Coming to Life!

I am so excited to hear that Andrew Peterson has started a new Kickstarter campain that will launch the Wingfeather Saga into a whole new world.  There are authors that I really enjoy and will read again and again and then there are authors that I could read back to back rather than spacing it out.  Andrew Peterson is one of the back to back authors.  I could honestly read and re-read the Wingfeather Saga back to back year in and year out.  Yes!  It is that good.  Take a peek and see what they are about.  You won't be disappointed!

Book Review of Draven's Light

Book Review of Draven’s Light by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Rooglewood Press

©2015, 189 pgs

From the back of the book:

IN THE DARKNESS OF THE PIT

THE LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTEST

Drums summon the chieftain’s powerful son to slay a man in cold blood and thereby earn his place among the warriors.  But instead of glory, he earns the name Draven, “Coward”.  When the men of his tribe march off to war, Draven remains behind with the women and his shame.  Only fearless but crippled Ita values her brother’s honor. 

The warriors return from battle victorious yet trailing a dire curse in their wake.  One by one the strong and the weak of the tribe fall prey to an illness of supernatural power.  The secret source of this evil can be found and destroyed by only the bravest heart. 

But when the curse attacks the one Draven loves most, can this coward find the courage he needs to face the darkness?

                                                            *******

In a village along the river Hanna lives a timid young girl in need of some courage.  She is one of many in a large family and it is easy to get lost in all of the business so that she isn’t really noticed.  I know that we have all felt that way at one time or another, maybe not with our family but maybe at school, at work, in the mall, at the park…just one of many, lost in a sea of people. 

Very near this village, the building of the Great House is taking place.  The house is being built by the Brothers.  They do not speak the language of men and yet they are understood.  They do not sleep but work day and night.  The girl is asked to take a gift up to the Great House where the Brothers are there working hard to build it.  Who are these brothers?  What is the purpose of this Great House? 

During the girl’s trek up the promontory to the Great House she struggles with fear and longs to run in the other direction.  She faces the Brothers alone and offers them their small gift; each day is the same, a water skin full of fresh water.  The girl is overwhelmed with such awestruck fear and amazement while in their presence that she doesn’t now how to act or what to say and can barely finish her task.  One of the Brothers speaks kindly to her and he begins to tell her a story about a man he once knew.  Bit by bit and day by day she hears pieces of the story.  Pressing onward she is intrigued by the tale of Draven, who he was and who he became.  She has to fight fear back each time she goes up the promontory to hear more of Draven’s story and yet she longs to sit and listen at the same time.  Almost like the child who is afraid to ask for a hug for fear of rejection but asks anyway and is rewarded sweetly.  “Won’t you come follow me?  Follow me?”  I ask you to come away with me on a journey…one of bravery that at first sight looks like humility rather than strength.  One that will change you forever… come follow me and hear of the story of Draven’s Light. 

                                                            *******

When reading an allegory I always have many more questions running through my head than I would if I were to read a story that doesn’t have any parallels.  I want so badly to pull from the story everything that I possibly can, but do not think this means that I don’t enjoy the journey… I always enjoy every moment of the journey. 

Words are powerful.  When you speak the words of a story in your heart and mind you are feeding yourself with whatever you are reading.  It is imperative that you always choose wisely when it comes to the things you read because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Whatever we feed our hearts in literacy will spring forth.  It is only a matter of time before it does if it hasn’t already.

Draven’s Light, to some, it may just be a good story that they liked and would read again and maybe even tell their friends about.  To others, this tale will resonate within them and stir a greater truth deep inside.  And to those who are being called but have yet to find… may your eyes be opened and may this tale the catalyst.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”-John 15:13

*******

This Teen Fiction Fantasy is written for ages 13 and up. 

Sensitive Topics:

There is no profanity in this book. There is the presence of tribal customs and the belief of many gods, sacrifices, curses and acts of bravery into manhood or womanhood for that matter that do become more real when placed in the setting of a story rather than a history book.  There is some graphic violence and inner struggles as well as spiritual darkness not recommended for children under the age of 13 without the guidance of an adult.  There is only one mention of alcohol when somebody asks if they have had too much drink.  No mention of drugs. 

