The Empty Shelf Challenge

Jon Acuff put a challenge on his blog that I love! It's "The Empty Shelf Challenge 2014." Read about his challenge H.E.R.E.  You can also check this out on Pinterest H.E.R.E.

The challenge is to empty a shelf in your home and as you read a book in 2014 place it on this shelf. 

This is my shelf.... I haven't put away Christmas decorations yet!! But, this will be my shelf for 2014! Then I will also have my Kindle "shelf."

I hope you will join me - and Jon Acuff for this reading challenge. I'm ready to start reading!!

Let me know if you are joining the challenge! 

Send me a picture of your shelf to share on my blog!

Expand your life - Read!

The Story

We are going through this study in our Life Group and it has been an excellent study. I highly recommend it for personal use, small group study, Sunday Schools, or sermon series. You can get the curriculum for all ages - from nursery through adult for all areas of your church. I would even use it for personal use.

I just want to share with you that this study has generated more good discussion than any study we have done. God is truly in this project and He truly speaks to those who study it.

This is what we bought for our Life Group:

The Story

“God goes to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people.  That is what The Story is all about – the story of the Bible, God’s great love affair with humanity. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events from Genesis to Revelation. Using the clear, accessible text of the NIV Bible, it allows the stories, poems and teachings of the Bible to read like a novel. And like any good story, The Story is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption – and this story’s true!” (from the back cover)  The forward is done by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee.

The Story, Adult Curriculum 31 Sessions

by Randy Frazee and Sherry Harney

The Story DVD by Randy Frazee

“The story video curriculum gives groups of all sizes the opportunity to learn, discuss, and apply what they have experienced during The Story 31-week church-wide experience. Pastor and author Randy Frazee presents 31 10-minute teachings on how the story of Scripture intersects with the story of your life, and this participant’s guide will help you record your journey and reflect on the powerful message of God’s story.

Through 31 video sessions, The Story will open your eyes to The Lower Story, our story, which is actually many stories of men and women interacting with God in the daily course of life; and the Upper Story, God’s story, which is the tale of his great, overarching purpose that fits all the individual stories together like panels in on unified mural.

Discover the heart of God’s Upper Story – his master-plan unfolding in the lives of the Bible’s characters as well as in your own life – and experience the joy that comes as you align your story with God’s.”  (from the cover of the Adult Curriculum)

I have read and studied my Bible most of my life – but I have enjoyed this study more than most others I’ve done. (maybe part of that has to do with our wonderful Life Group!!)

Each week we watch the DVD, then discuss the questions in our participants guide. I really have enjoyed the “personal application” questions that are included in each lesson.  These are very practical, doable and personal.

I ordered our two books with the DVD for small groups from amazon.com for $44.50. There is a web site that will give you more information on what’s available for your whole church plus kits you can purchase. You can find that H.E.R.E.

I will add again, I highly recommend this study.

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

"Virginia, 1852. Seventeen-year-old Josephine Bell decides to run from the failing tobacco farm where she is a slave and nurse to her ailing mistress, the aspiring artist Lu Anne Bell. New York City, 2004. Lina Sparrow, an ambitious first-year associate in an elite law firm, is given a difficult, highly sensitive assignment that could make her career: she must find the “perfect plaintiff” to lead a historic class-action lawsuit worth trillions of dollars in reparations for descendants of American slaves.

It is through her father, the renowned artist Oscar Sparrow, that Lina discovers Josephine Bell and a controversy roiling the art world: are the iconic paintings long ascribed to Lu Anne Bell really the work of her house slave, Josephine? A descendant of Josephine’s would be the perfect face for the reparations lawsuit—if Lina can find one. While following the runaway girl’s faint trail through old letters and plantation records, Lina finds herself questioning her own family history and the secrets that her father has never revealed: How did Lina’s mother die? And why will he never speak about her?

