Books and Other Stuff

First I would like to thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers. My dad went to Indiana on Sunday and came back on Tuesday. Very fast trip. But he said the service was really nice and that he got to see a lot of people that he hadn't seen in a while. But he said it was real hard going inside her house seeing all her things. I can't even imagine how hard that had to be. It's funny the things that go through your mind when you get bad news. When my dad called and told me all I could think about was that I didn't get to send off some books to her. She loved to read, must be where I got it. :) She will certainly be missed but I know she's in a better place. I also know she wouldn't want us to sit around upset so let me share a little good news:

I reached my goal of reading 50 books this year!! :) The 50th book was Mr. Monk in Trouble by Lee Goldberg and it was a very good book. If you like the TV series Monk then I highly recommend the book series. So I'm quite pleased that I reached my goal...maybe I should make next year's goal 51 books. ;)

Since next year is almost upon us I think I will share with y'all my top ten favorite books that I read this year. :)

1. A Prisoner of Versailles by Golden Keyes Parsons
2. The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen
3. A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer
4. She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell
5. Seasons in the Mist by Deborah Kinnard
6. Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner
7. Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul
8. Masquerade by Nancy Moser
9. Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer
10. Listen by Rene Gutteridge

So that's my list...what are your favorite books of 2010?

In Loving Memory

My Grandmother passed away Wednesday night. :( She was an amazing woman and we will miss her greatly.

Fall Into Reading 2010: Wrap Up Post

Well, Fall Into Reading has come to an end which means Winter has began although here in Texas it feels more like Spring and I'm not complaining. Going to enjoy this warmer weather while it's here cause I'm sure it will be cool again before we know it. I did really well during this challenge. I had a list of 10 books that I made at the beginning of this challenge and I actually read all but two! But I ended up adding a few books along the way making the total number of books I read an amazing 15:

1. Whispers on the Wind by Maureen Lang
2. Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner
3. In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer
4. Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer
5. Masquerade by Nancy Moser
6. Seasons in the Mist by Deborah Kinnard
7. Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist
8. The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough
   
9. The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
10. How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
11. Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul
12. Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop by Lee Goldberg
13. Dining With Joy by Rachel Hauck
14. The Capture by Kathryn Lasky
15. The Charlatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers

That's pretty impressive for me especially since I had to fit in some knitting time in there too. And because I got those 15 books read I only need to read one more book to complete my personal goal of reading 50 books this year! :) Out of all the books I read during this challenge I would have to say that Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner was one of my favorites. It's about two Janes..one who lives in the present day and the other Jane was Lady Jane Grey. Present day Jane finds an old prayer book and an old ring with her name in it. The book goes back and forth between the two Jane's stories. Lady Jane Grey's story had me in tears. Another book I really enjoyed was Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul. The best word to describe this book has to be: magical. I usually don't care for novellas but I really enjoyed this one. It's a story about two people finding their way to each other but their journey is so very magical. :)

I also read a couple of children's book because my cousin's oldest daughter loves to read. I like to get her books but I want to make sure I don't give her anything icky so I read them first. I have to say The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler was a cute book about a girl who discovers she is an mermaid. If anyone has suggestions of books for a third grader I'd love to hear them.

So I guess the bottom line is that I'm quite pleased with my progress during this challenge. So thank you, Katrina, for hosting it. :)

12 Pearls of Christmas: Gift List by Tricia Goyer

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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Gift List

by Tricia Goyer

I've been thinking lately how hard it must be for Oprah to Christmas shop. I mean if you were on her "gift list" wouldn't you expect something really, really good? The woman gives away cars and trips to Australia on her television show for goodness sake! It seems by the end of Christmas Day her friends and family would look at the pile of presents and think, "Is that it?" I mean if you knew there was billions of dollars she could spend on you, would you ever feel satisfied?

Sometimes I think we approach God the same way. We look around at our home, our family, our job, our free time and we still aren't satisfied. We wish our body looked better, our clothes were more in style, our husband was more considerate and our kids were more ... well, like the perfect little people we picture in our mind. Our careers don't excel as quickly as we think they should and people don't give us the attention we feel we deserve. We're tired and anxious and the to-do list seems to be tacked to our hearts for all the pain it causes.

