Technology, Cat and Books

I have a tape for a LTC event that I need to edit and burn to a DVD. It's a simple edit and I was all prepared to do it with Windows Movie Maker. The only problem was that our desktop does not have a Firewire portal, so I couldn't capture the video. Not to worry - we have 2 older laptops that have the portal. So, I get the first one out and discover that it's OS is Windows 2000. Movie Maker needs XP. I'm still good because the other one has XP. However, it's Justin's old computer that is passoword protected and full to the brim. Then I had a brillant idea - download another free program, capture the video, save it on the Windows 2000 computer as a shared file, get it on my desktop and edit. Only problem is I can't figure out how to get the W-2000 computer to network with mine. So now I'm back to square one. Argggh! I only spent 2 hours or so finding this out.

Just when I've become quite the little cat shot giver, the shots have stopped. I don't know what has been/is going on with Whiskers. Her sugar levels were off the chart in the high range, and now they are off the chart in the low. So until the sugar reappears, she's shot free.

I've posted my book reviews for September. It was a good month of mostly 4 and 5 stars, but it also includes perhaps the worse book I've read this year. Check them out and if there's any on there that you've read, I'd love to hear your opinion.

Book Review - New Blog!

I have decided to start another blog devoted to my books and book reviews. I'm sure I'll mention a few things about reading on this blog still, but it just seems that the book reviews are getting longer and longer so rather than have people wade through them, I now have My Own Little Book Corner.

Catchy name, don't you think? In fact, since I have so much time on my hands I'm thinking of starting a lot of different blogs about things that interest me. I could have "My Own Little Photo Corner", "My Own Little Sweets Corner", etc. Don't expect to see "My Own Little Cleaning Corner" though. As far as I'm concerned, that title is up for grabs - you want it, you got it!

May Book Reviews

Time for the monthly reviews. I'm really trying to shorten them up, so here goes -

First I read the novel that the movie "Simon Birch" was based on - John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany". I didn't see the movie - but enjoyed the book. It is a good story of friendship, faith and politics. I like how Irving fits it all together. Owen Meany is the type character that I would have liked to know. He may have been short in stature, but he was a big person in many other ways - unselfish, kind, loving. The story has it's funny moments and it's serious times. I give it 5 stars.

The next book I read was "S is for Silence". In this book Kinsey becomes involved in a search for a missing mom. The catch is that the mom has been missing for years. Foul play is suspected, but then again with the lifestyle the mom had, she may have just ran away. Leave it to Kinsey to solve it. Another good one from Sue Grafton - 4 stars.

"Jewel" by Bret Lott was my disappointment for the month. I really expected more from this story about a mother's determination to raise her mentally retarded daughter in the 1940's. The mother takes things into her own hands and her whole life becomes this daughter. She often "wrestles" with God. The concept for the book drew me in, but the characters didn't. I just never felt connected to them and I really wanted to. My first 2 star book this year.

I went from that to "How to Be Lost" by Amanda Eyre Ward. This is a quick, easy read - perfect for summer. This story is about a 5 year old girl who disappears one day. The search for her yielded nothing. Flash forward several years and the mom thinks she has seen her daughters picture in a "People" magazine. One sister refuses to be open to the idea, but the other sister goes in search for her. This is an interesting story and before it is over you will discover that there is more than one person who has been lost all those years. After the 2 star book, I'm happy that this one was a 5 star read.

Next I read "Dead Watch" by John Sandford. I enjoy his writing style, though not always his topics. This one was good on both levels. An ex-senator turns up missing and Jacob Winter is called in to help figure out what is going on. A story of politics, love, danger. Well written and not as gruesome as his Prey books. I would say not one of his best, but still ranks up there enough to be a 5 star.

"The Small Rain" by Madeleine L'Engle is a story of family. The main character is Katerine Forrester, the daughter of 2 musicians. This takes her through her lonely childhood and into early adulthood. One review called it a "quietly well-told story" and I have to agree. It was first published in 1945 and it has that feel about it. I enjoyed it - 5 stars

From there I went to "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time" by Mark Haddon. This is told by an autistic boy – Christopher. It begins when he discovers their neighbor’s dog has been murdered. He decides to solve the murder. There are a lot of digressions through the story and of course the story is about much more than a dead dog. Interesting look into the mind of an autistic individual – yet humor abounds too. 4 stars

"The Devil Wears Prada" by Lauren Weisberger next up. I enjoyed this book. I’ve seen the movie and know there are differences – of course the book is better. Fairly clean – interesting story about a girl and how she is transformed working for the devil that wears Prada. She must decide if a year of her life and the sacrifices involved are worth her reaching her goal to work for “The New Yorker.” By the end of the book, I felt like “Andy” was a friend of mine. 5 stars

"Two Little Girls in Blue" by Mary Higgins Clark is the story of twin girls that were kidnapped for ransom. As the story unfolds, several possible suspects emerge – some innocent, some not so innocent. The story also involves twins and their connection to each other – even talking without words. Interesting story. 4 stars

"Bobby Rex's Greatest Hits by Marianne Gingher is a book I bought at the LSU Press sale. It is the story of Pally Thompson - a Southern girl who finds herself the subject of hometown boy gone big time, Bobby Rex's greatest hit. Everybody suspects that the things in the song really happened, but Pally knows the truth and in this book, she tells it. A good summer read. 5 stars

I'm probably one of the last people on earth to read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom. This book is an easy read that makes you think about life. In fact, I find it is more a story about life than death - what impact we each have and how our story is more than just ours. I didn't find it to be as great as the hype, but a good read none the less. 4 stars

I finally finished "Having a Mary Spirit" by Joanna Weaver. In this book Mrs. Weaver steps on some more of my toes - especially when she talks about Flesh Woman. It's always a good thing for me to read a book that makes me think about my life and what kind of spirit I have. 5 stars.

