. My grandfather, who was a “Silversmith to the Stars”, loved a bare table with only plates (or placemats) but wasn’t a fan of covering a beautiful wood table. I have followed suit. Try leaving the wood table bare! The natural elements together is beautiful and simple.

“I tell you, the more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Publishing

2011-11-18T08:39:00.000-06:00

I know that many book lovers are also writers and aspiring to get published. I would fit into that category and I have started to get my butt in gear lately and really start to work on writing and start submitting in the hopes of being published. I came across some publishers that are looking for submissions and wanted to share with those of you that are like me and dream of one day accomplishing that goal.

The three publishers listed here are looking for fiction submissions.
Bellevue Literary Press
Insomniac Press
Soft Skull Press

Literary Agents looking for Submissions.
Barer Literary
Accept queries via traditional mail and e-mail (no phone or fax queries). This agency is looking for about any fiction genre that is not romance, thrillers and suspense.

Sandra Dijkstra Literary
Has a need for novel submissions, but there's a catch: Sandra Dijkstra herself is not accepting unsolicited submissions. However, four of the other agents in the agency are accepting submissions via e-mail.

Levine Greenberg Literary Agency
Allows prospective novelists to make submissions via an electronic submission form on their website. They represent a wide range of fiction projects—good stories are what they want.

Victoria Sanders and Associates
Accepts novel submissions via e-mail (both query and first three chapters—or about 25 pages in the body of the message). Currently looking for action, adventure, ethnic, feminist, gay, lesbian, literary, and thriller novels.

You can find this information and more at Writers Market.

Blog Hop: Gratitude Giveaway

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

It is time for another giveaway that is attached to a blog hop. The blog hop is courtesy of I'm A Reader Not a Writer. Be sure and go to the blog to see a list of all the participating blogs and enter to win. The contest will run from today until November 27, with the winner be chosen on November 28.

I am giving away a $10 gift card to Amazon. I never know what book to offer and think a gift card is the best way so you can pick what you want. This contest is simple to enter, just make sure you are a follower and leave a comment letting me know that with an email address so I can contact you if you win. The giveaway is open to everyone, it doesn't matter where you live. Good Luck!

Blog Tour: The Song of Unmaking

2011-11-15T16:08:00.000-06:00

The Song of Unmaking by D. Barkley Briggs

Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Living Ink Books (October 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0899578659
ISBN-13: 978-0899578651

Synopsis:
He was once the greatest champion in the land. Then he disappeared. With Nemesia's defeat, the Barlows have helped turn the tide in the Hidden Lands. But the victory is short-lived. An even greater evil stirs in the north with a fierce new army bent on destruction. As the twins, Gabe and Garret, discover their own special powers, a thin thread of hope emerges: long ago, a fabled king was rescued from death on our world and hidden on Karac Tor. Who is he? Each brother has their part to play. Hadyn must travel north to warn the land rulers, which leaves Ewan with a bitter choice. Will he sacrifice what is most precious to discover whether Corus lives? Even more important, if Corus is alive, can he wake the Sleeping King of legend...before it's too late?

About the Author:

D. Barkley Briggs is an author with a background in radio, public relations, product development, and-for eleven years-pastoring. He and his wife Jeanie, both previously widowed, live in the Midwest along with their eight children. (Yes, we are regularly amazed, too. Learn more at hiddenlands.net

My review:
I must say that I am a huge fan of Robert Jordan and I compare most to his writing. Therefore, it takes a great deal from a fantasy/science fiction writer to get my interest and make me a fan. In saying that, Briggs has made me a fan of his series. The book is great for young adults and adults and has a strong Christian influence in the story. The story weaves between the known world and a hidden world and allows the reader to dream and escape reality, if even for the length of the book. I think this is a great book to bridge the young reader into young adult books, they can transition easily into longer prose and a world that grows with their imagination.

Make sure you go to the author's site and check out a fantastic giveaway, you can click on the right side box labeled as Readers Dream Contest. Good Luck!
www.deanbriggs.com

Spalding University: MFA Program

2011-11-08T11:03:00.001-06:00

I am contemplating applying for the MFA Program in creative writing with an emphasis in Fiction/Creative Non-Fiction and have been diligently researching the program at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. I am on the search for anyone that has gone through this program and can tell me what they liked, didn't like, etc. Any info that anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Book Review: Amazing Adventures of a Nobody

2011-11-07T10:51:00.002-06:00

Title: Amazing Adventures of a Nobody
Author: Leon Logothetis
Genre: Travel Memoir
Publication Date: October 15, 2011
Pages: 290
Price: $14.95
ISBN 13: 978-0-9843081-3-2
Publisher: Bettie Youngs Books
I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.

In a time of economic anxiety, global terror, and shaken confidence, the Star of the National Geographic Channel’s Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, Leon Logothetis, shows us what is good about mankind: the simple calling people have to connect to others.

Tired of his disconnected life and uninspiring job, Leon Logothetis leaves it all behind: job, money, home, even his cell phone and hits the road with nothing but the clothes on his back and $5 in his pocket, relying on the kindness of strangers and the serendipity of the open road for his daily keep.

Along the way, Leon offers up the intriguing and charming tales gathered along his one-of-a-kind journey riding in trains and buses and big rigs and classic cars; sleeping on streets and couches and firehouses; meeting pimps and preachers, astronauts and single moms, celebrities and homeless families, veterans and communists. Each day of his journey, we catch sight of the invisible spiritual underpinning of society in these stories of companionship and sheer adventure that prove that the kind, good soul of mankind has not been lost.

About the author: Leon Logothetis was born and raised in London, UK. He has a great passion for adventure, travel and interacting with people. Following his passion he created the reality travel show “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody,” where he traveled from Time Square, New York, to the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles with $5 a day and relying on the kindness of strangers. The show was licensed to National Geographic International and aired in over 100 countries worldwide. Learn more at http://www.leonlogothetis.com/

What they're saying about Amazing Adventures of a Nobody:
“A gem of a book; endearing, engaging and inspiring.”
~ Catherine Hamm, Los Angeles Times Travel Editor

My review:
Leon is a British man that has become disillusioned with his path in life and is on the search to have more meaning and try to find out what he is really supposed to be doing. As he searches for an answer, he decides to fly to America to try to find his path. As he starts in New York City and makes his way to the Hollywood sign, the book is stocked full adventure.

Not only does the search to find his path, yet he relies on $5 a day and the kindness of strangers to get him from start to finish. The strangers that he met along the way provided food, transportation, and housing. He finds himself getting lucky as Americans are in love with his accent and want to help out a stranger in the country to reach their goal. However, he runs into trouble at times as he is accosted by others that prove to be unsettling characters.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the concept of the author stepping completely out of his comfort zone and engaging with people and life in a way that he would have never encountered in his current life in England. At times the book was a little slow and I found myself wanting more details in some of the situations he encountered but overall, I am glad that I read the book.

FYI: Leon is now traveling the country in a Kindness Cab to raise money for books for schools.
http://www.kindnesscab.com/

After you read the book and you want the adventure to continue, you can check out the television series based on the book.

Book Giveaway: Love and Shame and Love by Peter Orner

2011-11-07T08:13:00.002-06:00

I have two copies of this book to giveaway. The contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and no PO boxes. Please leave a comment below or email me to enter. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you. The winners will be chosen on November 18.

Synopsis:
Alexander Popper can't stop remembering. Four years old when his father tossed him into Lake Michigan, he was told, Sink or swim, kid. In his mind, he's still bobbing in that frigid water. The rest of this novel's vivid cast of characters also struggle to remain afloat: Popper's mother, stymied by an unhappy marriage, seeks solace in the relentless energy of Chicago; his brother, Leo, shadow boss of the family, retreats into books; paternal grandparents, Seymour and Bernice, once high fliers, now mourn for long lost days; his father, a lawyer and would-be politician obsessed with his own success, fails to see that the family is falling apart; and his college girlfriend, the fiercely independent Kat, wrestles with impossible choices.

Covering four generations of the Popper family, Peter Orner illuminates the countless ways that love both makes us whole and completely unravels us. A comic and sorrowful tapestry of memory of connection and disconnection, Love and Shame and Love explores the universals with stunning originality and wisdom.

My Other Blogs

2011-11-03T16:17:00.000-05:00

I have two other blogs that I try to post on from time to time and am going to start doing much better with them. I wanted to tell all of the book people about them, just in case they have other interests like I do. I am trying to get many new followers on the other two blogs, as I will be able to offer giveaways on those if I do.

My blog that is all about crafts.
The Cross Stitch Corner

My blog that is about weight loss/food/recipes.
The Creation of Me

I would greatly appreciate followers for these two blogs.

