ADOREnaments

My favorite name of Christ is Immanuel, which means "God With Us." To think that God left the unimaginable purity and beauty of Heaven to come live among His creation. He didn't come as an adult, busting in and taking charge. He came as a baby, probably the most vulnerable creature there is.

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

That verse to me is the amplified meaning of Immanuel. Jesus came and set the example of what a relationship with God the Father is all about. And then He died for my sins and rose again to make that relationship an eternal reality. All I have to do is accept the free gift He offers, because no gift is actually mine until I decide to accept it.

Each Christmas season my husband, son, and I use ADOREnaments to draw our attention to the different names and attributes of Christ. There are twelve ADOREnaments in all. The first one is my favorite, Immanuel. A few of the others are The Bread of Life, The Giver of Living Water, The King of kings and Lord of lords. We take turns reading the Scripture, reading the short devotional, and saying a prayer. My son then hangs the ADOREnament on the Christmas tree. I also buy a (usually not too costly) family gift to open after each ADOREnament.

It is all too easy to lose focus on what Christmas is really about. This is just one way to stop and think about the Reason for the Season.

He Reigns!

I cry every time this song is sung during worship at church.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMT_kAD6cOg

Believe it or not, everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ does not live in the United States. I would venture to say a minority of God's people live in the United States. The church is a world-wide body, but looking around the typical church congregation does not really reflect that, does it?

The United States seems to be more of a melting pot than ever. People are coming here for the same reasons they always have - to flee persecution, better economic opportunities, education, etc. The church should be a melting pot, too.

I want to see the body of Christ united. I want us to remember our brothers and sisters around the world who worship God in spite of the fact that it could cost them their lives.

London Calling

Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, Midsomer Murders, Foyle's War, Inspector Lynley, Wallace and Gromit, Inspector Lewis, The Lake District, the Cotswolds, Big Ben, the cliffs of Dover.

What do all of the above have in common? England! I have completely fallen in love with things English. I love the accent, the way they turn a phrase, the very Britishness of England. I enjoy books, movies, and television shows from England. The food - not so much.

I would love to visit England, but not as a tourist. I want to experience England like the people who live there. I want to visit the small villages. I want to sit on the rocky beach and look out over the Atlantic. I want to envision the little boats going across the Channel to rescue the British soldiers at Dunkirk. I want to visit a real Anglican church. I want to (maybe) have a ploughman's lunch at a pub with an interesting name. I want to visit Harrod's in London. I want to ride in a lift and visit a flat.

Actually, I have been to England, but only Heathrow Airport. I was on my way home from India and we had a layover there. I did get to see an actual English bobby (policeman). I want to get beyond the airport, though. And if I don't get to England before I die, I hope Heaven will have an England section.

Pièce de Résistance

The pièce de résistance is the best part of something, a highlight. Pièce de Résistance is the highlight of the French Twist trilogy by Sandra Byrd.

If you haven't read the first two books in the series, Let Them Eat Cake and Bon Appétit, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Not because it is crucial to understanding references in Pièce de Résistance so much, but because they are very good books and can bring added enjoyment. An additional benefit to all three books is the recipes included.

In Let Them Eat Cake, Lexi Stuart needs a job and a place to live. She finally finds a job at L'Esperance, a French bakery in Seattle. In the course of her job she meets Dan, an attractive lawyer, and their relationship develops.

At the end of Bon Appétit, Lexi has finished her schooling in France and is returning to Seattle to work for the Delacroix family at Bijoux, their newest business venture. While in France, she met a charming widower, Phillipe, and his equally charming young daughter, Cèline. Phillipe and Cèline are also going to Seattle so Phillipe can take over business operations for the Delacroix family.

So now in Pièce de Résistance, Lexi is back in Seattle. This time she has a job, but she needs somewhere to live - and transportation. She loves her job making cakes for Bijoux, but discovers that there is more to her job than she originally thought or desired. Is she up to the challenges ahead? And then there is the choice she needs to make between Dan and Phillipe. Or is it really her choice to make?

Here is the promotional synopsis:

Having earned her chef’s hat, Lexi Stuart bids au revoir to her glamorous and deliciously satisfying pastry mentorship outside of Paris and returns to her hometown of Seattle, Washington. There, she finds life unexpectedly complicated. She’s put in charge of a high-end catering bakery called Bijoux, which should be her dream job, but there’s a catch: She has to make this lavish bakery into a successful business in just a few, short months, which will require more than her ability to make an amazing wedding cake. Stir in a complicated relationship with her French beau Philippe and his daughter, Celine, then add a dash of romance with down-to-earth lawyer Dan, and life suddenly contains more ooh la la than Lexi can handle.