Often, we look around and don't speak the words out loud, but think them just the same. "Is that it?" I mean, You're the God of the universe and You have all things in Your hands and under Your control. Couldn't you provide a little more money to help those bills disappear or make me a bit more content with the man I've chosen to spend my life with? And I thought Oprah had it tough.

Is there ever a time when God doesn't hear the murmurs? Again, not with our mouths but in our heart.

I've been guilty of this--of not being satisfied with the gifts I've been given. Yes, there will always be more to want, but today--at this moment--I'm satisfied. And I look to Him with a grateful heart and whisper, "Thank you, it is enough. More than enough."

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About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more information, please visit www.triciagoyer.com

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: There's No Place Like... by Melody Carlson

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

There’s No Place Like….

by Melody Carlson

I grew up spending Christmases at my grandparents’ quaint Victorian home, surrounded by lots of relatives, laughter and love and really good food. For a little girl growing up in a single parent home, harried working mother, no church family, and TV dinners, these extended family holidays spent at my grandparents were like a real gift from God. But as a young adult, my grandfather passed on, the old house was sold, I grew up and eventually had a small family of my own.

Still I longed for those familiar kinds of “big” Christmases—I wanted that house full of relatives and fun times to go home to—I think the “child” in me thought I deserved it somehow. But my grandmother had gotten older and lived in a tiny apartment, and my mother and my husband’s parents were not comfortable hosting Christmas in their homes. For a while we went to my cousin’s, but I soon had to come to grips with reality. The days of going to Grandma’s for the perfect Christmas were a thing of the past.

In other words, it was time for me to grow up—time for me to start hosting our own Christmas celebrations. So biting the holiday bullet, I decided to just do it. With two very small children underfoot, I cooked my first turkey, made my first stuffing, invited some family, neighbors, and friends over, and we all crammed ourselves into our little house, balanced our plates on our knees, and had a very good time. Oh, I’m sure the turkey was dry and the gravy lumpy, but what I remember most is that everyone seemed truly happy to be there. And I realized that I wasn’t the only one longing for that sense of warmth and community—that longing to “go home again”—and I finally grasped that I could (with God’s grace) help to provide that for my family and others.

So for the next three decades we continued to host Christmas in our home. I got better at decorating, cooking, gifting…the works. Some years the place would be packed and crazy. A few years were thinner and quieter. But family, friends and neighbors could always count on the fact that the Carlson’s would be “doing something for Christmas.” It was a no-brainer.

Until this year. This year, for the first time in more than thirty years, my husband and I decided we’re going to take a pass on hosting Christmas—we are going to the beach. At first I felt terribly guilty, and even right now I’m a bit unsure—and wonder if I’ll end up changing my mind at the last minute. And yet, I believe it’s the right thing for us to do—for a lot of reasons. One being that my husband’s birthday is Christmas and he never gets to do what he wants on his birthday—this year will be different. But more than that, I hope that our stepping aside will encourage the younger members of our family to find and embrace some of their own traditions—to grow up and look for opportunities to stretch themselves a bit. Because, similar to how and oyster creates a pearl—or how a young mom learns to be a hostess—with some discomfort and distress a burnt turkeys, the end results are truly valuable.

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About Melody: Melody Carlson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Labrador Retriever. She’s the author of around 200 books including this year’s Christmas novella, Christmas at Harrington’s.Visit her website for more information, www.melodycarlson.com.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

The Charlatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers

From Goodreads.com

“I only know one man who might be able to tell me where I come from, and that man is a liar and a fraud.”


As far back as he can remember, the orphan Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. With his adolescent accomplice, Floyd perpetrates a variety of hoaxes and flimflams on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier, such as the Ugliest Boy in the World act.

It’s a hard way to make a living, made harder by the memory of fatter times when audiences thronged to see young Grady perform as “The Wild Man of the Feechiefen Swamp.” But what can they do? Nobody believes in feechies anymore.

When Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders’ belief in the mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark. Floyd’s Great Feechie Scare becomes widespread panic. Eager audiences become angry mobs, and in the ensuing chaos, the Charlatan’s Boy discovers the truth that has evaded him all his life—and will change his path forever.

