That’s PayPerPost!

I’m sorry, I can’t help myself and I hope I’m not boring the few readers I have left, but I’m making money for my writer’s conference and I get to choose what I want to blog about. I always throw myself into my post, but by the end I feel like I’m writing an ad, which I guess I am. But I do hope they’re entertaining at least!

Back to the addiction. I find myself scrolling through blog requests, looking for the most lucrative ones and then when I choose one I’m required to write it fairly quickly. That’s why the abundance of posts on some days. Like I said, I’m addicted to PPP and I see no cure in sight, at least for the couple of months.

Can you blame me though? I’ve earned over $150 in 2 months and this month. Like I said, getting paid to blog is addicting and since nothing significant is happening in my family, personal or writing life, what else do I have to blog about.

So there it is! I’m addicted to blogging. It’s 1:30 in the am and I’m going back to look for one more post. Just one more and I’ll quit.

Spoken like a true addict!

I’ve got this book on my bookshelf and can’t wait to get to it, but wait I must! Still, I’m anxious to read this one and hopeful that this PI mystery may open up more doors for us mystery writers. 

Susan grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. Her favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota is where she met her husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living.

The north woods easily became the foundation for her first series, The Deep Haven series, based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. Her first full-length book, Happily Ever After, became a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.

As an award winning author, Susan returned home in 2004, to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota’s north woods and the beautiful town that she always dreamed of living in.

You can sample a chapter of each and every one of Susan’s novels, on her website, HERE.

ABOUT THE BOOK

PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:

1) After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that’s become her life, she needs a fresh start.

2) The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister’s wedding is Boone-her former flame and the reason she left town.

3) Her best friend’s husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.

What PJ doesn’t know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she’ll uncover much more than she bargained for-a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she’s been longing for.

It’s not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend’s husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder—who also happens to be PJ’s former flame—is convinced it’s an open-and-shut case, PJ’s not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right

If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing But Trouble, go HERE

What am I going to read this summer CONTEST!

I might just have to cancel this contest if I don’t get enough contestants.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card author is:

Marybeth and Curt Whalen

and the book:

Learning to Live Financially Free: Hard-Earned Wisdom for Saving Your Marriage & Your Money

Kregel Publications (February 16, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHORs:

Marybeth Whalen is a speaker and contributing writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries. The author of For the Write Reason, Marybeth has also written for Parent Life, Money Matters newsletter, The Old Schoolhouse, Hearts at Home magazine, and Homeschooling Today. She contributes regularly to the daily online devotions of Proverbs 31 Ministries. She and Curt are the parents of six children, which has taught them much about how to stretch a dollar.

Curt Whalen is a trained financial counselor through Crown Financial Concepts. He has years of experience helping couples establish budgets, solve financial problems, and learn to communicate more effectively. He has written articles for TEACH Magazine and Money Matters Newsletter and has contributed to books by authors Lysa TerKeurst and Melanie Chitwood.

Visit the authors’ website.

Product Details:

List Price: $11.69
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (February 16, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0825441889
ISBN-13: 978-0825441882

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Finding Hope

Marybeth

Several years ago, my husband, Curt, and I traveled to Florida to visit my stepsister, Becky, and her husband, Chuck. Curt and I enjoyed a few days away from our kids and reconnected with family members we don’t get to see very often. One evening the four adults snuck away for a nice, leisurely dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s at Pleasure Island in Disney World. The environment was festive and fun, and all of our spirits were light as we sat around the table enjoying the sights, sounds, and delicious smells.

At one point during the conversation, we got on the subject of struggles we’d experienced in marriage. Curious as to the low points of other couples (we’ve certainly had our share!), I asked Becky and Chuck what their lowest point had been. Without even pondering, Becky blurted out, “When we didn’t have any money. Chuck had just taken a job with his dad and wasn’t making much as a starting salary. I can clearly remember one time when I went to the grocery store and my card was declined because it was maxed out. I’ll never forget having to leave my groceries behind. I felt like every eye in the store was watching me. That was the lowest point in the history of our marriage—and it took awhile for it to get better.”

Becky and Chuck’s financial situation did change. They became financially independent and now enjoy a lifestyle few people do. Yet as they sat at dinner that night—years after that difficult time—Becky could easily recall the humiliation of struggling with money. That period still haunted them and still counted as the roughest trouble they had ever faced—beyond the divorce of his parents, issues related to children, cross-country moves, and several health problems. Not having enough money and struggling to pay for basic needs had left an indelible mark on their marriage.

