Review of Before I Wake

October 31, 2006 Categories: Books , Reviews | 6 Comments  

(Before I Wake was provided to me by Active Christian Media for the purpose of review.)

Before I Wake
by Dee Henderson
Tyndale Fiction
Romantic Thriller

I have adored Dee Henderson’s books ever since I fell in love with the O’Malley family series a few years back. Ms. Henderson’s fiction is suspenseful and well-written, and deals with issues that people of faith face every day - even if we aren’t a hostage negotiator or paramedic or hold any of the other high-adrenaline jobs her characters have.

Before I Wake is a romantic thriller along the same lines as the O’Malley series. Rae Gabriella is an ex-FBI agent starting over as a private investigator in the firm her ex-boyfriend owns. Her first day on the job throws her into the middle of a murder investigation, a local labor strike, and feelings of attraction to two different men, one of whom she has a past with.

The characters are well-written, and the plot is suspenseful. I read this book in two days - and it was a perfectly entertaining read to follow up Great Expectations with. The only problem I had was that the ending seemed fairly abrupt. I wanted more! But if I’m reading things right, I believe this book is the beginning in a series that has the potential to be as great as the O’Malley series is.

Intertwined with the mystery is the characters’ theological struggle with why God allows so much evil in the world. This is handled well in dialogue and is never heavy-handed. I imagine this is a topic Christians in law enforcement deal with on a daily basis.

I give this book 3 and a half out of 4 stars. I will definitely be reading any further books in this series. If you’re a fan of romantic thrillers, this is a great read.

Noah’s Reading - October 2006

Categories: Kid Stuff , Books | No Comments  

The Chikorita Challenge (Pokemon Chapter Book) by Tracey West
Journey to the Volcano Palace by Tony Abbott
Winner Takes All: Pokemon Chapter Book by Tracey West
Togepi Springs Into Action (A Pokemon Reader) by Tracey West
Prize Pokemon: A Pokemon Chapter Book by Sheila Sweeney

Natalie’s Reading - October 2006

Categories: Kid Stuff , Books | No Comments  

The Adventure Bible for Young Readers
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Read Alouds for October 2006

Categories: Books | No Comments  

Egermeier’s Bible Story Book: A Complete Narration from Genesis to Revelation for Young and Old by Elsie E. Egermeier
Favorite Poems Old and New selected by Helen Ferris
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom
Terrific by Jon Agee
Finklehopper Frog by Irene Livingston
Frogs by Gail Gibbons
Pirates by John Matthews
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
The Panda: Wild About Bamboo by Valerie Tracqui
One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi
The Problem with Chickens by Bruce McMillan
Yes, Please! No, Thank You! by Valerie Wheeler

Mommy, Mommy!

October 30, 2006 Categories: This and That | 8 Comments  

It snowed!

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

October 28, 2006 Categories: Books | 14 Comments  

I finished Great Expectations at 12:40 this morning and then went to bed. I should’ve gone to bed at a decent hour, since Natalie and I had stayed up til 11:45 the night before finishing our Global Puzzle, but I couldn’t stop reading until I knew what happened to Pip.

It’s funny, there are so many books that people say I should read. And until this year, I’ve completely rebelled against that idea. I want to read what I want to read. But as I’ve endeavored to expand my reading horizons this year and dipped into Jane Austen for the first time, and now some Dickens, I’m beginning to understand something. People call these books “classics” for a reason. They may take more time and concentration to read, but they are worth the investment.

Though these books are older and take place at a time far removed from our own, the issues and relationships and feelings involved are universal. The lessons that Pip and Miss Havisham and Elizabeth Bennett learn are lessons we all need to learn at various times in our lives. And authors like Dickens and Austen are considered the best for good reason - they have a way of describing their characters, time, and place that puts us there.

I’m not going to balk at reading the classics any longer. They take more work, but they’re worth it.