My thoughts:

It's true you really shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. When I first saw this book it really didn't appeal to me because of the cover but then I read what it was about and thought it sounded interesting. I'm so glad that I read The Charlatan's Boy. This is a book that is full of adventure, humor, and even has it's moments where it is quite touching. In it we meet Grady, a boy who doesn't know where he belongs. All he knows is what Floyd, a huckster who has taken Grady in, tells him and that isn't much. They go from town to town scamming the village people only Grady doesn't really enjoy scamming. But since it is the only thing he knows he goes along with Floyd. But when the village people stop believing in feechies-which happens to be Floyd and Grady's gravy train-Floyd decides to get people to believe again. As you can imagine things don't go exactly the way Floyd expects but things end up going just right for Grady. This was a enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for sending me my free review copy

12 Pearls of Christmas: The Joy of Unexpected Circumstance by Lori Kasbeer

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances

by Lori Kasbeer

The Christmas season is upon us again. Starbucks is selling their Christmas blend; stores are posting their holiday hours; and moms everywhere are making a list and checking it twice, planning for a special Christmas day. It has been our family’s tradition to spend Christmas with relatives. Last year money was tight and we were unable to travel, this is not how we had planned to spend Christmas day but circumstances were beyond our control. Realizing my three boys--who are now teenagers--will not be under our roof for much longer, I wanted to have a special Christmas with just the five of us.

Leading up to Christmas morning we all made mouth-watering, cinnamon cut-out cookies, spent time together sticking tape everywhere while trying to wrap presents, and enjoyed spending time together. We did not have much money, but were having fun making memories. When Christmas morning arrived and we sat around to open gifts my eyes welled up with overwhelming joy. This mother was trying to absorb all the activity that was going on all around her: the smiles from each of my teenage boys, the sounds of laughter, and the smell of cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven. If I could freeze a moment in time, this would be it. I don’t know what the future holds for each of my boys, but that Christmas morning I wanted to soak it all in so I could recall this special day for years to come. Despite struggling financially, unexpected circumstances turned into immense joy and a lifetime of memories.

Mothers treasuring special moments is not something new. Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, was one who tried to soak in everything that first Christmas morning. Even after Christ’s birth she was still trying to absorb what the angel had said to her when he delivered the news that she was going to be the mother of the coming Savior. She reflected on the time she had with her cousin Elizabeth while they were both pregnant. Along with comprehending the unusual way her son came into this world.

While very pregnant with child, Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register Mary for the census. Never did she image she would deliver her baby in a barn with a manger being the only thing to lay him down in. These were not the circumstances she had envisioned. Before she had time to catch her breath, suddenly all around her there was excitement when shepherds showed up reporting what they had seen and heard. There were angels—a multitude of angels—who were singing and declaring the Savior was born and a bright star led them to her and Joseph. So much has happened in a short amount of time and Mary did not want to forget any of it. Instead she stepped back and “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Mary did not exactly know what the plans were for her son, but she knew it was going to change the lives of everyone on earth. She was preparing her heart to obey God concerning her son Jesus, without the full knowledge of what was going to come while at the same time quietly reflecting and capturing this one special moment in time.

May this Christmas be filled with joy and a lifetime of memories, even if you find yourself in unexpected circumstances. Merry Christmas!

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About Lori: Lori Kasbeer lives with her husband Tadd and three teenage sons in Florida. She's a contributor for Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace and a Christian book reviewer. Please visit Lori’s Book Reviews for more info. You can also find Lori on Facebook and Twitter.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Wordless Wednesday

12 Pearls of Christmas: Wear Joy by Rachel Hauck

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day at the Pearl Girls Blog! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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Wear Joy
by Rachel Hauck

Thanksgiving day in central Florida broke warm and sunny under a blue sky. The thin fall breeze beckoned me. Taking my bike out, I rode the neighborhood feeling so grateful for all my blessings.

Joy bubbled up in my spirit. I’d been feeling it for a day, these waves of joy, but as I rode my bike and talked to God, the waves strengthened and splashed my heart the entire ride.

I’d laugh. Then tear up. And laugh again. As one who’s battled and won the war on anxiety and fear attacks, the onslaught of joy was welcomed, and actually sparked a new prayer in my heart. I’ve endured attacks of panic, time for attacks of joy.