April Book Reviews

Hard to believe that another month has flown by and it's time for my much anticipated book reviews. (Read sarcasm there.) But whether you like them or not, I'm going to keep them up. I will try to keep them short though. So here goes -

The first book of the month was "The Time Travelers Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. This book will mess with your head. This is the story of a man who has a genetic disorder that causes him to travel through time. It was a little confusing to me at times because of the past, present, future thing – even at times there being 2 Henry's at different ages. But it is an interesting concept and story. I would have liked to read more about why Clare was so attracted to him, but overall a good read - 5 stars.

"Light on Snow" by Anita Shreve was my next read. It is a touching story of a father and daughter coping with the loss of their wife/mother and daughter/sister. The father couldn't stand the memories, loaded up the girl, Nicky, and drove until they reached a small New Hampshire town. There they found an isolated house to buy and settled down. Their life changes when one evening, after he finishes his woodwork, they take one of their walks in the snow and find a newborn girl left in the woods. A good story of family, love, hurt, grace and redemption. 5 stars.

After that story I went for a journey of faith book - "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. This is the second book by him that I have read and while I enjoy his writings, I don't think they are as great as some people do. I agree with a lot of what he said, but also had problems in some areas. A sightly above average read - 3 1/2 stars.

From there I went to a different kind of personal story and read "Catch Me if You Can" by Frank Abagnale. I had seen the movie based on this book a few years back and had been curious about the book ever since. He presented himself as so many different people, traveled the world and even though on the surface it appeared that he was living the good life – he knew that he was just conning everyone – including himself. For the type book it is - I give it 5 stars.

My surprise book of the month was "An Unfinished Life" by Mark Spragg. This is one of my favorite books so far this year. The title is tied to the tombstone of Griffith Gilkyson who was killed in a car accident when his wife was driving. She survived and was pregnant at the time. Griffith’s father, Einar, could not forgive her and she left resulting in a series of bad relationships. She hits bottom so to speak and ends up back at Einar’s house. Einar lives alone in the house, but has a friend, Mitch that lives in a shack out back. Mitch and Einar became friends during the Korean war. Mitch came back with Einar to help on the ranch which he did until Mitch was attacked by a bear. So you have a bitter old man, an abused woman, a badly deformed and ill man, a bear and a wonderful young lady – Griff. Griff is the redeemer of them all it seems. By the end of the book you realize that it isn’t “an” unfinished life, but that they all have an unfinished life and that through love they can get through it together. A book whose characters and lives stay with you long after the book is closed. Of course 5 stars!

My Jodi Picoult book of the month was "Vanishing Acts". Nobody can draw me into a story better than Jodi Picoult. This story is about Delia – a grown woman with a child who still lives with her dad. She’s planning her wedding to her child’s father and her life long friend, Eric, when a knock on the door changes everything. The news sends Andrew (her dad), Eric, Delia, Sophie (the child) and Fitz (the other life long friend) into a tail spin. A well written book that makes you think. 5 stars

From there I went for lighter fare and read "The Dog Walker" by Leslie Schnur. A love story of sorts about a divorcee who walks dogs, falls in love with the image of one of the dog owners, meets him - or so she thinks - and the results. The man she meets is actually the dog owners twin, so that's the twist. An enjoyable read, but being the prude I am, the language made me bump it down to just average - 3 stars.

"The Chairman" by Stephen Frey was next on the stack. This is a mystery/suspense novel that involves the business world. I like Frey’s novels that I’ve read because of this aspect of them. This time it is about a battle between equity firms, and the people who work for them. Even though I don’t understand all of the business aspect of it, an interesting novel. The main character – Chris Gillette – is one that I wasn’t sure if I liked at first. By the end of the novel, while I’m not sure I’d want to be his friend, I had developed a certain level of respect for him. A 4 star read.

A book that I've picked up several times in the book store, and then returned to the shelf, I finally brought home and read - "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. The setting is in the 18th century and takes place in China. The story is about 2 girls and their life. One is Lily – a girl of modest means and the other is Snow Flower – a girl who is from a more noble family. It tells of their life together as Laotong – a type of pledged sisterhood. The novel goes through foot binding, marriage, child bearing, and revolution. The book was ok, but not what I expected. I found the conflict between the girls a little contrived, but maybe in the time and culture it would be a bigger deal than I realize. I expected much more, so for me, it's 3 stars.

The last book of the month was "When Crickets Cry" by Charles Martin. This novel has the byline - "A novel of the heart" and it is - both physical and emotional. It is the story of a man who grew up with one goal - to become a heart surgeon so he could fix Emma. Emma becomes his wife, and he becomes a great surgeon - called the "miracle worker" but he can't save Emma. After her death he goes into hiding, but a “chance” encounter with Annie, who needs a heart transplant, rocks his world. Truth is Annie has been praying to meet this doctor – the “miracle worker” for years, so not chance but God. I enjoyed the story, but could have done without so much detailed explanations of things like boats and even hearts. Those often caused me to feel bogged down and while a little explanation would add to the wonder of it all, Mr. Martin often went overboard. I do think it's worth reading though. Bottom line - 4 stars.

Happy reading to you all!

March Book Reviews

Note to my BR friends - if you would like to read any of these books, let me know. If I still have them, I'm happy to loan them out!

