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I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Thursday, November 24, 2011

    The Chrsimas Singing is a lovely story.


The Christmas Singing is a book about romance an hurt. Sometimes we hurt the ones we love thinking we are doing what is best for them. This is what Gabe did to Maggie Lane. He was trying to protect her from his own pain and this caused a lot of hurt on both sides. Sometimes we are suprised at just how much we need the people we love even when we dont want to love them. The characters in this book learn that love does conquer all and you can't turn love off and pretend that is doesn't exist. I love the way the Gabe is willing to let Maggie hate him even though it is putting him through terrible pain to see her going on with her life. This book goes to show that God really does know best and that when he put someone special in our lives we should grab hold and not let it go because love is a pecious thing.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Mercy come Morning


Mercy Come Morning is a book about the healing of a relationship that was misunderstood. Krista is faced with her mother's illness and how their relationship has caused  her from being able to have true happiness in her life. Through much grace and freinds and letters from the past help her to understand that love is not always easy but it's still love. she goes on a inner journey to find peace with her mom, her past, and her future. She finds herself and find out what is improtant. The book was a good read and i would like to see more of Lisa Tawn Bergren's work. I would like to even see a follow up story because i would like to see where Krista goes next. But alas the character only lives in the author's head and now that her story has been told maybe there isnt much more to say. I guess we will have to wonder.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Restless In Carolina leaves you wanting more

 

Restless In Carolina was a great read. I loved the story line and loved the Characters. Bridget was a fiesty woman who knew what she wanted and what she didnt want. She wanted to hold on to a life that had passed away, but she reluctantly let it go. She knew deep down this was the wise thing to do. The story was well woven with the family characters that relied on one another and relationships however strained were strong. Bridget was caught in a web of family drama, yet she held her own and was true to her self and passions. She found out that God was always in the midst and never left her, and even understood her anger and hurt and still lived her anyway. It was a great story of letting go and finding love and a rekindling a relationship with God. I loved the book and want to read more about this family. I definitely will be on the lookout for more by Tamara Leigh.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

sparrow may fall but they will rise again




This book was a inspiring story of a woamn that doesn't conform to legallistic views of a Pastor that would like to have control. She learns that God is love and she able to heal throught that love afgter her husband dies. It is a great read, and i would reccommend it to anyone.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Indivisible a romantic twist!



Indivisible while not my favorite read recntly, it did hold my interest. The book focuses on a mystery aobut who is killing the animals. I had it figured out about half way through the book. I will say that in the beginning i was expecting the romantic part of the book to take a different turn, but was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I wish the author had put a little more action in the book with mystery plot. I think it was a little dry. But would not say it is a total lost.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Beautiful Creation Ministries: The Daughter's Walk An interesting Read!

Beautiful Creation Ministries: The Daughter's Walk An interesting Read!

The Daughter's Walk An interesting Read!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

The Daughter's Walk was an interesting read. I found the story of two women making a trek from Washington to New York intriging. The book starts out about these two women and their travel and how theri relationship changes through the decisions they both make. The story turns to the daughter and focuses on her life and exile from her family based on choices she made. I Understood the choices she made and found myself sympathetic to her plight. She grew into a person that i think her family secretly admired though none would ever admit it. I would have like to see a little more romance in the book but alas it was not to be. I would like to know more about the family history of the Estby clan. I find that i was left wondering if Clara ever found love and would like to read more of the walk her mother and she too in 1896. I will be looking for more from Jane Kirkpatrick. I really enjoyed the story but as i said before still left a little hungry.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Book I'm reading Review to follow later.



46619028 Plain Wisdom by Cindy Woodsmall Chapter 1[1]
plain
wisdom
 An Invitation  into an Amish Homeand the Hearts of Two WomenPlain Wisdom
Published by WaterBrook Press
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version.