This book was truly the pièce de résistance of this series. I felt like I was right there with Lexi in all her highs and lows. Pièce de Résistance had just the right balance of fun and conflict. It showcased well some of the helps and hindrances to relationships that last. And I couldn't have asked for a better ending. I LOVED it!

Check out Sandra Byrd's website at http://www.sandrabyrd.com/ and her Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/sandrabyrdbooks.

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd went on to publish more than three dozen books including her widely-acclaimed adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake and it’s sequels, and her forthcoming young adult fiction series, London Confidential. A former textbook acquisitions editor, Sandra is also an accomplished non-fiction writer and author. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications such as Radiant, Focus on the Family's Clubhouse Magazine, Christian Parenting Today, Today’s Christian Woman, Pockets, Decision, and Guideposts. During the past eight years, Sandra has mentored hundreds of students through the Christian Writer's Guild. Sandra resides in Seattle, Washington with her husband Michael, a chaplain, their two teenagers, and a circus dog named Brie.

Hunting Eichmann

Yesterday I finished reading Hunting Eichmann by Neal Bascomb. It was recommended to me by a co-worker, whose judgement I trust as to whether a book is good.

Hunting Eichmann is about the hunt for and capture of Adolph Eichmann, the "operational manager" of the Final Solution implemented by the Nazis against the Jewish people. I had heard of Eichmann, but really didn't know much about him and his role in the Holocaust.

The story, for being so full of characters and facts, flowed very well. I can't remember the last non-fiction book I read that was as hard to put down. Even though I basically knew the ending of the story, it was still suspenseful reading about the actual events leading up to the discovery, capture, and trial of Eichmann.

I learned at least three things that bothered me. The United States was more interested in "acquiring" top German scientists after the war than it was in apprehending those who committed war crimes. The Catholic church seemed to be very involved in helping Nazis escape to other countries after the war. The West German government formed after the war (I assume with the help of the Allied nations) contained ex-Nazis.

What I will probably remember most from reading this book, though, is something entirely different. After Eichmann was convicted and awaiting the result of his appeal, a Canadian Protestant missionary in Jerusalem met with him and urged him to repent and put his faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Eichmann refused and went to his death (as far as I know) without knowing Christ. At least one of the men who helped capture Eichmann was there when he was hanged.

Here's the thing. Adolph Eichmann was responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews. Those who brought him to justice did a good thing, but if they did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they were still headed to the same place as Eichmann. According to Romans 3:23, we have ALL sinned, and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), no matter the size of the sin, big or small. God has given us a free gift, though. He died on the cross for us to pay the price for that sin, so we wouldn't have to. We just have to admit that we have sinned, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross for us, and ask Him to save us.

Decisions, Decisions

I work as a page at a public library. That means I shelve books, shift books around, get books off the shelf that have been requested, answer the occasional patron question and, according to the boss, anything else they ask me to do. Since our custodian is off on maternity leave, that anything else can include picking up trash from the parking lot, watering the shrubs around the building, and checking the restroom to make sure there is enough toilet paper available. Thankfully, I don't have to do the custodial jobs every day. For all this, I get paid 10 cents more than minimum wage per hour.

I think I am worth more than barely over minimum wage.

Should I find another job that pays more or should I stay where I am? There are advantages in staying. The hours are very flexible and my supervisor is great about arranging our schedules to suit us. I live 2-3 minutes away from where I work, so I don't use that much gas and I could walk if I wanted to. I enjoy, for the most part, the people I work with.

Here's the thing, though. What does God want me to do? Is there some purpose He has for me there and I just need to reconcile myself to working for peanuts? Or does He want me somewhere else?

I don't have many marketable skills, so my options are limited. I am capable of other jobs in the library system, but I fear the entire system has major flaws and any job within the system would be frustrating (although at a higher salary).

Please pray with me about this. I don't necessarily want more money so I can sock it all away. I just want to earn a fair wage for what I do.

Worlds of Fun - 15 Years (at least) Later

Today my son and I went to Worlds of Fun. The last time I went was sometime before his birth and that was almost 15 years ago. At least I remembered how to get there.

