Christmas Time is coming!

Christmas time is coming!  I decided I better start getting ready now.  Pastor Husband and I have looked at Advent Calendars year after year but haven't really liked any of them or they've been so expensive that I just couldn't see spending that much money.  So where do I look for something different?  Pinterest of course!  I found this http://www.housetohome.co.uk/room-idea/picture/high-impact-low-effort-christmas-decorating/3 and decided this is what we would do.  I've now started saving my tin cans (which is a challenge because we use mostly frozen veggies but it's soup time so we do have cans of tomatoes!) and we'll be going to buy some spray paint very soon.  

What am I going to put in those cans?  Well, the thought did occur to me  to put candy in them.  Since my entire family struggles with weight issues, I decided that was a bad idea.  Instead I made a list of 24 things to do as a family.  They're not all about Jesus or all even about Christmas but they're all things we can do TOGETHER.  Here's my list... 

Day 1:  Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Day 2:  Go to the Crawfordsville Christmas parade; get coffee or hot chocolate to drink while there.

Day 3:  Read How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Day 4:  Play Marbles

Day 5:  Make wassail punch and invite friends over after school to have some

Day 6:  Make paper snowflakes

Day 7:  Bake cookies as a family

Day 8:  watch The Polar Express

Day 9:  Hand out Christmas cards and cookies to our church family

Day 10:  Read The Polar Express

Day 11:  Watch Muppet Christmas Carol

Day 12:  Make Christmas ornaments

Day 13:  Watch The Santa Clause Movies wearing Santa hats

Day 14:  Play UNO Roboto

Day 15:  Watch Charlie Brown Christmas

Day 16:  Get coffee/hot chocolate and look at Christmas lights after church

Day 17:  Read Twas the Night Before Christmas

Day 18:  Turn off the lights, sing Christmas carols, sip apple cider around the lit Christmas tree.

As a reward, you get to camp out by the Christmas tree tonight!

Day 19:  Make paper Poinsettias

 Day 20:  Play Trash Train

Day 21:  Watch original Miracle on 34^th Street

Day 22:  Open Christmas presents

Day 23:  Watch It’s a Wonderful Life

Day 24:  Read the Christmas story from the Bible

We'll also be  lighting our advent candles and talking about what they mean.  What is your family doing to countdown to Christmas?

Book review: She's Got Issues

She’s Got Issues by Nicole Unice is a good Bible Study for individuals or groups.  It helps women understand if they do have issues and what they are.  We all have them at one time or another and the author helps the reader understand how to deal with them.  She addresses control, insecurity, comparisons, fear, and anger.  Mrs. Unice gives students a prayer, a journaling exercise, and topics for group discussion with each chapter.  There are also QR codes to snap with your smart phone for more.

I’m the women’s ministries director and pastor’s wife at our church.  I’m sincerely looking forward to doing this study with my ladies.  We DO all have issues in these areas at some time or another.  The devil really likes to hit women there.  I wanted to get moved to our new church before I had to review this study so I could let my readers know how it is as a group study.  Unfortunately, that just didn’t happen.  I will be reviewing this again after my ladies and I go through it together.

I received a copy of She's Got Issues from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.  Opinions are true and mine alone.

Book Review: Inescapable by Nancy Mehl

Inescapable by Nancy Mehl is an excellent book!  It’s about a young, single mom who runs into more problems than she bargained for in the big city.  These problems force her to return to her Old Order Mennonite family in an Old Order town.  Lizzie really has no good memories of Kingdom, Kansas and dreads going back there.  Once there, she starts to recall more than the bad things.  She discovers she even has friends there.  Will her problems find her there?  Will she have to flee the town that she’s starting to love and the man who has her heart?

By the last page of chapter two, I was hooked on this book.  I loved the mystery and intrigue.  I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.  It was a nice blend of mystery and love. ..love of friends, love of family, but mostly God’s love.  I strongly recommend this book to lovers of Amish fiction.  It was a nice change of pace from what I’ve become accustomed to.

Book Review: The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis

The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis is a love story about the unlikely couple:  An Amish man and a classically trained violinist.  Amelia Devries is a classical violinist who has found she loves fiddling as well.  On her way home from a fiddling concert, she gets lost in a storm and happens upon the cabin that Michael Hostetler is staying at in the mountains.  They become fast friends and Amelia spends the weekend in his little community of Hickory Hollow.  The story takes the reader into both Michael’s and Amelia’s struggles and brings them together in the end.

