Where Ornaments Go To Die

For a number of years now I have been collecting Christmas ornaments that either move or make sounds or talk. I started prior to being married, and Stacey and the kids have begun getting me ornaments nearly every year.
Stacey has gotten a table-top tree and puts the ornaments out each year. Last year we didn't have enough room for the tree, but this year we reclaimed the extra room from the foster dogs and placed it in there.
The tree was looking good and everything going swimmingly.
Then Anna Belle decided that she needed some Indiana Jones. She managed to get the Indiana Jones figure into 5 different pieces and the base with gold idol on it received some gnawing. With liberal amounts of superglue Indiana is now back in one piece (mostly) somewhat worse for wear.
Next on the hit list was the Hulk. Hulk was part of an Avengers set that had bases that fit together to make one huge ornament or a number of small ones. Anna Belle and Nala did what Loki couldn't and trashed the Hulk - he's no longer the strongest one there is.
The next to fall was Darth Vader. He was on the platform at the Bespin cloud city, hand outstretched summoning the Force. However, the Force was strong with the two dogs and Darth ended up worse than when he fell into the lava. His head was unmarked, but that was about all that was unmarked.
And today another cultural icon went down to defeat. Robby the Robot made it through the ID monster, but found that two dogs trumps one monster made of rampant physic energy.

Book Review

The Blessed Church by Robert Morris

I had never heard of Robert Morris or Gateway Church prior to reading this book. While some of the “keys” that are shared are very simple and well known, how often is it that we neglect the things that we “know?”

Morris begins the story of Gateway with his call to ministry by God and the further call led to Gateway coming to open on Easter Sunday in 2000.

The first part of the book focuses on the beginnings of Gateway and then on the topic of church growth. Morris comments, “Any kingdom ruled by Jesus would be healthy. And healthy things grow.” Now just because Morris is the pastor of a “mega” church, don’t tune him out – his list is one that can be used by churches of any size.

While writing about the vision given by God, Morris also articulates how to share the vision and to write the vision down to make sharing and understanding easier.

Now parts of this book are able to be utilized by any church member, but the main focus of the book is on the pastor of the church – the vision, the shepherding, and the example.

Some of Morris’ keys are listed below:

Get God’s counsel

Don’t succumb to discouragement

It’s okay to want to grow

Growth without health is unsustainable

You can’t communicate vision unless you have received vision from the Lord

Righting a spiritual injustice is a key to your vision of ministry

If a vision doesn’t seem impossible to accomplish with your natural ability, it’s probably not from God

If you are called to Pastor, you are called to lead

This is an excellent book; I can say there is something in there for every pastor that wants to be the pastor the Lord intends.

I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing at no charge in return for an honest review.

Greater - Book Review

Greater – Steven Furtick

This has been a difficult book to read. Not having read his previous book, and not really knowing who Steven Furtick is (pastor of a church is all I initially knew) I decided to do some research into the author.

 As with many of this type of book, it starts off slow and picks up from there. There are many points that are made which are valid and helpful as there are some that I found falling flat.

I guess my biggest issue with the book is that I find it hard to reconcile with the authors pasturing style and actions.

I may have a shallow view on greater theological discussions, but Pastor Furtick’s disregard for the opinions of others, his disdain for those wishing to delve deeper into the Word, and how he treats others have left me uninterested in his views or opinions.

I am sure that there a readers who will take a delighted view in this book, but I can’t really recommend it .

This book was provided to me by Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishing in return for an honest review. 

Belief or Faith? Yes

Real Church in a Social-Network World (From Facebook to Face-to-Face Faith
by Leonard Sweet

I received this latest offering by Mr. Sweet from Waterbrook/Multnomah Press at no charge in return for an honest review.

I found the premise of the book (that the church may have lost its way in the promotion of a relationship with God) to be very interesting. Having just read another of Mr. Sweet's books I was much more ready to engage in this book.

The difference between belief and faith is put into a very stark contrast, leaving a very stark decision. Sweet's bottom line explanation is this: "Belief is Plato, Faith is Jesus." You can'[t get much more basic than that.

Sweet also says it like this: "Most Christians use the words belief and faith interchangeably. But to admit (believe) falls far short to commit (faith)... Admitting is useless without committing... The purpose of Christianity is to help people come to faith, which means to establish a relationship with God."

The book concentrates on helping one to figure out how to relate with God and to use that relationship to bring others to that same relationship. A shift in our thinking and actions is a necessary part of this endeavor.

