tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52892674713559131122024-02-20T16:57:53.427-08:00Reflections of GraceJohannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874783594267451562noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-31083534171337750382013-02-18T14:46:00.000-08:002013-04-16T10:20:22.385-07:00Purity // Hide Your Love Away <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">{w r i t t e n b y m i s s b e t h a n y}</span></div>
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<em>I don't know your name yet </em></div>
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<em>I've never even seen your face </em></div>
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<em>I'm looking with my eyes wide open </em></div>
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<em>'Til I find you in the right time and place</em></div>
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<em>Hide your love away and wait for me, wait for me</em></div>
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<em>I will do the same; so wait for me, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>There will come a day when I will finally say </em></div>
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<em>Staring in your eyes, I've waited my whole life </em></div>
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<em>For this night</em></div>
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<em>Every day you're prayed for </em></div>
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<em>And I'm dreaming of you every night </em></div>
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<em>Wherever you are right now </em></div>
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<em>You're already the love of my life</em></div>
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<em>So hide your love away and wait for me, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>I will do the same; so wait for me, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>There will come a day when I will finally say </em></div>
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<em>Staring in your eyes,</em></div>
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<em> I've waited my whole life </em></div>
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<em>For this night</em></div>
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<em>I'm holding on for you; my heart belongs to you </em></div>
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<em>You're everything that I adore, </em></div>
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<em>whoa oh I'm holding on for you; my heart belongs to you </em></div>
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<em>Darling your love is spoken for</em></div>
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<em>So hide you love away and wait for me, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>I will do the same; wait for me, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>With every breath you take, wait for me, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>I will do the same; so wait for me, oh, wait for me </em></div>
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<em>There will come a day when finally I'll say </em></div>
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<em>Staring in your eyes, </em></div>
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<em>I've waited my whole life </em></div>
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<em>Staring in your eyes, </em></div>
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<em>I've waited my whole life </em></div>
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<em>For this night</em></div>
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<em>~ Hide Your Love Away</em></div>
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<em>2013 Single By Anthem Lights</em></div>
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On February 14th, 2013, also known as Valentine's Day, one of my favorite Christian music bands/artists, Anthem Lights released a single called <em>Hide Your Love Away</em>. This song is so special to me since it speaks <span style="font-size: x-small;">(or shall I say, sings? ;)</span> on the topic of purity, which is a very dear topic that is close to my heart. I cannot tell you how much this nearly-four-minute song has blessed me in countless ways, ever since listening to it over and over and over non-stop on my MP3 player. :) It is so enriching to know that there <em>are</em> young men out there who truly value purity, as so often we don't hear many men speaking out on this subject. <br />
<a name='more'></a>To know that there are men who value a woman who is willing to wait to give her heart away, to wait for her future husband - the person God has pre-ordained for her, is so encouraging to me as I strive to keep myself emotionally and physically pure for my future husband! Take a look at this video where the talented guys of Anthem Lights share there inspiration for the song <em>Hide Your Love Away</em>, and please tell me if you aren't deeply encouraged by the end!</div>
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Ever since I was little, I've dreamed of getting married to a guy <span style="font-size: large;"><em>who loves Christ more than he loves me</em></span>. I want to be second in his life, not first, for the number one place belongs to the Lord. I am looking for someone who can say that Christ is the first True Love of their life. Someone who isn't afraid to say they have waited. <span style="font-size: large;"><em>Someone who values purity</em></span>. Someone who loves little children and wants a house full of these little blessings. <span style="font-size: large;"><em>Someone who daily falls on his knees and cries out to God</em></span>, acknowledging that without the Lord he would be nothing. Someone who values home education. Someone who realizes that they are the head of the home and the number one provider for the family under his roof, and will work diligently and do whatever it takes to provide without putting that burden on his wife's shoulders, realizing that her place is in the home caring for his children, and maintaining the home, making it a haven for him. I know this is a tall order, but I truly believe that God can handle big orders. ;) </div>
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I once heard that <span style="font-size: large;"><em>"A man who isn't after God's own heart, shouldn't be after mine."</em></span> and that <span style="font-size: large;"><em>"If a man doesn't fall on his knees in prayer, he doesn't deserve to fall on one knee with a ring."</em></span> and I wholeheartedly agree. My desire is to marry the man that God would have for me, the man who was made for me, the man who I'll complete. </div>
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Sisters, I'd like to encourage you to join me in this quest for daily purposing to save ourselves for our future husband. Not just physically but also, and maybe even more importantly, emotionally. It's so easy to get carried away with our emotions, and while we may be physically pure, emotionally we may not be. Jesus Christ deeply values purity and if we are willing to wait, He has a wonderful future planned for each of us. Even if we have made mistakes in the past, He is ready to help us start fresh. </div>
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While purity is about staying pure physically - it goes much farther than this. Purity is about passionately waiting with vigor for the one God has for you, daily spending time on our knees praying for that person, and putting a guard over our eyes, heart and mind to filter any harmful content that may be poured into it. <span style="font-size: large;"><em>Purity is a result of true love for someone</em></span> - even if you don't know that person yet. <span style="font-size: large;"><em>Even if you haven't seen his face yet, God has. Even if you don't yet know his name, God does</em></span> and he has something amazing in store. While the world tramples on and devalues purity, I am committed to being pure and take joy in the fact that whenever I get married, my marriage will start fresh and not be "just another time" due to previous dating relationships bearing scars that are often left behind from such relationships that aren't meant to last forever like God indented marriage to be. </div>
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May I encourage you to start today with a new found desire and passion for purity, and see it through the Lord's eyes? Purity is a daily conviction, one that though rewards may not be evident at first, will be extremely fruitful and profitable in the end. I'm trying to make a daily conscious effort to pray for my future husband each and every day - pray for this struggles, faith, family, relationships, purity, etc. It's neat to think that by praying for our future husbands, we are building a strong foundation on which our marriage will lay once we marry. </div>
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In Proverbs 31 when the Proverbs 31 woman is described, in verses 11-12 this is what Solomon has to say about this woman: <br />
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<em>"The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil <strong>all the days</strong> of her life." {Emphasis added}</em></div>
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Notice <em>all the days</em>. "All the days" doesn't start on your wedding day, <span style="font-size: large;"><em>it starts now</em></span>. We must honor our future husband starting today even if we don't know his name yet, so that one day we will be able to look him in the eyes and tell him that we waited for him from the very beginning, just like God intended it to be. So may we all be renewed with a burning passion to pursue a life of purity for our future spouse. I would love to hear your thoughts and convictions on purity in a comment below! May the Lord bless each of you as you <span style="font-size: large;"><em>strive to give your whole heart to Christ so that He may place it in the proper hands, at the proper time, for His glory.</em></span> </div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-79290669263553819242013-02-14T11:53:00.003-08:002013-02-18T14:20:55.642-08:00A Valentine // For You. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wishing a very happy Valentines Day to all of our dear readers. </div>
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May the True Love bless you abundantly.</div>
<br />Johannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874783594267451562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-30600065396198313652013-02-09T07:00:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:19:37.833-08:00Book Review // The Tutor's Daughter By Julie Klassen<div style="text-align: center;">
I have always enjoyed books very much. However I haven't always had this passion which I now have for all things fiction. Julie Klassen, was one of the first {if not <em>very </em>first} historical fiction author that I ever read. After hearing about her second book <em>The Apothecary's Daughter</em> through Johanna's blog, I read it and really enjoyed it and from then on my love for books, especially historical fiction, grew and grew and now I am here where I am today, greatly in part, because of that first start. </div>
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I've read four of Julie's six novels: <em>The Apothecary's Daughter</em>, <em>The Girl In The Gatehouse</em>, <em>The Maid of Fairbourne Hall</em> and lastly her newest release, <em>The Tutor's Daughter</em>; my favorite by far of them all, which I'd like to share my thoughts on today! ~Bethany Ann <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>{For more books reviews, and to see what I'm reading check out my </em></span><a href="http://goodreads.com/MissBethanyA"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Good Reads</em></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em> page!}</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong><em><u> // T h e T u t o r ' s D a u g h t e r //</u></em></strong></span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">B y J u l i e K l a s s e n</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>{ R e v i e w B y B e t h a n y }</em></strong></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/210693/main/210693_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Tutor's Daughter" border="0" height="640" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/210693/main/210693_1_ftc.jpg" width="413" /></a><em><strong>// B o o k D e s c r i p t i o n //</strong></em> </div>
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<em>"Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father regain his spirits when his academy fails, agrees to travel with him to the distant Cornwall coast, to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But after they arrive and begin teaching the younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen and danger mounts. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte, only to find the music room empty? Who sneaks into her room at night? Who rips a page from her journal, only to return it with a chilling illustration?<br /><br />The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry, wrestle with problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember Emma Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. She had been an awkward, studious girl. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her.<br /><br />When the suspicious acts escalate, can the clever tutor's daughter figure out which brother to blame... and which brother to trust with her heart?"</em></div>
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<em><a name='more'></a>// P u b l i s h e r //</em> Bethany House<br /></div>
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<em>// P u b l i c a t i o n D a t e //</em> January 1st, 2013</div>
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<em>// N u m b e r o f P a g e s // </em>416</div>
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<em>// S o u r c e //</em> Library :)</div>
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<em>// M y R a t i n g //</em> 4.5 out of 5 stars</div>
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<em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZi5NQbkb0A" target="_blank">// B o o k T r a i l o r // </a></em> </div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;">// M y R e v i e w //</span> </em></div>
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Out of all six of Julie Klassen's books, I've read four, and by far, The Tutor's Daughter was for SURE my very favorite and the most clean of the ones I've read. I was very impressed with it and thoroughly enjoyed every page! Some of Julie's other books were for older girls as they had some mature content that I really didn't care for, but this book pleasantly surprised me in the fact that it was very clean. I especially appreciated how the romance level was very low, and how the author chose to save the romance for the end, so that you can enjoy the story without it being overly romantic the whole time. I've recently come to have a great appreciation for books that have a balanced amount of romance, as so often this is the main focus of a book and kind of drowns out the actual story, not to mention put wrong thoughts in your mind from time-to-time, but this one had the perfect amount and was well-balanced.<br />
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Another thing I enjoyed was the suspense! It was such a page-turning book, and very exciting! I really liked how Julie accomplished getting a very healthy dose of suspense in the story without involving any deaths, murder, crimes, etc, that are so often found in suspense novels. Their were also many twists and turns that I never saw coming, and kept the story from getting dull. Right when I thought all the questions were answered, there would be something else that would come up that I never saw coming! <br />
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As for the characters, I loved them all from the start, well... maybe not all of them....Henry for one, wasn't exactly my favorite male character to begin with.... <em><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Shows knowing grin to those who had read The Tutor's Daughter and remember Henry's famous speech concerning a dance he would perform at Emma's wedding.....*</span></em> The main character, Emma, however I did love from the beginning. She is a very likable character and I loved how she kept a journal and was very orderly, oh and she LOVES books - that we have in common. ;) After reading that part, I was like, okay, I really like this character now. New best friend. She's my favorite. :) <br />
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But anyways, this book had a very wonderful moral speaking against judging "a book by it's cover" so to speak, as we see clearly how someone can change drastically for the better; as well as the other side of someone's character getting worse with age. I'd say which of the two brother's was my favorite, but that would basically give the book away so I won't tell you, but if you've read the book, I assure you that you will know, as we will most probably agree.<br />
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Another thing I was very enthused about was all the history packed into this book! In the author's note in the back after the story, I was surprised to learn that some of the characters, as well as the places, were all true and actual people and places-most of them so accurate down even to the names! I love books with a well-written story, but to get history in there as well...I'm all for it, and wasn't disappointed with this one! <br />
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Another favorite thing in this book was the level on Christian values involved. At the beginning of the story, Emma wasn't on speaking terms with God after her mother's death. However in the story a certain male character gets to share Christ with her and she renews her faith and lives her life more profitably in the end. I loved the scene when this took place, it's one of my favorite parts in the whole book!<br />
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The only thing I didn't really like in this story was their were a few little scenes that got, well, to be a bit more than I'd have written. But it really depends on what you are used to. Their is one scene where Henry makes a certain comment sarcastically early on in the book, as well as a few other little things such as two of the main characters unexpectedly being in each others presence at night in their nightclothes due to an "emergency" involving blood. As well as a disturbing image that was painted on one of Emma's missing journal pages that was stolen. They weren't at all a deal breaker or anything so bad that you'd not to read the book because of them, but I didn't really care for them. Romance-wise this book was very clean, and the farthest it ever went was some kissing. Total I think their were three kisses towards the end. While they were a bit descriptive, they weren't at all inappropriate, but again, it all depends on what you are used to. Girls who would most enjoy this book the most would be those who love Christian historical fiction, with a bit of romance mixed in, with a regency era style.</div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-71641240717572723512013-02-07T10:29:00.000-08:002014-10-21T12:07:53.978-07:00Melody // A Reflection of Life, Mistakes, Forgiveness and Beauty<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">{written by Johanna}</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">P u s h i n g b a c k a s t r a n d </span> of hair from my eyes, I sat down. Everything was so quiet, except for the clock which steadily ticked on, dutifully chiming half-past-nine. My finger's gently touched the ivory before me, gently sweeping across the keys which felt so foreign after so many weeks of being untouched. They poised almost instinctively. A beautiful sequence of sound was begun. </div>
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Now, I had always considered myself somewhat talented at being able to play by ear. Not very well, to be sure my realm was more made up of following notes, and reading music. But I did possess the raw ability to feel my way through songs without notes to peruse, and find the keys needed to put together the melody of nearly any song that breathed within my little head. And tonight, the melody of <i>In Christ Alone </i>somehow wouldn't let go of me. The very lyrics seemed to whisper in my ears. </div>
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Silence fell upon the room again as I adjusted my fingertips to the appropriate cord. For some odd reason, I never could quite be sure which cord to start with for this song. Goodness knows I had played it over and over. I ought to have known. But I didn't. Pressing my foot down on the peddle, I commenced compressing a few keys. Nodding, I released both and smoothed my fingers a few inches over. Surely this would be correct. Ah yes. This was the note I was searching for. I closed my eyes, and continued on with the beautiful melody which was so dear to my heart. </div>
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Suddenly, I found myself humming along. <i>In Christ Alone. My hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my -- . </i>Once more, I lifted my foot from the peddle, trying to impede upon the grievous wrong note I had just hit upon. I started again. Made my way through a few stanza's, and . . . Another wrong note. The process repeated itself. But I couldn't stop. The song needed to be played, for it did so ring in my head -- so very perfect and beautiful. So I played on. Starting over, again and again. Sometimes beginning where I had left off, other times starting anew. </div>
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While each time I played it, it seemed to get smoother and nearer flawless than not, and still I found that a few mistakes could not be helped. They seemed to just happen; to tumble from my hands, in a way. As I sat there, unconsciously clashing inwardly about whether to enjoy the beautiful melody which rang loud and clear or despair over my clumsy touch which seemed to constantly mar it ever so often, I realized something. Suddenly. Softly. Soulfully.</div>
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<b><i>This song was a reflection of my very life. </i></b></div>
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It happened as quickly as a flash of lightly cracks across a dark cloud, and was received like a drop of water which had just saturated a thirsty plant. I opened my eyes and smiled. It was so true. So beautiful this was. My life was indeed as simple as the song I had just played. </div>
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Here I was, simply living my life. A lovely melody it was. And is. I love it so very much, and wouldn't trade the sound of it for any other. Yet I find that I myself, while trying so very hard to live it to the fullest -- or, in metaphorical terms, play the song to it's highest state of untouchable beauty -- still mess up. In the midst of a beautiful cord, I still often hit the wrong note. Sometimes even when I'm paying most diligent attention to what I'm doing. Other times simply because I didn't bother looking. Many times because I am distracted by something else. </div>
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And it happens so frequently. Sometimes the same mistake. Sometimes a new one. Sometimes they are less regular. And other times they flow like a torrent of rain from the sky.</div>
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You see, reader. I'm not perfect. My life melody isn't either. It is so riddled with mistakes and teased with wrong notes, I sometimes want to quit playing altogether. </div>
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. . . At the beginning of this year, Bethany asked if I would accompany her in resolving to read the scriptures within a year's time. I of course said yes, enthusiastic about the prospects of turning a new leaf, erasing my former mistakes and starting again on my melody. Where do I stand today? So far behind in my reading, I no longer can bear to look at the chart which tells both of where I should be and where I really am. I find that looking back upon the days which have flown by since January first that I have spent less time in The Word then I have taken time to write this very article. What a bitter wrong note, the sound of which still seems to echo of emptiness and waste in my song.<br />
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I fail even when I try my hardest. I fail when I'm careless. I fail when I'm distracted. <i>I fail</i>. Often. And as I said before, there are times when I simply feel like quitting; when it seems that it would be easier to leave the piano bench all together, with the tune unplayed. </div>
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And I would leave -- if it weren't for the melody which is constantly playing in my head; that perfect song, which is always sounding in my heart and soul. Never letting me go. Never giving in to silence. It is the song which I know my life can be. It is the sound of untouchable beauty. Never untuned, or wrong. Never spoiled by mistakes. It is the heavenly sound which always calls me to try harder in order to achieve it's beauty. </div>
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These are but a few notes of what I hear --</div>
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<i>[The Lord will] console those who mourn . . . give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.</i></div>
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<i>// I s a i a h 61:3 //</i></div>
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<i>I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.</i></div>
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<i>// I s a i a h 43:25 //</i></div>
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<i>"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.</i></div>
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<i>// I s a i a h 1:18 //</i></div>
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<i>I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.</i></div>
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<i>// P h i l i p p i a n s 4:13 //</i></div>
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You see, I forever have these notes -- and many others -- playing in my head, never to be quieted. They tell me of what my life is, what my life can be, and most importantly, that even though mistakes have been made and wrong notes have marred its beauty, even this can be amended for. It is the song of a second chance. The sound of forgiveness. The promise that through Christ, all can be made beautiful -- even the mistakes. Yes. As impossible as it may seem, even my sour notes will turn to beauty in his presence. All we must do is commit the song to him. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">// via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/162903711491114517/" target="_blank">pinterest</a> //</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Y o u k n o w y o u t o o </span> have that same song playing in your head. Right now. At this very moment. Simply aching to be played aloud, for all to hear and experience. You can already feel its beauty overwhelm you. Take you over. Captivate you. The question is, are you willing to try to play it? Yes, you will make mistakes. You will hit wrong notes. Yes, it would be much easier to walk away from the piano bench. But then, you will never hear its beauty come to life. Never feel the sounds intrude upon the void of silence. </div>
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The choice is yours. Will you dare to combat the silence and commotion of this culture with a song resounding of Jesus? Will you dare to give up every worldly sound and melody you've ever heard in order to get a glimpse of what His song sounds like? Will you dare to face the humility of mistakes, the pain of practice in order to perfect it? The choice <i>is</i> yours. </div>
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It will be hard to continue playing, when the instruments of the world mock loudly in our ears. It will be hard to resist the temptations to join in with their harmony. It will be painful to admit to our mistakes, and receive criticism and ridicule from many. And each and every wrong note we hit will discourage us, serving as a constant reminder of how easy it would be to simply give up.<br />
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But, allow me to promise you this. The melody of Christ is truly worth it in the end. In removing the sounds of the world, you replace them for the sound of pure, exquisite heavenliness. When being humiliated, it promises to comfort us. When hurt, it promises to sooth us. When in pain, it will relieve us. When weak, it will strengthen us. When in doubt, it will give us faith. Upon making ugly mistakes, it will transform them into sounds of beauty. And, in the end, rather then looking back on a song made of clatter and clamor, our song will be one made of utter magnificence; showing no mar, tarnish, or taint. It will be perfectly beautiful.<b><i> It will be a melody which shall last for eternity.</i></b> </div>
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Johannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874783594267451562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-90281641717348213862012-12-10T11:00:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:20:28.486-08:00December Book Reviews :: The Kingdom Series by Chuck Black<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>For this month's book review post, I thought I'd share with you all about a unqiue series I've recently had the pleasure of reading. It is called <u>The Kingdom Series</u> and was written by Chuck Black who is a man who, like our family, has six children. The series was written to help his children understand and be more excited about God's Holy Word, and is basically a big allegory of the Bible set in midievil times! The series, though labeled under teen fiction, is wonderful for any age or gender and is quite exciting! A nice thing about this series is that each book has discussion questions and answers to help you understand better the Biblical allegory.</em></div>
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<em> I hope that my reviews of the six books in the series can be helpful to you, and hopefully will encourage you to read this series if you've not already! If you do, I am sure you will be blessed and inspired by it! If you have read this series and would like to share your thoughts on the books, then please feel free to leave a comment and share! Happy reading! ~Bethany</em></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Kingdom Series</span></strong></em></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">~ By Chuck Black ~</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">The Story Behind The Series ::</span></em></strong></div>
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<em>“When my six kids’ eyes glossed over during a reading from the Bible, I paused to explain the significance of redemption to a sin-sick soul. I was rewarded with patronizing elephant nods and more blank stares. Shortly thereafter, I awoke in the middle of the night with a medieval story enveloping my mind. I wrote it down and later read it to my children. Their waning attention transformed into complete anticipation. I was amazed and disappointed. Why did it take a fictional story, not a Bible passage, to get that response? Then I realized—that is how Jesus taught! Parables are powerful! I penned the Kingdom series to help young people get excited about the supremely significant story of Jesus Christ and His mission to save mankind.” <br /><br />— Chuck Black</em> <a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526790/main/526790_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Kingdom's Dawn, Kingdom Series #1" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526790/main/526790_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="250" /></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kingdom's Dawn</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Book # 1</span></em></strong></div>
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<em><strong>Publisher ::</strong> Multnomah Publishers, Inc.</em></div>
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<em><strong>Source ::</strong> Library</em></div>
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<em><strong>Number of Pages :: </strong>140</em></div>
