Wednesday, January 29, 2014

My Style

 First off this is of me stepping on my oldest sons toes (just slightly) for my stepping on toes posts.  He loved the idea of personalizing my rants/thoughts that are toe stepping ones.  Anyway this one may not be one or it could be one so here goes.

A friend of mine shared a picture on Facebook of two senior citizen women in some neat outfits that outside of the norms of today's society and said that could be us when we get older.  Well that got me to thinking I already dress out of societies and even Christian societies norms. No not immodest but some of my outfits are not what you would expect from a skirt wearing Christian lady.  For example I have worn hot pink nail polish with black crackle nail polish over it or studded leggings with my skirts.  Or see the pictures below.
My spider earrings (hubby bought for me around Halloween but not for the holiday he just knew I would like them and wear them all year long)  The ring and bracelet a friend got me for my birthday along with a big cross necklace.
One of my hats in my starter collection of hats. One even has a studs on it.

The boots I am wearing while I type this.

 I know these are some of my tamest pairings (I miss my old biker jacket but it got severely moldy years ago and I had to get rid of it) but I still get odd looks from people. I have heard people say why would I dress like this or is it cause I miss being teen no way I like being a grown woman. The reason is I wear things that I like them and they are modest and are me.  Why do others dress like they do its cause its what they like so if what I wear is different from what others like why is it wrong?  I know I am 36 (Yes I admit my age) but why do I have to dress exactly like every other mid to late thirties woman. So I don't its not me I dress how I like and my husband likes, he is already used to my unique look its one of the things that he loved about me when he first met me. Ok  this was just something on my mind lately.  And if you are interested in the site of these wonderful seniors dressing how they like and not what society says they should its http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/.





Tuesday, January 28, 2014

I Still Believe the memoir of Jeremy Camp


Summary
I Still Believe a memoir about Christian Musician Jeremy Camp. 

My Thoughts
 Very few Christian memoirs help me focus on Christ and not the person the book is about but this book did.  Yes I learned a lot about Jeremy Camp that I would not have know if I had not read the book.  He starts out with not his birth but his parents spiritual birth which it in itself is a powerful story that I could be a book on its own.  Then he gets into his own childhood which was not a privileged childhood and then his salvation.  We also see the story of his first wife and him meeting and the story of her cancer.  Also his loss of her to cancer.  The love story of his 2nd wife and their family together. Even though this is a memoir he does not point to himself but to Jesus Christ through out the entire book. That is why I highly recommend this book very few Christian memoir actually put the focus on Christ as much as Jeremy Camp did.   If you are going to ready any memoir this year about any Christian artist read this one.

I was given this book for free by Tyndale Publishers for my honest review.


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Exploring Christian Theology book review


This book Exploring Christian Theology by Nathan D. Holsteen and Michael J. Svigel is a layman's book on Theology.  Now don't be scared by the word Theology it just means the study of God, something all us Christian should love to do.  Even with theology books you should compare them to the Word of God.  This book is not a straight forward theology book it also gives warnings, compares different teachings and even straight forward theology.  I have to admit my favorite section is the section where the authors give us danger to avoid in modern so called theology.  Now there was one portion of the book that I did appreciate at all was where in the book they did comparisons or explanations using modern movies or books as their example.  To me that brings the book down because in 50 years some of those movies and book may not be known so someone would not know or understand the reference.  An excellent theology book for the common man should be able to show examples without using our generations movies or books as example/references.  So that is why I can only say that this book is good and not great.

I received this book from Bethany House Publisher for my honest reviews

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Praying for Boys by Brooke McGothlin


Summary
Praying for Boys by Brooke McGothlin is a book about how to specifically pray for boys.

My thoughts.
I did not like this book at all. First of all I don't remember Jesus saying here is a way to pray for this type of person and another way for a different type of person.  Now to the road block that stopped me cold on this book, she referenced and really just overly referenced the book "The Circle Maker"  I do not agree with that book.  No where does Jesus teach us to circle our prayers or to do like Joshua/Israelites did with the walls of Jericho.  It is weird to me that we see people saying we need to copy the Israelites with the walls of Jericho, praying like Joshua, or praying like Jabez.  Never do you see modern authors saying we should mimic praying/obeying God like Ezekial in Ezekial 4:8-17 " I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege. 9 "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin of water and drink it at set times. 12 Eat the food as you would a barley cake; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel." 13The LORD said, "In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them." 14 Then I said, "Not so, Sovereign LORD! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.15 "Very well," he said, "I will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement." 16 He then said to me: "Son of man, I will cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, 17for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin."(NIV Version) Long story short I cannot with a clean conscience recommend this book as I don't agree with the authors set up for prayer.

I received this book for free from Bethany House publishers via NetGalley for my honest review.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Women are you being discerning?

Yep I am about to step on toes again.

