Courageous by Randy Alcorn

This is an amazing book. Now I can watch the movie! This story was well written and moved smoothly.

As law enforcement officers Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes and their partners face the worst situations you could imagine. They also face a more difficult challenge at home. All of them face the challenges of fatherhood. Adam feels he is doing an OK job at being a husband and father. Sure there have been a few bumps in the road. Victoria wants him to connect better with their son Dylan, but is seems like work for Adam because they have nothing in common. Emily, their daughter, is easier to cope with. Nathan and his wife Kayla are beginning to struggle with how to handle their teenage daughter. Dave, Nathan's partner, has a daughter he has never seen. Shane, Adam's partner, struggles to keep the relationship with his son going, when he doesn't get to see him very often.

When a family tragedy strikes Adam's family he begins to search the bible for ways to cope with his emotions and with how he can be a better husband and father. He is challenged at every turn with being a better man, to provide and protect his family. Adam decides to write a resolution that will help guide him to becoming the man, father, and husband that God wants him to be. His fellow officers join him in this resolution.

This in one of those books where you should have tissues at hand because it will touch your heart. It makes you think about the challenges parents face in this day and age and that being a Christian brings a whole new meaning to those challenges. It is thought provoking. As a women I realized how much more I appreciate the fact that my husband wants to be the spiritual leader in our family. It is a important job.

This book is so worth the read.

Silence

I might have mentioned that I get devotional emails from Proverbs 31 during the week (sorry for repeating myself).  Today it was about silencing our souls.  I thought it was an odd title until I started reading.  The key verse was Psalm 131:2a which says, "But I have calmed and quieted my soul." (ESV).  The person writing the devotional mentioned how when she was a child the teachers would comment that if she wouldn't talk so much she would learn more.  I used to get the comment she disturbs her neighbors because I would talk to them when I was finished with my work.  The author also mentioned who she talks to much to God, pointing out how she thinks he should answer her prayers. 

I have the problem that I can't focus when I pray.  My heart and head get so full of stuff that I lose track of what I am saying and get distracted by thoughts and external forces (cats).  I want to be able to silence my soul before God.  I want to be open to what He has to say to me.  Of late I find my mind going every which way with no focus.  There are so many things I want to accomplish and things that I want to do.  People I want to get to know better.  My heart yearns for quiet and commotion all at the same time.

Right now I am struggling with a heart full of fear and anger.  I got a call from my sister (the last remaining of my immediate family).  She is in the hospital.  She had surgery removing her gallbladder and something with her colon,  My sister is not the most concise person so details are kind of iffy.  She mentioned she will have to have more surgery.  I love her, she is my sister, but we don't know each other very well because she left home when I was between 5-6 and our family didn't get to see her much.  She handles her life so differently than I do and it frustrates me to no end.  My fear is that something will happen and she won't survive whatever is going on (she is 65).  My anger is because her stupid husband is probably the cause of the infection that caused her current issues.  He has mental problem (schizophrenia) and was taking meat out of the freezer and putting it in a cooler on the porch.  They live in Georgia so that isn't exactly a smart move.  He didn't put the meat back as fast as he should have and my sister contracted E coli.  They had a hard time getting it under control and she was still suffering after affects from that when this other infection started.  So my anger is aimed at him and at her for putting up with the jerk. 

I am praying about my feelings and getting overwhelmed with everything that is going through my head.  There are also changes coming up in the next month or so that I am trying not to deal with.  My neighbors are moving.  Big deal right!  Well it is!  I have become very close to them and will miss them a lot.  My heart is thinking GREAT ANOTHER LOSS.  So this thing with my sister is making everything else so out of proportion.  Our weekly Grow Group / Bible Study is over for the summer and  am having a hard time with that too!  Part of me is afraid that the leaders might decide to give up the group next year.  Why?  I have no idea. why I would think that, but there it is in my head.  Sometimes I wish I could just give myself a stern talking to, but I probably wouldn't listen anyway. 

