Seasons of Opportunities

I love a good mystery and this is definitely one of those! Daniel, ex-marine, owner of several restaurants, and guardian of his niece - whose parents were killed in an accident is seemingly living the sweet life. He lives in a neighborhood of pilots wit an airstrip in his back yard and a plane in his hanger. If he wanted to, he could very well just set back and take it easy, but instead Daniel enjoys being actively involved in his business management. Then the unlikely hits, a body is found in the basement of his restaurant. One that totally casts suspicion his way, until one of his other restaurants burns down. Not coming up with any personal enemies makes it even more difficult to figure out who might be behind the attacks.

I am once again amazed that Monday has arrived already! I am really not sure where the time goes. I had a wonderful weekend, spending it with a dear friend of mine and her family in celebration of my daughter's birthday. We went to the local Aquarium and enjoyed some picnic and park time, and then to my favorite used bookstore. It doesn't get much better than that. We spent our Sunday at the Lord's house and now Monday! School is keeping me extremely busy! I am doing my best to be a dedicated teacher, and all that lesson planning is paying off. The kids seem to be enjoying it and we have also been able to do some fun projects too. I am also working on my sewing projects including curtains for my daughter's new home and a make it from scratch, including pattern and all, vest! That one has been a bit of a challenge. As far as my clean Martha house, it has come to a halt for a couple of days as last week was just crazy busy and I was not able to keep up with the dail...

This is one of those books you really need to read slowly and digest. It was recommended to me by a friend concerned with some issues I was going through at the time. Charles Kraft has a lot to say about the authority given to us as children of God here on earth. Not just how to use that authority wisely, but also the misuse, abuse of power, and lack of use. It is important to recognize the authority God has given us on earth to carry out his will. In using it correctly,  to glorify God not man, we can help people become free from Satan's power. I read this book with a grain of salt and a little skepticism. My religious background is not charismatic in nature so I wasn't sure how this book would resound with me. Although I learned alot from this book, there are

Deep Shadows  is the first book in Vannetta Chapman's newest series, The Remnant. Life in Abney, Texas, is predictable and safe--until the night a massive solar flare wipes out all modern technology. Shelby Sparks, novelist and single mom, had one goal: to provide for her diabetic son. In the wake of this global disaster, her mission hasn't changed. Only now, medication is a priceless commodity and the future resembles an apocalyptic nightmare. Max Berkman and Shelby were once sweethearts, but he lost his chance at claiming her love years ago. When the abrupt loss of power ushers him into a leadership role, he rises to the occasion. But his

I am always amazed at how quickly the time passes from one Monday to another. And here it is another Monday! I began diligently working through the book Having a Martha Home the Mary Way. I got this book for review quite a while back. I did some of it, and read through it, but wanted to really tackle my home setting up a more regular cleaning schedule. This is kind of my kick off. After the yard sale de-cluttering I began back a few weeks ago, I didn't want to get slack and fall off the wagon again. Although, I am really enjoying the Mary Challenges, the Martha ones have honestly been a bit more difficult. I am just struggling to find the time to do all the things I need to do! There are days, I end up having to take a couple days to finish the challenge. And today is one of them!

If you have a child who loves music, you will love this Bible!!  This Bible is such a great encouragement for kids to memorize Scripture. The Bible itself is NLT New Living Translation but it includes 100 core Scriptures for memorization. These are printed within the Bible in key locations alongside the corresponding places in the Bible itself. They are written in three translations NLT, NIV, and KJV. They have been bordered in green to stand out, and some of those locations also have a devotional type application along with the verses. Each verse has a song that goes along with it which is accessible online using the code in the front of the Bible. Your child will be able to sing their way to Scripture memorization. Personally, I think this aspect is awesome, since at least one of my children learn best in song.

Congratulations to our Winner - Terrill Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to partner with Family Christian in giving away a $25 Gift Certificate Coupon to one of my readers. I am so excited about this!! I know you will be too, especially if you are the winner of that certificate.  I was able to enjoy a $25 shopping spree myself in exchange for telling you about my experience on Family Christian.com . Family Christian is a Christian retailer, operating in 250 stores across the country. They are committed to helping you find, grow, share and celebrate your faith through a wide selection of Christian books, music, Bibles, DVD's gifts and more. When you shop with Family Christian, your purchases support their efforts to unite with ministries that are helping children and families in need around the world.