March was a busy reading month for me. I started the month with "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt. This is a memoir of his life growing up in Ireland. His was a poor family with a father that couldn’t stay away from the pubs. Through all the pain and sadness, Mr. McCourt tells his story with a touch of humor. It's not my favorite writing style but I soon found the rhythm and could hear the story being told. Jan's rating - 4 Stars

"Original Sin" by Brandt Dodson was the next book I read. Easy reading mystery about an ex-FBI agent and his first case as a private investigator. Brandt Colton is hired to investigate who killed Emma Caine – a “upstanding” high school counselor. Her nephew is in jail accused of the crime, but his girlfriend, Angela, believes he is innocent. Colton is a good PI and enters the investigation with an open mind. The story has a subplot of sorts about Colton’s personal life – a wife that was killed in an auto accident 6 months earlier, a daughter who is living with her grandparents, Colton’s anger which is the reason he is ex-FBI, his childhood in and out of foster care, and a kind preacher who tries to help Colton see God. Not suspenseful, but not predictable either. A good story. Another 4 star book.

From there I went back to another Jodi Picoult book and read "Keeping Faith". This was a little different from other Picoult books that I read in that it deals with issues of faith and religion. Faith is a young girl who, with her mom, walks in on her dad with another woman. Faith begins seeing a "guard" and is able to do some miraculous things. The story weaves in an atheist television host, the grandmother, the Catholic church, Jewish priests and the firestorm that is created when people hear of the girl and what she can do. Not to mention the father and mother's reactions. I did enjoy reading the book, taking it for what it is – fiction. I give this one 4 stars.

My first 5 star book was "The Queen's Fool" by Philippa Gregory. Set in the mid 1500’s, this is a historical novel about the battle between Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth for England. The title character is Hannah Green, a Jewish girl who has the “sight” and can see things before they happen. Hannah’s brought to court as a “holy fool” and soon is in the service of both Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth. The story of Hannah intertwines with the story of Mary and Elizabeth. A very well written story that kept me interested all the way through.

At the same time I was reading "The Queen's Fool" I read "The Bible Jesus Read" by Philip Yancey. This is a brief examination of the Old Testament. Yancey takes different books/sections and gives a overview of the section and the meaning of it. It is an average book - no great insights but a good reminder of the books. 3 stars.

"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver is the story of a Baptist missionaries family that moves from Bethlehem, Georgia to the Belgium Congo. The story spans 30 years and is told through the eyes of the daughters – Rachel, the oldest – Leah and Adah the twins – and Ruth May – the youngest. It is a cultural, spiritual, and political tale. Wonderful story and very well written. Another 5 star book.

I followed that book with another engaging story - "Midwives" by Chris Bohjalian. This is about a midwife who ends up performing a c-section on a woman who she thinks is dead. Questions arise as to whether or not the woman was dead before or after the c-section. In fact, there is a a lot of evidence that she was alive - enough to charge the midwife with her murder. This is a very well written story that leaves you feeling as if you know the family. 5 stars.

I decided it was time for a little light reading and my next book was "A Dog's Life" by Peter Mayle. This is an autobiography of a dog and includes his insights on humans, chickens, other dogs, dead things, etc. To me an average book, but someone with a different sense of humor may find themselves rolling in the floor with laughter. 3 Stars

The last book I read in March was "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. I found this to be a depressing story. The main character is Dolores Price. Everything around her seems to spin out of control and she takes on the burden of guilt for it all. Very well written but nonetheless depressing. Depression level brings it down to a 4 star.

I did try to read "Present Value - A Novel" by Sabin Willett. I just couldn't get into that book. I read about 1/2 of it and had to close it up and send it on it's way. So no recommendation on that one from me.

All in all a fun month of reading!

February Book Reviews

I was able to read 6 books this month and while they weren't quite the "jackpot" of January, they were good books. Here's a quick review of each one.

"Split Second" by David Baldacci was the first book of the month. I've read several of his books and generally enjoy them. While this one was an easy read and entertaining, I found there were several weak spots in the plot. The basic story is about one ex-secret service agent and a current secret service agent who both had "lost" presidential candidates - one through an assassination and the other through a kidnapping. They join in an investigation of the latest event. Not my favorite book, but not a complete waste of time either. This one gets 3 1/2 stars from me for being barely above average.

The next book, "Life on the Color Line:The True Story of A White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black" by Gregory Howard Williams was a disappointment to me. I think I expected too much from it. Last year our city began a program - "One Book, One Community". The idea is to choose a book that is good for the whole community to read and to provide discussion groups, lectures, movies, etc. that goes along with the book. Sort of a community wide book group. This was the first book chosen. I did not read it then, but was interested in it, so that is why it made my list of TBR. I think the disappointment stemmed from the hype. It is an interesting story of poverty and racism, but it was not exactly what I thought it would be. I found myself wondering why he chose the title that he did because the story could have been about several people (unfortunately) who had always known their race from birth. It is a story of a brutal, poor childhood and the triumph of a man through it all. Not something to be taken lightly. I give this book 3 and 1/2 stars, however if I had just picked it up off the shelf without hearing anything about it in advance, it may have gotten an additional star.

From these books, I went for one that in my mind is a little harder to take. I returned to a Richard North Patterson book and read "Protect and Defend". This novel explores late term abortions and parental consent laws and the parallel plot of appointing a new Supreme Court Justice. The story centers around a teenage daughter of conservative parents who becomes pregnant. The parents are supportive and plan on helping her raise the child. The big change comes when during a sonogram the doctor discovers the baby has hydrocephalus. In fact, it appears the baby does not have a brain. The teenager decides that instead of risking the small percentage of chance that she will become sterile by having a classical c-section to deliver a baby that appears dead already, she will have an abortion. The parents cannot accept that as an alternative, so off to court they go. I found several things in the novel that were a little offensive to me. According to this story, the anti-abortionists are stupid, ruled only by emotion - or the love of money, violent, mean people while the pro-abortionists are kind, loving people who base their opinion on fact. I also found it interesting in the area of parental consent that mere lip service was given to the fact that a minor can't have a tooth pulled without parental consent, yet should be able to have an abortion. The parents were painted as pulling the family apart by not agreeing to the abortion while the daughter was not to be "blamed" for that. I don't think it is that simple or that one sided.