Book Expo America

2011-11-02T15:56:00.002-05:00

It is a dream of mine to attend this conference and I am planning on going in 2012. I have been perusing the site to find out prices of registration and it isn't up yet. However, I don't see where ordinary people can go. Does anyone know if I have to be a part of a publishing company, bookstore, or media? And does a blog count as media?

I want to go to the Bloggers conference that will be held on that Monday and haven't been able to find any information about the price to attend or registration.

Is there anyone that has attended these that can give me more information about them? If you are going, I would love to know so we can meet up!

Book Review: Any Minute

2011-11-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Any Minute
Author: Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: FaithWords; 1 edition (June 30, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446582530
ASIN: B003WUYRRW

About the Authors:
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than eighty inspirational books, including The Secret to True Happiness, 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life, the entire Battlefield of the Mind family of books, her first venture into fiction with The Penny,and many others. She has also released thousands of audio teachings, as well as a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday LifeÒ radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

Deborah Bedford is a career fiction writer who began her professional life as a journalist in a Colorado mountain town. Deborah and her husband, Jack, have two children and live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

My review:
Sarah Harper is a wife, mother, and employee. Yet she seems to only see herself as the employee, as she only garners fulfillment in her life by what she accomplishes at her job. As she runs around in the rat race of life, her priorities are skewed and her life is beginning to spin out of control. Sarah doesn't see a problem with her life and how she leads it until she is in a terrifying accident.

The accident takes her on a journey that she isn't quite prepared to see. A journey that explores her past, present, and future in an effort to make her realize the changes that need to be made. Will this journey be enough to send her back to her family or will her choices keep her from being revived?

The book has a Christian based theme to it but it isn't so prevalent as to scare off readers that are not interested in that genre. The story was well written and shows the power of our everyday decisions and how faith and belief can make everything return to the correct path. I enjoyed this book and read it within a few hours over two nights of reading. I hope you will check this one out.

If anyone would like to purchase my copy (hardback), I am only asking for $6 to cover the cost of the envelope and shipping. The first one to leave a comment or email will be the new owner.

Guest Blog: Marie Spencer

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Bio:
Born in North Dakota, as the pioneers were dying off; reared in Iowa, where progress gobbled up farms and education was venerated. Dropped out of college and moved to North Carolina, where I found true love, real life, finished college and grad school, and became the librarian I was always meant to be. Now living in Kentucky, about which I read incessantly when I was growing up in Iowa, and loving it. Avid reader; appreciator of people, film, music, the glories of nature and the role of religion in life. Oh, I should also say my daughter calls me Pollyanna.

Thoughts on Books:
I had a story-telling grandmother, who was an avid reader and who encouraged my mom to read to her children. Living with our grandparents for some time, I benefitted from young uncles who enjoyed sharing the comics with us. The Katzenjammer Kids had us all rolling on the floor and Popeye the Sailor Man actually got us to eat (very unwillingly) spinach. All of us piled around Mom and quietly listened as she read nursery rhymes, fairy tales, legends and poems from the 1953 edition of Childcraft, the best Christmas gift she ever gave us. Despite all this enrichment, I didn't actually begin to read until 1st grade, but once started, I could not stop! I adored phonics lessons: “B says buh, buh, buh”. We were not supposed to take our reading primers home, but I could not leave Dick, Jane and Sally in my desk overnight. I took them home, reading as I walked and finishing the book before bedtime.

As soon as I understood how words were formed, I began reading the newspaper on my own. What power! And, to my mom's delight, I enjoyed reading the comics and Uncle Wiggily installments to my little brothers and sisters. She was able to cook supper in next to no time, with the youngsters gathered around the table, reading. On the flip side, I read things I didn’t understand and that made her very nervous. “What does r-a-p-e mean, Mommy?” I asked after reading a Dear Abby column. I can still see her biting her lip and mulling over how to explain it to 7 year old me.

I asked Marie to answer a few questions so we could get to know a little more about her:

Favorite Book? Pippi Longstocking -- the bravest girl in the world, who opened my eyes to what I could do and be

Favorite Author? Dr. Seuss; Pauli Murray; Kathleen Norris (1947-); Thor Heyerdahl

Describe yourself using only three words. Open-minded; Affectionate; Appreciative

You are on a deserted island, name one person and one book you would take with you.
Mother Teresa
How Does a Poem Mean? ed. by John Ciardi -- thousands of words to celebrate

Favorite tv show? Soap

Favorite food? Bread

Anything you haven’t done in your life that you want to do? Travel to the moon; Skydive; Visit New York City

Giveaway Winners

2011-11-01T15:20:00.000-05:00

The winners for See Mix Drink are...loud drumroll...
Beth M. from NJ
Dina N. from GA

Thanks to all that entered. I have to say that I really enjoyed this book and will have a review up soon.

New Blog Feature

2011-11-01T14:19:00.000-05:00

I posted on the blog-many months ago-that I would like to have book lovers write guest posts to appear on my blog. I always like to talk to anyone that loves books to see what they like, dislike, and give me book suggestions on titles that I must read. Sadly, I didn't have one person take me up on that offer. So, I drafted some friends to do one to get this feature started. I would still love to have anyone that would like to write a guest post to either leave a comment here or email me so I can give you the details. Come back to the blog tomorrow to see the first guest post!

Happy Birthday!

2011-11-01T14:14:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday! I am celebrating, or rather I have been celebrating since last Friday. I need to celebrate or maybe I should cry as this one is a big one. I was trying to decide what to do on the blog for my birthday and I decided I would let you readers give me a present. I would love for you to post a comment telling me what you would like to see on my blog. It can be any suggestion that you have: tell me to get rid of something I do, tell me you like a feature I have, or suggest a new feature that you would like to see. I am open to all suggestions and want to tweak the content a bit to make my readers happier. Oh and if you would like to win a hand stitched bookmark from me, simply tell me to enter you for the drawing.

Spooktacular Book Giveaway Hop

2011-10-24T08:36:00.002-05:00

I love this time of year. The leaves are turning brilliant colors, the weather is getting cooler, and curling up with a great book is the best way to spend an afternoon. In celebration of fall and Halloween, I am participating in the Spooktacular Book Giveaway Blog Hop sponsored by Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer. There are over 400 blogs participating in this hop and you can see them all here. So get on it right away and enter them all for some fantastic prizes.

Here on my blog I am giving away a $15 gift card and you tell me where you want to spend it. It can be Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, you name it as long as it is for a bookstore. The contest will end at midnight on Halloween night, so enter right away. The contest is open to anyone, anywhere. You must be a follower to enter and then just leave a comment below about telling me the best book you have read so far this year.

Book Review: Dying to Do Letterman

2011-10-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

I received a free copy of this ebook on NetGalley.com. I am participating in a NetGalley Read-a-Thon for the month of October and you can check out more on that here.

About the Book
Steve Mazan's someday was to perform on The Late Show with David Letterman. In his early thirties Steve was diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer that spread to his liver. Doctors told him he might have only five years left to live. So Steve did something strange: he started living. In a literal race against time, he decided to chase that childhood dream and turn someday into today—he would perform his act live on The Late Show with David Letterman . . . even if it killed him.
With his confidence in a rut and his healthcare bills mounting, Steve finds himself filing for bankruptcy, receiving rejection after rejection, battling death, and questioning his dream.

About the Author
Steve Mazan. Man? Myth? Legend? Some people say he's none of these. Steve is, however, one of the hottest comedians and speakers in the country and a veteran of the US Navy. Critics have described his act as 'brilliant,' 'goofy,' and 'exceptionally clever.' That reputation has landed him on the most coveted stages and numerous television shows, including The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Steve's journey to try and get on the Letterman show has been made into an award-winning documentary that's been called 'inspiring' and 'side-splittingly funny.' A former writer for Ellen Degeneres, Steve has also appeared on Last Comic Standing, Byron Allen, and The Bob & Tom Show. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Denise, and his dogs, Wrigley and Kuma, and currently travels the country to film festivals where his documentary is racking up critic awards and audience acclaim. For more information on the movie Dying to Do Letterman and about Steve and his latest book, visit www.stevemazan.com and www.dyingtodoletterman.com.

My review:
I had no idea who Steve Mazan was when I got the opportunity to review this selection. However, I am a huge fan of memoirs and I was anxious to learn about someone new. I was pleasantly surprised by the book as I was afraid it would be more comedy and jokes than it was. I liked that there was a mixture of comedy throughout and that it wasn't over the top. The comedy didn't take away from learning about Mazan as a person and I think that added to his likability and caused me to continue to root for him to get on Letterman. The writing was good, yet at times, it was a little slow moving. I attribute the slow moving areas to certain selections where Mazan goes through a short comedy routine and it just didn't have the same affect on paper as it would to watch it live and the book lost a bit of its lustre for me then. Yet, I am still glad I read the selection.