Moving between antebellum Virginia and modern-day New York, this searing, suspenseful and heartbreaking tale of art and history, love and secrets, explores what it means to repair a wrong and asks whether truth is sometimes more important than justice."

Reading about the underground railroad has always fascinated me. Conklin goes back and forth from the 1850's to 2004. When reading the chapters in 2004, I found myself wanting to get back to the 1850's. 

Conklin also fascinated me with the relationship of Josephine and Lu Anne. I found myself wondering if there were actually many slaves and owners that had a relationship like they did. I hope so. I always feel so helpless when reading about the slaves. 

The story line is very good but the book dragged for me in a few places. I did like it though and would recommend it.

"Tara Conklin is a writer and lawyer currently living with her family in Seattle, WA. Most recently, she worked as a litigator in the New York and London offices of a corporate law firm but now devotes herself full-time to writing fiction. Prior to law school, Tara worked in a variety of jobs in a variety of locales. She dealt cards at a casino in Costa Rica, planned events at a press center in Moscow, taught English at a school in Madrid and waited tables at a hotel in Montana.  Her short fiction has appeared in The Bristol Prize Anthology and Pangea: An Anthology of Stories from Around the Globe. Tara was born in St. Croix, USVI and grew up in Massachusetts. She holds a BA in history from Yale University, a JD from New York University School of Law and a Master of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School (Tufts University)."

From her website that you can find here:  http://www.taraconklin.com/ 

The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn

I read "The Harbinger" a couple of months ago and have hesitated to do a review because I'm not sure I can do this book justice.

"Is it possible... 

That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America s future?

That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?

That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?

That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?

Before its destruction as a nation, ancient Israel received nine harbingers, prophetic omens of warning. The same nine harbingers are now manifesting in America with immediate ramifications for end-time prophecy.

Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretold recent American events down to the exact days. The revelations are so specific that even the most hardened skeptics will find it hard to dismiss or put down. It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller with one exception... IT S REAL.

The prophetic mysteries are revealed through an intriguing and engaging narrative the reader will find hard to put down. The Harbinger opens with the appearance of a man burdened with a message he has received from a mysterious figure called The Prophet. The Prophet has given him nine seals, each containing a message about America s future. As he tells of his encounters with The Prophet, from a skyscraper in New York City, to a rural mountaintop, to Capitol Hill, to Ground Zero, the mystery behind each seal is revealed. As the story unfolds, each revelation becomes a piece in a greater puzzle the ramifications of which will even alter the course of world history." Back of book

I didn't read this book in a day or two. It took me awhile. I thought it was very well written, keeps your attention - because of the subject matter - but I did get bogged down once in a while.

It can be a life changing book. It compares America to the struggles of the Israelite's. Some will argue that America is not in a covenant with God whereas Israel was. However, in referring to America, Cahn is going upon the belief system of our founding fathers and what they intended for their country.

I have read many reviews of this book. I have come to the conclusion that "Christians" can be the most critical group of people on this earth. We shout loud and long about the persecution we receive from the secular world, then we turn around and do the same to one another.

I am a believer in accountability but I also like fiction and this was written as a fiction book. - no matter how much it parallels with our world today.

I did like the book. I liked the research Cahn has done to write the book. I think it gives much to think about and to ponder.

Most Christians will agree with me that Jesus is returning - and He is returning soon. We have no idea when this will be but we should be living each day as if He is returning in 2 hours.

Good book. Challenging Book. Controversial Book. I liked it and I recommend it.

"Jonathan Cahn is President of [Hope of World Ministries,] Senior Pastor and Messianic Rabbi of the the Jerusalem Center/ Beth Israel in Wayne, New Jersey. He is also the author of the best selling book ["The Harbinger."] His teachings are broadcast daily over hundreds of radio stations throughout the United States and the world and on television.  He ministers, as did the first Jewish messengers of the Gospel, sharing the message of Messiah to Jew and Gentile, Israel, and the nations.  He has ministered before mass gatherings in India, Nigeria, Cuba, Mizoram, Honduras, Haiti, & throughout the world.  His teachings are widely known for revealing the deep mysteries of God’s word and for the restoring of the new covenant message to its original biblically Jewish richness and power."

found here: http://www.bethisraelworshipcenter.org/aboutjonathan.htm

 Here is Jonathan Cahn's website: http://www.hopeoftheworld.org/

  

Labor Day Weekend and Reading

A 3 day weekend!!! F.U.N.