I never forgot that moment with Becky and Chuck. I think of it often, as it is a telling commentary on the power that financial issues can have in a marriage. Marriages break up every day over money. Mismanagement, miscommunication, and misunderstandings drive a wedge between husband and wife. Instead of getting in the ring and fighting for their finances together, many couples throw their hands up and walk away—from the problems, but also from each other. In a study done by Money magazine, 84 percent of those surveyed said that money causes tension in their marriage, and 13 percent said they fight about money several times a month.1 Another study cited that 37 percent of couples say that debt is the number one issue that will spark a fight. “Numerous studies have shown that money is the number one reason why couples argue—and many of the recently divorced say those battles were the main reason why they untied the knot.”2

Curt and I teetered on the edge of throwing in the towel on our marriage many times. We’ll tell our story throughout this book, and we’ll also share the lessons we learned during our time in the ring as we literally fought to get our finances under control. Our prayer is that this book will help other couples find the freedom that can result from living financially sound lives. The truth is, money is not an isolated issue within a marriage—it infiltrates every other area of the marriage. From the kitchen to the bedroom, money problems will follow you. Once you get a handle on this area of your marriage, you’ll find that other problems seem to evaporate into thin air. It’s been our experience that the stress of money problems adds an air of negativity to the marriage as a whole. Working together to eliminate those problems can breathe fresh hope and life into what seemed like a lifeless, hopeless situation.

If you’ve picked up this book, then chances are you need to make some changes in your finances. And you’re not alone. Our country as a whole is in a downward financial spiral that is picking up speed with each turn of the calendar page. “On average, today’s consumer has a total of 13 credit obligations on record at a credit bureau. These include credit cards (such as department store charge cards, gas cards, or bank cards) and installment loans (auto loans, mortgage loans, student loans, etc.). Of these thirteen credit obligations, nine are likely to be credit cards and four are likely to be installment loans.”3 “Revolving consumer debt, almost all from credit cards, now totals $957 billion, compared with $800 billion in 2004, according to the Federal Reserve. Average car loans are up, too, to $27,397, from $24,888 four years ago. Home mortgages total $10.5 trillion, compared with $7.8 trillion in 2004.”4

Our personal financial choices are now being reflected on a national level. As we write these words, our nation is experiencing one of the hardest economic challenges since the Great Depression. For decades we have lived beyond our means, using debt as a tool to obtain our wants. And now our house of cards is crumbling around us. We find ourselves with a national debt that has surpassed the ten-trillion-dollar mark, a banking system that is undergoing radical change, and billions of dollars of value that has been lost on Wall Street as the Dow plummets from over 14,000 down to lows we never thought possible. Economists have stopped asking if we’re going to be in a recession and started asking how bad and how long it will be.

The national climate of anxiety and uncertainty is also the climate of many homes.

A Commitment to Change

The reality of our poor financial choices hit Curt and I one night four years ago, a few days before Christmas. What should have been a time of festivities and celebrating became just another cause for stress. We didn’t know how we were going to afford the expensive presents on the kids’ lists. We didn’t want to tell them no, yet to buy gifts meant adding to our already overwhelming debt load. Because of our faith, we took God at His word when He said that nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37). And yet, from where we sat, our situation looked impossible.

For years, we’d been trying to do something to change our financial picture, to no avail. We desperately wanted to stop using credit cards, yet financial emergencies always cropped up that drove us back to credit card purchases. We wanted to begin tithing and saving, yet there was never any money left over to do that. We wanted to begin chipping away at our debt, and yet we saw no way to do so. We felt trapped at every turn. We’d gotten ourselves into a financial mess. Never before that night had we felt more strongly about getting out of our mess.

As we sat in our parked car at a shopping center near our home. I watched as the other shoppers bustled past us, intent on their lists and last minute errands. I vaguely wondered how many of them were slipping deeper into debt as they charged purchases they couldn’t really afford. Meanwhile, Curt and I talked for over an hour, working through what it would take for us to change our spending habits and take steps toward achieving our dream of being debt free. Though neither of us realized it yet, that night was the beginning of a major change in our lives. We were embarking on a journey that would enable us to escape the bondage of debt and begin to enjoy financial freedom. It would be a journey of many years as we endeavored to live differently from the rest of the culture and swim against the current on money issues.

I’ve often wondered why that night was different than our many other conversations throughout our marriage that had begun, “What are we going to do about our money problems?” Although some of our past efforts had resulted in temporary changes, nothing we did ever stuck. We quickly slipped back into our old ways and debt always seemed to creep back in. Even if we closed a door, debt seemed to find a window. So what made this night—this conversation—different?

First, just a few days before, we’d learned we were expecting a baby. This news had prompted us to evaluate how we could become more financially stable as we prepared for this additional responsibility. In short, it was time to get serious. Second, this impending life change and the urgency we both felt resulted in a unity of purpose that we’d never had before. In the past, our convictions about getting out of debt and making hard changes were usually separate, with one person not as sold on the necessity of the plan. We had never been on board at the same time.

Finally, and most importantly, God met with us that night in the car, allowing Curt and me to feel the same conviction and urgency. God went before us and prepared our hearts, as He is faithful to do. We looked across that car at each other and decided that, not only could we do this, but that together we would do this. Whatever it took. In our ignorance we were actually excited about working together to slay this debt monster and change our financial picture. God created unity where once there had been anger and blaming.

