Slow Moon Rising

Hello World,
Well we just finished up a whirlwind vacation in Wisconsin.  It's a bittersweet feeling I have, one where I miss all of my family and friends and the feel of comfort called home, but sweet because we truly have developed lasting friendships and life here in Amarillo.  So it's sad to say goodbye to the comforts that I would consider to be my childhood home, but it's nice to be home with friends and the simple joys of living a very blessed life.  I hope that makes sense, as I'm typing I'm trying to sort out everything that I'm feeling and hope that you understand that I love both just as much.  Truly God has blessed me greatly.  Has he blessed you with something unexpected lately?

Slow Moon Rising is the third and final installment of the cedar key novels by Eva Marie Everson.  Written over numerous years; five women's viewpoints are seen through the eyes of the reader as they come across unexpected secrets that have affected themselves and their families.  These leading ladies have to deal with the consequences of other's actions and in the end understand the grace of God.

Deep breath.  This is a hard book to read, please don't get me wrong Eva Marie Everson is a great writer.  She just deals with really tough topics that will make you contemplate and see that in the end sin really can have a ripple affect over the years.  Understand though, that God's grace and amazing forgiveness is throughout the book and just like Christ overcoming death so does this book overcome sin with forgiveness.  So dear readers if you are looking for a deep contemplative book to read, I suggest you read Slow Moon Rising by Eva Marie Everson.
*This book was given to me via Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group in hopes of my honest opinion and I honestly gave it.
"Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

Philippians 4:4
 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

I love the simplicity of this verse.  Always, rejoice... Through the good times and the hard, the laughter, and tears, the contentment, and through the strife, through times of poverty and richness.  Always Rejoice.  So dear readers, Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Touching Heaven

Hello World,
We are vacationing this week!  It has been such a blast seeing family and sweet friends.  Reuniting with them is always memorable and fun.  Are you doing anything fun this weekend?

Touching Heaven by Leanne Hadley are little stories that show the faith of children when it seems that they have nothing.  These children have been diagnosed with brain tumors, cancers, rare diseases, and yet they are resilient and filled with joy.  This book is about their lives and deaths, their love and joy filled ending.

Being a mother of three this was a book I read with a kleenex box.  Not only does this book tell some very hard stories, but it also tells about God and His amazing love for everyone.  Dear readers, I know this review is short, but I highly recommend this book to you.  It is something that I feel everyone should read.

*This book was given to me via Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group in hopes of my honest opinion and I honestly gave it.

*Available June 2013 at your nearest book retail.

Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I don't think there is a single person in this world that hasn't experienced being tired.  I know for me when I'm tired the thought of rest seems like heaven to me.  And here we have Jesus telling us to come to Him, anyone who is weary or burdened, come to Him and He will give you rest.  What a beautiful thing.

Deadly Devotion

Hello World,
Today we celebrated our youngest child Liv Shelby's birthday.  It's fun to see the confusion on their faces when everyone is singing Happy Birthday to them, and then the complete joy on their faces when they realize that they get to eat cake and open up presents too.   It truly was a treat to see Liv's expressions on her special day.  Did you have any special occassion happen today?

Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard is a mystery set in Port Aster.  Daisy Leacock seems to have taken her life.  Kate Adams a close friend and co-worker of her's doesn't think that it was suicide.  She thinks that someone murdered her.  Can Kate unearth this closed case and put it back into the hands of dectective Tom Parker?  Can she find out who killed daisy or is she just imagining things?

This book had many twists and turns.  If you are not avidly reading it, you might be a little confused, but if you stick to the story line you'll find yourself immersed into an interesting mystery.  It had many characters playing in it, and it almost had a guess who feel.  A lot of suspects, but not a lot of evidence to pin it on just one.  Dear readers you'll enjoy this mystery romance, but I must warn you that it does kind of leave you hanging and wanting to read the next book in the series.  Hopefully Ms. Orchard will have it out soon :)
“Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
*This book was given to me via Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group in hopes of my honest opinion and I honestly gave it.

Since I'm on vacation :)  I want to do a little something different.  If you comment what your favorite verse is, I will put your name in a raffle to win Deadly Devotion.  Go for it, and just so you know my favorite verse is Romans 4:20.  "No distrust made him waiver concerning the promises of God, his faith grew stronger as he gave glory to God".

Once Upon a Prince

Hello World,
Today is my Kylar Marie Parker's Birthday :-)  Five years old!  It just amazes me that she is that old and how fast time flies.  Do you have anything that just seems to fly by?  I would love to hear about it.

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck is the story about Susanna Truitt.  A woman expecting a marriage proposal after twelve years of dating her high school sweetheart, instead she gets dumped.  With her ex saying "I found the right ring, but not the right girl".  Ouch.  Love has taken a dive in her life and it seems that nothing is going right until a certain prince (literally a prince) comes and rescues her by fixing a flat tire.  Will they have a fairy tale ending or has Susanna stopped believing in the happily ever after.