Be sure and spend some time reading!

If you have children around - take time to read to them! 

When you take time to read to children,

They become readers and love to read.

What are you reading this weekend?

True Sisters by Sandra Dallas

"In a novel based on true events, New York Times bestselling author Sandra Dallas delivers the story of four women---seeking the promise of salvation and prosperity in a new land---who come together on a harrowing journey.In 1856, Mormon converts, encouraged by Brigham Young himself, and outfitted with two-wheeled handcarts, set out on foot from Iowa City to Salt Lake City, the promised land. The Martin Handcart Company, a zealous group of emigrants headed for Zion, is the last to leave on this 1,300-mile journey. Earlier companies arrive successfully in Salt Lake City, but for the Martin Company the trip proves disastrous. True Sisters tells the story of four women whose lives will become inextricably linked as they endure unimaginable hardships, each one testing the boundaries of her faith and learning the true meaning of survival and friendship along the way: Nannie, who is traveling with her sister and brother-in-law after being abandoned on her wedding day; Louisa, who’s married to an overbearing church leader who she believes speaks for God; Jessie, who’s traveling with her brothers, each one of them dreaming of the farm they will have in Zion; and Anne, who hasn't converted to Mormonism but who has no choice but to follow her husband since he has sold everything to make the trek to Utah.Sandra Dallas has once again written a moving portrait of women surviving the unimaginable through the ties of female friendship." from amazon.com

This book kept my attention! I read it in one day. Very well written as is the norm for Sandra Dallas. 

I got angry while reading and was excited that Dallas produced a book that will make you angry - I laughed a couple of times and was close to tears but was too angry to cry. THIS is what makes a good book.

You may not learn to "love" the characters in this book but they will fascinate you. They are each at a different place in their faith - much like we see daily within our churches. I was glad Dallas was able to portray this rather than lump them all together in the same level of faith.

While I believe much differently than Mormons they are a big part of our history such as the "handcart" era. This book caused me to head to my computer and do some of my own research on the handcart trips and this trip particularly. Many more Mormon's died in the trip Dallas based her book on than in the Donner party.

I read a few reviews of this book on Goodreads which were interesting because several highly criticized it and then added that they were, in fact, Mormons. However, while reading the book myself, I did not feel like Dallas was highly critical of the Mormons, I believe she took that page in history and added the personalities to it.

I usually try to add a quote but as I looked at my flagged pages, I realized taken out of context, I'm not sure they would be as interesting as they were to me as I read them. Such as:

"She wondered if Brigham Young were calling the people to the valley to build up his own kingdom, not God's."

"You will marry of course. Your salvation depends on it. There are no spinsters in Utah."

And said to the non-mormon in the group while giving childbirth:

"Converting won't help you. The Lord makes childbirth as hard for Mormons as Gentiles - or apostates, for that matter."

I have been a Sandra Dallas fan since I read "The Persian Pickle Club" in 1996. She makes history through fiction very interesting to me.

"New York Times best-selling author SANDRA DALLAS, the author of ten novels as well as ten nonfiction books, was dubbed “a quintessential American voice” by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine. Sandra’s novels with their themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films." from the author's web site which you can find H.E.R.E. 

I do recommend this book. 

Searching for Home by Martha Nelson Vogt & Christina Vogt

A week ago, I read and reviewed "The Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline and you can read that review H.E.R.E. The next sale-ing day for us I found "Searching for Home" by a mother and daughter team, Martha Nelson Vogt & Christina Vogt. This is the true story of that time in American history and as so often happens, I found it more interesting than the fiction.

