Say the Name

A few months ago, Jacie started a new habit:  she repeats "Mommy, Daddy" periodically as she plays.  Perhaps it's a developmental thing --- repeating new words so they become ingrained into her brain.  But as this habit continued and I realized she wasn't calling for either of us, just saying our names, I began to ponder this verbal habit a bit more.  I know, I know -- I'm a bit over-analytical, but hear me out on this one.  Maybe it's more than just a developmental thing, maybe it's partially a security thing.  Who knows what goes through her little mind?  Perhaps reminding herself of our existence, our presence in her lives is soothing in some way.  Just reminding herself that all's right in her little world as long as Mommy and Daddy are a part of it.

And once again I learn a God lesson through the living visual aid of my daughter.  I'm struck with the idea of how the concept of just "saying the Name" works for me as a child of God.  How sweet the name of Jesus is and what comfort just saying His Name brings to my soul.  I don't know if I'm reading too much into my daughters verbalizations, but I enjoy the fresh reminder that God's Spirit brings to my heart from these moments!

Fiction for Real

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman was provided to me as a complimentary ebook through BookSneeze.  In Need You Now, Darlene faces the typical struggles of a mom with three teenagers.  She battles with her own sense of failure as she attempts to help her middle child combat an especially difficult emotional issue -- cutting.  Darlene's marriage is affected by this family crisis, and she comes to a crossroads in her faith and in her commitment to her husband during the course of the family's journey to recovery.

The real issues that Wiseman addresses through her work of fiction engage the reader from the start.  Darlene is a woman with real insecurities and needs to which any wife and mother may relate.  Her search for peace and fulfillment outside of and within her family pulls the reader in and keeps the reader cheering for this family until the sweet end.  A riveting read, Need You Now addresses real issues with an honest tone and hopeful tenor, pointing the reader to the One in Whom we have hope. For Beth Wiseman who is better known for her Amish fiction works, Need You Now may have been an out-of-the-box genre; however, this reviewer will be eagerly anticipating more books from Wiseman in the same vein as Need You Now.

Beauty for Ashes by Dorothy Love

Beauty for Ashes by Dorothy Love is a Christian historical fiction book that I received complimentary from BookSneeze.  The story of a young widow facing many obstacles including difficult family and financial situations unfolds during a turbulent time in our nation's history.  A handsome stranger to her small town catches the young widow's eye; however, the skeptical attitude of the locals and her "understanding" with a staid bookkeeper in town prevents our heroine from entering a relationship with the stranger.  Several turns-of-events proceed to change the town's attitude toward the stranger and to sever the widow's relationship with the bookkeeper.  Through a lot of heartache and turmoil, the widow and the stranger finally end up together, as expected in most romantic fiction.

I admired the spunk and non-typical attitude of the book's heroine.  She actually seemed a bit selfish and impatient at times, unlike the standard heroine of most Christian fiction romances.  Unfortunately, I didn't feel the author really brought all the pieces together well in this book.  I thought the heroine would recognize the error of her ways in some regard and improve, but only some subtle references indicated self-awareness on the main character's part.  In general, the book seemed to have several loose ends and multiple references to characters and events in a previous book, leaving me at a slight loss without having read the prequel.  Many events occurred that seemed unrelated and unnecessary or non-contributing to the main theme of Beauty for Ashes (the romance between widow and stranger).  All in all, the reader who enjoys the typical Christian romantic fiction fare may enjoy this book since that reader is not looking for complexity or even conclusiveness as long as the guy gets the girl.  However, the reader who is a little more selective may find that  beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to Beauty for Ashes.