 

There are no sexual implications of any kind.  Any talks of relationships are pure. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and hope to have a physical copy soon so that I can read it again.  

***I am a participant in the Influencer Program through Rooglewood Press for Draven's Light.***    

Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s book Draven’s Light is available for Pre-Order Now or can be purchased after its release (May 25th, 2015) on any of these sites:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.  If you want to know more about the author, please see her blog http://dravenslightnovel.blogspot.com/

Book Review of Song of Springhill - a love story

 

Song of Springhill - a love story by Cheryl McKay

Purple Pen Works

©2014, 310 pgs

From the back of the book:

Hoping for a fresh start, Hannah Wright moves to Springhill, the hometown of the father she never knew because he died in their volatile coal mines before she was born. She tracks down her aunt, Abigail Percy, and is immediately welcomed to move in with the whole Percy clan. This includes her Uncle Ray, a coal miner, and their four lively children. Suddenly, she's surrounded by more family than she's ever had in her life.

The day after she arrives, the mine explodes, trapping many underground, including Uncle Ray. Little did Hannah know when she set off on this new adventure how much her family was going to need her. When the Percys face a sudden lack of provision, Hannah knows she must get a job to help them. But the only industry in town that pays enough is coal mining--and the mine company doesn't hire women.

Hannah secretly masquerades as a man and gets hired as Mel, a distant cousin of her father's. Keeping up her charade is challenging in this tight-knit, 1950s town, where everybody knows one another.

Hannah is placed on the team of Josh Winslow, a handsome bachelor who noticed her the moment she stepped into town. It doesn't take long for Josh to see through Hannah's disguise as Mel, but she convinces him there's no other way for her to help take care of her family. Understanding the pressure she's under, he agrees to not blow Hannah's cover--for now.

Though Hannah seems to keep Josh at arm's length, he's determined to chip away at her defenses and win her heart. She resists, afraid to love someone who could die at any moment in an accident underground.

Long-time miners start to sense that "the big one" is coming. Calling it a "Bump" does little to calm Hannah's fear of the impending underground earthquake, a disaster that could come any day.

Will Josh and Hannah be among the next miners caught in a catastrophic disaster? Does Hannah stand to lose everything she's worked so hard to rebuild?

* * * 

Song of Springhill is a love story set against the backdrop of true-life disasters that plagued the town of Springhill, Nova Scotia in the 1950s. It was a town torn by tragedy that also experienced some of the most astounding, miraculous rescues the world ever watched unfold. 

####

I have to say that not only did I relate with the characters of this book, but I laughed, I cried, I sang along (yes, you read that right, sang along), I cried some more and I fell in love with a little town in Nova Scotia and the heartache that they endured.  Although many of the characters in this book are very much a part of the author’s imagination, I long to know more, to dig deeper and connect with those who are true survivors of the 1956 Explosion, the 1957 Main Street Fire, and the 1958 Bump. 

In my opinion, there is nothing better than a good book that features snippets of real life events because I absolutely love History.  Where would we be today without it?  We wouldn’t, that is all there is to it, without time, success and failure, risk and love, we wouldn’t even exist.  Without the God given desire for family, community and love/relationship with one another, we would never have made it past the ousting of the Garden of Eden. 

So here we are, in a world full of many “what if” s and it happens that we are at a loss of how to get beyond what is happening in our lives right this moment.  That is where History comes in and shows us that God is Awesome!, Love is Amazing (especially when it is the Love of our Savior) and there is Hope for tomorrow. 

You may ask me what does this have to do with McKay’s book Song of Springhill?  Everything.  When God gives somebody the ability to bring Hope and Faith into a story and that story is given to the world to see…Amazing things happen.  Everybody needs Hope and Faith in something, someone, in God who is Greater than all of the things that press down on us.  I believe that the author does a wonderful job of serving up a meal of Hope, Faith and Love, not just romantic love but brotherly love and eternal perspective in her book Song of Springhill.  Well done Cheryl and thank you for sharing your gift. 