Oh boy did I love this book.  It was so incredibly romantic with just the perfect amount of tension to build your expectancy up.  It was the perfect read for the start of my summer.  I can't say enough about how well it was written and how the characters were fun to read about and to delve into their lives.   So dear readers if you are still a dreamer who loves a good modern fairy tale, I highly recommend Once Upon a Prince.

I'm not doing a verse today, but I'll be putting something that I wrote for Kylar.  Readers, if you're parents please pray for them, tell them they have great things in store for them.  That God has given them a gift to be used for His glory.  So without further ado, here is what I wrote for Kylar

I remember when I first got to hold you, your first smile, and massive blow out diaper. How you would sit on top of Puma while he slept or when we cheered Daddy while he coached soccer. Your first ballet lesson and how you laid on the floor to make a snow angel. How you told me last week, "Mom, that's just not my style". Happy Birthday Kylar Marie, We pray that you be a leader, a woman who is strong and intelligent, who knows her worth and will not settle for anything but the best. We love you baby girl and can not wait to see what God has in store for you, you are meant for great things!

That Certain Summer

Hello World,
It's a brilliant cool summer day, my windows are open and right now at this moment the kids are watching Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  I have a few moments to write this review out.  I also wanted to give you another cute picture of my oldest Kylar.  She is an avid reader, she loves laying about and reading.  I hope you enjoy it :)

That Certain Summer by Irene Hannon is  a multi-faceted story of several characters who are in essence thrown together.  Circumstances bring two estranged sisters together, as well as a broken musician and a widowed father.  Karen and Val's ornery mother has suffered a stroke and Val must come home to help with the care taking.  While Scott is recovering from a tragic accident that stopped his career, and David is looking to start over after the loss of his wife.  As the story enfolds more truths are unveiled and the four come to understand what God has for them.

This story was something that you needed to read and ponder.  This book made me  experience emotions that only come from a well written book.  I was angry at the mom!  She was definitely not a nice woman, and she made life miserable for her two daughters.  She was controlling and manipulative and really not a very nice person.  When you have an author that create emotions in you whether they may be good or bad, I would say it's a good book.  Just know that this book touches on issues that may not be appropriate for a young reader.  So dear readers if you want a book that is a contemporary romance that brings emotions out of you, please read That Certain Summer.

*This book was given to me via Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group in hopes of my honest opinion, and I honestly gave it.

“Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Jeremiah 29:11 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

What a beautiful verse, can you imagine all that Jeremiah went through?  Yet God's word is true, he protected him even when circumstances seemed to be bleak.  Remember that dear readers when your circumstance looks bleak.  God knows the plans He has for you!  Plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope!

Full Disclosure

Hello World,
Today is the 2nd day of summer.  I absolutely love the feel of sun, splashing water, Popsicle kisses, and warm hugs.  We kind of slow down in the summer, not only is soccer season done for my husband, but school, and extra curricular activities are done too :-)  Because it is summer, I thought it would be fun to share a little bit of what my family does and how we all relax.  One activity we do each morning is a reading time, the kids pick their books and then go off to read quietly.   Here is a picture of my sweet Liv Shelby during her reading time.

Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson is the story of Ann Silver and Paul Falcon.  Both Ann and Paul are in law enforcement, each serving this country faithfully.  Their lives will intersect when a car crash unexpectedly turns up a middle man that brokered numerous illegal activities.  As more clues are uncovered Ann and Paul come together to solve a mystery that has been open for decades.  Will they catch the Lady Shooter, or will she slip through their hands as always?

Dee Henderson has a unique way of telling a story.  I can't really describe it, but all I can say is every time I read her works I'm always taken by surprise.  For instance in this book you will be introduce to past characters in her book, but with a different angle.  I loved how she did it, and how easily it was to see where she was coming from.  I also enjoyed the mystery part of the book, it was like a great big ol' jigsaw puzzle that you put together to finally see the finished master piece.  The romance was constant, and grew.   It was a slow relationship that at first made me frustrated, but as the story went on I understood why.  So dear readers if you are a mystery lover I highly suggest you read Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson.

Lamentations 3:37
Can anything happen without the Lord's permission?

I really like this question.  It makes me think that my life isn't just a wayward ship in the sea, but guided by the Almighty Father's hand.  When I ask the Lord for guidance or when I step unto a new adventure I can be sure that the Lord is with me, opening one door or closing one.  I will be assured that He is guiding me because in life, nothing can happen without the Lord's permission, even when the times are tough it is by the Lord's permission.  This allows me to trust Him completely, to understand that even when the time is hard He has allowed this for a reason.  So I ask YOU dear readers, can anything happen without the Lord's permission?  I think not :-)