She’s her mother’s daughter

October 27, 2006 Categories: Television , Kid Stuff | 4 Comments  

The boys’ favorite shows to watch during TV time now that we have “channels”: Crocodile Hunter and Spongebob Squarepants

Natalie’s favorites: Emeril Live and A Baby Story :)

Links for Friday

Some quick links for your viewing pleasure:

“Like all revolutions, this one started small, with a single post on a blog devoted to children’s literature. The Newbery Medals seemed too elitist and the Quills, well, not enough so.

Was there a middle ground, an annual award that would recognize both a book’s merits and popularity?

The answer: invent one! Within hours, this meme had circulated among some of the biggest bloggers in the burgeoning kidlitosphere, the cozy corner of the Web where children’s books are given the same regard as their grown-up counterparts.

Within days, the new awards had a name and a website: The Cybils, a loose acronym for Children’s and YA Bloggers’ Literary Awards. Nominations quickly opened in eight categories, from picture books up to Young Adult fiction and even graphic novels.”

~Head on over to the Cybils and nominate your favorite children’s books. All children’s or YA books published in English in 2006 are eligible. Categories include: Graphic Novels, Non-fiction Picture Books, Non-fiction for Middle Grades and YA, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Picture Books, Young Adult Novels, and Middle Grade Novels. You can nominate one book in each category. If you’re not sure of the category, nominate it in the closest one and the Cybils team will put it where appropriate. Teams will narrow the field to a few contenders (I think five, but don’t quote me on that) and then other teams will pick the winner. I was lucky enough to be asked to join the panel that will choose the winner in the non-fiction picture book category - sometime in January. Nominations close November 20th, so don’t wait too long!

~Here’s a fun online Pumpkin Carver for the kids. Or you. Hat tip: Shannon.

~And what would Friday be without a funny video?

Our weekend involves a Halloween party tonight at Tae Kwon Do, carving pumpkins on Saturday, and praying for Seneca Wallace, the Seahawks backup quarterback, through the game on Sunday. How ’bout you?

Tears

October 24, 2006 Categories: Commonplace Book , Books | 6 Comments  

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.”

~Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

(No, I’m not especially sad today, just thought this was a beautiful quote and wanted to share.)

Channels

October 22, 2006 Categories: Football , Television | 15 Comments  

We succumbed. To channels, that is. That’s what my kids call having more television options than the grainy Fox network that our rabbit ears pick up. After five years of no cable, the Direct TV man will be making a visit to our house tomorrow morning. Probably right in the middle of science. I tried to talk Kevin into working from home tomorrow so he could handle the whole thing, but that’s another story.

Don’t get me wrong, we haven’t been completely TV-less. We have had our trusty Fox channel-via-antenna, bringing us such goodies as House, Bones, and, of course, American Idol. (And such trash as The OC and Family Guy.) And my wonderful parents have been kind enough to record a couple of other favorites for us: NCIS and Lost - and, more recently, The Unit.

But now that Kevin’s promotion affords us a little more financial stretch room, and since I’ve whined about the Seahawks games that aren’t on Fox and missing our shows when my mom and dad are out of town and forget to set the VCR, Kevin has blessed me with satellite TV.

And I’m not kidding myself - I know that it’s really all for me. Kevin told me as much. To which I responded, “Well, then let’s not get it, I don’t want to cost the family $30 a month.”

To which he responded, “Well, aren’t you worth it?” (Cue: aw, how sweet.)

To which I responded by pouting because I felt guilty for wanting it in spite of the fact that he didn’t. And basically I had a little tantrum and said, “No, we shouldn’t get it.”

To which Kevin responded, “Sometimes you make me feel like I’m d**ned if I do, and d**ned if I don’t. Can’t I just do this for you?”

To which I said, meekly, “I’m sorry, honey, I’ll let you get me channels.”

I’m ashamed to say that I’m not kidding and that conversation actually happened. Someday I’ll learn.