Sweet's exploration of the term 'God is Love' is also a very needed point that many people need to realize and come to grips with. Society hasn't grasped the significance of the underlying bedrock of the statement, 'God is Love,' the concept that God is synonymous with Love is hard for people to grasp.

Sweet finally shows us how to tell a "better story." Instead of just telling, we need to become what we are telling to draw another person into the story - to communicate the story on a personal basis.

This was an excellent book and I highly recommend that anyone pick it up.

What Matters Most: How We Got the Point but Missed the Person (Paperback)

Author: Leonard Sweet

When books get re-printed with a new title it seems as if the author is looking for a do-over, or trying to capitalize on the different name and make some extra cash. I’m all for capitalism, book it does seem a little disingenuous. And I’m not the world’s most effusive when it comes to self-help, or let-me-tell-you-how-to-be-better books.

Previously published as “Out of the Question … Into the Mystery,” nothing is lost or overdone in the re-issue. A great read which raises some very good points and makes some very keen observations.

Mr. Sweet’s exploration of our relationship with God, starting with faith and working through to our relationship to the spiritual world hits every note needed for this topic.

The author’s major points can really be found in the introduction. His assertion that we have transformed the Gospel into “a casual doctrinal assent that exists independent of a changed life,” is an indictment and warning to every believer.

This is an excellent book that needs to be in every home and every pastor’s office.

I was provided this book by Waterbrook/Multnomah publishing in return for an honest review.

Fearless - the story of one SEAL amongst many Heroes

When Navy SEAL Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn’t know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan—but he was ready: In a letter to his children, not meant to be seen unless the worst happened, he wrote, “I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this earth, because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me.”

The story of Adam Brown recounted in “Fearless” is one, at least superficially, that resembles many of those surrounding other members of our armed forces. Small town boy, in trouble with the law, hits the straight-and-narrow, joins the service, and makes a difference.

In a nutshell that would be the story. If you stop there, however, you miss the true impact of this hero’s life and actions. From reading his story, Adam Brown lived a very full life and lived going wide-open. The story of his childhood, his battle with drugs and his coming to the realization that Christ was the answer are just the opening acts for a life spent being an example and, again, making a lasting difference.

While it would have been easy to write this book and relate Adam’s mission’s with SEAL Team Six – that would have made for a full book in itself, Eric Blehm has the less obvious choice and has given us a full picture of a true hero.

This is an excellent book which could nearly be required reading for young men in high school and college.

I was provided this book by WaterBrook/Multnomah in return for an honest review.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B_L8ca7AKEA

Mr. Cousins and the Left Don't Get it

In the latest issue of the Independent News (June 8, 2012) Mr. Farron Cousins has shared his viewpoint that "Paying Taxes IS Patriotic." Mr. Cousins is a local lawyer (I think) and is the executive editor of The Trial Lawyer magazine. He has also worked for the Ring of Fire radio program with hosts Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mike Papantonio since August 2004, and is currently the producer of the program. 

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Needless to say I don't agree with him.  

So, according to Mr. Cousins we should all “shut up,” bend over and say, “Thank you sir, may I have another.”

Sorry, it just doesn’t work that way in this country, maybe somewhere like Syria, Iran, Egypt or Russia, but not here. We have all been given the right to redress our grievances with the government in the first amendment. It seems like there are a number of lawyers around Pensacola that would like to limit the freedom of speech. But that’s a topic for another day. Mr. Cousins topic was paying taxes and patriotism and the link between the two. In my opinion Americans don’t mind paying taxes as much as they mind their hard-earned dollars being wasted by a government that increasingly wants to have its hand in every pie.

Mr. Cousins begins his article by speaking toward corporate tax rates. His statement that the effective tax rate on corporations is 12.1% is correct, if you stop there and don’t explore the statement any further. 

According to Time.com,  

“Those on the left countered that the effective corporate tax rate, or taxes paid after loopholes are factored in, is actually much lower than 39.2%. Indeed, by one measure, corporations only paid an effective rate of 12.1% in 2011, although that phenomenon was a product of temporary tax credits for investment.