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<em><strong>Age Recommendation ::</strong> 8+</em></div>
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<em><strong>Publication Year ::</strong> 2006</em></div>
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<strong><em>ISBN :: </em></strong>1590526791<br />
<em><strong>My Rating ::</strong> 5 out of 5 stars<br /><strong></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong>Synopsis :: </strong>He’s just a young man, but that doesn’t change the truth. <br /><br />He was chosen… <br /><br />Sixteen-year-old Leinad thought he was a common farmer’s son, nothing more. He wondered why his father had trained him for years to master the sword—not exactly a tool of the trade for farmers—but one tragic event initiates a world of revelation. <br /><br />Only then does he begin to understand his calling—a calling no other man in the entire kingdom of Arrethtrae can fulfill—a calling given him by the King himself. <br /><br />Teamed with a young slave girl, Leinad is thrust into adversity and danger—for the Dark Knight and his vicious Shadow Warriors will stop at nothing to thwart the King’s plan to restore the kingdom. Leinad will need more than a sharp blade and a swift hand to fulfill his mission and survive the evil plots of the King’s sworn enemies! <br /><br />Journey to Arrethtrae, where the King and His Son implement a bold plan to save their kingdom; where courage, faith, and loyalty stand tall in the face of opposition; where good will not bow to evil—and the future of a kingdom lies in the hands of a young man. </em></div>
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Kingdom's Dawn is the first of six books in the Kingdom Series by Chuck Black. The books are basically an allegory of the events found in the Bible, which is my favorite part about the books. Each book represents a portion of Biblical events. This book has characters that symbolize Adam and Eve, and their 3 sons, and The Lord and Satan. <br />
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Kingdom Dawn's main character is Leinad {which is Daniel spelled backwards is you look at it closely. He later represents Daniel, in another book in the series} and he is a farmers son. His father daily trains him in the skill of swords and before he knows it, he is a very gifted swordsman; which comes in handy later on in the book when he is in many places where his skill saved his life. But he wonders why his father isn't teaching him his trade of farming because sword fighting has nothing to do with farming. But then his father reveals his past to Leinad and shares how he once let the King {Jesus} down and is training Leinad to make things wright where he failed the King. {Symbolizing Adam and Eve's fall which is found in Genesis} Leinad realizes just how important this role is once his father is tragically killed by Lucas' army {Symbolizing Satan-or the Dark side} and begins serving as a Knight of the King against the Dark Knight Lucias and his army. <br />
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I was very pleased with this book and eagerly continued the series at my first chance after finishing Kingdom's Dawn. The only part that might be a con to some is that their are a lot of battle scenes where men fight to the death and kill each other-some portions were a bit descriptive. But other than this, I loved the book. <br />
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For sure my favorite character is Tess who Leinad finds on the streets at the beginning of the book. He takes her in and she soon becomes an invaluable friend after his father's death. Overall I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to Christians. If you like Pilgrims Progress they you will most likely like this modern version, which is very similar to Pilgrims Progress. Even though it's considered teen fiction, I enjoyed it a lot. The books are fairly short {Each book is on average 140-ish pages so I was able to read one a day} so I originally thought they might be for younger kids, but I loved them and think adults would enjoy the series as well.</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526805/main/526805_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kingdom's Hope, Kingdom Series #2" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526805/main/526805_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="253" /></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kingdom's Hope </span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Book # 2</span></em></strong></div>
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<em><strong>Publisher ::</strong> Multnomah Publishers, Inc.</em></div>
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<em><strong>Source ::</strong> Purchased for $1.50 at a book sale</em></div>
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<em><strong>Number of Pages :: </strong>150</em></div>
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<em><strong>Publication Year ::</strong> 2006</em></div>
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<strong><em>ISBN ::</em></strong> 1590526805<br />
<em><strong>My Rating ::</strong> 5 out of 5 stars<br /><strong></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong>Synopsis :: </strong>Fierce castle lords hold the kingdom hostage. <br /><br />But a champion is coming… <br /><br />Fairos thought he had sentenced Leinad to death in the Banteen desert. But he was wrong. Leinad survived. Now, trained by the King himself, Leinad returns—a true Knight of the King. His skill with the sword is unmatched this side of the Great Sea ; his resolve is unshakable. He is determined to fulfill the mission given him by the King and to free the people from their bondage to Lord Fairos. <br /><br />Leinad’s quest takes him from the chains of slavery, near the jaws of dragons, and close to the arms of love. And when the rest of the kingdom turns away from the King and the Code, Leinad turns to his most faithful ally, Tess. With her help, Leinad struggles to conquer his own doubt. But he must do so soon, for the King’s archenemy, the Dark Knight, is about to unleash his entire evil force, and only Leinad can stop them… </em></div>
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Kingdom's Hope, the second book in the Kingdom Series is a wonderful continuation of the previous book, Kingdom's Dawn and continues in the epic story of Leinad, who represents Moses in this story. It is once again like the first book filled with suspense and that edge-of-your-seat feeling, and plenty of epic battle scenes. This book focuses mainly on the story told in Exodus of Moses and his being the voice for the Lord to Pharaoh to free his slaves and then the 40 years of wandering in the desert and more. I found this book to be very interesting and a great way to help lighten this timeless story that can sometimes be a bit dry. <br />
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One of my favorite things about this book is how Leinad and Tess's relationship really deepens and grows in the story. Throughout the book, you can see their relationship really sprout and eventually it's obvious that they have feelings for each other. I loved how pure their relationship was and how righteous Leinad was. He was such a gentleman and always thinking of others first, and is in my opinion a great example of a true gentleman. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it!</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526811/main/526811_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Kingdom's Edge, Kingdom Series #3" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526811/main/526811_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="249" /></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kingdom's Edge</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Book # 3</span></em></strong></div>
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<em><strong>Publisher ::</strong> Multnomah Publishers, Inc.</em></div>
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<em><strong>Source ::</strong> Library</em></div>
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<em><strong>Number of Pages :: </strong>150</em></div>
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<em><strong>Publication Year ::</strong> 2006</em></div>
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<strong><em>ISBN ::</em></strong> 1590526813<br />
<em><strong>My Rating ::</strong> 5 out of 5 stars</em></div>
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<em><strong>Synopsis :: </strong>He was doomed to a life of hopelessness and despair. <br /><br />Then the stranger arrived… <br /><br />For Cedric of Chessington, every day is the same: full of poverty and despair. And he knows that will never change. <br /><br />Or so he thinks. <br /><br />Then a stranger comes to the city. Drawn to the man’s mysterious ways, Cedric discovers the stranger’s humility belies great strength and wisdom. That’s when an astounding truth becomes clear—the stranger is a Master of the Sword, and He is there to train Cedric. <br /><br />Suddenly propelled into a desperate battle against evil, Cedric must rely on the Master’s training if he is going to survive. But the ultimate battle is yet to come, for the Dark Knight is at work, implementing his plan to take over the kingdom. Will Cedric be ready to stand in the face of pure evil?</em><br />
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Kingdom's Edge, book three in The Kingdom Series is full of action, adventure and Biblical allegory! One of the things that is new in the books is that in Kingdom's Edge, we meet a new main character. This added a nice twist since the previous two book's main character is Leinad. In Kingdom's Edge the main character is Cedric, who mainly symbolizes the 12 disciples. It is nice to get to know Cedric better in Kingdom's Edge since he is the main character in the previous books prologue and epilogue. One of the things I liked was how even though Leinad was no longer the main character, he was still a big part of the story, which I liked. This book is an allegory of Jesus Christ's life and death on earth, and I found it shed a new light on this familiar story in a very unique, interesting way. </div>
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In the story Cedric goes from a average man to a man called by Christ Himself to follow Him as a disciple. Throughout the books I read lots of allegorical scenes that portrayed events found in the Gospels of Jesus' life and death. I found the allegory very interesting and inspiring and it made me think a lot about the life of Jesus in a new way. This was the shortest of the six books in the series and was a pretty quick read, like all the other books. The only thing I'd say is a bit of a con, depending on your personal reading standards, is their is a bit of violence. Their is one scene were a girl, symbolizing the woman who was accused of adultery and was to be stoned, was caught stealing and was to be punished by getting her hand cut off. Thought, according to the Biblical story, Jesus intervenes and keeps this from happening, their is a bit suspense and may lead to being recommended for a mature reader. I'd recommend it for at least ages 13+, but this all depends on your parent's standards and what you are used to reading. It is probably one of my favorites in the series so far. I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it!</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/52750x/main/52750x_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kingdom's Call, Kingdom Series #4" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/52750x/main/52750x_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="255" /></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kingdom's Call</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">{Book #4}</span></em></strong></div>
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<em><strong>Publisher ::</strong> Multnomah Publishers, Inc.</em></div>
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<em><strong>Source ::</strong> Library</em></div>
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<em><strong>Number of Pages :: </strong>160</em></div>
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<em><strong>Publication Year ::</strong> 2007</em></div>
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<strong><em>ISBN ::</em></strong> 159052750X<br />
<em><strong>My Rating ::</strong> 5 out of 5 stars</em></div>
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<em><strong>Synopsis :: </strong>A sworn enemy of the Prince vows to eliminate his Followers.<br />Until the Prince saves his life…<br /><br />For generations the Noble Knights have been in service to the King. Following a strict code of conduct, they preserve the peace in Chessington, the King’s chosen city, and rule its citizenry. Sir Gavin is a young and promising Noble Knight, devoted to King and Code.<br /><br />Then a peasant disrupts the tranquility of Chessington, brazenly challenging the Code while claiming to be the son of the King–a Prince. When it is learned that he is actively training a force of men in defiance of the law, the stranger is arrested and executed.<br /><br />But his Followers continue to defy the Code, and Sir Gavin swears to destroy this threat to Chessington–until he himself is grievously wounded in battle. As he faces his own death, Gavin is saved by someone who will transform his heart and change his life…</em><br />
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Kingdom's Call, which is the fourth book in the Kingdom Series and for me, was a much anticipated read since the events from the previous book continued to unwind in this story! As in Kingdom's Edge, this book features a new main character, Sir Gavin who symbolizes Saul/Paul in the Bible. This book is very interesting in the fact that it is almost a re-run of the previous book, but from the other perspective. Kingdom's Call is basically Kingdom's Edge {Book 3} which is about Jesus life and death on earth, but this time around it is written from the Pharisees perspective! <br />
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Sir Gavin, at first is not really crazy about this new guy who shows up professing to be the Prince, Son of the King. In fact, he and the rest of the Pharisees are plotting a way to get rid of Him so their city can become normal as it once way, and rid of this stranger. Sir Gavin is full-out devoted to the Pharisee mindset and wants nothing to do with this guy except for getting rid of Him. After this mysterious strangers death, Gavin believes their problem is solved-until the Prince is risen from the dead and is bringing up followers for His name in the city. As the story goes on you see the allegory of the Jesus-hater, Saul's transformation to Paul a mighty man of God-once a persecutor of followers of Christ, and then a follower of Christ himself. <br />
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It was really neat to get to sort of re-read the previous book in Kingdom's Call but from the other perspective, and I loved how it was tied in with the story of Saul/Paul! It was a wonderful story of how Christ can change any man, no matter how unworthy or sinful and I would highly recommend it!</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/527496/main/527496_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Kingdom's Quest, Kingdom Series #5" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/527496/main/527496_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="245" /></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kingdom's Quest</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">{Book #5}</span></em></strong></div>
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<em><strong>Publisher ::</strong> Multnomah Publishers, Inc.</em></div>
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<em><strong>Source ::</strong> Library</em></div>
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<em><strong>Number of Pages :: </strong>160</em></div>
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<em><strong>Publication Year ::</strong> 2007</em></div>
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<strong><em>ISBN ::</em></strong> 159052749<br />
<em><strong>My Rating ::</strong> 5 out of 5 stars</em></div>
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<em><strong>Synopsis :: </strong>He was called to fulfill a mighty quest, filled with fierce battles.<br />A quest to bring hope to the kingdom…<br /><br />Having narrowly escaped death at the hands of the evil Shadow Warriors, Sir Gavin is given a new name by the Prince to signify his new allegiance–to the cause of the one he once swore to kill. Called to share this message to everyone in the land of Arrethtrae, Sir Gavinaugh takes up his sword and embarks on an epic journey.<br /><br />Winning hearts and minds with the power of his words and his skill with a sword, Gavinaugh travels from one end of the kingdom to the other, telling Outdwellers about the Prince, convincing them to join him. And though Gavinaugh is at times beaten, thrown in prison, or stranded far from home, the Prince himself guides his words, his sword, and his pilgrimage.</em></div>
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Kingdom's Quest was one of my favorite books in the Kingdom Series and is for sure my favorite front cover. I loved how the cover was a very important scene in the story, and is so pretty! This was also the longest book in the series, but still short considering the books I normally read have around 300 pages. This book is very interesting since you get to see the whole new side of Gavin, who's name was changed by the Prince to Gavinaugh at the end of the previous book, representing the allegory of Saul/Paul. It was very neat to get to see the new Gavin and meet a couple new characters along the way. <br />
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I also enjoyed seeing the relationship growth between Gavinaugh and Keanna. I'd say that so far in the series, this book had the most romance, but was on a moderate lever and very clean. I found that I kind of got attached to the characters in a way, and loved how the story played out. <br />
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This book was just like all the others in the series with new epic battle scenes, so their was some violence, which is to be expected in battles. Their was also a pretty creepy dragon which Gavinaugh gets to fight, as well as a scenes were a family is nearly hung for their belief in the Prince. So I'd probably only recommend this book to mature readers. Despite the older reader content, this book is still amazing and a great allegory of Paul's mission journeys. Once again Chuck Black has captured me in this wonderful story and left me wanting more.</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526821/main/526821_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kingdom's Reign, Kingdom Series #6" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/526821/main/526821_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="253" /></a><em><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Kingdom's Reign</span></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">{Book #6}</span></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong>Publisher ::</strong> Multnomah Publishers, Inc.</em></div>
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<em><strong>Source ::</strong> Library</em></div>
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<em><strong>Number of Pages :: </strong>150</em></div>
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<em><strong>Publication Year ::</strong> 2007</em></div>
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<em><strong>ISBN ::</strong> 1590526821</em></div>
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<em><em><strong>My Rating ::</strong> 5 out of 5 stars</em></em></div>
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<em><strong>Synopsis ::</strong> An evil army masses against the Knights of the Prince, and they are outnumbered.<br />Only the King can save them…<br /><br />While the Knights of the Prince train in the Kingdom Across the Sea, the Dark Knight, Lucius, reigns in Arrethtrae with complete authority. But when a small group of loyalists swears allegiance to the King, the Prince returns, and in a mighty battle, Lucius and the Shadow Warriors are vanquished and imprisoned in the Wasteland.<br /><br />Peace and prosperity renew the land, and the Prince rules from the royal city of Chessington. While the heroic Cedric travels as ambassador, he sees that every corner of Arrethtrae reaps the benefits of prosperity brought to the land by the Prince’s reign. <br /><br />But not everyone will swear allegiance to the King, and it seems this paradise may be lost yet again because of the pride and greed of evil men who plot to free the Dark Knight and his minions. Cedric rides desperately to bring the news before it’s too late…</em></div>
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This was a wonderful conclusion to the Kingdom Series! I must admit that at first when I heard it was about the end times, I thought their might be a hidden agenda in the series pushing a certain belief of the end times. But I was so pleased to find that their wasn't any pushed belief for his view of the end times and was more about the story of the characters and Arrthetrae than the end times views out there. I also loved how I got to re-visit all the characters for the series and saw how their lives had continued after the books with them in it had ended. It reminded me of a big family reunion! I also loved meeting Leinad and Tess's daughter! That was a pleasant surprise! The only con was their were some women fighting in the battles and while it wasn't a lot or anything, I still wasn't so sure I'd have done it that way. But overall I enjoyed this last book in the series and was so glad to be able to read it! I was very pleased with the series and loved this last book, it was for sure a great ending!</div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-19805216054383938782012-11-15T07:00:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:21:19.009-08:00Compromise<div style="text-align: center;">
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Isn't it funny how</span></em></strong> <em><span style="font-size: large;">easy it is to compromise,</span></em> yet how hard it is to stop once you get started? Often it starts with something small, a commitment or standard that gets neglected. "Oh, but it's just this once" you think, then proceed to do what you know you probably shouldn't, but you think it's so small it won't ever hurt you. But then "Just this once" turns into the norm, and before you realize it, you've compromised bit by bit to where finally it's snowballed into something larger than you first anticipated, and it harder than ever to stop. <a name='more'></a>While it is possible to stop it, when you break that barrier you once had that you now overstepped, it no longer holds as much of it's value as it once did. I've found that often that thought "Oh, just this once...." it the most deceitful, harmful thing that you could ever let yourself think. No one ever starts stealing, all at once, it's not like you think "Oh, today I'm gonna go rob a bank." No. It starts with the small things that we let go, under the demise of thinking it's "just this once." Don't fall prey to the lies of compromise, for this is what brings people down, and if you don't catch it in time, it will bring you down.<br /></div>
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Lately the Lord has been bringing me to the painful realization of some areas in my life that I've compromised, and I'm trying to get myself out of this habit. I look back of past standards I've set for myself, and only then realize how I've slowly drifted away from those standards, whether by what society considers the norm, or just because I let something slip once, which then turns into twice, which then turns into more and more and more. I look back and wonder, how did I get here? and realize it all started with the small stuff which I thought insignificant at the time, but now realize to be huge. Whether it be in the area of books, movies, music-whatever-I have to be careful to stop myself at the "Oh but it's just this once" because if I think on the true motive of that action, I know deep down that it won't be a one time thing. It's all about self-control, having the strength to say "no" to the little things, and keeping your boundaries in check. I've found that I need to set my standards <em>before</em> I have to check a motive and see it it's approved, because if I wait til then, I just go with it. If I keep compromising then eventually my conscience will shut off, I won't heart it anymore, so we have to listen to that voice, and listen to the warning.</div>
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I now realize that one of the biggest factors in this downfall is the con of having let my special time with God each morning slip. I compromised one morning, wanting to sleep in. I think it's just this once, and go back to sleep. But the next morning their is another excuse, and before I know it, my daily habit, which I once thought myself so strong in, has now crumbled and I look back at devotions as, sadly, a thing of the past. I now realize that it I would have stayed strong in this habit, which I should enjoy, then I'd had heard the Lord speaking to me, and it would have saved me from compromising more. So I'd encourage each of you, to establish, or maybe re-establish, this very important time, if you've not already.</div>
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I'd also like to encourage each of you to check your motives. Ask the Lord to reveal any compromise in your life-and then act upon it, fixing it immediately. Don't settle for anything less than what will glorify, honor and serve our King. I encourage you to know where your boundary lies, and make a strong commitment to never cross it. Keep in touch with God, commune with Him daily so that you will be open to hear and attend to any area that needs adjustment. And never, never allow yourself to think "Oh, but it's just this once..."</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">{Photographs via </span></em><a href="http://pinterest.com/"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pinterest.com</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">}</span></em></div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-35799637130141046532012-11-05T07:00:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:23:26.498-08:00Celebrate Autumn :: Crafty Thanksgiving/Fall Ideas<div style="text-align: center;">
Fall is most definitely one of the most funnest times to craft and decorate the house. So today, I'd like to share some super neat ideas for crafts, and things you can make to decorate your home for this wonderful season. I've found them all on Pinterest, and think that they are super cute and would add a nice touch to any home, and tnhey look like such fun to create! Have fun crafting!<br />
Bethany</div>
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P.S. As always, please remember to use discretion when visiting links as I don't have the time t scan each website and links for content. Thanks and have fun!</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>{Bunt Pumpkin Cake}</strong></span></em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">{Fall Leave Roses}</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">{Thanksgiving Turkey Lollipops}</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>{Sparkly Pumpkin}</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://www.craftberrybush.com/search?updated-max=2010-10-01T00%3A06%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=5" target="_blank">{Book Pumpkin}</a></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">{Framed Leaves}</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">{Leaf Paintings}</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://zemphira.blogspot.com/2010/09/fabric-acorn-tutorial.html" target="_blank">{Fabric Acorns}</a></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://gingerbreadsnowflakes.com/node/102" target="_blank">{Autumn Leaves Jar}</a></span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/270396/glittered-fall-cards" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>{Glittered Fall Cards}</strong></span></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thecottagehome.blogspot.com/2010/09/fall-fabric-pumpkin-tutorial.html" target="_blank">{Fabric Pumpkins}</a></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/crafts/fan-folded-leaves-for-kids-to-craft-for-thanksgiving/" target="_blank">{Construction Paper Leaves}</a></span></strong></div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-28937766725524346832012-09-10T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:23:46.675-08:00September Book Reviews<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/208263/main/208263_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Almost Amish" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/208263/main/208263_1_ftc.jpg" width="258" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Almost Amish</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">By Kathryn Cushman </span><br />{Review By Bethany} </b><br /><br /> <b>Publisher ::</b> Bethany house Publishers<br /><b>Source ::</b> Bethany House's Book Review Program<br /><b>Publication Date ::</b> 2012<br /><b>ISBN ::</b> 0764208268<br /><b>Number of Pages ::</b> 320 <br /><b>My Rating :: </b>5 out of 5 stars <br /> <br />Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She's overwhelmed and burned out, and in today's unrelenting society, her kids are, too. When her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series promoting simple living, and needs another family to join her, it seems like the perfect opportunity. <br /><br />The location is an idyllic farm outside an Amish community in Tennessee. Julie, with her two children, joins Susan and her teenage daughter for a summer adventure. Susan needs to succeed in order to become self-sufficient after an ugly divorce, Julie needs to slow down long enough to remember what her priorities are and regain a sense of purpose and meaning. It becomes clear from the start that "living simple" is no simple matter. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. With each new challenge, their season of "going Amish" gets more and more complicated, as each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family. {Description from <a href="http://christianbook.com/">ChristianBook.com</a>}</i></div>
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I was very excited to be able to read this book as I'd been wanting to for a while. Although it's the first book I've read by Kathryn Cushman, it probably won't be the last! When I got this book in the mail from Bethany House to review, I could tell by the first chapter that I'd love it...and I did! I loved how inspirational it was and how it makes you think, while at the same time providing an entertaining read with a mix of both contemporary and Amish fiction.<br />
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<b><i>Pros :: </i></b>This book was very inspirational, there were lots of little "life lessons" I found through the book and it really makes you stop and think. Kathryn did a lovely job writing this book, it was very well written and easy to read and descriptive. One thing that really sold me was how there is a mix of both contemporary and Amish fiction. Since I love both, to get two in one is definitely something I get excited about. I loved seeing how the characters grew throughout the story and how they had changed at the end of the book, for good. I loved the message that was portrayed through the story of the beauty of simplicity and there was a true respect for the Amish in the book. This book really made me stop and think about how I spend my time, and what things are most important in life and what things aren't-and being able to see the distinction between the two. I felt like I really knew the characters, since Kathryn did a good job of helping you get to know them well. <br />
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I loved seeing how the characters switched worlds from the average American to a typical Amish family and think it made a wonderful story-line. The things they went through with switching to being "Almost Amish" such as the lack of air-conditioning, electricity, cell phones, their normal clothes, etc. was a interesting thing to see. Though at first they literally think they won't survive, at the end of the story they find that not only did they survive, but they learned a lot, and realized those things weren't all that bad.<br />