  Women are we being discerning and believing what the scriptures say or are we trying to make the scriptures fit what makes us feel good?  I admit there are very few women speakers and teachers out there that I actually like as most of them use emotions and twist scripture.  Yes I said it there are a lot of scripture twisters out there men and women.  We are called to check everyone out that says they teach God's word its does not matter if they are male or female.  Why is it when I check out a teacher like the bereans did I am treating bad cause I don't fall down at the feet of the latest Christan celebrity man or women.  (Acts 17:10-11 10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. )

When did our emotions especially the emotion of does it make me feel good overcome God's word.  We are reminded over and over again in scripture to steady and meditate on scriptures (also not just one word from the scriptures but the scriptures as a whole).Jesus did not always make people feel good but taught hard stuff.  Most of what I hear from some women teachers and even some men is stuff I could get from Oprah or Dr. Phil but with a little scripture sprinkled in (well the scripture is usually twisted to fit what the subject is).  Most conferences out there use emotion to get their point across or to tickle the ears.  Think about it Jesus did not always use emotion to bring the gospel.  Look at the story of the women at the well he did not tell oh I am so sorry that they were mean to you and that you may have had a bad childhood so lets see how I can help you make better decisions.  No he did not do that.  He first used showed the leaders their sins and then told her to go and sin no more not here is so many steps to help you feel better about yourself so you won't sin.  Yes Jesus loved sinners and cared for people but he did not sugar coat his teachings.

 We sometimes forget this in the American church we want the truth(or salt) to be so covered in sweetness that it loses most if not all its saltiness.  Every teacher no matter how popular, how they make you feel, or even your personal pastor, are not above reproach.  We need to be bereans as you read a Christian author's book have you bible open and check what they are saying with the word of God.  And not well the scripture they quote is correct but not verifying that its being understood correctly in its context as it was written and is it what the writers were conveying and not what our modern ears want to hear.  Remember no matter how good a speaker is it does not matter if what they are saying/doing does not line up with the word of God.  Teachers are held to high standard than non-teachers.  Also Satan comes as an angel of light in others words not someone is out there blatantly teaching false doctor but as someone who is teaching a little truth mixed with false teaching and looks good and makes you feel good.  At the temptation of Christ, satan used scripture which was twisted and taken out of context but Christ came back with scripture that was not twisted or taken out context.

The big question is are you willing to give up your favorite speaker, musician, pastor, or other guru if they are twisting scripture or teaching something that does not line up with the Word of God, no matter what happens to you or how you are treated by others? Well are you?

Sunday, January 5, 2014

A Wonderful Pacific Northwest Historical Fiction.


Summary
Emma of Aurora by Jane Kirkpatrick is all three books in the Change Cherish Trilogy in an all in one format. Here is a link to be able to read the first chapter. The 1st book in the series  "A Clearing in the Wind" is about Emma an outspoken young woman in a Missouri Colony of very legalistic religious people.  We find her marrying and travel with her new husband Christian to the Oregon Territory and also having children.  In book two "A Tendering in the Storm" we find Emma with 2 children and one on the way.  After a tragic loss we find her struggling to keep her little family together as she makes a decision that changes her life and the life of her children. All the while the religious community that she is from is not sure on how to deal with her as she does not bend to their will.  In book three "A Mending at the Edge" we find Emma in Aurora, Oregon estranged from her husband and trying to come to terms on how to live in her very restrictive religious group she is from and who are the founders of Aurora.  As the complete series in one book format you don't have to wait for the next book to arrive.

My thoughts
I personally was excited to read this book, I am a big Jane Kirkpatrick fan and to have one of her book series in one volume was exciting to me.  If you don't know the author Jane Kirkpatrick then you are missing a good author who in some of her books takes real people from history and molds a story that fits around their true events in a fiction novel.  That is exactly what she did with the book series Emma of Aurora.  Emma was a real women who belong to the religious sect of Dr. William Keil who founded the town of Aurora, Oregon.   This was a wonderful book I have to admit having all three volumes in one was intimidating since the book is over 1000 pages but don't let that stop you, as I could not put it down once I started reading it. I admit that book is slow at times but then I remember the time frame it takes place in and not everything was the same as it is today. I love historical fiction when its basis is not a romance novel and this one was not.  Yes there was romance but the books main thought is what happens to Emma and even the community of Aurora.   If you have a chance to read this one read it, at least for me it was very rewarding.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books by Waterbrook Press for my honest review.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Kids Historical Fiction from Adventures In Odyssey


Summary
"The Imagination Station, The Redcoats Are Coming!" by Marianne Hering and Nancy I. Sanders is book #13 in the Adventures in Odyssey, Imagination Station series. Just so you know I have not read the previous 12 books but that did not matter I was still able to get into this book.  The main characters are Patrick and Beth cousins who Whit sends back to 1775.

My thoughts
This is a wonderful historical fiction book for children.  I have to admit I am not a big Adventures in Odyssey fan but this book blew away my expectations.  It starts with Whit talking to the two cousins Patrick and Beth about their upcoming trip to Boston.  He reveals that he has a letter for Paul Revere not just any letter but one that the cousins need to deliver to Paul Revere himself.  The cousins end up working with the patriots and helping Paul Revere on his famous run.  The twins come into the typical trouble involving helping the patriots that you probable can figure will happen but it still is a fun read.  At the end it leaves the book open for the next book in the series which I do want to read myself.  I can't wait for my youngest to read this when we do the American Revolution in a couple weeks.

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers for free for my honest review.

Thoughts on my hubby

27 years ago was the summer before my senior year in high school and I went for a walk that would change my life forever.  I just wanted to ...