You can check out info about his documentary below.

Dying to do Letterman - IndieGOGO from Joke and Biagio on Vimeo.

Site for Book Giveaways

2011-10-19T08:28:00.000-05:00

I received an email today about a new site that has been started. I went to check it out and joined and thought my readers would be interested. The site is great and simple to use. You simply sign up and select books they have for giveaway that you would like to win. You hook up your twitter account with the Dream site and once the tweet has been sent, you are entered. Go check it out!
www.dreamonus.com

Writers Lair Books

2011-10-17T10:26:00.000-05:00

In honor of National Book Month, Writer's Lair is having a Pay-What-You-Can book event where you let us know how much you can pay for one of our books and we send you the book for that price! I think everyone should own a book and I couldn't imagine not having any in my own house or growing up. So, in light of a stressful economy, I thought I'd help keep books alive by offering this cool option. The holiday season is also coming up and it would be nice to get some book lovers a gift they'll enjoy. I'd love for you all to also pass it along if you can. Here's the link:

http://blog.writerslairbooks.com/2011/10/pay-what-you-can-books-really

I Heart Taylor Swift!

2011-10-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

I like country music but I have never really been a fan of Taylor Swift. I know, I know, I am going to get all kinds of hate mail telling me I must love her music. I do agree that she has talent and I am aware that she is writing most of her songs and I she has made great accomplishments at such a young age. However, I am still not really a fan of her music. I now have a greater respect for her and am starting to love her for the good she is doing in the literary world. I hope you will all go and read the story located through the link below and love her too.

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/14/taylor-swift-donates-6000-books-to-library/

Guest Post: Jodi Thomas

2011-10-17T09:46:00.000-05:00

THE COMFORTS OF HOME will be hitting the stands on Nov. 1, 2011 and I’m very excited to see my people of Harmony, Texas come alive. In my mind they already are and sometimes I feel like they’re so real that I could pack my bag and go down for a visit any time I liked.With writing it’s always been that way for me. I don’t really feel like I create characters, I feel like I just meet people and get to know them. If I’m lucky they tell me their story. When I meet people who read and love my books I always like to hug them. After all, we have friends in common. In THE COMFORTS OF HOME I wrote about people who probably live all around us but we never take the time to know. One was Ronelle Logan. She’d lived and worked at the post office without anyone noticing her. She solved the funeral home’s crossword puzzles before she handed over the magazines, but no one complained. Tyler Wright, the funeral director, just brought her a huge crossword puzzle book. He was a kind man who tried to help everyone he came across. In the lives of these people now and then, wonder happens, brightening the world around. I love writing and plan to do it as long as stories come. Writing is hard work and I often think the story will never be as bright at it is in my mind. Then I remember that someone asked Mark Twain about his wonderful stories and he said, “You should have seen it in my head.” So, order, or borrow, or download my story, cuddle up in your favorite chair and come along with me on a journey that will make you feel at home in Harmony.
Jodi Thomas
www.jodithomas.com

Book Review and Giveaway: The Comforts of Home

2011-10-17T09:41:00.001-05:00

In her third Harmony novel, Thomas takes readers back to that Texas town where a number of romances come to a head after a tornado strikes. Funeral director Tyler Wright struggles to profess his love to Maj. Kate Cummings. Aspiring rodeo star Noah MacAllen keeps returning to Harmony and his best friend (and beloved) Reagan Truman. Reagan, whose “uncle” Jeremiah (he’s her foster father) is dying, wrestles with her feelings for Noah and local firefighter Bran-don Biggs. Meanwhile, shy Ronelle Logan meets angry, lonely Martin Winslow, who helps her emerge from her shell. Despite their passion, Claire Matheson has trouble committing to Denver Sims. The tornado leaves each character wondering if loved ones have survived, and this uncertainty forces them to action. Even for readers new to the series, the intricate relationships be-tween these affable men and eccentric women are easy to follow and even easier to love. Thomas skillfully juggles the many subplots, and the relationship between Ro-nelle and Marty, which inspires both to trust again, is especially touching.

About the Author:
Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today best-selling author of 34 novels and 11 short storycollections. In June 2011, WELCOME TO HARMONY won a RITA, the highest award for contemporary fiction. Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.
www.jodithomas.com

My review:
I was glad to get back to people of Texas that I have come to feel are a part of my life, or rather that I am a part of theirs as I read about their world and become enmeshed in it once again. Jodi Thomas has written this third novel in the Harmony series and I have a hard time waiting on eah installment as I want to continue with the characters upon reaching the last pages. Thomas has once again gone above and beyond expectations in this story line and keeps her writing fresh and the reader engaged. You must go out and buy this series!

I have one copy of this book to giveaway. Please leave a comment below with a way for me to contact you. The winner will be chosen on October 23.

Book Review: Six Weeks to Skinny Jeans

2011-10-14T09:16:00.001-05:00

Title: Six Weeks to Skinny Jeans
Author: Amy Cotta
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Rodale Books (December 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1609611071
ISBN-13: 978-1609611071
I received a free ebook copy for my Kindle via www.netgalley.com. I am participating in NetGalley's October Read-a-Thon and you can too-find out all the details at Red House Books.

We all have a pair: those frumpy, roomy, "fat jeans" we reach for when a few (or more than a few) extra pounds have banished our favorite "skinny jeans" to the back of the closet. Well, get ready to toss those fat jeans, because personal trainer and fitness expert Amy Cotta is here to help you tone up, slim down, and stay motivated until you can shimmy back into those sexy skinny jeans for good.

Cotta believes that the key to skinny jeans success is threefold: diet, exercise, and attitude. Her 6-week eating plan trims fast-burning carbohydrates for the first 3 weeks, ignites weight loss, then reintroduces and manages those carbs for the second half of the plan. Her graduated fitness plan offers three styles of cardio and strength-training exercises that get progressively more challenging to keep you from getting bored or hitting a plateau while you sculpt those curves. Both plans are simple to follow in your own home--no gym, fancy equipment, or expensive food deliveries required--and there are calendars, food logs, and meal plans to help you stay upbeat and organized. Plus, photos and stories of real-life results from Cotta’s clients who are back in their skinny jeans and loving it show how easy it is to regain the trim, lithe contours that make you look great and feel a youthful confidence you thought was gone forever.

Packed with dynamic, down-to-earth strategies, Six Weeks to Skinny Jeans will inspire you to take control of your lifestyle and feel younger, sexier, and fitter than ever before.

About the Author
Amy Cotta is an NSCA-certified celebrity trainer, a fitness writer, and the inventor of home exercise equipment. She is a passionate philanthropist who founded Team TRI Pink, a group of women who compete in athletic events to raise money and awareness for cancer research. She was voted one of Nashville’s 25 Most Beautiful People in 2008. She lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband and six children.

My review:
Once I started reading this book, I quickly realized it wasn't just another weight loss guide book. Amy Cotta is excited and her passionate voice for this program shines through the words on the page. The suggestions for food and exercise are easy to follow and I like that it isn't a complicated program. It is so easy to get discouraged with new ideas because they require so many different steps or specialty food and exercises to work. However, Amy keeps it simple and shares her own personal struggles and how this program was her saving grace for getting back into great shape. I think this book is great for all that are looking for a simple weight loss program, however, those that need the constant encouragement to keep going will definitely get it from Cotta's "go team" writing style.

BookPerk.com

2011-10-12T10:41:00.000-05:00

I am not sure if any of you use BookPerk but I get emails from them offering great book deals. I received one today about a giveaway for the latest James Rollins book. You can click on my link below to join my team and if our team has the most people we all win a copy.

http://www.bookperk.com/contest/james-rollins-group?g=6778G6

Team Code: 6778G6

Check out the link below to see the book trailer of the book you can win.

http://bcove.me/l74a1zd0

Bookshelves

2011-10-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

I am always interested in what other people are reading and can't get enough suggestions on what I should read next. I came across this link today that shows bookshelves in various offices and I wanted to share it.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikehayes/awesome-stacks-of-books-found-in-offices

What does your bookshelf look like? Or do you keep a stack on the night stand? I would love to see pictures of the place that you stack your books in. In fact, I am looking for the most creative, unusual, fantastic space that you have and I want you to send me a picture of it. I will post all on the blog for the readers to enjoy. The picture that gets the most comments/votes will win a $10 gift card from me so they can buy another book to put on that shelf. You will have until November 15 to send me your pictures. Please send them to my email address laura.leahj@ gmail dot com.