"I will never forget my children. I have carved you on the palm of my hand." Isaiah 49 "The best adventure stories often turn out to be real life, more gripping, touching, and life-changing than any other kind. This book -- "the one that started it all" -- is the only true narrative of three families of orphan train children: orphaned, half-orphaned, and abandoned, creating a unique microcosm of the long-hidden story of Orphan Trains. From 1853 to 1929, nearly 100,000 children were brought from the East to small towns and farms in the Midwest. Yet nothing about this segment of American history has been captured from those who experienced it until "Searching for Home" was first published in 1979. This book has timeless appeal, for it shows lessons of overcoming adversity, of forging new family life, and examples of courage, character, love and commitment. Six years of primary research from these families, neighbors, friends, and other sources resulted in this unique touching family story and historic document. "Searching for Home" is a tribute to the human spirit, for it shows even young people working to survive, to fit in, to be loved, in new surroundings, and among strange faces and accents. The story also reveals the faith that many of these children found, to strengthen them in the hardest times and make their sense of belonging complete." (From the back cover)

The mother and daughter team Martha Nelson Vogt and Christina Vogt did a wonderful job of letting us understand better the attitude from all sides of the orphan trains. The orphans, the families who took them in, the communities in which they became a part of.  100,000 children are a lot of young ones to bring into the mid west and find homes for but Anna Hill and the Children's Aid Society did the best they could in placing these children in good homes.

The Vogt's have told the true stories of three families of children who rode the orphan trains, the adjustments that had to be made in their lives and the lives of the families who took them in. This 75 year period of American history should not be lost. We need to make sure our children and grandchildren learn about it. 

After reading "The Orphan Train" (fiction)  - which I greatly enjoyed, this book just seemed to add the extra ingredients. Interviews with real people that lived through this. A few pictures - all in all a very good book that I highly recommend.  

I did begin to get characters confused and suggest you make a list of the orphans - their brothers and sisters and the families with whom they were placed. - Unless of course you do better at keeping people and places straight!!

I was impressed with the Kansas modern educational system in 1911. After Bill and Ida met their new parents, they were shown where they would go to school. 

" 'We are unifying the country school districts. You'll be going to Union 5 - one of the three best in this area...' she (their new mother) pointed to a two-story brick building surrounded by a large playground. 'A team of horses and a wagon called the 'kid hack' will pick you up at the end of our lane.' This school also had a bathroom inside the building!"

"The authors Martha Pat Nelson Vogt and Christian Lynne Vogt are Mother and daughter. Pat is a retired journalist, editor and feature writer for newspapers and magazines in KS, NE, and MI. She holds a degree in Humanities from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI.  Christina holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, NE and has worked as an attorney specializing in nuclear power litigation. Both authors enjoy historical research. The authors may be contacted c/o Triumph Press, Box 93, Hillsboro, KS, 67063." (from the back cover) (this book was published in 1979 - my note)

The Orphan Train By Christina Baker Kline

"Orphan Train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from Christina Baker Kline, author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be.

Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse...

As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free them both.

Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are."

When I pick up books for my granddaughter, there are often books for early teens about the orphan train. This book is written for adults and is very well written. It flows on the page and keeps you turning the pages quickly. I finished it in just a couple of days. 

Kline goes back and forth from the orphan train and Vivian's life to modern day and her relationship with Molly, a teen in the foster care system. Lot's of history included - the orphan train, the Indian's - just a very interesting book. Lot's of drama and actually just real life. 

I am a person who likes constancy, stability. This book was interesting to me as I read about others who want the same stability in their lives. It's not unusual for people who have moved around a lot or who have had much upheaval in their lives to want this same stability.

Molly is part Wabanaki Indian. For years this group of Indians traveled only by canoe - protaging from one body of water to another. Everything they owned needed to fit into their canoe so they learned how to "travel light." They quickly learned "what to keep and what to discard." Molly learned this art quickly in the foster care system as she was shuffled from family to family.