The journey of joy began earlier in the year while writing a book coincidentally named, “Dining with Joy.”

Sitting at my table one day, revelation hit me. “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10. The more I meditated on it, the more I wanted His joy. I don’t want my strength. I want His.

Not long after, I went to Nashville for a girl’s weekend. One of my friends handed me a coffee cup inscribed with “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

Ever just know? God is calling.

During the holiday season, I turn 50. Yep, the big 5-0. Can’t stop it, I might as well embrace it.

Fifty is often associated with jubilee, a time of restoration, and healing, even release from debt and slavery. It’s a time of returning to property, and inheritance.

A time of rest.

A time of JOY!

This past week, a friend gifted me with a beautiful Christmas ornament. Inscribed on it? You guessed it.

JOY!

To me, the world doesn’t look very joyful. There are social and economic woas. But God is speaking and offering joy.

As you go into this holiday season, ask God for a pearl of joy. Like pearls, crafted through abrasion, God’s true joy is often formed in us during difficult seasons.

Here’s the thing, His strength isn’t doled out based on our goodness, our success or failure, or the fact the holiday season is hard or sad for you. He is ready, willing and able to overcome all your weaknesses, fears and anxiety, sadness with the power of His very own joy.

His joy. Your strength.

I’ve been walking into rooms, houses, outdoors, raising my arms and shouting, “Joy!” People look at me funny, but I want to spread the joy of the Lord. To spread the very essence of His strength.

How about you? Can you find the pearl of joy in your life, in the essence of God’s heart toward you?

Wear joy this season.

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About Rachel: RITA-finalist Rachel Hauck lives in Florida with her husband, Tony. She is the author of Dining with Joy; Sweet Caroline; Love Starts with Elle; and The Sweet By and By, co-authored with Sara Evans. For more information please visit www.rachelhauck.com.

Oh, and be sure to enter Rachel's Dining With Joy NOOK eReader giveaway!

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Another Fashion Show

This past week I was busy knitting some more Barbie clothes. So I thought I would show y'all what I knitted. My favorites are the two gold dresses, makes me wish I was still a kid so I could play Barbies! lol

Book Trailer: Bound by Guilt by C.J. Darlington

Wordless Wednesday

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"You always want to leave your audience wanting more. That's what Floyd told me every time we snuck out of some village in the middle of the night and skipped our last scheduled show."
--The Charlatan's Boy by Jonathan Rogers

Fashion Show

I've been busy knitting some Barbie clothes for my cousin's youngest daughter and I think they are coming out quite nicely, if I do say so myself. So far I've knitted a hat and a scarf, the all important little black dress, a lovely little pink top and skirt, a shawl, and a blue dress. I still want to knit a couple more things for her but I thought I would share with y'all what I've knitted thus far. If you happen to knit and would like to knit some of these cute clothes you can find these and a TON of others at Sticka till Barbie. So enjoy the little fashion show. :)

Dining with Joy by Rachel Hauck

Book Description

Joy Ballard has a secret: she's a cooking show host who can't really cook.

When her South Carolina-based cooking show, Dining With Joy, is picked up by a major network, Joy Ballard's world heats up like a lowcountry boil.

Joy needs help. Then she meets chef Luke Davis who moved to Beaufort after losing his Manhattan restaurant. A cook at the Frogmore Cafe, he’s paying debts and longing to regain his reputation in the elite foodie world.

Luke and Joy mix like oil and water…until Joy is exposed on national television. With her career and his reputation both under fire, they’ll have to work together to fix the mess. Is it possible that they can learn to feast on God’s love and dine with joy?

My Thoughts:

When I read the book description I thought it sounded like a fun book, especially since I enjoy watching The Food Network. It started off pretty good but then it just seemed to drag on to me. I started struggling with continuing reading it. I'm not sure what it was that made the story slow down for me. I know it wasn't the writing and I did like the characters. I think maybe it was the fact that it took so long for Joy's secret to come out that bugged me. But with that being said, if this sounds like something you would enjoy then please don't let my review stop you from checking it out. We all enjoy different types of books.

I received my free review copy from booksneeze.com