Books

2011-10-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

I have many books that I need to get rid of. My house is over flowing in books. I have been contemplating on what to do with these and thought I might offer them to my readers on here. However, shipping can get expensive, since I do have many to get rid of. I was wondering if any of my readers would be interested in getting a book and only paying me for postage? I was thinking of having a postage fee of $3 and that could be sent to me via paypal or regular mail and then I would send out the book you have requested from my list. Would anyone be interested in this? Or if you have other suggestions, please comment below.

NetGalley

2011-10-12T09:41:00.001-05:00

Have I mentioned how much I love NetGalley? Well, if you don't know, I am shouting it from the rooftops today. NetGalley is a great site where hundreds of publishers allow readers to review ebooks that have just been published or are set to be published in the near future. The publishers run the gamut from University presses to the large well-known publishing houses. If you haven't signed up for this site to review ebooks, you should go right now and join and select that first book to read.

www.netgalley.com

It is also Read-a-Thon month on NetGalley and I am participating in reading as many selections from the site as possible this month. Won't you join me?

So far I have read Six Weeks to Skinny Jeans by Amy Cotta. Keep watching for my NetGalley posts so you can keep up with what I am reading from there this month. I would love to have comments on the selections you read from there this month. Also, you can join Red House books and share with them your reading and get entered to win prizes.
http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2011/10/netgalley-october-is-here-declare.html

Book Giveaway: See Mix Drink

2011-10-12T09:23:00.002-05:00

Have you tried mixing a Mojito? What about a Rusty Nail? Or a Cosmopolitan? With SEE MIX DRINK by Brian D. Murphy, the first-ever cocktail book to offer instruction through info-graphics, making the drinks you love at home is as easy as, well, See, Mix, Drink.

This unique, illustrated guide graphically demonstrates how to make 100 of today's most popular cocktails. For each drink, color-coded ingredients are displayed in a line drawing of the appropriate glassware, alongside a pie chart that spells out the drink's composition by volume for intuitive mixing. No other cocktail book is this easy or fun. Instantly understandable 1-2-3 steps show exactly how each drink is prepared, and anecdotes, pronunciation guides, and photographs of the finished drinks will turn newbie bartenders into instant mixologists.

Brian D. Murphy’s favorite mixed drink is the Old Fashioned, having been inspired to try it after watching Mad Men. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Nicole and their three pets Kate, MeowMeow, and Maya.You can learn more about Brian on Facebook.com/SeeMixDrink.

Watch my blog for an upcoming review of this book.

Would you like to read an excerpt? Click here.

I have two copies of this book to giveaway. The contest is for US and Canadian residents. Please leave a comment below to enter and tell me your favorite drink! Winners will be chosen on October 29.

Book Review and Giveaway: Recipes For Life

2011-10-12T09:15:00.004-05:00

My review:
I really enjoyed this book and Linda Evans' take on life and her sharing of her success and trials. I was a pre-teen/early teenager when Dynasty was on television and I remember watching faithfully each week with my mom. I am a huge fan of memoirs and this one satisfied my quest for that in not only hearing Evans' story, but in her sharing of recipes to go along with her life and those she has met throughout her career. I was pleasantly surprised to read her stories and realize she is a gourmet cook, who even won a very famous cooking competition-you will have to read the book to find out details! The book is comprised of short selections that she provides about her life (each with a recipe) and it keeps the reader engaged in short bursts, rather than a long novel. I enjoyed this as it reminded me of snapshots and gives you the feel of being a papparazzi, without the stalking of course. I can't wait to try out all the recipes in the book and will be sure to post what I think of them.

RECIPES FOR LIFE
My Memories

Ever since her dazzling breakout performance in television’s “Big Valley,” gorgeous and gracious Golden Globe award-winner Linda Evans has been collecting recipes from world-renowned chefs, celebrities, and friends, including Barbara Stanwyck, John Wayne, Tony Curtis, and others to share with those she loves. After entering the movie world and starring with leading men such as Richard Burton, Steve McQueen, George Peppard, and of course John Forsythe, in the TV megahit “Dynasty,” Linda continued her love affair with cooking.

Now, in RECIPES FOR LIFE: My Memories (Vanguard Press; October 2011; $25.99), written with her stepdaughter Sean Catherine Derek, Linda Evans candidly dishes stories of growing up to live and play among Hollywood’s royalty, showcasing more than 75 photos of her life and career, many from her private collection, and interspersing her insights from her journey toward empowerment and spiritual peace with more than 40 favorite recipes —all linked to a memorable experience from her life. Both her reminiscences and her recipes include tangy, tart and sweet. Magical memories mix with painful ones, and her sugar-topped dessert Peach Heaven is included with dinners like the flavorful, spicy Puerco Picante. Publishers Weekly calls it “entertaining … a madcap fairy tale filled with magical moments, romantic adventures, friendships with the rich and famous, and personal challenges … with applications far beyond Hollywood and the kitchen.”

Linda Evans has dined with kings, queens, and presidents, been invited to the White House, and met Pope Paul, but as a teenager she witnessed her parents turn to alcohol, and mourned her father’s death when she was 15. She enjoyed great loves but there was heartbreak behind her high-profile romances. She recounts meaningful moments of her inner life, too — how she learned to take the pressure of performance and turn it into excitement, reached for and claimed independence, and found a deeply enriching lifestyle in the Pacific Northwest.

In RECIPES FOR LIFE, Linda includes Mom’s Hot Dog Stew, a staple her mom could serve on their limited budget to young Korean War servicemen her cousin would invite over. She also relates:
• The reluctant non-audition that landed her first acting job, a national commercial, and how the “worst reading” that a director ever heard led to her debut appearance on “The Big Valley” as Audra, the daughter of Victoria Barkley, played by Barbara “Missy” Stanwyck, who became a nurturing figure in her life and acting career and inspired the recipe for Missy’s Hobo Fillet;
• Her marriage to actor/filmmaker John Derek, and their evenings with Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, and John Wayne (she adds Duke’s Crab Dip), plus her long friendships with the three other ex-wives of John Derek — including Cathy Collins, aka Bo Derek, who was 15 when John fell for her and left Linda, and Ursula Andress, who joined Linda at a Playboy mansion costume party, both women dressed as boxers;
• How she ended up behind the camera, shooting dramatic footage of Evel Kneivel’s famous daredevil jump at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas;
• Breakfast with Richard Burton, who offered his guests tumblers of vodka;
• Her friendship with Nobu Matsuhisa, and why the celebrated chef credits Linda with inspiring his recipe for Hollandaise-like “egg sauce,” plus special dinners with Roger and Luisa Moore, David and Dani Janssen, Leslie and Tony Curtis (with their recipe for Lemon Soufflé with Raspberry Sauce), and others;
• A guest spot on “Circus of the Stars” that ended with the teeth of the 200-pound leopard Sheba in her chest, her somewhat less dangerous winning appearance on the British TV reality show, “Hell’s Kitchen,” working under Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White, and flying with the Blue Angels;
• How Rock Hudson protected her by refusing to kiss her deeply on “Dynasty” when he alone on the set knew he had the AIDS virus;
• The drive with her lively friend Bunky that landed her in jail, sharing her home with Bunky and Ursula Andress, whose regular visitor poolside was Sean Connery, and what happened at the White House when wild Bunky met Dom DeLuise, who was dressed like Count Dracula;
• Loving and living in the moment with musician and composer Yanni, and much more.

RECIPES FOR LIFE is a delicious and delightful look into the world of beloved actress and gourmet-caliber cook Linda Evans, memorably serving up the stories behind the so-called scandals, scintillating soirees, scrumptious steaks, salads, soups, and more.

About the Author
Linda Evans is a Golden Globe award-winning actress who has personified beauty and grace on screen and stage, from her role as Audra Barkley on “The Big Valley,” to the glamorous Krystle Carrington on “Dynasty,” winning the “Hell’s Kitchen” competition working under Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White, and starring on Broadway in “Legends.” She has won five People’s Choice Awards for Best Female Performer, was nominated for an Emmy, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Recipes for Life is her second book. Linda lives in the countryside of the Pacific Northwest. For more information, please visit her website, www.lindaevansofficial.com, and follow her on Facebook.

Excerpt From the Book:

The Part That Didn’t Get Away

THE FIRST TIME in my life that I actually wanted a career was after my second divorce. I had invested in some real estate with Stan while we were married. I didn’t want alimony from him, but I did want to buy a small house in Beverly Hills that he owned and I loved. So I put my investment money toward it. There was still a sizable mortgage, and if I couldn’t make the payments, I’d lose the house. That’s exactly the way I wanted things, because I needed that fire under me so I would fight like hell to get my career back on track. I was counting on the adversity to make me strong, not take me down. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was determined to make it on my own.