The kids are almost as excited as I am. Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, and the Food Network! (Natalie loves cooking shows.) We’re hoping to invest in a DVR around Christmas time, and then I can record and catalog all those wonderful History Channel and Learning Channel shows for school.

But mostly, I’m glad I won’t miss anymore Seahawks games. (And along that note: Mr. Hasselbeck, Noah wants me to tell you that we are praying for your knee to heal quickly so you can play next week.)

Fun with Google

October 20, 2006 Categories: Movies | 6 Comments  

I have had dozens of hits in the last few weeks from people googling “what are the names of Barbie’s twelve dancing princesses” and variations thereof. When Natalie was watching the DVD (for the umpteenth time), I wrote them down so that no longer will you seekers be disappointed. Here they are:

Ashlynn
Blair
Courtney
Delia
Edaline
Fallon
Genevieve
Hadley
Ilah
Janessa
Kathleen
Lacey

Friday’s Links

October 19, 2006 Categories: Holidays , News , Parenting , Music , This and That , Faith , Kid Stuff , Homeschooling | 7 Comments  

It’s Friday - (east-coast time, anyway, I still have a few hours) - and time for another list of links for your entertainment and edification. ;)

~First, this video of a young man playing Pachelbel’s Canon on the electric guitar. This guy is extremely talented - almost makes me wish we had his version at our wedding instead of the lovely strings recording we used.

~Show this video to your daughters and to your sons. Explain to them what true beauty is - and isn’t. I think the new Dove ad campaign about beauty is terrific. I may not fully understand their motives, but being realistic about beauty is a good thing any way you look at it. I’ve seen this video linked several places now, but the hat tip goes to Lisa Samson’s site, where I heard about it first.

~Looking for another addictive and time-wasting game? Try Line-Rider. Andrea got me stuck on this one. And for something else that’s creative and just as addictive, try the Snowflake Maker.

~Did you know that only one of the original Seven Wonders of the World still exists? And that there is a foundation established to name the new Seven Wonders? You can vote on your choices here. This would make a great geography unit study!

~This news story amazed me. What a picture of forgiveness and mercy in action.

~Here’s a great post from Randi on what else we can learn from the Amish.

~This link is a pdf of Mars Hill Church’s October newsletter. (I’ve posted links to their sermons before - good teaching there.) There’s a great article on Halloween by Pastor James Harleman. He explains that everything we’ve been told about the satanic origins of the holiday isn’t necessarily true. Not that he finds much good about Halloween in general, either, but as Christians we should be making our decision regarding whether to celebrate or not as informed people, not just because we’ve heard “this-and-that” from “so-and-so”.

“One of the most interesting anecdotes I found in
researching the history of Halloween is that the one activity
many churches do engage in at replacement events like
church “Harvest Festivals” is perhaps the one most easily
linked to paganism. Bobbing or “Ducking” for apples was
actually a divination ritual related to love and fertility.”

“As Christmas and Easter have overrun and co-opted various trappings, however, there is for Christians a clear,
central focus on Jesus’ incarnation. Halloween may not be
inherently evil, but it also has no central, specific focus on
the Lord we love. Whether we see Halloween as pagan
practices, Catholic traditions, or good old American, candy-coated commercialism, none of these offers great inspiration
to participate.

At Mars Hill Church, we don’t believe in the deities
worshipped by the Celts or the rituals used to appease or
summon them. We do, however, recognize that there are evil
spirits that confuse and lead people astray from relationship
with the one true God. We recognize that the Bible calls
all Christians “saints” and don’t believe in the Catholic
extra-biblical concepts of sainthood or purgatory. Many of
the ideas and rituals that have contributed to the Halloween
mish-mash aren’t congruent with our beliefs. However, setting
aside times to remember or honor those we love that
have passed away (hopefully to be with our Savior Jesus) is
not a bad idea. On a less somber level, wearing Spider-man
costumes, making funny faces on vegetables, and engaging
in neighborhood activities where one can both give and
receive hospitality is not something we oppose. Fictional
fantasy tales of monsters and elves – even scary ones
– are not wholly inappropriate either, whether punctuated
on this particular weekend or sprinkled throughout the year
in classic tales from authors including Tolkien and Lewis.