Heart Attitudes

Since that night, I’ve learned that getting out of debt requires allowing several basic attitudes to take root in our hearts. Notice I did not say in our minds. The Bible points to the heart as the center—the very essence—of who we are. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” All of our thoughts and actions flow from our hearts. It’s funny how we seem to relate money to our heads and not our hearts. But we miss the mark when we do that. Without allowing these attitudes to take root in our hearts—at the very center of our being—our plan for debt reduction would have quickly fallen by the wayside as unexpected expenses and “opportunities” came our way. By presenting a united front in our battle with debt and allowing these attitudes to determine our actions, we’ve been able to stick with our plan. Though we’ll go into the specifics of our plan in other chapters, I first want to cover these four heart attitudes.

An Attitude of Commitment

Because we saw the necessity of reducing our debt and were committed in our hearts to doing that at all costs, we were not tossed about by the waves (Eph. 4:14) when real life hit. We set a goal and held each other accountable to reaching that goal. We are committed to God and to each other as a team. Our plan to become debt free was a long-range plan. In a world of fast food, microwaves, and instant access, it’s not easy to walk out every agonizing step in a long-range plan. We knew that results would be long in coming and that we had to fix our eyes on the goal, not the circumstances, and hang onto the Lord to get us through. We’ll spend all of chapter 4 talking about how to become a team.

An Attitude of Obedience

A key to obedience is recognizing God’s ownership of all things. We were both convinced that God would help us get out of debt if we were obedient to Him. This obedience required me especially to obey not only God, but my husband as well. Though submission is a dirty word in most circles, it was essential on our journey. I had to let my husband lead—even when I doubted his decision and even when he made mistakes. I couldn’t step out of the chain of command, and at first I had to continually confess this struggle to the Lord. The good news is, it got easier for me, and my husband became a natural leader for our family. The more power I handed over to him, the more I saw him grow. I am the direct beneficiary of the blessings of obedience. Through this journey, I’ve had many opportunities to show my husband my respect, trust, and honor as our provider and leader of our home.

An Attitude of Surrender

This period of getting out of debt hasn’t been all rosy, as we’ll relate later in this book. Obedience has required sacrifice. I’ve had to surrender my wants and reduce my expectations. I’ve had to learn to go without, to trust God to provide, and to lay down my desires. We’ve both had to make adjustments in our spending and truly “count the cost” of every spending decision. We’ve learned to surrender our desires in the name of honoring God’s plans for our family, trusting Him to continually bring about the best outcome possible—more than we can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20).

An Attitude of Prayer

As we’ve laid down our wants, we’ve had to go to God and cast all our anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7). He has shown Himself to be a great listener and comforter. We are learning to go to Him with our specific financial concerns and to give Him all the praise when He meets our needs in miraculous ways. Our time of financial readjustment has truly increased my prayer life as I’ve become more intimately acquainted with Jehovah-Jireh, my provider. I have learned what a detail-oriented, personal God He is. This experience has deepened my faith—a benefit I did not expect.

As we’ve walked through this time of going to God for everything we need, I’ve learned to trust in Him more completely. Though I’ll talk about this in more detail later, I want to share some things that happened just last summer that illustrate how God answers even what most would call silly, insignificant prayers. Know, though, that nothing we pray is silly and insignificant to God!

• In past summers, we’d gone to a farm and picked buckets of blueberries. But it was not cheap to buy the blueberries—and I knew that we didn’t need to spend the money. So I told the Lord about how I wanted blueberries. I didn’t really ask Him for blueberries, per se, I just told my Daddy how I was longing for some blueberries for making pancakes, muffins, cakes, and other dishes. Just a few days later, I was talking with a woman I barely knew, and she mentioned that she and her family would be going out of town for a few weeks. She said that she worried about their large blueberry bushes with no one to pick them—and would we like to come and help ourselves while they were gone? Would we! We were able to pick bags of blueberries—for free!

• My son needed a new bike to ride up to our neighborhood pool because his had been stolen. We simply did not have it in the budget to buy the new bike—and yet the mother’s heart in me broke every time I saw him walking up to the pool while all the other kids rode past him. I told God how much it hurt and asked Him to provide my son with a bike when I could not. Just a few days later I was at a children’s consignment store and there, for a very inexpensive price, was a bike that looked almost new and was the perfect size for my very tall son. Why was this bike at a children’s consignment store that day? Because God orchestrated it so that I would find it. At least that’s what I believe, and that’s why I praised Him that day for answering this mother’s prayer and taking care of yet another detail in my life.

• One day I was craving a good, old southern tomato sandwich, a staple of my summer diet. But we had no tomatoes. I was just about to get in the car and drive to a produce stand to buy the tomatoes when I felt God tell me not to go, but to wait for the tomatoes. What a strange response, I thought. But I obeyed, wondering what God was up to. Within the hour, my son ran in from the neighbor’s house with several large, juicy ripe tomatoes in his hands. “Mom,” he cried. “Miss Joyce had too many tomatoes and I told her you’d love to have some!” I didn’t miss that opportunity to let my son know how God had used him to answer his mom’s prayer.

• A new necklace was all the rage and caught my eye several times as I saw it on the necks of other women. Usually I’m not much of a jewelry person, but there was something different about this particular necklace. I even found one for a reasonable price at a little home jewelry show and had it in my hand to buy it when I felt God nudging me to put it back. “But it’s a great price,” I told God—as if He didn’t know that. Again, I felt Him telling me to put it back. I will provide, I heard Him say. The following month we were visiting my stepsister, Becky, in Florida and I noticed that she was wearing that same necklace. I told her how much I liked it. “Oh,” she replied. “Do you want one? Because I got one for a gift and certainly don’t need two!” And just like that, I was the proud owner of a necklace I really wanted. And I didn’t have to spend a dime.