One of the first opportunities that came up was huge: an interview with Steve McQueen for a film he was starring in and producing, a true story titled Tom Horn. I was very excited, until Steve opened the door and, looking extremely uncomfortable, immediately told me that he was sorry I came, because I was wrong for the part. Not the response I was hoping for. But then he did soften the blow by saying it was because he thought I was too attractive, and he was looking for a more believable frontier woman. But then he said: “Oh well, you’re here, come on in. ”The old adage, just get your foot in the door, is true. I got the part! This film was very important to Steve, and he really took it over, down to the last detail. He selected every piece of fabric—dowdy and drab—for my wardrobe. He even met me at the dentist when they made my gold tooth (to give me the frontier woman look).

On location, a few days before filming, the unthinkable happened: I got laryngitis because I was so terrified—I needed this job and they had already replaced a few of the actors. Steve was very kind. “Linda,” he told me, “I want you to know I totally understand,” was all he said. He didn’t want me to talk to anyone or speak for any reason for a week so I could get back my voice.

Westerns have always been my favorite: I love being outdoors, the animals, the down-to-earth nature of the wranglers, stuntmen, and cowboys. But Tom Horn holds a very special place in my heart, because acting with Steve was one of the greatest experiences in my career. He was so brilliant when he was performing that I’d get lost in his performance and nearly forget my next line.

It was a wonderful time for me, filled with firsts, including the day
Steve called me aside while on location in Tucson, Arizona, plopped a
plate of mashed potatoes in front of me, and said I was getting too thin.
Believe me, I never thought I’d hear that one in Hollywood. Then again, when I think about it, this might just be a Western thing, because years later, when I did The Gambler with Kenny Rogers, he’d have pizza delivered to my room. No wonder I love doing Westerns!

Even better than I imagined.

TOM HORN © 1980 Solar Productions, Inc. The First Artists Production
Company, Ltd. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
LINDA EVANS

L O S E - Y O U R - F I G U R E P O T A T O E S
W I T H C H E E S E A N D G A R L I C

In memory of dear Steve, here’s one of my favorite high-calorie and delicious potato recipes. This one is always a huge hit. I like to assemble
the cheese and potatoes several hours in advance and cover with plastic
wrap, keeping at room temperature before baking. If you do this, be
sure to leave the cream mixture covered in the fridge and pour over the
potatoes just before baking.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1½ to 1¾ pounds red potatoes, peeled
Unsalted butter, for greasing
3½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1¹∕³ cups heavy cream
1 small garlic clove, minced (about ½ teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¹∕8 teaspoon white pepper

Put the whole, peeled potatoes in a large pot and add just enough
water to cover. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and cool.
When cool, slice potatoes ¼-inch thick.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter the bottom of a 2-quart (11½ x 8 x 2-inch) baking dish and
layer in half the potato slices. Sprinkle with half the cheddar and half
the Parmesan. Layer on the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with
remaining cheese.
In a bowl, combine the cream, garlic, salt, and pepper.
When ready to bake, pour the cream mixture over the potatoes and
bake 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Serve warm.

Linda Evans Purchase Link:
http://www.vanguardpressbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781593156480

Linda Evans official site:
http://www.lindaevansofficial.com

Now for the really good stuff-you can have your very own copy of this book. Please leave a comment below to enter. I have one copy to giveaway and the winner will be chosen on Saturday, October 15.

SourceBooks EBook Deals

2011-09-30T16:26:00.000-05:00

Cover Me by Catherine Mann will be $0.99: 10/04/2011 – 10/17/2011
Hot Zone will be in stores in December, so get a jump start on Catherine Mann’s hot new military romantic suspense series!

Mr. Darcy’s Obsession by Abigail Reynolds will be $2.99: 10/03/2011 – 10/09/2011
Abigail’s latest Pemerbley Variation—retellings of Austen’s quintessential classic P&P— Mr. Darcy’s Undoing, will be in stores next week!

Wickedly Charming by Kristine Grayson will be FREE: 10/03/2011 – 10/09/2011
Utterly Charming, another fairy tale with a twist by Kristine Grayson, will be in stores in October!

You can access these on the site. Be sure to check back often for new deals.
http://www.sourcebooks.com/readers/browse-our-lists/ebook-specials.html

Shelf Awareness

2011-09-29T08:37:00.000-05:00

The publication booksellers turn to for news on the book industry is now publishing a version for book lovers! Shelf Awareness: Enlightenment for Readers is a FREE emailed newsletter with reviews on the 25 best books publishing each week along with author interviews, book excerpts, giveaways and more. Right now they’re running a contest for new subscribers. Check out the button on our website to sign up for the new publication and to be entered for a chance to win a great book!

Do you get this newsletter? If you don't, you should. I love this newsletter. It is full of new book releases, book recommendations, and general news from the book world. I have posted a button on the side for you to click on and sign up.

Hello Again

2011-09-29T08:33:00.002-05:00

I still do not have a new computer but I am going to try really hard to begin posting again. I miss the blog and my readers and talking about books and I am going to use a computer wherever I can to get back in the groove. I hope my readers are still here and ready for some reviews, giveaways, and great conversation.

Heather Munn
and
Lydia Munn

and the book:

How Huge the Night: A Novel

Kregel Publications (March 9, 2011)

***Special thanks to Cat Hoort of Kregel Publications for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland of American parents and grew up in the south of France. She decided to be a writer at the age of five when her mother read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books aloud, but worried that she couldn’t write about her childhood since she didn’t remember it. When she was young, her favorite time of day was after supper when the family would gather and her father would read a chapter from a novel. Heather went to French school until her teens, and grew up hearing the story of Le Chambonsur-Lignon, only an hour’s drive away. She now lives in rural Illinois with her husband, Paul, where they offer free spiritual retreats to people coming out of homelessness and addiction. She enjoys wandering in the woods, gardening, writing, and splitting wood.

Lydia Munn was homeschooled for five years because there was no school where her family served as missionaries in the savannahs of northern Brazil. There was no public library either, but Lydia read every book she could get her hands on. This led naturally to her choice of an English major at Wheaton College. Her original plan to teach high school English gradually transitioned into a lifelong love of teaching the Bible to both adults and young people as a missionary in France. She and her husband, Jim, have two children: their son, Robin, and their daughter, Heather.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

When had God ever stopped a war because a teenager asked him to?

For fifteen-year-old Julien Losier, life will never be the same. His family has relocated to southern France to outrun Hitler’s menace. But Julien doesn’t want to run. He doesn’t want to huddle around the radio at night, waiting to hear news through buzzing static. Julien doesn’t want to wait.
Angry, frustrated, and itching to do something, Julien finds a battle everywhere he turns.
Soon after his family opens their house to a Jewish boy needing refuge, Julien meets Nina, a young Austrian who has fled her home by her father’s dying command. Nina’s situation is grave and Julien suddenly realizes the enormity of having someone’s life or death depend on… him.

Thrown together by a conflict that’s too big for them to understand, these young lives struggle to know what to do, even if it is not enough. Is there a greater purpose in the shadows of this terrible war? Or will their choices put them in greater danger?

Endorsements:

“The Munns have written an engrossing historical novel that is faithful to the actual events of World War II in western Europe during the tumultuous year 1940. But How Huge the Night is more than good history; it is particularly refreshing because the reader sees the conflict through the lives of teenagers who are forced to grapple with their honest questions about the existence and goodness of God in the midst of community, family, and ethnic tensions in war-ravaged France.”—Lyle W. Dorsett, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

“Seldom have the horrors of war upon adolescents—or the heroism of which they are capable—been so clearly portrayed. I loved this coming-of-age story.”—Patricia Sprinkle, author of Hold Up the Sky

“The book expertly weaves together the lives of its characters at a frightening moment in conflicted times. As we read of their moral dilemmas and of their choices, we too wonder, Would I do has these in the story have done?”—Karen Mains, Director, Hungry Souls

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 9, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 082543310X
ISBN-13: 978-0825433108

AND NOW...AN EXCERPT:

From Chapter 23

Thursday the power came back on. They sat in the living room, around the radio that crackled with static; they looked at each other, and then away. The room grew quiet as the announcer began to speak.

“Since Mussolini’s declaration of war on France two days ago, Italian troops are pushing west—”

Mama was on her feet. “The thief!” she hissed. “The backstabber, the coward!” Her face was red. Everyone was staring. She sat down.

Papa looked at her. “Saw his chance, I guess.”

“He’s a shame to his nation,” Mama snapped. Julien stared. Then they heard the shift in the announcer’s voice and turned sharply to the radio.

“German troops are approaching Paris at a rapid pace. As we speak, the vanguard is reported to be fifteen kilometers from Versailles. This will be our last broadcast for a while.”

They did not look at each other. The silence was total.

“Today Paris has been declared an ‘open city.’ Our military will not defend it. This decision was made to avoid bombardment and the great destruction and loss of life that it entails. . . .”