I had a hard time getting into this book, but I cannot really pinpoint why.  After a few chapters, however, I became engrossed.  I always enjoy Mrs. Lewis’ books and this was no exception.  She explored each main character’s difficult decision and brought them together beautifully.

This book is a must read for fans of Amish fiction.

This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today my Daddy is 62 years old.  Happy birthday to my awesome dad!  I thought it would be a good time to tell my readers about my dad.  :)  Grab a cuppa java and enjoy. 

My dad is great man.  I'm not just saying that because I'm his daughter.  He really is.  He serves God with all his heart; that's the greatest thing about him.  He's not always perfect.  He loses his temper.  He yells (mostly because he's deaf as a post!). Even so, he is an example of a good Christian.  I learned about having good character from him and my mom. 

I will never forget when my dad quit smoking.  Maybe that's not something most people remember.  I do though.  I was in the 5th grade.  My daddy had smoked for, well, forever.  He started long before I was born when he was 24.  I am horribly allergic to cigarette smoke.  I spent a lot of time in my bedroom.  Dad had been told by my allergist several years before that he either needed to quit or go outside to do it.  Well, we were at a citywide revival service at the MP Civic Center and God convicted my dad of smoking.  My dad went to the alter and left his cigarettes and lighter there (to make a longer story short).  After he did that, he came and wrapped his arms around me and told me he was sorry that he hadn't quit sooner for me.

That little action was amazing.  My dad didn't have to apologize to me but he did it anyway.  I have carried it with me for years.  It's not the only time my dad apologized to me.  He did it anytime he wronged me.  He set a shining example to me of being a good parent.  We can't always be a perfect parent.  We can't.  What we can do it model good character for our children.

I learned that from my dad.  ;-)

Happy Birthday, Deacon Daddy!  I love you!

A lot on my mind...

I've had a lot on my mind lately but haven't been able to share it.  There are still things I can't share and it's really bothering me.  Pastor Husband and I were asked not to though and we won't. 

Our pastor resigned a few weeks ago and his last Sunday was yesterday.  Our state Administrative Bishop will be here next Sunday (the 8th) to speak to the church from the Word then in a business meeting afterward.  We will find out then what he has in mind for our church.  I hope the people here know that they CAN say no.  I don't know what he has planned but I know what he doesn't and that's what I can't share.  It has caused my heart to break.

So, what's going to happen to us?  Good question.  I'm glad you asked.  I really don't know.  It will depend on who our new pastor is going to be.  We are keeping our options open and we are trying to come up with a plan B and maybe even a plan C.  There is a chance that the new pastor won't want to keep us on staff here.  We need to be prepared for that.  There is also a chance that WE won't want to stay on staff with the new pastor.  We've heard rumors and if the one we heard recently is true, we will be looking at our other options.

What are our other options if we aren't able to stay here?  We can either apply for other staff positions or find a senior pastor position that fits us.  We will probably do the latter.  We feel God moving us back in that direction.  Pastor Husband feels that's what God wants us to do if we leave here.  I do too.

For quite some time God has been laying Women's Ministries on my heart.  As the First Lady of a church, that would be my responsibility.  God has shown me some Bible studies He wants me to do as well as some things to get to know my ladies.  I'm actually really excited about this!  For so long I have only taught children and it's really exciting for God to take me in a different direction. 

I don't know what our future holds.  God may very well work it out for us to be here for many years.  I do hope that is the case.  Please be in prayer about this with us!

Book Review: Flame of Resistance by Tracy Groot

Flame of Resistance by Tracy Groot is an excellent World War II novel about a French Resistance movement called Flame.  This novel provides a little bit of a love story, a little bit of God, a little bit of action, and a little bit of history.  Germany has invaded France and there are numerous resistance cells all over the country.  Michel Rousseua is the leader of one such group, Flame.  He’s presented with an unusual opportunity when a Dutch-American pilot crashes in France and is willing to be an agent for Flame.  The pilot is paired up with a young woman who has been forced into prostitution in order to survive.  Together  they unravel a great story!

This was a good read, however, it was a little tough to follow for a couple of chapters until you wrap your head around who is who.  After I got a grasp of the characters, I really enjoyed this book.  It really got me interested in WW II history and I enjoyed the author’s note at the end.  This lead me to a little research on my own.

I recommend Flame of Resistance to history lovers as well as mystery and romance readers.  As I said, it was a good read.

I was given a copy of Flame of Resistance by Tyndale Publishing for review.  This review is my honest opinion.