While this book is predictable and does not completely follow my views, it was a book that made me think - and did make me angry at times and feel great compassion at times. It's not a book that will change any one's mind about abortion - or I hope it's not because there are too many holes in this fictional account in my mind on both sides. But it was a book that drew me in so I give it 4 1/2 stars.

After reading a heavier fare, I opted for some light reading with "Independence Day" by Richard Ford. This was a good story about a divorced man, Frank Bascombe, and a long Fourth of July weekend in which he does his job as a real estate agent, has a personal life, and spends time with his teenage son that has a few quirks in his personality. This was a very entertaining book and an easy read. I mainly enjoyed the book after the son joined him on the trip. 4 stars for this one.

Not being one to leave heavier fare alone, I dove into "The Pact". This novel by Jodi Picoult addresses teen suicide. It is the story of two families who live next door to each other, are best friends and long for their son and daughter to one day join the families as in-laws. It all takes a turn for the worse when the daughter, Emily, is found dead, and the son, Chris, is accused of murder. Immediately Chris tells that it was a botched up suicide pact. Investigation shows otherwise. The story unfolds going back and forth through time and relates how all of this effects each parent, the families relationship, the relationship of Chris to both sets of parents with a lawyer thrown in for good effect. Very good story, very well written. There were a few things I would have liked to have seen covered in a more detail, but well worth the read. About all I can say is WOW and of course it's a 5 star book.

I ended the month of February with a classic - Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". While it always takes me a while to get into the style of the classics, I do enjoy them. This is a wonderful love story and character story too. It's fun to see the relationships between the characters change over time. I know it's probably required reading for a lot of students, but that shouldn't keep you away if you have never read this classic. 5 stars.

Happy Reading!

Book Problem Resolved - Maybe

About a week ago I asked "What to do with all those books?". Michelle left a comment suggesting I check out Paperback Swap so I did and first impressions are good.

For those interested, it works like this - you sign up and post 9 books. Those 9 books get you 3 credits. Each credit = 1 book you can request. You also receive 1 credit for each book of yours that a person requests and you mail. (You actually get the credit when they receive the book which takes about 2 - 3 weeks.) When a person requests one of your books there is even a label to print out for the package and they show you how much it will cost to mail via USPS Media Mail so it is very user friendly.

In a few days time I have mailed out 5 books at a cost of less than $8. I've got 2 books in the mail to me and should be able to order 6 more books based on my transactions. Of course after I read the books I've requested, I'll enter them back into the system. So while I'm early in the process, this looks like a promising answer. Thanks Michelle for sharing this with me.

As a side note - 4 of my books that were immediately requested were of the Christian genre. They are being sent to 5 different states from Maine to Colorado, but the most interesting is that one of the first requests I got was from Conway, Arkansas. This is where my daughter lives and attends college. Small world, uh?!

If you do sign up with Paperback Swap please use my email address found in my profile as a referring member. Thanks!

What to Do With All Those Books?

I've always enjoyed reading. I'm thankful to my sister for introducing me to books and teaching me to read at a young age. I can remember many a summer day when we would get on our bikes and ride across town to the library. I loved the smell of the library and the quietness. I loved browsing through the books and picking out the jewels that would go home with me. I still like going to the library, but find myself more and more in book stores. I don't know why but there is something special about buying a book. One thing I like is knowing it belongs to me and I don't have a deadline to return it. The problem in that process though is that most books I buy, I don't want to keep. I've passed books on to friends, donated to the library and various booksales, and donated to charities. But I still have books.

Recently a friend of mine sent me a link to Bookcrossing. This is a site for books that mirrors Where's George? Bookcrossing lets you register your books and then the idea is to pass them on either randomly or controlled. The random realease involves putting a note on the book telling people that it is a free book and then a label is on the book explaining the website and also displaying the Bookcrossing ID number. In a perfect world, you could leave a book at CC's Coffee House in Baton Rouge and watch it as it travels the world. Reality is the majority of people will take the book, read it, pass it on, keep it, throw it away, etc. and never log on and journal where it is. So while I really would like to follow at least one of "my" books, if that doesn't happen I'm at least clearing out some closets and hopefully making some stranger happy.

January Book Reviews

January's over so I thought I'd give a brief review of the books I've read this month. I discovered some real gems.

I started the year with "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. This is the tale of a family that faces some hard decisions when they discover their daughter has leukemia. They have a baby so they can have a donor to help save their daughter's life. This story is years later and is about the effect all of this has had on the individual members of the family and the family as a whole. It is very well written and makes you think. I give it 5 Stars.

My next book was the classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Very easy to believe that the events took place - unfortunately. A classic tale about the racial divide. Another 5 Star book.

"The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards is a story that begins in the 60's. Dr. David Henry ends up delivering his babies due to a snow storm. The fact that it was twins was a surprise. The first baby was a healthy boy, the second, a girl with downs syndrome. David asks the nurse to take the baby to a home - which she agrees to do. He then tells his wife - who had been put to sleep during labor - that the girl was born dead. The nurse ends up taking the girl and leaving town. The story is about the effect this big secret had on all of their lives. Another story that draws you in. A good book, but not as outstanding. I'd recommend it, but give it 4 Stars.