So are corporate taxes in America relatively burdensome, or does big business not pay its fair share? A quick Google search on the subject will produce such a broad and conflicting array of statements and figures to make even the most dedicated policy wonk’s head spin. The unfortunate truth is that tax policy is so nuanced that it’s difficult to make clear-cut statements as to the relative onerousness of tax policy between countries. Indeed, even the corporate tax figure used in the media to report this story is a rough estimate. The 39.2% headline rate being reported in the press is the federal rate of 35% plus the average corporate tax rate of the individual states, which vary widely. Effective rates for individual corporations will differ greatly depending on a company’s industry and home state, among other factors.”

http://business.time.com/2012/04/02/were-1-u-s-officially-has-the-top-corporate-tax-rate-or-not/

I’ve emphasized the portion of the article that Mr. Cousins has neglected to mention. It’s mentioned in the Viewpoint article that U.S. businesses aren’t going to pack up and run off overseas. Ignoring the fact that many businesses have found greener pastures overseas, many businesses have offices in other countries which gives them an out when reporting income, they simply send the profits overseas to pay a lower tax rate there.

Mr. Cousins uses the effective tax rate when mentioning corporations, but average tax rate when mentioning the average American citizen. There is a difference.  

According to CNN.com, “the average effective federal tax rate for people making between $40,000 and $50,000 was 12% last year, according to estimates from the Tax Policy Center, an independent research group.

By contrast, the rate for those making more than $1 million was 20.1%.

The difference is even starker if you strip out the payroll tax and look just at income tax liability. Those in the middle-income group had an effective rate of just 3.2%. Millionaires paid 18.9%. In both of those scenarios, the Tax Policy Center counted gross income plus less obvious sources of compensation, such as the employer share of a workers' payroll taxes.”  - http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/12/pf/taxes/buffett-rule/index.htm

It is fashionable to attack Republicans and conservatives for wanting lower taxes and less government interference. It’s also fashionable to say that those who don’t agree with the “left” or the current administration as being less informed. A convenient but specious argument.

It’s inflammatory to equate paying lower taxes or availing oneself of following the rules of the tax code as being treasonous. When looking at the definitions of treason, I think that there are those that are possibly guilty of the third  definition concerning breach of trust or confidence, but again that’s another topic. Corporations owe allegiance to stockholders (many of whom are regular Americans) and their employees, not the government.

Here in Pensacola, our taxes aren’t paying for a better education (look at the FCAT) for our children – and I don’t fault the teachers in most cases – they’re sitting in the bank gathering interest.

While a applaud Mr. Cousins for speaking boldly on his opinion, and am glad that he can, I can also disagree with his opinion and his statement to “shut up.”

Firestorm by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Firestorm by Lisa Tawn Bergren would not have been my first choice as a book to read – it was actually my only choice (here’s a plug for people to help me get my Klout up).

Firestorm is Book 6 in the Full Circle series. Within the series each book is somewhat tied to the other through the relationships of characters. Firestorm follows Reyne Oldre a few years after her being involved in a tragic accident while fighting a forest fire. No longer on the frontlines of fighting forest fires, Reyne is making a presentation as part of her US Forest Service job for a research project to help save more firefighter lives. Just as she begins to wind up her presentation, she’s interrupted by the obligatory entrance of a loud, brash, handsome (wink,wink) man who steals the attention of the board and the funding for her project.

A week later this same man parachutes in to her home while she has company and tells her that they will be working together on his project. Needless to say, this encounter doesn’t end well.

From there on out, while not being too formulaic the inevitable happens. Arguing, testiness and love. True love. It is refreshing that the characters are Christians and actually pray for guidance and help.

The book is well written and I am sure that the others in the series are as well. I have to be candid in saying that romance novels are not my cup of tea. Same goes with girl movies. I can leave them to the girls. But I will recommend that if you do like romance novels this is a series for you.

As always, Waterbrook/Multnomah provided this book to me in return for an honest, unbiased review.

Quiet - Reviewing the Book

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams.
Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Susan Cain draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts.

Perhaps most inspiring, she introduces us to successful introverts--from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions.

This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves.

I wasn’t quite sure what caused me to select this book; possibly to be a change from what I usually read. Whatever the cause, I’m glad I did select it. After reading the first few chapters, I remarked to my wife that I thought I might be an introvert. Her exact word in response was, “Duh!”

Ms. Cain has written a book that would be beneficial for nearly everyone to read – well maybe not extrovert types, but certainly parents in regards to their children and even employers to give insight on some of their employees. From the research indicating that high-reactive children are more prone to be introverts to the phenomenon of high-sensitivity to free trait theory, Cain gives us a fairly thorough look at introversion, one that you might be more prone to find in a very thick and very hard to read text.