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<b><i>Cons :: </i></b>Really the only con I found was that the teens in this story seemed to be a bit haughty and disrespectful to their mothers, Julie and Susan. At times they made disrespectful statements such as " Will you old people hurry up?" and I felt like they overall weren't as respectful to their elders as they could have been. I really saw the typical worldy teen attitude in the young characters, and at one point in the story Angie blatantly disobeys her mother behind her back. Besides this though, there wasn't anything else I found as a con.<br />
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Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was very inspirational, had a wonderful moral and an interesting set of characters and story-line. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it! I give it 5 stars!<br />
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<i><b>Note:</b> I received a copy of Almost Amish, free of charge, from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reading and reviewing this book. I was not required to give an honest review, if I didn't like it, and all thoughts are my own and 100 percent honest. I was not paid to do this review, and the fact that I got a free book for this review did not affect my thoughts of the book or my given review.</i></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/209272/main/209272_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Inescapable, Road to Kingdom Series #1" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/209272/main/209272_1_ftc.jpg" width="255" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Inescapable </span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">{Book #1 in The road To Kingdom Series}</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">By Nancy Mehl</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b>{Review By Bethany}</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Publisher ::</b> Bethany House Publishers</i></div>
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<i><b>Source ::</b> Bethany House's Book Review Program</i></div>
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<i><b>Publication Date ::</b> 2012</i></div>
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<i><b>ISBN ::</b> 0764209272</i></div>
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<i><b>Number of Pages ::</b> 336</i></div>
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<i><b>My Rating ::</b> 4.5 out of 5 stars</i></div>
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<i><b>Age Recommendation :: </b>For girls 13+</i></div>
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<i>Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite hometown, her family, and her faith with plans never to return. Five years later, Lizzie finds she'll have to run again. False accusations at her job, a stalker, and a string of anonymous threatening letters have left her with no other options. This time, however, her escape is back to Kingdom, her hometown. </i></div>
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<i>As Lizzie becomes reacquainted with Kingdom, she realizes she may not have left her Mennonite roots and her faith as firmly in the past as she thought. She draws on the support of Noah Housler, an old friend, as she hides out and attempts to plan her next steps. </i></div>
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<i>When it becomes painfully clear that the danger has followed Lizzie to Kingdom, suspicions and tensions run high, and she no longer knows who to trust. With her life and the lives of those she loves at risk, Lizzie will have to run one last time--to a Father whose love is inescapable. {Description from <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></div>
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<b><i>Pros :: </i></b>This book is most definitely a thriller and packed with suspense and that edge-of-your-seat feeling. This book also has lots of unexpected twists and turns throughout the story that I never saw coming, especially towards the end of the book when an event turned into a completely different end result than I'd have ever thought would happen! The ending was just wonderful, and perfect way to close the book and I'm eager for the second book in the series, which is published next year! There was so much suspense that I'd recommend this book for ladies ages 13+, since it was a bit intense, suspense-wise, at times, which I personally loved. Oh, and it's probably not a book you'd want to read right before bedtime. :)</div>
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I loved how throughout the story, the main character, Lizzy, learns to trust God fully with everything! She is placed in a position were she must trust God, because she can't do it on her own and knows it, and I think that really helped force her to the realization of how much God loved her and how He is protecting her. It was inspiring to see her faith grow in the book, and in the end, He was the One who ultimately saved her life and from harm!</div>
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<b><i>Cons :: </i></b>At the beginning of this book, the word cr*d was used once, but afterwards there was no other times were I felt the should have used a different word to express themselves. There is one "mysterious" death, and for a while they don't know if it was a murder or accident, so obviously this book is for a more mature audience. There is mention of Lizzy's harsh past as a Mennonite, with a cruel abusive father and how she got pregnant out of wedlock, but there isn't much detail.</div>
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<b><i>Overview :: </i></b>Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it for mature ladies who love high action, suspense filled, novels. I loved the story-line and the ending was amazing and something I certainly won't forget soon!</div>
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<i><b>Note:</b> I received a copy of Inescapable, free of charge, from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reading and reviewing this book. I was not required to give an honest review, if I didn't like it, and all thoughts are my own and 100 percent honest. I was not paid to do this review, and the fact that I got a free book for this review did not affect my thoughts of the book or my given review.</i><br />
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/6/608115/main/608115_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/6/608115/main/608115_1_ftc.jpg" width="259" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">By Wanda E. Brunstetter</span></b></i><br />
<i><b>{Review By Bethany}</b></i><br />
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<i><b>Publisher ::</b> Barbour Publishing</i></div>
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<i><b>Source ::</b> Barbour publishing and Wanda Brunstetter who sent me a review copy</i></div>
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<i><b>Publication Date ::</b> 2012</i></div>
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<i><b>ISBN ::</b> </i>1602608113</div>
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<i><b>Number of Pages ::</b> 320</i></div>
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<i><b>My Rating ::</b> 4 out of 5 stars</i><br />
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<i>Amish widow Emma Yoder's first quilt class brings the most unlikely people together. there's Star, a young woman yearning for stability; Pan and Stuart Johnston, a struggling couple at odds in their marriage; Paul Ramirez, a young widower hoping to find solace in finishing a quilt; Jan Sweet, a rough and tough biker doing some creative community service; and Ruby Lee Williams, a preacher's wife looking for relaxation when parish problems mount. But as these beginning quilters learn to transform scraps of material into beauty; their fragmented lives begin to take new shape with the helping hands of each other and the healing hand of God. {Description from <a href="http://christianbook.com/">ChristianBook.com</a>}</i><br />
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I've read a few of Wanda's books before, and loved them all! But I think this is one of my top favorites that she has written and thoroughly enjoyed it!</div>
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This book had a nice balance of both Amish fiction and contemporary fiction. It is about a widow, Emma Yoder who loves to quilt and offers quilting classes in her home. But boy, does she get an interesting mix of people who attend her classes! :) This book was very good, and had some unexpected twists I didn't see coming! Though I knew what to expect from the book's description, there were certain parts I didn't anticipate and love them! The ending was probably my favorite part of the book as it was very interesting and kept my attention well, though the rest of the book was good too. The character that surprised me most, would probably be Jan Sweet. Don't let his name fool you though! When I read his name and put it together with the books cover image of a rough and tough biker dude with tattoos and an obviously difficult past, it intrigued me! I was even more surprised to read the rest of his story in the book and think it added a nice touch to the story and helped me see the importance of not judging a book by it's cover! Emma, well she was probably another of my favorite characters. She is just such a sweetie, someone everyone wants for a grandma, whom I loved! She had such a sweet heart for the Lord and was always seeking to help others!</div>
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One thing I liked in this story is how Emma and her class full of "half-stitched quilters" became like a close family. I loved seeing their relationships grow and how they were able to help and encourage each other in the Lord, while learning to sew. At the beginning of the book every character found themselves in a difficult place in life, and I enjoyed seeing how that played out and what happened in the end. The story had a lot of nice twists that you normally wouldn't see coming, and I really enjoyed it. </div>
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Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it for those who like both contemporary and Amish fiction with a nice, cozy-feeling that appeals to both old and young alike.</div>
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<b><i>NOTE: </i></b><i>I received a copy The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, free of charge, courtesy of Barbour Publishers and Wanda Brunstetter, for the purpose of reviewing it. All thoughts are my own and 100 percent true. I was not paid to do this review, and the fact that I got a free book did not effect my opinion of the book.</i></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/548771/main/548771_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="This Scarlet Cord, Love Story Series #1" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/5/548771/main/548771_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>This Scarlet Cord</b></span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">By Joan Wolf</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b>{Review By Bethany}</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Publisher ::</b> Thomas Nelson</i></div>
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<i><b>Source ::</b> <a href="http://booksneeze.com/">Booksneeze.com</a> Review Program</i></div>
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<i><b>Publication Date ::</b> 2012</i></div>
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<i><b>ISBN ::</b> </i>1595548777</div>
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<i><b>Number of Pages ::</b> 320</i></div>
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<i><b>My Rating ::</b> 3.5 out of 5 stars</i><br />
<i><b>Age Recommendation ::</b> 14+</i><br />
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<i>A chasm lies between Rahab and her beloved Sala that can never be crossed.<br />Though Sala rescues young Rahab from slave bandits, he knows he can never fall in love with a<br />Canaanite. His belief in the One True God prevents them from a future together. Rahab's beauty<br />gains royal notice, and she is selected to entice the King during the annual sacred marriage<br />reenactment praising their pagan god, Baal.<br />But when the King suffers a heart attack and dies, Rahab is saved from the humiliating act. Her<br />despair drives her curiosity about Sala's One True God. Could He accept her . . . even love her?<br />Deceit and pride stand in the way of Rahab's happy ending. Only God can use these events to tell<br />the larger story of forgiveness and redemption. {Description from <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i><br />
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I have always enjoyed fiction books based on events found in the Bible, and was excited to be able to review a copy of This Scarlet Cord which is a fiction story based on the story of Rahab, who was later on, the mother of Boaz and later is found in Jesus genealogy in Matthew. I give it 3.5 stars and enjoyed it!</div>
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This book was very informative and really helped me realize what Rahab's life was like, and how it felt to live in a pagan culture. There isn't much detail about her life in the Bible, but Joan's story has helped me to begin to understand what it was like to live back in those days were things were done much differently than it is today! I loved seeing how Rahab gave up her pagan gods and placed her trust and faith in the One True God throughout the story, and think it added to the overall pleasure of reading the story. There was just enough romance in this story to make it enjoyable, but not over done and it was a sweet story. The story had a lot about the events that took place in the book of Joshua, were God's people were finished wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and were ready to march around the wall of Jericho and take over the city, to go into the promised land. I think Joan did a great job portraying Rahab's life and faith, and enjoyed this book.</div>
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I loved seeing how Rahab and Sala got to know one another and how Sala shared his faith in the Lord with Rahab, and how they eventually began to have feeling for each other. There romance was sweet, and I really enjoyed reading it. </div>
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This story is not only about Rahab, but also about her pagan faith, at the beginning of the story. Rahab believes Baal to be her "god" at first, and there were lots of different customs for pagans back in the day. Prostitution was a very big thing for them and is mentioned several times in the book. We are told in the Bible that Rahab is a prostitute, before coming to know Jesus, so there is a portion of the story about this part of her life. So this book is better for a mature reader, I don't like to put a age on it, since it depends on the maturity level of the reader, but probably around 15+, or whatever your parents are alright with.</div>
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Another thing I found, was that though the author seemed to do research on the time period before writing the book, I didn't find many descriptive things in the story that helped you remember that the story was placed in Bible times. For example: their clothing, the food they ate, etc. Other than the mention of their pagan couture, their homes, and city, there wasn't any little details that reminded me constantly what time period you were in. I didn't find this terribly annoying, only a tiny bit, and really don't even consider it a con, but thought I'd mention it. I did seem to remember quite well throughout the story that it was set in Bible times, but think that little details would have enhanced it. However it certainly isn't a reason to avoid the book altogether.</div>
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Overall, this was a good biblical time period romance novel focusing on God's grace and a story of one girl's salvation. I would recommend it to girls who like romance novels places in Biblical times, who are okay with reading bits about the prostitution in that time period. I enjoyed this book and give it 3.4 stars.</div>
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<b><i>NOTE: </i></b><i>I received a e-book copy of This Scarlet Cord, free of charge, from BookSneeze.com for the purpose of reading and reviewing it. I was not required to give an honest review, if I didn't like it, and all thoughts are my own and 100 percent honest. I was not paid to do this review, and the fact that I got a free book for this review did not affect my thoughts of the book or my given review.</i></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/209659/main/209659_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Short-Straw Bride" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/209659/main/209659_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Short-Straw Bride</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">By Karen Witemeyer</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b>{Review By Bethany}</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Publisher ::</b> Bethany House</i></div>
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<i><b>Source ::</b> Bethany House Review Program</i></div>
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<i><b>Publication Date ::</b> 2012</i></div>
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<i><b>ISBN ::</b> </i>0764209655</div>
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<i><b>Number of Pages ::</b> 352</i></div>
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<i><b>My Rating ::</b> 4.5 out of 5 stars</i><br />
<i><b>Age Recommendation ::</b> 15+</i><br />
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<i>No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.<br /><br />Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.<br /><br />Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride? {Description from <a href="http://christianbook.com/">ChristianBook.com</a>}</i></div>
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This western romance novel by Karen Witemeyer was the first I've read of her books, and let me tell you I thoroughly enjoyed it and give it 4.5 stars! I had been hearing about this book all over Good Reads and it seemed that all my friends were reading it all at once, so I decided to give it a try...and I looked on Amazon to find that the Kindle version was on sale for $3! Cha-ching! So I bought it. And read it on my phones Kindle app. And loved it.</div>
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Since I had heard lots of good things about this book, I had high expectations, and the book exceed that! I was very surprised just how much I loved it, and will definitely be reading her other books in the future! Being that the book was set in Texas, were I live, it made it all the more enjoyable of a read. I think the first half of the book had the most action, however the whole book had lots of it, so the first portion was my favorite, but I really enjoyed it all! I really don't remember ever reading a book that literally captured me from the prologue. </div>
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I found Meredith's character different than what you see in most romance novels. She was definitely a feminine kind of "tough" and always applied herself well to situations. I found that she adjusted well to living in the country were she originally lived in a wealthy city of sorts. She can be stubborn at times, but hey, are we all at least once? :) There was SO much action in this book, I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. I loved how involved you get in the story and action and it was anything BUT boring!</div>
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The only thing I didn't like with this book was the level of romance. I don't mind a book having a bit, but this book seemed to go over my comfort level. There is lots of talk about the intimate details of "married life" and I felt like this was definitely a book for older teens/adults. I'd probably only recommend this book for ages 15+ due to the romance, but overall really enjoyed the book! I'd recommend it to older teens/adults who love western romances that keep your attention well and have lots of action!</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-31060657635697774792012-08-12T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:25:29.530-08:00To Read...or Not To Read<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/77687162291949220_fr2jrGXc_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Adventure awaits." border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/77687162291949220_fr2jrGXc_f.jpg" width="283" /></a><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">{Written By </span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Miss Bethany Ann}</span></b></div>
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<i>Here I am again. In the same place I was several weeks ago. I am sitting on my bed with the excitement of a new library book in my hands. I have heard about this book from various friends and was thrilled to find the library has it for rent. I eagerly checked it out and bring it home and now open it's pages to begin reading. As excitement rushes over me, I begin to read. But I quickly come to a portion of the book I find questionable. I wonder if I should continue with the story. I hope it doesn't get worse and that I can avoid the obvious. I try to realize were my standards go and if this particular situation goes over that line. I get so into the book I feel like I have to find out what happens in the end, and that if I had to stop just because of one..or honestly speaking, several...{little} issues, that I will be haunted forever with the fact of never finishing the book. I sit there, eyes on the book cover and wonder "To read...or not to read?" A simple question it is really, but the complication overwhelms me and I struggle to make a choice. Will I finish it...or will I put it down and return it to the library unfinished. As my soul fights the spiritual battle, my mind wrestles with the path before me. I must choose which fork to go down. To finish it or not.</i></div>
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Ladies, I <i>simply cannot</i> tell you how often I've been in this position. Over and over I find myself in this predicament. I can think of several times were I was faced with the simple question "Will I continue reading or not" and though it sounds simple, only requiring a "yes" or "no", I find that at the time this question seems more complicated the more I think about it. I'm sure you can all relate, we have all had a time when we were faced with this decision. Sometimes we choose the right one, sometimes the wrong. I've had both happen to me with different outcomes in each situation. I've had times I questioned the book, but did finish it and found I liked it and it was within my standards. But I've also had times I questioned the story and continued on only to find that later on the issues were only snowballing and that far into the story I was so intent on finding out what happens that I have to rip myself from the book with a broken heart. Were if I'd have only put it down and not finished the book to begin with I'd have saved the heart ache that I really knew was coming. </div>
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/194358540138202795_ltcpiYIh_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img alt="<3" border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/194358540138202795_ltcpiYIh_f.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
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In today's age there are so many books out there. Some are just as evil and bad and some are good and helpful. The tricky part is knowing were each book falls and if it is safe to read according to your personal guidelines or standards. I fine that sometimes though the library can be a very beneficial source, the simplicity of being able to check virtually <i>any</i> book out for free causes me not to carefully speculate and evaluate a book before checking it out as I would do if I were paying for it. Since I can get it for free, I wonder if that one issue that pops up on the back cover description is really all that bad, and if I don't set standards ahead of time the lines get blurred and I compromise. Were as, normally if I'd have to pay for a book, I'd evaluate it closer and tell myself to put it back on the rack, the easiness of just checking it out makes me compromise. And we all know that with each compromise we lower the standards bit by bit to were eventually we have a big downhill snowball that is virtually impossible to stop and we are left with no standards at all. No one wants to be in this place, but how do we avoid it while still reading good books?</div>
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One of the things I've learned recently that saves a whole lot of trouble and complication when deciding whether a book is profitable reading material or not is to simple confront your parents. I know it sounds crazy, but when it all comes down to the wire, if you'd ask yourself "Would I be nervous if my parents read this book's back cover?" would simplify our questions and make the difficult question much, much easier to answer. I've recently committed myself to having my mom look over all library books <i>before</i> I check them out. In the past, I've skipped over this step because (a) I didn't think mom would approve and tried to get away with it knowing I probably shouldn't check it out but go ahead anyway. or (b) because I didn't think it necessary because I heard from all my friends that it was a clean book. But either way most of the time mom would ask what I was reading and I'd get "caught" and have to pry myself away from the book when I could have easily avoided this with asking her in the first place. Usually, when I make the choice to read a book or not, I have to make the choice before I start it. Because I will usually get so involved with the book I can't just put it down half way through and not have a burning passion to finish the story, so I might as well confront the issue before hand to save the ripping myself from the book part later on which hurts more in the end. I'd highly encourage you to have your reading life something you actively share with your parents. Tell them what you are reading, share your thoughts on it. Ask them what their standards for you are, so that you know ahead of time if something is acceptable within their guidelines or not. Be open with them and don't hide anything. Chances are if you are hiding it from parents, you shouldn't be reading it.</div>
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/187321665720545452_6roJbYhL_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Looks so cozy!" border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/187321665720545452_6roJbYhL_f.jpg" width="264" /></a>Ladies, if you are finding yourself having a hard time to know whether you should read a certain book or not, to simply things just ask yourself these questions:</div>
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<li>Is it something I'd be afraid of my parents finding me reading? In my heart-of-hearts, do I know that mom or dad would say a definite "no" to this? Am I beating around the bush, knowing they'd say no, but trying to get away with it anyways? If so then honestly, is this wholesome for your reading habits and your relationship with your parents?</li>
<li>Would I feel okay reading this book out loud? If not, then more than likely it's not something you want to fill your mind with because you know, you are what you read. The more you put it in your brain, the more you think about it and eventually, it will weasel it's way into your words and actions.</li>
<li>Would you want your future daughter reading it? Ouch.</li>
<li>If you are contemplating whether certain actions of a character are okay to read, {for example, harshness with siblings, feminism world-view, disrespect for parents, etc.} then ask yourself if you'd be okay with these actions being your own? If you were that character, would you freak out at the thought of your friends and family seeing you act this way? Remember, what you fill your mind with will become a part of you.</li>
<li>Would you be okay with Jesus seeing you read this book? Because, really, Christ is all-knowing and sees everything! There is no hiding with Christ. He knows our hearts motive and we will be judged one day.</li>
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So really, shed in this light, is that complicated question so complicated anymore? In the end it all boils down to whether we will obey Christ and our parents or whether we will give way to temptation. We must choose, and I pray that that choice would be the first.</div>
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Whatever your standards, dear sisters, always stand firm and remember that in the end, if you don't finish a book it's not the end of the world. I often have to tell myself that the world WILL continue to go round even if I don't finish a book. :) And you know what, in the end, it's okay. Because will it be something I regret at the end of my life? Will I really look at my life several years from now and think "Man, I really wish I'd have finished that book! I'd totally have something to talk about with my girlfriends now!" Will I wish I'd have spent my time differently? Would I have wished I'd have spent that time with my family or with Jesus? Remember that only what it done for Christ will last. Keep up the good fight!</div>
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Your Fellow Book Worm,</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-69350218723523432042012-08-08T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:26:58.915-08:00August Book Reviews<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>In this month's book review post, I've got the rest of the Anne of Green Gables Series reviews for you! To read the previous book reviews on this series click <a href="http://royal-daughters-of-the-king.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-book-reviews.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>! Also, would you like to receive updates on book's I've read and my reviews sooner then once every month? If so then follow me on <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a> were I've just set up an account! By following me you can read my books reviews that I'd normally only post here monthly sooner and you can also see what I've been reading as of that day. You can visit my page by clicking <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/MissBethanyA" target="_blank">HERE</a>! Enjoy the book reviews! ~Bethany</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><i>Anne's House of Dreams </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><i>{Book # 5}</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By L. M. Montgomery</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<i>To read the previous books in the Anne of Green Gables series reviews click <a href="http://royal-daughters-of-the-king.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-book-reviews.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> Random House, Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Purchased at a garage sale :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date :: </i></b>1983</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Age Recommendation ::</i></b> For girls 8+</span></div>
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<i>Anne's own true love, Gilbert Blythe, is finally a doctor, and in the sunshine of the old orchard, among their dearest friends, they are about to speak their vows. Soon the happy couple will be bound for a new life together and their own dream house, on the misty purple shores of Four Winds Harbor. A new life means fresh problems to solve, fresh surprises. Anne and Gilbert will make new friends and meet their neighbors: Captain Jim, the lighthouse attendant, with his sad stories of the sea; Miss Cornelia Bryant, the lady who speaks from the heart--and speaks her mind; and the tragically beautiful Leslie Moore, into whose dark life Anne shines a brilliant light. {Description from <a href="http://christianbook.com/">ChristianBook.com</a>}</i></div>
