'Take Flight! (A Sisterchicks Devotional)' by Robin Jones Gunn and Cindy Hannan

One of our daughters has enjoyed reading all of Robin Jones Gunn's Sisterchick books with me, one right after another.  And while I consider them light Christian fiction, they're threaded through with bits of insight and real life.  There's always a message that strikes a chord.  This devotional called Take Flight! by Gunn and Cindy Hannan is no exception.  They share hardship, financial difficulties, cancer---all the things that we, or folks near to us, experience on a daily basis.  And rather than sugar-coat a woman's life as all pretty and organized, they talk about how hard life can be. I find that refreshing.  Because it can be.  Hard.

Many thanks for taking a chance at sharing the tough stuff.  For giving hope when there seems to be little hope to be gathered. Much appreciated.

(i received this book free to review from multnomah books)

'A Pug's Guide to Dating' by Gemma Correll

As an owner of two Pugs (and I think they deserve a capital letter), I've thoroughly enjoyed Gemma Correll's two Pug-themed books. The first is called A Pug's Guide to Etiquette, and the latest is A Pug's Guide to Dating.  I can see a whole series taking shape, and that'd be wonderful.  I know Violet and Daisy would appreciate that.

Gemma's illustrations are adorable, and besides her drawings, the dialogue is hilarious.  Truly, when I read her books, I tend to look over at our Pugs, frown and then nod my head, agreeing that they do indeed all act alike.  From smelling a bit dusty, to snoring and licking the floor (no matter what the surface happens to be), Pugs are a breed apart.  But my eyes have been opened in regards to their attitudes toward dating.

For any Pug owner, these are a delight to read and re-read.  Hint: Keep the books in handy reach of your own Pugs, so that they can refer to them frequently.

More, please.

A Pug's Guide to Dating by Gemma Correll is published by Dog 'n' Bone at £9.99 ($14.95 US) and is available from www.cicobooks.com.

(i received this book free to review from CICO books)

Friday afternoon

Ready to chill for a bit.  Got up early to be dressed when the termite guy got here.  Was planning on putting the chickens back in the hen house while he was here, but with Nora setting, we didn't.  They get flustered when all are in the coop when one is laying.  They need privacy at that time. :)

I think the termite guy was intrigued with the chickens, and I don't blame him.  It's not everyday you see them in the city.  He was most curious as to whether they bite.  The answer is no.

Then took half a dozen to a neighbor.  Interesting story:  She's in her seventies, and has lived in the house across the street with her youngest son, who's my age, for about 7-8 years.  She's the one with the grown kids and grandkids who always fight and scream in the front yard.  Anyway, she's a strong Christian woman, but her lifestyle would put you at odds with that fact.  Turns out, her husband who she married in 1953, is moving in with them after the new year begins.  When they married, she lived with him 2 weeks (with his extended and large family) then went back home.  She already had a child before she met this man.  After she left, they went their separate ways, but always kept in touch.  They never divorced.  She went on to have 6 living children.  None of her children are his.  At this point of information, I had the sense to ask no more questions.  Too much sharing.

A year or so ago, the married man she'd had a long-term relationship with passed away.  The kids weren't his either.  Gary went to the funeral (the only white face present) and he said it was strange to see this man's wife for the first time.  And our neighbor's husband has been living with another woman himself for decades---being unmarried seems to be acceptable.  I know our neighbor wrestled with the fact she was playing around and not pleasing the Lord. She's said as much to me many times.  I think she feels relieved to be having her husband back.  So strange, but a good ending to the story, I think.

Our second son, who goes to an inner-city black church, says that the black community is well versed in living a different life away from church than they do on Sundays.  At total odds.  That's one of his major frustrations in being there.  There's not a serious attitude about taking that Christian witness beyond the church doors. Guess the temptations of the world overwhelm any good that's done on the weekends.

Don't get me wrong.  It's not just a black issue.  Just seems very prevalent in that venue.

Folks come from such a variety of backgrounds.  At Bunco last night at church, which ended up being not-Bunco since we only had four show up, there was lots of sharing about families and friends. It's sad to hear of so many families with step-children, broken homes and divorce being so common.  To be married over the long haul is an oddity for some people.  

Shaking my head.  Such brokenness.

Anyway, after that visit, to ground myself a bit, I got the kids working on their artwork and I took some scratch (cracked corn and seed mixture) out to hand feed the chickens.  Settling and quiet. Hens are good therapy.

'The Mercy Prayer' by Robert Gelinas

In Robert Gelinas' book The Mercy Prayer repeated references are made to the Kyrie Elieson (Lord have mercy), which we sing each Sunday at the Anglican church I attend.  And honestly, the reason I first selected this book to review was the cover, which has that ancient church look, always appealing.