This Historical Romance is written for adults but suitable for teens 16 and up. 

Sensitive Topics:

There is no foul language; however, Hannah is running from an abusive relationship which is mentioned a few times but not in great detail.  There is a lot of loss in this book being that it is based on traumatic events. The loss tends to be of characters we have not been introduced to but does include some we have maybe taken a liking to. Some of the loss is described, such as the mourning of the families, some of the injuries are noted and even though the men in Springhill continue to work the mines, there is always a lingering thought in the townsfolk knowing another tragedy could happen at any moment.   

Teenage romance and adult romance are both present in this book.  Liesel is teased by her siblings when her family hears that she and Garrett kissed.  She and Garret go out on a double date with Hannah and Josh as their chaperones. The entire time Josh is trying to pursue Hannah he is always respectable and sensitive to how a gentleman behaves. The owner of the town’s five &dime continues to try and woo Josh even though every body knows he is not interested in her and she pushes herself on him a little by kissing him on the cheek and strutting in front of Hannah.  The relationships in this book are very admirable, minus the one that Hannah is running from.  We see that not everybody we encounter is worth giving the time of day but it is handled in a respectful way and there is a lesson learned. 

I loved this book.  I want more. 

Cheryl McKay’s book Song of Springhill – A Love Story can be purchased on Amazon as well as her book Spirit of Springhill: Miners, Wives, Widows, Rescuers & Their Children Tell True Stories of Springhill’s Coal Mining Disasters.  If you want to know more about the author please see her blog purplepenworks.com

Christmas *cost less* Shipping Hint

I have noticed that a log of Blogs are posting that dreaded topic of Shipping Christmas Presents.  I couldn't not post something for my friends and family just in case for some reason you haven't figured out what works best for you.  So here it is...my best kept secret that all of my close friends and most of my family know, but do you know why?  

I ship presents to one address for the whole county.  I have family and friends that all live within 30 min of one destination so I usually ship gifts to my dad's house and then everybody at least has to stop by and see him once if they want their gift.  It is a win win for all :)  Those who do not fit into those guidelines get individual packages, but I usually find that the best rate for what I am doing-handmade items-is flat rate shipping through USPS.  If I am ordering through an online company, I let them do the shipping for me :)  Why pay double duty when I can do it just once, I figure the shipping box is Christmas wrapping in itself :)  Nobody seems to mind.

However, if your items do not fit into a flat rate box, and it needs to go in a large box, be sure to us UPS either online or at your local store because their rates beat large shipment rates at the local post office hands down.  No offense to my friends who work at the Post Office, it is just a real life fact. 

One thing I didn't know that I found out by reading One Good Thing By Jillee is that online stores offer free shipping when you order on Dec. 18th for that day only.  Not all online retailers participate mind you so if you are in a hurry, don't wait, however, Jillee did state that they promise to have delivery by Christmas. 

I will bore you no further with the promise of holiday costs.  I am off to do my Devotions and after that, wake up my boys.  A quiet house is never that way for too long. 

P.S. If you leave here thinking, I don't feel any wiser, read Proverbs, I promise you will learn something. :)

Sages of Darkness Book Series by Brock Eastman

Have you ever read a book by Brock Eastman?  No?  You really should!  He takes you into an entirely different world full of truth, real life struggles and intense reality.  Please take a moment to check out his Kickstarter campaign for The Sages of Darkness series here.  My kids love stories about darkness, I think we all do, it lures us.  It's really hard with some of the books they want to read because I have to turn them down.  I would never turn down a Brock Eastman book.  They always lead you straight to the Truth Himself.  As a family that loves books and wants to keep to the Word in "be careful little eyes what you see", Brock does an A++ job at clean and virtuous writing.  Thanks Brock!  And please, be sure to check out his Kickstarter campaign as well as his Facebook page. 