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I have really enjoyed this book. I'm debating whether it's my favorite of the series, I can't decided since they are all equally good, but I can say it's one of my favorites! This book is not only the half-way done mark through the series, but it's also the first book were Anne is a married girl so I felt as if I was reading the second part of Anne's complete story. I loved how "homey" this book was. Anne was dearly enjoying married life and loved living in her little "house of dreams" and I just loved all the events that took place. She made new friends, re-connected with old ones, had both joys and sorrows, births and deaths, and more during her stay in the home. There was also a portion of the story that had me guessing what would happen next and it ended up turning different than I'd have ever thought making for a very exciting read! I'd highly recommend this book, as well as the whole series to all young ladies!</div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Anne of Ingleside</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">{Book #6} </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By L. M. Montgomery</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Publisher :: </i></b>Random House, Inc.</div>
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<b><i>Source :: </i></b>Purchased at garage sale</div>
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<b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 1981</div>
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<b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars </div>
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<b><i>Age Recommendation ::</i></b> 10+</div>
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<i style="background-color: white;">Anne is the mother of five, with never a dull moment in her lively home. And now with a new baby on the way and insufferable Aunt Mary Maria visiting--and wearing out her welcome--Anne's life is full to bursting. Still Mrs. Doctor can't think of any place she'd rather be than her own beloved Ingleside. Until the day she begins to worry that her adored Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. How could that be? She may be a little older, but she's still the same irrepressible, irreplaceable redhead--the wonderful Anne of Green Gables, all grown up... she's ready to make her cherished husband fall in love with her all over again! This Collector's Edition includes the original unabridged text, a specially commissioned biography of L. M. Montgomery, and a map of Prince Edward Island. {Description from <a href="http://christianbook.com/">ChristianBook.com</a>}</i></div>
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This is the first Anne book that is written in the time were Anne has children and through the pages you get to known all six of them quite well! I really enjoyed this book since it had a homey feeling, it was about Anne and her family and I was always smiling and her childrens humorous quotes and stories. This book focuses primarily on the childrens adventures, and mind you, since they are young children they have quite a few scrapes along the way, making for a quite interesting read. :) I loved this book and would definitely recommend it! It was nice to see a twist in focused characters since Anne was the main character for several of the books, and though she is still in this book a lot, it focuses on the next generation. I loved seeing Anne's mothering character coming out through the book. It was so nice to see how Anne handled things such as disciplined and correction since I had read how she was once the one in the scrapes herself, but to see her grow and be the corrector was interesting and made the book feel more real since you know the background. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Rainbow Valley</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>{Book #7}</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By L. M. Montgomery</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> Random House, Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source ::</i></b> Purchased at garage sale</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 1985</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>10+</span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white;">Anne Shirley is grown up, has married her beloved Gilbert, and is the mother of six mischievous children. These boys and girls discover a special place all their own, but they never dream of what will happen when a strange family moves into an old mansion nearby. The Meredith clan is two boys and two girls and a runaway named Mary Vance. Soon the Merediths join Anne's children in their private hideout, intent on carrying out their plans to save Mary from the orphanage, to help the lonely minister find happiness, and to keep a pet rooster from the soup pot. There's always an adventure brewing in the sun-dappled world of Rainbow Valley. {Description from </span><a href="http://christianbook.com/" style="background-color: white;">ChristianBook.com</a><span style="background-color: white;">}</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I really enjoyed this book. Even though I felt like it focused mainly on the Blythe childrens friends the Meredith's instead of the Blythe children themselves, I really enjoyed it and found they still did have a lot about the Blythe children. It had a lot of funny stories about the children and their "adventures" in Rainbow Valley, there little hide-out of sorts that they found out in the woods. Whether the adventure was about the "Good Conduct Club" were they kept themselves accountable for good behavior and punished themselves when they didn't meet the standards, or if it was finding a new mother for Mr. Meredith who's wife died, or making dinner over a fire in Rainbow Valley, they were all interesting and funny. I'd definitely recommend this book!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Rilla of Ingleside</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>{Book #8}</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By L. M. Montgomery</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b> </div>
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<b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> Random House, Inc.</div>
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<b><i>Source ::</i></b> Purchased at garage sale</div>
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<b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 1985</div>
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<b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars</div>
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<b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>12+</div>
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Anne's children are almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. No one can resist her bright hazel eyes and dazzling smile. Rilla, almost fifteen, can't think any further ahead than going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from handsome Kenneth Ford. But undreamed-of challenges await the irrepressable Rilla when the world of Ingleside is endangered by a far-off war. Her brothers go off to fight, and Rilla brings home an orphaned newborn in a soup tureen. She is swept into a drama that tests her courage and changes her forever. {Description from ChristianBook.com}</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">What can I say? I LOVED this book, it was the perfect ending to the series and a great book. I definitely think this is my favorite book in the series! I loved how this book was centered on Rilla as a young woman, so you can see her transition to womanhood throughout the book. It was also nice to go from the previous two books which were mainly about younger children to a book about a young girl going to adulthood. This book was so sad, yet inspiring. I really liked seeing how Rilla became a woman, bit by bit. At first, I thought it strange that she said she had said that she didn't like children, but the special event that transpired with the unique opportunity she had with the little "war baby" was so sweet. I loved seeing her heart softened towards children/babies through that circumstance as well as how it helped her become a woman, and how she rose to the challenge before her. Another thing I loved about this book is the close relationship Rilla had with her brother Walter. You don't see thing sort of heart felt relationship between siblings very often in books, now days. They were so close and I loved being able to see what good siblings they were to each other. When he went to fight the war, I felt as if my heart ached for Rilla as she dealt with her brother leaving. I loved how it was set in the time of war, as it made the story interesting and unique. Through the situation with the war, I saw how Susan, Anne and Rilla learned to be content with present circumstances and there perseverance through the long, grueling war. The only con with this book, is that the Lord's name was used in vain several times despite the fact that the characters were Christians. Other than that, I LOVED this book and really, really enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables series!</span></div>
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<a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/102490000/102495137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Waterfall (River of Time Series #1)" border="0" height="400" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/102490000/102495137.jpg" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;" width="266" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Waterfall</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">{The River of Time Series, Book #1}</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Lisa T. Bergren</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> David C. Cook</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library {I could say the library was awesome a thousand times and it still wouldn't do it justice! I LOVE that place!!!}</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date :: </i></b>2011</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>Number of Pages ::</b></i> 384</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">My Rating :: </b>4.5 out of 5 stars {If it weren't for the cons I mentioned below, it would be a definite 5 stars!}</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Age Recommendation ::</i></b> 13+</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved … and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know—and love itself.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. In Book One of the River of Time series, Gabi and Lia are stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, boring, and dusty archeological site … until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>And thus she comes to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world? {Description from <a href="http://amazon.com/">Amazon.com</a>}</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I had heard about this book on a sweet friends </span><a href="http://www.christianbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white;">book review/giveaway blog</a><span style="background-color: white;"> a while back and at first thought "No way, not my area of interest. Two sisters going back in time through a hand-print on a ancient tomb into a different culture to help fight their war? No thanks." But after really looking into it, and hearing nothing but awesome things about the books I thought I'd see if the library had it. They did. So I came home and read it. In 26 hours. Amazing. Book. If you are looking for a teen fiction romantic Italy travel novel, then this is the book for you. </span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold;"><i>Pros ::</i></b><span style="background-color: white;"> This book was amazing. I really, really enjoyed it. It kept me turning the pages and kept me interested at all times. If you like books that keep you at the edge of your seat, then you must read this book. It was such a neat adventure portrayed on paper and I eagerly look forward to hopefully being able to read the rest of the books in the series. I found it to be similar, somewhat, to the Narnia stories, so if you liked Narnia you are sure to love Waterfall. It was such an action-packed book that it sure to keep you interested and anything <i>but</i> bored. I loved how it was a bit fantisy-ish {Since she gets to Italy by placing her hand on a hand-print in an ancient tomb and all the sudden she's been moved back several hundred years.} However it wasn't too much to be a teen fiction. There was a perfect mix of romance, Italy culture/history, fantasy/sci-fi, and adventure. I normally try and not over-do the romance part when I read books, just because it can to some extent make me discontent in my single circumstance. However this book had just enough to make a good story without making me discontent, I think the romance was one of the big contributors to the great story-line. Although there wasn't a bunch of Italy history, there was a article on the historical parts in the back of the book, which I enjoyed. The book helped me to realize a bit of what it was like in Italy back then, and I think it was the perfect place for the story.</span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; font-style: italic;"><b>Cons :: </b></i><span style="background-color: white;">This book, though a wonderful read, has a few cons. It is based in ancient Italy in the 1300's, I believe, so there are several war scenes. Mild violence is a part of several chapters. There was blood and Gabi had to kill a few men in battle to save the "good guys." She gets an injury in battle so there is blood involved as well. Though it was descriptive, it wasn't overly so were I couldn't read it. However I don't think this book is for a younger audience, thus I'd recommend it for ages 13+. But really it depends on what your parents are okay with. As far as language goes there were only about two words, nothing terribly bad, but still. Another thing I didn't like is how Gabi had to lie to keep her identity when she went back in time. She couldn't just say "Oh yeah I put my hand on the hand print of a tomb a couple hundred years forward and I traveled through time back a couple hundred years so here I am. Oh, and don't worry I'm a good girl, you don't need to worry about me being a spy by the other guys, so no need to kill me." :) So obviously she was forced into lying since that would have sounded completely stupid to say that and they probably would have put her in a dungeon or killed her. There is a bit of romance and 3-4 kisses. Another thing is that Gabi had quite a bit of feminism in the book, going and fighting in wars. One thing I didn't really get about the book was the title. I never saw any connection as to why they'd name the book Waterfall since to the best of my memory, there wasn't any huge reference to any waterfall. But nonetheless it's a great book. Despite the cons, I'd recommend this book, but for teens. Also if some of you girls have read any of the River of Time books then leave a comment and I'd love to talk with you about it since this is quickly becoming one of my favorite series! :)</span></div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320411699l/8827794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women" border="0" height="400" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320411699l/8827794.jpg" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;" width="260" /></a><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><b>Plain Wisdom</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><b>By Cindy Woodsmall</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><b>Miriam Flaud</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white;"><b>{Review By Bethany}</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>Publisher ::</b></i> WaterBrook Press</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source ::</i></b> Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2011</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>Number of Pages ::</b></i> 224</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>My Rating ::</b></i> 5 out of 5 stars </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Best-selling novelist Cindy Woodsmall might seem to have little in common with Miriam Flaud, a woman immersed in the culture of Old Order Amish. But with nine children and almost 60 years of marriage between them, Cindy and Miriam both have found the secrets to facing life with strength and grace. Whether enduring financial setbacks, celebrating new babies and times of prosperity, grieving the crushing losses in the deaths of family and friends, or facing disappointments with their respective communities—through it all they find guidance for each day by looking to God. </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>With poignant recollections, unexpected insights, and humorous tales, the two women welcome you into their unique friendship. You’ll also gain a rare glimpse into the traditions and ways of the Amish as Miriam recalls special occasions and shares family recipes throughout the book.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Plain Wisdom is a heartwarming celebration of God, womanhood, and the search for beauty that unites us all. So grab your cup and your quilt and settle in for a soul-comforting read with Plain Wisdom. {Description From <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This was a very encouraging, inspiration, down-to-earth, humble, wisdom packed book. It is written by two ladies that, though they both have very different lifestyles, they have one big thing in common: the God they serve. Miriam is an Old Order Amish woman, while Cindy is a normal English woman. Both live in the present times, yet they live completely different lives. In this book they share practical advice on living to the best of your ability for your family and for God. They humbly share many personal stories of how the Lord used certain thing in their life to teach them as well as encouragement for living for Christ. They also share recipes, as well as embarrassing, yet funny life stories and share what they have learned through their mistakes in life. Though this book was written to married women, since both of the writers are married, I still enjoyed it just as well even though I'm single. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the Amish lifestyle, or if you just want a humble book filled with wisdom found through every day life with insight on living your own to the best of your ability. I loved how each section of the book was written by both ladies, providing insight from both perspectives and life styles of both the Amish and English. I didn't find anything negative in this book and thoroughly enjoyed it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/7/719647/main/719647_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Double Take" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/7/719647/main/719647_1_ftc.jpg" style="background-color: white;" width="253" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Double Take</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Melody Carlson</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Publisher :: </b>Revell</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2011</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Number of Pages :: </i></b>271</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>It's spring break of her senior year and Madison Van Buren is fed up. Stressed over Ivy League pressure, her parents' marital problems, and her boyfriend's neglect, Madison gets in her car and drives west. Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Anna Fisher wants to escape the so-called simple life--which for her consists of caring for younger siblings, sewing, cooking, and gardening--and she's well aware that her future will simply be more of the same with a man she doesn't love. Suddenly, worlds collide when Madison and Anna meet in a small town, realize they look uncannily similar, and decide the grass is definitely greener on the other side.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>Readers will love this funny and provocative tale of switching places from bestselling author Melody Carlson. As they get a glimpse into two very different worlds, they may find themselves happy to be just who they are, where they are. {Description From <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">I really, really enjoyed this book! It had the perfect level of both Madison and Anna's life-both Amish and English- to make it interesting and also a book with a good end value that you leave with. In the story both Anna and Madison find the Lord and find the meaning of true contentment. They both learn a lot about each others life style and I believe they both benefited from the switch they made. The story was equally as good entertaining-wise as the truth of the moral value, which the author did a good job of writing. I loved how the story went and it was so interesting and enjoyable-I read it in only two days! :) I'd highly recommend this book. It's a great teen fiction with a great moral. It showed me the importance of truly being content-and joyful-with were God has placed you and to embrace that calling to the fullest and to live without regrets. I really enjoyed this book and didn't find anything negative in it at all!</span></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/7/727613/main/727613_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Merchant's Daughter" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/7/727613/main/727613_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Merchant's Daughter</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Melanie Dickerson</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> Zondervan</div>
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<b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </div>
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<b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2011</div>
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<b><i>Number of Pages ::</i></b> 284</div>
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<b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>4 out of 5 stars</div>
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<i><i>An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart. </i><i>{Description From <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></i></div>
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At first, I really didn't think I'd enjoy this book. The idea of it being a re-written version of Beauty and the Beast seemed a bit uninteresting theme to me, maybe I just imagined it as the little kid story were nothing suspenseful happens. However, despite my doubts I started to read this book and was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved it! I was originally afraid the romance level would be way over my comfort level but it was just right to make it a sweet story without going overboard. One thing I really liked with this story is how Christianity was a part of it. In the beginning since this book is based on the medieval times, Bibles in their language were scare and a rare gem. Since they were scare, I loved seeing how Annabel truly yearned to read the bible for herself and made me wonder if I have the same yearning for the Word of God. Lord le Wyse asks, at the beginning of the book, if any of his servants knew how to read Latin so that they could read the Bible to him, and Annabel did know how to read since she was raided a merchants daughter and learned to read. So there are several scenes were they are reading and discussing the Bible. I felt like it was a very sweet story with lots of twists and turns I didn't expect and it help my attention well. I really enjoyed it! The only con I found was that several times they said "Oh my G*d" and though I got the impression they were using the Lord's name in vain, I really couldn't tell at times if they were merely crying out to God in sincere prayer. But Annabel does pray a lot in the book and is constantly relying on God for protection.</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/206221/main/206221_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A Lasting Impression, Belmont Mansion Series #1" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/206221/main/206221_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Lasting Impression</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Tamara Alexander</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Publisher :: </b>Bethany House</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2011</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Number of Pages ::</b> 432</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 4.5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>Age Recommendation :: </b></i>Girls 13+</span></div>
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<i><i>Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.</i></i></div>
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<i>The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton's home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.</i></div>
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<i>Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are. </i><i>{Description From <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></div>
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I give A Lasting Impression 4.5 stars, and really, really enjoyed it! If it weren't for the cons, I'd give it 5 stars!</div>
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It's been a while since I read a book that left such an impact on my heart. This book, though VERY long {400+ pages}, was very entertaining and despite my expectations of it being boring at bits due to the length of the book, it wasn't! Usually when I least expected it, a burst of new action came. I loved how Tamara incorporated Christianity into the female character, Claire's life. At the beginning of the book Claire is involved in an occupation that was illegal and later held many secrets and occasionally told lies. However, despite the negative life Claire lives at the beginning, towards the end Claire is truly repentant and was a new woman through her finding Christ in the story. It was a wonderful story of the difference Christ can make in a woman's life when she goes from a sinner to a sinner saved by Grace. The story reminded me of the verse in the Bible which talks about being a new creature in Christ, how the old had past and all things are made new. I really enjoyed seeing that transformation in Claire. At the end of the book I was left thinking "Wow!" The story line was very well written and the plot was perfect with a wonderful ending!</div>
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Unfortunately this book has a few things I was disappointed with. There was a lot of lying and deceit at the beginning of the book on Claire's part. Another thing was I found the romance level to be a bit more than I'm normally comfortable with, and there were several passionate kissing scenes that I felt like skipping. The biggest thing I found offensive is towards the end of the book, Claire goes wading in the creek, with a immodest amount of clothing on, and Sutton, the male character "walks in" on her without realizing she was dressed in only her undergarments. It never went any farther than this, but I felt it could have been left out, that it wasn't necessary. Due to the cons listed above, I'd only recommend this book for girls 13+.</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/207099/main/207099_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Maid of Fairbourne Hall" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/207099/main/207099_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Maid of Fairbourne Hall</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Julie Klassen</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Publisher :: </b>Bethany House</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2011</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Number of Pages ::</b> 400</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 4.5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<i>Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?</i> <i style="text-align: start;">{Description From <a href="http://christianbook.com/">ChristianBook.com</a>}</i> <i><br /></i><br />
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I have read two of Julie Klassen's other books in the past, The Apothecary's Daughter, and The Girl In The Gatehouse, and while I really enjoyed those, I think this new novel by Julie Klassen is my favorite of those I've read so far! I was very excited to be able to read this book and was instantly hooked from the first chapter. At first I didn't get why there were two different ladies pictured on the book, one on the front cover and one of the back cover, but after a few chapters it all started to make sense. ;) I found this book to be a very enjoyable read, it was very exciting and it was full of lots of action and suspense. For the most part, there was hardly anything I didn't like in the book as far as appropriateness goes. There was one part were the main character Margaret {Or shall I say Nora? ;D} is in a scene were she takes a bath, and it did go into detail to some extent, I didn't find it overly inappropriate, but still something I'd wished they would have left out. I loved the story-line and found it fairly easy to follow, being that amount of characters that were involved. I feel like the story leaves an impression on you with a moral of not judging by outer appearance, and always treating everyone fairly even if they are a lower class. Overall I give this book 4.5 stars.</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/241895/main/241895_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Ten P's in a Pod" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/241895/main/241895_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="252" /></a><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ten P's In A Pod</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Arnold Pent</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Publisher :: </b>Vision Forum, Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2004</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Number of Pages ::</b> 198</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 5 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<i><i>Future historians may look back on the Arnold Pent family and describe them as the “first modern home school family.” Long before there were any state home schooling organizations or curriculum fairs, Arnold Pent declared his independence from government education and his dependence on Jesus Christ in the training of his children.</i></i></div>
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<i>No one told him to do this. He simply read the Bible and determined to follow the clear principles found within its pages and to be obedient to God — regardless of the consequences.</i></div>
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<i>Like all great visionary leaders, Arnold Pent was a man with many wonderful directives for his family. The world would probably describe these initiatives as eccentricities, but they were not.</i></div>
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<i>In fact, Arnold Pent discovered something that all fathers would be well advised to consider: True Christian leadership in the household is born in the fire of adversity. The noblest and most God-blessed expressions of biblical fatherhood are cultivated always and only by taking the path less traveled.</i></div>
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<i>Over the years, many readers have been attracted to the endearing stories of family life found in such classics as Kathryn Forbes’ Mamma’s Bank Account (also called I Remember Mamma), Clarence Day’s Life with Father, and Frank Gilbreth’s Cheaper by the Dozen. The beauty of this book is that it combines the very best elements of those classics, but with a distinctive and uncompromising Gospel message. As a publisher, I consider it the highest honor that the Lord and His servants, the Pent family, have allowed Vision Forum to bring to press what we believe will be a new classic for twenty-first century families. {Description From <a href="http://visionforum.com/">VisionForum.com</a>}</i></div>
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I really enjoyed this book. It is the real story of the Arnold Pent family which consisted of eight children and with the two parents that made 10-thus the title. :) The Pent family lived in the 1940's and had a family ministry of traveling all around the U.S. and Canada to share the Gospel message through Scripture memorization/quotation, preaching and singing as a family. I really enjoyed this book because it was very down to earth and quite humorous at times. It was written from parts of Arnold Pent the thirds journal and shares a lot of their family memories of traveling and living day-to-day life in that time. The Pent family were not afraid to let everyone know that life wasn't always easy. They didn't always have a lot of money, often they were on their way to a speaking engagement/s and only had a few dollars in their pocket with ten mouths to feed and bed. Yet they always trusted God, and never did they go without, God always provided just when they needed it most. There were lots of interesting stories in this book about real experiences that happened to the Pent family including sleeping at rest stops on top of picnic tables, "interesting" encounters with people they witnesses to, and lots, lots more! </div>