The book itself is full of little nuggets that that are like matchbox cars finding your feet in the dark of your child’s room – a painful surprise that lends itself to an often pleasant discovery. In Chapter 11, “On Cobblers and Generals,” Ms. Cain touches on bringing out the most of a “quiet” child. We get introduced to Isabel and her mother. A mother worried about her daughter wanting to spend time alone, a daughter who deals with her needs as an introvert. We also meet teacher LouAnne Johnson (played by Michelle Pfeiffer in the movie Dangerous Minds) who is skilled at working with shy children. She gives some advice that many teachers would do well to take to heart when dealing with shy (introverted) children.

·         Don’t think of introversion as something that needs to be cured.

·         Balance teaching methods.

·         Many introverts have one or two deep interests – praise them for those interests.

·         Group work is beneficial, but should be done in pairs or groups of three.

·         Teach kids to work independently.

And there are others as well as advice for parents.

Chapter Two (The Myth of Charismatic Leadership) hit home with me in the section of the chapter titled, “Does God Love Introverts? An Evangelical’s Dilemma.”

Cain recounts her meeting with a pastor dealing with being an introvert in a calling that seems to be tailor made for an extrovert. The pastor related that while he felt god about making time for himself, being active in evangelicalism began to make him believe that God disapproved of his choices and of him. His explanation is that the culture of the evangelical church ties faithfulness to extroversion, emphasizing community and participating more and more in programs and events.

Cain meets this pastor at Saddleback Church (he isn’t on staff there), and relates how the service is typical of most evangelical services, focusing on greeting, talking and singing, not so much on quiet or contemplation.

This next paragraph from the book essentially sums up some of my issues, many of which I struggled with while working at a church. Cain writes, “Evangelicalism has taken the Extrovert Ideal to its logical extreme, McHugh is telling us. If you don’t love Jesus out loud, then it must not be real love. It’s not enough to forge your own spiritual connection to the divine, it must be displayed publicly. Is it any wonder that introverts like Pastor McHugh start to question their own hearts?”

My dilemma exactly. I’ve been questioned by my wife about the depth of my walk with Christ because I’m not demonstrative enough. Needless to say, she’s an extrovert.

This book is an excellent look at the subject of introversion and I would recommend it wholeheartedly. I’ve learned a number of things about myself and from reading the book I made myself take a Myers-Briggs personality test and found that I am an INTJ. I was heartened when I saw the list of famous individuals who have the same profile:

Susan B. Anthony
Lance Armstrong
Arthur Ashe, tennis champion
Augustus Caesar (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus)
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)
Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)
William J. Bennett, "drug czar"
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Raymond Burr (Perry Mason, Ironsides)
Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor
Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights
Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote)
Charles Everett Koop
C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)
Edwin Moses, U.S. Olympian (hurdles)
Martina Navratilova
Michelle Obama
General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State
Donald Rumsfeld, former US Secretary of Defense
Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State
U.S. Presidents:

Chester A. Arthur

Calvin Coolidge

Thomas Jefferson

John F. Kennedy

James K. Polk

Woodrow Wilson

I was provided this book by Waterbrook-Multnomah free of charge in return for an unbiased and honest review. I normally donate these books to my church library, but this one is a keeper to read again and find more of those nuggets sticking into my bare feet. 

My Hometown

“We may live our lives a little slower
But that don’t mean I wouldn’t be proud to show ya”

– “Where I come from”  recorded by Montgomery Gentry

I’ve lived in Pensacola (with the exception of a couple of years when my father was stationed in Norfolk) my whole life. My hometown has changed a lot over the past 40+ years, some good and some bad. What hasn’t changed is the small-mindedness of people who are given the charge of running our city and county.

Not being an actual resident of the city proper I can’t comment on a lot of what the city council does (unless it’s the council and city attorney trying to inhibit free speech), but lately the city council has made our county commissioners look pretty good. Which is saying quite a bit.

Our sheriff has done quite well at combating crime and coming across as an arrogant know-it-all.

The most disturbing thing at this time tough has got to be the school system in Escambia County.

One of the charter schools that got the blessing of our superintendent has underperformed and is in danger of being shut-down by the school board. It’s probably unnecessary to mention that it’s an inner-city school. What has to be mentioned is that the board expected the school to improve reading scores from an “F” to an “A” in nine months while other schools had the benefit of taking 5 years to do the same. Other facts include the school district failing to hand over Title I money to the school.

Next up are the three inner-city schools that were closed, even though one had pulled its scores up to a “C” level. This happened so that the district could build a school for $17 million to house them in one location and to spend $21 million on a school in a primarily white part of town with an enrollment lower than the three schools that were closed.