Julien realized he had not been breathing. It was an amazing thing, breathing. Tears shone in Mama’s eyes.

“They won’t bomb Paris,” said Papa quietly.

“They won’t bomb Paris,” Mama whispered.

Benjamin stood, his face very still. He walked slowly to the door and took the stairs.

Julien waited, breathing, seeing Paris; seeing Vincent and his mother look up out of their second-floor window at a clear blue sky. He waited until the news ended, until they had read a psalm that said The Lord has delivered.

Then he followed Benjamin.

Benjamin’s door was closed. Julien hesitated, biting his lip, and went into his own room.

He looked out the window in the fading light. They wouldn’t defend it. This was it, then. What Pastor Alex said was true. German tanks would roll down the Champs-Elysées for real in just a couple days. Then the boches would come here. And they would stay.

He pulled Vincent’s last letter out from under his nightstand. I can’t believe you almost died, it said. That’s crazy. He got up, and went and knocked on Benjamin’s door.

No answer.

“Benjamin? You all right?”

“Fine.”

Julien opened the door. Benjamin turned quickly, scowling.

“Did I say you could come in?”

“Well sorry,” Julien growled. How am I supposed to help when he’s like this? “Just wanted to say good night.”

“Good night then.”

“Look, it’s not as bad as it could have been, okay? They could have bombed the place to shreds like Ro—” He bit his tongue.

“You’re right,” said Benjamin, looking away. “That’s good for your relatives. I’m glad.”

“And your parents!”

“Nothing’s good for my parents.” His voice was toneless. “Look, Julien, we can talk about this in the morning. I need to go to bed.”

Julien knew when to quit. He turned away. “Sleep well.”

“You too.”

But he couldn’t. He turned and turned in his bed, twisting the sheets.

He got up and looked out at the crescent moon and the stars high over Tanieux, so white, so far, always the same; they would still be there when the Germans were here; they would still be there all his life. They were still there over Rotterdam, too. It didn’t make any difference.

When he finally slept, he dreamed: Paris on the fourteenth of July, the fireworks, bursts of blue, of gold, of red above the city. A whirling rocket going up with a hiss and a bang. Then a louder bang. Then a bang that threw up a great shower of dirt and stones, and people screaming, people running as the shells began to fall—

He woke, and lay shivering. He got up to close the window. The stars shone down like cold eyes.

He heard a faint scratching. Mice maybe. A floorboard creaked. He listened.

And he heard it. Very slow, stealthy footsteps going down the stairs.

He sat up slowly. Magali or Benjamin. Tiptoeing down the stairs to the kitchen, wishing there was something to eat. . . . He got out of bed and leaned out the window, watching for the faint light that would come through from the kitchen. No light came.

But on the ground floor, the heavy front door opened, and a dark shape slipped out into the street. A shadow with a suitcase in its hand.

He ran across the hall and threw open Benjamin’s door. A neatly made bed, a letter on the pillow. He grabbed it, ran back to his room, jerked his pants on over his pajamas, and ran downstairs in his socks. He’d catch him. Benjamin was on foot. He had to catch him. He scrawled on the flip side of the note, I’ve gone after him, pulled on his shoes and jacket, and flew down the stairs and into the dark.

He raced down the shadowed street and stopped at the corner, heart pounding, looking both ways. North, over the hill: the road to St. Etienne. A train to Paris, like he’d said? There were no trains now. Or south—south to where? Oh Lord if I choose wrong I’ll never find him.

Think. What would he do if it were him? He’d go south—north was suicide, but—he didn’t know, he didn’t know Benjamin. Who did? Nothing is good for my parents, he’d said—he didn’t seem to even care that Paris wouldn’t be bombed—

Because his parents weren’t in Paris.

Julien turned, suddenly sure, and ran.

The Kellers had left Germany because of Hitler and his people. Would they stay in Paris and wait for them? “Let’s walk south,” Benjamin had said—and that stupid map—he should have guessed.

He ran, breathing hard, his eyes on the dark road ahead. Oh God. Oh Jesus. Don’t let me miss him please—please—

He broke free of the houses; the Tanne gleamed in front of him under the splintered moon, cut by the dark curve of the bridge. He froze. He ducked into the shadows and breathed.

There on the bridge was a slender figure leaning on the parapet, looking down at the dark water.

Oh God. Oh Jesus. Now what?

Benjamin turned and took a long, last look at Tanieux. Then he adjusted his backpack, picked up his suitcase, and walked away.

Julien slipped out of the shadows and up to the bridge, his heart beating help me Jesus help me, his mind searching for words. Come home. And if he said no? Drag him? Help me Jesus. He was across the bridge, ten paces behind Benjamin; he broke into a silent run on the grassy verge of the road. He caught up to him. Laid a hand on his arm.

“Benjamin.”

Benjamin whirled, eyes wild in the moonlight. They stared at each other. “Why.” said Julien. “Tell me why.” His voice was harder than he meant it to be.

“Let me go.”

“No.” He tightened his grip on Benjamin’s arm.

Benjamin tried to pull away. “Julien, let me go. You have no idea. You have no idea what they’re like.”

“The boches?” This time his voice came out small.

“The Nazis, Julien. Ever heard of them? Yeah, you heard they don’t like Jews—I don’t think any of you people understand.” The sweep of his arm took in the school and the sleeping town. “Your parents are great, Julien—offering shelter and all—they really are. But they don’t know. Yet.”

But they do. They know. “Know what? What’ll they—do?”

“I’m not waiting around to find out.” His face was white and deadly serious. “Trust me on this, Julien. They are coming here and when they do, it’s better for you if I’m long gone.” I believe it is very dangerous to be a Jew in Germany. And soon—

Julien stood silent. The night wind touched his face; the hills were shadows on the horizon where they blotted out the stars. Suddenly he felt how large the world was, how huge the night, how small they stood on the road in the light of the waning moon. Ahead, the road bent into the pine woods, and in his mind, Julien saw Benjamin walking away, a small form carrying a suitcase into the darkness under the trees. His fingers bit into Benjamin’s arm.

“I don’t care,” he said savagely. “Where would you go?”

Benjamin said nothing; the moonlight quivered in his eyes as they filled with tears. He turned his head away. “I don’t know.” His voice shook.

Julien caught him by the shoulders, gripped him hard. “Well I do,” he said fiercely. “You’re coming home.”

2011-05-12T08:01:00.001-05:00

Summer is looming near and thoughts of vacations, the beach, and great summer reads abound. I am curious as to what summer read everyone is looking most forward to. Please post here so we can get some great ideas to add to our to be read pile.

For me, I want to read the Hunger Games trilogy and Water for Elephants. I know, I think I am about the only person left that has yet to read those selections. I can't wait to see what everyone else will be reading. Please post in the comments.

First Card Book Feature

2011-05-12T07:17:00.002-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Perry Stone

and the book:

How to Interpret Dreams and Visions

Charisma House (May 3, 2011)

***Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva | Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House | Charisma Media for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Perry Stone is the best-selling author of numerous books, including The Meal That Heals and Breaking the Jewish Code. He directs one of America’s fastest-growing ministries, The Voice of Evangelism. An international evangelist, Perry holds a BA in theology from Covenant Life Christian College. He lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, with his wife, Pam, and their two children.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Is God Trying to Tell You Something?
Have you ever had a dream or vision that was so vivid that it remained with you for days? It is possible that your dream had a spiritual connotation and your vision was a message from God.

In How to Interpret Dreams and Visions, best-selling author and evangelist Perry Stone explains the guidance and warnings encrypted in our visions and dreams. With his unique blend of Bible knowledge and spiritual insight he provides answers to questions such as…

Is my dream really from God?How do I distinguish between types of spiritual visions?Why am I having nightmares or unclean dreams?· What do my dreams of a departed loved one mean?

Product Details:

List Price: $15.99
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Charisma House (May 3, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 161638350X
ISBN-13: 978-1616383503

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The Last Days— Time to Pierce the Veil

But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the

Lord is, there is liberty.

-2 Corinthians 3:14–17

The spirit world is as real as the air we breathe and the water we drink. The natural realm is a reflection of the spirit world. Earthly things are patterned after heavenly things. (See

Hebrews 8:1–5.) Our world consists of trees, rivers, mountains, and cities. The heavenly city, New Jerusalem, has the tree of life, the crystal river of life, and a mountain where God is worshiped called Mount Zion (Rev. 22:1–5). These heavenly realities were the original Creation that was reflected on Earth when God created man. Humanity has struggled to believe in a world that cannot be seen with the eyes, touched with the hands, or smelled when we breathe.