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This family's love for the Lord was so obvious, one thing I found neat about their family is that through several hours of Bible devotions each day, by age 21 their children could usually quote the whole New Testament by heart from memory just because they had read it so often! This family was one of the first ever to home school their children and they shared in this book how that happened. This is a wonderful non-fiction that I really enjoyed. I would recommend it to others living in a large homeschooling, Christian family or for those who are interesting in learning about Christians of the past through a humerus, humble, inspirational read such as this one.</div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/1/183113/main/183113_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/1/183113/main/183113_1_ftc.jpg" width="258" /></a><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">To Die For </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">{A Novel of Anne Boleyn}</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Sandra Byrd</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Publisher :: </b>Howard Books</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2011</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Number of Pages ::</b> 332</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 4 out of 5 stars {I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the cons}</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>Age Recommendation ::</b></i> Girls 16+</span></div>
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<i>Meg Wyatt has been Anne Boleyn's closest friend since they grew up together on neighboring manors in Kent. So when twenty-five-year-old Anne's star begins to ascend, of course she takes Meg along for the ride.</i></div>
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<i>Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling... at first. Meg is made mistress of Anne's wardrobe, and she enjoys the spoils of this privileged orbit and uses her influence for good. She is young and beautiful and in favor; everyone at court assumes that being close to her is being close to Anne.</i></div>
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<i>But favor is fickle and envy is often laced with venom. As Anne falls, so does Meg, and it becomes nearly impossible for her to discern ally from enemy. Suddenly life's unwelcome surprises rub against the court's sheen to reveal the tarnished brass of false affections and the bona fide gold of those that are true. Both Anne and Meg may lose everything. When your best friend is married to fearsome Henry VIII, you may soon find yourself not only friendless but headless as well.</i></div>
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<i>A rich alchemy of fact and fiction, To Die For chronicles the glittering court life, the sweeping romance, and the heartbreaking fall from grace of a forsaken queen and Meg, her closest companion, who was forgotten by the ages but who is destined to live in our hearts forever. {description from <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></div>
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This was most definitely a bitter-sweet book. I had mixed emotions once I finished it. I loved the rich history involved but it was a very sad book towards the end. But despite the odds, I enjoyed this book though I disappointed with some things, which you can find in the cons. I am very eager to read her next book The Secret Keeper. </div>
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<b><i>Pros :: </i></b>Probably the biggest pro for me is the large amount of historical facts which are found in this story. Even though it is a work of fiction, there is a rich array of history and I really enjoyed learning about Anne Boleyn and Meg Wyatt through the book. I just love books that teach you about women of the past, and found this one to be both interesting and rich in history. Most of the time when you think of history, you don't think of something that is interesting, but Sandra did a excellent job of balancing the history and fiction. I really enjoyed being able to learn in a interesting way about this time period and how they did things {minus the deaths :o} in the 1500's. I learned a lot and enjoyed the story. I also enjoyed the bit of Reformation history included as well, with the movement of Bibles being printed in the English language.</div>
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I also enjoyed seeing the sweet, loyal, faithful friendship shared between Anne and Meg. From the time they were young, to Anne's death, there were always faithful and loyal to each other and their friendship was such a sweet one.</div>
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<i><b>Cons :: </b></i>This book was quite sad and did not have your normal "and they lived happily ever after" ending. But, even though it was sad, it was a good kind of sad. In the end Anne died...um...how shall I say this?...a...gruesome...death. The biggest con for me was the vast detail Sandra put into this portion of the book. At a point I was completely disgusted and felt like I should skip a few sentences, which, I now wish I would have done, and advise any who are going to read this in the future to do if you feel lead. I found this scene to be entirely too detailed and violent. I mean, I understand that deaths in those days weren't exactly pleasant. But I wish she'd have at least not gone through such description of every detail. Due to this and another mature issue that came up throughout the book, I'd only recommend this book for girls ages 16+, or if any younger, you'd probably want your parents approval first. {Obviously you want parents approval with any book, but more so with this one due to the mature subjects.}</div>
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Another con I found, though not as big, if that I was for some reason, whether because of the title or the strong friendship between Anne and Meg, was under the impression that Meg gave her life for Anne. However I was surprised to see I had guessed wrong. Another con is that at times I had a hard time keeping up with the story and characters. But after a couple chapters it all started to fit together. Sometimes it took a couple pages to "get into" the story, but for the most part it wasn't all that bad.</div>
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<b><i>Conclusion :: </i></b>I overall, enjoyed this book due to the rich history and sweet friendship in the story. I think it had a wonderful balance of fiction and history and was quite interesting. However, to those wanting to read it, beware the mature content! The level sort of took me by surprise. However know that you will read a wonderful, historically rich story of a sweet friendship between two girls that lived long ago.<br />
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/1/183140/main/183140_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Secret Keeper: A Novel Of Kateryn Parr" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/1/183140/main/183140_1_ftc.jpg" width="257" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>The Secret Keeper</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>{A Novel of Kateryn Parr}</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Sandra Byrd</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review by Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Publisher :: </b>Howard Books</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Number of Pages ::</b> 331</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 4 out of 5 stars {I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the cons}</span><br />
<i><b>Age Recommendation ::</b></i><span style="background-color: white;"> Girls 16+</span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
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<i><i>Mistress Juliana St. John is the lovely, forthright daughter of a prosperous knight’s family. Though all expect her to marry the son of her late father’s business partner, time and chance interrupt, sending her to the sumptuous but deceptive court of Henry VIII.</i></i></div>
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<i>Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane, returns to Wiltshire to conclude his affairs with Juliana’s father’s estate and chances upon her reading as lector in the local church. He sees instantly that she would fit into the household of the woman he loves and wants most to please, Kateryn Parr. Juliana’s mother agrees to have her placed with Parr for a season and Juliana goes, though reluctantly.</i></div>
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<i>For she keeps a secret.</i></div>
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<i>As Juliana accompanies Kateryn Parr to court, Henry’s devout sixth queen raises the stakes for all reformers. Support of firebrand Anne Askew puts the queen and her ladies in life-threatening jeopardy, as does the queen’s desire to influence her husband’s—and the realm’s—direction and beliefs. Later, without Henry’s strong arm, the court devolves to competition, duplicity, and betrayal. The risks could not be higher as Juliana must choose between love and honor, personal fulfillment and sacrifice. Ultimately, her course is driven by a final kept secret, one that undoes everything she thought she knew. {Description from <a href="http://goodreads.com/">GoodReads.com</a>}</i></div>
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After finishing To Die For I was very excited go continue the story of King Henry VIII and his Queens, in The Secret Keeper! Overall I give it 4.5 stars, if it weren't for the cons I'd easily give it 5 stars. Sandra Byrd's Tudor fictions are quickly becoming a favorite for me! I'm starting to realize just how much I enjoy Tudor fiction, and if any of you have read similar books, leave me a comment and I'd love to look into reading them! :) I simply cannot wait to read book number three in Sandra's The Ladies in Waiting Series about Queen Elizabeth I, called Roses Have Thorns in April 2013!</div>
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<b><i>Pros :: </i></b>This book was a wonderful continuation of To Die For, starting about 10 years after we left off the last book, with a new Queen and new characters. Yet again Sandra Byrd takes Tudor history and displays it in an exciting, well written and informative book-a perfect sequel if you ask me. Like To Die for there is an over-abundance of history incorporated with the fiction, which I really enjoyed and learned a lot from. I love how much history is in this book and felt very informed about King Henry VIII and the Queens after reading these two books, were before-hand I didn't know hardly anything about this time period. Due to the large amount of history in Sandra books, they would easily make wonderful homschooler history resources!</div>
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I really enjoyed learning about Kateryn Parr, when was King Henry VIII sixth and final wife. The events always worked out perfectly so that you were left wanting more and couldn't put the book down! :)</div>
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<b><i>Cons ::</i></b> Like To Die For, this book was a bit hard to follow at first. It wasn't really so much the plot as it was getting the characters in order, for me personally. I seem to have a hard time getting all the characters in my mind and remembering who is who and how they connected to the last book, but after I got that part down, it was a very enjoyable, easy to follow read. Though this book didn't have near as sad of an ending as To Die For with the death, there is still one death scene in this book were a Christian was killed for her faith. Though there wasn't as much detail in the death as the last book, there was still quite a bit of detail, which sort of made me uneasy. Then there was a rape scene, and two or three similar situations after that, so I'd definitely only recommend this book for a mature reader. I don't really want to put an age on it, since it varies depending on maturity and what you have been exposed to in the past, but probably around 16+.</div>
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<b><i>Overview :: </i></b>Overall, I loved this book and found it full of history and very interesting. I can't wait to read the third book in the series about Queen Elizabeth, and was very pleased with the previous two in the series!</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-90468354208058560102012-08-04T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:28:41.075-08:00Craft Projects :: This 'N That<div>
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For this month's craft projects post, I though I'd share a few this 'n that projects. I had a bunch of cute craft projects I wanted to share, but they weren't in any certain category so I decided to share some various craft projects. ;) I hope that you enjoy looking through them and if you decided to try any of them out for yourself, let us know! Have a lovely weekend!</div>
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/313/3D00E8BB06CE781D97A15322F47D3729.png" />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCqhVb8KiWGZtWqcJpP7UmoQrbK_w8BlpSMvQC2oNN_zvbyy3kcoZ-ebL6JXYDiIavwklYS55T6Wb5VVA9e7oqgn4jXn4fH3vBOztKC1gw7SYJ5P-VQqSVkCpSAD4cUXqfLHQmWrctEY/s640/Fastest+Friendship+Bracelet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="297" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{<a href="http://www.ohsoprettythediaries.com/2012/05/diy-fastest-friendship-bracelet-ever.html" target="_blank">Simple Friendship Bracelets</a>}</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="120511_embroideryheadphones.jpg" height="640" src="http://i-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/unplggd/120511_embroideryheadphones.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/diy-tangle-free-headphones-wit-162321" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{DIY Tangle-Free Earphones}</i></b></span></a></td></tr>
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<img alt="Bookmarks" height="480" src="http://greenpaper.typepad.com/.a/6a00e008c9f15d88340120a77f855f970b-450wi" width="640" /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">{<a href="http://greenpaper.typepad.com/green/2009/12/now-the-clean-up-begins.html" target="_blank">Book-Spine Bookmarks</a>}</span></div>
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<img alt="Oh my! How neat!" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/167477679863486478_qlXSE9g4_f.jpg" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{<a href="http://www.craftyendeavor.com/2012/07/02/custom-cell-phone-cases/" target="_blank">DIY Scrapbook Paper Phone Cover</a>}</i></b></span></div>
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<img alt="diy bow bookmark" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/209135976416358640_rv5W4HhC_f.jpg" width="197" />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">{Simple Bow Bookmarks}</span></i></b></div>
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<img alt="DIY combination Case and Stand for r iPhone. It’s padded to protect your device, snaps shut like a wallet, and stands on its own!" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/94434923406752089_lwy181kZ_f.jpg" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{DIY iPod Cover/Case}</i></b></span></div>
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<img alt="Sew macaron coin purse tutorial - are you kidding me??? this is absolutely darling!" height="426" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/87398048989212891_lh4yppoN_f.jpg" width="640" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{<a href="http://www.craftpassion.com/2012/01/macaron-coin-purse.html/2" target="_blank">Macaroon Coin Purse</a>}</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{DIY Feminine Flip-Flops}</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> </i></b></span><br />
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<img height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuoUn8YwbNy2HhivPBul44Gr6TaLaHeHT2U0mzaWbw0guCAa9vqSg6EEmV4xdmk26xDE05-bpgtOnITczkjBj2yzOXUDN16C5jEWKIjGJXMq5XCjaTS0MQyAOsX4fbZRFiyWPvVHJm_FE/s640/P1010036.JPG" width="640" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{<a href="http://shealynns-faerie-shoppe.blogspot.com/2011/03/switchplate-covers-tutorial.html" target="_blank">DIY Switch-plate Covers</a>}</i></b></span></div>
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<img height="640" src="http://erinerickson.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Featured_742-500x500.jpg" width="640" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{<a href="http://erinerickson.com/2011/11/circle-zip-earbud-pouch-tutorial/" target="_blank">Circle Zip Earbud Pouch</a>}</i></b></span></div>
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<img alt="Button bobby pins for girls." height="640" src="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/81487074477610574_ad8ThJkL_f.jpg" width="457" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{DIY Button Bobbies}</i></b></span></div>
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<img alt="Heart ring. Such a cool idea!" height="640" src="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/231442868320481895_a7S2gI7i_f.jpg" width="242" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>{DIY Heart Ring}</i></b></span></div>
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<b><i>Note: Please remember to use discretion when visiting outside links. Have fun but be safe!</i></b></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-63109064352139027792012-07-24T06:59:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:32:42.626-08:00Interview :: Miss Olivia H.<div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>{For this month's interview we have the pleasure of interviewing Miss Olivia H. of <a href="http://www.freshmodesty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Modesty</a> and <a href="http://workingwitheagerhands.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Working With Eager Hands</a>. Both of us girls enjoy reading Olivia's blogs and hope that you will enjoy this interview focusing on modesty. ~Bethany & Johanna}</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Can you introduce yourself to us and tell us a bit about your family and surroundings?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA ::</i></b> Hey! I’m Olivia of Fresh Modesty- <a href="http://www.freshmodesty.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">the blog</a> and <a href="http://www.freshmodesty.com/" target="_blank">the website</a>. I’m 19 and am the oldest of 6# siblings. My family moved to 62 acres in the country from the suburbs 2.5 years ago and I've enjoyed becoming a whole different person as I've adapted! We have some cows, chickens, and pigs, but I don’t do much with those. In my “spare” time I sew (you can see my projects on <a href="http://www.workingwitheagerhands.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">my sewing blog</a>), write eBooks, and Google everything. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: When did you accept Christ as your personal Savior?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>Well, I've grown up in a Christian home, so that’s kind of hard to say. My faith tends to grow in little mini “episodes” in which my surroundings, circumstances, conversations, sermons, anything really, point me towards Him and show me a little more of His goodness towards me, and my undeservedness of it. The Lord uses ordinary things in drawing me to Himself, and I’m thankful. :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Why is modesty important to you? At what point in your life did it become important?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>Modesty is important to me because our God is a God of beauty, goodness, and truth. I believe He desires us to honor Him and show respect in every area of our lives, including clothing. By adorning ourselves in a way that is beautiful and doesn't cause others to stumble, it helps us to worship our God in dignity every day of our lives. </span></div>
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Modesty didn't really become important to me until I was about 13 or so when I read some articles on the topic and realized how valuable it is.</div>
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<i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: What are some of your modesty guidelines, things you do to make sure you are dressing in a modest way that is pleasing to the Lord?</b></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>I make sure my shirts aren't too tight or too low (I personally allow a palm’s length between top of shirt and collar bone, but many people’s standard is three fingers), and my skirts or shorts reach my knee. Other than that, I just try to dress in a way that is not attention-drawing or trashy. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: How long have you been sewing your own clothes?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>I've been sewing for 6 years, but it’s only been the last 3 or so that I've really been able to supplement my wardrobe with custom pieces.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE ::</b> <b>What would you say to someone that would suggest that it’s nearly impossible to be both stylish and modest at the same time?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>Not true! ;) I believe that authentic beauty is God-honoring right alongside modesty. There are ways of flattering your figure without showing it off, and ways of covering up that don’t involve potato sacks. Something I say on my website is that my goal is to encourage others in the quest to be "Cute, but covered. Stylish, but sensible! Contemporary, but classic! Feminine, but fresh!" :D</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Aside from sewing your clothes, are there any stores where you occasionally purchase clothing from? </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA ::</i></b> Thrift stores! I love those, and actually, most of my clothes are thrift store alterations. Take in the sides here, chop off the bottom there, replace the elastic over there—I love the ability to buy more for less. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I also love the regular department stores like Sears, Macy’s, JCPenny’s, Kohl’s… ya know. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE ::</b> <b>Do you prefer skirts or pants? Necklaces or bracelets?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>Definitely prefer skirts, although some days are just “pants days”, if you know what I mean. I wear skirts probably 80% of the time. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I prefer necklaces over bracelets because the latter always seems to be getting in the way as I wear them. :P I love the look of bracelets though and wish I wore more of them. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE ::</b> <b>What are some of your favorite clothing/accessory pieces you either own or like in general?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>I love my floor-length denim skirt. It’s effortless to wear and style. Huge gold hoop earrings are also a favorite. They can give sophisticated whimsy to any outfit. It’s hard to decide my favorites- I have too many! ;) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>REFLECTIONS OF GRACE ::</b> <b>Has the Lord been teaching you anything concerning sewing/modesty lately that you’d like to share in closing?</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>MISS OLIVIA :: </i></b>Modesty is a heart issue, not a hemline issue. Doing it for the wrong reasons, judging less-clothed people, complaining—such things will come across like a great big grease stain on the front of your favorite shirt. Do everything as unto the Lord! :) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Thanks so much for interviewing me, Bethany & Johanna! May the Lord bless your ministry!</span></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-25618481581124380692012-07-20T06:25:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:33:09.471-08:00Recipes // Oreo Love<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Who doesn't like Oreo's? I mean, really? With the combination of chocolate yumminess with creamy delight, this dessert is sure to be a true treat! Today I'm going to be sharing some yummy Oreo recipes that I've found off Pinterest. I didn't realize how many Oreo recipes I had on my Pinterest account, but as I was looking through my recipe board, looking for recipes to share today, I realized how many Oreo recipes I had pinned so I decided to share them with you today! Enjoy! {If you'd like to re-pin these recipes to your own Pinterest pin board you can find them <a href="http://pinterest.com/missbethanya/yummy/" target="_blank">HERE</a> along with my other recipes in my recipe board}!</div>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/MissBethanyA" target="_blank">Bethany</a></div>
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<img alt="Oreo_Stuffed_Chocolate_Chip_Cookies_blog.jpg" src="http://worldofwonder.net/2011/03/24/325bd931_620.jpg" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1793434458"></span><span id="goog_1793434459"></span><a href="http://worldofwonder.net/2011/03/24/Inception_cookie/" target="_blank">Cookie Inside A Cookie</a></b></i></span></div>
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<img src="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/assets/recipe_images/Cookies_n_Cream_Freeze.jpg" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cookies-cream-freeze-106570.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20120710-_-1105&cm_lm=8BFA91731B7564250CA59A58766866B3" target="_blank">Cookies 'N Cream Freeze</a></i></b></span></div>
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<img alt="Easy Homemade Oreo Ice Cream" src="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/191895634093033592_TPYnAoNv_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/easy_homemade_oreo_ice_cream/" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Paula Deen's Oreo Ice Cream</span></b></i></a></div>
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<img alt="Oreo Mud Pie" src="http://media-cache-ec1.pinterest.com/upload/280912095477005697_4zndjBWQ_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-mud-pie-53049.aspx?tab=recipe" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Oreo Mud Pie</span></b></i></a></div>
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<img alt="Cookies & Cream cookies" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/274719645989105387_30dTdtFW_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://www.ericasweettooth.com/2011/08/cookies-and-cream-cookies.html" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cookies 'N Cream Cookies</span></b></i></a></div>
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<img alt="Death By Oreo Cupcakes" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinterest.com/upload/256705247479762299_EB9WMLgM_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Death-By-Oreo-Cupcakes/" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Oreo Cupcakes</span></b></i></a></div>
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<img alt="Oreo "Blizzard"" src="http://media-cache-ec9.pinterest.com/upload/15551561183338544_cCbXMcoW_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://nashplateful.blogspot.com/2012/03/oreo-blizzard-decadent-treat-to-welcome.html" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Homemade Oreo Blizzard</span></i></b></a></div>
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<img alt="Cookies and Cream Popcorn" src="http://media-cache-ec1.pinterest.com/upload/122089839868683598_OuNLrWQl_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://foodgawker.com/post/2012/05/16/165130/" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cookies 'N Cream Popcorn</span></b></i></a></div>
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<img alt="Cookies and Cream Breakaway ~ A 20 minute, 2 ingredient, sweet and simple dessert filled with Oreo goodness." src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/110760472055354560_9RjvXaK9_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://www.bakersroyale.com/fast-and-easy/cookies-and-cream-oreo-bark/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Cookies 'N Cream Oreo Bark</span></i></b></a></div>
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<img alt="Mini Oreo Cheescakes by sprinklecharms: Perfect! #Oreo_Cheesecakes #Mini #sprinklecharms" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/2814818487338116_7dMQHIQV_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://sprinklecharms.blogspot.com/2012/02/mini-oreo-cheescakes.html" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Mini Oreo <span style="background-color: white;">Cheesecakes</span></span></i></b></a></div>
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<img alt="Oreo Truffles" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/32932640994661070_YlcvC8L3_f.jpg" />
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<a href="http://twopeasblog.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/oreo-truffles/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Oreo Truffles</span></i></b></a></div>
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<img alt="Oreo Cheesecake Bites? Yes, please! Totally trying this SOON." src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinterest.com/upload/183873597255855351_Us6sLYNX_f.jpg" />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/08/oreo-cheesecake-bites.html" target="_blank">Oreo Cheesecake Bites</a></span></i></b><br />
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<img alt="Classic Oreo Icebox Dessert" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/75013150014084256_Vbj0yI04_f.jpg" />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thekitchenismyplayground.blogspot.com/2012/07/classic-oreo-icebox-dessert.html" target="_blank">Classic Oreo Icebox Dessert </a></span></i></b><br />
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<img alt="Oreo Fluff!" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec7.pinterest.com/upload/60587557457524231_GOp2pM0W_f.jpg" width="425" />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><a href="http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/06/oreo-fluff/" target="_blank">Oreo Fluff</a></i></b></span></div>