Hallowed Halls Book Review

Hallowed Halls by Hannah Alexander

Christian Writers Guild Publishing

©2014, 269 pgs

From the back of the book:

"When Dr. Joy Gilbert is fired from her lucrative position in the city, she returns to her small hometown to find her ex-boss’s 15-year-old daughter popping out the back door of her car.  Tressa refuses to return to the city where her divorced parents are battling in the wake of her brother’s death.  Instead of the peace Joy seeks, she finds her former fiancé, Zach, single again, and her once vivacious mother struggling financially and physically.  Tressa’s rebellion threatens Joy’s career, but that threat becomes secondary when it appears that Tressa suffers from a life threatening illness.  Joy and Zach must learn how to heal their emotional wounds to save Tressa’s life."

This Medical Romance/Family Drama is written for adults but suitable for teens 16 and up. 

Hallowed Halls shows the real life struggle that happens when a person is emotionally injured by “The Church” as well as people close to them.  The husband and wife author team brings into the story the themes of Faith Lost and Restored, Hearts Healed by Truth Revealed, and Greater Purpose-the ability to look beyond our own selfishness and see that there are others that need us and we need them.  Communication or the lack of is usually at the root of our relationship problems.  Whether we are fighting with our parents, spouse, children, best friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend, it usually boils down to poor communication.  After reading this book, I found the main gem for me to be the importance of being “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” –James 1:19. 

Sensitive Topics:

There is no foul language, however, there are adult relational issues that rise up as well as an act of violence described and real life health situations that make this book sensitive for young readers. 

There is talk of not “putting out” to retain her job by Joy.  Very little kissing is spoken of and sexual purity is maintained throughout the entire book. 

Weston shows up to Joy’s house and has been drinking. 

The Pain Clinic Joy works for at the start of the book prescribes Narcotics to patients.  Joy has a problem with her boss wanting her to “push” narcotics onto her patients as an answer to all of their problems. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would encourage others who like a good Uplifting Romance to dive into this one. 

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

This is an extension of my previous post of the book On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness.  I have found that many families are unaware of the land of Aerwiar and the multifaceted Igiby family.  I am hoping to draw some attention to their adventures by giving another dangle in front of your beautiful faces.

At first it was difficult for me to have a spare moment to make any headway in the lives of the Igiby's and the very unique land of Aerwiar.  That was only because interruptions by my children made it hard to concentrate on the opening details that lead you into a world of fantastical creatures and a thought provoking way of life.  The only fix was to read the books as a family.

In Book One of the Wingfeather Saga:  On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, Andrew Peterson takes a the Igiby family (Janner, Tink, Leeli, Nia, Podo and dare I say one more?  No, I will leave that for you to find out.) on the greatest adventure of their lifetime.  There is danger and excitement around every corner.  Just when you think the coast is clear another (Thwap shows up? No.) twist changes the entire foreseeable future and you are left on the edge of your seat, only to beg for a break in the story so that you can put the book down to use the restroom.  Yes, it is that Awesome of a book! 

A direct quote from my twelve year old son Alex, "Mom, I liked the Lord of the Rings books, but the Wingfeather Saga is exciting from page one!"  

There are Sea Dragons, Thwaps, Toothy Cows, Fangs, Gnag the Nameless and a trusty dog named Nugget. I wish that I could tell you more, but I would ruin the wonderful time that you and your family will be able to embark on if I do.  And believe me, I remember each and every moment sharing this story with my family.  

 So, are you ready for a new kind of adventure that will leave you wanting to be a part of the Igiby family? The excitement we had each night as we snuggled up on the couch to enter into the town of Skree. Within the walls of this story lies such adventure and thrill that will capture hearts young and old.  I rank Andrew Peterson's books right up there with C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia.  Now that I have gotten to know the Igiby's and their thwap filled garden, I cannot imagine my library without them in it.

**This series is suitable for children ages 10 and up.  There is some violence, although nothing I think a seasoned reader of The Chronicles of Narnia couldn't handle. I do not suggest a child younger than 10 reading these books only because there are moments of intensity that could bother them.  On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is good, clean, moral and I believe instills the longing for honor and valor in those who read it.  There are tests of faith, choices with consequences and opportunity to make things right.  Though we read this as a family, I feel completely confident that a child age 10 or older could read this book and or the entire series without guidance.  If you are a parent and thinking of letting your child, younger than 10, read this book or even the entire saga, I recommend that you read it first and make your decision after that.  Only you, as a parent, truly know what is and what is not acceptable for your child to read.