We regard Halloween as a second-hand issue and ask that
every Christian examine their response to the modern-day
Halloween celebration in our culture.”

“For those who have shunned
Halloween because they were simply told it
was evil, or for those who have participated and never
bothered to weigh its appropriateness, your pastors would
encourage the employment of godly wisdom, discernment,
and a sense of our shared mission as Christians. Our abstinence
or participation in regard to Halloween should not be
derived from fear, misinformation, or pressure but rather from
a sincere love of Jesus; every response to our culture and its
festivals is a way to point to the God we love and serve.

Lastly, for parents, don’t forget that gluttony is a sin. Careful not to force your kids to learn the hard way: lying on an altar of plastic wrap and tin-foil, holding their bulbous stomachs. If you participate in Halloween, it might be the perfect time to introduce the concept of moderation.”

The Halloween article is on page 14, and there’s also more great reading if you’ve got the time.

~Last, but certainly not least, the 42nd Carnival of Homeschooling is up at Homeschooling Hacks. I contributed my “day in my life” post - extended version. Lots of other good reading over there.

Well, that’s all for this week. Have a wonderful weekend!

One Memorable Day

October 18, 2006 Categories: Memories | 5 Comments  

“That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.”

~Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

This paragraph in GE set me to wondering. What day in my life was like this? I came to the conclusion that it was the day I decided not to return to the university for my senior year.

I had transferred to Washington State University as a junior, having received my AA degree at Skagit Valley Community College in Mt. Vernon, Washington. (Any Skagit Valley-ites out there?)

I was a theater major with a minor in vocal performance. I loved learning. I loved performing. But my life was a mess. I wasn’t serving God, even though I had been raised as a Christian all my life. I was spending time with and dating people who weren’t good for me, drinking too much, and just all-around living a sinful life. And I was miserable. I kept telling myself I was having fun, but I wasn’t. I had no idea what I would do with my degree after I graduated, and the thought of trying to pursue a career as an actress or singer terrified me. Which left teaching, meaning more college, more loans.

And then I got a phone call from home. My mom told me that my aunt Cindy was looking for a live-in nanny. She had a five-year-old boy named Chuck and a newborn boy named Cody. She was wondering if I was returning to WSU, and if not, would I be interested? And in one day, I made the decision. I informed my roommate I wasn’t coming back. I informed my professors, which was the hardest part - especially when one told me he had chosen the fall play with me in mind. But I knew this was the right choice.

I moved to Vancouver, Washington in August of 1993 and became a nanny. I loved it. And more importantly, in Vancouver I met Kevin. In March of 1995 we got married. One day, one decision. And how my life would have been different if I had chosen the other path.

How about you? Any memorable days?

Straight Up

October 17, 2006 Categories: Commonplace Book , Books , Reviews | 14 Comments  

Every once in a while I read a book so beautifully written that I wish I had written it myself. This book is one of those. When people tell me that Christian fiction is all trite and predictable, I point them to Lisa Samson’s work. Her books stretch me and make me think, and her characters are so real I feel I would know them if I met them on the street.

Straight Up is the story of Georgia and Fairly, cousins who are as different as they come. For both of them, life has taken unexpected turns, and both of them have found ways of coping that are harmful to themselves. God uses the circumstances in their lives to bring them back together and to give them a new understanding of His grace and mercy.

I don’t want to go into much detail and give anything away, so I’ll just say you should definitely read this book. Lisa Samson’s words wrap around you and make you oblivious of anything else. Just don’t plan on getting any sleep until you finish - I started this book on Sunday evening, and I stayed up until midnight last night to finish it. I read it so fast it didn’t even make it onto my sidebar.

