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.

An Amish Farmer's Sign and Hope

As I travel a familiar, local route, I pass a simple sign outside a farmer's field that reads, "O Lord, it is nothing with Thee to help."  The straightforward plea strikes me every time, and I find its words replaying in my head during the week  -- "O Lord, it is nothing with Thee to help."

But sometimes it seems He doesn't.

Sometimes the crops are dry and harvest is scanty.

Sometimes the disease wins and the child dies.

Sometimes the much-prayed-for loved one makes the wrong decision anyway and suffers the hard consequences.

Sometimes the broken relationship remains unrestored, and the resulting hurt doesn't fade over time.

What then?  What do we do when the heartache of life seems greater than its joys?  How do we makes sense of the promise of the Lord's help?

Maybe, just maybe His help looks different than our preconceived notions of "help."  Perhaps He helps not by taking away the pain, but by holding us through it -- the way I "help" my child when she is scared of the dark.  I don't make the darkness go away, but instead, I hold her in my arms until she is comforted.  When the noise of the vacuum causes her to run to my arms, I don't always turn it off, but hold her while I finish cleaning. She is calmed, comforted, and "helped" as a result feeling safe and secure in my arms, not necessarily from the cessation of what caused her fear.

So when I look for help, I can find it in God.  He IS my help.

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.  My hope comes from Him."  (Ps. 62:5)

This Thing of Ours by C. Franzese

In a very honest, conversational tone, Cammy Franzese, wife of notorious mobster Michael Franzese, tells of her journey of faith throughout a marriage of upheaval.  All marriages have their challenges, but not many face the uncertainty of possible arrest, jail visits, and house raids by the FBI.  During the eight or more years that Cammy's husband was in jail, she raised their three children alone while supporting her husband emotionally through frequent visits and phone conversations as their only means of contact.  Admittedly naive, Cammy married Michael as a youthful, idealistic twenty-year-old having no idea of the type of man he was and the life he'd led.  The shock of his long prison terms and close scrutiny by law enforcement would have overwhelmed their marriage were it not for the steady faith and support of Cammy's mother and Cammy's own determination to honor God in her marriage.

Cammy's story speaks eloquently of the commitment to marriage that is lost in today's narcissistic society.  I was moved and inspired by her decision to stand by her man regardless of his past and way it affected their present.  Refreshingly, Cammy even owned up to her personal responsibility in making the choice to marry a man she knew little about.  Despite her lack of discernment, God honored her commitment and support of her husband, and eventually used Michael in a great way to advance His kingdom.  The Franzese's story is not picture-perfect; it is very human and real. But it is exactly this element of openness that will draw the reader to the pages of This Thing of Ours: How Faith Saved My Mafia Marriage.  I so enjoyed the complimentary copy of this book provided by BookSneeze®.  

Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo is a gripping book told in the candid voice of the little boy's pastor-dad.  Four-year-old Colton Burpo experienced heaven firsthand while undergoing life-threatening surgery.  In bits and pieces over the next several months, the story of Colton's heavenly visit comes out, much to his parents astonishment.  What makes the book especially fascinating for skeptics like me is that Colton's dad, a Wesleyan pastor, is a skeptic, too!  At least, he questions his son closely, matching up Colton's answers with Scripture.  Burpo discovers that Colton's descriptions match Scripture passages that talk about heaven, passages that would be beyond a four-year-old's depth.  Colton's confidence in what he's seen is unshakable: comforting a dying man, Colton cheerfully exclaims, "Don't worry; the first person you'll see is Jesus!"

Heaven is for Real is a book that people will be talking about for some time.  Seeing heaven through the eyes of a child and absorbing its reality as shared in his innocent, honest voice leaves an indelible impression on the reader.  I, for one, came away encouraged and renewed in my certainty that heaven is for real!   What a great hope we have as believers in Jesus Christ!  Another great take-away is that Jesus loves little children, as Colton repeatedly emphasized  While I know and believe these truths, there's something refreshing and soul-stirring about hearing them effectively preached to us 'from the mouth of a babe.'   I'm so glad I received this book as a complimentary copy for review from Tyndale House.  You'll be glad you read it, too.

Jesse Tree and other family traditions

It's here --  The Christmas I've been anticipating all of my life.  I know this sounds like the previous post, but all of the sudden I am saturated in awareness that this season of my life and of my little girl's life is the one I've looked forward to for so long.  And I want to bask in the moments.  I want to capture every golden smile and sunshine-drenched day of these precious little toddler years.

Right now I'm reveling in the joy of instituting family Christmas traditions.  One that I've recently encountered is the Jesse Tree Advent Celebration. Jacie and I found the Jesse Tree branch today in our yard.  I'm sure she had no clue why Mommy was foraging through brush looking for just the right stick. But I was excited, and she was happy just to be outside.  Tonight I hung the homemade, crayon-colored earth ornament on our Jesse Tree and read Jacie the Creation Account from Genesis.  As I look at our Jesse tree adorned with its lone ornament, I'm almost tempted to just have the Jesse Tree this year and not do a regular Christmas tree.  I love the simple symbolism of the Real Meaning of the Advent Season.

Almost tempted.  Because another greatly-anticipated tradition to be instituted this year is choosing and cutting our own tree!  We've had a fake one since we got married, and I probably had it for myself  when I was single even before that. I've long vowed that it would be different once we had kids.  Last year hardly counted, I felt, since Jacie wasn't quite six months old at Christmas and completely unaware of anything.  This year is The Year.  The year of awareness.  The year of instituting traditions.  The year it all begins.