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Showing posts from June, 2017

My week in Cincinatti

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This week I had a work trip to Cincinnati where I basically stayed within the same three or four blocks for 5 days. I had some good work-related dinners, but did because of how I had to schedule those, I didn't get to make it to a Reds game, and I sure didn't do one of the other fun things I did last year because I didn't have one of my co-workers with me. I didn't buy one single mug (the only place I went with one was the airport where I bought one last year). I didn't take many pictures either. This is the Carew tower, the tallest building in Cincinnati. The Hilton is in the part on the right. That's where I stayed. I left my camera downstairs. I had a few more pictures. I will try to post more tomorrow.

Dragon Seed

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Join trusted Bible teacher Marty Machowski for a fictional adventure into the reality of spiritual warfare and how its shadows affect and change us. Don’t miss Marty’s new release,  Dragon Seed .  It’s a page-turning, young adult fiction story that invites older children and teens into the real-life struggles of Nick, who receives a handwritten, leather-bound copy of an old book—a family legend passed down to him from his great grandfather. The book, called  Dragon Seed , leads Nick deep into his family’s history and introduces him to another angry young man who lived in the shadows (the shadows of the tombs). Like Nick, you’ll be shocked to discover where he fits in this story of epic proportions! {MORE ABOUT  DRAGON SEED } (New Growth Press, June 2017) An angry teen, a desperate mother, a missing father, and a shadow lurking in the background. Things were going from bad to worse for Nick and his family. Tempted to run away after yet another argument with his mom, Nick

Proceeds from book sales to help disabled children learn to ride bikes

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  Part 2 of an interview with Mike H. Mizrahi, Author of The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race Mike Mizrahi’s The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race (Redemption Press) introduces readers to Anna Gaines, an insecure and introverted 19-year-old, who discovers she’s a natural on the “wheel” after a visit with her aunt in Brooklyn. Upon returning home to Chattanooga, she insists on the same rights men have to cycle in public. She becomes the first woman to ride the streets of Chattanooga, clad in the bloomers, the risqué apparel many New York women are wearing in 1895. A firestorm ignites, pitting a few progressive thinkers against a city full of moralists intent on clinging to their post-Antebellum way of life. Anna finds herself in the middle of an explosive controversy she never envisioned. She is pitted against Peter Sawyer, the Cycle Club president who silently harbors a crush for her, in a five-mile bicycle race that will decide if women have the same capabilities as men to rid

To spoil it... eventually, they both went home on #thebachelorette

I was out socializing and business networking, so I missed the first 20 minutes of The Bachelorette . I reserve the right to come back and blog about that later when I can access the it online. However, I know the most important thing: Lee went home. UPDATED: I watched the first of the episode when I got home. Rachel decided she didn't trust Lee, so sent him home, but decided that she wasn't ready to give the date rose to Kenny either. She probably wished she let them both go when Kenny went off to rub it in Lee's face instead of getting onto the helicopter. She did spend more of the evening with Kenny and eventually gives him the rose. I joined the show right as Kenny is talking to his daughter on the phone and immediately before the rose ceremony while Josiah is confidently telling Bryan he believes fully that he will be the last one left. Josiah who needs to just shut his mouth. Rachel makes her statement that the people going are the people she does not see as h

When in doubt, send them both home #thebachelorette

I am in Cincinnati this week, and thought I was going to have plans tonight, but haven't heard from the person I was supposed to meet up with. That's ok though. I'm so tired from not sleeping well and having a travel day that I don't mind. The problem is staying up to blog on The Bachelorette . I can't promise to be able to blog tomorrow night though. I have a dinner meeting. At the end of the last group date, Kenny pulls Lee outside to confront him about what he told Rachel. That can't be good. We'll have to come back to that though.  Rachel is talking it up with Bryan out on a boat. He's talking about things being too good to be true and how they must be a perfect match. He's not caught up in any drama, only her, so she loves that.  Back to the "not dead issue" between Lee and Kenny. Kenny says that Rachel thinks he's an aggressive person thanks to what Lee tells her. Lee keeps interrupting Kenny. He is the snake Kenny

A Common Love

From two and a half years ago. I just can't convince my current kids to do a video! A Common Love By Charles F. Brown Used by permission. CCLI # 1132191 A common love for each other A common gift to the Savior   A common bond holding us to the Lord A common strength when we’re weary A common hope for tomorrow           A common joy in the truth of God’s Word

Cut cookbooks, because I am sure not cooking

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The project of the week: cut cookbooks. In addition to our cut Readers Digest books, we now have cookbooks. Doing patterns for these has been on my to-do list for months. I had to go ahead and get them done and just finished the patterns this weekend, so we have some ready. These are $18 each.

Flowery Friday

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As usual, as of late, I'm short on blog content and time, so just sharing a happy little flower post. This hibiscus was a twig of a plant (literally) when I planted it, and I stuck it in the pot with something else just to plant it. I thought it froze over the winter, but it's growing like crazy now in the same pot along with an avocado tree. I thought it froze to the point of death too. 