ISBN 978-0-307-45935-0 (electronic)
Copyright © 2011 by Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud
Cover design by {info to come}
 ISBN 978-0-307-45934-3 Introduction I but a century apart by customs. Miriam is an Old Order Amish woman trying to keep the Old Ways and avoid modernization. I am a typical American woman trying to keep up with the constant changes in technology while meeting the expectations of society, church, parents, and peers. We didn’t know each other, but we had a mutual friend, and because of her, Miriam and I talked on the phone occasionally and shared letters regularly.
When Miriam invited me to visit her in 2002, I had no way of knowing how much we’d have in common. As our friendship grew, we began to realize that we’ve had many of the same life experiences, and we have approached them in faith and with some trepidation. Between us, we’ve given birth to nine babies—four we’ve ushered into adulthood; the others are now older teens or preteens. And both of us are still standing. Our cultural differences are vast; the more time I spend with Miriam, the more I realize just how different. Yet our methods for emotionally and spiritually dealing with life and work are remarkably similar.
In the visits since 2002, as we sat together, hedged in by her lilac
bushes and sipping on coffee, a dream began to grow inside us. We
wanted to share with other women our victories and defeats, what had and hadn’t worked for us, and to encourage them by being real and vulnerable.
Our friendship has shown us that whatever culture we live in,
successes are possible…and failures are inevitable, but they’re never final when placed in His hands.
As women we easily believe in the worth of a newborn, who can give
nothing and takes much. We hold fast to hope for our children’s future, even for those teens who fight us every step of the way. We can see our
n 2001 Miriam and I lived seven hundred miles apart geographically—2 Pla in Wisdomfriends’ lives through the eyes of faith. Yet when we think of ourselves, we often wallow in unforgiveness, self-loathing, and feelings of inadequacy.
Our desire is to help you embrace the beauty of the life God has
given you. We wrote forgive yourself, challenge yourself, laugh at yourself, and, most important, see yourself through God’s eyes of love. For when you do, you will find the freedom to truly enjoy your life.
Plain Wisdom to encourage you to accept yourself,Plain Wisdom to just a few months ago—and lessons we’ve learned, insights
we’ve discovered, words of wisdom, Amish recipes, pictures of the Amish culture, and even a touch of Amish and “Englischer,” or English (non-Amish), humor. In some cases we draw the lessons from our stories; at other times we’ll let the events speak for themselves, allowing the Holy Spirit to whisper to readers’ hearts through the details.
Our hope and prayer are that these memories will encourage and
strengthen you as you create memories within your friend and family circles.
is a collection of events in our lives—from early childhood Meet Miriam and CindyThen Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
—Ac t s 10 : 3 4 – 35