To purchase this book please visit the Rabbit Room. Purchasing a book from the Author's store blesses the Author more financially.  However, you may also find the book at Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

So I have to say that I made this ice cream by divine revelation.  I had this crazy strange dream last night and right before I woke up I had this idea on how to make chocolate peanut butter ice cream.  So here is the recipe I created today for the first time and I must say it is delicious.

You will need:

An Ice Cream Freezer
or a Freezer Safe container with an airtight lid
3 1/2 C half and half
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 C peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix 1/2 C half and half, 1/2 C choc chips, 1/4 C peanut butter, 1/2 C sugar in a sauce pan. Stirring continuously, melt and then bring to a thick bubbly sauce over medium low heat.  It should have the consistency of a heated fudge sauce.  Place the sauce to cool and then set into the refrigerator until ready to use. 

In a bowl, mix well, 3 C half and half, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 C sugar together.  This is your ice cream base.  Place the base in an ice cream maker/freezer for 20-25 min until soft serve consistency or place into a freezer safe container and stir every 20 min until desired consistency.  After your base is soft serve consistency, fold in dollops of firmed up chocolate peanut butter fudge sauce.  Your sauce should be almost like peanut butter thick.  Let freeze the rest of the way in the freezer and serve when ready to enjoy :)  

So there you have it.  I really do hope you all enjoy this wonderful (additive free) ice cream.  We have gotten so use to homemade ice cream that we have a difficult time eating anything else.  I will post a photo later :)

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

Recently my family and I began a new journey through the land of Aerwiar.  For my son and my husband who dive into books and are never distracted by the tasks of home economics they were fascinated from the beginning.  However, I on the other hand, am constantly being interrupted and so it has taken me a little longer to get completely involved with the Igiby's and feel like they deserve a permanent residence here at the Schober Hollow.  Now that I have gotten to know them and their thwap filled garden, I cannot imagine my library without them in it.  So I am writing to all of you to inform you that if you are interested in a new adventure full of excitement and unimaginable creatures of every kind....might I dangle a new read in front of your faces, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson is the first in the Wingfeather Saga and one I think will lead you to the others (North or Be Eaten!, The Monster in the Hollows and finally, The Warden and the Wolf King soon to be released in April of 2014).  Below is a link to a note from the Author to us parents.  I hope you are blessed.

 http://networkedblogs.com/BItbi  (click on the link and then all the way to the right is a tab that says A Note to Parents)

Aerwiar

Aerwiar

Aerwiar

Aerwiar

Aerwiar

Liquid Laundry Detergent

This is for one gallon at a time. 

1/6 or 2cm of a bar of fels naptha soap, grated

3C cold water

1/4 C Arm & Hammer super washing soda

1/4 C borax

2 C hot water

20 drops of essential oils if you wish

Heat 3 C water and fels naptha in a pan until dissolved, then boil mixture for 15 min.  Remove from heat and add 2C of Hot Water then add super washing soda and borax.  stir well.  should be the consistency of honey.  Pour into a one gallon jug and add enough cold water to make up a gallon.  Put in essential oils at this time if you are going to do so.  I like Lavender.  Leave some headroom because you will need to be able to shake the pee diddle out of it later.  Mix until blended.  (I use a 1 gal Tupperware container and transfer to a Kirkland detergent dispenser later but the 1 gal vinegar jugs from Costco are heavy duty and work well)  Let sit for 24 hours, soap will gel.  shake until well mixed and smooth or use a beater if able.  1/2 cup for each load.

the initial ingredients cost less than 11 dollars all together and can save you up to 150 a year.