These are a few just examples of the countless times that God has shown us that He hears our prayers, He cares about the details, and He will move on our behalf. Sometimes we just have to be patient. And sometimes we have to learn to take no for an answer. Because I’ve seen God provide in miraculous ways, I’ve learned that when He says no, there has to be a good reason. And I must accept his no and move on instead of brooding over it. This process has taught me much about holding the things of this earth lightly—and has drawn me closer to the Father’s heart in the process. Through it all, we’ve indeed found hope in what could have been seen as a hopeless situation.

Do you need to find hope for your finances? The God of hope (Rom. 15:13) is waiting to show you the way out of debt and into freedom.

Study

Read Genesis 6:5; Luke 2:19; and Hebrews 4:12. How do these verses relate our thought lives to the condition of our hearts?

Reflect, Discuss, Plan

1. Was it a different concept for you to think of money as being tied to your heart attitude instead of your thought life?

2. What heart attitude do you struggle with the most—commitment, obedience, surrender, or prayer? Is there a part of you that still wants to control the situation and is hesitant about involving your heart in the process?

3. In the car that night prior to Christmas, we took a big step toward getting out of debt, as we verbally committed to each other to do whatever it took to get out of debt. Has there been a time when you’ve taken this step with your spouse? Does there need to be?

4. Have money problems been the lowest point in your marriage? If so, why do you think that is?

Take Action

Are you facing a particular situation that feels hopeless? (A bill that’s due, large amounts of debt to pay off, a purchase that needs to be made but no money to make it, etc.) Write down Romans 15:13 and then spend time praying that verse aloud. If you’re working through this book with your spouse, pray together.

I read the first book in this series and really liked it. I’m a little behind on books 2 and 3, but don’t let that stop you from picking this read up. Here’s more…

A painful past

Hanna Kessler’s childhood secret has remained buried for over two decades. But when the dark shadows of her past threaten to destroy those she loves, Hanna must face the summer that changed her life and the man who still haunts her memories.

A racially-motivated killer

As a Crimes Against Children FBI Agent, Michael Parker knows what it means to get knocked down. Difficult cases and broken relationships have plagued his entire year. But when the system fails and a white supremacist is set free, Michael’s drive for retribution eclipses all else.

A life-altering choice

A racist’s well-planned assault forces Hanna and Michael to decide between executing vengeance and pursuing justice. The dividing line between the two is the choice to heal. But when the attack turns personal, is justice enough?

About the Defenders of Hope series:

Visit www.DefendersofHope.com

Buy the book:

Read an Excerpt:

About Amy:

Amy Wallace is a freelance writer and self-confessed chocoholic. She is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and serves as the liaison for the training division of the county police department. Amy is the author of Ransomed Dreams, the first book in the Defenders of Hope series, and a contributing author of several books including God Answers Moms’ Prayers, and God Allows U-Turns for Teens. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Georgia.

Contest:

Enter to win all THREE BOOKS in the DOH series by signing up for Amy’s Dark Chocolate Suspense Newsletter and then leave a comment on this blog tour post. It’s chock full of insider info on the writing world, a thought-provoking devotion, and easy but yummy recipes. If you already subscribe to the newsletter, just leave a comment saying so on the blog tour post! The winner will be chosen at random on 5/8/09. Two runner’s up will also be chosen to win a copy of Enduring Justice.

Remember that song “my girl wants to party all the time, party all the time, party all the time…” Okay, I know I’m dating myself a bit, but it’s the time of year when my kids are having birthdays and I have parties on the brain. In the past, I would put together some elaborate parties for my kids like the Pony Party where I rented real ponies for the backyard and made the garage look like a farm with cardboard barn and real hay. Too bad one of the little kids was allergic to hay.

Or how about the princess party where my hubby built a gigantic pink cardboard castle maze and the girls had to find the prince. That was awesome! There’s been an army party, carnival party (where I played a clown,) magician party and many others. In fact, it seems for my older two we did a lot of these extravagant backyard parties. Needless to say, they’re not hubby’s favorite because he always ends up building something, but they make great scrapbook pages!

Seems like the younger two tended to want swim parties and “go to the bouncy place.” Not much creativity there, and I felt in a sense they were cheated to the backyard party fun, but it made life and the parties much easier. Still, I long for those fun home parties that make great scrapbook pages!

Though my almost 7 year old really wanted to go the the “Doll House” for her birthday I suggested we have a Littlest Pet Shop party and she agreed. I already found some fun things to do! At one point, years and years ago, I thought of starting my own party planning business. I had the ideas, all I needed were the supplies! Who knew I could have owned a party store franchise? 

Though my ambitions for party planning don’t go beyond my own backyard, Party Land looks like a great opportunity for those who want to catch a ride on the party train! In the last couple of months with my kids’ school alone, we’ve rented or owned such equipment as a punch fountain and popcorn machine. Party Land supplies that and much more.