“Jazz drives me crazy. Crazy like New Orleans on a day so hot the heat rises into your nostrils and steams your brain like a peach dumpling. You feel the humid heat waves as they spill onto the pavement from the lips of a saxophonist who loves his horn more than any woman he’s ever met because the horn never disappoints him. He may disappoint himself, his woman, his mother, and the holy church, but the horn stays true and pure and loving, shining into his heart with a brassy passion, licking his soul tenderly, lapping up his affection like creme de la creme.

And then he shares it with the world. Somehow, though his heart is sore - his mother left him when he was ten, his girlfriend cheated on him with the no-account drummer - he shares the love.

And the pain.

He shares the confusion, too, because sometimes pain and love hold each other’s hand, then sway like cat’s on a fencepost.

So when people say, “Jazz just sounds like a bunch of noise to me!” I want to show them a picture of my mother or the man on the street corner with nothing but a horn and his love.”

from Straight Up by Lisa Samson

Mixed feelings

October 16, 2006 Categories: Rants , Faith | 13 Comments  

About this past Friday’s women’s overnighter. All in all, I would say I had a good time. There was good teaching, good fellowship, and oh, the food… I also enjoyed leading worship, although doing three complete worship services in less than 24 hours is absolutely exhausting. I came home completely wiped out Saturday afternoon.

Before I can explain the mixed feelings, I have to back up and vent a little bit about this year’s women’s Bible study. Weekly Bible study has been my refuge since we moved here 9 years ago. When I had four under 5-years, I especially relished the time spent with other women and my children safely in the nursery being looked after. I did everything I could to make sure we were there most weeks, in spite of the challenges of getting four little ones ready and out the door by 8:45 a.m.

When we made our decision to leave our old church, I knew I would continue to attend the women’s study. It meets in a woman’s home - not at the church - and there are other ladies from different churches who also attend. It was a comfort to know that, in the midst of all these changes, I could keep this support group. There were some awkward questions about why we had left the church, but those had all passed by the time we broke for the summer. I spent the summer missing the ladies from study and looking forward to starting up again.

Then we started study this fall. The group of women tends to change some each year, as there are usually two studies offered, meeting in different homes. This year the choices were a study on being a godly wife, and a study on the book of Matthew. I chose the Matthew study - cause I’m already a perfect wife, right? Just kidding. Even though the marriage study was a repeat from five years ago, I figured I could use a refresher course. Plus, the teacher happens to be one of my best friends from that church, and this way I can actually see her in person once a week instead of relying on the weekly phone calls that we cram into our schedules.

This year, we have a few new ladies. They are not new to the church, but this is the first year they have committed to Bible study. And for some reason, they have no idea how to behave in a group study. I am not exaggerating! Let me give you a brief play-by-play of last week, and you’ll see what I mean:

I dropped the kids off at the nursery (we have two lovely girls - one currently homeschooled and one a homeschool graduate - who watch our children) at 8:45. Two of these ladies were dropping their kids off at the same time. I headed to the house where study was held. I got there at ten to 9, plenty of time to set up my keyboard and visit for a few minutes. I fully expected these ladies to be right behind me, but when their friend arrived she announced that they had decided to make a latte run before heading to study.

At 9, study begins. At 9:10, the two latte ladies arrive. Now, if they would quietly slip into seats so as not to disturb what was going on, everything would be fine. But, no, they have to make an entrance.

“Ooo, your baby’s getting so big - and where did you get that adorable purse? I need one of those!”

“Sorry we’re late! Had to have our caffeine fix, you know!”

At this point, Terry (my friend and the teacher) tried to get everyone back on task. She continued on with announcements, prayer, and discussion of last weeks’ homework. During this time, not one, not two, but three different cell phones ring. And none of the cell phones have typical rings - one actually tweets like a bird. And do you think they turned them off quickly and ignored them? Oh, no, they answered them! There was even a phone conversation going on while Terry prayed.