This recipe is adapted from another one I found online at the following link : http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

Having a Heart of Worship

Crashing waves
          Thrusting against the rocks
                     Weathering the reefs of coral

                                  Molding each into the depths of the sea

                                              Behold the beauty of our Father’s creations

                                                          He commands each wave

                                                                       He calms each gust of wind

                                                          Each grain of sand smoothed by His hands

                                                                       Every pearl accounted for

                                                                               His greatness endures forever

                                                                   10-14-98

My greatest desire is to be consistent in having a heart of worship.

You might ask, “What does that mean?”  Let’s look at some definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and some scriptural references and see what the Lord says to us. 

I looked up the definition for heart, its always fun to read definitions because they can be quite comical when you are looking for a meaning that fits the context of your research.  So for heart:

1. A hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of blood. 
2. A playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heart
3. Personality/disposition
4. The emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature as generous disposition; compassion, love affection (won her heart), courage/ardor (never lost heart).
5. Ones innermost character, feelings, or inclinations (knew it in his heart).
6. The central or innermost part, the essential or most vital part of something.

I want you to ponder more on the sixth definition, The central or innermost part, the essential or most vital part of something. 

But before we do that (since we are laying a foundation here) lets look at our other definition, that of worship:

1. Chiefly British, a person of importance-used as a title for various officials.
2. Reverence offered a divine being or super natural power, an act of expressing such reverence.
3. A form of religious practice with its creed and ritual.
4. Extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem.
5. (verb) To honor or reverence as a divine being or super natural power.
6. (verb) To regard with great or extravagant respect, honor or devotion.

Notice the last two both apply to our Lord?  The noun definitions could apply to almost anything-anyone.  However, the act or verb as some may call it of worship truly depicts what we are doing when we say we are worshiping our Lord.  But for arguments sake, I am going to just pick one and that is the last definition on the list, to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor or devotion. 

I believe that what the Lord truly wants from us when He asks us to worship Him is to worship Him by using the central or innermost part, the essential or most vital part of ourselves-our heart, to what? To regard Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior with great extravagant respect, honor and devotion. 

I looked up the word worship in the Vines Complete Expository Dictionary and this is what it said:

For the Old Testement: 

Sahah “to worship, prostrate oneself, bow down”.  Saha is used as the common term for coming before God in worship.  The act of bowing down in homage was generally done before a superior or a ruler.

For the New Testement: 

There are five different translations to worship, proskuneo “to make obeisance, do reverence to” from pros, “towards” and kuneo “to kiss” is the most frequent word rendered “to worship”. It is used as an act of homage or reverence to God, to Christ, to man, to the Dragon, to the Beast, to the image of the Beast, to demons, and to idols. 

Sebomai “to revere”, stressing the feeling of awe or devotion to God or to a goddess.

Sebazomai “to honor religiously”.

Latreuo “to serve, to render religious service or homage”.

Eusebeo “to act piously towards”.

I found this interesting though, in the notes it states:

The worship of God is nowhere defined in scripture. 

I found this relieving because in all of this searching of the text, I was struggling to find any scripture that truly defined worship.  However, there are several great examples of worship and encouragements in having a pure heart of worship. Let’s take a look. 

Gen 24:48

And I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 

Gen 24:52

And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

Ex 4:31

So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Josh 5:14

So He said, “No, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

2 Chron 7:3

When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord saying, “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.”

1 Chron 16:29

Give the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him.  Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

(what can we bring as an offering to the King? Our lives perhaps?)

2Chron 29:28

So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 

(notice that it does not say that everybody sang or that everybody played an instrument)

Psalm 66:4

All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah

Matt. 2:21 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

(giving God our best)

Luke 24:51-53

Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven and they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

(worshiping the Lord causes us great joy)

John 4:23-24

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

Matthew Henry says:

Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, form the worship of an upright heart, in which God delights and is glorified.

Eph 6:5-8

Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 

Some of us learned in a recent study by Cynthia Heald that a servant does not go beyond their obligation, they merely do what was their duty to do, however, a bond slave or doulos is willing to do whatever He (our Master) asks. 