We took cans of food to donate to Harvesters, so that got us a reduced rate. I paid $10 to park, so that parking lot had better look good for years to come. We parked close enough to walk to the park entrance. I don't even know if they still run the trams. I didn't see any while we were there.

Our first ride was the Spinning Dragon. Not only was it a rollercoaster, but the car also spun on the tracks as it hurtled up and down and around. I found out later that the Spinning Dragon is a double-black diamond ride, the most thrilling ride rating. We also rode the Timberwolf and Prowler rollercoasters. My son would not consent to riding the Mamba, and I really can't blame him.

Le Tour Taxi was our destination for adolescent driving practice. We went there twice. The second time I wanted to keep silent and just let my son drive without interference. I couldn't do it, though. There was a little girl right on our tail toward the end. A future speeder in the making.

Food and drinks are still expensive. We split a personal pan pizza and large drink for a late lunch. It was a good pizza, though. I don't know if it was just today, but the concessions didn't appear to be very busy for the most part. Something new that I noticed is vending machines for drinks and candy.

We had a pretty good time. A thunderstorm rolled through in the early afternoon, so we waited until the weather cleared to continue our fun. We ended our day at the Fury of the Nile, where I was the recipient of the most water in our rafting craft. I was absolutely drenched.

So much has changed in the last 15+ years, but so much has remained the same. As we went around the park I remembered how I got my brother to go on the Zulu before he could really see what it was all about. I remembered going on what is now Cyclone Sam's with a classmate years ago and being crushed against the side of the ride by the force of her weight. I remembered going on the Finnish Fling (which is still there) and determining that I would NEVER go on that ride again. Some rides are not there anymore, including one of my favorite rollercoasters, the Zambezi Zinger.

I'm glad I went and got to relate some of those memories to my son and make some new memories that he and I can share.

So Many Books!

My first taste of adult Christian fiction was Grace Livingston Hill and a few other authors my mom had on her bookshelf. That was many, many years ago. Then came the prairie romances. They seemed to be the staple for quite awhile, and still seem to have a stranglehold on Christian fiction along with bonnet stories (Amish fiction). Oh, and I read and owned most of the House of Winslow series by Gilbert Morris and the Zion series by Bodie Thoene. There didn't seem to be a whole lot to choose from when it came to Christian Fiction, but what there was seemed to be quality reading.

How times have changed! Now there is Christian fiction in just about any genre one wants to read - suspense, romance, mystery, international intrigue, drama, comedy, tragedy, chicklit, ladlit, oldladylit, the aforementioned Amish and prairie/western, and any combination thereof. There is so much more to choose from, how can one read everything?

Allow me to recommend some authors. If you like suspense, check out Brandilynn Collins. If you like books about military criminal investigation, Mel Odom has the excellent NCIS series. For those who want to read romance from a guy's perspective (and so, so funny), I recommend Flabbergasted, A Delirious Summer, and Lost in Rooville by Ray Blackston. Want something from a different ethnic perspective? Try the Sushi Series by Camy Tang or her newest, Deadly Intent. Kristin Billerbeck is a favorite writer of chicklit. Siri Mitchell has written fiction that has challenged and entertained me. Other authors I would recommend include Linda Nichols, Jan Karon, Jackina Stark, B.J. Hoff, and Francine Rivers.

I remember when I first started reading the Zion series by Bodie Thoene. I was impressed that the characters who were not Christians acted like non-Christians. They were not sanitized just because they were in a "Christian" book. These were authentic characters. Christian Fiction has become more authentic, and that is a good thing, in my opinion. Maybe I should say that the grace that Christ offers us all has become more apparent in Christian fiction.

I can't read all the books, but I've certainly found some good ones!

Cheap! Cheap!

We will be on vacation this week. Where will we be going - London, the Pacific Northwest, Chicago (again)? None of the above. One day will be used to visit my mother-in-law in Topeka. At least one day will be devoted to erecting the new shed in the backyard. I had thought we could go to Worlds of Fun one evening when the price is lower. Then I found out that "lower" price is $25 per person plus $10 to park. I can't imagine that only a few hours of riding rides is worth that price.

I have at least two handicaps when it comes to special events, such as vacations and birthday or other celebrations. One, I am planning-challenged. I have some good ideas, but I don't do well in implementing them. Two, I am basically a cheapskate. When we go out to eat, I will choose something in the lower price range. When going to a movie, I like to go to the first showing, which is $5 (and forget about anything from the snack bar).