Study continued, interrupted often by the ring-leader of this group of ladies, who likes to be the center of attention. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the kind of study where Terry talks and the rest of us just sit quietly and listen. Interaction is encouraged and everyone feels free to give input. But this particular woman’s comments are almost always completely off topic. At one point, in the middle of the study, she actually asked the hostess about her curtains!

Before study was over, we had several more phone calls, all of them answered. Now, I understand the need for mothers to be reachable when their children are somewhere else. The ladies in the nursery have the phone number at the home we meet in and they have a phone right in the nursery. So it’s not like there’s no way we can be reached in case of emergency. So why can’t these ladies turn their phones off for the two hours of study? They’re not doctors or surgeons or police officers. They don’t have jobs outside the home that require them to be “on call”.

I went home from study feeling like my place of refuge had been completely violated. I talked to Terry afterwards, and she mentioned that she had specifically prayed for there to be no distractions this morning. The lesson was on truly leaving all - including our self-centered-ness - to cleave to our husbands. A necessary teaching - one that impacted our marriage in huge ways last time we did this study. (Another story for another day, if you’re interested.) But no one got much out of study, because it was interrupted at least a dozen times by either cell phones or off-topic remarks or side conversations.

Fast-forward to Friday afternoon. Terry and I and the two other ladies in charge of the women’s overnighter are praying. Terry mentions that the same group of ladies will be attending, and that she plans to make a request at the beginning of the first session that all cell phones be either turned off or turned to vibrate, and that there be no side conversations going on that would distract from what was going on. During free time and craft time and at night, cell phones were fine - just not during the session time.

There was some good-natured complaining, but all of the ladies turned their phones to vibrate, and I thought we were off to a good start. But the center-of-attention lady still manages to be loud and make lots of comments that keep people from concentrating. We had lots of visiting time and some fun ice-breakers, but every time we tried to come back to the more serious teaching and testimony time, she could not get settled down. I seriously felt like we were dealing with my 7-year-old. Then, in the middle of one woman’s beautiful testimony of how her life changed because of grace (our theme was Grace-filled Living), center-of-attention jumped up and announced that she had to leave. Apparently her husband had been calling her over and over again (she had left the room to answer her vibrating phone a couple times) and that he was having trouble getting their youngest to bed and he wanted her to come home. I felt sorry for her (and very grateful for my husband, who has never asked me to come home early from a women’s retreat, even when the kids were sick), but she basically threw a fit, disrupting the entire time. She threw her notebook down on a table, and stomped into the kitchen, gathering her things. Her phone again rang, and she answered it in the hallway right next to where we were meeting. We could hear the entire conversation as she basically yelled at her husband. She then stomped back into the room announcing that she couldn’t find her keys. After about 20 minutes of this, she finally left.

I am trying so hard not to be judgmental about her, but this woman is a Christian. She has been for several years. Last week at Bible study she announced that she and her husband will be going into full-time missions work in Quito, Ecuador next year. And all I can think is, “Oh. my. gosh.” Am I just being critical? Am I too picky - do I need to just let things go? Cause I am beginning to dread Bible study and get resentful.

I feel so sorry for Terry, as she has tried the whole “subtle cues” route to let this woman know that she is disrupting things, but she is just not picking up these cues. This leaves Terry having to address the situation head-on, which is not her favorite thing to do. (I don’t know anyone who truly loves confrontation, do you?)

Every week I have prayed for forgiveness over my attitude about these women, and the one in particular, but every week the same things keep happening and my resentment comes back. I don’t want to give up Bible study, but I also don’t want to keep going somewhere that makes me so angry.

I have to say the rest of the overnighter was much more pleasant. Without their “ring-leader,” the rest of these women are pleasant and fun to be around. I think many ladies were ministered to by the testimonies given and the teaching that Terry prepared. I know that is what counts. But what do I do with these feelings of resentment? Any advice would be appreciated.