To the skeptic, angels are myths, and demonic spirits are the dark imagination of Hollywood scripts. The prevailing attitude is the Thomas syndrome, which says, “Unless I can see it and touch it, I will never believe it” (John 20:25, author’s paraphrase). The fact is that there is an invisible veil covering both the natural eyes and the spiritual understanding of men and women, and only when the veil is lifted or pierced can the realities of the invisible realm become visible. The Bible is a book written by forty different authors over a period of about fifteen hundred years of time that tells the story of men called prophets who were inspired of the Lord and who pierced this veil and saw marvelous eternal and heavenly images that brought to mankind the revelation of God.

Paul wrote that there is a veil, similar to scales, over the eyes of our understanding that clouds the light of God’s revelation from entering into our minds and enlightening us with life-changing insight. If we live behind this veil, then we will never know or experience God’s best for us. This veil, which at times manifests as a lack of interest in spiritual matters, a dullness in our understanding, or a spirit of unbelief toward the idea of Bible-based spiritual manifestations, must be lifted to experience the unseen. This ability to see the future was the gift that set apart the biblical prophets from their false counterparts in surrounding idolatrous nations. These Hebrew visionaries had a reputation for knowing the unknown behind closed doors.

One such example can be seen when a Syrian general sent his army to capture one of God’s prophets, Elisha. When Elisha’s servant saw the army, fear gripped him. However, after Elisha prayed for the eyes of his servant to be opened, the fear turned to faith as the servant saw horses and chariots of fire encamped round about them both, forming a protective hedge. (See 2 Kings 6:8–17.) There is a covering of some sort on our physical eyes, which prevents us from seeing the activity of the spirit world. However, when we sleep, we are still able to see images through dreams or visions. In Scripture, men like the apostle John recorded these dreams and visions. John was on an island when he suddenly saw a “door in heaven open,” or as we would say, “heaven open,” and this opening projected his mind and spirit into another world, a world just as real as the world we live in. (See Revelation 4:1; 19:11.) These two biblical incidents from Revelation indicate two important facts: something occurs on Earth and something occurs in heaven to cause information to be released and the veil removed. On Earth our eyes must be “opened.” This happens when our inner vision, which creates the images in our brain at night, receives information from the heavenly realm, which “opens,” allowing eternal information to pass from the heavenly realm to the earthly realm.

One question posed by sincere seekers is: “Why would God be concerned about revealing events to us that have not yet occurred?” A simple answer is that He does so to prepare us for something or to cause us to intercede in prayer to prevent or to change a situation.

For example, when King Hezekiah was informed by Isaiah to set his house in order because he would soon die, the king began to earnestly pray, and his death was delayed for fifteen years (Isa. 38:1–5).

Another reason God is concerned is because He knows we need to

understand certain events in the future.

Why is the Spirit World Veiled?

Human eyes cannot see into the spirit world. God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Angels are spirits (Heb. 1:13–14). Satan’s kingdom is organized into four levels of spirit rebels (Eph. 6:12), and every man is a tripartite creation of a body, a soul, and a spirit, or, as some teach, a spirit with a soul living in a body (1 Thess. 5:23).

In the time of Adam and Eve, God entered the Garden of Eden and communicated directly with man by walking through the garden in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8). Adam and Eve could see and hear God clearly. After they fell into sin, “the eyes of both of them were opened,” and they saw they were naked and felt shame (Gen. 3:7). Although their eyes were opened, at the same time their eyes were veiled. From that moment forward, angelic visitors appeared in the form of a vision, a dream, or would take upon themselves human form, just as the two angelic messengers did when instructed by the Almighty to investigate the sins of Sodom. (See Genesis 19.) Even the writer of Hebrews wrote to be careful when entertaining a stranger because you might not be aware that it is an angel (Heb. 13:2).

If our eyes could be opened and the veil lifted, we would continually see angels, demonic entities, and other forms of spirit beings. While some may wish to see into the invisible realm, the fact is that when great men of God and Hebrew prophets have pierced this veil and seen, for example, angels in their full glory, the reactions have normally been to fall down and be gripped with an overwhelming feeling of fear. Abraham fell into a deep trance (Gen. 15:12) and fell on his face when God talked to him (Gen. 17:3, 17). Ezekiel describes seeing the Almighty upon His throne, with cherubim and amazing heavenly beings appearing like wheels spinning within wheels (Ezek. 1), and he too fell upon his face (v. 28). In several instances when a vision of God or the angelic realm manifested, the prophet fell down upon his face (Ezek. 9:8; 43:3; 44:4). Daniel described an angelic visitor with brass-colored arms and feet, white hair, a gold belt, and eyes like fire. His reaction was so visibly powerful that even the men with him who did not see the vision became overwhelmed and began “quaking” and fled, hiding themselves (Dan. 10:5–7, kjv). Daniel found himself on his face with no strength remaining in his body (vv. 8–9). When John saw the resurrected Christ in heaven, he “fell at His feet as dead” (Rev. 1:17). Even Balaam’s donkey fell down when it saw an angel of the Lord (Num. 22:27)!

When the veil is lifted and a mere mortal taps into not just a vision or dream, but into the actual unseen world of angels, demons, heaven, or hell, the human body is unable to sustain the glory of the heavenly realm without responding in some manner. If we could live with our spiritual eyes continually opened, I suggest we would never get any work done and would be continually disrupted in our sleep.

Scripture instructs believers to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). I cannot physically see God, but I believe in God because of the Bible’s evidence and because I have faith that undergirds my confidence in the Word. With my human eyes I am unable to spot an angel flying through the heavens or a cosmic conflict between warring angels and prince spirits called the “spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). However, because my inner being is also a “spirit,” I can at times sense or feel the presence of the Lord, the warmth and peace of an angel, or the dark oppressive

wicked spirits that are in my earth zone. To pierce the curtain of the unseen, a believer must be in tune to that particular realm of spiritual activity.

When my seventy-seven-year-old father was praying for my twenty year-old son, who was kneeling before him at Dad’s small home in Tennessee, with tears in his eyes my father said to Jonathan, “There is a future.” He was encouraging his grandson not to just live for the moment but to discover, plan, and prevail for his future, which the Lord has already laid out for him and his little sister. At that moment I realized that this is what life is really all about—the future. When God laid out a detailed plan for man’s redemption from sin, He prepared the details long before Adam fell. Jesus is called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). When Christ was praying before His death, He said that God had loved Him from “before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). God planned a future for all of mankind before Adam and Eve were created and fell into sin!

Once man sinned, God Himself released the first prophecy by predicting that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). God spoke this about four thousand years before Mary gave birth to the Messiah (Luke 2). After Cain slew his brother, Abel, God wasted no time in replacing Abel with Adam and Eve’s new addition to the family, a son named Seth who would initiate a nine-generation lineage of righteous men, leading up to tenth man from Adam, Noah. (See Genesis 5.) God continually has your future on His mind and in His purpose

The Almighty’s passion for the future is also witnessed in the fact that God thinks generationally. When God established His covenant through Abraham, He was planning that Abraham’s descendants would become a nation. First God promised Abraham a son and to make a “great nation” from Abraham’s children (Gen. 12:2). Years later God predicted that Abraham would be “a great and mighty nation” (Gen. 18:18). Years passed, and then God visited Abraham’s grandson Jacob, changing his name from Jacob to Israel. God enlarged His promise by saying to Jacob, “A nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you” (Gen. 35:11). After the nation of Israel expanded from seventy souls to more than six hundred thousand men of war (Exod. 1:5; 12:37), the Lord announced that the nation would be “blessed above all peoples” (Deut. 7:14). From one simple individual, Abraham, to seventy souls who went into Egypt under Joseph, in four hundred years the nation grew to six hundred thousand men marching through the Red Sea and on to the millions of Jewish people now in the world. God was beginning the preparations for one large family called the children of Israel when He was making covenant with one man—Abraham! This is why God changed Abram’s name (meaning “father”) to Abraham, meaning “father of many” (Gen. 17:5). Israel began with a dream and a vision!

Securing confidence and boldness for the future is so significant to the Almighty that He allowed men to enter into the dream dimension and receive vital knowledge for themselves, for their leaders, or for the nations in which they were given authority. A few examples of significant dreams that altered situations, set destinies, or brought prophetic knowledge are:

. God warned King Abimelech with the threat of death if he didn’t return Sarah to Abraham (Gen. 20:6–7).

. God confirmed in a dream for Jacob to leave Laban, taking his wives and sons to Canaan (Gen. 31).

. God prepared Joseph’s future by giving him two prophetic dreams when he was a teenager (Gen. 37).

. God allowed Joseph to interpret the dreams of the butler and the baker while in prison (Gen. 40).

. Joseph interpreted both dreams of Pharaoh and prepared for a seven-year famine (Gen. 41).