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<b><i>{As always, please use discretion when visiting these links. Thanks and have fun!}</i></b></div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-31584381783401193562012-07-16T06:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:34:03.339-08:00July Movie Review | The Amazing Spiderman<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec8.pinterest.com/upload/228417012321287525_K04RaJMD_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec8.pinterest.com/upload/228417012321287525_K04RaJMD_f.jpg" width="342" /></a><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Amazing Spiderman</b></u></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">{In-depth review by Johanna}</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Rating :: </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">PG-13</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Directed By ::</i></b> Marc Webb</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Genre ::</i> Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">In Theaters :: </i>July 3, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">{The Storyline} </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><u style="font-style: italic;">The Amazing Spiderman</u> is the story of Peter Parker, a teenager who is both a high-school outcast and was, for mysterious and unknown reasons, abandoned by his parents when he was just a little boy. While living with his Aunt and Uncle, Peter does his best to not only fit in, but more importantly find out who he truly is and who is parents were.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Upon finding a seemingly forgotten brief-case containing old files from his missing dad he suddenly finds a key that just might help him unravel the mystery. Peter soon finds himself in the Oscorp science lab where he not only meets Dr. Curt Connors -- a former partner of his dad's -- but also encounters a strange science exhibit.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Upon sneaking into an off-limits room at the lab, Peter beholds many delicate webs being woven by hundreds of spiders. With one touch, his life changes in an instant, as a spider bites him. By the time he reaches home from the lab, he realizes that something has drastically changed -- but what is it? Within no time at all, he realizes that he has just done what Dr. Curt Connors has been trying to do for his entire life -- find a way to cross the genetics of both humans and animals, in order to embody humans with more abilities. Peter not only finds that he now is as flexible and quick as a spider, but also that he has the ability to weave webs.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> And oh, what a tangled web the plot begins to weave.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> The story takes off as Peter begins to realize what good he can do with his super-powers, and tries to help in catching common criminals. However, it would seem that Peter is destined to face far worse when he is suddenly thrust in the face of danger, and collides with a greater foe than any he had dealt with before. He finds himself forced into making life-changing choices as he seeks to save the world from the very thing which he helped create.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">{The Characters}</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">Peter Parker/Spider-Man: </span><span class="line" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">We all have secrets: the ones we keep... and the ones that are kept from us.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><i> </i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Played by Andrew Garfield, Peter is a young man searching desperately for his purpose in life. Ever since his parents' disappearance when he was a small child, he has always had a cloud of uncertainly overshadow his life. Yet, when his life takes an abrupt turn with the small bite of a spider, and Peter is made to take dangerous measures in order to save humanity, he prepares himself to become the hero that he knows he is destined to be ... no matter the costs. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Gwen Stacy: </b>You're a wanted man, Peter Parker.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Emma Stone played Gwen Stacy; the bright, fun, and beautiful seven-teen year-old girl who attends the same high-school as Peter. As Gwen observes Peter time and time again do the right thing, she begins to find an admiration for the seemingly odd and at times nerdy boy. But before long, she finds that her feelings for him greatly exceeds those of mere admiration...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://content6.flixster.com/rtmovie/85/14/85144_gal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://content6.flixster.com/rtmovie/85/14/85144_gal.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">Dr. Curt Connors: </span><span class="line" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">There's rumor of a new species in New York. <br />It can be aggressive, if threatened...</span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> Dr. Curt Connors is played by </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Rhys Ifans. Dr. Connors is one of the leading scientific minds at work within the Oscorp science lab. With a missing limb giving him daily motivation, he has spent his entire life in the hopes of someday being able to discover the greatest scientific discovery of all time. Yet, as time ticks by, his hunger for this discovery drives him to make a radical, and dangerous move.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://content9.flixster.com/rtmovie/85/14/85143_gal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://content9.flixster.com/rtmovie/85/14/85143_gal.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Captain Stacy: </span><span class="line" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This guy wears a mask, like an outlaw.</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Peter Parker/Spider-Man: </span><span class="line" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I think he's trying to do something the police can't...</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Captain Stacy: </span><span class="line" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Can't?</span></span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">Played by Denis Leary, Captain Stacy is Gwen's father. Not only has he been an esteemed police officer for the past twenty years, but he also is as determined as ever, especially when it comes to finding out who this "masked spiderman" is. Although seemingly stern, Gwen's father wants nothing more than to ensure his families safety -- especially Gwen's, his only daughter -- no matter what. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.actionfigureuniverse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/The-Amazing-Spider-Man-2012/WAFU-Amazing-Spider-Man-2012-Aunt-May-Uncle-Ben.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://www.actionfigureuniverse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/The-Amazing-Spider-Man-2012/WAFU-Amazing-Spider-Man-2012-Aunt-May-Uncle-Ben.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Aunt May:</b><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Secrets have a cost. They're not free. Not now, not ever.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> Uncle Ben, played by </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Martin Sheen, </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Aunt May, played by </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Sally Field, are Peter's kind and loving caretakers, who took him in when his parents mysteriously disappeared. Acting as substitute parents for him, Peter's Aunt and Uncle never stop in encouraging him to do the right thing, no matter how hard it can be sometimes, and are always there for him when he needs their love and support most. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">{My Thoughts}</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-- no spoilers included -- </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> A few days ago, my bro's asked if I would come and see the new Marvel super-hero movie that had just come out three days before. Needless to say, although I didn't think that I would be the biggest fan of the movie, I </span><span style="background-color: white;">hopped in the car with them, knowing that we would have a good time no matter what we saw. And we were off to see <u>The Amazing Spiderman</u> together. Just the three of us</span><span style="background-color: white;">. And...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> Oh. My. </span><i style="background-color: white;">Goodness</i><span style="background-color: white;">.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">{w</span><span style="background-color: white;">as I in for a surprise}</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">Dr. Curt Connors: </span><span class="line" style="border: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">If you want the truth, Peter, come and get it!</span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> Full of suspense, intrigue, action, and romance, </span><u style="background-color: white;">The Amazing Spider</u><span style="background-color: white;"> man far exceeded my low expectations and ended up being a truly </span><i style="background-color: white;">amazing </i><span style="background-color: white;">movie.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Peter Parker was, in my eyes, the perfect super-hero; merely because he was </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">imperfect</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">. So many times Hollywood tries to make there </span>heroes<span style="font-family: inherit;"> out to be the perfect men and women. Without flaw. Without tarnish. Without struggles. Yet, while Peter is cute, smart, romantic, fun, and talented, he is not perfect; and I loved how I could relate to that. He struggles with being bullied at his school, he is wanting desperately to know why his parents left him when he was a child, he tries to dissuade waves of depression, does his utmost to be his true-self, wrestles with wanting revenge, and does his best to fulfill his duties. And he fails many times. But that never stopped him from trying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> I loved how, once he had "spider-like" abilities, he didn't all of a sudden become this hero. He still retained normality. And he still had struggles to deal with. As the plot draws on, it was inspiring to watch Peter slowly becoming a </span><i style="background-color: white;">true </i><span style="background-color: white;">hero. Not because he caught common criminals -- even though he did; or saved the world from atrocity -- although he might have *smile*; but because he first worked on conquering his own weaknesses, and tried to do the right thing. Even if it cost him his life. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Peter never wanted to become a super-hero, either. He was just a normal teenager who unintentionally walked into a hero's destiny. He never sought to be the greatest; the strongest; the best; the most miraculous. But that only furthered his attractiveness, for me. His humility and strong character is what <i>truly </i>made him the hero in the end. Even when he became more than a normal person, he didn't brandish his powers for the world to see. Instead, he stood quietly by as those around him would talk about "the amazing spiderman." </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://content8.flixster.com/rtmovie/85/14/85146_gal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://content8.flixster.com/rtmovie/85/14/85146_gal.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gwen Stacy: </span><span class="line" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Easy... bugboy.</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="bold quote_actor" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Peter Parker/Spider-Man: </span><span class="line" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What did you just call me?</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Gwen Stacy was perfect for Peter. Again, I was pleased with how Hollywood didn't use the stereotype of girlfriend who never stops flirting, only loves him because he's a "super-hero", is selfish, and always seduces the guy into crossing the line. Instead, Gwen displayed the exact opposite. Her character is strong, kind, gentle, selfless, and simply beautiful. She loved Peter for who he was, and never failed in sustaining and supporting him when he needed it most. She is constant in showing selflessness, and plays the part of a </span>heroine<span style="font-family: inherit;"> many times throughout the story. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">And, for the record, I was e</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">xtremely </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">pleased with her modesty. Although her skirts ran on the shorter side, I never found her appearance to be flaunting or flirty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I have to say, the romance was <i>superb. </i>Stunned would be my reaction when I found that, again, Hollywood chose not to take this too far. It was simply sweet. Romantic. Beautiful. Pure. I love how you can clearly, <i>clearly </i>see how much they love each other without having to take the camera into bed. As promised, I won't spoil the romance plot, but I will say this; the romance between Peter and Gwen (which is but a side-plot) I found to be better than a few <i>entire movies </i>based solely on a romance. It was perfectly done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I also found the main-plot to be very intriguing. Even though I am not one for science, the storyline captivated me from the very start, and didn't let go until the end-credits disapeared. What I loved about it most was that it wasn't the "fake" type of super-hero plot, where he has powers just because. Instead, everything that happens to Peter is due to science, genetics, etc. Although </span>sophisticated<span style="font-family: inherit;">, not to mention the fact I was clueless as to what Spiderman was all about before I saw this film, the plot never once confused me. And, for the record, I can't say there was ever a single slow part. In short, it was quite the thriller. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Now, I will say that the sequences of action were extremely intense; and once Peter acquires his powers there are many sequences of action. Although it wasn't overly-violent, I felt this definitely caused the film to exclude the younger audience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> With only an </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">extremely </i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">minimum amount of language (I caught maybe one or two words), and one scene where you briefly see a woman in a bra, I found </span><u style="font-family: inherit;">The Amazing Spiderman</u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to not only be an extremely clean movie, but also a exceptionally well-done film. In fact, </span>although<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I never dreamed I would, </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">I <b>loved </b>it</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The characters were amazing. The plot was </span>phenomenal<span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>My Personal Rating...</b></i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Recommended</i></b></span><b><i> for ages 14+</i></b></span></div>
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Johannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874783594267451562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-89617976568589528472012-07-12T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:34:48.632-08:00True Love Never Fails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Written By Miss Bethany}</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>:: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 ::</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec7.pinterest.com/upload/147915168980930282_HY3QvZa0_f.jpg" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://media-cache-ec7.pinterest.com/upload/147915168980930282_HY3QvZa0_f.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">What is love? Is it a mere four letters arranged to make a word to express feelings or is it more than that? Is it found in the shape of a heart, all red and glowing, or does it come by another shape of another kind? Is it a feeling you receive when you find that special someone or is it the feeling you release once you've found that person? What is the ultimate love? Were does it come from? While many believe that love is a fluffy feeling or starkly symbol, I find true love to go farther than that.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Love is so much more than just a 4-letter word or a feeling we get. We see in 1 Corinthians 13 what True Love is, how it acts, how you can tell it apart from the others. Some may argue that love is a feeling or a shape, but when you ask me what I believe love to be I will tell you simply what love is: JESUS! So, put simply, love=Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">When you look at the details of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 you will see a picture formed of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Think about it, Jesus gave Himself for us on the cross, but He didn't have to do it with love. If you were sacrificing yourself, dying a terrible, horrid, painful death, do you think you could do it while loving those who inflicted you? What would Jesus have profited if He gave Himself, but without love? What worth would it have brought? Can you imagine retelling the story of Jesus death, but were you would portray the love He showed, you instead said that He despised and rejected the men who crucified Him, just as any normal human would? How much love did it take to overcome the hate for those that nailed Him to a cross? Is there any greater form of love?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Love is patient,</i></b> If anyone was patient, Jesus was. He constantly had people begging Him to heal them or their loved ones, and instead of blowing up at the huge crowd and telling him that He had already healed too many people, He looked into their eyes with genuine love and healed them all. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Love is kind. </i></b>Jesus was certainly kind. He always had a passion for serving others, He never rejected anyone but helped His arms open for them no hatter what their past was. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.</i></b> Jesus was never proud although He had every right and reason to. He is the King of the world, He made everything...yet He was humble enough to be born in a stable and lie in a manger instead of being born in a royal spacious palace. He was humble enough to die on the cross for our sins instead of choosing not to do so because He didn't want to go through the pain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>It does not dishonor others,</i></b> Jesus never dishonored others. All the times He forgave those who had committed grusome crimes and were filthy with sin, He had compassion on them. Instead of going around spreading gossip about the latest "sinner" He treated them with love they did not deserve.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>It is not self-seeking, </i></b>Jesus was never self-seeking. He was always thinking of others above Himself. He had no home, no food, no provisions yet He entrusted Himself to the Father to provide. He forsook the normal King routine of living in a big palace and instead slept outside on the ground. All so He could share the love to others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>It is not easily angered,</i></b> Jesus did not get angry very often, and when He did it was for good reason. He didn't get angry at every little inconvenience but instead made it work without complaining. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>It keeps no record of wrongs.</i></b> Jesus had all the reason in the world to keep record of our wrong doings. But instead He forgives them! What peace!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.</i></b> Doesn't this display Jesus' attitude perfectly?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">You know the sad thing about this? So many have not heard of the True Love. They have a gap in their heart that can only be filled by the True Love, yet the try in desperation to fill it with temporal love. Only to find that it wasn't what they are seeking. They don't know about the True Love, Jesus or His greatest act of Love. So our mission is to tell them. We have had the greatest Love lavished on us, so we should go and reflect that light to others.</span></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-29003197946761691322012-07-08T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:35:32.680-08:00July Book Reviews<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Anne of Green Gables Series</span></b></i><br />
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/0/09416/main/09416_1_exc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Anne of Green Gables Series 8-Volume Boxed Set" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/0/09416/main/09416_1_exc_dp.jpg" width="357" /></a><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">By L. M. Montgomery</span></b></i></div>
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<i><b>{Review by Bethany Ann}</b></i></div>
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In this month's book review and probably upcoming review posts, I will be reviewing <i>The Anne of Green Gables Series</i> which I've recently had the delight and pleasure of reading. Due to the large quanity of books in the series {There are 8 in all :)} I probably won't be able to review them all in one month since I more than likely won't be able to read them all in such a short time frame. :) So be looking for the continuing review in the upcoming review posts! :) <br />
I had been wanting to read this delightful series for some time, and since we owned them all I thought I should take the time this summer to start them! Since there are so many books in the series, I won't be able to go as in-depth as far as my reviews go as I normally do, however if you have any questions that weren't answered in the review please let me know! I hope you'll enjoy the reviews!<br />
~Bethany<br />
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/1/153277/main/153277_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anne of Green Gables Novels #1: Anne of Green Gables" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/1/153277/main/153277_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="252" /></a><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Anne of Green Gables {Book #1}</span></i></b><br />
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<b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> Random House, Inc.<br />
<b><i> Source ::</i></b> Purchased at a garage sale<br />
<b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 1986<br />
<b><i> My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>For girls 8+<br />
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<i>Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert have decided to adopt an orphan. They want a nice sturdy boy to help Matthew with the farm chores. The orphanage sends a girl instead - a mischievous, talkative redhead who the Cuthberts are sure will be no use at all. But as soon as Anne arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she knows she wants to stay forever. And the longer Anne stays, the harder it is for anyone to imagine Green Gables without her. {Description Taken From ChrsitianBook.com}</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">This is the first book in the Anne Series. It all starts with Anne, and orphaned girl who comes to live with the Cuthberts. This book is about her first years at "Green Gables" and her adventures with friends and family. I was simply charmed from the first page and instantly fell in love with Anne. I'd previously read this book a couple years ago but never finished the series. From that first impression years ago, I first though that the book would be overly wordy with so many descriptive words, that I'd get bored with the story. :) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><a name='more'></a>Sometimes if a book is so descriptive with the smallest of details I seem to loose interest in the story line easily, but this wasn't the case with this book! I loved how descriptive Anne is, how she makes everything seem brighter whether it be by re-naming lakes and other places or wether it be adding a smile or wonderful comment to the most boring of sentences. Overall I loved this book. There wasn't any questionable comment and even though the recommended ages are 8-12, I really enjoyed them even though I'm a bit older. :) I really don't think that there is an age were Anne of Green Gables becomes boring or uninteresting. :)</span><br />
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<b><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Anne of Avonlea {Book #2}</span></i></b><br />
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<b><i>Publisher :: </i></b>Random House, Inc.<br />
<b><i> Source :: </i></b>Purchased at a garage sale<br />
<b><i>Publication Date :: </i></b>1981<br />
<b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><i>Age Recommendation ::</i></b> For girls 10+<br />
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<i>At sixteen, Anne is grown up...almost. Her gray eyes shine like the evening stars, but her red hair is still as peppery as her temper. In the years since she arrived at Green Gables as a freckle-faced orphan, she has earned the love of the people of Avonlea and a reputation for getting into scrapes. But when Anne begins her job as the new schoolteacher, the real test of her character begins. Along with teaching the three Rs, she is learning how complicated life can be when she meddles in someone else's romance, finds two new orphans at Green Gables, and wonders about the strange behavior of the very handsome Gilbert Blythe. As Anne enters womanhood, her adventures touch the heart and the funny bone. {Description Taken From ChrsitianBook.com}</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Once I finished the first Anne book, I was eager to continue the story in the second novel. I really enjoyed seeing how Anne grew and also enjoyed the new characters that were introduced in the second book. This novel had lots of adventure and excitement just as all the other books and I greatly enjoyed it! One thing I liked about the comparison to the movie and actual book is that whether you read the book first or see the movie first, both ways you don't have to be worried about any spoiling. I'd seen the movie before I read the book, so I was wondering if I'd be interested in the book since I'd already seen the movie and knew the plot and scenes. I wanted it to keep me guessing and it did! However I was very pleased to find that even though the movie was very similar to the book, they still left certain things out or slightly adapted certain parts so that you are still able to guess at what will happen next without having seen the movie spoiling that. I didn't really find any questionable content and would definitely recommend it!</span></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/213172/main/213172_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anne of Green Gables Novels #3: Anne of the Island" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/213172/main/213172_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="241" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"></span><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Anne of The Island {Book #3}</span></b></i><br />
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<b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> Random House, Inc.<br />
<b><i>Source :: </i></b>Purchased at a garage sale<br />
<b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 1981<br />
<b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>For girls 12+<br />
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<i>New adventures lie ahead as Anne Shirley packs her bags, waves goodbye to childhood, and heads for Redmond College. With her old friend Prissy Grant waiting in the bustling city of Kingsport and her frivolous new friend Philippa Gordon at her side. Anne tucks away her memories of rural Avonlea and discovers life on her own terms, filled with surprises... including a marriage proposal from the worst fellow imaginable, the sale of her very first story, and a tragedy that teaches her a painful lesson. But tears turn to laughter when Anne and her friends move into an old cottage and an ornery black cat steals her heart. Little does Anne know that handsome Gilbert Blythe wants to win her heart, too. Suddenly Anne must decide if she's ready for love. {Description Taken From ChrsitianBook.com}</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">I really enjoyed this third novel in the Anne series. However it's more for an older audience since in this book, the romance really begins to form. In this book Anne had 5 marriage proposals...so there was to some extent more romance than the previous books which had hardly any romance. Even though romance was introduced in this book, there wasn't anything questionable, there was only one short kiss at the end...but I won't spoil it for you even though you probably know what I'm talking about if you've seen the movies and know who she ends up marrying. ;) I really enjoyed this book!</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Anne of Windy Poplars {Book #4}</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>Publisher :: </i></b>Random House, Inc.</div>
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<b><i>Source :: </i></b>Purchased at a garage sale</div>
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<b><i>Publication Date :: </i></b>1984</div>
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<b><i>My Rating :: </i></b>5 out of 5 stars</div>
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<b><i>Age Recommendation ::</i></b> For girls 10+</div>