My son's birthday is coming soon. I would really like to make it a great one for him, but don't know what to do. I've asked him what he would like to do and he hasn't come up with anything yet. It takes him quite a while to make some decisions. I am open to ideas and anyone who would like to take on the job of party planner.

Going Grape

In January the pastor of the church we were attending submitted his resignation at a church business meeting. It was a shock, but maybe not so surprising. He gave only 2-3 weeks notice, so the church had to scramble to line up speakers until an interim pastor could be found. A pastoral search committee must be formed, with the first item being to find an interim pastor. Over the course of the next few months various people took turns giving the message.

A search team was chosen, but I felt they had overlooked a very important segment of the church - the youth and college-age. I was not encouraged about the future of the church. My husband had not been happy there for some time. I was co-teaching a children's Sunday school class. The other teacher was great, but it wasn't going well for me.

In April we received a postcard in the mail from the Vineyard Church in Kansas City North. My husband and I decided we would like to visit there. I was committed to my Sunday school class, though. My husband went by himself one week to the Vineyard that meets at the Northglen theater on North Brighton. The next week was Easter and my husband had to work a late shift. We decided to attend a Saturday afternoon service at Vineyard so we could attend church as a family, then my son and I would go to Sunday school at the other church on Easter morning.

The service at Vineyard was excellent. We went back the next Saturday and the next and are still going. I gave my notice to quit teaching Sunday school at the end of May. But until then we would go to Vineyard on Saturday afternoon and my son and I would go to the other church for Sunday school on Sunday morning.

One Sunday (probably in June) I decided I wanted to attend the adult Sunday school class at the other church. I hadn't been there in quite a while because I had been teaching Sunday school. I pretty much made my husband go with me. He hadn't been there in a long time. One person waved to me and another commented that both my husband and I were there, but no one else made any indication they were happy to see us.

Our son does not want to leave the other church. He enjoys the youth group there. I like the youth pastor there. So we have compromised for now. We attend Vineyard as a family on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday morning, my husband or I take our son to the other church for Sunday school, but we don't go in. I usually just wait in the car and have some time with God. We also take our son to the youth group activities there.

This morning my husband and I attended Vineyard 101, a class to become acquainted with the Vineyard church and what they are all about. They are all about what I want to be all about, to use whatever gifts I have to minister Christ's love to a world that needs Him so much. As part of the class, both my husband and I took the step toward becoming members of Vineyard KC North. We're going grape.

My Hands Came Away Red

One of the blogs I look at is Relz Reviewz. Sometimes I leave a comment, but mostly not. I did ask Rel once about Australian authors and she kindly responded about Lisa McKay, who wrote My Hands Came Away Red.

I requested the book from the library and it sat on the kitchen table for quite awhile, so long that I had to renew the book before I had read it. Why the delay? I knew the book would be a heavier read because of the subject. An older teen girl goes on a summer mission trip to an Indonesian island and while there tensions escalate between Christians and Muslims, putting the lives of the mission team members in jeopardy. Sometimes I just want to read fluff and I knew this book would not deliver that.

Finally I decided to just do it.

I found something the main character and I had in common. We both have experienced "boot camp" before going on a summer mission trip. As Lisa McKay described the obstacle course, I could remember back all those years to when I had to swing by rope across a ditch, climb a rope ladder, crawl through a dark maze, etc. I hated it!

I was "into" the book quickly and it flowed well. The characters were exactly as they should be, with real emotions and personalities. I could just imagine the environments the characters were experiencing. This was a very well written book.

This book did what my other favorite books have done - it caused to me think about the world beyond me.

Finally!

About three years ago one of my brothers loaned us a set of CDs by Dave Ramsey. My husband and I decided that we would begin following the baby steps to achieve financial freedom. The first step, put $1000 into savings for an emergency fund took awhile, but it was finally done. The second step, to pay off all outstanding debts except for the house and utilities and the like, took a long time. Today I went to the bank and paid off the balance of our home equity loan, the last debt we had to conquer.

Dave Ramsey has lots of stories about people who were thousands and thousands of dollars in debt and they paid off everything in 1-2 years. It took us longer because we did not start in a place where we had cars and other things we could sell and make some quick money, thus reducing the debt quickly at first. It has been a long, hard road. Sometimes it is hard to watch other people accumulate stuff, but it has been well worth it to say no to things we did not need.

My husband's company held a meeting last week to discuss the immediate future. It will involve fewer hours, but at least no one is being laid off yet. It is a tremendous feeling of relief to know that if he does lose his job we only need to come up with the money for our basic needs.

