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Showing posts from February, 2017

Tightropes and Teeter-Totters

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Moms, do you wonder if you will ever stop falling over every time the unexpected comes along, or you get your feelings hurt, or you mess up? Lisa Pennington’s new book,  Tightropes and Teeter-Totters , is tailor-made for you.  Lisa Pennington knows how to get up after losing her balance, even with a full house, a not-so-full bank account, and never enough energy. For every woman who wonders if her satisfaction in life will ever match her dreams, Pennington has real-life answers full of hope and humor. {MORE ABOUT  TIGHTROPES AND TEETER-TOTTERS } Tightropes and Teeter-Totters: Finding Balance in the Ups and Downs of Life  (David C. Cook, February 2017) Do you wonder if you will ever find balance? Lisa Pennington knows how to get up after losing her balance, even with a full house, a not-so-full bank account, and never enough energy. In her latest book, she offers readers: —Strategies for finding balance in marriage, motherhood, and bad moods —Playful yet biblically bas

#TMI on #thebachelor

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If you will recall, last week we didn't get a rose ceremony at the end. We don't know who is going home after the hometown dates. Instead of a decision, we got a teaser of Andi showing up, probably for no good reason at all. Nick offers Andi a drink... whiskey or wine? She takes whiskey. Meanwhile, the ladies start arriving for the rose ceremony. First Vanessa whose dress fits oddly and is cut where it looks like the girls are going to pop out through the cutouts on each side. Rachel comes next. Raven, who thinks she's ready to say yes if he got on one knee tonight. Finally, Corinne. Andi just wants to chat, see what he's thinking, and waste time. Nick tells Andi he is seeing her perspective more. He reminds her that the last time she knocked on his hotel door, he got dumped. Andi says now he is dumping 29 girls. Nick says, "maybe 30. I'm not getting engaged just because I'm the Bachelor." Yet, when we get back from commercial, he thinks it'

A blast from a Sunday past

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I try to record the kids singing enough videos to be able to share one each week. However, some Wednesday nights, we only have a couple of kids and one absolutely refuses to sing for a video. For that reason, I bring you one of the first Sunday videos I recorded from five years ago. My videographer skills left much to be desired.

Saturday's projects

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I feel like I have been working on one set of projects forever even though I think I just actually started them last weekend. I finally got all the parts finished today. I've made these before, but in case you have never seen them before... I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. It looks like I ran out of room which in a way I did, but if I didn't do it like this, I wouldn't have anything up the eastern seaboard.

To borrow a line from a friend... today was full of notes for the sitcom

My friend Lori's in life, in business, in general is, "It's all just notes for the sitcom." All of the crazy life experiences are going down in the notes to be a part of a sitcom to be developed at a later date. Over time, I've given her plenty of material by way of stories too. I really need to tell her about my day today in order to give her enough material for another episode or two. Unfortunately, I can't share the stories for your entertainment because, well, I can't. They would have been more entertaining from you than for me. However, I will share some of my thoughts from the week, in all aspects of my life: I have been a publicist for 15 years. I do know what I'm doing.   Even being older and wiser, there's still no way I could ever hack teaching school. Facebook is used for more than pictures of people's vacations although that would be a welcome break from all the political posts. Rejection hurts. Especially repeated reject

Barbara Cameron’s ‘Home to Paradise’ Facebook Party

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Home to Paradise , the final book in author Barbara Cameron's The Coming Home series, is not to be missed!  Rose Anna Zook always thought she and John, one of Stoltzfus brothers, would marry, make a home together, and have children. But John, enjoying his Rumschpringe in the Englisch world, has other ideas. Rose Anna is determined to bring her man back into the Amish fold. John is equally determined to live his life free and unencumbered. Who will win this battle of wills? Will love prevail? Join Barbara on Thursday, March 9, for a live author chat party on her Facebook page with fun prizes to be won! Click the graphic below for more details and to RSVP. Hope to see you there—bring a friend or two who loves Amish fiction! {MORE ABOUT  HOME TO PARADISE } (Abingdon, February 2017) Highly anticipated final book in The Coming Home Series from best-selling Amish author Barbara Cameron. Rose Anna Zook has watched her two older sisters marry two Stoltzfus men and has

More great books available for review!

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It's going to be a busy spring for Litfuse  reviewers! If you are a blogger, take a look at these blog tours currently open for request. Check out these books, and sign up  NOW  to review during the dates listed. Please let your blogging friends know too! 4/12 – 5/3:  A Fragile Hope  by Cynthia Ruchti (Abingdon Press) Sign-up here! Hope grows when seeds are planted---even in the muddy middle of life. Josiah Chamberlain's life's work revolves around repairing other people's marriages. When his own is threatened by his wife's unexplained distance, and then threatened further when she's unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog, Josiah finds his expertise, quick wit and clever quips are no match for a relationship that is clearly broken. Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him.

Door to Freedom

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Can you imagine the struggles that Christians face when living under Islamic law? Jana Kelley explores modern-day persecution and the life of Muslims in Sudan in her new book,  Door to Freedom .  In the Islamic country of Sudan, Mia has learned to boldly share her faith. Rania, the daughter of a wealthy Sudanese Arab, seeks to find the reason for her sister’s sudden disappearance. Mia holds some of the answers, but both women quickly discover they must each walk through their own doors to freedom, the freedom that only comes when you trust God’s sovereignty more than manmade security. {MORE ABOUT  DOOR TO FREEDOM } (New Hope, February 2017) It’s rough and it’s smooth. It’s dark and it’s light. It’s a masterpiece. It’s us. Here in Sudan. We are scared of it and drawn to it. There is an open door, and there is much opposition. In the dusty, Islamic country of Sudan, Mia, who is raising her family in a Muslim country, has learned to boldly share her faith. Rania, the daugh