The Escambia County School District is ranked 44^th out of 67 in Florida. Instead of taking ownership of the issue and doing something to fix the problem, some on the board find it easier to lay the blame elsewhere. The member is question feels that more explanation is needed in footnotes so that the information doesn’t “lead to incorrect and negative public perceptions.”  This member also places the blame on the county’s demographics, crime and poverty.

Unfortunately, while I think this member is intelligent, his excuses are less than intelligent and just help to exacerbate the problem in the education system which then lends itself to creating other issues.

Education (a good education) leads to a more intelligent work force, which leads to businesses actually wanting to come to Pensacola, which leads to better paying jobs, which leads to less of an exodus by the younger members of the community looking for a better place to live (and raise a family).

And one last thing about the schools; under our current superintendent, the unrestricted reserves of the district are at a whopping $56.5 million. With nearly everyone in a budget crunch, you might ask how this happened. Simple, don’t spend the money that is budgeted for the classrooms in the classrooms. There is a possibility that if the money designated for the classrooms made it there, Pensacola might not be ranked 44^th.

On another note, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos open up their inaugural season of baseball here on April 5^th. The Blue Wahoos are AA affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds. Pensacola has tried basketball (Tornadoes), Arena football (Barracudas), hockey (Ice Pilots, and now the Ice Flyers), and independent baseball (Pelicans). The owner of the Pelicans made the purchase of the Mudcats and brought them further south to the bay. Mr. Studer has dropped some serious dollars in this venture and I hope this is a successful one for both he and Pensacola. 

God Gave Us Love - Love It!! (Book Review)

“God Gave Us Love” is an excellent book for children (and some adults) that explains God’s love and His desire for us to love the same way, in a straight-forward, hard to misunderstand style.

The author, Lisa Tawn Bergren, has taken a difficult subject for some to get a handle on and stated it simply, yet not in a manner that demeans the subject.

I also found that the illustrations by Laura J. Bryant were an excellent complement to the text.

Written for the youngest of readers, this is an excellent book to have in a collection. I plan on reading it to my children (6 and 7), along with reading it to my K5 tee-ball team at our mid-practice discussion time. It ties beautifully into our talk about the second greatest commandment as related from Jesus to “Love our neighbor as yourself.”

You can’t go wrong with this one.

I was provided this copy of the book by Waterbrook/Multnomah in return for an unbiased review of same.

When a charming polar bear cub climbs into bed one night, she asks her Mama a very important question--one that little "human cubs" often wonder about, too: "Where did I come from?"

As Mama bear tucks her youngest cub under the quilts, she gently, tenderly, and reassuringly communicates the message loving parents everywhere (bears and non-bears alike) want their little ones to hear: "We wanted you very, very much, and we are so very glad because—God gave us you." 

synopsis from Waterbrook/Multnomah website - http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781578563234 

Book Review

11/22/63 by Stephen King

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination—a thousand page tour de force.

Following his massively successful novel Under the Dome, King sweeps readers back in time to another moment—a real life moment—when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history.

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

courtesy Amazon/book content

I read a lot that King has written. Some I like (Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone, IT, Insomnia, The Stand) and some I don't (From a Buick 8, Desperation, Cell). This latest is definitely in the first category.

I'm a sucker for time travel stories and this one was well thought out and put together. The use of a stationary end point for a time machine (or tunnel in this case, or even better, stairway) isn't original, but King goes well past that minor point.

The problems with change in the timeline is dealt with as well as the emotional toll brought about by interacting with the past.

It was nice to see Derry again along with characters from IT. Derry is still the cesspool that King introduced us to in earlier works.

I especially enjoyed the latter stages of the novel when the mystery of the bum with outside the doorway is revealed.

There is no doubt though, this is King at his best with descriptive dialogue and exposition. 

This is a book that anyone should enjoy, not just a Stephen King fan.

Eye of the Sword - Review

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?

In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

This is the second book in the Angelaeon Circle by Karyn Henley. In this book the focus is on Trevin instead of the princess, Melaia, and his quest for both the harps and his own self worth.

As I mentioned in my review of the previous book, Breath of Angel, that I enjoyed the characters and back story. I enjoyed this book even more. Trevin is much easier to get a feel for and his search, not the one for the harps, but the one for himself and his own worth as a man are very real.

The action is fast-paced and there’s not much time for lagging throughout. The plot is advanced believably, with many questions and plot points left unresolved for future installments in the series.

A good read for the younger crowd, it is also entertaining for those of us in somewhat advanced age.

This one rates a five from me and as usual, I was provided my copy of the book by Waterbrook-Multnomah in return for an honest review.