So while I’m content to stick with planning parties in my own backyard, it sure would be great not to have to worry about all the stuff for my parties. But like so many other things in my life right now, this too will have to remain a dream. Or I can always write a character that owns a Party Land!

If you’re still with me by the end of this post, I’d love to hear about your favorite party or how you “celebrate” special occasions. Go ahead, don’t be shy! I’m still looking for a theme for my 9 year old’s birthday!

Though the weather is NOT cooperating and we’ve had less than a handful of days over 70 degrees this Spring, I’m dreaming of warmer weather (just changed my desktop screen to a tropical island surrounded by clear blue ocean.) Yet, with a pool still not uncovered and no prospect of clear blue water in a land locked state with muddy watered lakes which I won’t allow my kids to EVER swim in (sorry, coming from NY and living 3 miles from the ocean, there’s no other body of water that compares!) there’s no chance of water fun in my near future.

But I can dream and I have my memories of last summer in Florida, visiting the ocean and my family in Orlando. I remember a couple of summers before that where we strayed from our normal Disney theme parks and decided on a water park. I think the Disney video “Beach Party” really had all of us craving to visit Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. We opted for Blizzard Beach because it looked “cool” with the pretend snow and ski slopes. The water park was a “blast” of water fun with a small area for the little ones to enjoy the pint sized slides. I think me kids loved the activity pool best where they had to walk across floating ice bergs and they even got me to go down Mount Gushmore! I just learned Summit Plummet is one of the tallest water slides in the America. Who knew? Not me, all I knew was that it looked scary and there was no way I was going down it!

Just thinking about it makes me want to go back, but I’m not sure where we’re headed to this summer or if we’re headed anywhere. But Orlando would be a great choice with two family members living there. No hotel needed so we could spend all our money on recreation!  And after this looong winter, we might not want to see any more snow or anything that reminds us of snow so we’d probably give Typhoon Lagoon a try! I guess it wouldn’t really matter which Disney Waterparks we chose. They’d all be cool! Literally and visually. Nothing says vacation like Disney and if you plan to go to Disney in the summer (which we avoid at all cost) you’d be crazy not to make a stop at one of these water parks.

I’m sure Orlando Fun Tickets can help you save money on any of your vacation fun including getting you the lowest ticket to these water parks. I know, I know, everyone claims to have the lowest tickets in town, but I did a little digging and they’re definitely less than the admission prices! So if you do manage to get to these water parks this summer, have a fabulous time and who knows, maybe I’ll see you there!

Okay, we got a little carried away on the set of Peter Pan with “Michael’s” teddy. But it was oh, so fun!

My “Michael”

I can’t remember the year we purchased our new oak kitchen table, but it has to be going on ten years. After using a wooden foldout table for years and with our family growing, we thought it was time for a new table. We were in awe of our new oak table with some kind of resistant, protective lacquer on top that prevented water marks and such. Well, after ten years of use, that table is no longer resistant to anything!

It’s suffered the food and drink spills of four kids, the chairs survived the teething of a pup and well, the table top looks more like weathered wood than the nice oak table we bought ten years ago. But it has served us well. Still, when we put it in our new kitchen it looked rather shabby and personally, I think it be more suited for firewood than at it’s current position in our kitchen. But for now it will have to do and works quite nicely with a table cloth thrown over it, especially when company comes over, but how I would love one of these Dining Tables.

This site which has the most gorgeous dining tables and China Cabinets and has my mouth watering over their Dining Room Furniture. If I didn’t already have a very nice formal dining room set, I don’t know how I’d choose from their luxurious selections which seat up to ten. And with free shipping, no sales tax, and deeply discounted prices,  it’s a dream come true…for those of you who have the extra cash to spend.

I’m more in the market for a kitchen table and maybe a hutch or baker’s rack to take up the empty wall space and hide my kitchen clutter. Yes, even in a big kitchen, there’s clutter! My kitchen has antique white cabinets and black granite counter tops, so I thought of a table with black accents. But we probably won’t be living here more than five years, so I also want something that can look nice in any kitchen. What do you think about this one? It would be perfect if it seated six people.

Or maybe this one…

It’s expands to 82 inches and I bet I could get a couple more dining chairs. Oh, to dream!!!

Beauty & The Beast

 

Cast Parties!

Peter Pan

Recitals

 ”Are Urban Legends and Sunday-school myths Ruining your Faith?”

How can you NOT be intrigued by a title like that!

I haven’t gotten around to reading this all but check out the chapters:

Dumb Idea 1: Faith can Fix Anything
Dumb Idea 2: Forgiving Means Forgetting
Dumb Idea 3: A Godly Home Guarantees Godly Kids
Dumb Idea 4: God Has a Blueprint for my Life
Dumb Idea 5: Christians Shouldn’t Judge
Dumb Idea 6: Everything Happens for Reason
Dumb Idea 7: Let your Conscience be Your Guide
Dumb Idea 8: God Brings Good Luck
Dumb Idea 9: A Valley Means a Wrong Turn
Dumb Idea 10: Dead People Go to a Better Place

The book comes with a discussion guide and I bet if you get a bunch of Christians together to read this book there’ll be a lot of discussing!

