I'm Back -- Sorta

 I know, it's been a while. I've pretty well settled into life in a commune. Well, not exactly a commune. More like a community. Four years ago, I moved into a retirement facility, tired of cleaning my own house, making my own meals, etc. It's become home, finally. A little cramped, but still I've managed to mess it up a bit until it's kinda like before. I'm on the top floor, and there's a balcony facing due west. In the summer, it's pretty warm out there. As in Central California warm. My yearly effort at flowers went to pot (pardon the pun) as the plants withered up and croaked when the weather lingered too near 100 degrees. So this year (with help) I put up a shade. So far, that's working.

So. What's been going on in the past four years? To be truthful, not much. This is my first effort at writing since the last post. No new books either. Not even a letter to a friend or relative. That's the bad news. The good news is that I'm drawing closer to God. I won't reach perfection in this lifetime, but it's a good feeling. I'm off the depressants -- also a good feeling. I've given up driving -- not necessarily a good feeling, but a more relaxed one. At the worst, it's inconvenient at times. There is a bus here to take us to doctor appointments, etc., but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I need to find a closer vet for Meggie and Cleo, though. The previous one is in Silverton, 20 miles away, and the bus doesn't go there. My daughter could drive us, but she's working full time plus, and I hate to ask too often.

Speaking of my daughter and driving--Renae drove me to my class reunion last month. We spent a week plus together, most of it in my home town, all of which was almost heaven for me. (With apologies to Glen Campbell, Idaho comes closer to heaven than West Virginia.)

I'm getting older, so a thing or two age-related has crept up. It goes with the territory, and let it be said that I remain 90 percent content. I still miss my husband. I see a few more doctors. I travel a few less miles. All in all, I don't regret the lack of as much activity. I may write another paragraph or two on the second in the series of books beginning with Blessed by Time. Tammy needs to prophesy a little more. Paulos needs to become a little more comfortable with local customs so different from his own, and Sarah maybe needs to become a little more uncomfortable. As if being pregnant in a summer with no A/C wasn't enough.

Long, rambling story shortened, it's been a inspirational, exciting, boring, and mostly uneventful four years. I have no idea what the next four will be. God knows, and He ain't saying.

Hang onto me, Lord. It could be wild.

Breaking? Retiring?

I'm not for sure exactly how long yet, but I'm taking a break from blogging. Maybe retiring forever, but only God knows for sure.

Book Review - A MOUNTAIN WORTH MOVING by Amanda Mason

This one is definitely a Christian romance. Not a historical, though you might have thought that because of the cover. No, this is about a modern-day Montana cowboy who falls in love--of course. A lot of love stories are so predictable that they lose my interests, but this one has enough unusual twists that it kept me fascinated. I'd say about 4 stars or so.

So here we have one cowboy totally disabled (Ben), another one drowning his guilt in alcohol (Jamie), and another one who feels responsible for everyone and everything (John). John's easily driven to anger because of conclusions he jumps into. And there we have an attractive young physical therapist (Jill) who, with the rest of the clinic she works for, specializes in the extremely disabled who might be helped. She pleads Ben into their clinic's program, even though they have a full complement of patients. Jill's seen something in Ben she thinks can be a route to healing--but John's pretty sure she's seen deep pockets she can go fishing in.

Lots of problems and progresses will keep you turning the pages, promise. Available from Amazon.

I was given a free copy of this book by the author, but the views expressed herein are my own.

Book Review - EXPERIENCING GOD'S LOVE IN A BROKEN WORLD: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY by Roy Haggerty and Deb Haggerty

I love it when an author includes the purpose of their book (at least in the case of nonfiction) right in the front, which makes it a lot easier to determine if the author achieved his or her goal. In this case, the Haggertys include it in paragraph No. 1 of the prologue. They says that this book "... is designed to encourage people who are Christians to know God more intimately and to serve him more effectively." That goal began at the forefront of each section and carried through the entire book. I was impressed--and inspired. Five stars.