If you have any interest at all in this page in the history of our country, I highly recommend The Orphan Train. If you are just looking for a good read - I highly recommend this book.

"Christina Baker Kline is a novelist, nonfiction writer and editor. In addition to Orphan Train, her novels include Bird in Hand, The Way Life Should Be, Desire Lines and Sweet Water. She served as Writer-in-Residence at Fordham University from 2007 to 2011 and was the on-staff editor and writing coach at the social networking site http://www.shewrites.com/." from her website

You can learn more about Christina Baker Kline at her web site H.E.R.E. 

Radio Road by Jake Henderson

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"Radio Road by Jake Henderson was just published this year. Henderson is a new author and I'm hoping he keeps this up! He had two books published at the same time. "Radio Road" and "Ryan's Crossing." I chose to read this one first.

"Marshall Maddox has just moved to Radio Road—and it sure is different than where he came from… While Marshall attempts to make friends and adjust to a new life, it is announced that there will be a community-wide carnival on Halloween night! With the event only a few weeks away, Marshall and his classmates set out to win the grand prize. As Halloween and the much-anticipated carnival approaches, Marshall experiences the holiday in a way he never has before. Jack o’ lanterns, costumes, and trick-or-treating are just some of the fun things Marshall discovers as he overcomes unanticipated obstacles and learns to embrace the spirit of the season."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am going to give it to my grands! It describes Halloween the way I remember it! Fun, trick or treating, costumes and hanging out with friends. It's the way my grands will never get to enjoy because of safety issues.

It was interesting, fun and easy to read. I have a friend who teaches Creative Writing at an eastern university and I have always told her we need more books for boys. Well, Henderson has provided a very good book for preteen boys and girls. The main character is in 6th grade and his best friend is a girl so he covers several angles. It includes the "bully's," the good kids and the adults. Adults that take a healthy and  active part in the lives of their children.

"Jake Henderson was born and raised in Enid, OK where he lived until attending college.

He graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, OK where he earned a BA in History Education.  He also has a Master’s Degree in History Education from SWOSU, which he earned in 2004.

He has taught US History, World History, AP Government, US Government, Geography, Oklahoma History, and Psychology at the High School level for more than ten years, and he currently lives and teaches in Woodward, OK."

You can check out his website H.E.R.E.

This is a book I highly recommend.

The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

I picked this book up at a sale. I read the synopsis on the back and thought it sounded interesting. 

"Lulu and Merry’s childhood was never ideal, but on the day before Lulu’s tenth birthday their father drives them into a nightmare. He’s always hungered for the love of the girl’s self-obsessed mother. After she throws him out, their troubles turn deadly.

Lulu’s mother warned her to never let him in, but when he shows up, he’s impossible to ignore. He bullies his way past ten-year-old Lulu, who obeys her father’s instructions to open the door, then listens in horror as her parents struggle. She runs for help and discovers upon her return that he’s murdered her mother, stabbed her sister, and tried to kill himself.

For thirty years, the sisters try to make sense of what happened. Their imprisoned father is a specter in both their lives, shadowing every choice they make. Though one spends her life pretending he’s dead, while the other feels compelled to help him, both fear that someday their imprisoned father’s attempts to win parole may meet success.

The Murderer’s Daughters is narrated in turn by Merry and Lulu. The book follows the sisters as children, as young women, and as adults, always asking how far forgiveness can stretch, while exploring sibling loyalty, the aftermath of family violence, and the reality of redemption. "

Very well written and flows fairly quickly - partly because once you start, it's hard to put down. As you read about the lives of these young girls you struggle with them, you empathize with the one that refuses to acknowledge her father and you also empathize with the one that can't turn loose of her father. The control he has over the years and his lack of repentance or sorrow controls for years to come.  