I changed genres and read Richard North Patterson's book,"Conviction" next. "Conviction" is about a man on death row who is down to his last appeals. The lawyers who take over his case, Terri, Carlo and Chris, discover many things that point to his innocence or at least that he should not be executed because he is retarded. The book is mainly about the legal system and how a person becomes entangled in the law and the system, losing their identity. This book touched me in many ways. What can I say, it's another 5 Starer.

The last book I read this month was "The Little House" by Philippa Gregory. This book was one that as I was reading it, I wasn't that impressed. It is about a couple and the husband's parents relationship. Let's just say that the mother-in-law is manipulative in a "sweet" sort of way. You know the kind of person that disguises her true self in the sugary sweetness of caring. But the book does take an unexpected twist and I actually enjoyed the ending. I probably shouldn't say enjoyed, but I always enjoy the surprise of a book without a cliche ending. So while I can't highly recommend it, I'd give it 3 Stars - an average read.

Not a bad list. I've got my stack for February. I just hope my 5 Star streak continues.

CEC Recap

Back in semi-warm Baton Rouge and happy to be here back to a semi-normal routine. The CEC was great. This conference, while including "how-to's" is more focused on the "why", on encouragement and on sharing of resources. I always leave the conference feeling renewed.

This year I went to presentations by Steven James, Karyn Henley and Beverly Ross. Each one caused me to think and to consider what and how I am teaching others and myself.

Beverly Ross presented more of a "general" class discussing how we can be seated with the Father, walk with each other and take a stand against Satan. Her text was the book of Ephesians and was a wonderful way to end the conference.

Karyn Henley has written and published some wonderful tools for teaching kids - and adults. Her presentations were on facing the issues our kids face as far as the different religious beliefs in this world. She went through several different religions, showing what they offered, who they worship and what price you pay to belong. I did buy 2 of her books - "Love Trumps Karma" and "The Mall of Religions". I think both of these will better equip me as I minister to kids that want to make sure of what they believe.

Steven James was a repeat presenter from last year. I had considered going to a different tract since I heard him last year, but didn't and he didn't disappoint. This man has more enthusiasm than just about any I've ever been around. He is a "master storyteller" in my book. He is a firm believer in our story being God's story and figuring out how to use that. He has written several books of which I came home with 2. The one I bought is "Quest for Celestia" which is his reimagining of "The Pilgrim's Progress". I am going to read this book to see if I would recommend it for some of our kids.

The other book I did not buy - but "earned." Steven James likes to use volunteers a lot in his presentations - especially our 3rd session. At the beginning he did one of his short skits and he volunteered me. Of course I didn't realize he was pointing at me at first so he had fun with that. Then I had fun with him doing the skit. Working in children's ministry you quickly learn to let your guard down and throw pride out of the window. He volunteered me for a couple of other skits and my reward was a free book. After he made it clear that the book I chose had to be from his booth, I picked one for our children's ministry - "Crazy and Creative Bible Stories for Preteens"

I need to thank Steven James for a brief moment of fame. The remainder of the conference when people would see me they would comment about how I was the one that he "picked" on and they would usually compliment my performance. Who would have thought that I could be a "star" at the CEC.

In addition to these sessions we heard some wonderful lessons from Grady King. He has a way of opening up his heart that touches your own.

As I posted before, the weather did not cooperate this week. I didn't get to spend my free time in the way I wanted. The attendance was down a little because of travel. But in spite of everything, this past week was a true blessing. I'm thankful for people who are willing to share their talents, their stories and their encouragement with those they don't even know and may never see again. What a blessing!

Dear Church

Time for a book review. I know I've tried to stay away from book reviews, but I have to mention the latest book to move from my table back to the shelf - "Dear Church, Letters from a Disillusioned Generation" by Sarah Cunningham. This book follows the same theme as "Revolution" by George Barna. (You can read my brief thoughts on that book here.) However I came away from this book feeling more optimistic than I did after reading "Revolution." I don't know if it was because George Barna is more of a analytical thinker or what, but I actually felt hopeful after reading "Dear Church." In fact, throughout the book I kept thinking that I've felt and thought the same way about "church."

In "Dear Church" Ms Cunningham does a good job of piecing things together. She starts with introducing "twentysomethings", progresses to why they are disillusioned with "church" and concludes with hope. The book has some surprising insights - such as that twentysomethings really don't want all the techno, hyper activity at worship services. They feel bombarded by it daily and long for quite times. There are some not so surprising insights in that they want people to be authentic - to admit that we all fall short time after time but to also reveal what keeps us going after we fall short. All in all after reading her introduction to twentysomethings I discovered what I knew along - I'm really half my age!

I am not going to get into the nitty gritty of the book. It took Ms Cunningham countless hours of research and 210 pages so I'm not going to even try to do it justice on a BLOG. I do think this book should be required reading for anyone who has a twentysomething child (which by the book's standards could mean a decade either way) and anyone who works with teens, college age and/or young adults. It has helped me to understand some things and to feel assured about the future. It will be interesting to see how this next generation evolves while keeping true to God's plan. Hope I'm around to see it!

Coin Toss Decisions

I have a thought rolling around in my head this morning. (OK - here's where all those who know me can say things like, "Lot's of room in there for it to roll." Go ahead get it all out of your system because I have a serious thing I'm pondering.)

One of the books on my table is "Dear Church - Letters from a Disillusioned Generation" I just began reading the book and haven't reached the disillusioned section yet. But I decided if I was going to read a book to the church and about the church I needed to also read THE book about the church. Figure I might as well start at the beginning, so this morning I started reading Acts again. Before getting to the "church" part, I came across something I've read and heard about many times - the choosing of someone to take Judas' place with the 12.