So silencing my soul right now would be a good thing.  A suggestion was made at the end of the devotional to spend five minutes in silence with God for five days. Beginning by repeating the verse in Psalms I mentioned above.   I am going to give it a try.  It sure can't hurt anything.

Unlikely

Is there something in your past that you feel is too far a stretch for God to use? Do you possess a quality that the world would look at and say, "Nope, not you?" Have you ever felt completely unqualified, but still dream of doing impossible things?

These were some questions in the devotional that I got a day or to ago.  This really hit me, because I feel like I am not the right person to do many things.  I don't feel that my faith is strong enough.  There are things in my past that will keep me from doing certain things.  I am a broken individual what use am I.  These are thought that circulate in my heart and head.  God has been showing me many things lately.  I feel like my faith is the size of a mustard seed.  But that doesn't get me off the hook.

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. ”  Matthew 17:19-21

I am trying new things and trying to follow God's leading even when I feel like I am not worthy or have what it takes to do what I feel led to do.  He is an Awesome God!  I see him working all around me. 

It is exciting to see what God is doing.

Gabby... All About Me by Lee Carey

Scooter had no idea what he was getting into the day he walked into the SPCA to adopt a dog. When he walked in the door the lady at the desk greeted him and escorted him to see the dogs that were available for adoption. She left him alone to make his choice and that is when something very strange happened. He heard a voice from somewhere in the room. There was no one else in the room with him, so where was it coming from. He realized (with some help) that it was coming from one of the dogs. One of the dogs was talking to him.

Scooter took Gabby home and that one act changed his life forever.

This was a wonderful story. I have to admit it was kind of hokey, but I really enjoyed it. I don't know how many times that I wished I could understand my cats. It was a great premise for a story.

Mentalpause.... and Other Midlife Laughs by Laura Jensen Walker

This is a laugh out loud book. As a girl growing up menopause was something whispered about in our family. No one really talked about it. I knew what it was, but no one really wants to talk about it or admit that it is something that they are going through. I loved Laura's way of sharing information in a very humorous way. It was informative and hilarious.

I have read one other book fiction book by this author. I am normally not a non-fiction type person unless it is a story about animals. But I just couldn't resist this title.

Clobbered by Camembert (Cheese Shop Mystery #3) by Avery Aames

Charlotte Bessette runs the Fromagerie Bessette cheese shop, she also has a tendency to get involved in solving mysteries. This is the third installment in the Cheese Shop Mystery series.

The Cheese Shop is busy setting up for the town's Winter Wonderland faire. Many of the businesses in town will have a tent where they will set up the wares. An old friend of Charlotte's mother is back in town. Kaitlyn Clydesdale is back to open a new honeybee farm. Tagging along with Kaitlyn is Chip, former fiance of Charlotte. Just what she needs.

When Kaitlyn is found dead in Rebecca's cottage, Charlotte steps in to help Chief Urso solve the case. Rebecca, an employee of the cheese shop, asks Charlotte to help her find out who killed Kaitlyn. Chief Urso seems to be looking at Rebecca's boyfriend as the lead suspect.

**** SPOILER ALERT ****

Also Charlotte finds out more about Jordan's past. It felt kind of hinky to me, so I am curious to see where that goes. Right at the end Chief Urso decides to finally tell Charlotte how he feels. But that isn't the most interesting cliff hanger. Jordan proposes.

Another installment is in the works. Can't wait!!! Love this series!!

Welcome Home by Billi Tiner

Jake has been dreaming.about his forever home since he was born. He knows his owners voice by memory. When he winds up with an abusive man he feels all hope.is lost. One day a fallen limb provides an escape.

What follows his his journey to find the man that belongs to the voice in his dreams.

I was leery at first, thinking this would be another tear jerker. I did shed a few tears but they were happy ones. Great story. Kind of like the incredible journey.

Kiki Lowenstein Short Stories by Joanna Campbell Slan

This was a great group of five separate short stories that feature Kiki Lowenstein who works at Time In A Bottle (A Scrapbook supply store).  These short stories are part of the Scrap-n-Craft mystery series.  They were very well written and I enjoyed all of them.  I am anxious to see what the full length novels will be like.