If you want to be challenged about your feelings on forgiveness, on blame, on the raw emotion of children caught in the chaos of an action by their protectors  read "The Murderer's Daughters" by Randy Susan Meyers. It will give you much to ponder.

When asked "why" she wrote "The Murderer's Daughter" Randy Susan Meyers answered:

"When my sister was eight, my mother warned her against letting my father into our Brooklyn apartment. Perhaps she also cautioned me, but I was barely five and can’t remember. Years later, as adults, when my sister and I began exploring our childhood in the way siblings do—comparing scars and recollections, piling up wrongs and shining up the funny stories—my sister said:
“Remember when I let our father in the house and he tried to kill Mom?”

She swears I was there (where else would I be at that age?) but I didn’t remember any of it. As the years went by, and my sister fed me more details, the scene rooted in my mind and became my memory also. I heard my father sweet-talking his way in. My mother’s screams echoed."

To read more of her interesting story check out her web site  H.E.R.E.

The Misadventures of Cardinal Fratelli by Rachel Marie Gohlman

I found this book through a response from "The Cardinal" on one of my 1000+ Gifts posts! So I started following the thread that runs through the internet to get more information on this Cardinal. I mean after all, if a Cardinal comments on your blog - you sit up and take notice! Especially if you've only been in Catholic Churches for weddings and funerals! 

That's when I discovered that the Cardinal is a fictitious character. I was hooked on the idea of reading about him in Rachel Marie Gohlman's first book "The Misadventures of Cardinal Fratelli."

You know how I like "funny" and he sounded funny - plus, can one lose with a clumsy Cardinal? -  so I got the first book in this series and that's how I met personally the "Cardinal!"

"Set in the 19th century, in picturesque Italy, this comic writing follows the daily life and blunders of one Cardinal Angelo Fratelli. He is devout, young, handsome and experiences many trials partly because of his excitability and because of his snobby Aunt Francine.

Suddenly, Michele, a dear, childhood friend, comes around and doesn’t get the hint he is unavailable. Fratelli must hatch a plan to get her married off so she leaves him alone- also while proving himself to parishioners and various, other clergy.

Lots of laughs and misadventures" 

I'm not very well learned in the Catholic Church so this was not only a fun book about the Cardinal, it was also my Catholic 101 lesson! 

For example:

At first I was a bit surprised at this actions toward his Aunt Francine until I really stopped and thought through what she was trying to do - which was to marry him off to carry on the family name! Plus - it took me a minute to figure out the "importance" of a Cardinal.  Okay, okay, I have never said I'm a smart protestant.. 

 

You can find the Cardinal's blog H.E.R.E

Author Biography: 

"I have enjoyed writing all my life usually in the fantasy genre. Creating my own worlds and seeing beyond this world is something I regularly do.

Now I am experimenting with horror and comedy using my Catholic faith as a theme. I also write poetry about a variety of religious, natural and philosophical subjects. Hopefully, I will be publishing a book of my poetry soon which will be peppered with illustrations using my own art.

I am a graduate from Bradley University with a Bachelor's in science. My concentration was Studio Arts."

I am not a fan of the fantasy or horror genre's but Gohlman's Cardinal Fratelli series isn't either and will become a favorite with those that enjoy a funny light read.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Not only does this book look cheerful - it is very uplifting to read and browse through. It started as a blog that you can read H.E.R.E.

"Mennonite Girls Can Cook is filled with more than a hundred enticing and easy-to-use recipes that are bound to become trusted favorites. Combine these with the many personal stories and colorful photos and you have a close kitchen companion. Join the authors on a delightful journey that's much more about hospitality than entertaining - about blessing, not impressing.  It's all about passing God's bounty on to family and friends."