Congratulations to our Winner - Lynne In  Night Night , Farm by Amy Parker, parents and little ones will unwind as sweet farm animals in pj's say goodnight to their farm, their mommies and daddies, and to God. Rhyming verse, calming artwork, and whimsical renditions of favorite farm animals in their cozy beds will make this bedtime book a favorite for years to come. My Thoughts: This book is so adorable. I am already loving that one day I will be able to use it with my grandchildren. It is a hard back padded type cover. The pages are board book style with beautiful illustrations, brightly colored and full of the most adorable farm animals you've ever seen. They will capture your heart, as well as you child's.  Each page consists of a different animal going to sleep, written in poetic style with the animal sound and name of the animal at then end of each prose. The last page affirms how God made all these animals and "me too"! The child will learn about ...

Well this is our kick off week for school!! Today being the first day! I am excited, though not sure the kids are as excited as I am. I am eager for the routine and schedule that comes with fall, school, and responsibilities. It's not that there isn't any routine in the summer, it's just so much more relaxed and not much seems to get done. I spent most of the week last week prepping school books, supplies, organizing, cleaning, etc... The kiddos will be in the fourth and sixth grade this year. I just can't believe how time flies. On the blog this week, I will be reviewing several books, as well as, hosting an awesome giveaway from Family Christian Stores . Don't forget to stop back on Wednesday to check out what I got from them and enter for your chance to win!

This book is definitely a must read for women who may be struggling in an unequally yoked marriage - whether their husbands are unsaved or saved and not living for the Lord. I found it to be very insightful and encouraging. Deborah shares her story of how she came to know the Lord before her husband and the difficulties she experienced as she attempted to live the Christian life yet still remain in her marriage to a man who didn't understand her need for God. Some of the key points in this book are the importance of recognizing God's love for our husbands, their place in our home, not alienating them because of a difference in faith, seeing them through the eyes of Jesus, praying for them. Deborah helps us see that our walk with God even more than our talk can win our husbands. She reminds us that God's heart is for our husbands and prayer along with perseverance is the key to winning them. She encourages us not to give in to discouragement, walk away, or give up just ...

Nym and Draewulf prepare to face off in a battle destined to destroy more lives than it saves. With the loss of Tulla still fresh in mind, Rasha’s fate unknown, and Lord Myles taken over by the dark ability, Nym and the few Bron soldiers rush to warn Cashlin’s queen. Only to discover it may already be too late for the monarch and her eerie kingdom. As the Luminescents are sifting through Nym’s past memories and the queen is reading into her future, Nym is given a choice of how to defeat Draewulf, but the cost may be more than she can bear. And even then there are no guarantees. With that reality burrowing into her bones—along with the guilt of the lives she will sacrifice—Nym returns to her homeland of Faelen to raise an army of peasants through promises of freedom. But when the few friends she has left, along with the world and citizens she loves, are staring down the face

I enjoyed reading this book by Ann Mulligan. It was my first book ever by her and I was quickly caught up in the characters and their small town lives. One of the main characters, Claire, is usually getting herself into some kind of mess. She owns a pottery shop in town and is a gifted artist. She has apparently (in a previous book) helped expand tourism to the small town of Chapel Springs. And although, the tourism is good for business it is also causing a bit of disturbance in the everyday living conditions of the small town. Traffic is congested and even after the season is over, things don't seem to return to normal. Claire, who is on the city council gets most of the blame. She and her friends are trying hard to come up with a solution without changing the small town feel or bankrupting the city.

Well this past week, I spent quite a bit of intentional time cleaning out the clutter in my home. This is the time of year World's Longest Yard Sale runs through our area, and I decided to set up. If you've never heard of it, you can check it out on the link above. It basically runs all the way from Addison, MI to Gadsden, Al. So, I spent several days gathering up stuff we don't need anymore or use and getting ready to sell. For the most part it was an enjoyable experience. One of the things I really like about it, is meeting people from all over the country that travel the sale. It's fun to hear where they are from and where they are headed. After the sale, we donated quite a bit of our leftovers to a local charity that helps people with house fires and other needs. Thankfully, that way all my work was not for naught, and I did not have to bring everything back home. However due to the business of the week, I did not blog at all last week. And yesterday, my usu...