The keys to lasting change

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Part 1 of an interview with Jim Herrington and Trisha Taylor, Authors of Learning Change Change is seldom easy for an individual, much less an entire group of people such as a church congregation. In Learning Change: Congregational Transformation Fueled by Personal Renewal (Kregel Ministry/May 27, 2017), authors Jim Herrington and Trisha Taylor share the stories of church leaders who were able to transform their congregations by first making changes in their own lives. Q: Explain the learning process involved with making a change. How is the transformational learning model different from other methods or models of learning? Traditional learning involved mastering information. If I’m trying to improve my marriage or learn to be a good deacon, I go to this class, read this book or listen to this podcast. I get information. The transformational learning model involves three movements: gathering information, putting it into practice and then reflecting on the results. Th

Church membership is more important than you may think

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Part 1 of an interview with Jeremy Kimble, Author of 40 Questions about Church Membership and Discipline Does church membership mean more than simply joining a social group? Does the church have a responsibility to discipline its members — and if so, what does that look like? In 40 Questions about Church Membership and Church (Kregel Academic/May 27, 2017), Dr. Jeremy Kimble recognizes and addresses the many puzzling questions about the critical role of the church in the life of believers. Q: What is the most important thing for readers to understand about church membership? Church membership is not solely about what you can get out of a church. Instead, membership points us toward commitment and mutual accountability. When we join the membership of a local church, we are agreeing to be overseen in our discipleship and oversee others in their discipleship. As such, the idea of membership goes beyond mere attendance and even ministry involvement. At its heart, church

The Captain's Daughter book giveaway

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Be transported to 1880s London and meet a talented musician and singer in the new Victorian romance novel from Jennifer Delamere, The Captain’s Daughter .  When a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater that is presenting the most popular show in London. Meanwhile London holds bitter memories for Nate Moran that he is anxious to escape. But then he meets the beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate can’t wait to leave behind. Enter to win a copy of  The Captain’s Daughter . Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced July 10th on the  Litfuse blog ! {MORE ABOUT  THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER } (Bethany House, June 2017) Warm-hearted Victorian romance brings 1880s London to life. When a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chan

Someone is being a real jerk on #thebachelorette

Thank goodness for the recap at the beginning of the show because without it, I couldn't tell you how the last episode of The Bachelorette ended two weeks ago. I'm not sure if that's a sign of A) having too much going on, B) seriously having memory issues or C) just not caring. I think the answer is a combination of A and B, and hopefully not D) all of the above. Good Morning America  (or was it The Today Show ?) said this morning that multi-tasking as bad for the brain and goodness knows I'm always multi-tasking. The fact that I can't remember from this morning may be a bad sign for option B.  I flipped between both. I think it was The Today Show . Whatever. Anyway, we ended last time with Lee and Eric talking smack about each other and Rachel considering taking Eric's rose back. There's a bunch of mouthing going on, and while I do think Eric is being a moron, Lee is an even bigger jerk. Lee obnoxiously interrupts Kenny and Rachel even though he had a

Sing and Be Happy

Today, I got the kids to sing, but there was refusal to sing if I got my phone out, so here is another repeat video from three years ago. We sang the same song and had similar chorus issues.

Some people are flakey

Since I had been purging my closets, etc., we had a garage sale this weekend. For whatever reason, it kind of flopped. Usually there are more people at garage sales in this town, so I don't know what happened. That's really not the point of the post though. In order to get people there, I posted some pictures in the buy/sale/trade groups on Facebook. I do this with our craft items and sometimes get customers out of the deal. Other times people from a nearby town have me make stuff, then flake on me.  The problem I have had today, and in the past, is people ask about items, say they want them, and then make no effort to come get them. I clearly posted we were having a garage sale, no one bothered to notice it said, "Saturday," and asked about Sunday. No one around here does Sunday garage sales.  I had numerous people ask about a set of tables. I gave prices. One guy said he would message when he got off work. Nothing. Stop being flakey!  Don't ask u

When asking questions doesn’t work

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Part 2 of an interview with Randy Newman, Author of Questioning Evangelism (Read Part 1 of the interview here.) Sometimes the best answer is a question. It's the way Jesus often talked with people as He led them into discussions about the issues that mattered most. In Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People’s Hearts the Way Jesus Did (Second Edition) (Kregel Publications), author Randy Newman provides practical insights to help Christians engage others in meaningful spiritual conversations. Asking questions, Newman suggests, doesn't tell unbelievers what to think but instead challenges how we think about people, their questions, and our message. Q: The title of your book by itself may have people wondering if you have doubts about the need of telling others about Jesus, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Tell us a little bit about Questioning Evangelism . It could seem I’m doubting whether we need to evangelize, but I’m not. I am questioning the wa