**excerpt from Becoming a Woman of Strength**

Oswald Chambers provides a good summary of this chapter:

To have a master and to be mastered is not the same thing.  To have a master means that there is one who knows me better than I know myself, one who is closer than a friend, one who fathoms the remotest abyss of my heart and satisfies it, one who has brought me into the secure sense that he has met and solved every perplexity and problem of my mind.  To have a master is this and nothing less-He wants us in the relationship in which He is easily Master without our conscious knowledge of it, all we know is that we are His to obey.

Col 3:23

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. 

Okay, so what does having a heart of worship look like?

I love my husband.  He says, “It’s simple honey, the Bible says in Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.”

I had to get out our Matthew Henry’s Commentary to further explain to me this scene I was looking at in Psalm 2.

The story starts back at vs 10 and says…”Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed you judges of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. 

Matthew Henry states this:

Whatever we rejoice in, in this world, it must always be with trembling because of the uncertainty of all things in it.  To welcome Jesus Christ, and to submit to Him, is our wisdom and interest.  Let Him be very dear and precious; love Him above all, love Him in sincerity, love Him much, as she did to whom much was forgiven, and in token of it, kissed his feet in Luke 7:38 and with a kiss of loyalty take this yoke upon you, and give up yourselves to be governed by His laws, disposed of by His providence, and entirely devoted to His cause. 

Having a heart of worship is so much more than bringing gifts to our King, singing praises to His Name, playing our best for Him. God does not want us to put worshiping Him into a box.  I believe He left it open so that we could see that everything we do with our whole hearts unto Him is worship.  We are so uniquely different, from the center of our being all the way to the outer core, that it is impossible to say this is worship or that is worship.  It really boils down to the heart.  And only the Lord truly knows what is in the heart.

 So when we do something as unto the Lord, even if it is just scrubbing toilets, making beds, doing the laundry, remember all of this is a sweet fragrance to Him when our heart is directed toward pleasing our Master.  It’s in the having of that intimate communication with the Lord while we seek His face.

Kiss the Son.  Be intimate in everything.

The Christian Parenting Handbook ~ A Heart Based Approach to Parenting

Can I say that I am just so amazed by Jesus!  He gives us the tools we need right when we need them.  This week I have been posting on facebook and Life As We Know It about the new book out by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller called The Christian Parenting Handbook.  This week is their launch week for the new book.  The National Center for Biblical Parenting has been offering a special deal to all of those interested in helping give The Christian Parenting Handbook some extra attention, by purchasing the book this week you can also receive $400 of parenting resources for free.  Yes, that's right folks, free :)  The authors provide real life examples of a heart based approach to parenting.  Rather than reacting to the situation at hand, full swing, ready to fight, step back, think rationally and see how you might creatively approach the infraction committed so that instead of getting the stubborn mule look from your child you hit the heart of the matter and are able to work towards change and lasting results. 

So here I was reading a few chapters of this great new book available in stores now at Christianbooks.com or Biblicalparenting.org at this time other stores are sold out and I run into a parenting moment that causes me to want to react and I seriously mean react.  It is hard to give your child the benefit of the doubt and ask them calmly to explain what I see before me.  This instance happened to just be a note with vulgar language on it.  However, to me, this is big because the child is only eleven!  But in reading just a few chapters of The Christian Parenting Handbook and with the Holy Spirit knocking on my heart, I am able to see that this particular child is very stubborn and will not respond well to an outrage due to their discretion.  I am coming to know that if I want the whole story and I want the true whole story not a made up one, I must absolutely must be as nonchelant as possible and ask for our child to explain what we see before us.  There could be a logical explanation.

I know that some may read this and think, it was just a misuse of language, no big deal.  However, it is a big deal in our home because we are firm believers that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" which means something else is going on or this child doesn't fully understand the meaning of the words they were using.  Either way, it needs to be addressed.  I won't be doing the addressing.  My wonderful, patient, and loving husband will speak with our kid about this because I am a matter of fact person and though that can work with some children, it will not work with this one.  But I do know that the tools that I have gleaned from the aforementioned book have helped me to rethink my parenting.  I do want to be an effective parent.  I do not want my kids to close off from me and hide what is really going on.  I need a new approach.  I believe that with God and the tools offered in The Christian Parenting Handbook, we may see some change yet.  And it may be more in my heart than in anybody Else's but where is a better place to start? 