I've always been fascinated with the casting of lots to choose. I even have a reference I wrote next to it of Proverbs 16:33 - "The lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord." I know we don't cast lots today, so I always think of something like a coin toss - what we look at as pure chance. But God tells us that every decision comes from Him -- even when we think it's random chance?!

I keep picturing someone going through an important decision in life such as a job change. I can see them praying about it, then saying "O.K. - Heads I take the job, tails, I don't." We'd think they were a little eccentric to say the least or more likely we would think they were crazy. After all don't you pray about it, research it, list the pros and cons and then decide?

I wonder if God would rather us just give it all to Him, toss the coin and be done. That would ease the stress of a decision, wouldn't it? Problem is I don't think I have that kind of faith. Not yet anyway.

Four Spirits

I know that I said a while back that I wasn't going to do "book reports" about books I have read. BUT I have to recommend a book I read a while back. It is "Four Spirits" by Sara Jeter Nasland. This is a story that takes various events from the time of the civil rights movement, combines them, fictionalizes them and tells a thought provoking tale. I can't say that it is an enjoyable read - but it is a fascinating read.

To be honest I feel like I should remember more about that time than I do. I was too young to watch the news and understand what was going on I guess. I'm part of a generation that didn't really study it in history. Guess it was too new and there were still too many fresh wounds. Plus I grew up rather sheltered from the world to be honest. That may be one reason that the book has really stuck with me. It tells a story that I think we all should read. A thought provoking tale that makes you think about how far we've come and perhaps how much farther we have to go.

What is True?

Having recently read "A Million Little Pieces" I am finding all the controversy around it interesting. I first saw James Frey defending his book on The Larry King Show. On there he was not admitting to lying. He did admit that some of the things that The Smoking Gun had published were true, but that those things were a small part of the book. The main thing that matters, according to Mr. Frey, is that he was a drug addict who went through rehab and is still clean. Even while he was saying that, I kept thinking to myself that some of the things that were untrue were part of his addiction story. For instance he talks about spiraling into greater addiction after being blamed for a classmates death. The classmate did died, but his part in the situation around the death was totally different from his portrayal. In fact it's doubtful he even saw her the night of her death. I also have to interject here that there were parts of the story that seemed beyond belief. One of them he stands by, which is the condition he found himself in on the plane. I still find it hard to believe that a commercial flight would let him board in the condition he describes, but it was over 10 years ago and his family appears to be wealthy, so who knows? Bottom line is, it's hard to know what to believe and what not to. If the publishers and author had been honest, the book would have been marketed as a "based on true life fiction" and still been a good book. But it wasn't.

The next time I saw Mr. Frey was on The Oprah Winfrey Show yesterday. On that show she expressed her anger at being misled and lied to. She stood up for truth. Telling Mr. Frey and his publisher that the truth does matter. What is surprising to me though is the number of people who really don't care that he lied. There are even people upset with Oprah for calling him on the carpet. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've read about our "Post-modern World" and know there is a growing number of people who aren't sure what's true and what's not true - and really aren't sure if it matters. Our world is saturated with reality TV - which we all know isn't really real. We have leaders who use words in such ways that we are never really sure what they are saying. We live in a politically correct world with truth blurred all around us. More than ever we need to realize that there is one truth and it is Jesus. "Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth and the life." John 14:6 NIV. No need to say more.

The Frenzy Goes On

As you can tell by many of my previous BLOGS, the reading frenzy continues. Let me define my frenzy though. It's not that I sit around reading all day. In fact, I usually don't pick a book up until after dinner at night. I'm really not much of a TV watcher. If there's nothing on HGTV, no team playing ball that I'm interested in or no MTV show that I like, I really don't pay that much attention to it. Also, I have always loved to read. I was blessed with a school teacher sister, Jackie, who taught me to read when she learned. Her love of books back then has carried forward all these many years later and she gets to enjoy her life as a literacy specialist. Jackie is 2 years older than me, so I was 4 years old when I learned to read. Back in the old days that was the exception - not the norm, so I was truly blessed. But I don't want the majority of my postings to be book reviews. I will still post what I'm reading and may give an occasional thumbs up or thumbs down, but for now I think I'll abandon the book reports and get back to the reality of life.

What Matters?

My latest book to read was "The Secret Life of Bees." Since I don't want to give the story away, I will not cover a lot of details. This book will speak to your heart though. The story is set in South Carolina in 1964 and while it deals with racial tensions, the story is really one of love, self-forgiveness, the need for help from someone higher than ourselves, of acceptance and the need of being accepted.

The main characters in the story - outside of the bees - are 3 sisters - August, May and June, a young girl, Lily and her surrogate mother of sorts - Rosaleen. Lily is white and all the women around her are black. But as I said, this story goes beyond that. Lily's mother was killed in a horrible accident - by Lily. After a series of events, Lily and Rosaleen end up in Tiburon, South Carolina. A destination chosen by Lily because of a possession of her mom's that had the name of that town on it. August, May and June take Lily and Rosaleen into their home. A wonderful tale of these women emerges - each with their own personalities, strengths and weaknesses.

My favorite lines in the book is one day when Lily and August are discussing the pink color of the house. Lily has just found out that pink was not August's favorite color - blue is. May, the sister who "takes in things differently than we do" had picked out the color. She said it made her feel like dancing. August thought it was a tacky color, but went with it since it lifted May's heart. August knew that the color of a house didn't matter in the overall scheme of life, but that lifting a person's heart does. That doesn't mean it was easy for August to paint the house Carribean Pink instead of the nice tan color she had in mind. Then August makes the astute observation that "The whole problem with people is they know what matters, but they don't choose it....The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters." How true is that?! Reminds me of the scripture in James 4:17 - "Anyone,then,who knows the good he ought to do, and doesn't do it, sins." (NIV) Why is it that we know all that and we really believe it, but at times it is so hard to let go of our selfishness and choose what really matters? May God give me the wisdom and strength I need to choose what really matters.