From MiriamIn the early eighteenth century, my ancestors crossed the Atlantic Ocean, traveling from Switzerland to America to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. As an Old Order Amish woman, I call myself the “Plain” part of  I was born in St. Mary’s County in southern Maryland, the third of seven children. When I was a year old, we moved to Adams County, Pennsylvania. My home was always filled with family from both my mom’s and my dad’s sides. Then, when I was eleven, my parents bought a farm in the neighboring Franklin County. Today my husband and I live
on the farm where he grew up, which is within walking distance of my parents’ place.
When one is born into an Amish household, he or she is expected to
remain Amish and eventually join the church. The youth are encouraged to join the faith in their teen years. For me, like for most Amish youth, the question wasn’t, would I join? but rather, when would I take that step?
Plain Wisdom. (Perhaps that makes Cindy the “Wisdom” part.)4 Pla in WisdomSo when the desire and the appropriate age came together, I, along with six other young women and six young men, took the first steps by attending
instruction classes. A church leader teaches instruction classes, and,similar to courses held by other faiths, the purpose of instruction is to clarify the founding principles and scriptures of our faith. The lessons begin in late spring and continue throughout the summer. Meanwhile, I was courted by a handsome young man named Daniel Flaud, who was from the same youth group and church. The following year we were married.
Eighteen months later we were blessed with our first son. As the
years went by, we had four more sons and a daughter. Now, nearly thirty years later, our family has welcomed three daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.
I’ve enjoyed my life inside one of the most structured societies in the
United States. I haven’t always known what to do, agreed with the rules, or handled situations with wisdom. But I’ve experienced the abundant joys as well as the occasional frustration our lifestyle brings.
Often when we meet people, we see our own lives differently—perhaps better in some ways and worse in others. Sometimes we choose to stay inside our familiar circles so we can avoid the discomforts that are a part of building new friendships. Cindy’s world was so very different than mine. Sophisticated. Filled with technology. And by my Plain standards, it was worldly. I invite you to come along as I prepared to welcome her into my home.
From CindySome of you know me as the author of fiction books with Amish settings and characters. But, like Miriam, my family roots trace back to Europe (specifically to Scotland), and my ancestors landed in America in the mid–seventeen hundreds. I was born in Washington DC, the youngest child in a family of four. When my parents were growing up, their family lives were tough, and they had almost no support. But when they marriedMeet Mi r iam and Cindy 5in their teenage years, they were determined to beat the odds and make a success out of their lives.
My family moved frequently when I was growing up. My dad would
buy an old home in need of repair, and he and Mom would fix it up while living in it. Then they would sell it, and the process would start all over again. No matter where we lived, my vivid imagination constantly wove fictional stories of family life, romance, and conflict.
The summer between my eighth- and ninth-grade years in school,
my family moved from Maryland to Alabama. Because of that move, I eventually met and married Tommy. A few years after that, we had our first son, and I became a full-time homemaker. Two years later I gave birth to our second son. I homeschooled our two boys through middle school, and we welcomed a third son into our home in 1994.
Throughout the years my mind had continued to devise fictional
stories, but I was never willing to invest time in writing them. The story ideas were ceaseless, and, in hopes of quieting them, I began writing as a hobby in 1999. In 2002 I attended my first writers’ conference1 and then fell in love with the whole writing process.
I’ve enjoyed the freedom and opportunity granted to American
women—whether it was choosing what church to attend, how to school our children, or what career path to take. But like Miriam, I haven’t always known what to do, agreed with all the rules that bound me, or handled every situation with wisdom. I, too, have experienced the abundant joys of my lifestyle as well as the frustrations.
One of the great blessings in my life is having been invited into Miriam’s home and into her life. Neither of us could have imagined what that initial visit would lead to as I anxiously went from my world into hers.
Come, travel with me as I entered her world for the first time.
When Plain Meets FancyTwo are better than one, because they have a
good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him…But pity the man
who falls and has no one to help him up!
—Ec c l e s i a s t e s 4 : 9 – 10 , niv 
From Miriam2002 The sound of a push reel mower could be heard from my kitchen window as my son Mark made the last few rounds in the front yard. We had been looking forward to this day for months. Cindy Woodsmall and her son Tyler were expected to arrive at any minute. While I chopped veggies for the salad for that night’s supper, my daughter, Amanda, hurriedly swept the kitchen one more time as we anxiously watched the road for our company.
Cindy and I had chosen the second week in June because my husband, Daniel, was planning to be in Maine that week on a timber-framing job.
We thought this would give us lots of chat time—just the moms and our six children, three of which had full-time summer jobs. Daniel would be here when she arrived, but I knew he’d have to leave soon afterward. As the time of her arrival drew near, I found myself wishing my husband could stay. He’s the social one, able to maintain interesting conversations with anyone. Suddenly I went from being a little nervous to a lot nervous.
When Pla in Meet s Fancy 
What if she came all this way and was disappointed not only in my ability to hold a reasonable conversation but also in me as a person? We’d shared letters and long phone conversations, but what if I fell way short of her expectations once we were together?
After their arrival Daniel kept the conversation lively for about an
hour, but then he had to leave. The house grew silent and the conversation became stilted the moment he left. Cindy and I spent the afternoon trying to break the ice, and then that evening we gathered around the dining room table to share a meal. My still-in-the-nest children—three in their teens and two elementary-school age—are usually quite talkative at, but they were awfully quiet that evening. With my husband one, I took my place in his chair at the head of the table, and I felt very uncomfortable doing so. I tried to think of things to say but found myself lost in a sea of wishing that Daniel were home.
Cindy and Tyler were very quiet also as everyone passed the food
around the table and filled their plates. Cindy put some salad on her plate, so I handed her the salad dressing. A moment later I heard her gasp in dismay. A quick glance told me she’d mistaken our regular salad dressing bottle for a squeeze type, resulting in a plate full of food covered in salad dressing. Poor girl, I felt so bad for her. Before me stood the opportunity to continue being extremely polite or just to be me. I chose to be me. Leaning in, I quietly said, “I’m sorry, Cindy, but the Amish are forbidden to have the handy squeeze bottles.” Her eyes grew as big as saucers, her mouth formed a perfect little O. For a few seconds she actually thought I was serious. Then we burst into laughter, and the ice broke. Completely. From that moment on, our days flew by. We talked freely over coffee as the sun rose the next morning; we laughed together as she tried to do chores the Amish way; we cried
together while sharing our heartaches; we watched our boys ride horses and foot scooters while they chatted ceaselessly; and we gave them freedom to fish from a nearby dock without our hovering (but we watched from inside the house). And when they didn’t catch enough for supper,
8 Pla in Wisdom
we quietly baked frozen fish sticks without their ever realizing what we’d done. After the sun went down, we made s’mores over a fire in the backyard.
All too soon the week came to an end, and it was time for Cindy and
Tyler to go back home to their world. It had been a great week, and I feasted on the memories until time for her to visit again.