A picture of the authors:

Lovella Schellenberg, Anneliese Friesen, Judy Wiebe, Betty Reimer, Bev Klassen, 

Charlotte Penner, Ellen Bayles, Julie Klassen, Kathy McLellan, Marg Bartel

I was not raised in a Mennonite Church but I did graduate from a Mennonite High School. So over the years I've always cooked a few "Mennonite" dishes that I learned during my teen years. So when I found this blog, I was thrilled and ordered their book. I have not been disappointed. The recipes are easy - if you enjoy cooking! They are very good and the personal stories and pictures make the book so personal. 

I am not a cookbook reader. But, I did enjoy reading through this cookbook. 

"...Our lives were enriched by the people we entertained." Anneliese

"When my beloved began coming over for dinner when we were dating, my mom would make this soup for him. I often think that this soup secured the eventual proposal of marriage. I still make it for him when I want to serve him something special." Lovella

" I am reminded not to rush as I read the Bible, but to let my mind absorb God's goodness and allow it to nourish my soul.  God's love is worth savoring." Betty

I could go on and on with wonderful quotes from this book. But I will let you get your own and enjoy it in the comfort of your kitchen!

Included on the dedication page it says " All author royalties from Mennonite Girls Can Cook will be donated to charity to feed hungry children." This is a win/win!!

On the website it tells where one can order the book. I ordered mine from Amazon for $16.49. Which is a great price for such a beautiful book.

This is a book for every woman's collection and it will also make a beautiful gift.

I've fixed 4 items so far and they were DELICIOUS!!! 

I fixed the blueberry scones that were wonderful! I made them to eat while watching Downton Abbey! 

We had a fish fry at church and I made a cole slaw out of this book that everyone enjoyed.

I made meat pinwheels with a cheese sauce. All I have to say us YUM. I think I will be trying the cheese sauce with other dishes. It was unbelievable.

I made homemade noodles last week. I loved them. Randy and Andru thought they were too stiff. (that was the cook's fault and not the recipe!) 
 
Whether you collect cookbooks or not, this is a great addition to any kitchen.

 

 

 

Patty Reed's Doll, The Story of the Donner Party by Rachel K. Laurgaard

Patty Reed's Doll - Housed in the Sutter's Fort State Historical Park Museum in Sacramento, California

This book was first published in 1956. It is often used in classrooms across America. I'm not sure why I decided to pick it up to read but I'm glad I did.

"In the winter of 1846, the Donner Party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The pioneers endured bitter hardships, and many of them died. But some survived, including 8-year-old Patty Reed, a girl filled with dignity and determination in the face of mortal danger. This is her story, as told by Dolly, the wooden doll she kept hidden in her dress."

I really enjoyed reading about the trek from Springfield, Illinois to California in 1846. Their trials - the fun they had in the beginning. I've heard about the Donner Party all my life but "Patty Reed's Doll" added a few things I hadn't known about. Our history is quick to tell us about the bad, doesn't always point out the good things that happened. It's a very age appropriate for grades 4 and up.

It is not a political book at all. But as I finished it, I thought about the direction our country is heading at this point in history and realized we really have - as a country - forgotten how hard our ancestors worked to gain the freedoms we once had. 

Dolly said at the end of the book:

"And so I stayed with Patty always. She could not bear to part with me after all we had shared together. We had been pioneers across the plains and mountains and deserts to California, and in that long year since we had left Springfield, we had known the worst suffering that pioneers can know." 

If you google this book you will find numerous web sites with information for using this book in the classroom.

Rachel Kelley Laurgaard wrote Patty Reed's Doll as a master's thesis at Sacramento State College in 1956, where she also taught English. She lived for many years in Oakland, where she died in 2000.

Now that I've finished "Patty Reed's Doll" I'm passing it on to one of my grands to read - then hoping for a good discussion with her!

Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King

 

"The Same Sweet Girls" was published in 2005 and written by Cassandra King. A book about women's friendships. (one of my favorite subjects!)