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<i>Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life away from Green Gables. Now she faces a new challenge: the Pringles. They're known as the royal family of Summerside--and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty--and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Drew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles is only the first of her great triumphs. {Description Taken From ChrsitianBook.com}</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This book in the Anne series was mostly made up of parts of Anne's letters to Gilbert as she was teaching school away from Gilbert who was studying to be a doctor for 3 years. Since half of it was all letters, I thought I'd loose interest but to my surprise I didn't! I have several pen-pals and reading Anne's descriptive letters gave me some ideas on how I can improve my letters. I really enjoyed the book! I loved how Anne helped many people in this book and I loved all the adventures she had! I'd definitely recommend this book!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Look for August's book reviews next month to see the remaining reviews for the rest of the books in the series!</span></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/9/951607/main/951607_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/9/951607/main/951607_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Beyond Belief</span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">By Josh Hamilton </span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">with Tim Keown </span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>{Review By Bethany} </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publisher ::</i></b> FaithWords</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>Library</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b> 2010</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><b>My Rating ::</b></i> 4 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Age Recommendation ::</i></b> 15+</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>In 1999, Josh Hamilton was on the verge of phenomenal success. He had been signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was offered a $3.96 million signing bonus at the age of eighteen. However in 2001, following a major car accident, he began experimenting with drugs. From that time on, addiction overtook his life and he fell into a downward spiral of drug and alcohol use that lasted for four years, and resulted in his suspension from baseball. </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i>But that wasn't the end of the story for Josh. In October of 2005 he hit rock bottom and called out to God for help. With God's grace, and an intervention of tough love from his grandmother, Hamilton has been sober since 2005. He worked his way back into Major League Baseball, and has played for the Texas Rangers since 2008. This paperback edition ofBeyond Belief has been revised to include recent updates on Josh's recovery. Read this compelling story of redemption and see for yourself God's power to save. {Description Taken From ChrsitianBook.com}</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Our family loves baseball and being that we live in TX, our favorite team is the TX Rangers. Of the whole team one of our top favorite players is Josh Hamilton who has an incredible salvation testimony of how God helped Josh go from a drug addict headed for hell to a Christian baseball player with a vision for the future. When I saw this book at the library, I was very excited to be able to read it. I knew Josh's story roughly, but found it a blessing to read it in depth in his book. This book, though focused on a baseball player, had a lot to do with overcoming the temptations of the devil, which Josh had to do daily once he got off of drugs. In reading his story and struggles, it encouraged me to keep up the good fight in my own battles against Satan's temptations. Whether the temptations you are facing are big or little, you will be encouraged to not let the temptation win when reading this book. Even if you aren't interested in baseball, if you are looking for a book to encourage you if you are going through a spiritually challenging time were you feel as if you can't hold against the devil any longer, read this book! Aside form the encouragement, this book was also very interesting and kept my attention, keeping me in suspense! The reason why I wasn't able to give this book 5 stars is because 5-8 times there was a bit of language, however the book was still very good.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i>The Nazi Officer's Wife</i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Edith Hahn Beer </span></i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">with Susan Dwarkin</span></i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><i>{Review By Johanna}</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publisher :: </i></b>William Morrow Paperbacks</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Source :: </i></b>ABE.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Publication Date ::</i></b>1999</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>My Rating ::</i></b> 3 out of 5 stars</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>15+</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Overview :: </i></b>For quite a while now, I have found a fascination with the World War II era, and all that went on in the world around that time. Naturally, with my love of reading, I went on the hunt for a few Holocaust memoirs, and I came across The Nazi Officer's Wife; the story of a young Jewish woman and her survival during this brutal time in history.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Edith was born into a middle-class Jewish family living in Austria. She was popular, pretty, and was a successful law student who had big dreams for the future. However, as the Nazi's begin invading Austria, those dreams seamed to collapse and shatter. Within little time, Edith's life completely changed from being a citizen with respect, to a hunted-down victim of the Holocaust. After months of fleeing, she was caught and deported to a labor camp, located in Germany. After many months of backbreaking work Edith manages to escape with her life and, with the help of a dear friend, assumes a new identity. From here on out, Edith's life is no more than a game of the wits, and she finds herself living in constant fear that her secret will be found out. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Pros :: </i></b>Without sensationalizing the horrors, the author provided me with the stark facts of the Holocaust and allowed me to truly understand what life was like for the victims of Hitlers attempted genocide. I wanted a holocaust memoir that would relate to me the details of living during this time; and I had found it. This book is a wonderful read for those who are hungry to learn more about what it was like during World War II for those who were Jewish. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Cons :: </i></b>Throughout the pages, Edith describes each and every detail of her life, leaving nothing unanswered. Although this is often a pro, it several times ended up being a con. Edith's story includes a few sex scenes, and following suit with the rest of the story, she leaves out no details. Although I didn't find them to be bad enough where I would put the book down, I did feel as if they were overly detailed and inappropriate. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">In addition to this, there were more than half-a-dozen profane words; mostly used when she recorded Nazi dialog. Although I believe that this language was most likely used by the persecutors of the Jews, it may not have been necessary to record it word for word. Although, I can see that the author was attempting to realistically relate each and every aspect of the Holocaust; the good, and the bad. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Final Thoughts :: </i></b>From reading Edith's account of the Holocaust, I was truly able to understand what it would have been like to be the victim of this era. Although at times, the details made the book a bit slow, at other times it completely fascinated me to get such a detailed account. Walking away from this book, I felt as if I knew much more about this time period. However, due to the few instances of inappropriate content, as well as a few slow parts of the book, I am only giving this book three out of five stars.</span></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-9173391367496838672012-07-05T19:00:00.001-07:002013-02-20T08:36:10.338-08:00Craft Tutorials | Pinterest FindsSummer is a wonderful time to replace the textbooks back to the shelf, and once again pull out your beloved crafting supplies. Especially with a cup of icy lemonade and a plate of fresh strawberries. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">*smile*</span> Recently, I have found many creative ideas on Pinterest.com which I would love to try someday. Today, I'll just share a few ...<br />
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happy crafting,<br />
>> miss Johanna<br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.lemonjitters.com/2011/09/diy-hair-comb.html" target="_blank">Embroidery Floss Hair Comb</a></span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://imaginegnats.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-241-tote.html" target="_blank">Extra Cute Tote</a></span></em></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSesN0_NmBpeeL7k-NrbOsdFkdWsXb2PS1Icte8JdC5lpBxL8EkMR7c7CWIzx_lqhInx5LFadYYWfkMXTvxlN8sO-La-ykzkRmsRR7N4pcO3ZgovrA0_DRhR33uksPqZlg4aEAeJVm8Ks/s1600/five.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSesN0_NmBpeeL7k-NrbOsdFkdWsXb2PS1Icte8JdC5lpBxL8EkMR7c7CWIzx_lqhInx5LFadYYWfkMXTvxlN8sO-La-ykzkRmsRR7N4pcO3ZgovrA0_DRhR33uksPqZlg4aEAeJVm8Ks/s640/five.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://turtlesandtails.blogspot.com/2011/11/pinecone-map-ornament.html" target="_blank"> Map Ornament</a></span></em></strong></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://mrspriss.com/2010/04/12/tutorial-springy-rings/" target="_blank">Poppy Ring</a></span></strong></em></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">{As always, use discretion when visiting the above links.}</span></div>
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Johannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874783594267451562noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-70689846415730657692012-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:38:25.738-08:00Giveaway Winners + Inspirational Music Videos<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Greetings ladies! </i></b></span>Today is the day you all have probably been waiting for-the day we announce our giveaway winners! Before sharing the winners names we would like to thank our lovely sponsors once again and thank you for being such a wonderful bunch of followers! We are so glad for those of you who took the challenge to pray! Together, with all the total entries for all the giveaways we prayed together over 26 hours! We hope and pray that this challenge has blessed you! So now, on to our winners! :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the lolli-pop earrings sponsored by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Emariecreations" target="_blank">Emarie Creations</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Rachel F!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the flexi-clip sponsored by <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/imperfecthousewife" target="_blank">Gail of Lilla Rose</a>: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Jenny!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the bar of soap sponsored by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleGoatSoaps" target="_blank">Little Goat Natural Soaps</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Kati!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the butterfly bookmarks sponsored by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlossomandTwig" target="_blank">Blossom & Twig</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Vanessa!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the jar of whipped soap sponsored by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FairyBubbles" target="_blank">Fairy Bubbles</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Melissa M!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the $15 shop credit to <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/barberryandlace" target="_blank">Barberry & Lace</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Hannah M!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the rose necklace sponsored by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadebyLinLin" target="_blank">Made By Lin Lin</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Marjo!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the ring sponsored by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/BrittanyChavers" target="_blank">Brittany Chavers</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Jessie!!!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Winner of the e-book <a href="http://www.freshmodesty.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Modesty</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Stephanie!!!</i></b></span></div>
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Congratulations to our winners! We have already emailed you with details on redeeming your prize, so please check your inbox! Thanks to everyone that entered and to our wonderful sponsors! Have a blessed day!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~</i></b></span></div>
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The other day I realized it's been awhile since I shared some inspiration music videos, and I'd seen several good ones so I thought I'd share! I hope they bless you just as much as they did for me! ~Bethany</div>
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This song has really blessed me and made me think. This band of made of two boys who are Rebecca St. Jame's brothers!</div>
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I also love this song...they lyrics are wonderful! </div>
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Here is another video by the same group as the one above...I also love this song of theirs!</div>
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This song by Casting Crowns is a very inspirational one that gets you thinking!</div>
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Here is another by Casting Crowns...</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-26775260921448395082012-06-28T10:16:00.002-07:002013-02-20T08:38:59.151-08:00We Are Made Worthy<div style="text-align: justify;">
As the month of June slipped by into the vast sea of my past, I thought of what I would write for our readers today. Each and every day, I spent a portion of time thinking on what would be most inspiring to share with others, yet felt completely uninspired myself as to what. I seemed unable to frame a life lesson, while at the same time, I knew that I was learning a myriad each and everyday. </div>
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When I look back at the time I have spent in ministering here on this site, I realize something. I can see through each and every facet of my ministering to others that I have eagerly focused on the topics which I succeed at. It is so easy to minister to someone in an area that you are nearly perfect at yourself. But, what about when others need strengthening in areas that I myself need to perfect. What then? I find that my tendancy is to either hide in a dark corner, and pretend I am not there, or turn the subject to something I am comfortable with.</div>
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You see, I felt unworthy. How could I possibly hold someone accountable to Bible memorization, when I myself was so weak in this area? Why should I try to minister to others on the issue of sibling relationships, when I stumble often in this very facet of life? Do I have the right to encourage others to spend time in the word daily, when I more than occasionally miss my devotions? How can I encourage those who are suffering a loss, when I myself have never been tested so deeply? Should I be telling others how to live as a godly woman should, when I myself fail so many times to uphold these standards? For so long, these questions prevailed in stopping me from sharing the truth. I can see now that it was a tactic used by the devil. A deadly one. <a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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Our failing is <i><b>never </b></i>an excuse to stop sharing the truth. Never let your falls stop you from standing up, and helping others to stand with you. Jesus has called all of us to spread the gospel. He knows no one is perfect; and yet, His voice is always calling us to follow him. Paul persecuted Christians before he began his ministry. Mathew was a greedy tax-collector. Peter doubted Jesus at first, and denied Him three times. Yet, their mistakes didn't stop them from becoming some of the greatest apostles of all. </div>
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Don't ever let the evil one tell you that you are unworthy. Because, if you are a daughter of or son of the King, than <i><b>HE </b></i>has made you worthy! 2 Corinthians 2:3 tells us the the Lord has <i><b>made </b></i>us worthy to follow Him. Where we are broken, He has healed us. Where we stumbled, He has picked us up. Always share the truth, and He will strengthen you where you are weak. </div>
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Blessings,</div>
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--Johanna</div>
Johannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06874783594267451562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-79320616377629616382012-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:40:27.539-08:00Women & Children First {A Guest Post By Elizabeth}<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>{Here is the last of our lovely guest posts! A special thank to Miss Elizabeth of <a href="http://www.joyfuljewels4jesus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joyful Jewels 4 Jesus Blog</a> for allowing us to re-post this wonderful essay on the Titanic which she entered in the Vision Forum 2012 Essay Contest. Feel free to view the original post by click <a href="http://joyfuljewels4jesus.blogspot.com/2012/04/women-and-children-first.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>! We pray that you have been blessed by these guest posts here on Reflections of Grace and that they have been of inspiration to you. Please let us know if you'd be interested in seeing more guest posts in the future!}</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Her eyes surveyed the icy waters</i></b></span> as her hand tightly grasped the rail. Wasn’t it just last night when she was waltzing with her brother, James, on the deck of the remarkable Titanic? All seemed perfect then. And now! It was as if Katherine had awakened to discover a nightmare unfolding before her eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her brother’s strong voice calling her name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> “I’m here, James!” Katherine called back loudly amidst the frantic passengers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Coming, Katie!” James replied, using his special name for his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> James appeared on the deck, life jackets in hand. Katherine winced at the sight of them, hoping the situation wasn’t quite that serious. As if reading her thoughts, James nodded strongly and helped her into a jacket.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The two stood silently. The air was thick with unanswered questions and worry. Streams of music, provided by musicians gallantly hoping to aid the passengers, did not seem to help much at all. As Katherine’s thoughts flew to and fro, she thought back through the years. After their beloved parents had passed away, the two siblings had clung together more than ever, sharing a vision and encouraging each other. Their vision was to do the Lord’s will and building an orphanage became their focus as a wonderful way to encourage other orphans like them. Katherine took a deep sigh, thinking of how this dream could just dissolve, depending on how the evening unfolded. What if she would never see her James, surrounded by little orphans, telling a Bible story in his wonderfully dramatic way?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> A voice interrupted their silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Miss!” a young servant called a few paces away. “They’re loadin’ the life boats! You best get on one of ‘em soon!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Thank you, sir,” James said, nodding at the young boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> As the young boy scampered away, James turned to Katherine and slid his arm around her. Katherine glanced into his eyes with sadness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “What do these waters remind you of, Katie?” he asked, seeking to comfort his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Katherine paused a moment before answering feeling that sobs that could easily escape any moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Death,” she replied dryly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Well, my sister,” James continued. “Even if these waters are death for me, soon I will be with the Living Water-the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s plan is always perfect. His timing is perfect. And you know what, Katie? I just may beat you to being with our Lord in that perfect place!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Katherine grinned slightly, knowing that her older brother’s passion for Christ was infectious to all around him and even if he passed from this earth, he would do so gladly to be with the Lord Jesus. She glanced at him sideways. She was so thankful for each moment she had been able to spend with this godly, protective older brother of hers. His joyfulness, burden to share the gospel with others, and wonderful way with children, were always something she treasured...something she would dearly miss. She would forever remember his love for Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Katie, we’d best start making our way to the life boats,” James said gently as they started making their way. “As we walk, I want to share a few things with you. I have treasured each moment we have been able to spend together on this earth and if I perish, then I will rejoice in the day when we will be reunited in Heaven. Be strong, sweet Katie, and press on. Seek the Lord always and trust in Him no matter what. If it is the Lord’s will for you to marry, get wise counsel and I pray that he will be a humble man after God’s heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> As they arrived at the life boats, tears trickled down Katherine’s cheeks. She glanced at the life boat and found a sign of hope before her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “James! There’s room in the life boats!” Katherine exclaimed, searching his face for a sign of agreement. “Remember our dreams, our vision! Think of all we could accomplish...all the pleasures we could enjoy together!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Katherine,” he replied softly, gently. “I am not seeking pleasures--I’m seeking purpose. I’m seeking what our Heavenly Father wants me to do. And right now I will follow the Lord’s calling to help others in time of need...as a man of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Then let me stay.” Katherine replied firmly. “I don’t care if I perish, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “Katie, God has called me as a young man to protect and cherish and have the ladies and children go first,” James replied. “Trust me, okay dearie? I have peace that you can further our vision and remember, there is still a glimmer of hope that I may be reunited with you on this earth...if not, in heaven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Katherine’s cheeks flushed as she realized the foolishness of trying to persuade her brother to go against the Lord’s will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Those last few moments together were sweet and precious to Katherine as they bowed their heads in prayer for God’s will to be done. James handed Katherine her Bible, after folding a letter and placing it inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “This is a letter, a prayer,” James instructed. “Wait to open it until a fitting time. Katie, remember...we are weak, but He is strong.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Katherine nodded. Her face was no longer aghast with fear, but peaceful. Tears were still in the corners of her eyes, but she was trusting in Jesus. James stroked her cheek and Katherine hugged him tightly, taking one last deep look into his eyes before he helped her board the lifeboat. Katherine wrapped her shawl tighter around her and glanced back one last time at James. That final look became imprinted in her mind: James helping others and telling them about Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “My daddy’s on that boat...is he going to die?” a little girl murmured as she made her way into Katherine’s lap with fearful eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> As she comforted the little one in her servant-like arms, Katherine closed her eyes and thoughts flooded her mind of James sinking deep into the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “We are weak, but the Lord is strong...” Katherine whispered to herself, pondering some of James’ last words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The vivid pictures from that night recurred in Katherine’s mind often as she grew through the years. Not long after her rescue from the icy waters, Katherine found herself in a loving Christian home and later married a godly young man...a humble man after God’s own heart, as James had counseled her. And although James’ earthly life had ended that night, the vision placed upon him for serving the Lord lived on. The precious letter he had pressed into her hand that night included scriptural guidance as well as carefully written diagrams and program ideas for an orphanage. Katherine, with her husband, worked hard to build the orphanage and many children came to Christ through James’ vision. Promise, the little girl who had joined her on the life boat, became the adopted daughter of Katherine and her husband and a trusted helper with the orphanage. They named their newly-born eldest son James, and it was her prayer that he would grow up to be like his uncle...strong, chivalrous and a man after God’s own heart… one who placed women and children above himself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i></i></b></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"Elizabeth is a home-educated young lady who is thankful for her Savior, Jesus Christ, and it is her prayer that she would honor Him in all she does and says. She also enjoys reading and memorizing God's Word, spending time outdoors in God's Creation with her family, photography, edifying conversations, music, writing, serving the Lord, and sharing the love of Christ with others. Feel free to visit her blog <a href="http://www.joyfuljewels4jesus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joyful Jewels 4 Jesus</a>."</i></span></span></div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-35700421963414088162012-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:42:03.541-08:00Chivalry Is Not Dead {A Guest Post By Raquel}<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="text-align: center;">{Hello Ladies! Today we have another encouraging guest post for you all! A special thanks to Miss Raquel who allowed us to re-post this article that she has previously written on her blog, here today. This article was originally published on Raquel's blog <a href="http://www.god-sdaughter.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">God's Daughter</a> which you can visit by clicking <a href="http://god-sdaughter.blogspot.com/2012/03/chivalry-is-not-dead.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!}</i>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other day, a gentleman friend of mine paid me one of the greatest compliments I have ever received.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">He said: ‘You deserve recognition [as a lady]. You make me want to be a better gentleman.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now right there, were two sides to the story…and both of them were amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">To me – I felt like I had accomplished something, in being able to encourage my guy friend to hfeel the <i>need</i> to be a better gentleman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For him – he felt that his act of chivalry wouldn’t go unnoticed by me because I actually care that men act like gentlemen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My friend also went on to say how he had read one of my statuses on Facebook, which I had originally gotten from Pinterest:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">‘From that one conversation on your status, I knew that there was some truth to if women act like ladies, men will act like gentlemen.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And I know exactly what he means. I have noticed (from my point of view as a girl) that…when I act like a lady (wait for a guy to open a door for me…wait for a guy to notice that I don’t have a seat, etc.) more and more guys are prone to notice and call up their manly, chivalrous skills to assist a damsel in distress. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some guys are afraid that when they talk about being gentlemen, people may get mad at them for making women sound useless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(To quote my friend): ‘Women are NOT useless…but they aren’t men. Men are built <i>by God</i> as the one to take the lead, and to respect the lady. Plus it’s just plain Christian to be a gentleman.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I, personally, have gotten a few negative comments from people (mostly women) who freak out that I make it sound like we’re ‘so helpless’ and ‘unable to do things on our own’. When that is CLEARLY not true! Women can handle just as much as men…sometimes even more. Talk about pain? We give birth to babies, okay? Seriously. But when woman are treated with respect as the ‘weaker’ sex (only because God created the men to be LEADERS and PROTECTORS), it makes BOTH people feel good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Men</b> – because they feel like they accomplish something when helping a lady. (It touches that inner chord of ‘Gosh, I’m a pretty swell guy’ ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Women</b> – because we love to be cherished…and loved…and respected…and ‘handled with care’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My friend, Daniel, wrote a post on his blog called ‘<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://wilsonftw.blogspot.com/2012/02/being-gentle-man.html" style="color: #5b1f4e; text-decoration: none;">Being a Gentle Man</a>’</span>. I would heartily encourage you to read it! It was so refreshing to know that there are men who actually <i>notice</i>what their responsibilities are (at least, sometimes). When my friend and I were talking about gentlemanly acts of service, he said: ‘Men are required to defend. Especially the honor of a lady – even if that means just giving her your coat to keep her hair dry from the rain. It’s our unpaid and required job in life, commanded by God.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So…in closing, I’d just like to encourage <i>the girls</i> reading this that:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chivalry is NOT dead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It still exists. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even in small segments, but yet…it still lives. Let <b><i>us</i></b> try to be good examples to our brothers in Christ (and even to non-believing guys) that we love being ladies…and we love it when THEY are gentlemen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I asked my brother (Noah, the man ;) what one of the biggest things women did that encouraged him to be a gentleman. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He answered simply: ‘Show gratitude. Show appreciation. Show that you <i>want</i> us to treat you like ladies.’ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So there you have it! ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>And guys</i>…we really, really, <b><i>really</i></b> appreciate it when you show us respect and honor. Even in the smallest acts of service like opening a door for us…or the bigger things, such as helping us make a meal. Even if you <i>think</i> it goes unnoticed, it really doesn’t. Please keep chivalry alive. Because, as everyone knows, this culture is out to tear it down…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It takes a <i>real</i> woman to be a <b>lady</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And a <i>real</i> man to be a <b>gentleman</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>~*~*~*~*~*</b></i></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Miss Raquel is...</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">a lover of words, beautiful photographs, all things Western, twirly dresses, bowties, Converse, frozen yogurt, Dutch Bros. and romantic sayings. She is very spontaneous and can surprise you with pretend accents, random bursts of laughter, movie quote comebacks, and big hugs. Most importantly, she can sit and talk for hours about her First Love, Jesus Christ. He is her all in all and above all else. She blogs at <a href="http://www.god-sdaughter.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">God's Daughter</a>, where she writes about a variety of different topics. She'd love it if you stopped by sometime. Be sure to leave a note and say 'hello'!</span></i></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-18500777818354405172012-06-13T06:23:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:42:51.712-08:00Mistakes Are Like Balloons...Just Let Them Go<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>{</b></span><b style="font-size: small;">Written By Bethany}</b></div>
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/30258628716603376_ZoEe9Sjf_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img alt="Baloons" border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/30258628716603376_ZoEe9Sjf_f.jpg" width="308" /></a><span style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;">One time in our Bible study</span> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">our teacher handed around a bunch of paper slips. She told us to write down things that we weren't content with, things that brought us down and burdened us. She was specifically talking about imperfections we struggle with in our appearance, things we wish could be changed, such as our hair type, weight, body, etc. However I realize this also applies to struggles we may have, difficulties or mistakes we make. Really anything that weighs us down and shields our eyes from delighting in the Lord's </span>presence. Anything that blinds us from the joy that we should have in the Lord when we are lifting everything to Him<span style="font-family: inherit;">. They joy of a burden-free lifestyle She told us to write these things down. I thought a bit before carefully </span>writing<span style="font-family: inherit;"> mine down on that white </span>piece<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of paper. Then when everyone was finished we folded the papers and taped them to the ribbon on a helium balloon. Then we said a prayer, giving our struggles and worries to the Lord, </span>thanking<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Him for how He made us, and we then released that balloon to heaven. As the balloon slowly drifted out of sight I felt relief wash over my like a tidal wave. I felt like I could breath again. </span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My burdens were gone, I no longer had to carry them.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are some days</span> when I mess up. Big time. Some times have a higher level of severity than others, but no matter what the level may be, it happens often. More times than I'd like or care for. Sometimes I wonder how I let it happen, how I could have been so crazy. What I was thinking, why I didn't know better or think it through first? I wonder if I'll ever be the same because of these mess-ups, and truly I won't-and that's okay- because I learn from my mistakes. Whenever I have a "uh-oh" moment were I screw up, I often take it personally and I take it hard. I guess that is just the way God made me, but sometimes it's so straining to be so emotional. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>{Welcome to the life of a girl! :)}</i></span></div>