You can read this day by day in the same manner as a devotional, each little section of a chapter on each day, or--if you're feeling the need for some sensory overload--go ahead and read the whole thing nonstop. Personally, I'm afraid that would stretch my sensibilities to the outer limits. I do recommend this book highly. I think it would work especially well in a Bible Study. Thank you, Roy and Deb Haggerty, for all the research, experience, and devotion you put into this work.

Available from Amazon.

I received a free copy of this book from the authors, but the opinions expressed herein are mine alone.

Monday Devo - Try a Little Kindness

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:21-23, NKJV.

You all probably remember Glen Campbell's song, "Try a Little Kindness." (If you'd like to hear him sing this song, this is a link: "Try a Little Kindness".

I like the way he thought. When all else fails, try kindness. In fact, you might try that first.

Not long ago, I saw a woman snubbed by her neighbors. She has either dementia or Alzheimer's, and apparently a bit of kleptomania. She's been accused of stealing. A few missing items from her neighbors' yards and patios have a habit of showing up in her apartment. I can understand their unhappiness but wish they would treat her with more kindness. I don't think she knows she's stealing. I do think she needs to be in a memory care place, and that's probably next on her lifeline, but I'd love to see her remaining time on the "outside" to be pleasant.

You might know someone who is, for one reason or another, particularly annoying or irritating. You might know others who seem to deliberately agitate and stir things up. Have you noticed that chastising them just adds fuel to the fire?

I wonder if treating them with kindness might change things for the better. It might not change the kleptomania--that's not something they have a pill for--but it might change some of her defensive behavior. I know it has worked for me when I've been kind to her.

Know anyone who could maybe need a little sweetness in their lives?

Lord, please lead us to those who need to be treated with more respect and kindness, and give us the strength, wisdom, and courage to begin the change. In Jesus's name, Amen.

Book Review - THE NUMBER OF LOVE by Roseanna M. White

Definitely another ten for Writing Roseanna. Okay, so I'm only allowed to give her a five-star review, but she deserves at least double that. This is a first-class WWI historical romance chock full enough of suspense to classify it in at least three or four genres.

Margot De Wilde is a rare genius in math, a code-breaker for the English intelligence. She thinks in terms of numbers, and when God keeps giving her the number 18 to pray for, she does. She's pretty sure she's praying for someone in dire danger, so her prayers are most fervent ... until the day when her mother dies. Margot refuses--God should have had her praying for her mother! God stops speaking to her, and she stops speaking to Him.

But then she reluctantly begins to be attracted to this one guy, the brother of her best friend, a man who has been severely wounded. See how all the numbers come together by buying The Number of Love through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Christian Book Distributors.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley, but this review reflects only my own opinions.

Monday Devo - Jesus wasn't always gentle and sweet

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence." Matthew 25:25, NKJV.

Jesus always seemed to call a thorn bush "a thorn bush," even if it was beautifully adorned with a rose. Odd, He didn't verbally attack those the general populace would call the sinners. Instead, He called out the thorn bushes of His time, the high society folks who constantly looked down on others.

Scribes (writers; attorneys) and Pharisees (along with the Sadducees) weren't Jesus's favorite people. They were the politicians of the day, and they were also the church leaders. Instead of teaching people to love God, they taught strict obedience to every jot and tittle of the law; they sought (and got) the best seats at the Synagogue; and they seemed to feel superior in every way to the general population. Jesus called them out so many times it was no wonder they went after Him.

I suspect He'd call people out now, too. I'm not going to speculate on who; all of us have differing opinions of who it would be. However, I would love for all of us to examine ourselves and get rid of those dirty insides.

Who, me? Yeah, me too.

Lord, Search me and see if there is any wicked way in me. Bring it bluntly to my attention and help me change into the type of mirror (reflecting You) that You want me to be. In Jesus's Name, Amen.