"None of the Same Sweet Girls are really girls anymore and none of them have actually ever been sweet. But this spirited group of Southern women, who have been holding biannual reunions ever since they were together in college, are nothing short of compelling. There’s Julia Stovall, the First Lady of Alabama, who despite her public veneer, is a down-to-earth gal who only wants to know who her husband is sneaking out with late at night. There’s Lanier Sanders, whose husband won custody of their children after he found out about her fling with a colleague. Then there’s Astor Deveaux, a former Broadway showgirl who simply can’t keep her flirtations in check. And Corrine Cooper, whose incredible story comes to light as the novel unfolds."  Synopsis from Cassandra King website.

I enjoyed the book.  But I really enjoy a good book about friendships. 

The characters are as different - well as different as I am from my friends! Different personalities, different beliefs, different ways of looking at life - which made for very interesting characters.

There was one that didn't quite fit in - not sure that anyone really liked her and that was the only "unbelievable" part of the book. If one is not really liked, would everyone else really put up with her all those years? Then I realized, yes, we do. For many different reasons. I believe the main one being kindness. 

Lanier is given a note book to write down bits of "wisdom" throughout the story. This was a highlight for me - given my penchant for "journals" and writing anything but "diary" stuff in them! Here's an example of my JOURNALS.

Some of the wisdom she recorded:

"Honey, it will either work out or it won't."

"I keep doing the same crap over and over and expecting it to turn out different each time."

"Any landing you walk away from is a good landing."

"Take what you want from life, then pay the price."

"Only way to learn anything is to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open."

These are just a few that I marked. The book is full of wit and wisdom! Women standing together as friends without hidden agendas, without political activism, just good old fashioned friendships for friendship sake. We all need friends.

Years ago, I attended a conference where the speaker stated "...women need women friends. Years ago, women formed friendships while beating their laundry on a rock by the river! by baking together, quilting together, so many different get-together's where they shared, laughed and cried. Then women got busy. Busy working outside their homes and still keeping up their homes. Raising children, taxiing children to one activity after another. They discovered their "friendships" were the easiest to give up. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how good of friends you are, a man can't take the place of "girl-friends."  So many women have become discontented with their lives because of this."

-and I'm very sorry to say I don't have the name of the speaker written down, just the notes from the workshop.

Maybe that's why l like books about friendships so much. It's in our nature to have friends.

Cassandra King has written many short stories, essays and several full length books. Please check out her website H.E.R.E.

I plan on reading more of King's books after reading the synopsis' of them on her website. I'm sure they won't disappoint. 

 

The Christian Atheist Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist Craig Groeschel

'The more I looked, the more I found Christian Atheists everywhere.' Former Christian Atheist Craig Groeschel knows his subject all too well. After over a decade of successful ministry, he had to make a painful self admission: although he believed in God, he was leading his church like God didn't exist. To Christians and non-Christians alike, to the churched and the unchurched, the journey leading up to Groeschel's admission and the journey that follows---from his family and his upbringing to the lackluster and even diametrically opposed expressions of faith he encountered---will look and sound like the story of their own lives. Now the founding and senior pastor of the multicampus, pace-setting LiveChurch.tv, Groeschel personal journey toward a more authentic God-honoring life is more relevant than ever. Christians and Christian Atheists everywhere will be nodding their heads as they are challenged to take their own honest moment and ask the question: am I putting my whole faith in God but still living as if everything was up to me? (From the Back cover)

This book was a “recommended read” from Pastor Brad Cooper. Since Brenda is from Enid, Ok. we were aware of LifeChurch and it’s unique method of church growth.

Craig Groeschel, founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, examines 12 areas of the Christian faith in which Christians struggle to act consistently with their stated beliefs. The author writes in a modest fashion and provides humorous and thought provoking examples from his personal life and his ministry to illustrate his points. His teaching is sensible and true to Biblical principles. I was especially impressed with the Afterword section of the book in which the author discusses the concept of “Third Line faith.” The book is an easy and enjoyable read. It will appeal to both old and new believers who want to grow in their Christian walk.    

 Randy Cohorn