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Lately I've been having lots of mess-up kind of days. Days were I mess up, were things don't go as planed, days were everything seems to come tumbling down. I wonder if I'm the only one? I wonder if everyone is really like me, constantly forgetting things, or constantly having times were your brain blanks out on something you should have know. All I see of other's life through blogs and conversations is a flawless life, one without struggles, so I feel as if I'm alone since I only see my friends "good side" of their life versus the bad that always seems to show up in mine. When I have a big mess up I usually take it personally and give myself a hard time about it. I've realized from the mistakes that I've made in the past that often without even realizing it, I expect to be perfect, it's just something that is in me, so when I do mess up I feel bad because I've realized I've failed and am <i>not </i>perfect. It sounds silly, I know, I mean everyone realizes they aren't perfect at one point in life or another, but this is one of those times it totally sneaks up on me, I don't expect it. This makes me realize that maybe God has a purpose for my mess-ups and has a plan for my mistakes. He can see past the near-car-wreck <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>{oh the delights of being a new driver, behind the wheel}</i></span> and beyond the rashly uttered sentence that I come to regret later, over the shame of just now starting algebra instead of starting back when I "should have" according to the world, He can see past it all. I seem to focus and zone into the bad side of things, but He see's to the important, eternal side that is full of learning experiences and lessons on having a fuller, better life in Him. He let's me walk through these to make me stronger, to bring me to the realization that I desperately need HIM-because I do!</div>
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There are times when I make a mistake and I get so depressed at my stupidity. I can't forgive myself for that mistake or let my mind go on after I've messed up. I keep degrading myself over what happened yesterday, unwilling to let go and look up to Him for peace. It makes it hard to go on with life since in the back of my mind I'm always I'm worrying over the mistake I made yesterday, unwilling to let it go. It's like a helium balloon, when you just can't let go of the string. You hold on to it with all your might so it won't float up towards to sky, never to be seen again. You fear letting it go. But we must...we must let it go. We must give our mistakes to the Lord. Sometimes you just have to forgive and forget. <i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Forgive yourself for what God's already forgiven you of, and forget just like He does. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">{Psalms 103:12}</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>I have to learn from the mistake, but then forget it and go on with my life. It's hard to do. Sometimes when we mess up we feel like we could never go back to who we once were. We can't ever go back to life as usual because our mistake impacted us that much. It happens but you know what? <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">God is merciful, He is just yet forgiving and loves us more than we could ever know.</span> {<i>Jeremiah 31:3</i>}</div>
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Dear sister, have you also been struggling as I have? Do you also have a hard time letting go? Forgiving and forgetting? We must realize that we are humans. And thus we fail. Every day. Every hour. End of the story. But we must also realize, and grasp on to the fact that we also have a loving, forgiving God. {Thank you LORD!} One that is willing to let you lean on Him, whose mercy <i>never</i> runs dry. Let go of your balloons of grief, fear, resentment, anger, frustration, mistakes..and let Him deal with them-He wants you to release them to Him so you can use that energy to instead delight in Him. These things bring us closer to him than anything else because it's only in our desperation, when bare human sins are revealed for what they are that we realize all the more how much we rely on Him and His grace, His mercy, His love.<br />
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You know the best thing about the comparison between our mess-ups and balloons? There are the same in the comparison that once you let them go, not only do you never see them again, you can gaze at the beauty of releasing it up to the sky, knowing that a weight has been lifted and you are <i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">free to live again</span></i>. So forgive yourself, realize that God is gracious. Thank Him for it. Release your balloons to Him. Take all the burdens you may have whether they be imperfections in body such as weight, appearance or whether they be something you just can't forgive yourself of that you did yesterday, or whatever it may be - release it to the Lord right now. Stop and pray your release to the Lord. You'll feel a bunch better!<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your burdens are gone, you no longer have to carry them.</span></i></div>
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<i>"'<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?</span> ... have you ever noticed one encouraging thing about me Marilla? I never make the same mistake twice' 'I don't know as that's much benefit when you're always making new ones.' 'Oh, don't you see Marilla? There must be a limit to the mistakes one person can make, and when I get to the end of them, then I'll be through with them. That's a very comforting thought.'"</i><br />
<i>~ Taken From Anne of Green Gables</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>{All photos via Pintrerest.com}</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>P.S. I'm now on Pinterest! :) Visit my page and feel free to follow me <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/MissBethanyA" target="_blank">HERE</a>!</i></b></span></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-58745255900678591632012-06-10T05:30:00.000-07:002013-02-20T08:43:10.742-08:00Book Reviews<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/9/931256/main/931256_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/9/931256/main/931256_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Who Calls Me Beautiful?</i></b></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Regina Franklin</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review by Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher :: </i>Discovery House Publishers</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Number of Pages :: </i>142</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publication Date :: </i>2004</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">My Rating ::</i> 5 out of 5 stars</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>For girls 15+</span></div>
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<i>"Physical perfection is an illusion. Yet "'women long to achieve it, no matter how unattainable it is'", says author Regina Franklin. Even Christian women are being seduced by the worldly definition of beauty. But failure to distinguish between reality and illusion is costing women their true identity and even their lives. </i></div>
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<i>In <u>Who Calls Me Beautiful?</u> Franklin skillfully chips away at the belief that a woman's body is more important than her character. Patiently pointing to Scripture, she convincingly shows that true beauty starts inside and radiates outward. It is this proper biblical understanding of God's design for women that empowers them to move beyond the cultural standards and the worlds "ideal woman." </i></div>
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<i>Who Calls Me Beautiful? helps you identify the factors that influence your own understanding of beauty and will encourage you to allow the Holy Spirit to transform your mind so that you can live out God's understanding of beauty in your life. </i><i>When you see yourself as God sees you, as He created you, suddenly you have freedom to be the unique woman you are created to be in Christ. And you can then pass this legacy on to other generations of women. {Taken from the back cover}</i></div>
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<i><b>Pros :: </b></i>This was a wonderful book! It is certainly a inspiring book that helps tackle the issues of being truly beautiful. Franklin went into detail with sharing the truth about the worlds lies about true beauty and self worth and portrayed it in light of the Bibles truths. I loved how she made an emphasis on the inner self versus the outer appearance. I was struggling a bit in feeling truly beautiful and self confident in my appearance and this book helped me to see that even though staying fit and healthy is important, we should allow it to control us and we need to instead be more concerned about our character! </div>
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<i><b>Cons :: </b></i>I would highly recommend this book! It's definitely a book all girls should read. However due to areas that were talked about when referring to the worlds standards for beauty, I would only recommend that girls ages 15+ read this book. If you are younger I'd recommend getting your parents approval before reading.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">So Much More</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">By Patrick Butler</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>{Review by Bethany}</i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Number of Pages :: </i>102</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Source :: </b>Purchased</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publication Date :: </i>2011</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">My Rating ::</i> 5 out of 5 stars</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Age Recommendation :: </i></b>Any age!</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">There is so much more in life...</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">How does a nearly-murdered child overcome his bitterness to later bring </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;"><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">supernatural joy to hundreds of orphans needing true “parental care?”</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why does a well-off pediatrician and his family in Texas turn to Africa children </span></i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to learn what it really means to know “the Father’s love?”</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How were Mark and Monica Barret led by God into a relationship with Emmanuel “Emmy” Nnyanzi and his wife, Sarah “Supermom” in an obscure</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;"><i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">part of remote Uganda, unknown to the Barrets?</span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How did Parental Care Ministries experience explosive growth, unsupported </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;"><i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and unrecognized by any mission agency, denomination or international NGO? </span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How can you follow in the footsteps of the Barrets and the Nnyanzis, guided</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;"><i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">by the Holy Spirit into a life that promises So Much More than you may be experiencing in your faith journey with God?</span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The answers are here in So Much More, the true story of the remarkable, “unlikely” rise of Parental Care Ministries—and the remarkable God who </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">made it possible.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This month our family was able to go to a church and hear Pastor Emmy of Uganda speak about the ministry he started in Uganda, </span>Africa<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with his wife called Parental Care Ministries. Pastor Emmy has a wonderful story. When he was a child his parents divorced and he never had a stable family life. He was constantly moving as to which step-mother cared for him-13 in all. When we has a young teen-ager his step-sister told him one evening to not eat the dinner his step-mother would give him since it would be intentionally </span>poisoned<span style="font-family: inherit;">. He wondered if this was true...he knew his step-mother didn't really love him due to all the abuse, but intentionally </span>poisoning<span style="font-family: inherit;"> him? That evening he pretended to take the food but fed it to the pig and the next morning he went out and found the pig lying dead. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After this he ran away from home to find a life are hardships. Eventually he married a lady named Sarah and they started to take in poor orphaned or </span>abandoned<span style="font-family: inherit;"> kids into their one room home. Both he and his wife never knew a childhood filled with parental love much less parental care and they strove to provide love and hope for these kids that they took in. Eventually they had to expand due to the amount of kids the took in, and their ministry grew. </span>They<span style="font-family: inherit;"> now have thousands of children within seven schools! This book tells the story of how Parental Care Ministries was started and how it grew. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I loved this book since it was such an inspiration one. Reading about the harsh </span>conditions<span style="font-family: inherit;"> these children live in truly shows you how much you have to be thankful for. I really enjoyed it and how highly recommend it! <i>{Note :: Learn more about Parental Care Ministries by visiting their website <a href="http://www.pcmonline.org/" target="_blank">HERE!</a>}</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/206016/main/206016_1_ftc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Mercy, Rose Trilogy Series #3" border="0" height="400" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/2/206016/main/206016_1_ftc.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><b></b></i></span></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b>{The Rose Trilogy, Book 3}</b></i></div>
<i style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><b>{Read book 1 and 2 reviews <a href="http://royal-daughters-of-the-king.blogspot.com/2012/04/book-reviews.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>}</b></i></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><b>By Beverly Lewis</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i><b>{Review By Bethany}</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher :: </i>Bethany House Publishing</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Number of Pages :: </i>306</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publication Date :: </i>2011</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">My Rating ::</i> 5 out of 5 stars</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Rose Kauffman pines for prodigal Nick Franco, the Bishop's foster son who left the Amish under a cloud of suspicion after his foster brother's death. His rebellion led to the "silencing" of their beloved Bishop. But is Nick really the rebel he appears to be? Rose's lingering feelings for her wayward friend refuse to fade, but she is frustrated that Nick won't return and make things right with the People.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Nick avowed his love for Rose--but will he ever be willing to sacrifice modern life for her Meanwhile, Rose's older sister, Hen, is living in her parents' Dawdi Haus. Her estranged "English" husband, injured and helpless after a car accident, has reluctantly come to live with her and their young daughter during his recovery. Can their marriage recover, as well? Is there any possible middle ground between a woman reclaiming her old-fashioned Amish lifestyle and a thoroughly modern man? </i><i>{Description from ChristianBook.com you can view a book trailer <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/the-mercy-rose-trilogy/beverly-lewis/9780764206016/pd/206016?product_redirect=1&Ntt=206016&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP#curr" target="_blank">HERE</a>}</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, so I've finally been able to read this book so I can share my opinion of it with you all! Thanks to all who have </span>patiently<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>waited<span style="font-family: inherit;"> on me and our local library :) The other day the book was finally back in and of course I </span>grabbed<span style="font-family: inherit;"> it and devoured it within several days. :)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Pros :: </i>Okay so I loved this book. I really loved the whole series! This third book is definitely the perfect ending to the series and was so well written and kept my attention! I enjoyed seeing how all the events transpired and loved how the book ended...it was the perfect ending however it wasn't something you could already tell how it could finish, it kept you guessing and wanting to read more! </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Cons :: </b>This book is partly a romance and so there are several kisses, however there wasn't much detail in those scenes. But Beverly did a good job portraying how true love should look. Like with Hen's marital situation you see just how important it is to be sure when you marry, it's the right man and that it's for life! </span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;"><i>Echoes of Titanic</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>By Mindy Starns Clark</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>John Campbell Clark</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>{Review By Bethany}</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher :: </i>Harvest House Piblishers</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Number of Pages :: </i>385</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Source :: </b>Library</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Publication Date :: </i>2012</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">My Rating ::</i> 4 out of 5 stars</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Kelsey Tate's great-grandmother Adele endured the sinking of the titanic and made it safely to America, where she not only survived but thrived. Several generations later, Kelsey is a rising star at Brennan & Tate, the firm Adele helped to establish 100 years ago.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Now facing a hostile takeover, the firm's origins are challenged when new facts emerge about Adele's actions on Titanic's tragic last night. Kelsey tries to defend the company and the great-grandmother she has long admired, but the stakes are raised when someone close to her is found dead-and the police won't say if it's suicide or murder.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Forced to seek help from Cole Thornton, a man Kelsey once loved-and lost, thanks to her success-at-all-costs mentality- she pursues mysteries both past and present. Aided by Cole and strengthened by the faith she had all but forgotten in her climb up the corporate ladder, Kelsey races the clock to defend her family legacy, her livelihood, and ultimately her life. {Take from the back cover}</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To be honest, I had mixed emotions about this book. At the beginning of the book I </span>almost<span style="font-family: inherit;"> decided to stop it for several reasons, and knowing my friend had said she almost purchased it, but decided against it, I was glad she didn't waste her money! But towards to middle-end of the book I couldn't put it down...I loved it and considered it the most </span>suspenseful<span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span>intriguing<span style="font-family: inherit;">, can't-put-this-down kind of book that has THE BEST ending. Ever. End of story. Since there was...uh....an...um...cough...unnatural death in the book I wouldn't recommend this book to those not used to reading about deaths in detailed ways. I still can't decide what age I'd recommend it for, probably at least 13+, but this all depends on </span>whether<span style="font-family: inherit;"> you are used to reading about after-death scenes and what you parent's think about it as well. However in the end I loved the book. It had cons just like </span>every other<span style="font-family: inherit;"> book, but in the end I considered it probably the best ending of any book I'd ever read. And it was </span>definitely<span style="font-family: inherit;"> a thriller!</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Pros :: </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was for sure an I-can't-put-you-down kinda book. A "Oh. My. W</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">hat's going to happen next?" book. I can confidently say it's the most </span><span style="text-align: left;">suspenseful</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> book I've ever read and very </span><span style="text-align: left;">entertaining</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">! This book had the best ending, but it's hard to explain how wonderful it was until you read it for yourself. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Despite</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> the lack of historical content, I thought the book was wonderful, and if it weren't for all the negative cons below I'd rate it 6 out of 5 stars! For any of you who love books that aren't boring, ones that are </span><span style="text-align: left;">extremely</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">suspenseful</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">, make your heart beat fast, ones that are mysteriously exciting, etc. then you'll want to look into this book! I truly can't get over how </span><span style="text-align: left;">suspenseful</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">, interesting and amazing it was! At first the book is a bit slow compared to the rest of the book, so I definitely liked the last part better than the first.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;">Cons :: </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, there are a few cons with this book, most of them contribute </span>largely<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to the older age </span>reading<span style="font-family: inherit;"> recommendation. For one, there was feminism since the main character, Kelsey is a work-aholic and being that she is single living in New York she had some feministic moments. It didn't get too out of hand, but it was obvious. Another thing is that it VERY </span>disappointing<span style="font-family: inherit;"> at the lack of Titanic content of the book. I mean out of 54 chapters, only 1/3 or so had anything to do with the Titanic! So the main focus of the story is really on Kelsey, a present day business woman, and only a bit is about her great-grandma's story of surviving the Titanic. At first this was a real downer for me. I really didn't think the title did it justice, I felt like it made you think it would be all about the Titanic and teach you all these neat facts about the night it sank but in the end it deceived you since there was little to no Titanic </span>involvement<span style="font-family: inherit;">. However towards the end of the book things start to </span>look<span style="font-family: inherit;"> a little brighter and there is a bit more Titanic activity. Lastly, and the </span>highest<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of my list of the book's "downers" is that there is a death. In the book they, for a while, didn't know if it was a suicide or murder, so I won't say which or it will </span>completely<span style="font-family: inherit;"> ruin the story since, believe it or not, the death had a lot of involvement in the book and is what makes the story-line. But I will say it does go somewhat into detail. I know this is probably sounding really bad to hear all these things, but I really, really liked the book in the end and trust me, it make's much more </span>sense<span style="font-family: inherit;"> when you read it in context. Oh, and another thing was it was a book that has lots to do with lots of family </span>connections<span style="font-family: inherit;">. I never do real well at remembering who is who's great-cousin, or what this uncle did, or what name goes with what scene, or wait was it this other guy over here who is somehow </span>related<span style="font-family: inherit;"> that did such </span>and<span style="font-family: inherit;"> such a few chapters ago? See what I mean. However, in the end this is what makes the book so good. It's what gives it the awesome ending. Sometimes for wonderfuly </span>intertwined<span style="font-family: inherit;"> endings that work out wonderful all-around, you have to get detailed with the story and characters to make it </span>doubly<span style="font-family: inherit;"> good of a finish. You have to have the complicated before you get the </span>wonderfully<span style="font-family: inherit;"> planned out ending. </span></span></span></span></div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-73847255912874834352012-06-07T07:00:00.000-07:002012-06-07T09:48:28.272-07:00Boring Testimonies? {Guest Post By Sarah}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>{To celebrate Reflection's of Grace's one year anniversary we have a few guest post's set up which you will find throughout this month. We pray that these posts would be a blessing to you! A special thanks to Sarah who allowed us to re-post this article here today. This article was originally published on Sarah's blog <a href="http://reachingforhishighest.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Reaching For His Highest</a> which you can visit by clicking <a href="http://reachingforhishighest.blogspot.com/2012/05/boring-testimonies.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!}</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>One of the things I love </i></b></span>about Tim
Hawkins is his ability to make his audience roar with laughter, yet still
convey a good message. True, I don’t care for the feminine interpretations or
crass remarks, but Tim frequently manages to leave me not just with aching
sides, but with a serious truth to mull over. One such truth is found in his
monologue about testimonies. Tim takes the microphone in his hands, lowers and
shakes his head, and sighs,</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BNAOgUSFHsc/T8VzAntc6oI/AAAAAAAACDA/-CYkbta3SwI/s1600/81416705733957430_yT3xlLq4_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BNAOgUSFHsc/T8VzAntc6oI/AAAAAAAACDA/-CYkbta3SwI/s400/81416705733957430_yT3xlLq4_b.jpg" width="266" /></a><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I don’t know, sometimes I like, wish I had a better testimony. Do you ever
do that? Wish you had a better testimony? You’re sitting in church and you
listen to a guy on stage and you’re like, ‘Man, he’s got an awesome testimony.
I have a horrible one… I wish I had been addicted to crack!”</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Funny. Ridiculous. But true. So often I feel many Christians have this
comical, yet ludicrous attitude. I find it especially true in the homeschooling
community. Most of us have been raised in a Christian home our entire lives.
Since we were brought up in this protected environment and soaked in the Bible
from an early age, very few of us can remember a specific date or time when we
gave our hearts to Christ. Or if we do remember, our testimony is something
along the lines of, “I was in Sunday school and the teacher was speaking on the
cross for the hundredth time, but this time I was so overwhelmed with the
realization of how much Christ truly loved me. So I prayed with the teacher.”
Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but when it is compared to a testimony of
deliverance from addictions, sexual relationships, or even death, we feel our
“Jesus-loves-me” narrative is simple and, well… boring.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This past week I read “Redeemed and Restored”, a collection of testimonies
from the wives of well-known </span><st1:place style="font-family: inherit;" w:st="on">Calvary</st1:place><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Chapel
pastors. Each story was incredible. To hear how God had restored the lives of
so many women was such a joy and inspiration. But when I reached the end of the
book and found empty pages designed for me to write my own testimony in, I
(like Tim Hawkins), lowered and shook my head, and sighed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I was never into drugs, I didn’t abort a baby or give it up for adoption,
and I haven’t committed adultery or gotten a divorce. I’m not even married yet!
So why put my simple story in?”</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">But then it hit me right between the eyes. How silly I am! To think that
God’s work of salvation in my life is any less incredible that anyone else’s!
My story is just as amazing. Not because God delivered me</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">out
of</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">those
sins, but because He kept me from</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">falling into</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">them
to begin with!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9JoEc2EAwN8/T8Vy2IfF5LI/AAAAAAAACCo/thja5VAOx3k/s1600/14777504996841172_0nulOTBr_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9JoEc2EAwN8/T8Vy2IfF5LI/AAAAAAAACCo/thja5VAOx3k/s320/14777504996841172_0nulOTBr_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Think about it. He has protected and cared for me my entire life. I was
born into a Christian home, to Christian parents. My dad is even a pastor! For
as long as I can remember, my parents have poured the word of God into me. They
homeschooled me, saving me from the heavy peer-pressure and exposure to sin I
was not prepared to face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not only did God protect me as a child, but he has continued to do so
throughout my teen years. Think about it again. I am eighteen years old. I have
never used drugs, never smoked, never had one sip of alcohol, and have never
had sex. I’ve never even been kissed or had a boyfriend! And not because no one
would have me, but because of God’s grace.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, to be eighteen and never done those things is an extreme rarity in
our culture. But I am not pointing this out to show you what a great young
woman I am, rather, to prove to you that the fact that I am still a virgin, the
fact that I have never tasted alcohol, smoked, or done drugs is the most
incredible testimony to God’s goodness and mercy!</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you’re a Christian and a homeschooler, you probably have never done
these things either. But don’t allow that to make you feel as though your
testimony is any less than others. Each and every Christian has a story, and
each and every one is incredible for different reasons. So regardless of our
tale, let us all be overwhelmed with gratefulness that the God of the universe
sent His Son to die on a cross so that we might be saved!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>{Photos via Pintrest}</i></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></h1>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5289267471355913112.post-49823331570317587162012-06-04T06:58:00.000-07:002012-06-04T06:58:21.493-07:00Craft Tutorials // Crocheted Loveliness<div style="text-align: justify;">
Both my sisters and I love to crochet. We always enjoy hovering around the radio and listening the <i>Adventures in Odyssey</i> while we stitch away at our recent project. Though I'm still in the early stages as far as knowledge goes, my sister Ashley dearly loves to crochet and has taught herself all the stitches and have made various wonderful projects. From dolls to bags to pincushions and more, she has made it all! Today we'd like to share some video tutorials that we found online! Enjoy! ~Bethany</div>
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<b><i>As always please use discretion when visiting these links or viewing these videos. Thanks!</i></b></div>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11380705562184610039noreply@blogger.com1