Okay, I confess I believe one or two and I’m curious to what the author has to say and if I’ll agree with him or not on certain dumb ideas. What dumb ideas do you believe and why don’t you think they’re so dumb?

Ever watch that show on PBS, Kratt’s Kreatures which later turned into Zaboomafo? It featured two nature loving brothers trekking to animal habitats to observe these wonderful and amazing creatures. Well, I’m not much of an animal lover and it’s a miracle we even have a dog, but seems like the creatures here at our new home are loving us!

First brown recluse spiders and now moles! I’m just praying we’re not going to find any snakes in this heavily “treed” area with neighborhood lakes. Actually, before we bought this house my husband found a dead snake in the road, which he “forgot” to tell me about.

After being freaked out about the highly poisonous brown recluse spiders and surfing the internet for horrific photos, my husband bug bombed the house and got some heavy duty pesticide that the professionals use. I really would have loved to find something organic to use on these pests, but couldn’t find anything and the thought of getting bit by one was more terrifying then the pesticides used to kill them.

This site looks like it could hold the answer to our growing pest problems! Unfortunately, they had nothing for brown recluse spiders. Yet, they do have mole repellent and according to my husband who’s been digging up the front yard to find a sprinkler leak…we’ve got a heck of a mole problem! And if we ever have a snake or squirrel problem, they can help with that.

Not only does this site have the answers to our current critter problems, but the information about these troublesome critters has made me aware of other possible critter issues. Like squirrels, those fuzzy, cute creatures that basically keep to themselves, climb trees and eat nuts. We never had a squirrel problem (and I pray we don’t) but I’ve learned they can get into your chimney, attic and crawl space and die! Whew! Don’t want to experience that! And with two chimneys, a couple of crawl spaces and one big attic, we’ve should be on the lookout for squirrel activity.

Thankfully, if we ever have a squirrel problem, Havahart.com has natural squirrel repellent that is safe around bird feeders. As a family who likes to go as natural and organic as possible, this is good news! For us and our critters!

As a mystery/suspense writer I’m always looking for some great research sites that help me make my stories more realistic. I have great police contacts, but I know nearly nothing about the type of clothing cops wear. I’ve tried Google searches to come up with a picture of police in their gear, and even browsed police sites, but nothing really gave me a close up photo of what I needed to know to dress my military/cop man until I found this site.

Right now my ex-cop is wearing a holster on his ankle, but unless I actually saw one close up, I wouldn’t know what it looked like or how many straps it had. This page has several holsters, magazine cases, and harnesses to make sure your character has what he needs when the bullets start flying. And now I can write from real knowledge instead of my imagination.

They even have authentic 5.11 Tactical Pants and other clothing. This site has truly opened up a whole new wardrobe to my good and bad guys!

I just started this book this week and I just love it. I love the premise, the voice, the writing… I love the cynical, grumpy, handicapped retired cop! What a great idea for a character! Too many times the hero or cop is strong and handsome and well, your typical hero. But not Ray Quinn, who retired after his partner was killed and he was left for dead and is now practically crippled working as a night watchman at an apartment complex in Orlando. Mark Mynheir knows how to write this type of character and his expertise as a homicide detective shines through in this book!

ABOUT:

Ray Quinn is a tough, quick-witted homicide detective in love with his partner, Trisha Willis. She gives Ray something to live for—something to hope in. Until a barrage of bullets leaves Trisha murdered and Ray crippled.

Struggling with his new physical disability and severe depression, Quinn turns to whiskey, scorn, and a job as a night watchman to numb the pain. But when a pastor and dancer are found dead in an apparent murder-suicide, the

pastor’s sister approaches Quinn for help.

Reluctantly, Quinn takes the case and is plunged into the perilous Orlando. Soon he discovers that, not only was the pastor murdered, but the case may be linked to his and Trisha’s ambush. Torn between seeking revenge or responsibility, Quinn is thrust into the case of his life.

Author Mark Mynheir gives readers his most profound police thriller to date with The Night Watchman (first book in The Night Watchman Private Detective Agency Series). Readers of all ages will devour this gripping murder mystery that bristles with tension and intrigue. In a taut cop-style all his own, Mynheir delivers an inside look at the thoughts, feelings, fears, and challenges police officers experience while investigating violent crimes and the lost souls who commit them.

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781590529355&ref=externallink_mlt_thenightwatchman_sec_0414_01

About Mark Mynheir Author Bio:A detective with the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Palm Bay Police Department, Mark Mynheir investigates violent crimes and writes riveting Christian fiction. A U.S. Marine with a passion for martial arts and firearms training, Mark has worked on narcotics units, SWAT teams, and myriad high-risk situations. His four novels offer a realistic glimpse into the gritty world of law enforcement and the rarely seen raw emotions behind the badge. Mark lives in Florida with his wife and three children.
 

I’ve gotten past the weary in the waiting part after almost two weeks of the blahs (due to a rejection, what else) and just when I feel I can pick myself up off the floor and leave my pity party (and actually start writing again) I get slammed in the face with another issue.