Love that he makes numerous Scriptural references, backing up the importance of praying for God's mercy. Really, what more do we need?  He knows our hearts, and for us to be in subjection to Him makes all kinds of sense.  To ask for mercy is to ask for the Lord's heart to be listening to us, to show pity and sympathy. Gelinas shares this beautifully.

I've been a fan of contemplative, mystical Christian literature for so long.  To find modern authors who will take the chance to spread the sweetness of contemplative prayer that the ancients practiced touches my heart.  The icing on the cake was his chapter at the end on The Jesus Prayer, which I've learned as 'Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'  I'm currently on the hunt for my own copy of the book he refers to, The Way of a Pilgrim.  More goodness.

Thank you for spreading the richness of this sort of prayer, Mr. Gelinas.

(i received this book free to review from booksneeze/thomas nelson)

Mid-week

• an excellent song from a guy called shane harper---happy music
• would love to dance to it
• gary'll slow dance, but wouldn't try anything faster
• feeling wonderful today
• can't account for it
• considering it a gift of grace from God
• house is a mess from moving the treadmill to a different room
• i have my dining room back, which is great
• school was smooth as could be today, as was yesterday 
• sunny day and breezy
• all is well
• bills still late, but today, who cares?
• i've got happy feet listening to that song with second son's bose headphones he's lending me
• wow
• back to the treadmill story
• the table we switched it with was covered with junk
• now i have a floor full of misplaced junk
• when i get up from here i'll have to do something with it
• gary says, "it's okay to throw away"
• he says that all the time
• when he's not saying, "now what?"
• he appears to have a limited vocabulary
• must go now
• meatloaf for dinner with all the trimmings of gravy, mashed potatoes and english peas
• pure comfort
• and one more thing---the least one made prancer cookies and we realized with fresh eggs, the risk of salmonella, etc. is pretty nil
• cool
• take care, all

{60 eggs to date, 3 so far today}

About the tea tray...

My husband and I both have little daily routines, and they might just be what keeps us sane.  He eats ice cream out of the same bowl, using the same spoon, eating the same ice cream and cookies topped with a splash of milk every night.  Like clock-work.  He says if we're even out of milk, he's sad.  It has to be the same pattern all the time.  He's done this for years.

I set up the tea tray every morning, not the night before.  Get the kettle boiling, take out my tea (currently PG Tips with cardamom added), my sweetener, whatever cup and saucer is the choice, get half and half into the little pitcher, get my stirring stick for the tea (which is a hand-carved chunky crochet hook one of the boys made me---not shown in the photo), fold a napkin, pour out my oatmeal, get a spoon and preferably a particular one.  And I add a little bowl or cup for my teabags or the tea strainer as well.  You get the idea.

It makes me feel safe.  Usually I have loose tea, but for now it's the PGTips in bags.  Not even sure if they make a loose one.  When I bought the tea, I took out some of the bags, put them into a tea tin and sprinkled on the cardamom. Tastes wonderful, a nice change from plain, old tea flavor.

Steadiness in the midst of our sometimes chaotic lives.  And it helps.  Really it does.

{57 eggs to date---3 today, so far}

Sunday evening

That's my daily morning tea tray in the header photo.  I was getting it ready over the weekend, and the light was just right in the kitchen, so I took a snap.  Even with my cellphone, it turned out like I wanted it to, and I'm no photographer.  Still, sometimes things just work out.

And church was so special and sweet this morning.  Two of our children were confirmed today and with the bishop there and the church all dolled up, the service was extra-special.  And as usual, I cried throughout the whole thing.  I do that.  Just wished I'd come prepared.  Sad, old tissues in the purse just don't do a person justice when they're needed in an emergency.  The Holy Spirit at work. Besides our son who was confirmed is the same one I shared about several months ago.  He's made a turn-around and it's been comforting to see his diligence in making changes.  In addition, our priest is watching him and he's accountable to him as well as us.  All good.

Add to that, the sermon given by the bishop was what I needed to hear.  He talked about how the Lord puts us into a place where we might be uncomfortable, but it's still where He'd have us to be.  He's not deserted us (I will never leave you nor foresake you.), but that's where we've been placed.  More tears.  The bishop is a very sweet man besides.  When the confirmands went up to kneel before him, he spoke to them individually and specifically---placing holy oil on their foreheads and praying over them.  This is serious business. It's not just a ritual, but a sacred benediction on each person.  More tears.

The bishop is well-versed in hardship.  He and his wife were involved in an awful traffic accident a few years back and he still doesn't appear to have full control over his walking or hand movements.  And his wife is battling cancer.  We all have our struggles.  Just hard to see other folks' hurts when we're so focused on our own.

A wonderful start to the week.  Enjoy yours. :)

{54 chicken eggs to date---four today, which seems to be the norm now.  Milk still refuses to participate!}