. It was the “barley cake dream” that gave Gideon confidence to fight the Midianites (Judg. 7).

. God appeared to Solomon in a dream, granting his request for the gift of wisdom (1 Kings 3).

. Daniel was the only man in Babylon capable of interpreting the dream of the metallic image (Dan. 2).

. Daniel later interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s “tree dream,” predicting the downfall of the king (Dan. 4).

. Daniel experienced a major prophetic dream of world empires symbolized by wild beasts (Dan. 7).

Nearly six thousand years of human history have demonstrated that just because God plans a person’s future, it is no guarantee that opposition will not eclipse the light of the revelation. There is a plan by the kingdom of darkness to distract, disrupt, and destroy the future, both God’s prophetic plan and your personal destiny. Each person is said to have a “destiny,” which is simply your future according to God. Just as God revealed to Jeremiah that He foreknew him when he was still in his mother’s womb and that He preordained him to be a prophet (Jer. 1:5), God has a predetermined plan for each person. With all of the clutter and clamor and mixed voices speaking into our lives, our minds can become cloudy and our understanding fogged with numerous possibilities from which we must choose. This is why at times God will permit a believer to pierce the world of the natural and enter the realm of a dream or a vision so that secret strategies of the enemy can be exposed and the hidden plans of God can be revealed. Warnings that are perceived and received can help you avoid potholes and pits in your path to destiny, and understanding God’s plan will empower you to pursue that purpose.

The disrupting of God’s will in our lives can begin at a very early age. During major prophetic cycles and seasons of prophetic fulfillment, children come under severe attack from the adversary. This was seen when Pharaoh ordered the male infants born to the Hebrews to be cast into the Nile River (Exod. 1:22). The time was coming when a deliverer would bring the Hebrews out of Egypt, and the adversary was no doubt attempting to preempt the prophecy by killing the possible male child deliverer before he could become a man! The second assignment of an evil ruler was when Herod commissioned Roman soldiers to encircle the area of Ramah and kill all male children who were under two years of age, attempting to slay the future king of the Jews that the wise men came to worship (Matt. 2).

From a personal perspective, if we survive our birth and live to be teenagers, other battles begin. When he was a teenager (age seventeen), a plot was organized against Joseph by his own brothers (Gen. 37). They were sick of this dreamer, Daddy’s favorite little spoiled boy, running around with an expensive coat! Joseph was doing well until he began to confess his dreams of success that would come to him. At that point his brothers conspired against him, and Joseph ended up in a pit, then in a prison, and spent thirteen years in what seemed negative, dream-killing circumstances.

I was a young teenager when the Lord began to reveal to me His will and I began planning for it. I encountered various types of verbal persecution from my own spiritual brothers in the same denomination of which I was a member. When David—just a

teen—was anointed by Samuel as the next king “in the midst of his brothers,” jealousy arose among certain brothers much older who may have felt they deserved the position more than their kid brother (1 Sam. 16:13; 17:28).

When I was a teenager, the Holy Spirit inspired me to organize a ministry called Voice of Evangelism when I had only preached in three states. Ministers said, “Perry isn’t the voice of anything, much less of evangelism.” They were correct from the natural perspective but wrong in the Spirit. The Lord had a future for me! At age eighteen

I formed a “7-Point Outreach Plan” that included a ministry outreach through books, revival meetings, magazines, and other forms of branching out. Then I began overhearing statements like: “Who does he think he is, Billy Graham or Oral Roberts?” Without sounding arrogant, I knew something these other men did not know. I had a small glimpse into the future. I had both heard and seen in my spirit and through dreams and prayer that I would be used of the Lord to one day have a worldwide ministry Thus, once you see your future, you can learn how to hold off the adversity and know why there is opposition against your destiny!

Watch out for that girl!

When my father, Fred Stone, was a young, black-haired teenage minister, he met a very attractive girl about his age who was gifted in playing the piano and singing. Of course, the common belief was that if you were a minister, your wife needed to be a singer or musician. The girl took a liking to him. However, Dad had a dream in which he saw this girl coming out of a barn embracing a young man. He realized the girl was having relations with this boy. He heard a voice say, “I have warned you; have nothing to do with that girl.” Dad said that after this dream, the girl tried to get close to him in friendship; he would say hello but go no further. Even Dad’s uncle, a noted minister, rebuked Dad for not expressing more interest in such a talented young girl. But three months later the girl’s father told Dad’s uncle he was glad Dad had not formed a relationship with his daughter, because she was pregnant out of wedlock by a fellow she knew.

When I was the same age as my father, a similar situation was repeated in my life. I was eighteen years of age, traveling from church to church conducting weekly revivals. At one location, a family I knew with a daughter about my age wanted me to go out with her to eat. My policy was to only go out with a group of young people and avoid going out alone with the opposite sex. Soon she began to speak to friends that she was serious about me and thought our friendship could lead to eventual marriage. At the same time I dreamed that she was pregnant. In the dream the Lord told me to avoid her. The same week, three noted ministers spoke to me in confidence and said, “You must be careful around this girl. There is something not right about her.” I sent word to her through a friend not to have any contact with me again. One month later it was confirmed that she was pregnant, and she married the father of the child shortly thereafter. Years later she and her mother came to hear me minister in a church and asked to speak with me. Her mother, a very godly woman, required her to apologize to me for plotting to pull me into her situation without my knowledge. The girl said, “I was hoping you would suddenly fall in love with me and marry me before anyone knew I was pregnant with this man’s baby.”

In both cases, more than twenty-six years apart, the same type of snare was laid for Dad and me. By following the same type of dreams and inward warnings, we both avoided missing the will of God and entering into a situation that would have been not only questionable but also embarrassing and detrimental to our early ministries. These

illustrations reveal how strategies are set to disrupt God’s purposes, but God is concerned about the details of our personal lives because circumstances affect our destiny!

Often when we think of a spiritual dream we envision a visitation that warns us of national calamity or an international warning on the same level as what the Old Testament prophets received when warning the priests and the kings of coming calamity. However, God has indicated in Scripture that He is concerned for each individual and not just for the collective population of a nation. Christ revealed that the Father watched a sparrow fall to the ground and saw the lilies in the field grow (Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:28), and if the Almighty is concerned for the smallest in His creation, how much more is His concern manifested toward man, who is made in His image (Gen. 1:26).

The Need to Know

The understanding of the Book of Daniel was sealed “until the time of the end,” when “knowledge shall increase” (Dan. 12:4). Numerous prophecies are assigned to occur in the “time of the end,” a term used in the Book of Daniel five times (Dan. 8:17; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9). Other predictions will unfold in the “last days,” a phrase coined to identify the time frame prior to the return of the Messiah, listed five times in the New Testament (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet. 3:3). The final outpouring of the Holy Spirit will occur in the “last days” (Acts 2:17) and includes sons and daughters prophesying and experiencing visions and dreams. Among this final generation there is a need-to-know attitude about their future and destiny.

This need to know is obvious when one considers the millions of dollars spent by sincere yet uninformed individuals on fortune-tellers, astrologers, séances, and psychics. According to the Pew Forum for Religion and Public Life, “about 1 in 7 Americans consulted a psychic or fortune teller in 2009.”1 The only reason these false prophets of greed are consulted is to determine the hidden and the unseen and to know in advance the person’s future. Why should the body of Christ sit back and refuse to tell this generation to seek God for His direction, when the adversary will provide a horoscope for that purpose? There is a human need to know, and our knowledge for redemption can be found in the Bible—as well as the guide for practical living found in those inspired Scriptures. However, there are times we are uncertain concerning personal and national decisions that can be seen and understood through visions and dreams.

However, the invisible veil must be pierced in the mind and in the understanding. This begins with the “dream factor.”

Mother of Pearl Blog Series Wrap Up

2011-05-11T09:34:00.000-05:00

Thank you all so much for following along with the Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. I pray you laughed, cried and were touched by the translucent stories of real life written by new moms, stepmoms, grandmoms, adoptive moms, and moms without moms. Iridescent reality. And how poignant that the translucent nacre which coats the sand stuck inside an oyster’s shell is called Mother of Pearl. Mothers surround children with their love and with God’s love so they can grow in grace. I hope you'll join us this December for the third annual 12 Pearls of Christmas series.

AND ... thanks too, to all of you who entered to win the beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. I'm thrilled to announce that the winner is ...

Jennifer (heavensent1)!

Jennifer, please email amy@pearlgirls.info with your mailing address.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. The purpose of Pearl Girls is to connect women so that together, we can make a difference in the world. All proceeds of the Pearl Girls book go in full to two charities: Wings (women in need growing stronger) to help fund a safe house in the Chicago suburbs and to Hands of Hope to help build wells for schoolchildren in Uganda. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products to help support Pearl Girls.

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