Lack of support for my writing. (and the discussion of the value of writing conferences)

I don’t talk about it much or at all here, but I’m getting tired of justifying why I spend so much time writing (though it’s been considerably less over the years) and I’m tired of trying to convince family members this is not just a hobby but a career and life long dream that was birthed in me by God when I was about ten years old. I put my writing down for 10 years to raise kids and devote to my family, but it’s never been received well, especially because I went a little overboard when I first picked it up again. But God dealt with me on his own terms and I set writing aside for almost a year to reprioritize. My priorities aren’t always perfect, but my family is far from neglected!

I get tired of them not understanding why it’s important to go to writer’s conferences, and I get tired their silent mantra “show me the money!” (I’m using “their” as a generalization to protect the not so innocent!)

I’m not making money, therefore I’m not a real writer.

I’m not making money, therefore it’s just a hobby.

I’m not making money, therefore I should give it up and not spend so much time doing it.

I’ve never read a dedication page that said “Thanks to my wonderful family for questioning my writing career, nagging me about not making money and complaining about how much time I spend doing this thing that’s not making me any money!”

No, dedication pages are all about the support and understanding of these family members. Maybe that’s what makes a writer… the support they have to follow their dreams and the tenacity to never give up.

So, what do I do? Continue this battle, wage war silently and do what I can, putting writing further and further on the back burner or just turn off the gas all together? Don’t think I could live with that prospect, especially when it’s hasn’t come from the mouth of God. Or maybe this is the enemies way of defeating me… I’m almost there, but I also know I’m way to stubborn to be defeated. In fact, things like this make me fight harder and harder until I get what I want or keel over in exhaustion…which very well may happen.

Not sure what the answer is except prayer and lots of it!

When I told my kids to play the Earth Game DVD, who knew it was actually Earth Day! It seemed like an easy and fun way to do school and learn about the earth and planet all in one. But it is Earth Day! I love it when things work out and I hadn’t even planned it!

If you don’t have an Earth DVD game and want to further your education or celebrate consider these links:

In the article Ways to Go Green- a mother and daughter team go over 7 fun, family-friendly ways to help the planet. Corey and Lynn also collaborated on the book Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the whole family. Link: http://www.guideposts.com/story/7-tips-go-green

In the video Destination Inspiration: Family Eco-Vacations-  Alina Larson talks about conservation trips available for the whole family. Link: http://www.guideposts.com/video/destination-inspiration-earth-day

So check it out and share you own Earth Day links!

It’s amazing how much it costs to cloth kids involved in theatre and recitals! I don’t even want to think of those kids who are into pageants! I briefly looked into it when my kids were little, but the fees just to enter are outrageous.

Most shows we do don’t cost us a dime! But the school plays since they are self funded do cost a little. And since we did Beauty and the Beast this year which required costume rental, it cost us a bundle considering we really didn’t have any extra money to spend this year with two house payments. But we somehow found the money and painfully handed it over! And we thought we were threw. But oh, no. They needed jazz shoes and tights! Tights my BOYS will never ever where again, unless they’re in another play that requires them.

Then my daughter needed two sets of shoes, tights, and costumes for recital! We got them big so she can wear them again! I’m going to save myself the agony and not add everything we spent up! Thank goodness, since my husband does a business trade with the studio we don’t pay for classes! But add in two sons going on a Jr. High trip at $160 each and it’s a wonder we made it through this month. To my boys’ surprise, but with not too much resistance, we told them they would have to come up with half of the money for their trip if they wanted to go, and they did!

And me, I’m still scrounging to save up for my conference. I’m sure if I added up everything we spent on recitals and plays and school trips this year I could have found my money to go to the conference this year, but putting my kids first in this area is a no brainer! I love seeing them excell on the stage and they love it! There’s no better place they shine. So, if it’s meant to be, I’ll find the money to go to my writer’s conference in September. And I’ll pray no more unexpected expenses come up!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

and the book:

So Not Happening (The Charmed Life)

Thomas Nelson (May 5, 2009)

Jenny B. Jones writes adult and YA Christian Fiction with equal parts wit, sass, and untamed hilarity. When she’s not writing, she’s living it up as a high school speech teacher in Arkansas.

Visit the author’s website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 5, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595545417
ISBN-13: 978-1595545411

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

It’s been over a week since my writing buddy lost her dear husband (40) to a massive heart attack. Though my Canadian friend is far away, those of us who love and care for Sara Mills and her family wanted to show our support by doing “something.” Her second book in the Allie Fortune series just released and I’d like to share this interview with you and ask you to consider going out and buying it in support of Sara and her three children!

Welcome Sara!

 Where did you get the idea for Allie Fortune?

I got the idea for Miss Fortune in the middle of the night, when all good ideas come to me:
One sleepless night I was watching The Maltese Falcon and I started to wonder how different the story would be if Sam Spade had been a woman. She’d never have fallen for Miss Wunderly’s charms and lies. She’d have been smart and tough and she would have solved the case in half the time it took Sam because she wouldn’t spend all of her time smoking cigarettes and calling her secretary Precious.