If you are a struggling parent just trying to figure out how to keep communication open with your young school age child, pre-teen, teenager, or even young adult, I suggest you give this book a thought.  And this week you get free resources to go along with it if you email gift@biblicalparenting.org a copy of your receipt.  The free resources are this week only, but the benefits of a new mindset are life long :) 

My Version of a Root-beer Italian Soda:

Fill a glass 2/3 of the way full of your favorite rootbeer
Add just enough heavy cream to change it to your favorite coffee color :)

stir and wah-la :)  yummy Root-beer Italian Soda

Recycle Your Clothing :)

So recently I was talking with my very good friend Becca and we were discussing clothing that you wouldn't give your neighbor's dog to play with.  Yeah, admit it, we all have those hard to give up clothing items with holes galore.  If they weren't so comfortable.  Or better yet, you would give them away, but who would have them, or love them the way that you do?  I know that my beloved t-shirt from Wet Seal that fits perfectly, and has a dozen holes in it, made of 100% cotton (no spandex thank you very much) would only end up in the garbage someplace else...or would it?  While talking with Becca I found out that Salvation Army has a clothing recycling program.  So I called our local Salvation Army to see if they participate in recycling clothing and the gentleman told me that whatever is unable to be sold in their stores they make bales out of and ship them off to Buffalo, NY where they receive money in exchange for the bale of clothing.  Then the clothing goes off to various endeavors.  This is the best news.  I have the hardest time just tossing my best loved clothing into the garbage can.  Now, I am not certain that I am ready to give up my t-shirt, however, my husband has a dozen pairs of jeans that are stained with holes in them that I am totally going to take to S.A!  He knows, he knows, I wouldn't do it without his permission.  They have needed to be tossed for a long time, I just have a difficult time throwing things away.  Can you say "pack rat"?  Yup, that's me.  Anyway, check out your local Salvation Army and see if they can benefit from your rags.  My closets are thankful to have a little less clutter, I bet yours will be too.      

A Little Uncertain

So here I am, sitting at my computer thinking, "What in the world have I gotten myself into?"  "Can I really commit to writing a blog?"  At this time in my life I have not even taken on projects that require more than an ounce of my time or attention knowing that most likely it would sit wherever I placed it last, undone, taking up space as well as adding to my great long list of To-do's that never get crossed off.  This may end up being a big flop, especially since it seems as though my 22 month old will not nap if I am typing at the computer.  

Speaking of which, Luke, my youngest just woke up crying and unless I lay with him, he will not go back to sleep.  So I guess that is the end of his nap.  And the beginning of the game of chase once more.  I use to feel like I had it altogether when I was a single parent and it was just Alex and I.  I don't remember the no-nap stage coming on before two.  In fact, I distinctly remember Alex still taking a nap through kindergarten.  Maybe Luke will go to bed earlier tonight to make up for the lack of sleep this afternoon?  It's only been two months since we took the crib down, is it too late to put it back up?  Ha ha!  

No, really, I am not looking for advice.  I know what I need to do.  I had gotten away from being a structured parent because I was told by somebody whom I love very much that I am very strict and that a lot of people see it and that there are some who do not like it.  But when it comes to a toddler, you cannot let them rule the roost and so I need to get back to walking the line of firmness once more.  The only thing that I struggle with is being gracious to the older kids while being firm with our youngest.  I feel they need to all tow the same line whereas my very gracious, loving and patient husband feels otherwise.  I do not have his patience or his ability to act as though nothing is bothering me when there is a torrential storm raging inside.  I wear my heart on my sleeve so to speak and that is not always a good trait to have.  

So as I embark on this new journey of trying to commit to blogging about the joys of life in the Schober household, please be praying for us as I am for you.  Please continue to love us and reach out to us, even if you decide I am a little crazy for your liking, and please, please, please, give any and all, Glory, Honor, and Praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because without Him we can do no good thing.