From Cindy
Miriam’s garden still needed more weeding as the sun slid below the horizon, taxing my ability to distinguish between weeds and produce.
Laundry on the clothesline flapped in the evening breeze, and supper dishes sat in the sink, reminding Miriam and me that we’d moved too slowly through the chores as I’d spent the day learning to handle the summertime responsibilities of an Amish woman.
Tomorrow Miriam’s morning would begin before daylight as she
prepared breakfasts, packed lunches, and passed around clean clothes for her three oldest sons. The boys had already graduated from the eighth grade in their one-room schoolhouse and now apprenticed full-time within the Amish community.
After crossing the lawn without the assistance of floodlights or
lampposts, we checked on our youngest children. They sat around a
campfire with one of Miriam’s teen sons, roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. The fireflies they’d caught earlier glowed in a jar beside them, waiting to be released.
Miriam and I went separate ways to finish the day’s work, she to the
clothesline and I to the kitchen. As I washed dishes by a kerosene lamp, I could see her silhouette bathed in moonlight as she collected the last of the laundry. Wiping sweat from my face, I heard her call to the children, telling them it was almost bedtime.
While Miriam’s children doused the campfire, my son made his way
inside, washed up at the mud sink, and waited for me to escort him
through the dark home. I took the kerosene lamp, and we climbed the
When Plain Meets Fancy a nearby pond croaked—all quite loudly. I smiled, but I knew that before sleep came, I’d long for some electrical device to block out the sounds of the farm and stir the summer’s humid air. 


(to read the whole first chapter refer to link above pic of book )
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Welcome

 May God be glorified. Beautiful Creation ministries is a ministry in the making. I am waiting of the Lord for his divine time for this Ministry to take off. For His Glory alone.  I just started the book of Jeremiah in the Bible and Jeremiah was a pretty straight forward prophet. Called by God in his teens he was known as the weeping prophet. He longed for the people of Israel to turn to God. I will keep you posted on how my study progresses.  Jeremiah 29:11-14   For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lordd, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12) Thenyou will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13) And you will seek me and fined Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14) I will be found by you says the Lord and I will bring you back for your captivity: I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where i have driven you says the Lord and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.  God wants us to turn to him and trust that he knows best. He will bring you out of the things Satan is trying to bring you down. Seek God with All your heart and see him Show up. Remeber SLOW does not mean NO Sometimes it is God's timing. Sometimes it is NO but even so he still has a plan for your life.