Reading Frenzy

I am in one of my "reading frenzies." I get in these from time to time where I will read book after book. After a time, I will then quit reading altogether for a while. Maybe one of these days I'll learn how to read in moderation again, but for now the frenzy is on.

The latest book I completed was "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister." This book was written by Gregory Maguire - the same author of "Wicked" (which I haven't yet read.) Since "Confessions" relates to Cinderella it caught my eye. This is a tale of Cinderella told from the viewpoint of one of the stepsisters. Or to be more exact, it is the "true" story that developed into the fairy tale. The tale is set in Dutchland and follows the life of Margarethe and her two daughters, Ruth and Iris after escaping from England. The escape was made after the dikes broke and the countrymen laid blame on Margarethe's husband Jack and Margarethe. Upon their arrival in Dutchland they discover their relative, whom they were counting on to take them in, is dead. The story then develops into what Margarethe will do to insure their surrvival. While Margarethe does become the mean step-mother, the step-sisters in this story are kind, gentle girls. Thus the twist in the tale. I don't want to give too much away of the plot. (I was always bad at book reports as I never wanted to give away the plot and therefore I have a hard time of telling enough to pique interest.) I think you will find it interesting how Maguire tells a story that is a fun tale but is full of many morals. It is a well written book that I recommend for those of us who grew up on fairy tales and fables.

Happy Reading!

After Christmas is a good time to curl up with a good book, so I thought I'd give a quick review of the books I've recently read.

"High Expectations" examines churches who are able to not only reach out to people and convert them, but also close the back door and keep them. One of the most interesting things to me was the importance of Sunday School and also the importance of letting people know what exactly you, as a body of Christ, believe. An interesting read for anyone that is interested in that sort of information.

"Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History" is a book I read as a study aid for the book of Joshua. I don't agree with all of the doctrinal statements made, but a good resource to tie the old law and the new law together.

"Pop Goes Religion" was not what I thought it would be. It is a series of articles written by Terry Mattingly about our culture from a religious standpoint. Nothing spectacular or that made me think - but that's just me.

"Revolution" is a mixed bag of sorts. The king of research paints a picture of the future where the church is a group of people who for the most part have left "organized religion." These are people who live the Christian life every day in every way. They are immersed in Bible reading, loving and serving their fellow man, developing the fruits of the spirit, etc. Kind of a novel concept uh? Seems like I've read about people like that before - like maybe in the Bible. Anyway while reading the book I kept wondering why people have to leave "organized religion" to be able to live the Christain life. Isn't that what it should be encouraging and helping people to do? Definitely a book that makes you think and one I plan on reading again after Christmas.

"Through Painted Deserts" is an easy book to read. It is the tale of 2 young men that leave Texas for Oregon and their trip along the way. There is a spiritual tone to the journey but it never got too deep. I wish it had gotten a little deeper, but it is an overall enjoyable book that will make you think just a little.

"A Million Little Pieces" is the "rawest" book I've read lately. It is James Frey's story of rehab. It is not as raw as it could be given the topic, but is real life. It was an eye opener to me as I have been somewhat sheltered from addicts. This book is not an easy read, but one that left me wanting to read more. I plan on getting his other book - My Friend Leonard after Christmas.

"Hot Fudge Sundae Blues" is a southern story, so I enjoyed reading it. It is about a pretty dysfunctional family, but that's what makes it enjoyable. I can't say that it brought anyone to mind that I have known in my life, but I could relate to the small town feel. Another one that I recommend.