The most boring hometown dates on #thebachelor ever

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Via @BachelorABC on Twitter Just after I finished my post on The Bachelor from last week (late) and turned off my computer, Jimmy Kimmel Live came on and revealed who the next bachelorette will be. It seems as though Nick didn't have as great of a connection with Rachel as it seems. Some kind of spoiler there. Is she the next person Nick sends home before hometowns, or did it go really bad when meeting her family? I guess we are about to find out. Corinne, Rachel, Raven and Vanessa are wondering if there will only be three hometown dates. Corinne is still shaking in her boots. Nick shows back up from talking to Kristina and sending her home. He tells all the women that the roses are mutual, and he wants them to agree to the dates. Raven has a rose, but he asks again. Next is Vanessa. Corinne? He says he couldn't be more excited to meet Raquel. The ladies get a chuckle out of that. Rachel accepts the last rose. First stop, Raven's hometown, Hoxie, Arkansas.  They a

Jesus Loves Me

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Rachel, my friend and co-teacher, teaches deaf ed, so she taught the kids to sign the chorus of "Jesus Loves Me" and their names one Wednesday a week or so ago. They did a great job!

I knew I needed to manage my Saturday better

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Next week, I am going to have to get my work hours in during regular hours (unlike last week with that jury duty mess) so that I can spend my evenings out in the crafty studio. I have so much I need to do, but instead of staying home all day to work on projects, I wasted away time at an estate sale auction.  I knew better. I waited around for an item that went for more than I wanted to spend, and I should have known, but other stuff was going cheap since the crowd was small.  I did manage to get the black and white on all of these Mason jars though. That was my project of the day. 

Convincing myself it's not procrastination

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Today, I really needed to work on two press kits, but writing isn't usually my first choice of tasks. I struggle with it. I thought I would get them in, at least one. I really did. However, I got tied up in new project scheduling. Yes, I need all these different colors to get my calendar straight. I have to plan on paper where I can see what is going on and when things need to be done. If I don't have it in front of me later on, I'll forget something. I do have appointments and all my authors' interviews set in my computer calendar. I should have all that's on my desk calendar in there too, but I don't. The most ironic thing about all of this is on top of everything else that has made this a long week, last night I set up new phones for both of my parents (and that involved online chats with AT&T). The first time they have had smart phones. Today, the first day they have had them, my mom has put all of her appointments in her phone. My computer calendar

Jury duty wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for all the waiting

In my book jury duty is a huge waste of time. It wouldn't be so bad if you were able to go in and get it done, but oh the waiting and waiting. And more waiting.  I really don't think that I would mind so much being on a jury. Well, maybe, maybe not, but that's clouded by the stupidity of the only jury I ever served on.  Anyway, on Monday morning, I arrived at the courthouse before 8 AM to perform my civic duty. I was almost amazed that our questionnaires were picked up by 8:20 AM. I thought it wasn't going to be so bad when we were pulled in around 9:30, I think it was, to go through qualifications and exemptions. There was a little bit of a wait as one case was settled that morning while we were standing around.  People were weeded out by age (if you are over 70, you don't have to stay), if they had hearing issues (since the sound system on the newly renovated courthouse are so bad), if you have any kind of felony record, and if you are the sole caregive

It's about to be a busy spring

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It's about to get real crazy! I have a few Saturdays to work on new projects before we start up on events, and we are also headed to Rangers Spring Training. Other than our hotel and tickets for for the games, I've done zilch planning than a little bit of looking online with Dad. I might want to do that. Then, it's shaping up to be a busy spring. Here's where you can find The Crafty Dad and Daughter this spring. March 25 11 AM - 3 PM Mansfield Timberview High School April 1 9 AM - 3 PM Lewisville High School April 8 9 AM - 3 PM Lake Dallas High School April 21  9 AM - 4 PM Derrick Days in Corsicana 9 AM - 4 PM Mansfield High School Market It will be the first time we will be in two places at one time. Mom and Dad will be at Derrick Days and I will be in Mansfield with my friend, Rakia, helping me out. It may get REALLY interesting.

In honor of Valentine's Day

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I had jury duty again today. I'll share about it by the end of the week, but I'm so tired from getting up early and waiting around knowing I had other things I needed to do. I'm working late to make it up time and work this week. It's going to be a long week.  In honor of Valentine's Day, I share this piece from author Rhonda Stoppe. Ten Keys to a More Fulfilling Marriage Excerpt adapted from If My Husband Would Change, I’d Be Happy  – And Other Myths Wives Believe by Rhonda Stoppe, © Harvest House Publishers, 2015. The key truth about marriage is that true happiness is not to be found in your relationship with your husband, but in your relationship with Christ. Let’s look at ten key principles to a more fulfilling marriage: 1. Your Husband Was Never Meant to Be Your Happily-Ever-After Asking your husband to be the source of your happiness is an unfair expectation. You were created to delight in Christ and to be consumed by your love fo

For once, Nick uses his brain on tonight's episode of #thebachelor

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It was a really long day, which I will have to tell you about later this week, so I may have a shorter blog tonight. I'm starting a little late because I was eating my taco salad first. Here's how the first 15 minutes went down because I watched while eating: We are reminded that after a week of Nick sending three women home on dates he freaked out and told the remaining 6 women how freaked out he was. He cried, the women cried, he lamented about whether or not he was going to find someone or waste his time again, the women lamented about whether or not he was going to stay or go home. From @BachelorABC on Twitter The next morning, Nick talks to Chris Harrison on the beach there in St. Thomas, and Chris point blank asks, "Do you want to call it quits now?" Nick said part of him did. He's been through this before and ended up broken hearted. Nick says something about there's a million ways this can go wrong. You can tell we are only privy to part of t