One last thing. There is no way we could have done this on our own. It is only because of God's wonderful grace that it happened. All praise should go to Him.

Before the Season Ends

Regency-era romance is one of my favorite genres to read. I have wanted to read Before the Season Ends by Linore Burkard for quite awhile and finally the copy I had on hold at the library came in. It came in on a Friday, but I decided not to pick it up because we were going to be busy the next day and I didn't want to be tempted to read. When Monday arrived, I was sick and I remained so for most of the week. Alas, I didn't get to pick up the book until Friday when I went back to work (at the library).

Why didn't I just buy the book when it came out instead of waiting so long for the library to FINALLY acquire it? First, I had not read any books by Linore Burkard before, and I didn't know if I would like her writing style. Being on a limited budget, I can't be buying books on a whim only to discover that the writing is not to my taste.

Now that I have read the book, I can say that I did enjoy it. Even though it is set in 1813, there are still topics brought up that we need to address also. What is a Christian? This book states that one is not born a Christian, which is true. A decision needs to be made for that to occur. Also brought up in the book is immoral behavior in one's past. Do we reject a relationship with someone because of something in his/her past or do we extend grace?

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, The House in Grosvenor Square. Now that I have read a Linore Burkard book, I might just buy it for myself.

Tender Grace

My good friend at the library where I work loaned me a book recently, Tender Grace by Jackina Stark. I have been involved in a reading challenge, so I put the book aside until that was completed. A couple of days ago I was finally ready to read it.

Audrey Eaton, the main character, is in her mid-fifties. Her husband died about 15 months ago, and she is still finding it hard to live life without him. The book details in diary form her journey to return to an abundant life.

I have not lost many loved ones through death, but I have experienced times of "hibernation" in my life. One of the great things about reading is that it can pull us out of our life and allow us to experience life in someone else's shoes for a season. Tender Grace is a good book and I would recommend it highly. It is entertaining, but it also has some important truths to impart.

Issues

What issues are people focusing on when they cast their vote for a certain candidate? I know that many people focus on economic conditions. My main focus is how a candidate views those who are growing and developing (and have a soul), but have not been born yet. It brings a verse of Scripture to mind.

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26

It saddens me that the president of our country has chosen to reverse an order prohibiting the federal government from funding abortion overseas.

Wii Want to Play

We now have a Wii gaming system. For us, this is a big deal. We are not ones to run out and get the newest thing being offered in the stores. We still have an analog TV, our cars are old, and the only video game system we had up until now was a Nintendo 64 (and we got that when Nate won it during summer school years ago).

So why did we buy a Wii when we could have spent that money on other more important things? My hope is that it will encourage interaction among us as a family, or at least between father and son. Tonight I watched my son "box" and it was funny. I hope it is only the beginning of great times ahead.

Friends For a Season

I am participating in the Librarians' Reading Challenge. That means reading juvenile/young adult books and keeping track of how many pages I read. The library system with the highest average number of pages read will win a trophy and some bragging rights. I don't think the Mid-Continent Library system has ever won.

So far, I've read the Friends For a Season series by Sandra Byrd. I had read two of her adult books and really enjoyed them, so I decided to check out the books for younger readers. There are four books in this series - Island Girl, Chopstick, Red Velvet, and Daisy Chains. Each book features a friendship developing between two girls who come from different backgrounds. Even though it has been many years since I was a young teen girl, I found these books to be very interesting and I would highly recommend them.

A Birthday

Five years ago today Nate accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Each year we celebrate that decision with a card and a gift. Saturday he and I went to the Family Christian store to find something that could help him grow as a Christian. He decided on a Bible handbook that has information to help him understand the Bible better.

Looking back on 2008

We have many things to be thankful for as we look back on 2008. We have good jobs and good health. Our families love us (we hope). I have made some really good friends this year through working at the public library. Nate is doing well in school. We are thankful for Steve and Stephanie, Stella, and Audrey. And our extended families, too.

One huge blessing this year is that we are almost out of debt except for our house payment. A few years ago we began using the Total Money Makeover plan by Dave Ramsey. It has been a hard road at times. When the economy really seemed to be going down the the drain this past fall, I realized that all of that wasn't worrying me because we had eliminated much of our debt and that wouldn't be hanging over our heads if something happened. More importantly, though, we know God is in control and that He will take care of us.

We have so much to be grateful for, even in the minute by minute living of each day. My prayer is that we are aware of how much we are blessed.