The thought of a hard-boiled female detective got my mind whirling.

I paused the movie and sat in my darkened living room thinking about how much fun a female Sam Spade could be. Intrigued but not yet ready to dash to my computer, I changed disks and put on Casablanca (my all time favorite movie ever). The sweeping love story, a tale full of hard choices and sacrifice was what finally made the whole idea click in my mind. If I could just combine the P.I. detective story of the Maltese Falcon with the love story from Casablanca, and make Sam Spade more of a Samantha, I could have the best of all worlds.

How did you set the stage to capture that gritty PI feel without being dark?

I find that a lot of PI stories are gritty and dark, focusing on the worst of the humanity, and while I wanted the Allie Fortune mysteries to be exciting and tension-filled I didn’t want them to be stark and hopeless.

One of the things I tried to do to counteract the darkness was to give Allie a multi-layered life. She has cases, relationships, friends and family, all of which I hope combine to make the stories textured, rich and full of life.

Allie is a character I’d love to have coffee with. What did she teach you while you wrote these books?

Allie was a great character to write. One of the things I learned from her was that human relationships (man/woman, mother/daughter, friends) are complicated and full of unspoken rules and expectations. Allie is a rule-breaker at heart and it complicates her life on a regular basis. One of the storylines I loved most is Allie’s relationship with her mother and how it grows and changes and how it’s shaped her.

Another dimension of Allie’s character that really taught me a lot was her willingness to do whatever was needed to help those she loves. There is no price on that kind of friendship and it’s a characteristic I’d like to see more of in myself. Okay I admit it, I’ve got a bit of a friend-crush on Allie. LOL.

One last question: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would that be and who would you take with you?

If I could go anywhere right now I’d head to Monterey, California (I’m writing a book set there right now) and I’d plant myself on the beach with a notebook, writing my story as the waves crashed. Sounds like my idea of heaven on earth. There’s something about the wind-shaped Cypress trees and the crash of the surf in Monterey that calls to me. I don’t know why, it just is.

Miss Fortune, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #1By Sara Mills / Moody PublishersIn 1947 Allie Fortune is the only female private investigator in New York City, but she’s kept awake at night by a mystery of her own: her fianci disappeared in the war and no one knows if he’s still alive. Until Allie finds out, she will have no peace. When there’s a knock on her office door at four in the morning, Allie suspects trouble as usual, and Mary Gordon is no exception. Mary claims someone is following her, that her apartment has been ransacked, and that she’s been shot at, but she has no idea why any of this is happening. Allie takes the case, and in the process discovers an international mystery that puts her own life in danger. Meanwhile, the FBI is working the case as well, and she is partnered up with an attractive, single agent who would be perfect for her under other circumstances-if only she knew whether her fianci was still alive.

Miss Match, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #2By Sara Mills / Moody PublishersFBI agent Jack O’Connor receives a letter from Maggie, a woman he used to love, saying she’s in trouble in Berlin. The FBI refuses to get involved, so Jack asks Allie Fortune to help him investigate. Allie and Jack pose as a missionary couple who want to bring orphans back to the United States. A child finds important documents that everyone in the city – Soviets and allies alike – want for themselves. Maggie refuses to tell Jack what the documents are, saying if things go wrong, they are better off not knowing. Through the course of the search, Allie’s past is brought back to her, half a world away from home.

Which would you rather…

Have God speak to  you so clearly there’s no doubt what you should do, but you’re terrified to do it or flounder around from one thing to another not having clear direction from God?

I fall into the latter category and it’s not a fun place to be, but those of you in the first category might appreciate (or not) Michael Youssef’s latest! “You Want Me to Do What? Get Off Your Blessed Assurance and Do Something!”

From the publisher:

When individuals feel God telling them to do something that is out of their comfort zone, what is the instinctive reaction? To run for the hills? To pretend they didn’t hear? To argue? Dr. Michael Youssef explains that God challenges every Christian to fulfill the call He has placed on their lives. Dr. Youssef walks readers through the story of Joshua and leads them to discover how to take on what seems to be impossible, learn from failure, complete the victory, claim their inheritance, and share their story. By the end of this journey they will be inspired to put the lessons of this book into practice and claim the promises that accompany God’s calling.

Hmmm, maybe this description is for me. I’m at a point in my writing career where I want to throw my computer up against the wall and I’m sure my family won’t mind a bit. Do I do it or fight through the discouragement and writing rejection? Maybe this book will give me the kick in the pants I need.

Youssef mixes the book of Joshua with real life stories to encourage and inspire you not to quit! Though I just skimmed the book, it feels like a giant peptalk, which isn’t a bad thing! With chapters like “You Want Me to Cross into the River of Impossibility?” and “You Want Me to Learn From My Mistakes?” this book is bound to motivate those (and me) who feel ready to quit!

Was it a coincidence I picked up this book on the day I got my latest rejection? Was it chance I’m feeling ready throw in the towel, but decided to crack open the cover of this book? I’m not sure, but I’m sure this book will pull me out of the “rejection depression” I feel myself slipping into.

For more on this book and to purchase it go here!