For a look at Chapter One, click here Show More

Foster Kids Are Gone... New Ones Arrive

We had foster kids for about 9 days before they made the trip to Orlando.
They were picked up early on Monday. The rescue shelter for the pups posted pictures on Tuesday and it looks like they made the trip in fine form.
Our kids will be missing Thumper, Spot, Stryper, Supergirl, Tippy, Ferrett, Coon, Zinc, Cinnamon, Honey, and the baby, Natalie.

Today, Wednesday, four new pups arrived. These are 9 weeks old as opposed to the others being 4 weeks old. Kaitlyn and Christopher are already having a grand time playing.

Booklist

Flinx Transcendent by Alan Dean Foster
Foster brings his long-running series starring Flinx to a close with the final confrontation of the evil that is bent on destroying the universe.
I started reading the Flinx series back in the 80's and have enjoyed most of the books. This is a worthwhile send-off to two popular characters.

CryoBurn by Lois McMaster Bujold
Another in the excellent Miles Vorkosigan series. This is one of the series of books that I eagerly await new offerings. This book is not a disappointment.  

Dog Pictures

We have been fostering a mama dog and 11 puppies for a week now. The pups are leaving on Saturday and mama will be staying with us for a while longer.
The pups are adorable and they are developing very distinct personalities even at only 5 weeks old.
Most of the noise comes from 4 of the pups, and they are usually sitting at the baby gate waiting for someone to come pick them up.
3 of the 4 (our own gang of 4) are pictured below. The 3 below are (l to r) Honey, Thumper and Ferret.

the 3 Musketeers

Barbarians @ the Gate

Book Review - Breath of Angel

When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man.

Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now.

Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without settling an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny.

Karyn Henley has written a real jewel with Breath of Angel. This first book of the Angelaeon Circle has left me eagerly waiting for the next installment. The character depth along with the well thought out back-story and history are the equal to many of secular writings in the same genre.

The growth of our heroine through her trials and revelations of her past are well done and have created a very likable character. She is surrounded by a cast of many that provide complementary views and growth along the way during the story.

A definite must-read for teens and all book-lovers alike.

I was provided this copy of the book by Waterbrook-Multnomah for an unbiased review.  

Books

Here's an up-to-date on what I've been reading:

1635: The Eastern Front by Eric Flint
1635: The Dreeson Incident by Eric Flint & Virginia DeMarce
Distant Thunders by Taylor Anderson
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
We Few by John Ringo
The High King of Montival by S.M. Stirling
Leviathan by Scott Westerfield
The Valley-Westside War by Harry Turtledove
For Us, the Living by Robert Heinlein
Eifleheim by Michael Flynn
Marvel 70th Anniversary Collection by Various

and right now I'm finishing up
Directive 51 by John Barnes

The Crossing - Serita Jakes

Imprisoned by memories, Claudia Campbell lives each day in the shadow of a ten-year-old murder. Who can set her free?
On the way home from a football game, a decade earlier, a masked gunman opened fire on a Texas school bus.  Cheerleading coach B.J. Remington was killed, but her murderer was never found. Claudia, who had a close friendship with the young, spirited teacher, constantly relives the anguish of that day, caught in one moment in time. When her husband, the assistant district attorney, becomes determined to uncover the mystery of that tragedy, the secrets buried over the years threaten to tear their family apart.
Officer Casio Hightower will never forget the day his dreams were destroyed. A star quarterback with a promising future, Casio was on top of the world—until one bullet changed everything. He is eager to help Victor Campbell find B.J.’s killer, the man who shot him. Maybe solving the case will help silence the demons driving Casio to hurt the woman he loves.
As the Campbells and Casio teeter on the brink of losing everything, will they be able to discover that what begins at the crossing ends at the cross?

Mrs. Jakes has written an excellent book combining first-rate storytelling with a message about an illness that troubles many people, not just our military service members.

The background and depth of each character lends credibility to the story and adds to the mystery which is trying to be resolved by the conclusion of the book. This is a story that could have well been taken from any newspaper across the country.

I enjoyed her use of the viewpoint of the teacher whose murder is the catalyst for the troubled lives of the other characters in the book.

The final realization that it is a relationship with Christ that leads to healing and an ability to cope with each day is something that we each need to remember.

Post-traumatic stress is an issue that needs more discussion and less negligence in our collective minds. While our military service men and women suffer from this malady, it is also prevalent among the civilian population.

This book was provided at no cost to me by Waterbrook-Multnomah is exchange for an unbiased review.