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.