2007 Books Read

1. "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult

2. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

3. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards

4. "Conviction" by Richard North Patterson

5. "The Little House" by Philippa Gregory

Review of January Books

6. "Split Second" by David Baldacci

7. "Life on the Color Line" by Gregory Howard Williams

8. "Protect and Defend" by Richard North Patterson

9. "Independence Day" by Richard Ford

10. "The Pact" by Jodi Picoult

11. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Review of February Books

12. "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt

13. "Original Sin" by Brandt Dodson

14. "Keeping Faith" by Jodi Picoult

15. "The Queen's Fool" by Philippa Gregory

16. "The Bible Jesus Read" by Philip Yancey

17. "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

18. "Midwives" by Chris Bohjalian

19. "A Dog's Life" by Peter Mayle

20. "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb

Review of March Books

21. "The Time Travelers Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger

22. "Light on Snow" by Anita Shreve

23. "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller

24. "Catch Me if You Can" by Frank Abagnale

25. "An Unfinished Life" by Mark Spragg

26. "Vanishing Acts" by Jodi Picoult

27. "The Dog Walker" by Leslie Schnur

28. "The Chairman" by Stephen Frey

29. "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See

30. "When Crickets Cry" by Charles Martin

Review of April Books

31. "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving

32. "S is for Silence" by Sue Grafton

33. "Jewel" by Bret Lott

34. "How to Be Lost" by Amanda Eyre Ward

35. "Dead Watch" by John Sandford

36. "The Small Rain" by Madeleine L'Engle

37. "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time" by Mark Haddon

38. "The Devil Wears Prada" by Lauren Weisberger

39. "Two Little Girls in Blue" by Mary Higgins Clark

40. "Bobby Rex's Greatest Hits by Marianne Gingher

41. "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom

42. "Having a Mary Spirit" by Joanna Weaver

Review of May Books

43. "The Goodbye Summer" by Patricia Gaffney

44. "The Virgin's Lover" by Philippa Gregory

45. "Mostly True - A Memoir of Family, Food, and Baseball" by Molly O'Neill

46. "Savannah from Savannah" by Denise Hildreth

47. "End of the Spear" by Steve Saint

48. "The Truth War" by John MacArthur

49. "the Grace that keeps this World" by Tom Bailey

50. "But Inside I'm Screaming" by Elizabeth Flock

51. "Love, Rosie" by Cecelia Ahern

52. "Crusader's Cross" by James Lee Burke

53. "Almost Innocent" by Sheila Bosworth

54. "Reversible Errors" by Scott Turow

55. "A Patchwork Planet" by Anne Tyler

56. "Gardenias for Breakfast" by Robin Jones Gunn

Review of June Books

57. "Twelve Years as a Slave" by Solomon Northup

58. "Cutting Lisa" by Percival Everett

59. "Savannah Comes Undone" by Denise Hildreth

60. "Before You Know Kindness" by Chris Bohjalian

61. "Multiple Choice" by Claire Cook

62. "The Tenth Circle" by Jodi Picoult

63. "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham

64. "Peace Like a River" by Leif Enger

65. "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers

66. "The Constant Princess" by Philippa Gregory

67. "Esther's Pillow" by Marlin Fitzwater

Review of July Books

68. "A Live Coal in the Sea" by Madeleine L'Engle

69. "Songs of the Humpback Whale - A Novel in Five Voices" by Jodi Picoult

70. "Left to Tell - Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust" by Immaculee Ilibagiza

71. "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

72. "Early Leaving" by Judy Goldman

73. "Big Fish" by Daniel Wallace

74. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

75. "The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint" by Brady Udall

76. "Kitchen Privileges" by Mary Higgins Clark

77. "Empire Falls" by Richard Russo

78. "The Last Days of Summer" by Steve Kluger

79. "All the Numbers" by Judy Larsen

Review of August Books

80. "Pegasus Descending" by James Lee Burke

81. "The Law of Similars" by Chris Bohjalian

82. "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult

83. "Jesus Land" by Julia Scheeres

84. "gods in Alabama" by Joshilyn Jackson

85. "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant

86. "I, Elizabeth" by Rosalind Miles

87. "The Slow Way Back" by Judy Goldman

88. "Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Womans Soul" by John and Stassi Eldredge

89. "But Enough About Me" by Jancee Dunn

90. "Wrapped in Rain" by Charles Martin

Review of September Books

91. "The Collectors" by David Baldacci

92. "Come Back - A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back" by Claire and Mia Fontaine

93. "Between, Georgia" by Joshilyn Jackson

94. "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley

95. "Crooked Little Heart" by Anne Lamott

96. "Oh My Stars" by Lorna Landvik

97. "The Tin Roof Blowdown" by James Burke

98. "Walking Around in Circles Before Lying Down" by Merrill Markoe

99. "Sherlock in Love" by Sena Jeter Naslund

100. "Windchill Summer" by Norris Church Mailer

Review of October Books

101. "The Pawn" by Steven James

102. "Playing for Pizza" by John Grisham

103. "The Dressmaker" by Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck

104. "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

105. "The Boleyn Inheritance" by Philippa Gregory

106. "The Buffalo Soldier" by Chris Bohjalian

107. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

108. "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah

Review of November Books

109. "About My Sisters" by Debra Ginsberg

110. "Desire Street: A True Story of Death and Deliverance in New Orleans" by Jed Horne

111. "Life on the Refrigerator Door" by Alice Kuipers

112. "Bitsy's Bait & BBQ" by Pamela Morsi

113. "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

114. "Dreaming Southern" by Linda Bruckheimer

115. "Rick & Bubba's Expert Guide to God, Country, Family and Anything Else We Can Think Of" by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey

116. "A Girl Named Zippy" by Haven Kimmel

117. "Life's a Beach" by Claire Cook

118. "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven" by Fannie Flagg

119. "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson

120. "Saturday" by Ian McEwan

Review of December Books

For reviews and other book postings go to my book blog

2008 Books Read

1. "Patty Jane's House of Curl" by Lorna Landvik

2. "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

3. "The Girls" by Lori Lansens

4. "Dark of the Moon" by John Sandford

Book Reviews

5. "Blood Orange" by Drusilla Campbell

6. "Angel's Rest" by Charles Davis

7. "If I Gained the World" by Linda Nichols

Book Reviews

8. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

9. "Perfect Match" by Jodi Picoult

10. "The Patron Saint of Liars" by Ann Patchett

Book Reviews

11. "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

12. "The Myth of You and Me" by Leah Stewart

13. "Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife" by Irene Spencer

14. "Something Rising (Light and Swift)" by Haven Kimmel

15. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs

16. "You'll Never Nanny in This Town Again" by Suzanne Hansen

17. "Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey" by Allison Weir

18. "The Kindness of Strangers" by Katrina Kittle

19. "Flies on the Butter" by Denise Hildreth

20. "Pomegranate Soup" by Marsha Mehran

21. "Chasing Fireflies" by Charles Martin

22. "The Pleasure of My Company" by Steve Martin

23. "The Cat Who Went Into the Closet" by Lilian Jackson Braun

24. "The Double Bind" by Chris Bohjalian

25. "Clapton" by Eric Clapton

26. "The Devil in the Junior League" by Linda Francis Lee

27. "Embrace Me" by Lisa Samson

28. "Summer of Light" by W. Dale Cramer

29. "Breach of Faith:Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City" by Jed Horne

30. "Savannah by the Sea" by Denise Hildreth

31. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

32. "Ready to Fall" by Claire Cook

33. "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

34. "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett